International is not global.I was looking at Xaomi phones and then read some reviews.Only one review made it clear that for all your 4G bands,you need the global version.For France,my carrier uses 3,7 and 20.
International edition seems to mean that Android is in your chosen language without Chinese start pages etc,nothing to do with band frequencies.I learn something every day.
The Redmi Note 4 feels a little heavy and slippery with the metal back.
As others have said, make sure the LTE bands are compatible with your carrier’s.
I use straight talk because the big phone companies pillage your wallet and I get the same services for $50 a month. Without a contract you don’t really have much of a warranty anyways so I just buy phones used. The latest flagship phones cost too much brand new, $400 and up. I just use 2 gens ago. Samsung Galaxy S6 used for $180 and it works great.
I’d try a Xiaomi, but I never knew anyone that owned one.
Dunno what that covers, whether data, too, or just voice/text.
For me, I got 2 prepaid accounts:
TMobile for 100bux/yr (100bux at 10¢/min, so 1000min and a 1yr expiration). So if all I expect to do is yak for a few min, I’ll use that. Also for texts back’n’forth when it might not be possible to talk.
AT&T at 2bux/day if there’s any activity that day (even a 1min call or 1 text counts). So if I expect to use it for more than 20min (eg, people at work bugging me), I’ll use that phone/acct instead. 25bux or more buys a 90day expiration, so that’s the same effective rate per year as the TM acct. So basically I pay 200bux/year total, for about, what?, 17bux/mo?
I’m definitely not a Phone Guy™, so people know enough not to bug me on the phone, and just send email or something. And I’m one of those who can sit right next to a phone when it’s ringing and not be inclined in the slightest to pick it up. 
Ymmv.
I wonder if anyone else has realized how the capabilities of a decent ‘smartphone’ exceeds the desktop computer from 10 yrs ago. My ageing 1+ one has a quad core 2.4GHz processor, 4GB ram, and 64GB storage. Cheaper than the core2 duo I built and overclocked to 3.6 GHz shortly before (although the desktop did have 2TB storage but I couldn’t carry it in my pocket).
My “desktop system” was going to be a monitor with a Raspberry Pi stuck to the back. Wireless keyboard w/ touchpad, plus wifi, means everything’s self-contained and connects directly to the ’net with nothing else required.
Then they go and break the vpn at work so that it no longer works with anything but winblows. 
—
I can only imagine some connector to get video-out from a phone, and be able to use a wireless kb through bluetoof. That would be tres kewl…
microsoft and samsung has done it, it’s lumia continium and samsung dex station
but IMO, phone will never replace laptop/desktop computer, if i have to carry a phone and a dock, and a keyboard, no thanks, i will carry my surface pro
The
Xiaomi Redmi 4X Global Edition 5.0 inch 3GB RAM 32GB ROM Snapdragon 435 Octa-core 4G
is quite good. Also there is an official LinageOS ROM (former Cyanogem Mod).
If you need to check LTE bands of a device
google: device gsmarena spec
Normally the first entry gives you a feature table
I have Xiaomi Redmi 4x global, MI4C and Redmi Note 4.
No problems whatsoever. Bootloaders unlocked, rooted.
I also have Moto Z Play, SGS6.
Xiaomi keep up the pace with much smaller budget.
Next phone will be Xiaomi hands down.
Mike
+1 for Xiaomi, they can’t be beat on the price/quality and they actually have official rom updates for their phones, rare for a chinese maker, i have a Note3, a Note4 and a redmi 4x.
This morning I pulled the trigger on a Xaomi 4X global from GB,only available in gold :confounded: at $128, but it will live in a case so ok
Well…my fam made the decision for me and got me the LG Stylo3. It didn’t cost much and it seems to be handling the job pretty well.
Of course all of this is just a bunch of suggestions, all of them valid and personal. Everyone has their own preferences.
For me it is important for a smartphone to be tested and popular enough to have ROM development. Stock ROMs and updates are a joke, nothing beats a well working optimized and rooted ROM. No arguing about this, period. I stepped in and I'm not going back… ever.
Were I to recommend something? I like the Lenovo Zuk Z2, somewhat scarce now. The Z2 Pro kicks ass also and has great ROM development. Not the cheapest, of course…
Cheers 
Big news from Xiaomi, they released the Mi A1, the first Android One phone, it’s a pure android without bloated software from the maker, and with direct update from Google for at least 2 years.
There is no other phone i’ll recommend over this one to somebody budget conscious.
This answer is aimed at everyone.
5.5"? Don't really like carrying a flagstone in my pocket…
When you're root you can do whatever, thus bloat goes out effortlessly.
I'm not a fan of updates. Do you seriously believe updates are always good? :facepalm:
Free apps do not necessarily care for you, they care for the pocket of their creators. I've witnessed many apps gone rogue over time as to know what I'm saying.
Long ago, when operating systems where explicitly paid (cough Windows cough) things were good. Now they're little battlefields for control. Android isn't much different. If you aim for a nice system you'd better start using alternative ways to get software besides the Play Store (there are other software repositories everyone can use, like F-Droid), and do away with auto-updates in it unless you want some of your software screwed up with cuestionable updates.
Just for those of you willing to know. 
:-)
5.5" is really at my tolerance limits, also.
I rather have a slim 5"...
But I have take a better look at this :)
A OnePlus One is pretty cheap now, and is only a few years old, but still performs very well, and has loads of good custom ROMs if you’re into that sort of thing.
No one asked, of course, but let me show you a few applications for rooted systems worth their weight in gold:
- Battery Charge Limit. The name says it all, allows you to define a charge status window (in battery %) at which the application will keep the battery energized. A boon for those who care for battery health. With it you can keep your device always plugged without high voltage worries.
- UI Tuner (Google Play link). Originally named Window Manipulator, allows defining virtual display properties like different screen density (dpi) and resolution. This is key to make stubborn websites believe you're screen is much bigger (like a desktop) so you're served the real internet, for example. This is because browsers tell websites about your screen resolution and density, parameters they use to precisely determine your screen size.
- AdAway. You may have heard from it elsewhere, this one needs no introduction, and its methodology can also be implemented in desktops with some third party app help. If you're wondering what's that “section 4.4 of the Developer Distribution Agreement” all I can say is I don't really know, but obviously it has to do something with the fact that this application puts clear limits at the rate big brother Google can pillage your wallet and your system integrity with ads (Microsoft is sort of doing this crap nowadays too). Thus, I choose AdAway.
Enjoy! 
:-)
Originally posted on Tue, 09/26/2017 - 15:39; typo fix-up.
I really aim for low costs, I just know that 1 afternoon working with the chainsaw can lead to broken screen.
Still using my sons Doogee Titans 2, but the glass is broken
So I ordered a Oukitel X5 pro
$65 on Ali, had to pay duties adding $35
Play store crashes, can’t use it
Looks nice
Vendor made download available but just can’t get it on there
Ali global warranty allows me TK aend it to Poland for swap
.
Sigh it works only nothing can be updated.
So I fear they only want to send it back and I have to pay shipping twice, being the same as just ordering another but then I have a good extra battery.
Just downloaded latest compatible google play services apk and hope that I can install it and have a good working phone, it is embarrassing how cracked my phone screen is…
but one thing need to be considered: No WARRANTY after rooted( unless you do trick, but have to put some effort in there)
after years playing with ROM and rooted and many things on android phone, now i only use stock ROM with no root, ít’s stable and no time consuming in fixing error