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
Tell me about it. I just gave up my LG Prime, kicking and screaming, when AT&T just stopped supporting 3G phones last year, and even my Nokia Nuron feels like a brick in my pocket.
Now with a ZTE Maven 2, a nice phone in itself, but it feels like I’m carrying a dinner-plate in my pocket.
Whynahell do people do that?
That’s why I typically leave my phones in my bag all day. I’ll be damned if I have to carry a phone like that.
And carrying them in a back pocket, sitting on ’em, having ’em fall out, even getting swiped, no wonder people end up with broken screens all the time. Never once in my life have I ever cracked a screen on any phone or tablet.
Europe is different, this time for good.
You didn't played your cards right, just that. I use a stock optimized ROM, rooted. This means it's stable and debloated, everything works and on top of that I can enjoy the staggering benefits rooting offers.
It is advisable to do a proper research to determine the ROM which fits best, this is one of the things forums are for. A stock debloated ROM is generally a wise choice. Add rooting, done seamlessly via custom recovery, and you're the master.
Of course, I'm not trying to sell anything here. I come from an era where the OS would blindy execute commands like “FORMAT C: /U /Q” or “DELETE /F COMMAND.COM” without hesitation. Those of you who cannot bear with this sort of empowerment and the potential risks involved, don't root. I choose rooting and learning. Things are, however, much easier than they want you to believe. Big brother likes to discredit rooting because it poses a threat to their control practices and the rancid business model behind.
More than once I've broken my systems in the past, to learn from the experience and fix 'em one way or the other.
Cheers fellows 
Money.
Big and slim means fragile, warranty won't cover your faux pas with the device if you smash it.
Avoid buying slim flagstones. I do not really mind if my phone is a bit beyond 10mm thickness, and this makes room for a bigger battery.
I like detachable back-covers, they protect the device and are easily and inexpensively replaceable.
I also take quite good care with my devices' screens. Can also homemade replace them, too, did that for a friend who would have dumped the device were him to have paid for such a service :facepalm: on a store.
Cheers 
Depends on where you buy Barkuti
Import from China and warranty is an issue for sure
Thats GENIUS!
I have read lots of stuff from Batteryuniversity but the idea just never crossed my mind, that you could do restricting with APP :D
Too bad this racket was so difficult to root that I gave up after couple hours of trying because for some unknown reason my PC did not want to understand some usb-driver stuff correctly, lol...
Fits the Xiaomi redmi note 4 global edition.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Tactical-600D-Molle-Nylon-5-5-Inches-Phone-Pouch-Outdoor-Sports-Lightweight-Magazine-Pouch-Phone-Cover/32676272832.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.fP3aWF
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Mobile-Phone-Cases-Pouch-Smartphone-Belt-Clip-Vertical-Holster-Leather-Original-Phone-For-Xiaomi-Redmi-Note/32731779383.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.fP3aWF
FYI Xiaomi redmi note 4 global edition screen is not gorilla glass and you need to get a screen protector.
I don’t think anybody familiar with rooting a phone and looking for custom roms would come to me asking what phone to get, i’m pretty sure they already know as much as me if not as much as a master l33t g33k like you, the only people that come to me for advice are people with a life and little taste and time for messing with a phone and learning the ins and outs of adb , recovery etc…
No, i don’t remember stating that.
Cubot Note S is ok with me. Amazon customers are satisfied with it, me too.
Me, for example. While I can do the magic behind the software, this doesn't means I am up to date with regards to what are the trending known good smartphones at any given time. Generally this is easily solved by reading some reviews and visiting the XDA developers forum, but can take much more time without good advice.
With my abilities I can easily help out people get into the rooted ROM thing, yet of course they have to show true motivated willingness to be responsible for their actions without blaming the guru. Only one close friend of me followed the path and, despite not being even remotely so g33k, until now he has done right and has enjoyed some of the benefits of rooting. It just takes a little common sense.
Cheers
P.S.: ask first, shoot later. :-)
You said it yourself only one friend of yours followed this path, while not by any measure an authority of your caliber, i have been rooting, flashing roms, changing filesystems, kernels and whatnot and since the Galaxy S I9000 the times of supercurio (Francois Simond) and the whole voodoo thing (i among lot of other phones had a flashed ZUK Z2 that i gave to my sister, i agree about the hardware and form factor), i don’t pretend to have your teaching skills either but as soon as i introduce the idea and explain to people what it involves the answer is almost always “thanks, not interested” the vast majority of people IRL have no time or interest for this, it requires a high level of autism, they want OTA updates and in most cases would be better of on AOSP, hence the success of the nexus line (although it lost it’s competitive pricing after the nexus 4) and now the interest for android one.