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Question

Smart phone purchase - removable battery or not?

Mar 7, 2018 10:07PM PST

I'm heading tomorrow to my local Best Buy to look at some Android smart phones to replace an old Samsung flip phone. I plan to look at prepaid and unlocked phones; my current cell phone service is with T-Mobile and I've been very satisfied with their service.

What I want to know is this; I'd like to purchase a new phone with a removable battery; many of the phones being sold today have a non-removable battery. Is that important; having a smart phone with a removable battery or not? My Samsung flip phone is over 7 years old; has the original battery still in it which is also removable.


Big Steve
03/08/18

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Well discussed.
Mar 8, 2018 9:37AM PST

It's a personal choice you have to make.

For me it never mattered as I can change the ones that are not user replaceable. Late last year I replaced the battery in my old iPhone 5s. Cost? 18 bucks. Time? 20 minutes and used YouTubes to help me along.

For me, a non-issue. For others? They have to choose.

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Re: Well discussed.
Mar 8, 2018 1:11PM PST

So the reason many manufacturers are producing smart phones today with non-removable batteries is to get the phone's owner to have to upgrade to a newer model phone when their old phone's battery finally does quit working unless they have the knowledge and experience in having to deal with electronics like you do?

As you have said it was not a problem for you to change the phone's battery out on an old model iPhone yourself because you knew how to do it. I was reading another discussion on this forum last night about smart phone recommendations and you posted recently that you had acquired a Motorola MOTO 5G phone I think; if I got the model phone right how's that phone been doing? Thanks for the feedback.


Big Steve
03/08/18

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That was proven false.
Mar 8, 2018 1:51PM PST

The reason to move to non user replaceable batteries was simple. It can let the maker product a thinner or lighter phone.

But if you encounter a conspiracy theorist, nod and let them think that.

The Moto G 5th gen is a favorite. My wife, friends and I carry the Moto G Plus 5th gen. Very nice phone.

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Re: That was proven false.
Mar 8, 2018 9:19PM PST

Again thanks for the feedback. Can I ask you about a specific make and model smartphone here or would I need to start another discussion before I could do that?


Big Steve
03/08/18

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Re: Well discussed.
Mar 14, 2018 7:13AM PDT

What's your opinion for this phone as a good entry level smart phone which does have a removable battery? Motorola - Moto E4 4G LTE with 16GB of memory - (Unlocked) - black or gold at Best Buy for $129.99? Is 16GB of memory enough memory for an entry level smart phone to have or should I look at phones that have 32GB of memory?


Big Steve
03/14/18

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Re: memory
Mar 14, 2018 7:25AM PDT

Any Android phone works fine with 4 GB of RAM, entry level or not.

It's up to you how much GB of music, pictures and movies you want to store on your phone. Nobody here knows.

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Re: Well discussed.
Mar 14, 2018 7:38AM PDT

If I wanted to get some feedback on whether or not the Motorola Moto E4 4G LTE was a good entry level smart phone to consider purchasing for someone wanting to purchase their first smart phone would I need to start another discussion asking that question? I currently have an 8 year old Samsung flip phone and want to upgrade to something better. Thanks for the feedback on the phone's memory question.


Big Steve
03/14/18

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Re: Well discussed.
Mar 14, 2018 7:42AM PDT

To answer your question you posted previously I would not store pictures; movies or music on the phone; just talk and text although if the phone did have a camera the question concerning the storing of pictures could change.


Big Steve
03/14/18

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Re: pictures
Mar 14, 2018 8:29AM PDT

Practicall all phones and surely the Moto E4 have a camera. It's one of the essential things in a smartphone.
Here's our review: https://www.cnet.com/products/motorola-moto-e4/review/

- A high-quality picture is 5 MB. So 200 high-quality pictures are 1 GB.
- A picture you receive in Whatsapp is 100 kB. So 10,000 pictures received via Whatsapp are 1 GB.

I would say that 16 GB is more than enough for your intended use.

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Re: pictures
Mar 14, 2018 12:03PM PDT

Thanks for the link to the phone's review. The only negative I read in the review was the camera wasn't too good; the processor was slow whatever that meant but other than that it seems to be a pretty good phone for a starter smartphone.


Big Steve
03/14/18

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Answer
They are still replaceable
Mar 15, 2018 6:39AM PDT

If the main reason that you want a phone with removable battery is so that it is easily changeable, then the ones that are not removable can also be replaced for a minimal fee at any cell phone repair store in town.

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Answer
This just in. Cheapest price I've seen on the Moto G5
Mar 15, 2018 2:15PM PDT

Read https://www.cnet.com/news/the-best-budget-phone-on-sale-for-209-99/

"For a limited time, Prime subscribers can get the Motorola Moto G5 Plus (4GB + 64GB) for $209.99 shipped. That's $20 less than the regular price of the 2GB + 32GB model!"

I notice you tend to pass up and miss out on deals like this. But at least I got it to you as fast as I could.

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Re: This just in. Cheapest price I've seen on the Moto G5
Mar 15, 2018 11:21PM PDT

To get the phone for that price I'd have to join Amazon Prime which says costs $99.00 a year. I don't order enough from Amazon to justify the $99.00 fee. Second I might go with the Motorola Moto E4 instead which is currently selling for $129.99 on Best Buy and a few other websites rather than spending $209.99 for the other phone which is probably a better phone but it's a budget thing with me.


Big Steve
03/16/18

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Answer
removable batteries used to last a lot longer
Mar 28, 2018 10:01AM PDT

Hi Steve! I can confirm that removable batteries used to last a lot longer than the irremovable ones that we see within the latest smartphones! ‘Old is gold’ as the saying goes! I have an iPhone 5 and I already had 3 battery changes; it’s indeed pretty insane and costly! I suggest that you find yourself a device that comes with a removable battery, you will use it for years without anything to worry about. All the best!

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I'm on my second battery on my 5s. It cost me 17 dollars.
Mar 28, 2018 10:19AM PDT

Yeah, costly I know but to extend the life span I put my 5s into a Jackery battery case. I like this so I only charge it up every few days instead of daily. When I'm home I can leave it on the charger.

Expensive I know.

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Re: removable batteries used to last a lot longer
Mar 29, 2018 1:42AM PDT

RobertTechy06:

That's what I plan to do; this will be my first smartphone purchase; I think I'll feel better having a new phone with a removable battery. Thanks for the feedback.


Big Steve
03/29/18