My smartphone journey began in 2010, migrating from a Blackberry to the iPhone 4. Like many Apple users, I believed there was no reason to consider anything else. Aside from a brief foray with an Android phone in 2016 when my iPhone met an untimely demise, I’ve been firmly planted in Apple’s walled garden.
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That 2016 experience left me unimpressed. The phone was capable, but the Android OS was inelegant. It felt clunky and unintuitive compared to the sleek simplicity of iOS. The Play Store was even worse. Compared to Apple’s tightly curated App Store, quality was all over the place. Within a few months, I went back to an iPhone. But this time, something felt different.
2024: My year of the budget Android
In 2024, a convergence of circumstances and curiosity led me to give Android another try, this time focusing on budget-friendly devices. My exploration led me to acquire a Motorola Moto G 5G 2024 as my primary phone, a Xiaomi Band 9 smartwatch, a Redmi Note 13C as a remarkably affordable backup phone, and an inexpensive Teclast tablet for casual media consumption and travel.
I was tired of paying over $1,000 for devices that barely lasted two years. I love a great deal and relish the pursuit of exceptional value. I’ve been impressed by the bang for the buck these devices offer for my daily use.
How I use my devices
There’s more than being a cheapskate to explain why I’m into budget Android devices. I am not a gamer, so that takes the most demanding applications off the table. It means I can get a great experience without the most powerful hardware. While I take photos, I’m not the primary shutterbug in the family. My wife handles most of that with her iPhone. I am a moderate social media user, spend a ton of time in the Google stack doing productivity tasks, and prefer to handle most of my communications through WhatsApp.
Moto G 5G 2024: My daily driver
Among my budget Android devices, my Motorola smartphone is the most impressive. I didn’t plan to buy a budget Android phone, but I was in a bind when my iPhone died. I had a terrible repair experience with the iPhone that stretched over two weeks, leaving me with a non-functioning pile of scrap and a charge from the independent repair shop that I had to dispute. After that, I purchased a Samsung Galaxy S24 FE locally in Mexico, where I was.
However, it turned out that the “unblocked” S24 was blocked from registration with my US-based AT&T account, which I deduced only after several phone calls with AT&T reps who were equally perplexed. After returning that phone to the retailer, I was fed up and open to the least painful, least expensive solution possible.
That’s when I saw the Moto G 5G 2024 in the Motorola shop on Amazon. Its price was stunningly low compared to an iPhone. I wondered if a $170 phone could do the job. Since it was built for the US market and is a model AT&T supports, I expected it would connect with AT&T in Mexico and the United States without issue. After I received it, AT&T told me they couldn’t support its eSim, which was disappointing. However, I was spending the following week in Miami, where I went to an AT&T store, grabbed a physical SIM, and was up and running within minutes.
I’ve been happy with the Moto G 5G 2024 and am not in a hurry to upgrade. Despite having 4GB of RAM, it nearly always operates smoothly. The LCD is unremarkable but perfectly fine. The 5,000mAh battery is awesome, charges fast, and lasts more than a day between charges. Mine arrived with almost no bloatware, probably because I bought it from Motorola. The aspect of the phone I don’t like is the camera. Even in good lighting, it’s subpar.
Xiaomi Band 9: Is it better than an Apple Watch?
In a recent article, an Android Police writer noted that battery life is the only thing that matters for smartphones. That is even more true with smartwatches, and it’s why I love my Xiaomi Band 9. It’s a great smartwatch if you don’t want to spend a lot and want the basics without dealing with daily charging sessions. In my experience, the Band 9 can go more than two weeks between charges, and that’s awesome. I haven’t looked back since I impulse-purchased it from Amazon for around $45 after reading Android Police’s positive review.
Read our review
The Band 9 is sleek, lightweight, and comfortable for continuous wear. It offers the basics, such as heart rate, blood oxygen, and workout tracking. Xiaomi’s HyperOS is elegant and easy to use. While it doesn’t have integrated GPS capability, I have my phone for that. It delivers notifications, but I need to pick up my phone for the conversation, which isn’t a drawback for me.
Xiaomi’s Android app, Mi Fitness, is good, but the integration of Xiaomi watches with other health apps can be inconsistent. This could be a concern since I joined a program that incentivizes tracking my fitness on Apple Health or Google Fit. Still, I wear my Band 9 daily, whereas my Apple Watch became a paperweight a few weeks after purchase because it constantly needs charging. A Fitbit might justify the extra expense if you want seamless third-party app compatibility.
Xiaomi Redmi 13c: a decent smartphone for under $100
The Redmi 13c won’t win performance awards. Still, it’s a decent current model and less than $100. I got mine new and sealed for $85 from a Facebook Marketplace seller. I didn’t expect much. I needed a basic backup phone to use with my secondary phone number. I was also curious to see if such an inexpensive phone could function well. While the Moto G 5G 2024 and Samsung A15 are better phones, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my Redmi.
It isn’t a high-end phone, and it doesn’t pretend to be one. Its Mediatek processor and 4GB RAM initially stuttered, but I have since remedied the snags by turning on the virtual RAM setting. The phone has a no-frills plastic casing and needs to be protected. I haven’t tried it for gaming, but it works fine with Google Workspace apps, streams clear video, and has good battery life. Its camera is good and better than the Moto G’s, especially in good lighting.
I’m not a huge fan of Xiaomi’s custom Android-based phone OS. It feels unnecessary. My Motorola arrived with little bloatware, but the 13c required a lot of cleanup. It’s an ad-supported phone, always touting something in the Notifications center. You can stop or avoid most of that with a little effort.
The Redmi 13c and Poco C65 are variants of the same phone, sometimes with slightly different specs.
Teclast P26T tablet: My first Android purchase of 2024
Even though I’ve used an iPhone in the past and cover platform-agnostic audio products for Android Police, I own at least one Android device. I’ve always enjoyed tablets as a convenient travel option instead of lugging a laptop. Being a thrifter, I headed to Amazon and eBay to see what was available for cheap. That’s when I stumbled across Teclast and its relatively high-spec, low-cost tablets. I paid less than $90, and it has 4GB of RAM and 128MB of storage. It came with a good case and screen protector, saving even more money.
It does the job for web browsing and basic media consumption. Pages load and scroll fine, and videos look reasonably lively. The battery is an annoyance and requires frequent charging. Other than that, no major gripes.
Some of my meh impressions are based on the shortage of Android apps optimized for tablets. Having been an iPad user, I expected more from the app side of things. Knowing what I do now, I might go back to an iPad next time.
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Where 2025 might take me
I plan to keep my Moto G 5G 2024 as my primary device for a year and a half or two before moving on. I am interested in trying a budget Samsung and might grab one in the first half of next year for comparison. My Redmi isn’t going anywhere. I’ll keep it around through 2025 as a backup device because it plays that part well and wouldn’t be worth much on the used market.
I have mixed feelings about owning a flagship phone. I won’t go back to the iPhone in 2025 as I’m not a fan of the company or its history of planned obsolescence. As a subscriber to the Google stack and a power user of its AI platforms, I would love to grab a Pixel. But I’m waiting for the right Pixel. I want one with an all-around awesome processor to match its excellent photographic abilities. So, depending on how the Pixel 10 shakes out, it’s a possibility for me later in the year. Samsung’s flagship phones are always a tempting possibility.
I would love to keep using my Xiaomi smartwatch for a few years. Its elegant simplicity and long battery life are delightful. I won’t go back to my Apple Watch because watches shouldn’t require frequent charging.
My Teclast tablet’s battery life is a thorn in my side, and most Android apps aren’t great on tablets. I frequently use it for media and web browsing while traveling. However, I don’t use a tablet enough to invest in a new one in 2025. If that changes, I’ll probably go with an iPad.
My 2024 was a year of budget Android adventures. I liked most of what I found.
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Moto G 5G (2024)
The Moto G 5G (2024) is a $200 smartphone that offers solid performance, excellent audio, and good battery life. However, in order to reach such an affordable price, some caveats must be made, including a dim display with a passable camera.
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Xiaomi Smart Band 9
