Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

What phone should I buy if I’m on a budget?

Wirecutter Editor in Chief Jacqui Cheng offers budget recommendations for phones, computers and more on the latest Too Embarrassed to Ask.

Sterling Rates To Fluctuate During Brexit Negotiations
Sterling Rates To Fluctuate During Brexit Negotiations
Photo Illustration by Matt Cardy/Getty Images

In the era of $1000 smartphones, it may seem like the newest, best stuff is only available to big spenders. But with a little research, it’s possible to find quality tech products that don’t break the bank.

Jacqui Cheng is the Editor in Chief of Wirecutter, the New York Times-owned tech review site that does just that sort of research. On the latest episode of Too Embarrassed to Ask, Cheng joined Kara Swisher and Lauren Goode to talk about her budget picks for a range of tech products, including smartphones.

“We will definitely not get to the point where we’re ever recommending things that are truly horrible to use and are gonna ruin your life,” Cheng said. “If that’s the case, we’d rather avoid recommending anything at all. It’s usually something that’s as cheap as you can go without tearing your hair out.”

Since most people would want to continue to use the apps and music they already own, she assumed that a current Android user would want to buy another Android phone. For that person, Cheng and Wirecutter recommend the Motorola Moto G5 Plus, which the Verge called “a new value champion” earlier this year. One of its virtues is that it’s an affordable $220 brand-new and unlocked for all carriers.

“If it were up to me and I had $200 to spend, that’s probably what I would do,” Cheng said. “If you are going to buy pre-owned, I try to go to the refurbs that are offered directly from the company first, whether that’s T-Mobile or Motorola or something. Those usually tend to be pretty decent.”

You can listen to the new podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Overcast or wherever you listen to podcasts.

For iPhone loyalists, Cheng said Apple also has an official refurb program, which is a good way to ensure a certain level of quality, but it can sometimes run out what you’re looking for. So, she recommended buying a 64 GB iPhone 6S on the third-party refurb site Gazelle.

“Gazelle is a service where they buy used electronics like phones, laptops, things like that, off of people like you and me,” Cheng explained. “Instead of going to eBay to sell my phone to whoever bids on it, I might go to Gazelle and they’ll offer me some amount — usually, it’s a little bit less than you might get if you were really trying to maximize your dollars, but it’s pretty decent.”

“On the flip side, they’ll refurb it and resell to someone else,” she added. “As a buyer, you can go to Gazelle and look at all the used things that they have. So they have every single phone you can ever imagine, plus laptops and other things.”

Have questions about tech on a budget that we didn’t get to in this episode? Tweet them to @Recode with the hashtag #TooEmbarrassed, or email them to TooEmbarrassed@recode.net.

Be sure to follow @LaurenGoode, @KaraSwisher and @Recode to be alerted when we’re looking for questions about a specific topic.

If you like this show, you should also check out our other podcasts:

  • Recode Decode, hosted by Kara Swisher, is a weekly show featuring in-depth interviews with the movers and shakers in tech and media every Monday. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Overcast or wherever you listen to podcasts.
  • Recode Media with Peter Kafka features no-nonsense conversations with the smartest and most interesting people in the media world, with new episodes every Thursday. Use these links to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Overcast or wherever you listen to podcasts.
  • And finally, Recode Replay has all the audio from our live events, such as the Code Conference, Code Media and the Code Commerce Series. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Overcast or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you like what we’re doing, please write a review on Apple Podcasts — and if you don’t, just tweet-strafe Kara and Lauren. Tune in next Friday for another episode of Too Embarrassed to Ask!

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

See More:

More in Technology

Podcasts
Anthropic just made AI scarierAnthropic just made AI scarier
Podcast
Podcasts

Why the company’s new AI model is a cybersecurity nightmare.

By Dustin DeSoto and Sean Rameswaram
Politics
The Supreme Court will decide when the police can use your phone to track youThe Supreme Court will decide when the police can use your phone to track you
Politics

Chatrie v. United States asks what limits the Constitution places on the surveillance state in an age of cellphones.

By Ian Millhiser
Future Perfect
The simple question that could change your careerThe simple question that could change your career
Future Perfect

Making a difference in the world doesn’t require changing your job.

By Bryan Walsh
Technology
The case for AI realismThe case for AI realism
Technology

AI isn’t going to be the end of the world — no matter what this documentary sometimes argues.

By Shayna Korol
Politics
OpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agendaOpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agenda
Politics

The AI company released a set of highly progressive policy ideas. There’s just one small problem.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol