What is a good upgrade to a ZTE Blade/Orange San Francisco?

[Guest billybiro]

I've loved my Orange San Francisco / ZTE Blade that I've had for the last year (ish), however, I'm now looking to get an upgrade to something with a bit more "oommph".

What phone would you recommend, in the approx. £150-£200 price range, that would be a good upgrade to the Blade ?

I'm ideally looking for a phone that has at least an ARMv7 CPU (and ideally running at around 1Ghz), a camera WITH flash (around 5MP), MORE storage space than the Blade and a good battery with a long(ish) life (i.e. With my current usage of my Blade (which is light but has 3G & data permanently switched on) I get around 1 day. I'd like to get around 1.5 - 2 days with the same light usage on a better phone/battery).

I've seen the Acer Liquid Metal (http://is.gd/JVt9Uk) for £140 from Expansys which is a great buy, but doesn't seem to have any more storage than the Blade, and I'm also aware of the Huawei U8800 for £175 from Carphone Warehouse (http://is.gd/EzqTf5) although it never seems to be in stock. I may well still get an Acer Liquid Metal as it seems to be a great phone for a spare/backup, however, I'd like to pay around another £50 on top of the Acer's price and get something with a little bit "more" in each department, if possible.

Given the requirements/restrictions above, can anyone suggest a good "upgrade" to my ZTE Blade ?

Thanks in advance.

[Guest fallenangel32]

I've loved my Orange San Francisco / ZTE Blade that I've had for the last year (ish), however, I'm now looking to get an upgrade to something with a bit more "oommph".

What phone would you recommend, in the approx. £150-£200 price range, that would be a good upgrade to the Blade ?

I'm ideally looking for a phone that has at least an ARMv7 CPU (and ideally running at around 1Ghz), a camera WITH flash (around 5MP), MORE storage space than the Blade and a good battery with a long(ish) life (i.e. With my current usage of my Blade (which is light but has 3G & data permanently switched on) I get around 1 day. I'd like to get around 1.5 - 2 days with the same light usage on a better phone/battery).

I've seen the Acer Liquid Metal (http://is.gd/JVt9Uk) for £140 from Expansys which is a great buy, but doesn't seem to have any more storage than the Blade, and I'm also aware of the Huawei U8800 for £175 from Carphone Warehouse (http://is.gd/EzqTf5) although it never seems to be in stock. I may well still get an Acer Liquid Metal as it seems to be a great phone for a spare/backup, however, I'd like to pay around another £50 on top of the Acer's price and get something with a little bit "more" in each department, if possible.

Given the requirements/restrictions above, can anyone suggest a good "upgrade" to my ZTE Blade ?

Thanks in advance.

i think you sould wait

as i hear new upgrated blade is on its way...i read it someware

[Guest muller37]

I've loved my Orange San Francisco / ZTE Blade that I've had for the last year (ish), however, I'm now looking to get an upgrade to something with a bit more "oommph".

What phone would you recommend, in the approx. £150-£200 price range, that would be a good upgrade to the Blade ?

I'm ideally looking for a phone that has at least an ARMv7 CPU (and ideally running at around 1Ghz), a camera WITH flash (around 5MP), MORE storage space than the Blade and a good battery with a long(ish) life (i.e. With my current usage of my Blade (which is light but has 3G & data permanently switched on) I get around 1 day. I'd like to get around 1.5 - 2 days with the same light usage on a better phone/battery).

I've seen the Acer Liquid Metal (http://is.gd/JVt9Uk) for £140 from Expansys which is a great buy, but doesn't seem to have any more storage than the Blade, and I'm also aware of the Huawei U8800 for £175 from Carphone Warehouse (http://is.gd/EzqTf5) although it never seems to be in stock. I may well still get an Acer Liquid Metal as it seems to be a great phone for a spare/backup, however, I'd like to pay around another £50 on top of the Acer's price and get something with a little bit "more" in each department, if possible.

Given the requirements/restrictions above, can anyone suggest a good "upgrade" to my ZTE Blade ?

Thanks in advance.

If you were willing to go to £250ish you could get a Nexus S which has all you ask for with ARMv8 cpu and 16gb storage (no sd card slot though) and the very latest updates.

Some people have mentioned the Xperia play as being good for the money but not sure of the specs.

Acer Liquid Metal does look like a good phone but don't know about the curved screen.

[Guest Mushroom_Lord]

OP. A note for future threads...

On the first page of this forum, there is a topic incredibly similar to this one, and, in all fairness, it was old, but it would be nicer to keep that one updated with what the new bugdet options are :P

Of course that doesn't really matter now, but apply that knowledge in the future ;)

If you were willing to go to £250ish you could get a Nexus S...

I'll stop you right there...

I'm pretty sure that deal ended ~a week ago...unless you can provide a link?

[Guest dadashi]

Orange MonteCarlo with 4.3" screen is a good upgrade now that the price has dropped to £119 specialy if you have weak eyes...

[Guest billybiro]

i think you sould wait

as i hear new upgrated blade is on its way...i read it someware

Interesting.... Any links for this?

[Guest billybiro]

Orange MonteCarlo with 4.3" screen is a good upgrade now that the price has dropped to £119 specialy if you have weak eyes...

I had big hopes for the Monte Carlo / ZTE Skate prior to it being released, but it's a fairly poor upgrade to the Blade and fails on quite a number of points (i.e. the fact that it still has only an ARMv6 CPU, amongst other things, is a "showstopper" for me.)

[Guest jurrasstoil]

If you know someone in germany or austria you can get the Nexus S for 199-230€(£172-198) plus shipping or order it directly from austria for 245€(£210) (includes shipping and taxes). The cheapest way would be to know someone in Austria, because most shops sell it for 199€ (£179) plus ~15(£13) shipping.

[Guest billybiro]

If you know someone in germany or austria you can get the Nexus S for 199-230€(£172-198) plus shipping or order it directly from austria for 245€(£210) (includes shipping and taxes). The cheapest way would be to know someone in Austria, because most shops sell it for 199€ (£179) plus ~15(£13) shipping.

Wow!. That sounds more like it. I'm liking the idea of a Nexus S for approx. £200!

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in either Austria or Germany, so an online order it may have to be. Do you have any links for sites that will ship to the UK?

[Guest targetbsp]

Orange MonteCarlo with 4.3" screen is a good upgrade now that the price has dropped to £119 specialy if you have weak eyes...

No. It really, really isn't. :D

[Guest jurrasstoil]

Do you have any links for sites that will ship to the UK?

Link

[Guest tilal6991]

No. It really, really isn't. :D

Yes it is. I have both. And I find it a good upgrade.

What I don't get is why you need an armv7 cpu? It may be faster but the Skate's CPU is very good as well.

[Guest targetbsp]

It's not the speed, it's the instruction set.

[Guest tilal6991]

It's not the speed, it's the instruction set.

ok a better instruction set. So what? What difference does it make?

[Guest targetbsp]

Over the past few months the number of ARMv7 only apps has sky rocketed. To buy an ARMv6 phone now seems nuts to me.

[Guest tilal6991]

Over the past few months the number of ARMv7 only apps has sky rocketed. To buy an ARMv6 phone now seems nuts to me.

like? Any examples?

[Guest Maxsas360]

Most of the new games are ARMv7 for example

Edited November 6, 2011 by Maxsas360

[Guest tilal6991]

Most of the new games are ARMv7 for example

Well if you check the skate forum there is a list called "mega games thread". I think you'll find a lot of games listed there.

[Guest targetbsp]

Off the top of my head (and not necessarily recent):

Flash

Highborn

Rocket Bunnies

Starfront Collision

Wind Up Knight

Jelly Defense

Battleheart

Greed Corp

Save Toshi

It used to be rare that a game was ARMv7 only. Now it is much more common. lately I am often looking at interesting games on appbrain and I haven't been able to get when it reaches the market stage because they've turned out to need ARMv7. If you're not a gamer you might not be noticing the trend. Buying a phone - you'd want it to last you a good year and I'd say ARMv6 was very nearly end of life right now, never mind in a years time.

IMO, the Skate is not substantially different enough from the Blade to justify chucking £100 at it. And I don't personally think any ARMv6 phone would be. For me, the Blade is perfect *except* for the ARMv6 limitation

Edited November 6, 2011 by targetbsp

[Guest tilal6991]

Off the top of my head (and not necessarily recent):

Flash

Highborn

Rocket Bunnies

Starfront Collision

Wind Up Knight

Jelly Defense

Battleheart

Greed Corp

Save Toshi

It used to be rare that a game was ARMv7 only. Now it is much more common. lately I am often looking at interesting games on appbrain and I haven't been able to get when it reaches the market stage because they've turned out to need ARMv7. If you're not a gamer you might not be noticing the trend. Buying a phone you'd want it to last you a good year and I'd say ARMv6 was end of life right now, never mind in a years time.

IMO, the Skate is not substantially different enough from the Blade to justify chucking £100 at it. And I don't personally think any ARMv6 phone would be. For me, the Blade is perfect *except* for the ARMv6 limitation

Flash doesn't count as there is one for arm6 which works perfectly.

I concede that if you are a hardcore gamer then arm6 and the skate is not for you.

However otherwise it is still a good option.

[Guest unrandomsam]

Flash doesn't count as there is one for arm6 which works perfectly.

I concede that if you are a hardcore gamer then arm6 and the skate is not for you.

However otherwise it is still a good option.

The Skate is ok if you don't mind being ripped off by Orange I suppose.

Flash is an old version with security issues.

Skate has also has the problem that you need to spend at least £5 month for data on Orange -

keep Orange for three months and then pay another £20

At £129.99 including the topup its really not good value. (£160 or so and much hassle to get to the point where you have an unlocked phone).

Might be worth it if you need a phone super quick and you can get it for £89.99 (even then probably not).

[Guest unrandomsam]

Reasonable choices right now are :

Xperia Play (Much higher quality in all aspects than the blade).

Acer Liquid Metal (Pretty similar to blade but armv7)

Xperia Mini Pro (Hard Keyboard)

(If you don't object to first generation snapdragon there are few other options but its still adreno 200 in that case).

[Guest tilal6991]

The Skate is ok if you don't mind being ripped off by Orange I suppose.

Flash is an old version with security issues.

Skate has also has the problem that you need to spend at least £5 month for data on Orange -

keep Orange for three months and then pay another £20

At £129.99 including the topup its really not good value. (£160 or so and much hassle to get to the point where you have an unlocked phone).

Might be worth it if you need a phone super quick and you can get it for £89.99 (even then probably not).

Flash 10.3 has security issues?

Also you don't need to spend any money on data - just £20 for unlock.

Plus with cashback you can get it for £89 including top up. Even without quidco deal you can get it for £119 including topup.

[Guest hecatae]

Link

Thank you. £197 for a nexus s is a very good price

[Guest muller37]

I'll stop you right there...

I'm pretty sure that deal ended ~a week ago...unless you can provide a link?

they're about that on e-bay I think.