I’m currently in the review process for the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, and it is undoubtedly the most attractive phone I’ve ever seen in person. It’s also about $800. That kind of money used to be what you’d pay for a model with upgraded memory or some kind perks. Now, Samsung appears to be making it the new normal.
First, lets get a couple facts out of the way. The Samsung Galaxy S7 retails for $669 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge comes in at $779 at my carrier of choice, T-Mobile. That breaks down to $27.92 a month with zero up front for the vanilla Galaxy S7, and $30 a month with a $59.99 down payment for the curvaceous S7 Edge. Add in tax (~7% here in Ohio) and you’re well over $700 or $800 for your phone of choice. That’s a lot of money.
I think it’s time we stopped putting up with this.
These phones are marvels of technology for sure. But, at $800 you have to ask yourself what you’re really buying. Through bulk rate buying, Samsung can get the component cost down to about $255 for the Galaxy S7. Add in other overhead like advertising, manufacturing and human costs, et. al, and you have a recipe for one of the most expensive phones out there.
Samsung spent $45 million advertising the Samsung Galaxy S6. Forty. Five. Million. Dollars. For a phone that wasn’t that good.
I’m sorry, flagships. I just can’t anymore.
Alternatives
I love phones. I never seem to get burned out on them, no matter how many times I’ve switched. And I’ve switched a lot. I love experiencing what a new phone has to offer. I love seeing a company’s vision for what the mobile space should look like. I just love phones.
Browsing through Gearbest’s listings shows me that I don’t have to wait two years between new experiences. I don’t have to spend $800 to get a well built phone with great specs. Here are some of my favorites currently on Gearbest for literally half (or less) of a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
Elephone P9000
- CPU: MTK6755 octa-core
- RAM: 4 GB
- ROM: 32 GB
- Camera: 13 MP/8 MP
- Screen: 5.5″ 1920 x 1080 FHD
- Battery: 3000 mAh
- Other features: Fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C, smart key, metal body, 82% screen to body ratio
- Price: $270
- Website
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Elephone P9000 Lite
- CPU: MTK6755 Octa-core
- RAM: 4 GB
- ROM: 32 GB
- Camera: 13 MP/5 MP
- Screen: 5.5″ 1920 x 1080 FHD
- Battery: 3000 mAh
- Other features: USB Type-C, smart key, expandable storage
- Price: $219
- Website
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Elephone Vowney
- CPU: Helio X10 octa-core
- RAM: 4 GB
- ROM: 32 GB
- Camera: 21 MP/8 MP
- Screen: 5.5″ 2560 x 1440 QHD
- Battery: 4000 mAh
- Other features: Fingerprint scanner, 120fps slow motion video, expandable storage
- Price: $328
- Website
Elephone M3
- CPU: MTK6755 Octa-core
- RAM: 3 GB
- ROM: 32 GB
- Camera: 21 MP/8 MP
- Screen: 5.5″ 1920 x 1080 FHD
- Battery: 3000 mAh
- Other features: Fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C, 2.5D glass, aluminum body, expandable memory
- Price: $227
- Website
Conclusion
Elephone is just one company putting out top tier phones for a fraction of the price. Gearbest and other sites like Amazon and B&H Photo offer a lot of great unlocked options for really good prices. These phones prove that you don’t have to buy overhead to buy a great phone. Keep your eyes peeled to our Twitter for more of these posts and some great deals on great phones.
