With smartphone prices getting significantly higher, more people are moving towards the purchase of refurbished phones. In 2021, 250 million smartphone units were sold on the refurbished phone market.
Refurbished used phones offer bang for the buck by gaining stellar smartphone performance at a fraction of the price. With the smartphone market gradually growing, more phones are becoming available. More phones in the market is a good thing but often leads to confusion among buyers when they have to choose one.
In this article, we highlight 10 of the best phone models that you should consider buying as used or refurbished in 2022.
- iPhone SE 2022
For those who love iOS but prefer fingerprint unlock over FaceID, the iPhone SE has always been the best option. The iPhone SE 2022 features stellar performance in a compact body, similar to that of the iPhone 8.
The iPhone SE 2022 is the best budget device running iOS in the market. The phone’s price goes significantly lower when you opt to buy it on the used phone market.
The phone features the A15 Bionic processor that is in the iPhone 13 models too. This means that you get top-of-the-line performance and 5G connectivity too. 5G connectivity is not available on most iPhone models, and those that have it are more expensive than the iPhone SE 2022.
- Samsung S20 FE
Though relatively old, the Samsung S20 FE is still a good phone choice for anyone who has decided to buy used phones. The phone was launched with the Android 10 OS but was due for OS updates till Android 12.
The phone is a good choice for those seeking 5G connectivity for a fraction of the price of current flagship phones. The Samsung S20 FE is also a good choice for the young ones due to the wide range of colors that it offers.
- OnePlus 9
OnePlus was initially a phone manufacturing company that developed enthusiast phones only. However, the company has evolved and now develops flagship smartphones targeted at general users.
The OnePlus 9 features a 48MP primary rear camera, coupled with a 2MP monochrome camera and a 50MP wide-angle camera. The triple camera array on the phone delivers crisp photos and well-stabilized videos.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G
The Samsung Note series is still preferred over the S-series by many people due to its use of the stylus pen. If you are one of the people who like the use of stylus pens, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is a good option for you.
The phone also features 5G connectivity to give you fast downloads and uploads. Having 5G connectivity also ensures you will not have to switch your phone again when 5G gains worldwide adoption.
- iPhone 13 Pro
The iPhone 13 pro was a significant step up in Apple’s device lineup in 2021. The iPhone 13 pro was the first iPhone to feature a high refresh rate screen. The ProMotion feature on the phone allows the refresh rate to ramp up to 120Hz and dip to 10Hz or 24Hz. The screen refresh rate changes depending on the task that you are doing.
The iPhone 13 Pro is the perfect device for anyone switching from an Android device that had a high refresh rate screen. The phone also features an impeccable day-long battery life that has received praise from many tech blogs and reviewers.
- Google Pixel 6
The Google Pixel 6 is a perfect option for anyone looking to experience the native android experience coupled with a high-performance processor. The phone was the first to feature Google’s native Tensor processor.
The phone also has impressive image processing that offered impressive image quality from its redesigned cameras. This phone is also a good option for those who dislike phones that rock from side to side due to camera bumps.
The Pixel 6’s camera bump is spread evenly across the rear of the phone. Due to this, the camera bump does not affect the phone’s stability when placed on a flat surface.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is the best phone choice for those who seek to eliminate pocket budges and just want a small phone. The phone’s unique form factor makes it expensive, but it gets affordable on the used phone market.
This version of the phone has been defined as the most stable and functional. This is depicted in the fact that Samsung sold more Z flips 3 in the first month of their launch than in the previous two years.
- Samsung S21 Ultra
The design and colors of the S21 Ultra have been praised for a while, even with the launch of the S22 lineup. The S21 Ultra featured a unique camera bump design that saw it neatly merged with the phone’s side rails and body.
Though the model is not the most recent in the S-series lineup, the phone still offers impeccable all rounded-performance. The phone features an impressive three-camera lineup, coupled with the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor.
- iPhone 11
Source: https://uptradeit.com/buy-used-refurbished-iphone-11
The iPhone 11 still stands as a perfect budget option for people looking for a cheap iPhone option that is still supported by Apple. Though it is two generations old, the phone still has at least 5 more years of operating system updates.
With the iPhone 14 series set to be launched in a couple of weeks, the prices on this will dip even further.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the most preferred unique form factor phone of many people. The phone features a conventional phone design when closed, but once opened, can be used as a tablet.
Similar to the Z flip, the device costs an arm and a leg due to the unique form factor, but it is relatively affordable on the used phone market.
Conclusion
Though buying used phones is a neat way to save money on devices, it can also be a risky endeavor. Buying used phones is risky if you are not aware of how to spot device faults. When buying used or refurbished devices, avoid devices that have new parts installed on them. This is because replacement parts do not offer the same reliability level as new parts.
When buying a used device, you should ensure you consult reliable dealers. The dealer should also offer verifiable documentation of the tests carried out on the phone and a device warranty.
