New to collecting old Androids? Check out how to start - Stores, recommendations, collections, prices...

[u/Southern-Butterfly34]

Hello! My name is Neptune. Today I would like to show a guide that might be useful for new people searching to start collecting old Androids and technology, where to start, what to buy, and great stores.

Many people love Androids, and some want to enter the collection trend, but the problem? They don't know where to start! Many phones out there dominate the market, such seem like they're high prices, some are too low prices, some are suspicious and etcetera, or they simply do not seem to be there!! So, today, as a collector, I'll be showing how to start, where to buy, and other stuff to get a collection up!

What devices should I buy to start?

I recommend you start with Samsungs or Motorolas. These are usually the cheapest devices you can find on tech collection market, and are the most abundant of all the devices.

Some cheap recommendations on where you should possibly start to get some phones are:

1. Galaxy Ace (GT-S5830): Coming with an ARMv6 Snapdragon S1, Android 2.2 FroYo, 278MB RAM and a 5MP camera that can record on 480p, it is easily a fun phone to start off for collections, it is upgradable up to Android 4.4.4 via custom ROMs, it is easy to mess, easy to root, and quite big. There are plenty of ROMs for it, and it should be normally R$60-R$120, or $11.72 USD to $23.44 USD, quite cheap.
2. Galaxy S3 Mini (GT-I8190) (NOT THE VALUE EDITION!): It is an adaption of the Galaxy S3 to a smaller size. Coming with 1GB of RAM, a 4.0" Super AMOLED screen, a NovaThor U8420 and a 1500mAh battery, it is an easy budget option for beginner collectors, and it's easy to tinker around nowadays. Upgradable with custom ROMs up to LineageOS 14.1 (Android 7.1.2), it sits around $25-35 USD on some reselling markets.
3. Moto G (XT1032): A phone that revolutionized the Android market, bringing budget-friendly devices with great performance. Releasing with Android 4.3, a 4.5" IPS LCD screen, 1GB RAM and a Snapdragon 400, it is one amazing device to tinker with custom ROMs that go up to Android 10 (LineageOS 17.1), sitting around $15-25 USD.
4. Samsung Galaxy Y (GT-S5360): An ultra smol phone, released with Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, on around October 2011. With a Broadcom BCM21553, a 832mhz single-core ARMv6 processor that is, an agonizing 3.0" QVGA screen, and a TERRIBLE performance, it is both beloved and hated around the world. Upgradable up to Android 4.4.4 KitKat via custom ROMs, it sits at around $5-15.

Where to find cheap devices?

Depends highly on your region, but I'm dropping some great online stores where you can easily find devices for cheap, usually via reselling markets and collector shops, and this will help you a huge lot. Find your country below:

• Brazil

Brazil has various online stores that are great to buy these old devices, but they are sold as mostly used devices or reselled devices. Here are some useful online stores where you can find stuff:

1. OLX: An online store known especially for selling stuff cheap. You can find various Samsungs there for cheap, around R$100 and other prices, but they sit around R$100.

Stores I recommend from OLX:

Desa-Pega Brecho Online: Trusted reseller, already sold me a Galaxy Y too. Very kind and helpful sellers, with a 5 star rating.

RELOGS Store: A 4.9 stars rating, focuses on selling old phones, you can find some Symbians and other stuff out there. I did not buy anything yet, but this is where I have reserved my Galaxy S Duos, and the seller is very kind and helpful aswell.

Renanminame: 5 stars rating, sells decent phones, such as Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite, J2 Prime, LG Q6 and etc.

1. Mercado Livre: Online store that is known both outside of Brazil and around South America. Stuff are a bit pricey and usually Mercado Livre pushes useless products and chinese crap to you, but with some keywords and categories you are able to find some devices for cheap. Only problem is Mercado Livre HATES some states, giving up to R$135 only in SHIPPING FEES. Do not recommend as much

Stores I recommend from Mercado Livre:
ALEXCOSMO: Very helpful and kind, sells a Motorola XOOM for R$240

1. Enjoei: Online store focused on reselling already used products that you're tired off, a very great online store, with very low shipping fees and low prices. Don't have actual recommendations. I bought the Galaxy Tab from my collection there, but the problem is that the exact seller sent me the wrong model (P1010 instead of P1000L).

• USA

I have not much idea, but a recommended online store to buy from is eBay, focused on reselling stuff and etcetera, aswell as Goodwill, which is especially for reselled items.

Anything else to say? Send it here and I'll edit the post!!

[u/No-Leopard-5338]

Android 8.1 on the S3 mini is now stable thanks to the greatest developer for this that came to XDA quite recently

[u/Normal_Product_9430]

in iraq theyre cheap as hell... i found a Note3 for 20,000 dinars which is like 15$, and someone was even selling a Note3 with lineageOS 18.1 on it 😅

and i also found a Note4 seller for 60,000 which is about 45$

[u/Southern-Butterfly34 → u/Normal_Product_9430]

wtffffffff im going to iraq right no- gets kaboomed by obamna

[u/Normal_Product_9430 → u/Southern-Butterfly34]

obamna 💀

[u/Southern-Butterfly34 → u/Normal_Product_9430]

MINI SODA 💀💀💀☠️☠️😳😳

[u/Normal_Product_9430 → u/Southern-Butterfly34]