[__xtrimsky]

I have the Xperia Z3C, it lasts 48 hours.

My issue with cheaper phones is: I don't mind it being slow, I don't mind it having a bad display. But I do mind the camera quality. I take a lot of pictures (multiple a day) which I treasure because it's pictures of my kids. But I hate having a camera with me, so my phone has to have a good camera. There aren't cheap phones with good cameras.

[UnoriginalGuy]

> I have the Xperia Z3C, it lasts 48 hours.

And that's likely heavy use. My Z3 lasts three or four days of moderate to light use, five days if you don't mind being at sub-20% on the final day (power saving mode). It isn't quite classic Nokia levels of battery life, but being able to charge it every few days is a massive improvement.

The Z3's camera disappoints me at times. I was trying to take a photo from a dark hotel room of the Vegas strip, and the camera was struggling to focus, and manual focus was a non-option. It was in difficult conditions, but with more control (or smarter auto-modes) it would have come out.

I like Android and would never move over to iOS because of lock-in and limited app API freedoms, but I still feel like even now Android's cameras fall behind Apple's version of the same (picture quality in bad light, speed, etc). All cameras work basically fine in good light, but in diminishing conditions is where you really "test" them.

Camera and slow (or no) OS updates are my biggest gripe with Android. Although OS upgrades are less of an issue than years ago now many of the core apps update via the Play Store.

[agumonkey]

Sometimes even decent smartphones cut on surprising camera features. The Moto G has a fixed focus, makes me regret the Nexus S...

[sukilot]

Moto G is just about the cheapest smartphone you can buy, in USA at least. Moto G 2 has autofocus with tap to choose control point.

[agumonkey]

Cheapest but still not 75$ and the other components aren't under-powered. I didn't know the G2 was improved on this.

[reustle]

I have the same phone for the same reasons (and being waterproof) but it definitely doesn't last 2 days anymore. 25 hours is probably my limit, with my reasonable amount of usage.

[aroch]

If I'm in an area of good service (i.e. not my cement and steel coffin of workplace), my Z3c lasts 48-60 hours -- 3 "days" of use -- with ~5 hours of screen on time. I don't do much gaming on it, which probably helps.

When I'm at work though, poor reception brings me down to 30-36 hours, still pretty close to 2 days of usage though

[socksy]

I have the same phone, and I'm getting nowhere near what everyone else is reporting here. I wonder if my battery is shot :\

[dharma1]

Same here. I'm sure there are some decent Chinese manufacturers with quad core phones using 8mp+ Exmor chips under $150, just haven't had time to look into it yet

[chris11]

You can pick up an unlocked lg g2 for $150 at best buy depending on carrier. It is an older phone, but I have been really happy with it.

[Aldo_MX]

I remember seeing in the past Cybershot phones with less than average specs, but a gorgeous camera.