2021 Update! Older Cell Phones For Sale

You’ve heard us say it so many times before: just because smartphone marketing might lead you to believe that you need to replace your phone with a brand-new model every few years, this simply isn’t true. Slightly older and inexpensive models can be a great way to both save money and still get a great smartphone experience. We can help navigate the options out there with our article – 2021 Update! Older Cell Phones For Sale. 

In this review, we’ll take a look at some older and more entry-level smartphone models that still offer everything you need. We’ll also break down the costs into annual increments, so you know how much you’ll pay in the long term.

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What You Should Look for in an Older Phone

Obviously, any older model smartphone is less expensive than a brand-new option, but you shouldn’t buy the cheapest model without doing some research first. Here’s what we look for in a smartphone:

• Does the phone have the features you’re looking for? If you want a great camera, think about restricting your search to phones that have dual or triple camera systems. Intensive app use for work or play? You’ll notice better performance on phones with faster processors.
• Will the phone makers support software updates into the future? Unfortunately, many smartphone manufacturers bake planned obsolescence into their phones—especially the cheaper models. Even if the phone works great, manufacturers will eventually stop offering software updates, including critical security fixes. Having your personal data on a smartphone that doesn’t have the latest security patches can open you up to many cyberattacks. Make sure and check our blog on Protecting Yourself Online – Cellphone Apps Security!
• Does the phone’s size fit your lifestyle? Many phones these days are large enough that they can be tablets. If you like to take your phone when exercising, you might appreciate a smaller phone. If like many people your phone serves as an entertainment piece, a bigger model gives you more space for videos and browsing.

Samsung Galaxy S10

The Galaxy S10 was Samsung’s flagship phone from 2019. Even though newer models have added some additional features, the S10 still feels premium and fast. It has a big screen, great cameras, and access to Samsung and Google’s large software ecosystem. Unlike some other phones, the S10 has both facial recognition and fingerprint unlock, allowing you to get into your phone quickly and securely in a variety of ways.

In 2020, Samsung promised at least three years of security updates from each phone’s release. Unfortunately, the S10 was released before then, meaning the S10 might not receive support for that long. Given that they released the S10 in 2019 and assuming it gets around four years of updates, you should be able to continue using it safely for two years. Refurbished Galaxy S10 phones retail for around $450 today, so the estimated per-year price works out to around $225.

Apple iPhone SE (2020)

The iPhone SE is Apple’s newer entry-level smartphone. It packs the powerful A13 processor—the same one as in 2019’s iPhone 11 Pro Max that started at $1099—in a chassis similar to that of the iPhone 8. While the iPhone SE doesn’t have the edge-to-edge display and Face ID functionality of Apple’s higher-end smartphones, it still does nearly everything that the fancier models do.

If you currently have an iPhone with a physical home button and you prefer that to the gesture-based interface on the iPhone X and later, you’ll appreciate the iPhone SE. Conversely, if you want a bigger display than the SE’s 4.7-inch LCD, you may need to consider a different model. Unlike many other manufacturers, Apple does an outstanding job of continually providing software updates to its smartphones, even the most entry-level models.

The iPhone 5s, released in 2013, still received a security update over seven years later in 2021. With this history, you can feel assured that your data is secure without needing to replace your phone every couple of years. If you bought the iPhone SE at its MSRP of $399 and used it for five years (a reasonable possibility with this phone), you’d pay less than $80 per year. If you keep for four years, you still pay a relatively inexpensive $100 or so each year.

OnePlus 7T

Like the Galaxy S10, the OnePlus 7T is last year’s flagship. With a huge, smooth 90 Hz display, three high-quality rear cameras, and a large battery, the 7T has lots of flagship features at an affordable price. OnePlus’s claim to fame is that their phones offer competitive features and good build quality at a much lower price. Since they released the 7T in 2019, OnePlus has dropped the price considerably to only $349. Also similar to the S10, this model will probably get about two more years of software updates, so it’s effectively $175 a year.

Google Pixel 4a

The Pixel 4a is Google’s answer to the iPhone SE. It has high-end internals but doesn’t pack every fancy feature like the higher-end Pixel 5. It has a larger, edge-to-edge 5.8-inch OLED display, making it an excellent choice if you prefer a somewhat larger phone. Google’s Pixel line is well-known for its stunning computational photography features, allowing you to take more beautiful photos than you would have thought possible with a smartphone.

Google also includes lots of useful AI-powered software features, like an option to screen incoming calls for robocalls and only ring your phone if it’s a human. Google promises to support Pixel phones with security updates for three years after their initial US release. They released the phone in August 2020, meaning that its approximate “expiration date” is August 2023. At the MSRP of $349, you’d pay about $135 per year if you bought it at the time of this writing.

Final Thoughts Older Cell Phones For Sale

For men 50 and over, staying connected to family and friends has never been easier with smartphones, particularly during situations like the the coronavirus pandemic, when seeing people physically is exceedingly difficult. But remember, you don’t need the latest top-of-the-line model to achieve that. Smartphone technology has advanced to where last year’s model can keep you happy for years to come.

We hope the information here can help you with an informed decision on older cell phones for sale. As always, if you need something you can’t find here, feel free to reach out to us through the Contact page or leave a comment below. Please use our approved affiliate links to explore the options available to you, we appreciate you support!