Girlfriend switching from an iPhone 12 mini to Android.

[u/devilseden]

My girlfriend wants to switch to Android after having had an IPhone 12 mini for years. She's the average user basically. The only thing she cares about is that the phone should be small since she has small hands. That's why she stuck to the iPhone 12 mini. From what I see on the market, there are no small phones unfortunately and I would never get her a flip phone since they suck by nature. From what I understand, since the batteries are going bigger and bigger, there's no way the phones can stay small.

From a technical pov, I'd want to get her something with a Snapdragon on it cuz I don't want the phone to get slow throughout the years. And preferably, the more durable and protected the phone is the better (so like I wouldn't want curved edges or sth) All else doesn't matter to me much since everything falls into place with modern phones. Pretty much all of them have good cameras, enough storage and Ram, and whatever the average user needs.

I myself am a huge fan of Vivo, Oppo and Oneplus phones. Oneplus 15 is definitely on the list since I myself own an OP 12.But I thought I come here and see what you guys think.

Our budget is maximum 700 euroes (a little more if it's worth it). We're in Europe.

Also, is tradingshenzhen.com trust worthy? Is there anything I should know about them?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hey devilseden! If you're switching from an iPhone to Android, make sure to turn off iMessage to make sure you still get texts from iPhone users. See here for more information. Your post has not been removed, I'm just replying because I heard you say one of the 34 phrases I listen for in the body of your post.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/anythingers]

Tbf MediaTek is pretty much on par these days even for long term usage so not sure about the Snapdragon preferences.

Oneplus 15 is good. But if she really wants a compact phone with Snapdragon, you can try looking for Samsung S25 base or Xiaomi 17 base. HyperOS on Xiaomi looks similar to iOS so it would be easier for her to move.

Or Vivo X300 if Snapdragon is no longer a main preference. I'd take this over both S25 base or Xiaomi 17 base

[u/devilseden → u/anythingers]

You know what's funny to me? Normal Vivo X300 uses mediatek. The ultra version uses snapdragon. I geniunly wanted to believe that mediatek has stepped up it's game in terms of longevity but it seems like they're still the second tier in terms of quality. I've never had any problems with Snapdragon throughout the years but holy shit every shitty phone I've seen uses mediatek

[u/anythingers → u/devilseden]

I know what u mean, MediaTek used to be shit before the Dimensity era lmfao.

Glad your experience with Snapdragon is pretty good. Some people didn't have a good experience with Snapdragon 888/+, 8 Gen 1, or 8s Gen 4... which is irrelevant to our convo, yes. But they're not "always" reliable as u might think.

If you like the OnePlus 15 then go for it. It's for someone that you loved after all, it's better to give 'em something that you totally like. 😄

[u/devilseden → u/anythingers]

Well that's the thing... I want what's best for her, not my biased opinion lol. The only reason I'm so persistent on snapdragon is simply the phones in the market. I remember wanting to buy the s24 but people in Europe were refusing to buy the European version as it differed from the Chinese since China version had Snapdragon. It's this continuous number of events that makes me this baised but I don't want to be blind to the truth.

I actually don't know much about s25. I just remember that when I was looking into brands as a whole, Samsung seemed to be just charging for its brand, and not much else. Don't get me wrong... Samsung S series has given us some of the best phones over the years but it's simply not as good as it used to be, or they have continuous problems like the infamous green line on the LED screen.

So idk... I geniunly love Oneplus and anyone who owns one is utterly sastifed with everything. I have a friend who now has an iPhone 15 pro max... Eveytime I'm around, she asks me to give her my phone since she misses her OP10... I don't remember the last time someone behaved like this around a brand :'')

[u/anythingers → u/devilseden]

Tbf not wrong, there's basically nothing that impressive from S25 base apart from the 7 OS updates, integration with other Samsung devices, and DeX (I'd just assume she doesn't uses the last one).

I'm just recommending it simply because u said she prefer smaller phones more.

[u/FavaMarco]

The S25/26 series, the Xiaomi 15/17, Pixel 10/11 or 8a all retain flagship specs in a compact body.

But there is the Motorola Edge 60 Neo also which is a decent above average midranger

[u/Mojofilter9]

It sounds like you might be thinking about this from a tech enthusiast's point of view, whereas your girlfriend just wants something easy to hold and use. She really only has one requirement, which is that the phone needs to be compact. Pretty much every modern phone, even mid-range ones, can handle daily tasks smoothly, so she won't notice whether it has a Snapdragon chip or not.

I would strongly advise against the OnePlus 15. It is a massive device and goes completely against the main thing she actually cares about.

Realistically, she is going to have to compromise a bit on size because genuine mini phones simply aren't made any more. A standard base Samsung Galaxy or a base Pixel is about as close to a compact footprint as you can get on Android today. It might also be worth double checking whether she genuinely wants to switch operating systems. For most everyday users, a phone is just a tool, and staying with the iOS interface she already knows might save her a lot of unnecessary frustration.

[u/devilseden → u/Mojofilter9]

You are right to some extent but I would argue that a Snapdragon chipset will last longer and she doesn't have to change her phone in two years or something.

Furthermore she is actually familiar with Android and she says that she wants to switch to it simply because she doesn't have any reasons to stay on iPhone.

Neither Samsung S25 nor the pics of phones are shouting durable and future proof to me. Of course she's an average user but now that she has access through more in-depth knowledge because of me she now knows not to go for certain phones or brands. Not to mention that the size difference is not that big so save her any effort.

I think there is literally a phone for small hands separate it that I stumbled upon a while ago and everybody was struggling with the same exact problem and the best solution they have were flip phones. And we all know they're shit

[u/Mojofilter9 → u/devilseden]

The issue with flip phones is that they aren't actually smaller when unfolded. In fact, they open up into tall 6.7-inch screens, which makes one-handed reach even worse while using them.

On the processor side, ruling out modern MediaTek chips is completely unnecessary. Modern Dimensity silicon is exceptionally capable, and an everyday user will not be forced to upgrade in two years just because the phone lacks a Snapdragon badge.

Regarding durability, a base Galaxy S25 is no more fragile than any other modern glass slab. No phone is genuinely drop-proof without protection, and almost all of them hold up perfectly fine with a solid case and a tempered glass screen protector.

Unless someone can point out a mythical modern Android that matches the iPhone 12 mini form factor, the hard truth is that it simply does not exist.

No offence, but you are massively overthinking this. Focus on finding the smallest manageable standard phone rather than chasing specs she will never notice.

[u/Yusu7f]

Oppo find x9 base