What makes some cell phones worth ten times others?

wnjj wrote:
I work as an engineer for a company that supplies "chips" for some phones. Trust me, there is a huge difference in engineering rigor and quality that some OEM's insist upon.

Now if you're throwing away your phone every several months or never drop it maybe that's not important.

Granted, I'm not saying it's worth 100x but those super cheap phones have to cost more than you're paying.

I'm typing this on an iPad2 that's still going strong with long battery life.

My company utilized high end surveying equipment. Even though it still looked and worked great, we replaced it quite often. Just because it still "works" doesn't mean it is the best thing for the job.

I work as an engineer for a company that supplies "chips" for some phones. Trust me, there is a huge difference in engineering rigor and quality that some OEM's insist upon.

Now if you're throwing away your phone every several months or never drop it maybe that's not important.

Granted, I'm not saying it's worth 100x but those super cheap phones have to cost more than you're paying.

I'm typing this on an iPad2 that's still going strong with long battery life.

Ductape wrote:
Guess I made a mistake wasting money on those expensive red generators too. Or at least that's what some believe.

They're 15 years old now and still running well.

Some of us appreciate quality and don't mind paying for it. It's always a hoot when people on an RV forum start playing the thrift card. Nothing about this lifestyle makes a good financial computation.

If generators had made the progress that electronics have, those generators would silently be putting out 4,000 watts and cost $40 today. Apples and Oranges. Even if you paid $500 for a phone fifteen years ago, it would be worth two dollars today. Maybe. Nothing in common with generators, no matter what color.

I was not "Playing the thrift card", simply asking what the extra money buys in terms of performance and capability. I know all about "perceived" value, "pride of ownership", etc. Those are valid reasons to spend money. Paying ten times for a device that will perform the same as all the other phones is a waste of money. In my opinion. One person says there are things his expensive phone will do that mine won't. Those things happen to be of no interest or value to me. That is why I asked. I have busted a few electronics in my time and crunching a $90 LG Smartphone is not as painful as killing a $500 unit. Unless, I am missing some feature or function that someone has not mentioned.

time2roll wrote:
I prefer to acquire close to top line stuff but I use it until it no longer functions for what I need.

Upgrade a couple times a year? That would drive me crazy right there. Even if it was cheap.

This.

I buy near to top end stuff on a site called Swappa.com. It's a great place to buy the newest or next to newest version of cell phones, tablets, and laptops.

There are lots of people that immediately move up to the newest version and then sell their old phones that have been used a very short time. Others get a phone from work and no longer need the one they've been carrying.

Good deals to be had there.

mich800 wrote:

But seriously, we are pulling second or third homes with tow vehicles approaching six figures. If you want to indulge on the latest cell phone technology that equals one months truck payment go for it. :B

You raise a good point. I was thinking about this, too. Let's relate it to RVs. If Jayco priced its product like my Alcatel cheapie phone (listing at about $30) and Airstream priced its product like the iPhone, then the 30 foot trailer that Jayco might list at $30,000 would be priced by Airstream at, you guessed it, a cool one million dollars. (Feel free to check my math.) And you still wouldn't get any slideouts with that. I know which one I would choose.

Ductape wrote:
Guess I made a mistake wasting money on those expensive red generators too. Or at least that's what some believe.

They're 15 years old now and still running well.

The difference is you're paying for quality, not hype. How many of those $1000 cell phones will still be in use in 15 years, or 5 years AFATG?

Guess I made a mistake wasting money on those expensive red generators too. Or at least that's what some believe.

They're 15 years old now and still running well.

Some of us appreciate quality and don't mind paying for it. It's always a hoot when people on an RV forum start playing the thrift card. Nothing about this lifestyle makes a good financial computation.

Bought 2 iPhone 4's from eBay for around $70, used them for long time. Bought 2 iPhone 6's for $225. All were refurbished. When I got them they looked like new and had no problems.

What makes a Rolex cost so much more than a Timex, the Timex even has more features?

Why buy a Laramie Longhorn when the Tradesmen is more than capable?