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Purchase Unlocked Smartphone?

blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
I have a friend visiting me for a few days from Argentina. He wants to purchase an S3 or S4 potentially for use in his country. He wants to go to Best Buy tomorrow and maybe a carrier store if necessary. I just called Best Buy locally and they said they don't sell unlocked smartphones in store. A quick online search shows carriers are the same.

Is this true? What's his best bet? Amazon overnight to my house?
 
V

viskon

macrumors 6502
Oct 20, 2012
464
10
You might be able to buy at full price in-store and request an unlock code.
Otherwise, Amazon or any of the other online retailers might be your best bet.
 
E

Explicitic

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2012
455
11
Undecided
If you're going to buy an off-contract phone, always but it online (unlocked) from sites like Amazon. Best Buy's unlocked phones are overpriced and buying it off-contract directly from the carrier isn't too smart either.

I'd recommend you buy from Negri Electronics as well. Their unlocked AT&T Galaxy S4s are on sale for around $609 right now. They even have i9505s available for $635.
 
blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
5,830
4,100
Explicitic said:
If you're going to buy an off-contract phone, always but it online (unlocked) from sites like Amazon. Best Buy's unlocked phones are overpriced and buying it off-contract directly from the carrier isn't too smart either.

I'd recommend you buy from Negri Electronics as well. Their unlocked AT&T Galaxy S4s are on sale for around $609 right now. They even have i9505s available for $635.
Click to expand...

Any idea what's best for Argentina? Thanks.
 
E

Explicitic

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2012
455
11
Undecided
blairh said:
Any idea what's best for Argentina? Thanks.
Click to expand...

All Galaxy S4 models are compatible with Argentina's 3G bands (850/1900) so it's really up to your friend.

He can purchase an unlocked AT&T version (SGH-i337) and have access to AT&T LTE in the states.

If he doesn't need AT&T LTE, the choice should be between the i9500 and i9505. Just about the only difference is the SoC. The 505 runs on the Exynos 5450 (big.LITTLE, 2x 4-core CPUs) while the 500 runs on the S600. The Exynos 505 also has a Wolfson DAC :) - not that important, really...

If your friend is into flashing ROMs, I wouldn't recommend the 505.
 
J

jcpb

macrumors 6502a
Jun 5, 2012
860
0
Difference between i9500 and i9505 isn't just the SoC. i9500 doesn't have any LTE bands, i9505 does, so the i9500 is effectively a 3G-only phone.
 
E

Explicitic

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2012
455
11
Undecided
jcpb said:
Difference between i9500 and i9505 isn't just the SoC. i9500 doesn't have any LTE bands, i9505 does, so the i9500 is effectively a 3G-only phone.
Click to expand...

LTE isn't even deployed in most of Argentina. Actually, is it even deployed at all? It was only near the end of last year that the government there decided to auction off some spectrum for it...
 
0dev

0dev

macrumors 68040
Dec 22, 2009
3,947
24
127.0.0.1
As others have said, for an unlocked phone it's best to buy online. i9500 has better specs so if there's no LTE in his country that's what he should get.
 
mattopotamus

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,666
5,879
Best buy will price match amazon. Find it on amazon and show the link to best buy. It has to be a fulfilled by Amazon link.
 
O

otismotive77

macrumors 6502
May 18, 2013
467
0
amazaon, ebay, negri electronics, etc. there are a lot of guys offering those phones, i think you should go for the negri elec.
 
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