Thanks Dave. Good info. No Pixel 2 for this Thailander. Maybe an S8 or I’ll check out the G6. I do use a professional camera, but it’s nice to leave it at home sometimes. I would miss all the cool icloud syncing, but would no doubt get over it!

The concerns about getting support on the Pixel 2 overseas are definitely valid — as I mentioned, I’d had problems with previous Google-branded phones in the past, and so it’s proven with this one, too. My Pixel 2 hit the pavement on a Thai island a few weeks ago, and despite being in a case, shattered the screen so badly it doesn’t display anything at all. After talking to Google support, it turns out there are literally no repair agents for that model anywhere in SE Asia, so I’m going to need to wait until I get to the UK next month to get it repaired. Far from ideal, to say the least.

If you’re looking for a current model phone with a really good camera and a headphone jack, that you can actually get support on around the world, I’d probably be looking closely at the newly-released Samsung Galaxy S9 (or, if you can get a discount on it, the Galaxy S8).

If you don’t care so much about the camera, and want to save a bunch of cash, the Moto G5 Plus is a solid option for around $200. It’s sold more widely, so should be easier to get support on if there’s a problem (although whether that’s official warranty support or just a third-party phone store may be more debatable). There are rumours of a G6 coming out as soon as next month, so check into any likely release dates before committing.

The worrisome thing with your Pixel 2 review is the difficulty in getting help overseas, where I spend most of my time. I am also not really keen on losing my headphone jack (a consideration on i 7 and later models).. Recommendations for an American expat, frequent traveler based in SE Asia?

It depends on what you’re looking for, really. A $600+ phone is objectively better than a $200 one (cpu, memory, storage, camera, etc), which means it should perform better for longer, and be more useful during that time. Features like waterproofing may also make it last physically longer as well, but that’s less of a given, especially if you’re accident-prone. It’s up to the individual to figure out where their price/features tradeoff is.

The Xiaomi model you mention is a solid phone, and offers great value for money and impressive support for a budget device, but as you’d expect, there are some definite spec compromises compared to premium devices like the Pixel 2 etc.

As for the V20, it’d be very much price dependent for me. It’s an outdated model now, but it had good (although not outstanding) reviews when it was released a year ago. At a big enough discount, I’d consider it.

(Xiaomi Mi A1=pure Android, partnered with Google, guaranteed updates 2+ years: Pixel for paupers, $200)

#2 What do you think of LG V20 (replacable battery!) Option to use ZeroLemon 10000mAh 3 day battery with it.

Ahh, great to hear! Hope you love it — I’m sure you will! 🙂