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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

What phone does your teenager have?

27 replies

catfeatures · 06/12/2020 18:38

There are so many. Can someone recommend one with a long battery life and that he can play games on? He is 14.

OP posts:
PinGwyn · 06/12/2020 18:47

My 14yo has a Huawei Y6 2018. No complaints from him about it after 14 months use.

He mostly uses it for the camera, music and the odd game.

vickibee · 06/12/2020 18:49

I phone SE got a really good deal on sky mobile.

PleasantVille · 06/12/2020 18:53

Ime teenagers know exactly which phone they want and dont need their mum's internet friends to tell them Grin

At that age it seems to be all about what their friends have rather than any objective comparison of features.

Toomanycats99 · 06/12/2020 18:58

My 13yo has a iPhone 6s and is getting an 11 for Xmas.

Sexnotgender · 06/12/2020 19:00

Nearly 17 year old DD had an iPhone 6 and I recently replaced it with the new iPhone SE as the 6 was goosed.

Aloethere · 06/12/2020 19:03

Ds has a Huawei p20 pro, he has had it about 2 years now I think. It has really good battery life, that is one of the reasons we got it for him. We aren't an apple family and he isn't the type to care what others have.

FatherChristmad · 06/12/2020 19:19

He has an iPhone XR that he bought reconditioned himself.

I've only got an iPhone 8!

MiddleClassMother · 06/12/2020 19:29

What phone do their friends have? I have the latest 12 iphone and my teenage niece has the pro! I thought she was just spoilt but upon seeing her friends it turns out this is quite normal, it's £60 a month.

Bagelsandbrie · 06/12/2020 19:47

Get the newest iPhone you can afford from somewhere like CEX (as they give a 2 year warranty) and then a SIM card from giff gaff - this is the cheapest and best option we’ve found for dd (now aged 17 but been doing this for years)!

PaolaNeri · 06/12/2020 19:59

I was shocked at the phones some of my 10 year old dd's friends had let alone my 14 year old! Especially when one of the girls said "my phone's better than yours" to meShock. I agreed a new phone for ds (was also part of his Xmas gifts) got a good deal with ID Mobile (direct or through Carphone Warehouse). An iphone 11 for £29.99 with unlimited data/calls/texts.

Gobbledygook20 · 07/12/2020 07:20

Ds is 15 and has an iphone 10 (reconditioned). I don't do contracts.

Tarararara · 07/12/2020 07:31

iPhone 5SE. Mean Mum (but his history with losing/smashing his phones does not make me inclined to upgrade him any time soon). He's not overly bothered.

whiteroseredrose · 07/12/2020 07:32

DS (21) chose a OnePlus, not sure which, after much research and has been very pleased with it. DD (17) will get the OnePlus 8T for or after Christmas.

I do thing phones are more important to that generation though. DD did get a very fancy Samsung 3 or 4 years ago which was v expensive. It was a joint Christmas and birthday present from us and her GPs. It was what she really wanted and has been looked after and lasted well. She is only changing it now because it fell awkwardly and the screen broke.

We certainly wouldn't be changing a phone every couple of years so they do need to like it.

IKnowYouAreABear · 07/12/2020 07:34

My 14 yo has an iPhone 12 (only because it was a gift from a close friend)

DragonMamma · 07/12/2020 07:36

DD has an iPhone XR. She could have had an iPhone 11 but she wanted the XR 🤷🏼‍♀️

ShanghaiDiva · 07/12/2020 07:41

Dd has a xiao mi red mi 8.

Whyistheteacold · 07/12/2020 09:42

IPhone is (obviously) the popular choice among teenagers, but the battery life on them is shockingly bad. Huawei phones seem to have excellent battery life and all the same features (although saying that pretty much all smartphones have the same features now) and cost a tenth of the price

WeAllHaveWings · 07/12/2020 12:46

ds(16) has an iPhone 11 Pro that he got for Xmas last year.

He takes really good care of his tech and has never lost or even had a scratch on any phone he has ever had.

Never had any problems with its battery life even when he is out all day.

MiddleClassMother · 07/12/2020 13:52

@Whyistheteacold
The old iphones have poor battery life, but my iphones last all day and still have around a half charge left. The Huawei phones have a childish interface and still cost a similar amount if you get one with comparable specs.

Imapotato · 07/12/2020 21:07

Dd1 16 has the new iPhone SE and dd2 13 has an iPhone XR, which was meant to be her Christmas gift, but her old iPhone 6 died, so she’s had it early.

LDreads · 07/12/2020 21:56

DD 13 has an iPhone X (given to her by dad after he upgraded to new one) she has a contract I pay for £16pm for unlimited everything inc data. Before this she had a reconditioned 6s for 2 years we bought as a bday pressie and it lasted well

Original poster
catfeatures · 08/12/2020 10:16

Thanks for the answers. I'm hoping for one under £200

OP posts:
FindHungrySamurai · 08/12/2020 10:30

You could do a lot worse than one of the Moto G8 range (you could get a Plus or Powe for that price). Not fashionable but would do the job perfectly well. I’d balk at an iPhone for that age a) because you can’t afford it b) because IME they lose and break them so often c) because they’re tied into the Apple infrastructure so when teen’s existing phone dies if they’re short of cash and can’t afford a new iPhone it’s a complete pain to transfer everything over to an Android if they have to switch. If you’re already on Android then when you have to replace it you can spend as much or as little as you want depending on how flush you are.

SomelikeitHoth · 08/12/2020 17:04

Oppo A9 2020 is great and has gaming mode

yeOldeTrout · 08/12/2020 17:45

Galaxy S8, Huawei P40, Apple-somethings.