This is how you get a super mobile for much cheaper money.
Camera Torstein Norum Bugge, Tek.no
Norwegians are happy with their mobile phones, but if you want to have a new top-of-the-line model, you will quickly have to shell out many thousands of Norwegian kroner. However, the improvements year on year are not necessarily very large in the mobile market. Our point? That if you look at the used market, you can quickly find great, year-old top models at a very nice price!
According to the Electronics Industry’s figures, this is also something that many have already started to take advantage of – sales of new electronics plummeted last year, while second-hand sales saw solid growth.
To help you navigate the second-hand market, we have therefore trawled through the second-hand market, mainly on Finn.no, with clear criteria.
For the record: Finn.no is owned by Schibsted, the same group as the owner Tek.no through VG.
All the phones we recommend as second-hand purchases have been selected according to, in addition to price, the following characteristics:
- Availability – there must be good access to the given mobile phone in the second-hand market
- Relevance – it must be a relatively new, up-to-date and modern mobile phone
- Attractiveness – it must be a mobile that most people would like to have (read: a previously highly recommended model)
This of course also means that most models are still on sale, as most top models are actively sold for two to three years before the stores stop stocking them. In the same period, however, they drop drastically in price, and therefore you will also see links to Prisjakt.no so that you can see the price difference between new and used.
A small caveat we would like to point out here is that used mobile phones can often have worn batteries, so feel free to ask the seller about this before any purchase. On many models, it is also not particularly expensive to change the battery, so it is always an option in connection with second-hand purchases.
Finally, we would also like to mention that Finn.no now has a purchase option called “Fiks findig”, which gives you 24 hours to approve the item before the seller receives the payment – with customer support should a conflict arise. The used mobiles we link to here will therefore also be selected using this as a criterion.
PS: The prices for the used mobile phones are for units without damage and minimal wear.
Good used mobile purchase – OnePlus Nord 3 & Nord 2
The OnePlus Nord 3 (shown here) is a good second-hand purchase, and so is its predecessor, the Nord 2.
Camera Find Jarle Kvalheim, Tek.no
For several years now, OnePlus has delivered cracking good budget mobiles in its Nord series, and we have therefore chosen to combine the last two main models in the range here. Both Nord 2 and Nord 3 received clear recommendations in our tests, partly because they come with four years of guaranteed software updates.
This means that even Nord 2, which was launched in 2021, is still supported by the manufacturer. And that is not entirely insignificant in a world where both safety and performance should be paramount.
The Nord phones have always delivered high screen quality, fast navigation and a clean interface, with sensible materials and design. Today, both phones can be found on the second-hand market for several thousand Swedish kroner less than when they were new, so there is potentially a lot of product here for the money.
There are also other varieties of Nord telephones, in the form of CE and Lite models. But if you want to go for something safe and proven, then you should look for the “top models”, i.e. Nord 2 and Nord 3.
Good used mobile purchase – Samsung Galaxy S22
The Samsung Galaxy S22 looks modern and “fresh” even in 2024.
Camera Find Jarle Kvalheim, Tek.no
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 was launched in May 2022, and was a very lavish and raw-looking top model in its time. In 2024, it is still a powerful beast, but now at a much nicer price. We found many good offers on the second-hand market for this phone, so here you can even pick and choose a bit in terms of color and storage space.
The design of the S22 has also held up very well in our (slightly) more modern times, so if you find a nicely used model, it will probably take a very trained eye to see that it is not brand new.
Like all Samsung models, the phone comes with Samsung’s own Android skin, and should also have received both a new Android version and security updates up to today. The cameras on Samsung’s mobile phones have been very good in recent years, and the screens have always been one of the Korean manufacturer’s strongest cards.
If you want something a little bigger, there are also some Ultra versions of the S22 out there, but at a slightly higher price tag.
Good used mobile purchase – Apple iPhone 12
Apple’s phones are often very expensive at launch, but quickly fall in price on the second-hand market in line with offers and the launch of new models.
Camera Find Jarle Kvalheim, Tek.no
Of all Apple’s previous models, it is the iPhone 12 that we will primarily highlight. The phone was originally launched in 2020, but given Apple’s very good support in terms of software updates, it has the ever-flanking new iOS also in 2024. As you know, Apple sells its products at a fairly stiff price, and this is also reflected in the second-hand market. Many of their newer models still cost up to NOK 5-6,000 used, and then there are many new Android models that start to tempt.
A used iPhone 12 with virtually no scratches, on the other hand, costs only about half of this, and there are quite a few of them to choose from out there. You can also find the Mini models for around the same price.
Like most of Apple’s phones, the iPhone 12 is also very fast and easy to use, and has Apple’s ecosystem and apps. The camera on this phone also performs well even in 2024 – it was one of the highlights of our original test.
This was also one of the first generations with 5G support, so you get “uncompromised performance” both online and internally on the phone (to quote our test!). Yes, wireless charging is also built-in. Not all phones have that even in 2024.
Good used mobile purchase – Google Pixel 7A
Google Pixel 7A has a distinctive design, and is built in durable metal and glass.
Camera Find Jarle Kvalheim, Tek.no
“Conclusion: Sets the standard for affordable mobile”.
This was the summary in our original test of Google’s Pixel 7A, which received full marks on the points scale. This is simply an absolutely phenomenal mobile phone, and even when it was new it was very nicely priced given the total package you got delivered.
Not only does Google, like Apple, guarantee software updates for at least five years ahead in time, they also deliver a total package that is more inviting in terms of software than most other Android manufacturers.
This is as “pure” Android as you can get, and it shows both in the amount of junk and redundant apps the phone comes with out of the box (or rather, the lack of it) and the performance. The Pixel phones go like oiled lightning, even for many years afterwards.
In fact, this phone is less than a year old at the time of writing, but has nevertheless dropped to about half price on the used market. A slightly clever advantage of this is that you are also almost guaranteed to get a nicely used mobile phone with a constantly fresh battery.
