I'm looking for a smartphone without AI for around $300.
I'm looking for a recommendation for a phone with a clean or stock Android version and as without built-in AI as possible (no AI camera, no Gemini, etc).
I'm quite interested in the announcement of SteamOS on smartphones.
Requirements:
-Photo quality, with a “pro mode” and not entirely automatic; no “AI-powered camera” or “AI Enhance.”
-Video quality—it should record decently. Personally, I prefer recording videos to taking photos.
-Smooth performance for long-term use (4–5 years). I’m not in the habit of changing phones like I change socks; I usually replace them every 5 to 6 years when they start malfunctioning.
-Good battery life.
-Storage, LOTS of storage. I always have the same problem: the phone runs out of space, or the operating system takes up more than half of it. And yes, I know you can expand it with an SD card, but if the internal storage is full, the phone becomes a useless brick.
-A little gaming (nothing too demanding). Some card games or an emulator.
-No iPhone—I don’t have, nor do I want, anything from their ecosystem.
- It should have a decent, ad-free built-in MP3 player (shame on you, Xiaomi)
- Headphone Jack, Although I sometimes use Bluetooth headphones for the noise cancellation, it's a hassle when the battery runs out
-I don't want a flashy design—it looks weird with those huge cameras full of fake lenses, and it takes terrible photos, as if it were trying to look more expensive than it is. I prefer something more subtle. The colors don't bother me; in fact, I like them. I always use a red or yellow case on all my phones.
Previous phones:
Moto G2 (2014–2017)
Moto G4 (2017–2020) (still turns on but the battery doesn’t last long; I use it for Facebook Marketplace because my current phone has no space)
Redmi Note 9S (2020–present) (It restarts on its own; without storage or internet, it’s literally a brick. Still, it has an excellent front and rear camera—the best I’ve ever had......but I won't forgive it for having ads even in the file manager)
Main uses: photos/videos, daily use, light gaming (emulators), Waze for driving
What would you recommend? I wouldn’t mind going back to Motorola; even though they had a lot of issues when I switched, I miss the flashlight/camera gesture. Still, I love the Redmi’s camera, especially its warm and vibrant colors.