Ex-UK vs brand new: the honest maths

We sell both, so we have no reason to push you either way — and the maths is the maths.

What ex-UK saves you A one-year-old flagship typically costs 35-45% less ex-UK than the same model sealed. A two-year-old flagship is often 55-65% less. The performance gap over that period is small enough that most people never notice it.

What you give up Three things, honestly. First, the battery: ours are 85%+ and replaced where they fall below that, but a sealed phone starts at 100% with zero cycles. Second, cosmetics: unless you buy Like New, there may be light wear. Third, the software support window is shorter by however old the phone is.

When brand new makes more sense If you keep a phone for five or six years, buying sealed at the start of that window works out similarly per year. If you need the newest camera or AI features for work, or you simply want the box opened by you and nobody else, buy new — that is exactly why we stock it.

Why ex-UK specifically Phones in the UK are usually bought on contract, upgraded early and traded in while still in good condition. That means the pre-owned stock coming out of that market is generally in better shape than locally used equivalents at the same age.

The environmental part Around 80% of a phone's lifetime carbon footprint comes from manufacturing it. Buying a phone that already exists is the single largest reduction available to a consumer in this category. That is not marketing — it is simply where the emissions sit.

Our position Buy the oldest phone that comfortably does what you need. For most people in 2026 that is an iPhone 12 or 13, or a Galaxy S22 or S23, and ex-UK is the sensible way to get there. Spending more than that buys capability you may genuinely never use.