Samsung is vanilla ice cream. Pixel is chocolate chip cookie dough with root access sprinkles. Built for power users who want Termux with sudo, not bloatware.
First payment ≈ R13.2k, then ~R1.9k + R1.9k. That's not financing, that's pain.
First instalment ≈ R6.7k, then ~R1.9k + R1.9k. Workable, not comfortable.
OnePlus 7/8/9 series: easy bootloader unlock, active LineageOS support, decent dev community. Newer models (10+) got locked down more.
Xiaomi forces a 7–30 day waiting period to unlock bootloader. Once unlocked, solid custom ROM support. MIUI bloat is real though.
Fairphone 4/5: designed for user repair and custom ROMs. Unlocking bootloader doesn't void warranty. Not sold in SA.
Some Moto G/Edge models have unlockable bootloaders. Motorola's official unlock tool exists but support varies by carrier/region.
| Phone | Storage | Price | Vendor | Root readiness | eSIM | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S22 (CPO) | 128GB | R6,299 | Takealot | Moderate (Knox) | ✅ Yes | Cheapest, fits PayJustNow. Older gen, less storage. |
| Galaxy S23 (CPO) | 256GB | R10,399 | Takealot | Moderate (Knox) | ✅ Yes | Budget winner Speed + storage + realistic price. |
| Galaxy S25 FE (New) | 128GB | R12,495 | Takealot | Moderate (Knox) | ✅ Yes | Huge battery + screen, over budget, still Samsung bloat. |
| Pixel 9 (Parallel) | 128GB | R16,999 | Takealot | Excellent (official unlock) | ✅ Yes (dual) | Root dream phone but price kills it. GrapheneOS-ready. |
| Pixel 10 Pro XL (Parallel) | 256GB | TBC (likely R18k+) | Takealot | Excellent (official unlock) | ✅ Yes (dual) | Newest Tensor + huge storage. Dream spec, nightmare budget. |
| Pixel 7 Pro (Special Import) | 128GB | R15,349 | Connected Devices | Excellent (official unlock) | ✅ Yes (dual) | Older Pixel, still root-ready. Overpriced for age though. |
Rooting makes Termux actually useful:
• Full package managers: apt/pkg work properly without sandbox limits
• System-level tools: tcpdump, nmap, real SSH server, not toy versions
• Custom kernel modules: Load what I need, when I need it
• Filesystem access: No Android permission bullshit blocking real work
Anti-rootkit insurance:
• If compromised: Nuke the device, flash GrapheneOS/LineageOS clean
• Verifiable boot chain: Custom ROMs let me control what's running at boot
• No vendor backdoors: Samsung/carrier bloat = attack surface. Custom ROM = clean slate.
Samsung Knox trips permanently on unlock, which voids warranty and breaks some banking apps. Pixel doesn't have that problem—Google expects power users to unlock it.
eSIM solves the SMS OTP lockout without buying/swapping physical SIMs:
• Get an SA number instantly: eSIM providers (Vodacom, MTN, MVNOs) let me activate a line online in 10 minutes. No store visit, no physical card wait.
• Unlock PayFlex and SMS-gated services: Once I have an SA number via eSIM, I can register for PayFlex, bank OTPs, government portals—everything currently blocking me.
• No Australian gov services, no MyGov, no Medicare: Not an Australian resident, so those aren't relevant. This is about SA banking, BNPL, and local 2FA.
• Dual-SIM without swapping: Keep my primary number (if I have one) and add an SA eSIM just for OTPs and local services.
• Travel flexibility: When I travel, grab a local eSIM for data without losing my SA number.
• No physical SIM tray issues: Fewer moving parts to break or lose.
Which phones have eSIM?
• Pixel 9 / 10 Pro XL / 7 Pro: ✅ Full eSIM support (dual SIM: physical + eSIM, or dual eSIM)
• Galaxy S22 / S23 / S25 FE: ✅ eSIM supported (region-dependent; SA models should have it)
Bottom line for power users: eSIM turns the "no SA number = locked out of everything" problem into a 10-minute online signup.
For someone using their phone as a pocket Linux workstation and shut out of SMS-gated services, this is critical infrastructure.
Problem: Typing http://192.168.10.221:8000/ from my phone in bed is annoying.
Solution: Add a local DNS entry on my router or Pi-hole:
phone.lan → 192.168.10.221
Then I can just hit http://phone.lan:8000/ from anywhere on the LAN (including from my current phone in bed).
Quick how-to (if I have Pi-hole or router admin):
1. Log into Pi-hole admin or router DNS settings
2. Add a local DNS record: phone.lan → 192.168.10.221
3. Save and flush DNS cache on my phone
4. Open http://phone.lan:8000/ and done.
No local SIM = structural exclusion from services that should use email/app OTP but don't. Expensive and broken by design.
Without SMS: no PayFlex, no bank verification, no government portals, no ID checks that matter. The cost isn't just the SIM—it's being shut out of systems that could work differently but won't.
Pay R10,399 once. No instalments, no future stress.