Xiaomi Redmi Smartphone S2 (released 2018 The year is still in demand among budget users due to the balanced characteristics: Snapdragon processor 625, double-camera 12+5 MP and capacious battery 3080 But how to really buy it for everything? 700 ruble 2026 In the year when even the used models on the market are in 5β10 In this article, we will discuss legal and semi-legal ways of buying, and also warn about typical schemes of deception.
We must warn you that no official store or certified seller sells Redmi. S2 price below 3,000-5,000 rubles (even with discounts and sales).β½ Only three cases are possible: 1) a device with serious defects (not switched on, broken screen, IMEI Blacklisted); 2) prepaid fraud; 3) participating in sweepstakes, lotteries or promotions with the lowest chance of winning.However, we found 5 working ways to get close to the coveted amount - read more.
Itβs important to understand that if youβre looking for a phone for 700 rubles, you probably donβt need a specific model, but any working smartphone for the minimum amount of money, so you should consider alternatives, which weβll talk about in the last section.
1. Why Redmi. S2 It's not worth 700.β½ 2026: The economy of the second-hand market
Even with the depreciation of Xiaomi Redmi S2 It can not cost less than 2,500-3,500 rubles for objective reasons:
- π Demand for used smartphones: Models 2018-2019 are actively buying for the secondary market of Africa and Asia, which supports prices.
- π§ Replacement of the screen or battery costs 1,500β2,500β½ β The seller will not work at a loss.
- π¦ Logistics: Delivery of a smartphone from the regions or from abroad costs from 300β½, That automatically increases the minimum price.
- π° RMB/dollar: Since 2022, imported equipment has risen in price by 30-50% due to sanctions and changes in exchange rates.
The only way to buy a Redmi is to buy a Redmi. S2 The price of a cheaper market is to find a seller who is not aware of the real value (for example, a pensioner selling his son's old phone) or to engage in barter transactions (exchange for an unnecessary thing.
β οΈ WARNING: If a seller claims the phone is "unique," "last instance" or "from stock" but asks for an advance payment is 100% fraud. Xiaomi has long since taken the model out of production and there are no new devices in nature.
2.5 Ways to Buy Redmi S2 The cheapest possible (but not for 700)β½)
Realistic Minimum Price for Redmi S2 in 2026 - 1,500-2,500 rubles. It can be achieved by the following methods:
βοΈ How to Save Money by Buying Redmi S2
| Purchase method | Minimum price, β½ | Risks. | Time to search. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Advertisements (Avito, Yula) | 1 800β2 500 | 20% probability of fraud | 1-7 days |
| Telegram sales channels | 1 500β2 000 | No guarantee, often "thugs." | 3-4 days |
| Shares of operators (Tele2, MTS) | 1β1 000* | Tied to the tariff for 1-2 years | Continuous monitoring |
| Barter (exchange for unnecessary things) | 0β1 500 | It is difficult to find an equivalent exchange. | 1-30 days |
| Buying a faulty + repair | 1 000β1 500 | Requires rations/diagnostics skills | 1-5 days |
* Operators often offer phones for 1β½, but with mandatory payment of the tariff for 12-24 months (the total overpayment is 5,000-10 000).β½). In 2023, Tele2 played Redmi. 9A 1β½ when connecting the tariff for 500β½/moss.
3. Fraudulent schemes: how to recognize fraud on 700β½
Most of the announcements about the sale of Xiaomi Redmi S2 700 rubles is a classic scam scheme. Here are 7 signs of cheating that you should pay attention to:
- πΈ Asked for prepayment on the card/Qiwi/YuMoney is a "send after payment" wording. Real sellers work on a "goods-money" scheme or through a secure transaction.
- π¦ Sending "Russian mail" without a track number: scammers often send fake tracks or send an empty box.
- π Β«Pressure on urgency is a sign that the seller is afraid of being checked.
- π± You can get a picture of your nickname on the screen, and the scammers will say no.
- π IMEI It's blacklisted. IMEI on the website sndeep.info β if the phone is wanted, it will be blocked after activation.
- π Β«Score-to-sell accounts are usually newly created and have 0 reviews.
- π¬ Fraudsters often copy the same messages to all customers.
The most common scheme: the seller asks for delivery (300-500)β½) He sends an empty package with a stone/brick inside, and to avoid that, use only secure payment methods:
- π‘οΈ Secure transaction on Avito (money is blocked before receiving the goods).
- π¦ Payment upon receipt (payment on delivery at Post Offices).
- π€ Personal meeting with phone check (IMEI, performance).
π‘
Before buying a used phone, always check it. IMEI on imei.info, if the status "Lost/Stolen" β The phone is stolen and will be locked after activation.
4.Redmi Alternatives S2 1,000 to 2,000β½: what to buy instead
If your goal is the cheapest working smartphone, not specifically Redmi S2, Consider these models (prices are up to 2026):
| Model | The price of b/o, β½ | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Redmi 4X | 1 200β1 800 | Snapdragon 435 processor, removable battery | Small memory (16GB), weak camera |
| Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime | 1 000β1 500 | Light (160 g), long working life | Weak processor, 1 GB of RAM |
| Huawei Y5 2017 | 1 300β1 700 | Metallic hull, EMUI 5.1 | No Google services, 16 GB of memory |
| Nokia 2.1 | 900β1 400 | Clean Android, Long Updates | Very weak processor (Snapdragon 425) |
If you want a phone solely for calls and instant messengers, you can consider older models like the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime (2014) or Lenovo. A6000 β Sometimes they sell for 500-800.β½, but at the risk of a breakdown.
How to check a used smartphone before buying?
5.Buying a faulty Redmi S2: Is it worth the candle?
The cheapest way to get a Redmi S2 β Buy it faulty (price: 500-1 200)β½) But before you buy, you'll need to consider the risks:
- π Broken screen: Glass replacement - 1,500β2,500β½, display module - 2,500-3,500β½. Final price: 3,000-4,500β½.
- π Not included: Battery may be to blame (500)β½), power controller (1000 000 000 000 000)β½) or motherboard (repair 2000β5,000)β½).
- πΆ No network: Problems with antenna module or firmware. Diagnosis - from 500β½, repairs: 1,000-3,000β½.
- π IMEI in the blacklist: the phone is blocked by the operator - unlocking is impossible (except for the "gray" methods with the risk of re-blocking).
The only defects that can be repaired cheaply are:
- π Settled battery (replacement - 500-800)β½).
- π The speaker/microphone is not working (cleaning/replacement β 300β1000)β½).
- π± Crushing on the body (does not affect the work).
β οΈ Warning: If the seller claims that the phone is βunfiredβ but there is no reaction when charging (the indicator does not burn, does not warm), most likely the problem is in the motherboard.
π‘
Buying a faulty Redmi S2 It only makes sense if you are sure of the diagnosis (for example, a battery that has died) or are willing to spend another 1,000 to 2,000 dollars on repairs.β½.
6. How to bargain and reduce the price: working phrases
Even if the seller initially claims a price of 2,000-3,000β½, You can almost always reduce it by 20 to 30 percent. Here are 5 phrases that help you trade:
- Β«I've seen similar offers for 500 cheaper.β½. Does it work 60% of the time if the seller is really interested in selling quickly.
- "I'm ready to take cash today, but I only have [30 percent below]. Can we get along?"
- Β«The phone is used and the new Redmi costs from 10 000β½. Give a realistic price. β Argument for sellers who overvalue.
Additional tricks:
- πΈ Keep a close eye on the defects, even if they are minor (scratch, scuff).
Example of successful bargaining: You: Good evening! Interested in your Redmi S2. I see that the 2018 phone, there's a little bit of scuff on the body. I'm ready to buy it today for 1,800.β½ Salesman: "Well, I wanted 2,200."β½...Β» You're like, "Okay. Thank you, I'll look for other options." Seller: "Okay, I'll take 2,000."β½.Β»
7.Where NOT to look for Redmi S2 700β½: blacklist
Some sites and groups are designed to deceive gullible customers. TOP-5 dangerous places where you will definitely run into scammers:
- π Suspicious one-pagers like "skidka-xiaomi.ru" or Β«redmi-s2-za-1-rub.ruΒ». These sites collect prepayments and disappear in 2-3 weeks.
- π± Groups Vkontakte with the names "Sale Xiaomi 1"β½Β», Β«Phone discounts are 90%. The administrators of these groups are scammers.
- π¬ Telegram bots with "shares" from unknown sellers often asked to pay for "booking" of the phone.
- π AliExpress with price filter: Cheap lots (up to 1,000)β½) β This is either a fake or a delivery scam.
- π§ Emails with suggestions to βbuy Xiaomi for penniesβ are sent by spam networks.
If you decide to take a risk, you must:
- Check the date of creation of the site / group through WHOIS.
- Search for reviews about the seller on Google for β[website name] + reviews + scammerΒ».
- Never follow the links from SMS or messengers β scammers often send phishing links.
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The only more or less safe sites for buying used equipment are Avito, Yula and Facebook Marketplace (with a sellerβs profile check).