Since the introduction of the Boost system, the Powered Up and Control+ sets I read a lot of complaints about the smartphone requirement. People usually does not want their kids to use the parents’ expensive devices to play with LEGO. I decided to find the best option for a phone that meets the requirements of these applications but still reasonably priced and easy to get.
This is the Xiaom Redmi 7A, a phone around $100 that works with the LEGO control apps just as well as the $400-500 mainstream phones. Black Friday is coming, there are some sales going on so check the links below for the current availability and the price:
Xiaomi Redmi 7A at Gearbest – http://bit.ly/2QBXS3o out of stock
Xiaomi Redmi 7A faster shipping (use the coupon 7COUPONS10 for 10% off) – http://bit.ly/37iSsQD out of stock
UPDATE: If you’re willing to spend a little bit more and you need a phone with an Infrared port to control the Power Functions IR receiver with BrickController 2 then the Xiaomi Redmi 8 is a good choice. It also has more RAM (3GB), bigger screen and a fingerprint sensor and it is on sale now and available at Gearbest:
Xiaomi Redmi 8 on sale – http://bit.ly/37fpPUy
Does it work with Hidden Side too?
No, Hidden Side requires special hardware – https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/device-guide/hidden-side/