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Hi All,
To clarify, I used the search engine but didn't found any response to my question.
I have a Sony Xperia Play R800a and my 18 month contract just expired, my carrier just called me to ask for a renewal, they offered me the MOTOROLA RAZR HD for 200 USD on 18 month contract of 25 USD per month including data.
My question is... is it a good deal?
I was about to pull the trigger on the Galaxy Nexus on google play... but then I heard about Nexus 4 coming and decided to wait for it... after seeing the nexus 4... I was ready to pull the trigger again, but today I got the call from the carrier... and started to have second thoughts on it.
I have compared the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S3, Nexus 4, and RAZR HD, so far It seems Nexus 4 seems as the best deal followed closely by the S3... but I hate the non-expandable storage on the Nexus 4 and the price on the S3.
The thing is... if I sign again with my carrier I will save 150 instantly, (also the 200 USD down payment can be paid on a 12 month interest free plan)
Dear XDA member please let me know your feedback on this 18 month long choice... If you can suggest me which device is better for the price and also giving me more options... If there are any...
Thanks for your help.
Hexen2006
I owned the GS3, GNex, and RAZR HD maxx.
Of the 3, I would go with the Razr HD in the end. GNex after that. GS3 last. I can't speak for the Nexus 4, but I can't see it being that different than the GNex besides a respectable hardware buff since the GNex will get AOSP 4.2 in the near future.
Stock firmware on the S3 is complete crap IMO. A bunch of useless fluff and bloat, just flat out crappy. The hardware is nice, however.
GNex is great simply because it's stock AOSP. I'm assuming I don't need to explain why that's a good thing.
Razr HD is really impressive. ALMOST stock android, but not quite. The "Blur" intrusion is very much reduced compared to my previous motorola device (original Atrix 4G). Really the only major motorola influence I see are the stock mail app (not gmail), the settings menu, gallery, camera, and a widget or two. The dialer is a a bit different than AOSP but I can live with it.
Sure, most GS3s have an unlockable bootloader, but in my experiences most of the roms are plagued by bugs, however few and unobtrusive they may be. I've never ran a custom rom that just worked perfectly. And lets be honest, none of them provide any breakthrough features above and beyond the stock-from-google AOSP you get from a pure nexus device. Just my opinion.
If I could, I would run with the Nexus 4. But the lack of LTE was the big deal breaker for me. I won't get timely updates (ever?) on my RAZR HD. But that's ok. I've lost most interest in flashing custom ROMS and now I just want a smooth running device that works and I'm very happy with the RAZR HD.
I'll be the first to flop down $$$ for the next LTE Nexus device when it comes out, however.
Frankly all the devices you listed are great in their own right. Really it all comes down to your preferences. Fan of pure google AOSP? GO with Nexus. Like flashing custom ROMS? Nexus or GS3 are both good. Expandable storage? Removable battery? LTE? Just figure out the most important must-have features you require in a device and go with it.
Thanks holtenc,
I just checked with my carrier today, and apparently the RAZR HD is my only "real" option.
I asked about the Gnex, because I wanted to try "pure" android, but they told me they are low in stock and that Samsung will not replenish their inventory (maybe because of the Nexus 4 they have started to fade the Gnex out) but that if I really want one I should pay 550 USD and sign a 2 year contract... That definitely take the Gnex out of budget.
About the Galaxy S3, I need to pay 650 USD and a 18 month contract.... so same al Gnex... out of budget.
About Nexus 4, they don't have it on stock yet... it may take some time, but they told me he will be priced similar to Gnex. :S
I live in Mexico and we are not allowed to purchase devices on the google play store, so I tried the US store (using a VPN) and it is out of stock :S...
I guess the universe is pushing me to get the RAZR HD
Thanks
Have you tried places like swappa?
Sent via Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2
nope, never heard of it... I will look at it... thanks for de advice!
Cool. I was on last week looking at GNexs and they had some for $200-350 U.S.
Sent via Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2
Remember that if you upgrade with the discounted price, you will lose unlimited data if you had it, in case you are concerned about that.
I just bought the Razr Maxx HD and I am digging the phone so far. I have charged it once in the last 3 days with battery to spare. I had the Galaxy S3 but exchanged it for the Maxx HD. The GS3 felt more like a toy rather than something that I would carry with me everyday. The glossy and rounded form just wasn't my thing. The Maxx HD feels like a real phone and the UI is as close to AOSP (which you will get on the Nexus) as you are going to get from any other phone. Its sort of like holding a real handgun after playing with a water pistol. Touchwiz (Samsung) and Sense (HTC) are bloated and ugly.
Good luck with your decision.
I gave up on my G2x. Not going to wait for fully functioning ICS or even JB anymore. Even if we get it blue tooth will still be messed up.I'm Selling my P999 on EBAY. Never looking back. Until then I’m rocking a Dell Venue Pro and I'm liking the Windows Phone 7.5 , however I have to go back to Android though because WP7 is sooo limited and boring. Thinking about the L9. Not going to get a Nexus 4 because you cant replace the battery...no SDcard slot... and super crappy battery life. No Thanks.
Any of you guys getting a T-Mobile Optimus l9? What's your take on it?
Probably picking up a GS3 tomorrow. L9 is just another LG pile of failure. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
Jesuscat said:
Probably picking up a GS3 tomorrow. L9 is just another LG pile of failure. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
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I was thinking about the S3 but I decided I don't want town any phone with an Amoled display. The screens don't last long. That's exactly why HTC stopped making phones with Amoled. I'll stick to the longer more durable proven IPS displays. Samsung's answer is to make a Pentile RGBG display to offset the loss in colors over time and that's the best they can do right now. Amoled technology just isn't there yet. I'll wait until they can get all of the colors to be at least at 50,000 hours of operation until then Amoled is a no go.
ROFL. I just sold my G2x for $149.00 just a minute ago. I love Ebay!
Im also very very close to selling mines too. Im sticking with pure google nexus phones only
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
Dimension2035 said:
Im also very very close to selling mines too. Im sticking with pure google nexus phones only
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
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All I ever wanted was ICS at least. Gingerbread sucks. At least the l9 gets 4.0.4. Hopefully at least one upgrade down the road to 4.1.1.
SovereignKnight said:
All I ever wanted was ICS at least. Gingerbread sucks. At least the l9 gets 4.0.4. Hopefully at least one upgrade down the road to 4.1.1.
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I got a nexus 4 and I'm loving it! Don't by branded phones if you want updates
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Just sold one of my g2xs and now have a rooted HTC one s with jb 4.1.1 ROM. I like the g2x, never had any of the problems others had, and I prefer the gb UI to the jb UI. Also the voice search worked a lot better on the g2x, and the g2x is smaller. But I give up on the g2x ever getting jb, even though it's basically capable, and the upgrade to jb makes for a tremendous improvement in user satisfaction as related to speed and smoothness. LG has effectively cheated is out of a year more of use of our g2xs unless we are willing to put up with the maddening stuttering of the pre-jb Android, which comes off as a kluge compared to jb.
But beyond the improvement in speed and smoothness, every iteration of Android since gb has been a step downward in usability. The Android UI is now a make-work project for designers at Google and while it might look better, it's become harder and less intuitive to use. Leave well alone, for goodness' sake.
The One s is about as big a phone as is comfortable for me, and much thinner and lighter than the g2x. It looks like a skinny adolescent Nexus One. I had to take some shears to my SIM card, and it doesn't have an interchangeable battery or SD card, don't care about the battery but would like to have a SD card. The One s was about $100 less than a Nexus 4, and was available now. Haven't seen any problems with the AOKP jb ROM.
The speed of this phone plus the accessibility of TMO's 41Mbps HSPA+ network makes differences in browser speed very noticeable. That plus the impossibility of seeing bookmarks in list form in the jb browser means I'm now using Dolphin and Maxthon. The bookmarks thing is another fail of Google trying for what it thinks is good design. The apps drawer also now swipes sideways, what for?, and the launcher functionality in general. Including the handling of apps and widgets, has become very awkward. Thank goodness for nova and launcher pro.
I reckon it'll be a lot harder to get reliable updates for my rooted one s than for the Nexus 4 but the speed of the one s with 4.1.1 is very satisfying and the UI changes Google is now making are making the experience worse. So I have no incentive to update beyond my jb version, so no incentive to get a Nexus 4.
End of rant.
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
Well I guess Google can't please everyone. Personally, I dislike GB and everything before it. JB is such a huge improvement that I prefer the broken JB ROMs to the fully functional GB ROMs.
I have found nothing unintuitive about the operating system so far. I've always been able to figure out how to do something by just doing what makes sense to me. I'm not a big user of bookmarks, mostly because nowadays the predictive URL history is good enough to make opening bookmarks slower than just typing a few letters into the URL bar and pressing enter. However, I don't mean to say they're completely useless; I just don't use them. In any case, Android was made in such a way that you have access to different browsers and can integrate them as if they're the native browser, so that problem has a solution. With the app drawer, sideways is much more consistent. You only ever access the app drawer from the home screen, which scrolls sideways, so it only makes sense to not make the user have to start scrolling a different way.
I don't intend for this post to say, "your opinion is wrong!" so don't take it that way. I just wanted to point out it's kind of unfair to hate on Google and call it their fault just because you don't like something. JB has been called the best thing to happen to Android by almost everyone I've talked to about it, so I think it's safe to say it's just personal preference that you don't like it.
To each his own
Nexus 4 would've been the way to go. Battery is lasting just as long as it was with my G2x... Around 15 - 16 hours with decent usage. (Lots of Facebook, XDA, browsing with Chrome, some Instagram, and 200+ sms messages.)
SovereignKnight said:
ROFL. I just sold my G2x for $149.00 just a minute ago. I love Ebay!
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Wow nice what condition was it in? Ida del lime when this phone gets cm10 (to raise price a bit) or when I save enough for n4 . Problem is mind is kinda knicked. I bought it for 115 in June so I'll be happy with 100... if it sells at how much you sold it for then I'll be ecstatic lol
Sent from my sexy G2x
PaKii94 said:
Wow nice what condition was it in? Ida del lime when this phone gets cm10 (to raise price a bit) or when I save enough for n4 . Problem is mind is kinda knicked. I bought it for 115 in June so I'll be happy with 100... if it sells at how much you sold it for then I'll be ecstatic lol
Sent from my sexy G2x
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In mint condition. No scratches or blemishes what so ever, and to me that is amazing since its been a love and hate relationship with it. I felt like I wanted to throw it somtimes, lol! I dislike Gingerbread, but for other people its fine. I just want a phone with ICS fully working at least. I'm eyeing that L9. I was thinking about the Nexus 4 but too many people complaining about battery life. The L9's battery lasts all day with heavy use. The lack of an SD slot on the Nexus 4 doesn't help in its favor either.
Don't get me wrong, in some ways I'll miss my G2x. Sadly it's a good phone that LG left behind without an ICS update. It's a constant reminder that I'd like to forget.
Im curious about the phablet note 2...any tmobile peps notice they are now having everyone pay nearly full price for the phones on a value plan or $20 higher if you choose classic plan...what's up with that? Old upgrade procedure was when it was time to upgrade u got full discounted phone when renewing 2 yr agreement? Or am I missing something...
Sorry for getting off topic
booma428 said:
Im curious about the phablet note 2...any tmobile peps notice they are now having everyone pay nearly full price for the phones on a value plan or $20 higher if you choose classic plan...what's up with that? Old upgrade procedure was when it was time to upgrade u got full discounted phone when renewing 2 yr agreement? Or am I missing something...
Sorry for getting off topic
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Click to collapse
I got mine for 200 with a 100 mail in rebate. Plus $50 gift card for a new line.
My bill is only 20 more than my 30 dollar unlimited plan and I actually have minutes now.
I sold my G2x for $120 cash, I got it for $150 back in June 2011 so it wasn't a huge loss.
FatalityBoyZahy said:
I sold my G2x for $120 cash, I got it for $150 back in June 2011 so it wasn't a huge loss.
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I got mine in June 2011 for $84 with 2 year contract from new egg, I`ll keep it for now as a spare phone while playing with my N4:good:
booma428 said:
Im curious about the phablet note 2...any tmobile peps notice they are now having everyone pay nearly full price for the phones on a value plan or $20 higher if you choose classic plan...what's up with that? Old upgrade procedure was when it was time to upgrade u got full discounted phone when renewing 2 yr agreement? Or am I missing something...
Sorry for getting off topic
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Click to collapse
Stay away from AMOLED phones. Why buy a phone with a display that will decay over time? LCD technology is well proven and mature, no screen decay and burn in. The color blue on an AMOLED display still suffers from the fastest decay. 12,000 hours or so. I say F-That! AMOLED is just not ready for consumer use yet. I shudder to think of anyone getting a AMOLED TV as well. If you want somthing that lasts stay LCD/IPS in a phone. Stay away from AMOLED devices right now.
im buying a SIM unlocked Galaxy Nexus for 280 with 2 spare batteries. good deal?
joeyxl said:
im buying a SIM unlocked Galaxy Nexus for 280 with 2 spare batteries. good deal?
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I would just save the cash for a new n4
Yeah I thought so. I was offered 300 for a Toshiba laptop that's got a really nice body and a 3.8 core 2 duo. Cheaper than an Asus transformer
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app
What's up everyone I currently have a Galaxy S4 for Verizon and unfortunately it came stock with ME7 . Im tired of verizon and there restrictions and I miss running a CFW and having a root. Im more then likely going to T-Mobile and getting Unlimited Data. The 2 phones on the top of my list are the Lg g2 and this New Nexus 5. I love both phones but I do like the stock android from a Nexus. I would love to hear your suggestions even if it isnt a phone thats not on my list. In a sense im looking for a new phone to stick with for a good amount of time. Thanks for any advice and help in advance! :thumbup:
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Nexus 5, and it's not close.
I was in the same dilemma.
I decided to go for the Nexus 5 because its a Nexus.
The main difference in hardware between the two for me is the screen size. I wanted the bigger screen on the G2.
But I decided I want to pay less and get a device with better software
LouieeeV said:
What's up everyone I currently have a Galaxy S4 for Verizon and unfortunately it came stock with ME7 . Im tired of verizon and there restrictions and I miss running a CFW and having a root. Im more then likely going to T-Mobile and getting Unlimited Data. The 2 phones on the top of my list are the Lg g2 and this New Nexus 5. I love both phones but I do like the stock android from a Nexus. I would love to hear your suggestions even if it isnt a phone thats not on my list. In a sense im looking for a new phone to stick with for a good amount of time. Thanks for any advice and help in advance! :thumbup:
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
The nexus is pure stock android which is fully stable .
On benchmarks it benches better than the G2 and is much cheaper.
If you love stock android then the Nexus 5 is the greatest phone you can currently get.
Tip:
Also don't try to use the term CFW (Custom Firmware), people on xda won't usually know it, use the word ROM (Read Only Memory).
I find this is actually funny because we have root in them and we can make everything read-write
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 06:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 PM ----------
LouieeeV said:
What's up everyone I currently have a Galaxy S4 for Verizon and unfortunately it came stock with ME7 . Im tired of verizon and there restrictions and I miss running a CFW and having a root. Im more then likely going to T-Mobile and getting Unlimited Data. The 2 phones on the top of my list are the Lg g2 and this New Nexus 5. I love both phones but I do like the stock android from a Nexus. I would love to hear your suggestions even if it isnt a phone thats not on my list. In a sense im looking for a new phone to stick with for a good amount of time. Thanks for any advice and help in advance! :thumbup:
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
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Also I don't live in America but I heard that you can't run the nexus 5 with Verizon.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
So theres no external SD Card which I admit does bother me just because the more space the better. I dont umderstand why Google didnt put one in the Nexus 5...
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
LouieeeV said:
So theres no external SD Card which I admit does bother me just because the more space the better. I dont umderstand why Google didnt put one in the Nexus 5...
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
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Google never allows sd cards in the nexus devices. They never will. They say they are too slow for a top end type device.
Yea I guess ill have tp get the 32 GB version so I never feel limited for space :thumbup:
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
The G2 has the screen size, battery and camera advantages which is not something to overlook, if they were closely priced I'd go for the G2. Now if you can get some dough off due to contract extension and plan to stay with your carrier, the G2 can still be an attractive offer. Overall though, buying both unlocked and the Nexus 5 is just so awesomely priced. So it's a matter of looking at your options.
LouieeeV said:
Yea I guess ill have tp get the 32 GB version so I never feel limited for space :thumbup:
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
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That is what I got. I have a 64gb card in my sgs3, so it will be hard, but the thing that makes it worth it, is how easy it is to dev/hack.
Haha, i was on the same boat. I love the G2 Screen and the lack of bezel. Overall the decision came down to software and speed. I always go with a custom ROM cause i like stock, (yes u can do this on the g2) but the fact that i will be getting the latest and greatest updates first is a huge + for me. Thus why i decided on the Nexus.
I say go Nexus!.
Nexus is looking like a go especially with 4g and unlimited data on T-Mobile sounds pretty good to me so far
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Simba501 said:
Nexus 5, and it's not close.
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How you can be a recognized contributor and come out with such a poor statement is quite scary...
Anyway it is VERY close.
The G2 has a bigger screen, yet only a fraction larger. (~1mm all around). And weigh's in negligible over the N5 yet has a 3000mah battery instead of 2300. Then it has a 13mp camera with the same tech as the 8mp Nexus 5.
The Nexus 5 wins in price (for most, some countries not so much), Software Support (I won't say software because the LG Software is actually pretty smooth on the G2 and the feature set isn't bad, but of course not KiKat, yet).
They share the same CPU/GPU/Ram. The Nexus 5 will likely be quicker due to KitKat/AOSP, but it will only be a matter of weeks and the G2 will have that also so if having it first is important to you, then again N5.
They also share the same radios/spectrums/etc.. so N5 is unlocked vs LG G2 probably/possibly being locked to one carrier. Important factor for some.
Clearly I don't think one is a "winner", I have the G2, and I pre-ordered the N5. I want to check out KitKat and see how it performs/battery life with only 2300mah but KitKat optimized. I plan to pick the winner (for me) once I have them side by side for a while.
Either way, they are most CERTAINLY close. The question is (in most markets) is ~$150-200 worth a bigger screen/battery/camera and the loss of immediate updates/better rom development. In that case, for most, the answer seems to be no.
crawlgsx said:
. . .
The Nexus 5 wins in price (for most, some countries not so much), Software Support (I won't say software because the LG Software is actually pretty smooth on the G2 and the feature set isn't bad, but of course not KiKat, yet).
. . .
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Click to collapse
Precisely why it's not close. Price and software development.
While the G2 will likely have developers to create some AOSP goodness for it, the lifespan of Nexus devices is always considerably longer than others. AOSP never runs as smoothly, with little bugs, as it does on actual Google devices.
If you're looking at the hardware, with respect to no other factors, then it is close. Otherwise, no.
Simba501 said:
Precisely why it's not close. Price and software development.
While the G2 will likely have developers to create some AOSP goodness for it, the lifespan of Nexus devices is always considerably longer than others. AOSP never runs as smoothly, with little bugs, as it does on actual Google devices.
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Click to collapse
Absolutely, if your only importance is ROM's and having the latest software first, or the longest amount of support for updates, then it is not close.
Price is personal. I have absolutely no problem spending the extra $150 if it means better battery life. The G2 is a battery monster, so I expect to be disappointed by the N5, but I absolutely hope I am wrong. Also in some countries the price is almost negligible. Plus if you have an upgrade and stick with the same carrier anyway, you can have the G2 for $150-200 vs $440 (32gb vs 32gb), so that is another factor. A lot goes in to play for this. Just simply saying it is cheaper is not enough.
When comparing ALL factors though, I stand by my previous statements. Personally I wouldn't let development allow me to be hooked to only owning a Nexus but that is absolutely the key factor for some people, I get that. Battery life is a huge importance to me and until I can see how it lasts with my own eyes I take the specs with a truckload of salt. With a 30% less battery size on the same hardware KitKat is going to have to do some pretty superb savings to keep it close.
Simba501 said:
If you're looking at the hardware, with respect to no other factors, then it is close. Otherwise, no.
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Click to collapse
If you looked at hardware specs only and no other factors, it is NOT close. The G2 wins hands down if you take out software and price, but that would be just plain silly.
In case anyone misinterprets my statements, I am not saying I think one is better than the other. I think both have their +'s and personally I don't find either a clear winner. That is all.
While I'm still going with the N5 for the rom support, Sprint is selling the N5 for $149 and the G2 for $99 (both with 2 year contracts), so the G2 actually wins the price debate.
Edit: whoops had too many tabs open and got this thread confused with one that was just for Sprint. Still, I imagine TMo will sell the G2 for either the same price or less than the N5 to stay competitive.
If usbOTG is present in the N5 then you can simply attach a microsd card to a microsd to USB to the usbOTG adapter (too many adapters) or simply a flashdrive. While it may be a pain to carry around it will at least extend the capacity.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
crawlgsx said:
Price is personal. I have absolutely no problem spending the extra $150 if it means better battery life.
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150 dollars for an extra 700mAh is just not worth it in my opinion. im enjoying a 15,000mAh power bank that i got for 50 bucks and will put the extra 100 dollars toward a new phone in 2-4 years
Enddo said:
150 dollars for an extra 700mAh is just not worth it in my opinion. im enjoying a 15,000mAh power bank that i got for 50 bucks and will put the extra 100 dollars toward a new phone in 2-4 years
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Click to collapse
Well if that were the only factor that is a pretty harsh bargain for sure but 700mah in this case IS 30% larger. That is not small. You also get 13mp vs 8 and .2" bigger screen. Again not that I think it is a winning decision either, tough call and personal preference. I just think it is worth more consideration than people are giving.
crawlgsx said:
Well if that were the only factor that is a pretty harsh bargain for sure but 700mah in this case IS 30% larger. That is not small. You also get 13mp vs 8 and .2" bigger screen. Again not that I think it is a winning decision either, tough call and personal preference. I just think it is worth more consideration than people are giving.
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Click to collapse
meh, you're in the heart of public android development. of course people here are going to side with a Nexus device. not that people here aren't considering the specs, but we put more of an emphasis on the pure android experience.
i feel the same way about people here complaining about no sd slot. this is just not the place to voice that opinion, it will not bring them any sympathy. this is not a consumer forum
Enddo said:
meh, you're in the heart of public android development. of course people here are going to side with a Nexus device. not that people here aren't considering the specs, but we put more of an emphasis on the pure android experience.
i feel the same way about people here complaining about no sd slot. this is just not the place to voice that opinion, it will not bring them any sympathy. this is not a consumer forum
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haha too funny, I agree 100%. SD and Removable battery mean 0 to me, always have.
But yeah I get it :good:
Hi all,
I'm new to all this so please bare with me a little bit. I've used apple products for many years, but in getting a little sick of iOS7 and the lack of jaibreak. So I've decided to make the leap to android (something I never thought I would do).
I have my choices narrowed down to the Nexus 5 and LG G2. Both phones at currently available for $99 on 2 yr term. The Nexus only comes in the 16gb version while the G2 is 32gb for the same price. I'm having a tough time deciding between the two. I like the Nexus 5 because it gets the OS updates fast and won't require removal of bloat. It's also unlocked.
The G2 seems to have a slight hardware edge with battery life, camera and screen size. It's also 32gb, but it's not stock android and is carrier locked.
My question is, given the same price for both, is it better to get the nexus 5 or get the G2 and use a custom rom to mimic the stock nexus 5? Will it be a hassle to keep the G2 updated, and how bug free would the experience be?
Sorry if I'm in the wrong forum section, there's so many to choose from!
Thanks
SB
SillyBearito said:
Hi all,
I'm new to all this so please bare with me a little bit. I've used apple products for many years, but in getting a little sick of iOS7 and the lack of jaibreak. So I've decided to make the leap to android (something I never thought I would do).
I have my choices narrowed down to the Nexus 5 and LG G2. Both phones at currently available for $99 on 2 yr term. The Nexus only comes in the 16gb version while the G2 is 32gb for the same price. I'm having a tough time deciding between the two. I like the Nexus 5 because it gets the OS updates fast and won't require removal of bloat. It's also unlocked.
The G2 seems to have a slight hardware edge with battery life, camera and screen size. It's also 32gb, but it's not stock android and is carrier locked.
My question is, given the same price for both, is it better to get the nexus 5 or get the G2 and use a custom rom to mimic the stock nexus 5? Will it be a hassle to keep the G2 updated, and how bug free would the experience be?
Sorry if I'm in the wrong forum section, there's so many to choose from!
Thanks
SB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are not the same price, the G2 is like $600 because of all the monthly payments you have to make. I'd go with the Nexus 5 because once you buy it, you actually own it.
SillyBearito said:
Hi all,
I'm new to all this so please bare with me a little bit. I've used apple products for many years, but in getting a little sick of iOS7 and the lack of jaibreak. So I've decided to make the leap to android (something I never thought I would do).
I have my choices narrowed down to the Nexus 5 and LG G2. Both phones at currently available for $99 on 2 yr term. The Nexus only comes in the 16gb version while the G2 is 32gb for the same price. I'm having a tough time deciding between the two. I like the Nexus 5 because it gets the OS updates fast and won't require removal of bloat. It's also unlocked.
The G2 seems to have a slight hardware edge with battery life, camera and screen size. It's also 32gb, but it's not stock android and is carrier locked.
My question is, given the same price for both, is it better to get the nexus 5 or get the G2 and use a custom rom to mimic the stock nexus 5? Will it be a hassle to keep the G2 updated, and how bug free would the experience be?
Sorry if I'm in the wrong forum section, there's so many to choose from!
Thanks
SB
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Sound like you are on Sprint, right? I would say just get the Nexus 5 from the Play Store, and then sign up for the $60 BYOD on Sprint. You would end up saving more money. Also, I just don't like the LG skin, so I'm a little biased.
PS The battery life on the G2 is much much better than the N5 though, so that's something to think about too, if that's important to you.
stevew84 said:
They are not the same price, the G2 is like $600 because of all the monthly payments you have to make. I'd go with the Nexus 5 because once you buy it, you actually own it.
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Not sure I follow. I'm in Canada on Rogers. I'm currently out of contract and don't really intend to switch carriers because my wife and I share a plan and she's locked in for 2 more years.
The hardware upgrade for either phone is $99 with a 2 year contract, I'm not changing plans or paying anything additional, just $99 to upgrade.
Well, if you were into the jailbreaking scene then you would most definitely be into rooting, custom roms etc. Therefore, I vote for the N5. Nexus = Endless possibilities. Also, with the new features implemented by many roms such as ParanoidAndroid, Cyanogenmod etc, you'd never get bored.
joshyth said:
Sound like you are on Sprint, right? I would say just get the Nexus 5 from the Play Store, and then sign up for the $60 BYOD on Sprint. You would end up saving more money. Also, I just don't like the LG skin, so I'm a little biased.
PS The battery life on the G2 is much much better than the N5 though, so that's something to think about too, if that's important to you.
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On Rogers in Canada. Battery life is a little important, but i almost always have a plug nearby to charge. Memory size is also a little important.
I'll most likely be rooting the G2 to bring it to the stock level of the N5. I'm just not sure how easy that is to do.
SillyBearito said:
Not sure I follow. I'm in Canada on Rogers. I'm currently out of contract and don't really intend to switch carriers because my wife and I share a plan and she's locked in for 2 more years.
The hardware upgrade for either phone is $99 with a 2 year contract, I'm not changing plans or paying anything additional, just $99 to upgrade.
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Then you have a tough decision to make, honestly. A huge advantage of the Nexus 5 is that it packs excellent specs into a device that is affordable off contract. Buying the Nexus subsidized on a contract kind of defeats this cost-saving advantage, as you'll end up paying quite a bit more for the device over your two year contract. Price-wise, you'd be getting a much larger subsidy if you bought the G2 on contract vs. the N5.
Now, comparing the devices: I prefer the look and feel of the N5 hardware over the G2, but the G2 has a better battery and camera. And I really dislike the button placement on the G2, though it doesn't seem to bother others. And other than these things they're neck and neck performance-wise. You'll get quicker Android updates, more xda development activitiy, and kit-kat out of the box with the Nexus 5.
I can't say much for the g2 since I haven't used it so my response would be biased.
However what I can say is go look at the G2 development forums for your carrier and compare that to the N5 development section here.
Personally I've been with the galaxy S line since its launch (Galaxy S Epic 4g, Galaxy s3 and Galaxy s4) and when the Nexus 5 launched at such a low price I just couldn't pass up the fact that its a "universal" phone where developers can create a ROM and it works for everyone easily. Where as my previous phones (and the G2) split the developers up based on their carrier. Some devs ported their ROMs to all carriers for their device and that is much respected but I feel the N5 being "universal" can't be beat if you're a software junkie like myself.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
SemiGamer said:
I can't say much for the g2 since I haven't used it so my response would be biased.
However what I can say is go look at the G2 development forums for your carrier and compare that to the N5 development section here.
Personally I've been with the galaxy S line since its launch (Galaxy S Epic 4g, Galaxy s3 and Galaxy s4) and when the Nexus 5 launched at such a low price I just couldn't pass up the fact that its a "universal" phone where developers can create a ROM and it works for everyone easily. Where as my previous phones (and the G2) split the developers up based on their carrier. Some devs ported their ROMs to all carriers for their device and that is much respected but I feel the N5 being "universal" can't be beat if you're a software junkie like myself.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
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I am a bit of a software junkie, but only to the point where I've customized my phone just the way I like it. If I can achieve that customization with the G2 and be able to maintain it without too many bugs then I may lean towards the G2. It's hard to pass up that extra battery life and storage capacity. Ugh this is a tough choice.
I'll take your advice and check the G2 forums though!
Thanks
SillyBearito said:
I am a bit of a software junkie, but only to the point where I've customized my phone just the way I like it. If I can achieve that customization with the G2 and be able to maintain it without too many bugs then I may lean towards the G2. It's hard to pass up that extra battery life and storage capacity. Ugh this is a tough choice.
I'll take your advice and check the G2 forums though!
Thanks
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Your welcome. By glancing at the g2 forums I don't see a KitKat ROM, not sure if that's important to you or not.
The way I see it is go with the G2 if battery life, Camera and Storage outweigh your needs for the best software.
I don't use the camera for anything professional so the n5 camera is plenty for me, the battery life doesn't matter because I have wireless charging plates I just throw my phone on around the house. And the storage is completely different for everyone but 16gb is enough for me currently (Can't have as many 1gb games installed but never played them all at once anyway on my s4)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
G2
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
SillyBearito said:
I'm in Canada on Rogers.
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I would say that's your biggest conundrum right there. Can't wait till my contract's up in Feb and I can go to Koodo or Virgin. Or perhaps not wait that long even and jump ship when I see a better deal
On-topic, as a noob to Android customization and a customer of Rogers, I would say go for the G2. It seems you wish to stay on-contract and you'd be getting the better deal hardware-wise.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Kesmar88 said:
I would say that's your biggest conundrum right there. Can't wait till my contract's up in Feb and I can go to Koodo or Virgin. Or perhaps not wait that long even and jump ship when I see a better deal
On-topic, as a noob to Android customization and a customer of Rogers, I would say go for the G2. It seems you wish to stay on-contract and you'd be getting the better deal hardware-wise.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
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I appreciate your input. It's not that I want I stay under contract, it's just more logical that way right now. And yes I fully agree on the hardware aspect. The only thing nexus has that's better is the software support. I'm eager to learn about rooting and using custom mods, buts it's hard to justify the nexus purchase just for that.
I did read somewhere that G2 will get KitKat eventually, maybe it'll get better?
SillyBearito said:
I appreciate your input. It's not that I want I stay under contract, it's just more logical that way right now. And yes I fully agree on the hardware aspect. The only thing nexus has that's better is the software support. I'm eager to learn about rooting and using custom mods, buts it's hard to justify the nexus purchase just for that.
I did read somewhere that G2 will get KitKat eventually, maybe it'll get better?
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LG is planning to release KitKat eventually, but there's no set date. Also, from prior experience, if you're going to rely on official OTA updates, Rogers is the worst on releasing them in a timely manner. My prior phone was an S2 LTE (Skyrocket) and it was the last one out of the S2 family to upgrade to ICS, not to mention it was not optimized at all and actually ran worse than Gingerbread. Thankfully, it was all good when the JB update showed up but that took a while as well. Since I'm not getting KitKat on it, I bought the N5 off the play store since carriers are only carrying 16 GB.
Kesmar88 said:
LG is planning to release KitKat eventually, but there's no set date. Also, from prior experience, if you're going to rely on official OTA updates, Rogers is the worst on releasing them in a timely manner. My prior phone was an S2 LTE (Skyrocket) and it was the last one out of the S2 family to upgrade to ICS, not to mention it was not optimized at all and actually ran worse than Gingerbread. Thankfully, it was all good when the JB update showed up but that took a while as well. Since I'm not getting KitKat on it, I bought the N5 off the play store since carriers are only carrying 16 GB.
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I can see the issue there. I'm hoping to not rely on Rogers and their OTA and just root it and update it myself. That reminds me, I should prob expect even more bloat with Rogers.
Or I could just go with the nexus and never have to worry about that.
Kesmar88 said:
LG is planning to release KitKat eventually, but there's no set date. Also, from prior experience, if you're going to rely on official OTA updates, Rogers is the worst on releasing them in a timely manner. My prior phone was an S2 LTE (Skyrocket) and it was the last one out of the S2 family to upgrade to ICS, not to mention it was not optimized at all and actually ran worse than Gingerbread. Thankfully, it was all good when the JB update showed up but that took a while as well. Since I'm not getting KitKat on it, I bought the N5 off the play store since carriers are only carrying 16 GB.
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As noted before if you want the quickest updates (official and unofficial) than the n5 is a must, if you want to take a lot of pictures than the camera on the G2 and storage space is better at that.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Have you thought about getting a Iphone 5s on contract, selling it, then buying the nexus 5? I would do that instead of getting the nexus 5 directly from the carrier. That way you end up with extra money in your pockets since you can sell the Iphone for more then the nexus 5 costs from the play store.
hammester said:
Have you thought about getting a Iphone 5s on contract, selling it, then buying the nexus 5? I would do that instead of getting the nexus 5 directly from the carrier. That way you end up with extra money in your pockets since you can sell the Iphone for more then the nexus 5 costs from the play store.
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This is a great idea. Take a look at the resale value of the phones available without a contract. Pick the one that gives you the best profit and do that. Use the money to buy a Nexus 5 if you like the phone. I did that recently and actually have another $100 extra to spend on accessories.
Now that it's tax time are you sticking with the s4 or are you moving on. Also best buy is giving you a $50 gift card if you sign up on website. So what are you doing???
https://www-ssl.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17413&type=page&promoCode=RESERVE3 sign up for offer before February 15
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erstad said:
Now that it's tax time are you sticking with the s4 or are you moving on. Also best buy is giving you a $50 gift card if you sign up on website. So what are you doing???
https://www-ssl.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17413&type=page&promoCode=RESERVE3 sign up for offer before February 15
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Thanks for the Best Buy tip. I was hoping that they'd do that again this year. I'll probably get the S5 when it rolls out and I was thinking about the smart watch 2. I realize that the bootloaders will be locked down, but I'm sure that folks here can get us root (always have before), and that's what I usually just end up doing anyway......haven't really messed with roms much since my Captivate.
My last day with the S4, My LG G2, comes in tomorrow, 350$ for a brand new G2, I call it a steal. It'll have pretty much the same internals as the S5 as far as I can tell, Snapdragon 800, 2GB of RAM, etc, The only place where I see the S5 perhaps having a better spec is if it has 3GB, of RAM, but That's something I can live with for a 500$ savings on My end. The KnockON feature on the G2 Seems killer. Seems like the phone I Should've gotten all along. The lag with the S4 is a pain in the butt.
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I've gotten the moto x. Probably one of the best phones I've ever owned. Don't look at it as a downgrade and you can pick these phones up for a steal. In real life situations this has got to be the perfect phone. When you see something quick and want to snap a picture with wrist twist you can open up your camera and snap a picture without having to turn on the phone all in 2 seconds. Active notifications shows who texted you or emails, etc plus the time. Touch less control works well when your driving and have to call or text someone without taking your eye off the road plus a bonus active assist that will also read your text messages to you while your driving. Not much bloatware bogging down this device with stock android. I chose this over the nexus 5.
MOTO X Slapped
I don't personally own a moto X, but my company uses them (I ordered and set them up) and I'm inclined to agree with you. The moto X, regardless of its specs, is one of the best phones out there. It's fast, has a beautiful screen, great battery life and great build quality. Though there are a few little quirks that aren't that big a deal, but that little phone is comparable to my S4 or Note 2 (both running cm11) in overall usability
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Could this not have gone here? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2433789