I have been looking at new phones. The flagship phones are sexy and, at least for a few months until the next must have comes out, have a lot of bling factor. However, there seem to be a lot of decent budget/midrange phones available (<$300). Additionally, it seems phones have a short life (durability and obsolescence) to justify dropping $500-$700 every 2-3 years. I'm wondering if it still makes sense or when it makes sense to go with the flagship products.
Questions:
1) Have we reached a point, like PC's, where the even budget units perform just about all tasks pretty well?
2) What uses would a flagship phone (e.g LG G3, Samsung S5, HTC One M8, Moto X) be better for than a typical budget/midrange phone (e.g. Moto G, Moto E, LG Optimus L90)?
3) Are there any critical features missing in the budget phones?
mrstop said:
I have been looking at new phones. The flagship phones are sexy and, at least for a few months until the next must have comes out, have a lot of bling factor. However, there seem to be a lot of decent budget/midrange phones available (<$300). Additionally, it seems phones have a short life (durability and obsolescence) to justify dropping $500-$700 every 2-3 years. I'm wondering if it still makes sense or when it makes sense to go with the flagship products.
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"Makes sense" is pretty subjective. It depends on what you can afford, are willing to spend, want and/or need. I pursue the various "what phone should you buy" threads regularly, and I also regularly recommend phones like the Nexus 4, Moto G, Sony Xperia SP, and the like. I'm also a big fan of "obsolete" or discontinue phones that you can pick up on eBay or Amazon. For example, you can get the Nexus 4 off eBay, brand new, for $240. And it's a way better phone than a Moto G, for only a bit more. IMO people need to remember options like these. It doesn't have to be a new phone (newly released, as opposed to new vs used). A flagship for a year or 2 ago can be had for far less than its original cost, and can outstrip a "budget" phone that just came out. Another example: A co-worker of mine needs a cheap smartphone after switching to T-Mobile. He was looking at the LG L9 that just came out, which can be purchased outright for a mere $100. The main disadvantage is that it only has HSPA 21.1Mb/s download capability. I told him to get a new LG F6 off eBay for $109. Slightly smaller screen, but same resolution, better processor, and has LTE. He didn't know about it, because it's discontinued and not on T-Mo's website anymore.
Questions:
1) Have we reached a point, like PC's, where the even budget units perform just about all tasks pretty well?
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If we're not there yet, we're close. The Moto G really sent a shockwave out, and other manufacturers are clamoring to compete (and mostly failing). A "budget" phone, as long as you pick the right one, should be able to do nearly, if not everything you want it to. And as I said above, "budget" doesn't necessarily mean a newly released phone; flagships from a couple years ago are still capable devices and can be had for very reasonable costs.
2) What uses would a flagship phone (e.g LG G3, Samsung S5, HTC One M8, Moto X) be better for than a typical budget/midrange phone (e.g. Moto G, Moto E, LG Optimus L90)?
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One obvious reason to have a flagship is the superior screen. Do you need a HD screen? No, you really don't. Anything above 200ppi is usable, to be frank. But of course everybody wants a better screen, since most of what we do with smartphones involves looking at them. Screen size is a subjective preference, but everybody wants the screen to be clearer, brighter, and more vibrant.
If you like to play games, flagships are obviously better. Better resolution, higher framerates,
3) Are there any critical features missing in the budget phones?
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There's always some things that have to be sacrificed to make a phone cheaper. Just look at the Moto E vs the Moto G. Screen resolution is lower and smaller, the processor is only a dual core, and the camera lacks flash (no front-facing camera either). And comparing the Moto G to the Moto X or other flagship phones, it's obviously not as powerful, doesn't have as much RAM, and the 5mp camera is constrained by the fact that it only has 5mp, where most flagships have at least double, and sometimes triple or quadruple that. Internal storage is an issue, especially if running KitKat and you're not able to move apps to SD, or the phone doesn't even have SD capability,
To conclude, let's compare to popular phones, the Moto G and the Galaxy S5. The Moto G runs smoothly, due to it's nearly-stock Android (completely stock if you get the GPE). The screen is very decent. But if you get the regular versions, you're limited to 8 or 16GB (less available to the user), 21.1Mb/s HSPA, and mediocre cameras. The LTE version is the better choice, since you also get a microSD slot, although it's only good for 32GB cards. Whereas with an S5 you get a higher resolution screen, more RAM, a far more capable processor, far better cameras, 32GB storage built-in, plus expandability to 128GB, etc, etc, etc. It also costs three times as much.
So yeah, it's great that we can buy a cheap smartphone that'll do everything we need. But that doesn't change the fact that there are phones that can do what we want.
Related
I'm putting together a general guide for people to choose an Android phone because increasingly, there are so many choices. This guide will likely be more focused on North American customers at the moment, because that is where I come from and have the most knowledge. This is not going to be completely comprehensive (impossible), but it will be intended to be a good starting point.
I will be updating this thread as new phones emerge and removing older devices.
What to look for when buying a new phone:
Write down all of the features you want. Then take a look at the phones available and the carriers. Remember that specs are not everything (ex: higher megapixel does not mean better camera and clockspeed does not mean faster CPU). Look at how good a carrier is, their coverage, their price, and the customer service. Am I roaming? What are the terms of the contract?
When choosing a phone, remember that each manufacturer will have their flaws:
- HTC: Expensive phones (when buying unlocked), poor battery life, and poor cameras. On the plus side, HTC has the best upgrade record of the Android makers, generally good build quality, and easy to mod (most amount of development at XDA as well), although not always prompt at releasing source code. They use mainly Qualcomm Snapdragon CPUs with Adreno graphics. They are known for their distinct "Sense" UI.
- Samsung: Samsung phones have worse build quality than HTC (they seem to be very fond of soft-touch glossy plastic that makes their phones, even their flagships feel cheap) and they have a bad rep for their slow updates. Samsung generally will have some of the best displays (that is their speciality, although their SuperAMOLED is over saturated), good specs overall (they are a massively integrated company and make most of the parts in their phones themselves). They are also prompt in releasing source code. Cameras are also decent on Samsung phones. They use a variety of different CPUs.
- Motorola: Motorola has good update speed on the American phones, but in the rest of the world, updates are poor. One alarming recent trend is their locked bootloaders, which make it hard to load custom ROMs. They have generally good audio and call quality, but cameras are average. One noteworthy thing is the colour accuracy on their screens is excellent. They use mainly TI's OMAP series of CPUs, although an Nvidia Tegra 2 phone is expected.
- LG: LG has had tough times recently, but seems to be turning around. I have not had a lot of experience with their handsets, but it seems that the build quality is decent, judging by their Optimus series. I look forward to seeing whatever variant of the Optimus 2X ends up in North America.
The next step would be to consider your budget. Low end phones are generally less than $250 USD/about 200 Euros (things are more pricey in Europe), midrange would make up about $250 - $400 USD (200 Euros to maybe 350 Euros), and anything greater than $400 would be considered high end. Higher end phones generally have better build quality, resolution, processors, cameras, and are faster at getting updates, not to mention features that low end phones often skimp on.
Globally: Worldwide, phones will vary significantly based on carrier, coverage, and choice. High end phones tend to come out uniquely for North America and the rest of the world. There are going to be way too many choices to mention here, but here are the ones that stand out. In most cases, I'd recommend getting a phone at least 480x320, becuase that is the resolution that Android was intended for.
- Samsung Galaxy S: Super AMOLED screen, it's own unique variant of the buttons, front facing camera, 5 MP 720p camera, and SuperAMOLED screen. This phone is hampered by no LED flash and defective GPS units.
- Samsung Galaxy Apollo: Mid-range Android phone (need more details)
- Samsung Galaxy Europa: Need details, but looks like low-end phone
- HTC Desire HD: Essentially an Android GSM variant of the HTC HD2 and the HTC Evo. It has a large 4.3" screen, a camera with dual LED flash, standard 4 button Android configuration, but no front facing camera. It's hampered by the poor battery life.
- HTC Desire Z: A smaller variant of the Desire HD with a lower end processor, keyboard, and a smaller screen. I'm not comfortable with the durability of the hinge, but otherwise, an excellent phone.
- HTC Legend: Successor to the HTC Hero, this is phone is a midrange phone and feels pretty snappy. My choice for a midrange phone.
- HTC Wildfire: Lower-end phone (320 x 240), small screen, and light
- Sony Ericsson X10: Currently Sony's flagship. Hampered by Sony's slow updates, and no multitouch. Low storage. On the upside, it has a pretty good camera and a high-res screen.
- Sony Ericsson X8: Pretty decent mid-range phone. Comparable to the HTC Legend in specs, but only has Android 2.1.
- Sony Ericsson X10 Mini: Somewhere in between the X10 and the X8. It's similar to the X8 in most cases and feels like a pretty good phone overall.
- LG Optimus: Well priced mid-range handset. Build quality is pretty good and comparable to the X8 and the HTC Hero.
- Motorola Milestone 2: High end handset, but Motorola's seems to be slower with their international updates
- Motorola Defy: Durable handset, mid-range specs, but stuck on Android 2.1
There are many, many cheap phones coming in from China and India that are too numerous to mention here. I'd recommend looking at reviews and examining what you think is reliable based off of your best judgment. Some nations also have their own phones that cannot be bought elsewhere, such as the Meizu M9 and Sharp's IS03.
The North American Market:
North America uses what is known as a subsidy model. The carriers buy the phones from the manufacturers, brand them (often with their own bloatware), and in the case of GSM carriers, apply a SIM lock. I recommend that if you live in North America, that you only buy a high end phone if you are going on contract. The cost of a high end phone (an extra $150-$250 + tax) is not significant relative to the life of the contract. I suppose that if you are buying lower end phones, you could consider something less potent.
LG Optimus is my recommendation for a low-end phone. An alternative are the low-end HTC devices, most notable the HTC Wildfire and HTC Aria. I anticipate that as Android gains more traction here, that we'll begin to see low end, prepaid Android phones within the $100 mark.
Canada (my home country):
The Canadian market is dominated by 3 carriers (Bell, Telus - which shares infrastructure with Bell, and Rogers, the largest). Three drawbacks that we Canucks face is the poor choice of smartphones compared to the US, the expensive data plans, and the 3 year contracts. On the upside, buying a phone unlocked is cheaper than Europe (all electronics are generally cheaper than Europe, but cheaper still than in the US). They all use GSM and HSPA+ at this point, with their phones unlockable and interchangeable.:
Bell:
- Samsung Galaxy S (dubbed "Vibrant", although it is an i9000). Be careful about upgrading to Froyo, bricked devices have been reported.
- Desire Z (your choice if you want a keyboarded phone - luckily, it can be bought and unlocked. At $500 CAD, it isn't a bad deal either)
Telus:
- Samsung Fascinate (GSM version of the Verizon phone)
- HTC Desire (Nexus One Clone)
- It is expected that the HTC Desire HD will come onto Telus in H1 2011
Rogers (best coverage of the three carriers, but poorest Android support):
- Samsung Captivate (i896 - buy this instead of the i897 if you're going off contract; it doesn't seem to have the lag or GPS problems, plus no bloatware)
- Acer Liquid E (cheaper alternative)
I recommend against buying the Dell Streak (poor build quality overall) and the X10 (poor updates). For Rogers particularly, every year, there is a 6gb data promotion that I recommend holding off and waiting specifically for.
United States:
Dominated by 4 carriers, plus a host of smaller CDMA carriers.
Verizon: Largest carrier, CDMA; going to LTE. They seem to have lots of Motorola phones.
- Motorola Droid X (large screen, no keyboard)
- Motorola Droid 2 Global (keyboard, good for world travel as it has a SIM slot, although the GSM SIM card doesn't work on AT&T)
- Motorola Droid Pro (like a Blackberry sized version of the Droid 2)
- Samsung Fascinate (Galaxy S with LED flash, but less storage, and standard Android key layout); Bing
- Samsung Continuum (smaller Galaxy S with a "ticker on bottom")
- HTC Droid Incredible (older phone now, still pretty good device that appears to be derived from Nexus One)
AT&T: GSM carrier; second largest in North America. Be advised that AT&T locks down their phones, allowing no apps from unknown sources. A custom ROM is recommended.
- Samsung Captivate: Variant of Galaxy S; no front facing camera, standard Android button layout
I mentioned that I would only recommend high-end phones, because for the duration of a contract, the extra initial price is not significant. I do not recommend choosing the Sony X10 over the Captivate. AT&T does have a host of lower end phones, such as the HTC Aria and Motorola Backflip.
Sprint: CDMA carrier; currently rolling out WiMAX in many cities (be aware that WiMAX phones carry and extra $10/month charge):
- Samsung Epic 4G (Galaxy S phone with keyboard and standard Android button configuration. WiMAX. Also has LED flash, but less storage. Arguably the best of the Galaxy S variants).
- HTC EVO (first WiMAX design): Qualcomm Snapdragon 1 GHz, 4.3" LCD screen, front facing camera.
Note that there is a significant drop in battery life with WiMAX enabled and that the high frequency of WiMAX can make it hard to get a reliable signal in some buildings and underground. Not all cities have WiMAX yet either.
Recall what I said about getting a high-end phone in North America.
T-Mobile: T-Mobile is also a GSM carrier, using mainly AWS banded phones. They were the first Android supporter.
- Samsung Vibrant (not be confused with the Canadian Bell version, this is a variant of the Galaxy S with the standard Android button configuration)
- Nexus S (I'd recommend in most cases that you get this instead of the Vibrant between the two due to fast upgrades, NFC, and gyroscope. On the downside, the concave screen is more fragile, there is no microSD, and no HSPA+).
- HTC MyTouch 4G (latest version of MyTouch, comes with a variant of HTC Sense, and a trackpad)
- HTC G2 (basically a variant of the Desire Z intended for the T-Mobile bands; unique to this variant is that it is close to stock Android)
- HTC Nexus One (aging now, and not available for sale, but an worthy mention as this is the phone that made this generation of phones happen)
Feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome.
sorry for bump, but what would you say is the best in the realms of prepaid-available phones?
note: i just got the optimus V from virgin mobile for cheap and have been playing with it, and am slightly dissapointed at it's quality, but impressed by virgin mobile's actual network service.
ICS phones?
Are there any ICS phones, I am fed up with hw buttons.
When it comes to phones use the tattoo theory. A good one ain't cheap, and a cheap one ain't good. I run on prepaid networks and after dealing with the craptastic phones now I just by any one I want that is GSM based and be happy.
The galaxy line has it burning am waiting till the quad core HTC is released. Hardware should start to slow down after that.
LukeQr said:
Are there any ICS phones, I am fed up with hw buttons.
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Maybe you can try more.
HI all, am thinking selling my OPO but have no idea what other phone to get while waiting for OnePlus Two
It has to be cheap (~100 $/€) and support custom roms, thats all i am asking! (am flashaholic, so can not live without it )
Any tips what should I go for? THX!!!
Moto G is always a good choice. Tons of support for ROMs and kernels and such. Also, the boot loader is easily unlocked. It's more than your price tag, but you'll be much happier with it's flexibility and more powerful processor.
Nexus 6
otacon239 said:
Moto G is always a good choice. Tons of support for ROMs and kernels and such. Also, the boot loader is easily unlocked. It's more than your price tag, but you'll be much happier with it's flexibility and more powerful processor.
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plus they have consistent speedy updates of new android versions, decent batterylife etc, etc.
just a small screen
Should I assume that despite your moniker that you do not currently own a Nexus 5? If that's the case, get your hands on a used Nexus 4. Tons of ROMs, kernels, mods, etc. A Galaxy S3 (with Snapdragon and 2gb RAM, not the Exynos one) wouldn't be a bad option either.
Go for Motorola and Nexus devices. They have plenty of custom rom support.
and fast when it comes to OS updates too.
this seems nice, dunno about updates though http://www.phonearena.com/news/Affo...edge-specs-and-fingerprint-ID-for-200_id68130
bachera said:
this seems nice, dunno about updates though http://www.phonearena.com/news/Affo...edge-specs-and-fingerprint-ID-for-200_id68130
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Very cheap, been checking these out too. Would love to try one out, some nice features.
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/Elep...GHz-Smartphone-13-0MP-Dual-Camera-344057.html
gsmyth said:
Very cheap, been checking these out too. Would love to try one out, some nice features.
http://www.geekbuying.com/item/Elep...GHz-Smartphone-13-0MP-Dual-Camera-344057.html
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take a note of their presale, they had another one on 11th of May
http://www.gizchina.com/2015/04/24/...tedposts_origin=84489&relatedposts_position=0
not sure of they will ever have dev support though, due to the mediatek stuff. That kinda is a dealbreaker for me.
their upcoming models next month are also interesting, more expensive though.
browse the gizchina site, they got tons of info on Chinese phones
bachera said:
take a note of their presale
http://www.gizchina.com/2015/04/24/...tedposts_origin=84489&relatedposts_position=0
not sure of they will have dev support though
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Yea its never going to be anywhere near the OPO. I did see a video of it running CM12 though, again though who knows if you'll be able to get hold of it.
Thank you all guys, am wondering getting some "china" phone, but seems like there is a problem with MediaTek CPU/chipset - the support of custom roms is quite small if none for some CPU/chipset/phones.
Can anyone explain me to this. If to get a phone with Mediatek chip, which one to get for widest custom rom support? Or is it like that the only thing matter is the model of CPU and custom rom working on specific CPU will work fine on other phone with same CPU?
Try the Oppo Find 7A or 7. Same device in a sense, only it has native Color OS (and no touchscreen issues). Sadly, NO LTE on some carriers. I think the Find 7 is $500 while the 7A is $400. In the US, hard to get, but not impossible, trust me. The 7 is QHD (2K resolution) while the 7A is 1080p. For that case, I went with the 7A as it packs more of a punch.
Or the Xiaomi Mi3W or Mi4, the native MIUI phones. Again, lack of LTE on US carriers but trust me, they are very fast, unique and a breath of fresh air since stock ("vanilla" android) TouchWiz, Optimus UI and Sense have gotten boring. Pricing varies, but average from $300 to $400, just watch out where you order it from.
Lastly, the Moto X 2014 packs quite a punch and a beautiful display, and you have a good warranty back up. Be sure to skip the Verizon model (XT1096) as it cannot have its bootloader unlocked and root is VERY limited. They can now be ordered for as little as $400 for the 16GB or $450 for the 32GB, and customized options do not affect pricing unless you opt in for accessories.
I cannot recommend the Nexus 5 as it had very aggressive thermal throttling, so you never experience the 2.3GHz at its fullest, it has also been pulled out of Google's lineup. The HTC One M8 is a MARVELOUS device, and very lag free, however, it has heat issues, sometimes they begin over a short amount of time and that heat will QUICKLY deteriorate the battery. The LG G3 has a nice display, however, it is a lag machine. You really can not use it for 3D games. The G2 is also old and problematic. The G Flex 1 is still worth considering, but it is HUGE, the POLED display is very prone to burned in imaged if not properly taken care of, the curved display is weird to some and it has a 720p resolution. It is however pretty darn great. The G Flex 2 sports a Snapdragon 810, but that is not a good thing. It has been noted that the 810 heats up ALOT, which is why the Xiaomi Mi5 might use the 808 and the G4 is confirmed to have gone with the 808. The Galaxy S5 and Note 3 have very slow UI animations and overall do not have great performance. The bloatware on them is also through the roof. The newer Note 4, Note Edge, S6 and S6 Edge are just too pricey. The Nexus 6 is a HUGE Moto X 2014, but it has a bit of a price tag, and if your hands are not as big as mine, you can forget it. It has superb performance. The Droid Turbo is beginning to meet its end at high prices when it comes to used ones, but again, no bootloader unlock and root is limited.
I would REALLY recommend sticking to it for a while longer as the OnePlus Two is around the corner, the Moto X 2015 is already being rumored, the Xiaomi Mi5 MIGHT enter the US market (if your in the USA) and so on. It might also be a bad idea to hold on to it as the release of the OnePlus Two will mean fans of the OnePlus One will want to sell theirs to get the newer one, and the used value of it will drop significantly or become a challenge to get rid of.
As we come closer to October, it's always fun to speculate!
Would you rather have the LG Nexus 5 or the Huawei made Nexus 5?
here's a re-cap on the "rumored" specs so far:
LG Nexus 5:
- Snapdragon 808 processor
- 4GB RAM
- 5.2 inch display
- 2700mAh battery.
Huawei Nexus 5
- Snapdragon 810
- 3500mAh battery
-5.7 inch display
- likely 4GB of ram
so, yeah...which one would you choose?
-Justnspace
Definitely LG.
Would prefer the one coming with 820.... 808 is weak in graphics and 810 is heater which becomes a oven in India.... ??
Definitely the LG. Since these phones are kinda being seen as "sequels", the Hauwei Nexus is just too damn big for me, same exact reason why I don't want an N6. The LG model seems like it's gonna be the perfect update to an already capable design.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Would like the future LG Nexus to have at least 3000mAh battery. Might go with the Huawei if it is only 2700.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
LG all the way...
LG without question.
I'd rather just get the N6 if it ends up being that Huawei. Actually, I would just keep my N5 2013 at that point..
LG did very well with the N4 and N5-13...so why not again.
Gesendet von meinem Nexus 5 mit Tapatalk 2
LG without doubt
Interesting results so far.
I am happy with the way LG handled the nexus 5 2013 and will likely not stray away from them in 2015.
LG all the way!
(I S hold have done a poll)
I will just avoid anything with 810
Where did you hear it will be the 810? I've only heard rumors of 820.
That a side I would prefer the lg unless like others mentioned that is the battery size then I'll give the huawei a shot. Also depends on other things too. Speaker placement, wireless charging, price. Ect
LG for damn sure. Nexus 4 have already served me well for 2 full years, and Nexus 5 as a backup device also gave me a nice impression. It just feels like Nexus should be made by LG by now... especially since no one else got it "righter" than LG
Sent from Google Nexus 4 @ CM12.1
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I dont know if 808 is such a good decision considering that the g4 has it and lg is planning to release a 820 version already later this year. I dont know.. I would rather have the 810 or 820 which really is a jump
remember, these are all just Rumored specs. All three companies(google, LG, Huawei) have been silent
even if Huawei releases the 820 (I heard the chip is coming out in Dec. so, it wont be in phones till at least summer '16) it looks as if most people would still choose the LG made Nexus.
I loved my N5. but I had to switch to LG G4 because of speaker/sound quality. I need all day long to talk on phone and it became really anoying after couple minutes the poor sound.
But the N5 support on developement is great and esteticly I loved it.
So I'm really excited about the new N5.
I just hope it wont be equiped with SnapDragon 810 because of overheat. Where I live in summer it's about 40 degrees, so... you know
Ans for sure, I hope LG will release it!!!!! LG all the way!
Wow, look at those poll results, lol. After using the Nexus 6 for a couple months and never really enjoying it I am waiting for a smaller phone. Even 5.5 is too big. I am hoping a 5.2" LG will feel similar to the current Nexus 5.
This big phone trend is completely idiotic, its like no manufacturer scans the market to see what people want. The sweet spot for most people is 4.7-5.0 (more or less). Yet they keep making phones too ****in big and give no alternative, its just plain stupid. They just release the "mini" versions, completely idiotic cripled versions of flagship phones, overpriced. Sony is the only one who has some sense about this, but their prices are way too high.
If any brand like lg or sony or htc made a flagship phone with a good cpu, a 4.7 inch screen(or maybe even 5.0 with reduced borders) 1080p, 2 or 3gb ram, a good 3000mah battery and a price point of around 350 euros or something, it would probably become the top selling phone in little time. But no, lets make them all 5.5 or even bigger and always with some flaw to keep the consumer from buying it lol.
True that some people like big phones, but most people dont...I dont understand why manufacturers cant figure this out honestly...
migueldbr said:
This big phone trend is completely idiotic, its like no manufacturer scans the market to see what people want. The sweet spot for most people is 4.7-5.0 (more or less). Yet they keep making phones too ****in big and give no alternative, its just plain stupid. They just release the "mini" versions, completely idiotic cripled versions of flagship phones, overpriced. Sony is the only one who has some sense about this, but their prices are way too high.
If any brand like lg or sony or htc made a flagship phone with a good cpu, a 4.7 inch screen(or maybe even 5.0 with reduced borders) 1080p, 2 or 3gb ram, a good 3000mah battery and a price point of around 350 euros or something, it would probably become the top selling phone in little time. But no, lets make them all 5.5 or even bigger and always with some flaw to keep the consumer from buying it lol.
True that some people like big phones, but most people dont...I dont understand why manufacturers cant figure this out honestly...
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With the exception of battery you described three nexus 5. Or z3 compact (and it's not selling that much) I want the same size screen as nexus 5, but definitely more than 2gb of ram. 3 minimum, but would like 4 so the phone could last more than a year.
frigidazzi said:
With the exception of battery you described three nexus 5. Or z3 compact (and it's not selling that much) I want the same size screen as nexus 5, but definitely more than 2gb of ram. 3 minimum, but would like 4 so the phone could last more than a year.
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you just reinforced my point. Nexus 5 flaw: battery.
Why couldn't they just stick a better battery on it, even if it increased the price a bit? I like my nexus 5 very much but i hate battery life on this phone and will probably exchange it for a better alternative(hopefully the new 5.2 nexus if it comes with good battery life)
the z3 compact isnt selling much because its price is way too high. Put its price around 250 euros (which would suit given the specs it has) and it would sell like a flagship phone. It was actually one of my choices before the nexus 5. But when i saw the price asked for it...way too high and went for the N5 instead
btw i would rather have 2gb ram with a good battery than 3 or 4gb with a crappy one...since manufacturers always want to cut costs i would prefer they would not cut on battery
So initially I was really excited about the new 1+2, but since its launch I am a bit disappointed because of some crucial compromises that come with buying this phone. And under 24 hrs, moto launched its new Moto X style which just make me not like the 1+2 even more. But I am looking to buy one of these two phone so I logically comparing them to make a decision. With the current info we have moto X seem much better in many departments -
Design, Battery (Fast charge vs 1+2 charging in 3:20 hrs), wireless charging, more Premium feel according to many tech sites, 2k screen, the new Sony 21MP sensor.
But there are also some definite areas where 1+2 seems better but I wanna know 'How' much better, would like to know from someone who has used these processors or knows in detail about these RAMs and USB ports :-
808 vs 810, so the new moto X has the 808 while the 1+2 has 810, both are very mediocre processors from Qualcomm's standards, but it is what it is, so I wanna know exactly how much better 810 is than 808 in real life usage, will i be able to do all kinds of the most power consuming tasks for the next 2-3 years ?
3Gb Lpddr3 vs 4gb Lpddr4, here I am not sure if the new moto X has LPDDR4 or lpddr3 ram and if its 3 then how much difference will it have seeing as its also 3gb vs 4gb, in real life usage, how much difference is that ?
The USB - C port on the 1+2, I was really excited about this one before launch but after its launch I read 2-3 sites mentioning that it's 2.0 and not 3.1( don't know what that exactly that means), and hence it won't be much faster than a regular USB cable and u can't use it as a replacement for HDMI cable.
Edit - P.S. - Also, the moto X has NFC and much better speakers and better customer service.
Personal opinion for everything within; don't quote me as gospel. Have a google around yourself and make your own decisions based on that.
SD808 vs SD810; the SD808 is used in the LG G4 whilst the HTC One M9 uses the SD810 so you should be able to get a basic idea from this comparison. As far as I know about the LG G4, the SD808 performs really well and doesn't leave you wanting for nothing. I personally don't own a G4 so a G4 owner and M9 owner could answer this better. Have a look online and see what people are saying. Linus Tech Tips have video reviews for both phones so that may also be some help for you.
3gb vs 4gb ram; I don't think this is really going to affect mobile users. If we take a look at apple, the ipad air has 1gb ram and performs really well. Same with the iphone 6 and I don't know anyone who owns one that complains about it. Granted, iOS and android are two different beasts - but if 1gb is fine over there, 3gb should be more than sufficient for us.
USB Type-C; even though native support for USB Type-C is coming around in Android M, I don't think the adoption for it will be very quick. I know apple has it on their new macbook air (I believe) - but widespread adoption will be some time from now. Micro-USB is still going to be around for a while imo and won't be an issue for the Moto X.
Again, personal opinion. I'd go for the Moto X based on the fact that Motorola have a good name behind them, build good quality phones that last and have a decent customer service track record, whereas if you look on the oneplus forums (I'd say take it with a pinch of salt but you may need a barrel of salt) you'll find quite a lot of complaints regarding Oneplus' customer service. Granted, they are quite a young company and these issues may not be around for much longer as they work out the kinks in their processes but it's something to consider as every so often, there will be a faulty phone and it may just be your bad luck in getting the bad egg.
Skyerin said:
Personal opinion for everything within; don't quote me as gospel. Have a google around yourself and make your own decisions based on that.
SD808 vs SD810; the SD808 is used in the LG G4 whilst the HTC One M9 uses the SD810 so you should be able to get a basic idea from this comparison. As far as I know about the LG G4, the SD808 performs really well and doesn't leave you wanting for nothing. I personally don't own a G4 so a G4 owner and M9 owner could answer this better. Have a look online and see what people are saying. Linus Tech Tips have video reviews for both phones so that may also be some help for you.
3gb vs 4gb ram; I don't think this is really going to affect mobile users. If we take a look at apple, the ipad air has 1gb ram and performs really well. Same with the iphone 6 and I don't know anyone who owns one that complains about it. Granted, iOS and android are two different beasts - but if 1gb is fine over there, 3gb should be more than sufficient for us.
USB Type-C; even though native support for USB Type-C is coming around in Android M, I don't think the adoption for it will be very quick. I know apple has it on their new macbook air (I believe) - but widespread adoption will be some time from now. Micro-USB is still going to be around for a while imo and won't be an issue for the Moto X.
Again, personal opinion. I'd go for the Moto X based on the fact that Motorola have a good name behind them, build good quality phones that last and have a decent customer service track record, whereas if you look on the oneplus forums (I'd say take it with a pinch of salt but you may need a barrel of salt) you'll find quite a lot of complaints regarding Oneplus' customer service. Granted, they are quite a young company and these issues may not be around for much longer as they work out the kinks in their processes but it's something to consider as every so often, there will be a faulty phone and it may just be your bad luck in getting the bad egg.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, inclining towards the X style for now. Will wait for both's reviews now. Also, the 1+2 is priced at 25,000 (389$) in my country, and the new moto X 16gb version is priced at 399$, so that'll probably convert to 26,000 + leather/wood back ones are 2,000 extra so I guess the 64gb one will be priced around 35k, which is 40% higher price than 1+2. This one is a real doozy, both these phones at the end of the day are equal.
Sent from my HM 1SW using Tapatalk
bhu1 said:
Yeah, inclining towards the X style for now. Will wait for both's reviews now. Also, the 1+2 is priced at 25,000 (389$) in my country, and the new moto X 16gb version is priced at 399$, so that'll probably convert to 26,000 + leather/wood back ones are 2,000 extra so I guess the 64gb one will be priced around 35k, which is 40% higher price than 1+2. This one is a real doozy, both these phones at the end of the day are equal.
Sent from my HM 1SW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing that may sway you towards the OP2 is that apparently (read this in a news article - take it with a barrel of salt again!) OP is concentrating heavily on selling around a million units in India, so they may be giving better support whereas Motorola may not be as prevalent in terms of support. Can't say for certain - not from and never been to India - but speaking from my experiences and knowledge of being in Pakistan for quite a while.
Also, if specs don't bother you too much, it may be an idea to look heavily at the moto x play, simply because of the huge battery whilst still being a really powerful phone.
Skyerin said:
One thing that may sway you towards the OP2 is that apparently (read this in a news article - take it with a barrel of salt again!) OP is concentrating heavily on selling around a million units in India, so they may be giving better support whereas Motorola may not be as prevalent in terms of support. Can't say for certain - not from and never been to India - but speaking from my experiences and knowledge of being in Pakistan for quite a while.
Also, if specs don't bother you too much, it may be an idea to look heavily at the moto x play, simply because of the huge battery whilst still being a really powerful phone.
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Click to collapse
Nah, OnePlus can't compete with moto's customer service. Even if they can, then also, not a big deal, customer service, it just needs to be good, I don't need it to be great. And no moto play for me, I decided that I'll buy a flagship, so I'll buy a flagship.
Sent from my HM 1SW using Tapatalk
iOS and Android system have much differences, that's why 1gb RAM feels so different between Android and iOS..
I've found complete explanation of it but forgot the source *sorry*
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Come on be serious...what comparison is this. Compare 1+1 with 1+2 or 1+2 with my 4 years old htc sensation
Sent from my SM-G920T
bhu1 said:
So initially I was really excited about the new 1+2, but since its launch I am a bit disappointed because of some crucial compromises that come with buying this phone. And under 24 hrs, moto launched its new Moto X style which just make me not like the 1+2 even more. But I am looking to buy one of these two phone so I logically comparing them to make a decision. With the current info we have moto X seem much better in many departments -
Design, Battery (Fast charge vs 1+2 charging in 3:20 hrs), wireless charging, more Premium feel according to many tech sites, 2k screen, the new Sony 21MP sensor.
But there are also some definite areas where 1+2 seems better but I wanna know 'How' much better, would like to know from someone who has used these processors or knows in detail about these RAMs and USB ports :-
808 vs 810, so the new moto X has the 808 while the 1+2 has 810, both are very mediocre processors from Qualcomm's standards, but it is what it is, so I wanna know exactly how much better 810 is than 808 in real life usage, will i be able to do all kinds of the most power consuming tasks for the next 2-3 years ?
3Gb Lpddr3 vs 4gb Lpddr4, here I am not sure if the new moto X has LPDDR4 or lpddr3 ram and if its 3 then how much difference will it have seeing as its also 3gb vs 4gb, in real life usage, how much difference is that ?
The USB - C port on the 1+2, I was really excited about this one before launch but after its launch I read 2-3 sites mentioning that it's 2.0 and not 3.1( don't know what that exactly that means), and hence it won't be much faster than a regular USB cable and u can't use it as a replacement for HDMI cable.
Edit - P.S. - Also, the moto X has NFC and much better speakers and better customer service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depending on how you use your phone and how each phone handles battery life, the rate of charging might not be a factor to consider. If you burn through battery (and/or the phone itself helps) and can't get a days worth then fast charging should be important. If you don't use your phone much, turn radios off, etc. and charge your phone when you are asleep then either method of charging will do. Neither phone has wireless charging so you'd have to look elsewhere to get it. Feel is totally subjective and ONLY important for your tastes/wants. The screen is a contentious issue as some don't see a difference between 2k and 1080p, think the increase is worth the battery hit, or other reasons specific to the screens compared. If DxO is to be believed then the rear sensor in the Style is something to be reckoned with.
In real life usage, the 808 or 810 should be close to each other. The 808 is only "missing" two "Big" A57 cores when compared to the 810. The real difference is in benchmarks where having the "missing" cores will show better scores. With an almost stock Android interface the Style should show no feeling that "it needs more." I have no experience with OnePlus (or Moto and their OS optimizations) phones to speak on how Oxygen OS behaves. Since both phones aren't out to buy and be reviewed, any talk beforehand is just speculation. Wait for reviews from people you trust for an opinion or get a hand-on yourself on the UX "feel."
The amount of RAM you "need" or "should have" is debatable. If you play a lot of games and switch between heavy RAM-usage apps (or a lot of them) frequently, more RAM is beneficial. The type of RAM is cut-and-dry. LPDDR4 is simply better than LPDDR3. AS A STANDARD LPDDR4 operates at faster speeds AND uses less power than LPDDR3. Whether OnePlus has taken full advantage of the benefits has not been disclosed and no one has a device to find out the speed their RAM runs at for a definite conclusion.
USB Type-C is the "cable to end cables" when properly implemented. Full stop. Type-C was created with USB 3.1 and ALL of its benefits come with 3.1 AND software that enables those features. For the actual cable, Type-C brings a reversible plug (like Lightning) so there isn't a correct way you can plug the cable in. USB 2.0 (most likely in the Style too) will max at around 20 MB/s when transferring files to your computer or another device, and will be slower for smaller files. USB 3.0 and 3.1 will transfer at MUCH faster speeds with larger files. You can learn more about 3.1 and Type-C here and with a quick search. Other Type-C features aren't worth discussing as neither phone can take advantage of them.
Contact-less payments are supposed to finally take-off with the launch of Android (and Samsung) Pay to give that "extra push" to retailers that this is a feature that most would take advantage of when consumers can. Honestly, Apple Pay sowed the seed for contact-less payments. If contact-less payments is something you can see yourself doing then the OnePlus2 will not allow you to do so. Speaker quality or stereo speakers is a nice feature to have and should be considered if you play any media over the speakers. I have no comment with eithers' Costumer Support reputation.
For me, the decision between the OnePlus2 and Style is a no brainer. The OnePlus2 makes too many concessions against OnePlus' OWN BELIEFS and against the Style to make this a hard decision. Which is why I'll be replacing my G2 with the Style at some point this year, unless the new Nexus phone(s) are compelling enough
Think I may finally jump on a new phone, the Moto X Play or whatever it's being called for Verizon. That's a bit confusing. But Moto's radios are the best, a big factor, plus they finally went back to SD cards. I keep hearing the screen will not be tops due to it not being Amoled. Guess I'll have to check it out first before jumping. Also want it rooted, so I'm not going to be the one to jump first when it's sold so I can find out if it'll be rooted. But I'm definitely leaning towards that. It's either this or probably going to find a Note 4 developers addition and go that route...hard choices....
Moto x pure edition, not play
Galaxy S6
Which is why I'll be replacing my G2 with the Style at some point this year, unless the new Nexus phone(s) are compelling enough
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus line of phones will never provide microSD card slot (google wants you to use its cloud!), and the 64GB version will make you pay 100$ more than the basic 16GB model. The best 64GB cards are under 30$ right now. So, I essentially get 80GB of storage with Style for 70$ less. Give me Style any day over Nexus or even OP2 (which gives 64GB for 389).
More than that though, its the camera and front facing stereo speakers that excite me about Style. We will see when it comes out.
bhu1 said:
So initially I was really excited about the new 1+2, but since its launch I am a bit disappointed because of some crucial compromises that come with buying this phone. And under 24 hrs, moto launched its new Moto X style which just make me not like the 1+2 even more. But I am looking to buy one of these two phone so I logically comparing them to make a decision. With the current info we have moto X seem much better in many departments -
Design, Battery (Fast charge vs 1+2 charging in 3:20 hrs), wireless charging, more Premium feel according to many tech sites, 2k screen, the new Sony 21MP sensor.
But there are also some definite areas where 1+2 seems better but I wanna know 'How' much better, would like to know from someone who has used these processors or knows in detail about these RAMs and USB ports :-
808 vs 810, so the new moto X has the 808 while the 1+2 has 810, both are very mediocre processors from Qualcomm's standards, but it is what it is, so I wanna know exactly how much better 810 is than 808 in real life usage, will i be able to do all kinds of the most power consuming tasks for the next 2-3 years ?
3Gb Lpddr3 vs 4gb Lpddr4, here I am not sure if the new moto X has LPDDR4 or lpddr3 ram and if its 3 then how much difference will it have seeing as its also 3gb vs 4gb, in real life usage, how much difference is that ?
The USB - C port on the 1+2, I was really excited about this one before launch but after its launch I read 2-3 sites mentioning that it's 2.0 and not 3.1( don't know what that exactly that means), and hence it won't be much faster than a regular USB cable and u can't use it as a replacement for HDMI cable.
Edit - P.S. - Also, the moto X has NFC and much better speakers and better customer service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same thing happened to me
I'm dropping the two and will pick the moto x pure because it has the following that the two refused to add:
microsd slot
rapid charge
21 mp camera
front facing stereo speakers
invite-less purchase
but then that might change when the moto x pure is released
Id give the nod to the moto for several reasons the 3 big ones being.
ext sd card support, this is huge
Slightly larger screen
Moto customer support. If you read anything about OPO one thing is for sure in that their support is terrible.
Thats 3 reasons enough for me.:thumbup:
Sent from my Nexus 6 or Note 4
I was inclined towards the one plus two before launch. Had really big expectations. But Moto X Style has upped the stakes. The only problem is availability and pricing. In India the customer service of Motorola is good. Only if Motorola announces the availability and pricing
Sent from my Moto G using Tapatalk
At this point I'd say moto x is my pick, one plus invite system is a turn off and is already starting to make me not want to get the device.
I still don't get their reasoning for leaving out NFC from the OP2. They claim it wasn't widely used and it added cost, yet they decided to add a fingerprint sensor...
Jweimn said:
At this point I'd say moto x is my pick, one plus invite system is a turn off and is already starting to make me not want to get the device.
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Click to collapse
And theres an artlicle online where someone says he cheated the invite reservation system haha. But yeah its all a joke tbh as you spam people to go up the list.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Sporttster said:
Think I may finally jump on a new phone, the Moto X Play or whatever it's being called for Verizon. That's a bit confusing. But Moto's radios are the best, a big factor, plus they finally went back to SD cards. I keep hearing the screen will not be tops due to it not being Amoled. Guess I'll have to check it out first before jumping. Also want it rooted, so I'm not going to be the one to jump first when it's sold so I can find out if it'll be rooted. But I'm definitely leaning towards that. It's either this or probably going to find a Note 4 developers addition and go that route...hard choices....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried a Samsung Note 3 and I lost 7% of my calls according to Verizon. I switched to a Motorola n6 six months ago and haven't lost a call since. My dBm ranges from 100 to 121 (right now it 114). Motorola is the only one that can hold on to a phone call where I live. So, I will only buy Motorola phones from now on.
I had the OPO for about a year and finally was able to return it.
Too many touch issues and since getting Lollipop I've had nothing but battery issues. I tried many roms however I couldn't stand it.
I tried the Moto X 2nd gen for 2 days and fell in love.
Currently i'm testing out the Nexus 6 to see if I can handle the screen size, so far it's good however I'd like it to be a little smaller so I think the new Moto X might be fine.
I wish they went with a 5.5 and non QHD or at least went with a bigger battery.
I'm hoping the new Moto X's camera will be better than the Nexus 6
If I was rich I would get both. But the biggest advantage of the oneplus2 will likely be battery life. I have a feeling that the oneplus2 will be easier to hold. I like the fact that you can program the capacitive buttons on either side of the home button. But overall the moto x style would get my hard earned money. Software and screen quality/size give it the leg up on the oneplus2 for me.
http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-g6-quad-dac-audio-749258/
So I'm curious about this.
I'm overly excited for the LG G6 as my next device upgrading from the beloved LG G4! The rumours of the G6 excites me where as the overrated Galaxy S8 doesn't excite me. I'll always remain an LG customer and ignore Samsung! Even though Samsung's fault of anti competitive measure on delaying the production of Snapdragon 835, I have no problem LG G6 will stick to the already very good SD 821. LG G6 has good chance to have better sales since the Galaxy S8 will launch a month later all because of SD 835 Why the Google Pixel & OnePlus 3T is very powerful with the SD 821! LG G6 will definitely be a snappy beast just as LG G5 was.
G6 will be great, we've hit a stagnation in processor performance so there's no need to even go from a 821 to a 835. Hence why I'll probably hold onto my V20 for a bit.
Like the V20 was better than the G5 which was better than the V10 and the V30 will be better etc...
But this is a V20 owners forum so I'm not sure why you are telling that to people that already got the great V20.
It seems that LG might be taking some of the features that make the V series attractive and incorporating them into the G series. (Features like the 5.7 inch disply and quad DAC)
It seemed to me that the V series had become LG's true flagship (for a very targeted audience) over the last couple of years but that might change again with the launch of the G6.
I'm interested to see the final product that will be the G6 and how that compares to the V20. It seems that the V20 will offer very little value/advantage over the G6 aside from the removable battery and extra display, while the G6 will likely have water resistance, wireless charging and a new Quad DAC.
I'll be a little dispointed that my V20 is no longer the best phone that LG has to offer but I am an LG supporter and I do want them to succeed, so that said, I think it will be good for the G6 to have a new Quad DAC, a large near-bezeless display, water resistance, wirelss charging as well as various other attractive features. I think the decision to move away from a removable battery for design and water resistance is a good decision because the general user just isnt looking for a removable battery anymore, instead they want a solid, reliable phone that looks really good, something that Samsung has proven over the last couple of years.
For the rest of us power users (or at least those of us that are looking for something different and unique) there will be the V30 to look forward to towards the end of the year. That phone will likely be running the SD835 with something new that differentiates it from the G6.
I don't really care the DAC in the v20 is plenty for a majority of users and I doubt there would be a difference big enough to notice for the headphones I use.
The lack of removable battery is something I've strayed away from l not only because factory batteries suck but I prefer a larger frame because this "thinner is better" crap is out of control.
G6 seems like a sell out phone in my opinion, the features that make LG unique are traded to be like every other phone.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I heard its only for the Korean Variant