So I'm in the process of buying a new phone. I personally don't have a lot of money to spend so the $200 price point is one I'm trying to hit, but I'm not opposed to spending $300 for a vastly superior phone. I would like the phone to be on the smaller side of things, don't approach the phablet territory (~6 or greater inches). I'm not a big phone spec guy, I don't care to have the fastest processor or huge amounts of ram seeing as the most taxing thing I do on my phone is play Clash of Clans. I don't care to have a high resolution screen at all, 720p would be fine. I would like it to have good wifi support and be able to get 4G LTE, now the last and most important part is it NEEDS to have a all day in to tomorrow type battery.
Priorities:
1. Cheap
2. Big battery
3. LTE support
4. Good wifi support
Here are a few phones I'm looking at
Moto X,G,E Nexus 5???, BlackBerry Z10.
I'm really just looking for suggestions here because all of those phones seem to be besides what I'm looking for, let me know if there are any phones that I'm missing.
Thanks,
Beefy
Xiaomi Mi3
http://m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_3-5678.php
ZTE Grand Memo 2 LTE
http://m.gsmarena.com/zte_grand_memo_ii_lte-6154.php
iNew V3
http://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/ab922b5e
Huawei Ascend P7
http://m.gsmarena.com/huawei_ascend_p7-6124.php
Just a few phones around that price range that have better specs.
Moto G is a great phone though I must say.
Sent from S3 Mini
Using XDA App
I could hook up with Boost through my account and you and I would get some saving from doing that but I am new to forums and dont want anyone complaining if its against some policy I not aware of. As a side note I been using them for 3 years and they been good to me and I gotten my bill with them by getting discounts every 6 month I paid on time some my monthy bill is $15- a month cheaper than when I started. You can PM if needed. I am now paying $40 a month using a Galaxy S3 and it getting LTE service where I live. I get 2.5 gb of data month before throttled. I never gone other the limit so dont know how fast it is when throttled.
In need of help with phone choice (LG G3 or Sony Xperia Z3)
Both phones are really great to begin with, same process and such, the 32gb version of the G3 has 3gb of RAM like the Z3 does (but with only 16gb on the Z3), both can be considered great upgrades from my current Samsung Galaxy S3. I strongly prefer the Z3 over the G3 (it feels more like an actual premium phone in hand, the waterproofing and FM radio are also nice things to have). The G3's screen feels a bit too big for me (I've held and tested out both phones briefly), whereas the Z3's screen feels closer to just right.
My dilemma here is the price difference I would be facing. I'm planning on getting a silver plan with Virgin Mobile, regardless of the phone I choose. If I go with the G3, it'll only be $280 plus tax for the phone on a 2-year contract. Unfortunately, Virgin doesn't sell the Z3, only Bell does (grrrr). This means I would have to buy the phone outright from Bell to use with Virgin (not going to go with a Bell plan), which would be $700 plus tax for the phone.
For 2.5x the price, I can get a phone that feels much more solid and usable in hand, but the cheaper alternative is also very viable and powerful itself. Would it be worthwhile to spend so much more for the Z3 my case? :x
My two cents... I have a G3 and my brother owns a Z3, yeah, sure that has a more solid feeling when compared... but I would go again for my G3, expecially considering the difference in price, only partly justified by the less cheap materials...
Money aside, why else would you go for the G3 over the Z3? Just wondering because it sounds like the price isn't the sole factor (obviously) affecting your decision.
I am jumping ship with AT&T because they really ****ed me on with the Samsung Galaxy S5, I found out that any phone released beyond the S4 has been pretty locked down in terms of being able to root, unlock, or customize beyond basic themes, which I greatly dislike. I found out when I got home the other day and looked up a root method only to find out that the S5 community on XDA has pretty much accepted that there isn't much that can be done with the phone. While T-Mobile on the other hand has unlockable/rootable phones.
Here is the list to the phones available on their site I was thinking of just getting another S5, which I am fine with. I'd get the S6 if it didn't lack features (Changable batteries, microSD slot), I was wondering if any of the other phones listed are worth looking at though? Opinions, Input, and Information are all greatly appreciated.
Do you have to purchase off the payment plan, or can you buy outright? If you have to use the payment plan, your options kinda suck. The Nexus 6 and LG G3 probably have the most development of the available options, but you can find brand new ones for cheaper if you can purchase outright (plus they only have the 32gb Nexus 6). The S5 is alright, but I'd rather have the G3. Remember that, like AT&T, T-Mobile is a GSM network and unlocked devices will work on their network. This includes phones like the Asus Zenfones, OnePlus, etc. For a couple hundred bucks or so you can get a G3 or OnePlus One 64gb and not get stuck on a payment plan for 2 years (not a contract, but not all that different).
Planterz said:
Do you have to purchase off the payment plan, or can you buy outright? If you have to use the payment plan, your options kinda suck. The Nexus 6 and LG G3 probably have the most development of the available options, but you can find brand new ones for cheaper if you can purchase outright (plus they only have the 32gb Nexus 6). The S5 is alright, but I'd rather have the G3. Remember that, like AT&T, T-Mobile is a GSM network and unlocked devices will work on their network. This includes phones like the Asus Zenfones, OnePlus, etc. For a couple hundred bucks or so you can get a G3 or OnePlus One 64gb and not get stuck on a payment plan for 2 years (not a contract, but not all that different).
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I am picking through their payment plan phones this time around. Next time, I'll get one of the oneplus phones. Doesn't the Nexus 6 have the same issue that the Galaxy S6 have? In the way that it has no expandable storage? And does it have a replacable battery? Those two things are dealbreakers for me. The latter being the more important though. I can live with fixed storage as long as it is sufficient, and the phone is worth it. Can you tell me anything about the LG G3? I've not looked into it at all.
Numerics said:
I am picking through their payment plan phones this time around. Next time, I'll get one of the oneplus phones. Doesn't the Nexus 6 have the same issue that the Galaxy S6 have? In the way that it has no expandable storage? And does it have a replacable battery? Those two things are dealbreakers for me. The latter being the
more important though. I can live with fixed storage as long as it is sufficient, and the phone is worth it.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, the Nexus 6 (all Nexuses except the first in fact) doesn't have a microSD card slot. It came in 32 and 64gb versions, and unfortunately T-Mobile only offers the 32gb version (refurb), and they want too much for it, which is why I recommended buying elsewhere outright if it's within your means., because you can get a new/mint 64gb one for less than T-Mobile charges for the refurb'd 32gb. The battery isn't removable, although it's not impossible to tear down and replace like many sealed-battery phones.
Can you tell me anything about the LG G3? I've not looked into it at all.
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Sure. It has the same Snapdragon 801 quad core 2.5GHz processor as the Galaxy S5, but has 3gb RAM whereas the S5 only has 2gb. 5.5" QHD 2560x1440 screen. It has an excellent camera, IR blaster, and most importantly (for you), both a microSD slot and removable battery. I just checked again though, and T-Mobile doesn't list the G3 anymore (I think they did a week ago, but no longer). There's lots of custom development for the G3 though, if you can buy one outright.
The G4 is very much the same as the G3, just improved. It's rootable, but there's practically zero custom development going on (I don't know why). But if you plan on using it for the next couple years, this might be the best choice. The Note 4 would be a good option too. Amazing screen, great camera, and it'll be familiar to you coming from the Galaxy S5. Rootable, and there's custom development, including customized Samsung ROMs (modified stock) and AOSP (stock Android) based. Right now the Note 4 is $150 off.
Seems like this cell phone will not be released in the U.S.
Why is there no smartphones that is bigger than 5.7 inches available in the United States Of America?
cryingthug said:
Seems like this cell phone will not be released in the U.S.
Why is there no smartphones that is bigger than 5.7 inches available in the United States Of America?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed this. It seems to be a coordinated effort - almost a conspiracy that phones bigger than 5.7 inches don't make it to the USA and/or receive little to zero promotion and/or support.
It's nice to know I'm not the only one whose been clamoring for a 7" phone since the first Samsung Tab was released! PUT A CELLULAR RADIO IN IT, I said.
I'll be bringing the Zenfone 3 Ultra into the states in a couple of months. Might even have a go at opening up the US LTE bands with the post at the top of this forum.
But Why?
mikkej2k said:
I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed this. It seems to be a coordinated effort - almost a conspiracy that phones bigger than 5.7 inches don't make it to the USA and/or receive little to zero promotion and/or support.
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Click to collapse
nathanotis and mikkej2k,
And if the reviewers do review the phablet many say that the phone is way too big. I am convinced that the people that say that have abnormally small hands. LOL.
My question now is, why do you think that there is nothing over 5.7 available in the U.S?
cryingthug said:
nathanotis and mikkej2k,
My question now is, why do you think that there is nothing over 5.7 available in the U.S?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No risk takers in the American market?
Or,
Simple supply and demand. There's not enough demand. Just stick with what's most profitable.
As more people mature ( grow older ) carriers will be forced to sell/allow larger smartphones on their networks. I believe that Sprint , T-Mobile , Verizon , and AT&T are the biggest stumbling blocks to larger phones. After the carriers I think the manufacturers don't want to go big - if they can charge more for less , why not?
*Older people would want larger screens because they are easier to read.*
Better For The Eyes
mikkej2k said:
*Older people would want larger screens because they are easier to read.*
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Click to collapse
I am not old and my eyes are excellent but I agree with the larger screens are easier to read 100%. I very much dislike trying to look at a web page on a sub 6 inch screen. What a horrible experience. If the web page is not designed for mobile you are just scrolling all the time. People are paying all this money to have data on their phones and then having to look at all that tiny font. No thank you. Plus videos and movies look so awesome on the larger size screens.
cryingthug said:
Seems like this cell phone will not be released in the U.S.
Why is there no smartphones that is bigger than 5.7 inches available in the United States Of America?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is, one that i know for sure is huawei mate 8, a 6 incher, it supports ATT and T-Mo LTE bands in USA.
only gripe - the Kirin 950 SoC, not the performance side of it, but the no source code side of it, meaning no 3rd party roms, OS upgrade and security patches are at mercy of huawei, they are not known to be diligent when it comes to that ..
http://www.anandtech.com/show/9878/the-huawei-mate-8-review
nathanotis said:
It's nice to know I'm not the only one whose been clamoring for a 7" phone since the first Samsung Tab was released! PUT A CELLULAR RADIO IN IT, I said.
I'll be bringing the Zenfone 3 Ultra into the states in a couple of months. Might even have a go at opening up the US LTE bands with the post at the top of this forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Samsung Tab S 8.4 certainly had a cellular radio in it, that was my last cell phone...
I like big phone and I can not lie....
omniphil said:
The Samsung Tab S 8.4 certainly had a cellular radio in it, that was my last cell phone...
I like big phone and I can not lie....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did it work as a phone? Was the size ever a hindrance?
(Just realized you also posted to the other thread I'm watching)
nathanotis said:
How did it work as a phone? Was the size ever a hindrance?
(Just realized you also posted to the other thread I'm watching)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doesn't easily fit in your pocket, but that's really the only size hindrance. I actually still have it and use it in my car as a navigation device. It still preforms quite well..
It was cheap too under $500 when new, which is quite a bit cheaper than any flagship phone at the time.
It seems that the Zenfone 3 Ultra (International version & no warranty) is being sold on a large Internet website but it costs several hundred more than they said it would be. It is priced out of reach at almost $700 it is not worth the money. I am not buying.
cryingthug said:
It seems that the Zenfone 3 Ultra (International version & no warranty) is being sold on a large Internet website but it costs several hundred more than they said it would be. It is priced out of reach at almost $700 it is not worth the money. I am not buying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's priced high because it just came out, if you wait a month it should come down to normal pricing....
cryingthug said:
It seems that the Zenfone 3 Ultra (International version & no warranty) is being sold on a large Internet website but it costs several hundred more than they said it would be. It is priced out of reach at almost $700 it is not worth the money. I am not buying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 4GB/64GB model runs for $630 or so for first hand retail (IE: direct from the original seller). The $700 you mentioned is from a reseller (IE: they paid $630 and are reselling it for a small profit).
The 3GB/32GB model runs for about $460, and is probably more in line with the pricing you had heard announced.
The real trick is finding either model in stock at a first hand retailer, as the resellers are buying them up as quickly as they can.
There is a market for the plus 5.7 phones. Everytime one these phones are announced , people that like smaller phones complain as if they'll be forced to switch. Most of those that prefer smaller phones act as though they don't want the larger phones released.
Why does this bother people that like smaller phones? When the original Galaxy Note came out it was groundbreaking for a mainstream company to release a phone that big. Now it's commonplace ( I'm looking at you Apple - iPhone Plus )
shdwphnx said:
The 4GB/64GB model runs for $630 or so for first hand retail (IE: direct from the original seller). The $700 you mentioned is from a reseller (IE: they paid $630 and are reselling it for a small profit).
The 3GB/32GB model runs for about $460, and is probably more in line with the pricing you had heard announced.
The real trick is finding either model in stock at a first hand retailer, as the resellers are buying them up as quickly as they can.
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Just a little I formation for ones that might be looking to purchase the Asus Zenfone ultra (ZU680KL), with 4gb of ram and 64gb internal memory.
I purchased mine new, from EBay with a one year warranty. Purchase price was 593.00, factory unlocked, with free shipping and handling (still higher than originally advertised). Device came from Never-Msrp, out of Houston, Texas.
Slbtrb79 said:
Just a little I formation for ones that might be looking to purchase the Asus Zenfone ultra (ZU680KL), with 4gb of ram and 64gb internal memory.
I purchased mine new, from EBay with a one year warranty. Purchase price was 593.00, factory unlocked, with free shipping and handling (still higher than originally advertised). Device came from Never-Msrp, out of Houston, Texas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What carrier are you using your phone on? What type of bands will the phone let you access? What type of factory support do you get? ( if any? )
mikkej2k said:
What carrier are you using your phone on? What type of bands will the phone let you access? What type of factory support do you get? ( if any? )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cricket, which is owned by AT&T, also speeds are capped by them at 4Mbps on 4G and 8Mbps on LTE. I get Hsdpa bands and Gsm bands. The phone has LTE bands, but can't be accessed here. I'm hoping to root soon, not sure if the LTE bands can be accessed then. This however is not real important to me or I would have not purchased the phone anyway. I'm getting 3Mbps on download speeds. Was getting 4-5Mbps on my HTC 10, thru Cricket. Have had no problems to ask for any factory support yet. Asus sent paperwork with phone for a one year warranty against defects and workmanship (standard for most phones). I have something thru eBay, not sure for how long. The warranty really does you no good if you root the phone though. I had a one year warranty on my HTC One M8 and have a one year on my HTC 10, but they are rooted, so their warranties we're voided anyway. Never had to ask for factory support on them either. Asus has a website devoted to their phones, with various types of information, even including how to's on bootloader unlocking on many models (including the zenfone 3 deluxe), source codes, etc.
I guess it's a matter of what you want out of a phone. If you want a faster processor and LTE in the US, this is not the phone for you. It's not the phone my HTC 10 was (gave to my wife), because of the processor, and LTE. But I was essentially looking for a 7 inch tablet with 4gb of ram, great camera, video player with a very good sounding dual speakers, external SD card, and has phone ability. Very hard to find many 7 inch tablets with all the above specs together. I get all of the above with this 6.8 screen Ultra phablet. Also the build quality of this phone has really improved over the previous Asus phones. Realy like the metal workmanship. Not quite as good as HTC 10, but getting there. So far very happy with it and hoping they will unlock the bootloader like they did for the Deluxe.
Thanks for the questions. Never knew how to answer in short sentences. I answer this way in person also. Hope it wasn't to long winded for you.
---------- Post added at 05:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 AM ----------
Slbtrb79 said:
Cricket, which is owned by AT&T, also speeds are capped by them at 4Mbps on 4G and 8Mbps on LTE. I get Hsdpa bands and Gsm bands. The phone has LTE bands, but can't be accessed here. I'm hoping to root soon, not sure if the LTE bands can be accessed then. This however is not real important to me or I would have not purchased the phone anyway. I'm getting 3Mbps on download speeds. Was getting 4-5Mbps on my HTC 10, thru Cricket. Have had no problems to ask for any factory support yet. Asus sent paperwork with phone for a one year warranty against defects and workmanship (standard for most phones). I have something thru eBay, not sure for how long. The warranty really does you no good if you root the phone though. I had a one year warranty on my HTC One M8 and have a one year on my HTC 10, but they are rooted, so their warranties we're voided anyway. Never had to ask for factory support on them either. Asus has a website devoted to their phones, with various types of information, even including how to's on bootloader unlocking on many models (including the zenfone 3 deluxe), source codes, etc.
I guess it's a matter of what you want out of a phone. If you want a faster processor and LTE in the US, this is not the phone for you. It's not the phone my HTC 10 was (gave to my wife), because of the processor, and LTE. But I was essentially looking for a 7 inch tablet with 4gb of ram, great camera, video player with a very good sounding dual speakers, external SD card, and has phone ability. Very hard to find many 7 inch tablets with all the above specs together. I get all of the above with this 6.8 screen Ultra phablet. Also the build quality of this phone has really improved over the previous Asus phones. Realy like the metal workmanship. Not quite as good as HTC 10, but getting there. So far very happy with it and hoping they will unlock the bootloader like they did for the Deluxe.
Thanks for the questions. Never knew how to answer in short sentences. I answer this way in person also. Hope it wasn't to long winded for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, as a side note. There is a factory rom and source code for the Ultra ZU680KL on Asus site for download, in case you would have a problem.
Motorola nexus 6 is 5.96 inches FYI.
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If you want to know why manufacturers are not shipping as much to the US lately, look at the patent system in the US. Once you ship any products to the US, you are counting down the time until you get sued by someone in east Texas...
Not worth the money to sell things in the US market until this situation gets under control.
Hello guys!
Do you have the problem like I do that I really would like to buy a fresh, new, fast phone with a new original battery, but looking at the current market I can not find any that suits to me? I am not talking about poor performance or lack of choice, but size... I'm really not interested in those enourmous 6"-6.5" phones because that big size is not comfortable for me, even though I have big hands.
Where is the era of 5"-5.8" phones gone? Do you think the large phones trend will ever stop?
In my situation I'm trying to look at used phones market, but this is also super problematic. If I find a used 5.5" device that suits me, it's battery is pretty much dead. I could buy a new battery and replace it without a problem, but there is no way I can find an original/genuine battery that will have a reasonable and solid life time. This is pathetic I think the dying 2-years batteries is the main trick that corporations use today to force us to change phone every 2-3 years ?
Do you feel me?
Well the way I've decided to combat this is by subscribing to Samsungs access program where I pay like 40 a month and in 9 months I can upgrade to the note 21 or S21 (if I choose to switch). I had the note 9 for 2 years and what I've noticed is I refuse to outright sell my phones for cheap rates after dropping 1200 plus on it. So now I've accumulated phones over the years since Samsung switched up and stopped allowing the early upgrade program with carriers. I got stuck with an s7 plus and 2 note 9s that are just collecting dust. I'm not selling either one for a few hundred dollars. And with insurance from Verizon, if anything happens to my phone I can just get a refurbished one sent to me and then I'll just trade that one back in when I'm ready to upgrade next year. This way I get the fresh new flagships every year and stop accumulating phones. The only downside is the fact that I wanted a phone with dual sim capabilities but Samsung only sells single sim in the US. I guess you can't have it all. Hopefully they eventually fix this issue and provide esim and/or dual sim capable phones in the future.
Now as far as smaller phones, I am not too sure. I believe all the major brands now have been offering smaller variations like the s20 e or fe or whatever its called. The only downside to this is I believe although they are cheaper then the full size flagships, they sadly do have less features and/or tech such as the cameras.
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