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How Did You Decide on A Phone?

I currently have a Samsung Galaxy S and my contract is up in November, so I started to look around for another phone (I know, it's still 8 months away, but I am so excited.).
I love the idea of the Galaxy Note with the big screen and the S-pen. The Galaxy S lll is coming out and it is supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread and peanut butter.
I do not have a problem going with another manufacturer, but I have not found anything from someone else that compares to the Galaxy line-up. The HTC One X looks nice but it does not have a card slot which is a must for me.
In reality I do not need another phone as my Galaxy S has everything I need in a phone, but since I will get a phone at a discount with a 3 year plan, I figured, why not.
What phone do you have and how did you decide on that particular phone?
Ian

I always pick my phones because of design and not so much because of specs
My phone also has to feel good in my hands, so usually it has to be rather large (no mini phones) but not as large as a Note . It also can't be too light, because I don't want to feel like I will break it if I drop it or touch a button too hard .
Currently I have an Xperia S, and as you can see by my shortlist in my signature, I have been drawn towards SE phones for awhile (mainly due to design, but specs come along with them).
I'm not saying specs don't matter to me, I just think it's more on the outside that counts. You mentioned the new HTC line, for example. I find HTC phones not....unique or eye catching.For the past few years, they all looked the same to me. There may be a quad-core inside, but in my eyes, its not impressive .
My X1 caught my eye because of the metal body, my X10 caught my eye because of the shape and camera, and my S caught my eye because of the transparent bar/camera/form of the phone.
I have never been a min/max person, if it looks nice, can perform above average, and has some sort of unique feature that sets it apart from the others, I'm happy.

I decided that if i were to go android i would go nexus because of the updates (THANKS SAMUNG FOR UPDATING MY PHONE)
It also helped that is had a beautiful (yet pentile) display.

Specifications and design and brand.

.
Thread moved to Q&A due to it being a question. Would advise you to read forum rules and post in correct section.
Failure to comply with forum rules will result in an infraction and/or ban depending on severity of rule break.

orb3000 said:
Thread moved to Q&A due to it being a question. Would advise you to read forum rules and post in correct section.
Failure to comply with forum rules will result in an infraction and/or ban depending on severity of rule break.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am most sorry. I will endeavour in the future to comply with all forum rules. But for you to advise me to read the rules, I must say I never listen to upper management.
Besides, by saying "Failure to comply" make you sound like a Borg and I would hate to be assimilated at this point in the hockey season.

I'd say HTC. They always have good specs, good build quality, and good customer support even on there facebook page I see if a person has a problem HTC will reply to help. Look into the one series, beside the lack of SD card you do get an upgraded drop box account free when you get a HTC one device
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using XDA

I would say Samsung because they're the most dev friendly

Firstly I look at the basic specs. So I look at the CPU. If I was getting a new phone now I would look for dual core. Then I'll look at the RAM, I want at least half GB of RAM.
Then I look at the features. I generally look at the camera, something with good audio (because I love music), and all the other very basic features.
Then I look at the design. Are the colors good? Is it comfortable to hold? Can it fit in my pocket?!
Then I Google if the phone has any bugs and if they are fixable.
Finally, I watch a video review on Youtube and see if people like it and if it works properly.
Oh I forgot. I would look for at least Android 4.x since I really like the look and feel of it.

What i would decide on is:
Would you want a phone that can fit in your pockets?
Whether or not you would be happy with the product
A good CPU and amount of RAM on the phone
At least 1GHz with more than 512MB Ram
The Galaxy S III would be a great hit, however support of the note may die down when the S3 hits the market.
My phone, a Galaxy 551 (Almost out of support) isn't really supported anymore since last year.
I'm not sure of the customer service/support of HTC, but samsung usually focus's on the newest products only.

I tend to make my decisions based on factors such as performance, aesthetics, and battery life.
I'm also not particularly fond of the phones with huge oversized screens because I like to have a phone that is easy to fit in my pocket and also feels good to hold. With these factors in mind I ended up choosing the mt4g, but that was about a year ago. Phones have evolved quite a bit since than.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA

Now you need at least 1ghz processor and 512 MB RAM. But if you don't want to buy old phone, try looking for something with dual core and 1 GB of ram. When you find devices that meet those criteria, look for better battery, but remember, you will probably need to charge it every day.
EDIT:
And from my experience I strongly recommend something from HTC. Their software is amazing. Without all preinstaled apps from them, my android device wouldn't be the same.

First I go for quality and proven performance.
Then I look at the other things from there.
I have almost always owned Motorola products since my first phone. A Motorola flip phone way back with Cellular One.
The one time I strayed was to an LG Envy Touch. Biggest mistake. Went to the Droid after I got rid of that piece of chit. I will sick with Motorola unless Google screws them up.

Thanks to everyone for their input.
Ian

I decide on
1. Battery life(which is very important as its called 'mobile' not desk phone)
2. Processor
3. RAM
4. Camera(with LED)
5. Form Factor and weight
and so on.

Usually I just took what was on my contract but seeing now that I have a choice I mainly look at looks but must have atleast 1gb ram, 1.2 ghz dual core or more ie 1.5 ghz and 16gb or more internal memory. So I decided on the Sony xperia S looks really unique to me. And as a added bonus it has google play store and 4.3" screen so games will be awesome.

Top 3 rules:
1. Brand
2. Specifications
3. Design

I pick my phones on 3 bases
1. Battery has to be at least decent
2. Has to have at least a 4.3 inch display
3. Must be 4G lte and wifi compatible
Sent from my magic piece of metal using even more magic

Samsung sIII
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA

bought an xperia play, because it had a gamepad
otherwise don't find a need to upgrade smartphone, most do the same thing

Choosing between an m8, z2 or g3?

Hey guys,
I am about to upgrade my phone from an s3 and am having to choose between the m8, z2 and g3.
I want a phone that will give me a long lasting experience (won't start lagging in a 6 months), good battery life (6-7 hours screen time on one charge, if possible), decent camera, and good audio through headphones. I don't mind putting on a battery case in the future if I need to but would rather avoid it.
To me the m8 is the most attractive phone out of the bunch but its specs are a little behind, relatively. Also, I am not so sure about its battery life and, due to its shape, a battery case would make it less attractive than a z2 with battery case. The biggest plus for the m8 is the feeling that the phone will continue to perform optimally for a good while after the purchase date. Should I go with my gut feeling?
The z2 is a powerhouse of specs. However, the user reviews just don't seem to be on par with the m8. I have read issues with lag and heating. On paper, it seems like an easy pick. Is the reality different?
The g3 is blowing people away but I have read that the screen is a battery drainer. That is still bearable but the occurrence of heating issues is the scary part. I am afraid of getting a phone that is amazing for the first month or two but can't last. Is the praise simply hype that will die out soon or is it a sturdy phone?
What do you guys suggest?
Please no fanboy wars. Just your objective suggestions would be much appreciated. I plan to make the decision by tomorrow.
Sent from my SGH-T999V using XDA Free mobile app

Zaslam408 said:
Hey guys,
I am about to upgrade my phone from an s3 and am having to choose between the m8, z2 and g3.
I want a phone that will give me a long lasting experience (won't start lagging in a 6 months), good battery life (6-7 hours screen time on one charge, if possible), decent camera, and good audio through headphones. I don't mind putting on a battery case in the future if I need to but would rather avoid it.
To me the m8 is the most attractive phone out of the bunch but its specs are a little behind, relatively. Also, I am not so sure about its battery life and, due to its shape, a battery case would make it less attractive than a z2 with battery case. The biggest plus for the m8 is the feeling that the phone will continue to perform optimally for a good while after the purchase date. Should I go with my gut feeling?
The z2 is a powerhouse of specs. However, the user reviews just don't seem to be on par with the m8. I have read issues with lag and heating. On paper, it seems like an easy pick. Is the reality different?
The g3 is blowing people away but I have read that the screen is a battery drainer. That is still bearable but the occurrence of heating issues is the scary part. I am afraid of getting a phone that is amazing for the first month or two but can't last. Is the praise simply hype that will die out soon or is it a sturdy phone?
What do you guys suggest?
Please no fanboy wars. Just your objective suggestions would be much appreciated. I plan to make the decision by tomorrow.
Sent from my SGH-T999V using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems like the z2 & g3 would be your go-to's here. If the only issue with the g3 for you is possible battery drain, it seems like the best bet. Besides, you can just adjust the brightness as you see fit.

There are already threads for this sort of question, I'm sure @Naddict can point you in the right direction.
Sent from my G2 running SlimKat

There are 3 threads already established that are devoted to discussions about devices, please read, and if necessary, repost your question in one of these threads: The what should I buy thread or the The Device Suggestion Thread or the The Device Comparison Thread.
There are also several other discussion threads that you probably should review to help you. They are What phone do you wish you had? or
The Worst Android Device That You've Ever Had & Why or even this place that talks about The best phone you ever owned.

Need some quick opinions

Right now I have an LG G3 and had a great deal of fun with it. However, with a recent job change I need to get a new phone for business only, and between the cracked glass on my G3 and abysmal battery life and charging problems (it's the original battery) it's starting to interfere with my job.
Right now I'm looking for a good android phone that just has a snappy CPU, decent amount of RAM, and above-all a good battery life (I'll probably have to consider an aftermarket extended battery but the last one I used was a Seidio for my HTC Droid Incredible years ago so suggestions on that would be welcome as well.
After doing some research it seems the G4 overheats and has the same battery issues, the Samsung S6 is still $400, and various other problems I've run into.
Basically I need a CDMA smartphone I can stick my Verizon SIM in and be ready to go. Don't really need to pay $400-$600 so I'm looking around the $200+/- range so any suggestions or recommendations on personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Nechen said:
Right now I have an LG G3 and had a great deal of fun with it. However, with a recent job change I need to get a new phone for business only, and between the cracked glass on my G3 and abysmal battery life and charging problems (it's the original battery) it's starting to interfere with my job.
Right now I'm looking for a good android phone that just has a snappy CPU, decent amount of RAM, and above-all a good battery life (I'll probably have to consider an aftermarket extended battery but the last one I used was a Seidio for my HTC Droid Incredible years ago so suggestions on that would be welcome as well.
After doing some research it seems the G4 overheats and has the same battery issues, the Samsung S6 is still $400, and various other problems I've run into.
Basically I need a CDMA smartphone I can stick my Verizon SIM in and be ready to go. Don't really need to pay $400-$600 so I'm looking around the $200+/- range so any suggestions or recommendations on personal experience would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
see
What's your next smartphone / What should I buy by poseidon5213
and
**DEVICE SUGGESTION THREAD** -- Not sure what device to buy? Ask here! by KidCarter93
Sent from my XT1254 using XDA Labs

^^
Closing thread to save confusion on where the discussion should be now.
Regards, OfficerJimLahey

HTC 10 or OnePlus 3?

Hey guys, I am selling my Note 4. Just got really tired of TouchWiz, yet again. So looking to buy a phone which won't cost be fortune, cheap in other words. So in my budget two phones only come, HTC 10 and OnePlus 3.
Now what I need.
- As close to stock Android as possible. So in that regard which would be better, Sense or Oxygen? Don't care much about ROMs but veteran devs gotta support the phone, for kernel's sake.
- An excellent display. I know none of them have a good display but as good as it goes, I am talking about colour saturation here, the neutral it is, the better. So which one is it? I realise HTC 10 will have more resolution but Anand's chart shows that OP3's display is more neutral (less saturated) than HTC 10. That right? Display is one of the main thing for me.
- Excellent reception and call quality. This is another important thing.
- Camera. HTC 10's is much better isn't it?
If I go for HTC 10 I will have to pay around 30-35% more of OP3's price. Now I know I will get more resolution, top notch audio, great built and probably better camera but with OnePlus 3 there is ther Dash Charging and stuffs, so confused really.
Please help this idiot to find the right one.
Thanks in advance.

ithehappy said:
Hey guys, I am selling my Note 4. Just got really tired of TouchWiz, yet again. So looking to buy a phone which won't cost be fortune, cheap in other words. So in my budget two phones only come, HTC 10 and OnePlus 3.
Now what I need.
- As close to stock Android as possible. So in that regard which would be better, Sense or Oxygen? Don't care much about ROMs but veteran devs gotta support the phone, for kernel's sake.
- An excellent display. I know none of them have a good display but as good as it goes, I am talking about colour saturation here, the neutral it is, the better. So which one is it? I realise HTC 10 will have more resolution but Anand's chart shows that OP3's display is more neutral (less saturated) than HTC 10. That right? Display is one of the main thing for me.
- Excellent reception and call quality. This is another important thing.
- Camera. HTC 10's is much better isn't it?
If I go for HTC 10 I will have to pay around 30-35% more of OP3's price. Now I know I will get more resolution, top notch audio, great built and probably better camera but with OnePlus 3 there is ther Dash Charging and stuffs, so confused really.
Please help this idiot to find the right one.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
see
What's your next smartphone / What should I buy by poseidon5213
and
**DEVICE SUGGESTION THREAD** -- Not sure what device to buy? Ask here! by KidCarter93
Sent from my XT1254 using XDA Labs

Problem Instaling
Hello
I got my note 8, and i'm really pleased with it, there is just one thing i cannot solve..
When i try to instal large game from googleplay like csr 2 or Plants vs zombies 2 or similar, the download starts and somwhere in the midle or near the end, google play just close down and dissapear from the screen, not installing anything at all...
I have sd card in phone also..
Someone knows what my be the problem?

Hi there,
There are threads already established that are devoted to discussions about devices, please read, and if necessary, repost your question in one of these threads: The what should I buy thread or the The Device Suggestion Thread or the The Device Comparison Thread.
There are also several other discussion threads that you probably should review to help you. They are What phone do you wish you had? or
The Worst Android Device That You've Ever Had & Why or even this place that talks about The best phone you ever owned.
I will have to close this one. Thanks for understanding.

Moto G5 Plus or Idol 4S?

I'm new to XDA, and was hoping you android experts could give me some advice on which phone to buy. For the past year and a half I've been using an extremely low budget Alcatel Onetouch Pixi 3. As you can probably imagine, the phone has been getting slower, and slower,... and slowerrrrr..... Even doing a factory reset, disabling all apps not needed, and using the phone with only light weight apps hasn't given me a significant improvement. Case in point, I'm experiencing lag just writing this post. That's beside the fact that the phone runs Lollipop and its battery is on its very last legs. Anyway now I've finished whining, I can get to the point. I have a slightly larger budget now; I'm a college student, so not much larger mind you, but larger enough to buy a $200-$300 new phone. And with Black Friday just two days away, I'm thinking now's probably a good time to buy. Research has led me to believe that my best option would be the 4GB RAM version of the Moto G5 Plus. However, I've also noticed that Microsoft will be selling the Alcatel Idol 4S for $170. Mind, that's a windows phone, not an android, but the specs are pretty close to the G5's plus the fact that you get C charging and a VR headset included make it appealing. I was wondering if the Idol could be switched to an android operating system, as I have no use for Windows Mobile, but perhaps the savings isn't worth such a project assuming it's even possible? Please let me know any suggestions, corrections or deals I might want to wait for, keeping in mind my budget. I'd obviously like to get the most bang for my buck. TL;DR: I need a new phone, think my best options are the Moto G5S or Microsoft Alcatel Idol 4S and would like buying advice.
P.S. I hope I've posted this in the right place; sorry for any inconvenience if I haven't.

already posted here https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=74601539&postcount=10712
thread closed as per OP request