I Need A New Phone...Help?

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Okay so I have T-Mobile and the JUMP program. I've paid off 1/2 of my current phone (HTC One M8, which btw I LOVE), so now I can upgrade...

Here's my options..

• HTC One M9
• LG G4
• Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
• Google Nexus 6

My current phone like I said is an M8, and before that I had the M7. I really like this phone, mostly for two reasons: The two speakers are on the front of the phone, which almost no other phone maker is apparently smart enough to do. The other reason is that I like how it looks. The menus and everything are super easy to use, and I LOVE the news widget app thing they have.

Some things I wish were better...

• Battery life sucks. by like 2:00 in the afternoon I need to charge it if I am doing anything productive with it.
• On really bright days, I can't read the screen because it can't light up enough to see, so I have to be that weirdo who covers it with something to shadow it.

It seems like both of those were really problematic for both my old M7 and M8. I used to have an iPhone 4S, but I am just not really a big iPhone person...I like how much stuff I can do on an Android compared to the iPhones. I also really like the big screens. I've gone to the store a couple of times, but I always get run out because the reps there harass the life out of me when all I want to do is play with the phone for 10 minutes. And all of the reviews I watch contradict each other, so they only help so much. I'd rather get opinions of people who have the phones I am looking at, or at least know people who have them and have heard whether or not the person likes/dislikes it and why.

What I want the most from it are:

• Easy to use and navigate
• Pretty to look at
• Sound quality (I despise Samsung for putting their speakers on the back of the phone. It seriously irks the hell out of me.)
• Battery life

Opinions? Thoughts?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyjLyBp64

 

[Kenrath]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Why mess up a good thing. If you like the HTC One M series then stick with an HTC One M series.

 

[Aithne Charr]

Exactly what Vengeance said, if you like something theres really no need to change it. I personally love using the Galaxy note 4 as it does work really well. But its all a matter of opinion as different people will say what they think is better. And trust me, getting something you like is better than buying something new and finding out you dont like it.

PS. Happy to see the Iphone is not on your List. Down with Apple.

 

[Orick T'ane]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

I hear good things about the Samsung 6 my buddy has one and he loves it.

On the flip side I agree with @Vengence, why change what you like

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

[member="Orick T'ane"] | [member="Solan Charr"] | [member="Vengeance"]

I suppose I should have mentioned this as well...

I have this thing where I feel like I am just getting the same phone over and over and throwing money away when I could get something brand new and exciting haha. I'm a sucker for changing things up.

 

[Aithne Charr]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Then i suggest one of the Samsung phones to be completely honest. Mostly because i have two family with the Six and myself with the Note four so i can say with surety they are good products. The rest i cant speak for though.

 

[Vexen]

The Sony Z3 has epic battery life, and front mounted speakers

 

[Coren Starchaser]

I got a really good deal. Its two cans, and a string?


But for serious, if you like the M series go there
*galaxy 4 lyf*

 

[Orick T'ane]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Galaxy 6 then. If you want my opinion go with that. My friend has a blast with it. I am an iPhone guy myself, so I can't give you advice, because I have a boring phone.

 

[Connor Harrison]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] I went from Apple to Samsung, and am very happy with the S5.

Maybe a little different here in the UK with what you get, BUT I say Samsung.

 

[Beowoof]

Goodness gracious. Such a malcontent my pink sister is.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

[member="Tacitanya"]

Shhh....I love buying new phones. It's like shopping for clothes. It makes me excited.

 

[Darth Metus]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Before I ramble off a pros/cons wall about the phone models, I think the best question to ask is "what are you looking to get out of it?"

Are you a camera type? A graphics type? Do you want expandable memory? Are you looking for a phone that you can comfortably post from? Giveth me details and I'll geek out for you.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

[member="Dagora-Kel"]

I've got a DSLR that I take wherever I go so I don't care much about the camera, really. I've never filled my phone memory up so I think that shouldn't be a problem.

I just want something with good battery life, a nice big screen to web browse/youtube/text/post etc with, that is easy/simple to use, and looks nice and ideally, something with speakers that aren't on the back... (I will never understand why any company does this and I'll never stop complaining about it until they stop doing it....)

I really like how big the Note and the Nexus 6 are...But the Note looks really confusing to me from what I've seen. The HTC has a really nice setup that I am used to but I dunno, I feel like the screen needs to be a little bigger, and the battery life is blehhhh. I don't mind learning the new phone, but I don't want to be lost either lol.

 

[Darth Metus]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Personally I recommend the LG G4. It meets the vast majority of your criteria (save for the speakers issue). It has a very nice screen size, exceptional battery life, crisp graphics, and it's very easy to use. I picked up one and had it learned in a day or so. Very easy to navigate and whatnot.

Runner up is the Note. It has "phablet" functions that you'll pick up with ease. I bought my fiancee a Note and she adored it to death. Battery life is okay, the speakers aren't front mounted unfortunately.

I've heard mixed things about the Nexus. Personally I'm not a fan.

 

[Boethiah]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

I have a family member who works in management for a cell company, so I'll tell you what they've told me.

First off make a list of what you absolutely need from a phone before what you want. That'll be your guide to which phones you don't want. Everything else is just an added bonus, otherwise, and I do suggest never just settling for what you need because that way if there's a feature you don't need right now but may want in the future then you have it.

As far as phones go I'd stick with HTC or Samsung if you want a lot of tech and gadgets, if you'd prefer something simpler with longer battery life I'd go with the Nexus 6 which is essentially the Moto X (just a bit bigger and more vanilla) which I believe has the best reception quality and longest battery life for Android phones, plus it's basic Android OS so no bloatware to worry about -- not to mention you get updates before everyone else.

But at the end of the day it all comes down to what you need/want.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Thanks everyone I appreciate the input!

 

[Jasper Felinus]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

If you're still picking, I'm just gonna say what I have from my limited experience:

LG phones get kind of wacky sometimes... *shrug*

Google phone is... Well, the only thing I like about it is that it would be more compatible with my computer.

Since you seem to type on your phone a lot, Note might be a good idea... 'bout the same size as the S6, but a little easier to tap on, imo.

 

[Pal Veda]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

So this is one of my hobbies. I used to be way more into it when I had time and could unlock and root all my devices. My firm will not let me receive work email on an unlocked device, so I've had to go back to the land of locked and unrooted... Except I of course keep my tablet rooted with custom ROMs at all times. I've owned 17 Android phones and tablets in the last 3.5 years.

I'm currently using the Motorola Moto X 2014 pure edition, as in not carrier branded. Because Motorola tried to stick as close to vanilla Android as possible, it is very similar to stock Android on the Nexus devices (more on those in a bit), and it lacks the 100 pre-installed apps that others, especially Samsung, likes to bombard you with. Because it is the pure edition, I don't get the other 100 pre-installed apps that AT&T and Verizon like to force on you. The battery isn't great, but the size is perfect, the camera is good enough, and the interface is superb. Motorola has cool features installed like shake twice to activate camera, chop twice to activate flashlight, and voice recognition from screen off. Plus, let's face it: a bamboo back on my phone is badass and draws lots of attention. I highly recommend this phone if you are an experienced Android user who does not root or use custom ROMs. It is also great for that, but Nexus devices have a much larger developer community. My next phone will be either the Moto X 2015 in August/September, or the 2015 Nexus device if they bring it back to 5 inches.

I am a huge fan of the Nexus line. I've owned the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7 2012, Nexus 7 2013, Nexus 9, and Nexus 10. Google decided to go with a phablet with the Nexus 6. I used it for a week or so, found it too large to carry in my casual pants comfortably, and too large to efficiently email with one hand. I'm 6'4" and my slimmest fitting pants are slim fit, not skinny pants. Also, what had made the Nexus brand so attractive to me in the past was a) mid range prices with top end specs, and b) ease of rooting/unlocking and very active development community. Nexus 6 had very good specs, but they came with a top end price point this time. And, as I mentioned, I can no longer run custom ROMs (or even gain root access) to my phone that I use for work email. Rumor is that the 2015 Nexus coming this October/November is going to be 5 inches, or either they are making a 5 inch and a 6 inch. It is also rumored that it will be either Huawei or LG making the 5 inch. The LG Nexus 5 is the best phone I ever owned (in the 2013-2014 period where it was the Google flagship), and Huawei has put out some very quality products lately. I will definitely be looking at the when it comes out. But the Nexus 6 was not for me. Nexus devices are best for advanced Android users interested in running custom software and apps.

If you are a novice user who wants everything to work out the gate, Samsung is probably your best bet. I despise the Galaxy series phones because a) physical home button with capacitive navigation buttons, b) insane amount of uninstallable bloatware apps from Samsung and your carrier, and c) difficulty in unlocking and rooting. But I'm a pretty advanced user used to having full control of my device to the point I edit build prop code. My mother absolutely loves her GS6, and she loved her GS3 for three years. I bought my girlfriend a GS4 the day they came out, and she still uses it over two years later. I think she is ready to move to Motorola Moto X 2015 this September, but she heavily considered the GS6. For someone looking for the iPhone experience of a self contained app ecosystem ready to go out the box without having to do any research on independent apps or anything, the GS6 is the way to go. It can do just about anything, the battery is good, the camera is good, and you can get accessories anywhere. If you are looking for a phablet, the Note 4 is unbeatable in that department, and I expect the Note 5 to continue that trend this fall. as for the GS6 Edge and Note Edge, I'm a fan of the concept, but I have not spent enough time with either to give you an opinion.

I see you are considering the LG G4. I'm not a huge fan of LG phones, mostly because of the software and lack of developer support. I will say that the G4's screen and camera will certainly not disappoint. They are superb.

The HTC M9 is going to be the phone you want for music. The screen and camera will be fine, but I'm not sure if it will quite match the GS6 or LG G4. HTC greatly improved their software over the One M series, so it is probably better in that respect than any Samsung or LG (and behind Motorola). I'm not sure about the battery life on this one, but it should be fine. A lot of the Android bloggers prefer the Nexus 6, Moto X, or One M9.

Asus just released the ZenPhone (2, I think). It is getting pretty positive reviews, and it has a good price point. One Plus also makes very very good phones at a low price. The One Plus One did better than expected, and the One Plus Two is on the horizon. This may be better for an advanced Android user, though, with its software originally based on CyanogenMod and now based on Paranoid Android, two of the largest and most well known custom software development teams.

Feel free to ask me any specific questions and I'll do my best to help. You've already made the right step by choosing Android. And as I told my mom and girlfriend, hardware is pretty irrelevant for today's user. Unless you game hard and photo edit, all of today's flagships will do much more than you will need. So it should come down to personal preference. For me, software is a major issue, and so is design. I can't take good pictures with a million dollar camera, so phone camera matters less. Speakers also matter less, as I'm typically hooked to a Bluetooth speaker or my car aux when playing music.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

[member="Hwo"] | [member="Jasper Felinus"] | [member="Anja Aj'Rou"] | [member="Dagora-Kel"]

Thanks for the help everybody

I actually went into T-Mobile this weekend at the mall and despite being harassed as usual by every single rep in the store, I managed to get about 45 minutes to play with the G4, S6, M9, Note4, and Nexus 6. What it came down to was a decision between the M9 and Note 4.

What I found was actually a little surprising to me...When I went there, I thought I was really going to like the Nexus 6 and dislike the Note 4. I held each one, they all felt pretty nice, and were comfortable for me to hold and use. I really like the backs of the M9's metal and the Note 4's ummm..Plastic? I think it's plastic. But it feels nice. Anyway. I still love the M9 for the two speakers in the front, and playing them next to anything else just made me sad because the quality was so much worse on everything else except for maybe the Nexus 6, but even still, the Nexus 6 couldn't really compare.

So, sound quality goes to the M9 like I figured.
Overall feel I would say I was split between the M9 and the Note 4.

Each of the software was pretty different from one another, and this was where I thought for sure I was going to like the Nexus 6 way more than anything else...It turns out I was wrong. Blink Feed like I had on my M8 was not a thing I could get or use...I suppose I should have thought of this more, since basic android is just that...basic...Duh. I'm dumb. Anyways. I quickly found that the lack of features that was available on the Nexus 6 made me not want to buy it anymore. So this quickly took me away from the desire to buy the Nexus phone altogether.

I love the M9 software. I'm familiar with how it works, blink feed is awesome. The navigation and stuff is really easy to use. But, I really didn't want to buy pretty much the same phone again, since it didn't really look any different from my current phone. So I put that one down and held off on it until the end. The G4 was odd to me, it looked a little confusing and the screen didn't look as nice to me as the Note 4 or the Nexus 6. I also didn't really dig how the navigation looked to be honest. The Note 4 however, my GOSH! It had SO many super cool things! I love the stylus pen, and the multi-task windows, and resizable windows, and it has its' own version of blink feed! YAY!

So, for software, I would say it was a tie between the M9 and the Note 4.

The screens on all of the phones were incomparable to the Note 4. It was brighter, more vibrant, and when placed next to each other on the brightest and darkest setting, nothing got brighter, darker, or more vibrant than the Note. It was just out of the park better than anything else. It was also the largest screen aside from the Nexus, but to me the Nexus looked less vibrant, and alot more wishy washy.

So, for screens the winner was easily the Note 4.

It looked pretty obvious to me that the winner was basically the Note 4 at this point. So I picked it up, put on a video (The trailer for the new Minions movie in case you were curious), and listened to it. I was saddened, much to my expectation. The back facing speaker was just as bad as I had imagined. It faces away, there's only 1, and it's at the back & bottom of the phone. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. I put the phone down and replayed the video, and it was even more depressing. I will have to buy a case with a stand if I am gonna really watch anything, and speaker phone to me is basically out the question if it is anywhere relatively public, since the noise will likely drown out the conversation unless I hold the phone backwards.

So, after everything, and my inner struggle between the M9 and the Note 4, I decided to go with the Note 4, despite my pure hatred for the speakers, as I felt that it was something I could afford to lose given how great everything else on the phone felt, looked, and worked. I will miss my 2 front facing speakers, but I do love this phone very much!


TLDR - I bought the Note 4, it is pretty.