Phone Recommendations?

[Marceline]

My phone has been acting wonky for awhile. Battery life is weird, I can't download apps or even upgrade the system, and then today I dropped it and now the screen has all sort of wonky ink lines in it. Needless to say, it's time for an upgrade.

Mostly, I'm looking for something with great picture and video quality so I can potentially make short clips with it. The ability to shoot in 4k would also be really nice. Everything else is pretty much secondary to that, since the only thing I really use my phone for now is checking emails and, you know, texting and calling.

I currently have an iPhone and my two phones before that were also iPhones. While I've been partial to them, it seems like iPhones just aren't sturdy/are prone to glitching out (I haven't had any of them last longer than two years, current one is about a year and a half old) and the picture quality isn't at all what I would like it to be. Plus, they always seem to screw up when new updates come out. So, I'm willing to go over to another type of phone and ditch iPhones if I can find a decent one.

I was looking through phones and the Samsung Galaxy series looks pretty good? Not sure if that one would be worth looking into more?

 

[DoD404]

only about longevity ^^ (the rest can be read on tech. descriptions) :
my Galaxy s6 is around 3yo (bought when the S7 was brand new and s6 less expensive) and is working fine like a brand new one.

my older one, a Galaxy s3 bought in 2012 is still working, with a new battery (you could replace it on this model, but no more on the S6 though :/)
I still use it to shot pics, stock documents and few applications that don't need to have a sim. (ie gps with offline maps...)

though, for both, I had to get another charger and a good usb cable , a 'nylon' one, all other I tried died in less than few months after seeming to take more and more time to refill the battery.
- I never broke anything by dropping stuffs in my life xd

also, some work friends could not keep the same s3 or s6 more than 2 years :/ (I'm maybe just lucky)

 

[Deleted member 37064]

I was an Android phone user since they came out initially. I like them, and being a Gmail and google user, when I did try switching to iPhone(5), it was a nightmare. Unusable, apps and such didn’t sync right, etc. So after a year, I went back to Android until I got the iPhone11 Pro. Great phone, highly impressed with it.

Durability and such with Android is not any different than iPhone. I was replacing phones about every 18 months either under warranty or replace entirely. Cracked screens, bad units, etc. even a few phones of really bad reception.

If you go Android, stick with Pixel and do the Google Fi if possible. It is only the OS, and you get no carrier or manufacturer bloateare like you will with if you bought Samsung.

This is one of the reasons why I also went with iPhone on Verizon because iOS is controlled by Apple. Some will argue about rooting phones, etc. but, if you have no plans to do it, why bother?

To me, it is about usability of phone and features, while also keeping bloatware from carriers off the phone. Also, accessories like cases, for Androids can be difficult to come by a few months after you buy the Android.

I am very happy with my iPhone 11 Pro. I know a few models who use them and have said they like it as well

 

[TajaEthereal]

My phone has been acting wonky for awhile. Battery life is weird, I can't download apps or even upgrade the system, and then today I dropped it and now the screen has all sort of wonky ink lines in it. Needless to say, it's time for an upgrade.

Mostly, I'm looking for something with great picture and video quality so I can potentially make short clips with it. The ability to shoot in 4k would also be really nice. Everything else is pretty much secondary to that, since the only thing I really use my phone for now is checking emails and, you know, texting and calling.

I currently have an iPhone and my two phones before that were also iPhones. While I've been partial to them, it seems like iPhones just aren't sturdy/are prone to glitching out (I haven't had any of them last longer than two years, current one is about a year and a half old) and the picture quality isn't at all what I would like it to be. Plus, they always seem to screw up when new updates come out. So, I'm willing to go over to another type of phone and ditch iPhones if I can find a decent one.

I was looking through phones and the Samsung Galaxy series looks pretty good? Not sure if that one would be worth looking into more?

Take a look at the Motorola line of phones. They are known for being sturdy and having a long battery life. Their phones are packed with high level features at mid-level prices. The newer ones have great cameras on them and are easy to upgrade with GCam mods if you want.

I have the Motorola One Hyper and it's only $400. With heavy use it will last two days. It comes with a 4000 mAh battery. Most mid-level phones don't have that. The Motorola Z4 is good too but imo not as great.

Written specs

motorola one hyper: hi-res detail. low light brilliance.

Capture incredibly detailed, high-resolution 64 MP photos and 32 MP selfies in any light, with Quad Pixel technology and Night Vision.

www.motorola.com

Video review


The xiaomi mi note 10 is another phone around $500 and has an amazing camera on it. So far the reviews are looking good on it. It's 4k and has a 108mp camera. That's nuts!

But if you learn how to root/jailbreak a phone you can get in there to add mods that can access the full camera settings. It's better to practice on an old phone. If camera quality is the most important feature do a Google search for "Camera Name + Camera2 api". That will give you some idea on how much control you'll have over your camera settings and which camera apps will work on your phone. Apps like Footej or Hedge cam are pointless without Camera2 api enabled.

It looks like the Pixel 4 is better than the most recent Samsung Galaxy S20. Basically there are more options besides Samsung and Apple. ☺

 

[THE MOLLIE MARIE]

I really like my Google Pixel, I have the original, the newer ones look even better. Camera quality is great, which was a big seller for me. Sturdy, though I also pay for device protection because I am clumsy with it and don't want to worry about it. My last one only died, after 2.5 years and lots of abuse, because it went for a full on swim. Oops. Don't do that. But even after dropping it a bunch, it never had a decline in functionality. Case + screen protect and you're good to go for a while.

 

[Nigerian Prince]

I guess it depends on what you are looking to spend. If you are looking for a higher end phone then I think Samsung is the way to go if you want a break from Apple, otherwise the iPhone 11 should have the best picture/video combo of any phone. If you are looking to save money then the Pixel 3a is a pretty good phone. It will take better pics than any phone that's not the Pixel 4/Iphone 11, and decent video with good lighting.

I really like my Google Pixel, I have the original, the newer ones look even better. Camera quality is great, which was a big seller for me. Sturdy, though I also pay for device protection because I am clumsy with it and don't want to worry about it. My last one only died, after 2.5 years and lots of abuse, because it went for a full on swim. Oops. Don't do that. But even after dropping it a bunch, it never had a decline in functionality. Case + screen protect and you're good to go for a while.

My pixel phones seem to be able to take a beating. Hell, I don't have a single scratch on my pixel 3a after multiple drops, and it survived being submerged in water. Hell, once I absentmindedly washed while I was washing my hands lol

 

[Marceline]

I've been looking up specs and articles and watching videos for about two hours now and I think I'm going to go for either the Galaxy s10 or iPhone 11. I can't seem to chose out of the two. I'm so used to Apple products and I don't want to end up regretting getting a non-Apple phone, but I'm sort of leaning towards the Galaxy phone right now. I'm not super worried about price since it's about time for an upgrade so I can just put it on a monthly plan.

 

[MicaVerano]

That’s actually what happened to me one time when I switched from an iPhone(I think it was a 4) to a Galaxy 5 Note. Since then I’ve been a iPhone loyal. Currently I’m with an XS Max and won’t be upgrading for a couple more of generations because I just don’t find an excuse to.

I know someone who has a 11 and the 4K recording seems the same of mine. It’s really good and 60fps.

 

[Deleted member 37064]

I've been looking up specs and articles and watching videos for about two hours now and I think I'm going to go for either the Galaxy s10 or iPhone 11. I can't seem to chose out of the two. I'm so used to Apple products and I don't want to end up regretting getting a non-Apple phone, but I'm sort of leaning towards the Galaxy phone right now. I'm not super worried about price since it's about time for an upgrade so I can just put it on a monthly plan.

Couple of things to consider with switching from iOS to Android

- How integrated are you with Apple products? Email, etc.

- when switching from iOS to Android, your number needs to be removed from the Apple hive otherwise you won’t get texts (was an issue for me when I went from iPhone5 back to Android). If you search for “migrate from iPhone to Android” this should pop up with other things to be aware of

- Apps. If you have paid apps, you may need to purchase them again. Some are nice if you reach out to the company. Others say no way. Some may not even be available on Android.

There’s other things to consider. I gave my Galaxy S8 to a friend when she lost her iPhone in the lake and couldn’t afford the replacement. She took to it quickly but also just used it as a basic phone device.

If you are on a major carrier, find out if the offer a trial period where if you don’t like it they will allow you to switch back to iPhone for a minimal price.

More than happy to answer questions here or in PM if you need more info.

Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

 

[Whatman]

The Pixel is the best phone. No bloatware, and you get OS/security patches right away. I read something about the latest one not shooting in 4K/60 FPS, but maybe they fixed that.