is anyone else utterly confused about what phone they should choose?

[phoenix]

I have been with public for just over a year now and I have been circling the drain on what new phone I want to get.  I was able to get my old phone repaired before that worked on tellus.  I see phones I like and I just get more confused the more I look at different phones.  My problem isn't if it will work on the network.  it is about knowing what specs are actually going to meet my needs.

This is what I primarily use y phone for (other than calling, texting and facebook)

I think I would need a fairly good camera, its not like I am actually taking a lot of pictures, but I do need to take ut my phone at work to use the came scan app at work.  We don't have a large scale scanner and trying to scan pieces or pages of architectural drawings on large format pages is a pain in the rear end.    (this is not something I have to do often and it doesn't need to be perfect, it is usaly to make notes for office nites, but I need to beable to get it some what readable.  (other wise we have to send it to a print shop)

I like to use my indle app to read some times on my lunch

ever notes

unit conversion tools

banking

mobile wallet for loyalty programs

sound hound

very rarely am I using it to game and its not one of those fancy games if I do game on it (something like make hexa)

gas buddy

I mean other than my need to beable to get decent scans from my phone I don't think I am using it for anything tooo too fancy.  does any one have any hints on how to actually decifer the specs because I mean I don't get it  (I mean marshmallows are junk food and snap dragons are flowers to me not operating systems?)

[srlawren]

Another comparison video of the PH-1 vs. the OnePlus 5T:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt-dE2ik430

[srlawren]

@ckl if there's a way to block/mute someone, I haven't found it.

Thanks for the heads up on the PH-1.  Matthew Moniz recommends it at this sale price over the OnePlus 5T.  🙂

[ckl]

How do I mute/block people on this forum?

Anyway, the essential phone is on sale on Amazon.com

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Phones-Hardware/Essential-Phone-is-on-sale-with-360-c...

[srlawren]

@phoenix very nice indeed!  I'm likely going to pick up an unlocked Moto G5 Plus from the US, also on sale, for my mom for Christmas (time to replace the Nexus 5 I got her two Christmases ago).

[phoenix]

@srlawren

I ended up getting the Huawei Mate 9 Canada Computer had it for $499 for black friday and I decided to go for it

[kav2001c]

@ckl that is why I said you should lean more towards a Google or Blackberry Android device. Frequent updates, no garbage-ware installed, frequent updates for bug improvements.

Not sure why you mention LG/Samsung again 

OnePlus is an ok phone but has some major issues (eg the spyware preinstalled that phones home, the engineering software they accidently left preloaded that gives a hacker easy access, the poor display). But I would certainly not put the OnePlus in same league as the Samsung or Google phones.

And the fact the OnePlus has some major unaddressed issues yet you promote it as being devoid of bloat & being patched frequently is puzzling.

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@ckl wrote:

@kav2001c  Ummm... ok. Oneplus is still good. Why? They update their OS to fix bugs and make improvements (5 updates since Aug including the important KRACK fix). Although oneplus is not completely devoid of bloatware, you can uninstall some of them unlike Samsung and LG where if it ships with the phone, it stays on the phone.

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[ckl]

@kav2001c  Ummm... ok. Oneplus is still good. Why? They update their OS to fix bugs and make improvements (5 updates since Aug including the important KRACK fix). Although oneplus is not completely devoid of bloatware, you can uninstall some of them unlike Samsung and LG where if it ships with the phone, it stays on the phone.

[kav2001c]

@ckl although you tout OnePlus your posting leans far more towards brands like Blackberry or Google

[texwood]

"phoenix wrote:

 For a while I was toying with the idea of getting the zenfone 4"

I am thinking of Zenfone 4 Pro; I am hoping to see a few more reviews before deciding, but so far I have not seen detailed reviews (only brief hand-on's).

HTC U11 is a decent choice as well; the camera is more than reasonable and they are pretty good when it comes to Android updates.  

There is a $70 discount for Black Friday (I know it's not that much).

[srlawren]

Good choices, @phoenix!  Please keep us in the loop.  🙂

[phoenix]

The one pus 5T  ( it was always a contender)

Huawei Mate 9

Google Pixel  (original)

For a while I was toying with the idea of getting the zenfone 4

When ever I am looking I always get stopped on the xiami but I always seem to have to tell my selves taht I dont see the bands.  haha

There are others I was looking at but I dont want to go around in a circle forever.  I am so tired of my galaxy s5

[srlawren]

@phoenix I agree with @mimmo:  which 3?  🙂  I just ordered a OnePlus 5T this morning and can't wait!  Been using my OnePlus 3 since June 2016 and have zero regrets, it's been an amazing device.  I don't think you can go wrong with it or the Eseential PH-1 or the LG G6.  The Eseential's weakest spot is it's camera, even though it's improved with updates it's still not great.  Maybe take a few smaller examples of stuff you would need to photograph to a Telus store and try out the camera for yourself to see if it would meet your needs?  My local Telus dealer has 2 live units on display you can interact with--I imagine most have at least 1.

[mimmo]

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@phoenix wrote:

I want to thank everyone for their imput I have a bit to think about.  I may buy around now or wait until boxing day sales because I will also have my vacation pay for the year at that point.  I feel bad for selecting one answer because so many of you have offered great assistance.  

Thank You every one I think I have narrowed down my choices to 3.  I am going to try not to add more to the list again and go back into choice overload

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@phoenix Which three?

[phoenix]

I want to thank everyone for their imput I have a bit to think about.  I may buy around now or wait until boxing day sales because I will also have my vacation pay for the year at that point.  I feel bad for selecting one answer because so many of you have offered great assistance.  

Thank You every one I think I have narrowed down my choices to 3.  I am going to try not to add more to the list again and go back into choice overload

[ckl · Accepted solution]

Whatever phone you choose, make sure the manufacturer has a track record of upgrading the OS on the phones.

One of the biggest issues I have with Samsung, LG, and top tier phone makers is that they are super slow or non-existent when it comes to upgrades. Why? Because of showstoppers like KRACK, that's why. My LG G3, although an old phone, will probably never get upgraded to fix the KRACK issue. The reason they are like this is because they have a lot of custom software like skins and apps that need to be tested for every new release of Android.

Also, whatever phone you decide, make sure it's got the least amount of unwanted software on your phone. Things like Mcafee security, facebook, instagram, twitter, etc. that have been pre-installed by default and running in the background even though you don't use them. Any unwanted software that runs in the background (as a service) will consume CPU and memory and will inevitably consume a small amount of battery life.

As a result, I the Oneplus 5T, Essential phone, Pixel 2 (if you can afford it), are solid choices. They have thin bezels and large screens (a trend for 2018) so your phone will not look dated before it's time, they have good cameras that can shoot well in low light, and have decent battery life. I would start monitoring prices from various sources as Black Friday is coming up. You might get a good deal.

[will13am]

I second the one plus 5T recommendation.  It's a flagship phone priced barely above mid range territory.

[kav2001c]

@phoenix games are the only thing that will cost

If you are a non-gamer specs can be very low and still meet normal day to day use

Most of the games are very poorly written resource hogs that require a much more expensive phone

Newer versions of Android are pretty irrelevant as nothing has been revolutionary in quite some time. I would get something modern so you can support your mobile payments and games.

Snapdragon is an (overpriced) brand, there are many cheaper chips out there if heavy gaming is not your sole use.

[ShawnC13]

@phoenix, for under $700 you have 2 great brand new phonesrecently released.  OnePlus 5T I think it is like $659 and the Essential Phone at 650.  I am looking at the Essential as my next phone and first Android OS phone.

[closng]

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@phoenix wrote:

I am comfortable with reputable online sellers.  I don't need the phone to be released this year.  I am okay wih it being a 2016 phone too

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If that is the case, you can't go wrong with either Samsung S7, LG G6, LG V20, Pixel/Pixel XL, Moto Z, HTC 10 released in 2016, most of these are flagship devices from the mainstream brands. These phones will suit your needs and more.

Now you just have to keep an eye out for a deal on these phones. Hopefully with Black Friday just around the cornder, you will be able to find something 🙂

[CalvinW]

The new OnePlus 5T is pretty amazing for under $700

[phoenix]

I think this is a case of choice overload

[Taekgun]

My 2 cents, have a look at the Essential Phone.  Price point is $650, fully compatible with PM and every Canadian Network, flagship level specs, great camera, great Android phone.

....and there could be a Black Friday deal coming soon for the device as well.

[phoenix]

I am comfortable with reputable online sellers.  I don't need the phone to be released this year.  I am okay wih it being a 2016 phone too

[mimmo]

I also think battery life is important.     I am using a moto z play 1st edition. And love the battey life. 

I think anything around  400-500 will suit your needs easily.  

[phoenix]

budget:  I could go up to $1000, but I would rather keep it under $700

[closng]

At $700, you have many options. Are you comfortable with phones sold by reputable sellers on eBay or would prefer to go with big box stores or major online retailers (i.e. Amazon, etc..)?

Do you want something released in 2017 or are you ok with devices released a year ago?

[daka_x]

OP, what is your budget?
It sounds like you are trying to keep costs down. There are numerous phones that offer flagship-like specs but at lower price points these days, which also tend to be available unlocked. Also, remember that it is almost Black Friday, so you might be able to get something on sale.

[phoenix]

I could easily go up to a grand, but I would prefer to keep it under $700... I was just making a lingo joke to say taht I don't fully understand what some of these terms mean when they say these thing so when I look at the specs.  It is hard for me to judge what the specs mean in performance.  I feel that I would want a decent amount of storage or expandable.  more for use of notes and pictures rather than music or videos because I don't really keep them on my phone.

[ShawnC13]

@phoenix, Snapdragon isn't an OS it is the processor.  What type of price range are you looking for?  As for the camera a midrange phone should suit your needs as now the camera's are more about the software running them rather than the hardware of the camera.  I have no experience with Android but I wouldn't personally go with anything less for 4GB of Ram but that is just me.  Are you looking for a phone with expandable storage, dual sim?  I think you would be best to define your price range finda  gorup of phones in that range and do a side by side comparison and some reading on each.  Phones are such a personal item no one can tell you what is right for you!!

[phoenix]

I would also like to stick with android phones