In the market for a new phone... Help!

[Chuck]

Should I go for the:

 

S6 Edge + http://www.sprint.com/landings/galaxy/#!/

 

The Note 5 (I have a Note III currently)

 

iPhone 6 plus

 

The latest LG phone (heard they're great)

 

Or wait till another awesome smartphone comes out in another month? (I don't want to wait more than a month). 

 

Thoughts?

 

Loved my Note III until the past couple months. The battery is dying fast. I've even tried factory resetting, using two different batteries. Won't make it through half a day for me. Ugh! I carry two extra batteries in my wallet. Luckily I'm plugged in at work or when I'm at home, or in the car when driving. Just want better battery life with all the latest technology. I'd like a good camera too as I take a lot of pictures of my family and scenery up here. 

 

The reason I'm reluctant to go to Apple is because I've purchased all kinds of apps on Google over the years, including music and movies on Google Play. I'd lose them all. 

 

 

[gotbeer]

I have the LG4.  

 

Pros.  Swappable batteries.  mini sd card up to 128 gb now.  In the future up to 2 tb.  Camera is good, I just used auto on the summer fanfest pics.  Although from using a iphone camera, I did notice that there is a longer lag on the LG in taking the picture.  But the pictures that come out are fantastic.  Not as much bloat like on Samsung phones.  It has 5.1, and is supposed to get marshmellow.  It charges fairly quick.  Quickcircle case with qi works fine.  I just wish they had a cheap non flip official qi case.  But I would recommend getting qi charging for it.  Charging the battery seperately seems to take longer than if charging via the phone. Apps work fine.  I really don't use much stock apps on the phone.

 

Cons.  Thing I have been noticing recently, and I'm not sure if it's a Tmobile thing, or a android thing.  But some apps have issues when wifi and 4g is turned on.  Like Simpsons.  I can only use it on wifi or 4g, but not when both are on.  Battery life will vary.  I play lots of games on it, so can lose 20% a game.  Usually when I'm out and about, I will need to swap out at least one battery, sometimes 2 batteries in a day.  If your phone is searching for a wifi signal, I've seen the battery get sapped quickly.  Only comes in 32 gb.  The SD is supposed to make up for only coming in one size.  And if you do go with the LG, spend the extra and buy a good sd card.  Screen can get hard to see.  Especially in sunlight.  It's not as bright and vibrant as in the Samsung.  In standard light, indoors, it looks fine.

 

IMO, it comes down to how much value you put in swappable batteries and expanded sd cards.  If those two are very important features like I place them, then I think the LG4 is the only way to go.  

Edited August 24, 2015 by gotbeer

[nate]

New iPhones will come out soon.  I think new Samsung phones will come out soon too.  IMO wait for them and then make a decision.

[Blarg]

Any phone too big for Nate's hands should be just fine.

[Blarg]

Should I go for the:

 

S6 Edge + http://www.sprint.com/landings/galaxy/#!/

 

The Note 5 (I have a Note III currently)

 

iPhone 6 plus

 

The latest LG phone (heard they're great)

 

Or wait till another awesome smartphone comes out in another month? (I don't want to wait more than a month). 

 

Thoughts?

 

Loved my Note III until the past couple months. The battery is dying fast. I've even tried factory resetting, using two different batteries. Won't make it through half a day for me. Ugh! I carry two extra batteries in my wallet. Luckily I'm plugged in at work or when I'm at home, or in the car when driving. Just want better battery life with all the latest technology. I'd like a good camera too as I take a lot of pictures of my family and scenery up here. 

 

The reason I'm reluctant to go to Apple is because I've purchased all kinds of apps on Google over the years, including music and movies on Google Play. I'd lose them all. 

 

I found that we both had that battery drain problem in Tempe last March. For my phone it was the calendar program constantly pinging for cell service to update contacts, dates, etc. I think this was an Android software update that was incompatible with a lot of phones causing programs to run unnecessarily and use your 4g. Disabling the calendar and the battery drain stopped. Loaded a new app for the calendar and everything works fine.

[Chuck]

I found that we both had that battery drain problem in Tempe last March. For my phone it was the calendar program constantly pinging for cell service to update contacts, dates, etc. I think this was an Android software update that was incompatible with a lot of phones causing programs to run unnecessarily and use your 4g. Disabling the calendar and the battery drain stopped. Loaded a new app for the calendar and everything works fine.

 

 

Yeah, actually I started noticing it then. 

 

But I do like having a mini SD card and not paying out the ass for extra storage. I guess I would rather swap out batteries since I'm used to it. 

 

Oh I also want to downsize. Over time the Note III has become to much to lug around. I'd like to get a smaller phone. 

[Chuck]

I have the LG4.  

 

Pros.  Swappable batteries.  mini sd card up to 128 gb now.  In the future up to 2 tb.  Camera is good, I just used auto on the summer fanfest pics.  Although from using a iphone camera, I did notice that there is a longer lag on the LG in taking the picture.  But the pictures that come out are fantastic.  Not as much bloat like on Samsung phones.  It has 5.1, and is supposed to get marshmellow.  It charges fairly quick.  Quickcircle case with qi works fine.  I just wish they had a cheap non flip official qi case.  But I would recommend getting qi charging for it.  Charging the battery seperately seems to take longer than if charging via the phone. Apps work fine.  I really don't use much stock apps on the phone.

 

Cons.  Thing I have been noticing recently, and I'm not sure if it's a Tmobile thing, or a android thing.  But some apps have issues when wifi and 4g is turned on.  Like Simpsons.  I can only use it on wifi or 4g, but not when both are on.  Battery life will vary.  I play lots of games on it, so can lose 20% a game.  Usually when I'm out and about, I will need to swap out at least one battery, sometimes 2 batteries in a day.  If your phone is searching for a wifi signal, I've seen the battery get sapped quickly.  Only comes in 32 gb.  The SD is supposed to make up for only coming in one size.  And if you do go with the LG, spend the extra and buy a good sd card.  Screen can get hard to see.  Especially in sunlight.  It's not as bright and vibrant as in the Samsung.  In standard light, indoors, it looks fine.

 

IMO, it comes down to how much value you put in swappable batteries and expanded sd cards.  If those two are very important features like I place them, then I think the LG4 is the only way to go.  

 

 

Those pics came out great. 

 

Thanks for all the feedback GB! 

[Jay]

Galaxy S6 and Edge are really nice.  My wife liked the edge so we got it for her but for me the standard S6 is fine and it's $100 less.  Same exact phone without the curved display.

 

They have an Edge+ now which is just a bigger version of the Edge.  There's also a Note 5 that has the stylus.

 

But I'm not into the phablet thing.

 

The other day I was on the phone with somebody, I had my Bluetooth speaker set up so it was like a speaker phone.  At the same time I was browsing on the internet.  I thought that was pretty cool but to you guys it's probably no big deal.

[gotbeer]

One other thing Chuck.  If I remember right, you had a smartwatch at summer fanfest.  Depending on what that smartwatch was may affect what phone you want.  Many Samsung watches are only usuable on Samsung phones.  The gear fit I had was one such one.  Luckily I bought it used and sold it for what I paid for it.  So I'd research your watch, and make sure that it is compatible with whatever you are going to buy.  Or look into selling it and getting a compatible one.

[mrwicked]

Phones are basically commoditized at this point - they're all the same.

Choose the OS you like, and get whatever screen size you want for said operating system.

The new blackberrys are running android now with a physical keyboard, kind of neat.

[Brandon]

Weird about the battery drain. I'm constantly on my phone and even stream sports at the office and am good almost all day.

 

Do you not close out all your applications when you're done? I constantly hold in the main button and clear my programs.

[nate]

I am sure it is an app or a setting.  Samsung phones have an option for a "smart network switch" I found that when ever I was in a bad reception area it really just meant drain the **** outta the battery mode.  The phone would get hot and drain 20% battery an hour.  Turned it off and I was back to almost no drain unless I was using it.

 

My personal preference on phones is still Apple.  My S5 was fine but I still had some issues.  Build quality on Apple phones is the best there is and I prefer the OS.  It is not as customizable but everything works better and more fluidly than it did on Android.  Plus you don't get all the bloatware and crap.  I am sure there are things that I miss about it but it has been long enough that I don't remember.  At the time the biggest reason I switched was for the larger screen but since  you can get the iPhone plus now it doesn't matter.

[Tank]

if battery longevity is a concern, best to stay away from iPhones. their batteries cannot be switched, either, in the same way your note III can switch. 

[Chuck]

All good points fellas. 

 

I'll check the smart network watch thing and turn that shit off, Nate. 

 

Because I have so many apps and invested so much money into them, plus having a Samsung Galaxy Gear watch, it's probably best I stay with Samsung. I'll probably get the new Edge +. It looks pretty good. 

[Jay]

I like that the S6 has a flashing notification LED.  Not sure if iPhone has that.

[nate]

All good points fellas. 

 

I'll check the smart network watch thing and turn that shit off, Nate. 

 

Because I have so many apps and invested so much money into them, plus having a Samsung Galaxy Gear watch, it's probably best I stay with Samsung. I'll probably get the new Edge +. It looks pretty good. 

 

I think it is in the wifi settings at the top.  That or it is a toggle.

[stevestevens]

I am with Wicked.  All these phones are the same. 

 

I went with the LG G4 because of the changeable batter and microSD card.  I store all my music on there.  I know people tell me to put it on the cloud but 95% of the time I listen to my music is in my car when I am not connected to wifi. The camera is also really good as is the camera on the IPhone and Galaxy. 

[Chuck]

I think it is in the wifi settings at the top.  That or it is a toggle.

 

Is it under "Connections optimizer" ??

 

Called: Intelligent Mobile Network and Wi-Fi settings?

 

I'm on Sprint if that matters. 

[nate]

Is it under "Connections optimizer" ??

 

Called: Intelligent Mobile Network and Wi-Fi settings?

 

I'm on Sprint if that matters. 

 

Hmm, I am almost certain it was under Wifi for me.  I had a S5 though so it might be in a different spot for you.  Basically it would try to switch between wifi and mobile data dynamically.

[Jobu]

Keep in mind the newest generation of Samsung phones have non replaceable batteries and no expandable storage.

Otherwise, extremely well reviewed.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

But I'm not into the phablet thing.

 

This is where I am. I bought a used Kindle Fire HD7 for tablet functions, and my phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) just has to be a phone. I occasionally play games or surf the web on it if I'm just killing time somewhere, but other than that it's just calls and the occasional text.

[gotbeer]

This is where I am. I bought a used Kindle Fire HD7 for tablet functions, and my phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) just has to be a phone. I occasionally play games or surf the web on it if I'm just killing time somewhere, but other than that it's just calls and the occasional text.

 

I switched out to the LG4 from the Samsung S5.  The S5 and 1 gb of ram for games was really becoming a hinderance.  Especially for high graphics games.  It's surprising how much smoother it is with 3 gb, and upgraded processors and such.  

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I'll remember that at renewal time. Thanks.

[mrwicked]

Cuter half and I are going to grab new iphone 6s plus' when they come out in a couple weeks.

If you are still hunting then I will let you know how we like them.

[Chuck]

According to this review article, Samsung 6 is the best on the market. 

 

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/20-best-mobile-phones-in-the-world-today-645440/10