Contemplating Moving to an Android Phone - Overwhelmed by the Choices

[+devHead Subscriber²]

I've gotten to the point where I'm ready to get rid of my Windows Phone (Lumia 640) and move over to something from Samsung, or HTC or LG.  I've been looking at used/recertified phones on glyde.com, but frankly I'm overwhelmed by all the choices.  I have not kept up with any of the different phone makers and their models, so it's hard to know where to even begin.  Thus far, I've looked seriously at the following devices on their site:

 

• LG G3
• HTC One M8

 

Any opinions on these?  I'm reckoning that since they're a couple years old I probably would not be getting the newest version of Android, but right now that's not my biggest concern.  I would just like to get some feedback on these phones, or suggestions on others that might also work.  Presently, I'm with AT&T on their GoPhone plan, which I like because there's no contract, and with my data plan, my wife and I each pay only $43 a month.   I can't bring myself to paying $300-500 for a telephone.

 

Thanks for your observations and suggestions!

[+devHead Subscriber²]

Anyone?  Help?

[Draconian Guppy]

Based on my own experience, if you can find a LG G3, without GPS issues,  3.5m port issues, you are good.

 

Sense vs Lg ui

 

Sense is far smoother

 

LG ui is slightly stockish, though not quite optimized.

 

 

I personally HATE bezels, from a wasted space point of view, hence I would not consider the m8.

 

 

What is your budget? have you considered the new coming asian phones?

http://www.lemall.com/us/leeco_phone/index.html

 

If you grab a flash sale, you can get a le s3 pro, for $299. brand new, top of the line everything, without western marketing price. (lg, samsung, iphone, htc , sony, et al ) 

 

edit: have you considered swappa.com ? 

Edited December 6, 2016 by Draconian Guppy

[Order_66]

I know a few people with the M8 and they love them, if the screen was bigger I would have an M8 as well, I'm not a big fan of any device made by LG, from their refrigerators to TV's to phones their stuff has been nothing but one failure after the other, always something with them.

[tsupersonic]

What's your budget? 

 

 

[+Warwagon MVC]

If you want to dabble your toe in the Android water you an snag a like new LG G3 (as you were mentioning above) for $118 on eBay, maybe even less now. If you can get it rooted you can put on a Nouget rom, but they are still keeping up with Marshmellow security updates.

[PGHammer]

Quite honestly, if looking to move to Android, I would consider a quality pre-owned phone (as opposed to a new phone) at the "high end".

 

Formerly-high-end (my own Galaxy Nexus falls into this category - I'm actually the third owner) doesn't cost a mint (my mom, as the second owner, didn't even pay $100 for the GNex originally - she passed it down to me over what turned out to be a software issue).  The other reason I'm suggesting pre-owned is that you (not your carrier) are in control of updates (the selfsame GNex is the poster-child for the abysmal length of carrier-controlled updates - as I'm all of a point release behind the Google Pixel/PixelXL).  No - the GNex doesn't support microSD cards; however, it has more straight-up storage than my Lenovo A7-30F by a rather sizable margin (and breaking away from the old JellyBean ceiling - which community ROMs lets you do - REALLY shows that off; for example, compared to merely the above-mentioned Lenovo - which DOES support SD cards - I can actually run and use MORE apps, games, etc - and despite the lack of SD cards - on my phone compared to my tablet - which is running Lollipop.  Lollipop and above exact a penalty on all devices that are base-storage-starved by normally roadblocking use of SDcards as app storage (and hence the use of workarounds like APP2SD, etc.); however, devices that have large amounts of base storage (both old and new) don't suffer that sort of whackage; however, you pay a premium for NEW hardware that recognizes that fact - battle-tested hardware that ALSO recognizes that fact (such as the Galaxy Nexus) is thus a bargain.

[+devHead Subscriber²]

17 hours ago, tsupersonic said:

What's your budget? 

 

 

Since I'm looking to get 2, one for my wife and me, I'd like to stay under $300 total.  That's why I was looking at the above-mentioned ones in my post.  

18 hours ago, Draconian Guppy said:

Based on my own experience, if you can find a LG G3, without GPS issues,  3.5m port issues, you are good.

 

Sense vs Lg ui

 

Sense is far smoother

 

LG ui is slightly stockish, though not quite optimized.

 

 

I personally HATE bezels, from a wasted space point of view, hence I would not consider the m8.

 

 

What is your budget? have you considered the new coming asian phones?

http://www.lemall.com/us/leeco_phone/index.html

 

If you grab a flash sale, you can get a le s3 pro, for $299. brand new, top of the line everything, without western marketing price. (lg, samsung, iphone, htc , sony, et al ) 

 

edit: have you considered swappa.com ? 

Thanks for the info.  I have not checked out swappa.com; I will see what they have!  I'm looking to get 2 phones (used or recertified, for around $300 or less total).

[tsupersonic]

I'd check out swappa. I'd throw in the S5 in the mix.

 

If you're willing to step up to $180/190 per phone, you can get a brand new Moto G 4th gen today. (16 GB = $180, 32 GB = $190)

 

https://slickdeals.net/f/9501252-moto-g-4th-gen-from-moto-maker-any-design-180-16gb-190-32gb

[+devHead Subscriber²]

1 hour ago, tsupersonic said:

I'd check out swappa. I'd throw in the S5 in the mix.

 

If you're willing to step up to $180/190 per phone, you can get a brand new Moto G 4th gen today. (16 GB = $180, 32 GB = $190)

 

https://slickdeals.net/f/9501252-moto-g-4th-gen-from-moto-maker-any-design-180-16gb-190-32gb

Actually, someone is selling them on eBay for $135.  I think I'm going to propose to my wife.

[Mando]

even after 2years of having my G3 i still love it, and it got Marshmallow via LG in the summer. (and im a fussy mofo) i actually prefer it over my iphone 6S for work.

 

Cant praise it enough 32Gb model with 3Gb ram.

3 minutes ago, devHead said:

  I think I'm going to propose to my wife.

again? (teehee)  

[PsYcHoKiLLa]

OnePlus 3T, way above the performance of the best flagship devices at half the price, just look up some reviews on YT.

 

Hmm Just noticed your budget, I'd recommend a couple of  ZUK Z1s then, it's the budget arm of Lenovo and is supported by Cyanogen

[+devHead Subscriber²]

So, I went with the Motorola Moto G4.  It's gotten great reviews for its price range.  I'm expecting to receive it next Tuesday.  Thanks for everyone's input!

[HoochieMamma]

Motos are very good. Just put in a SD card (max 256GB) and in Android storage settings set it as adoptable storage and you're good to go.