New cellphone time, I am considering a Pixel, any other suggestions welcomed

[jnelsoninjax]

I really liked my Moto X4, but recently it has been acting really odd and I can not figure out what the root cause of the issue is, I have done a factory reset and the issues still persist, so I am looking at upgrading to a different phone and am considering a Pixel, my BIL and niece both have Pixels and have not had any real issues with them. Any other suggestions for phones would be welcomed.

[techbeck]

1 minute ago, jnelsoninjax said:

I really liked my Moto X4, but recently it has been acting really odd and I can not figure out what the root cause of the issue is, I have done a factory reset and the issues still persist, so I am looking at upgrading to a different phone and am considering a Pixel, my BIL and niece both have Pixels and have not had any real issues with them. Any other suggestions for phones would be welcomed.

I got the Pixel 4XL.  Good phone and no issues with it what so ever.  No fingerprint unlock or LED notification lights which is a issue for some but I dont mind it really.  Has an always active display to see notifications if you want and the face unlock is really quick.  OS is stock as well so that is nice.  So will get updates longer than most/all other OEMs.  Personally, I stick with Google for stock and longer support.

 

May be able to pic up a Pixel 3 or so cheaper if you are concerned about price.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

the Pixel line is really going down hill and many don't like the quirks of the Pixel 4 line. If you're considering the Pixel I'd recommend looking around for some reviews and decide if you're okay with its downfalls.

 

What are your requirements? Are you aiming for flagship or is mid-grade an option for you?

 

Here are a few I would recommend:

 

• OnePlus 7T (Standard or Pro)
• Samsung A series (Samsung's mid-grade offering; I find they function better than their own flagships. the current models are the A20, A50, A80)
• iPhone (9 or XR)

 

Everything else Android besides OnePlus or Samsung Mid-Grade is either not available in the US or has gone down hill in quality and/or update time-frame IMO

[techbeck]

6 minutes ago, Brandon H said:

• Samsung A series (Samsung's mid-grade offering; I find they function better than their own flagships. the current models are the A20, A50, A80)

If you want short lived OS updates, slow updates, or none at all, go Samsung.  And their interface is crap IMO.  Never liked it.

 

And really, most of the complaints about the Pixel 4 I have saw to be unfounded.  I have none of the issues people seem to complain about.  But that how it goes with most products I guess.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

1 minute ago, techbeck said:

If you want short lived OS updates or none at all, go Samsung.  And their interface is crap IMO.  Never liked it.

Yeah Samsung is up and down like a lot of the other OEMs I've mentioned; their flagships have so much bloat they quickly slow down after a time.

Their A series though gets pretty consistent updates and has less bloatware so it stays rather smooth compared to the flagships. I have the 2018 model the A6 and it still runs rather well, I'm on Android 9 with it currently and getting monthly security updates at the very least.

 

3 minutes ago, techbeck said:

And really, most of the complaints about the Pixel 4 I have saw to be unfounded.  I have none of the issues people seem to complain about.  But that how it goes with most products I guess.

Yeah that's why I said to judge for himself if the issues bother him or not. The main issue I think would bother me the most personally would be the smaller battery which drains all the quicker due to the higher refresh rate on the screen.

[techbeck]

Just now, Brandon H said:

Yeah that's why I said to judge for himself if the issues bother him or not. The main issue I think would bother me the most personally would be the smaller battery which drains all the quicker due to the higher refresh rate on the screen.

Battery life is not an issue really unless you are a really heavy user.  I take my phone off the charger and have at least 1/2 left by midnight.  I use it for work. email, web browser, and a few hours of video.  And a ton of texts per day.  And there are tips on changing settings to help battery life as well.   You can also turn off/reduce the refresh rate/90hz display.

3 minutes ago, Brandon H said:

I have the 2018 model the A6 and it still runs rather well, I'm on Android 9 with it currently and getting monthly security updates at the very least.

Good to know but still do not trust Samsung's update support.  They left a bad taste in my mouth especially with their ugly UI as well as poor support.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

1 minute ago, techbeck said:

Battery life is not an issue really unless you are a really heavy user.  I take my phone off the charger and have at least 1/2 left by midnight.  I use it for work. email, web browser, and a few hours of video.  And a ton of texts per day.  And there are tips on changing settings to help battery life as well.   You can also turn off/reduce the refresh rate/90hz display.

that's fair. I guess the only other thing that keeps me away from the pixel line is the lack of microSD support. Cloud Storage isn't the end all be all IMO, I still make use of external storage quite a bit. Especially due to the number of apps I have installed.

[techbeck]

Just now, Brandon H said:

that's fair. I guess the only other thing that keeps me away from the pixel line is the lack of microSD support. Cloud Storage isn't the end all be all IMO, I still make use of external storage quite a bit. Especially due to the number of apps I have installed.

I got the 128gb model 4XL so really not an issue for me.  Only prob I have seen for some people is those who take a lot of pics/video.  Specially max video quality which will eat up a lot of space.  Last phone was only 64gb storage and I was fine with that as well. I tend to keep my devices clean and if I do not use an app for a while, it  gets removed.  Far as cloud storage, I think it is fine for most users but someone who is a power user will always want something different regardless of what  devices is used.

 

Anyway, if getting the phone from a carrier, they normally have a 14 day trial period where if you do not like the phone, you can return it and try another.  Something I normally recommend to people who are not sure what phone to use.  Tho this will only work for Samsung, Google, Motor, LG and other phones offered by the carrier.  Do not think the OnePlus series is available via carriers.

[greenwizard88]

My wife broke her iPhone X, 3 times, and it was out of AppleCare. I figured, I'll get her a pixel 3a, because it's cheap and supposed to have a great camera. She broke it within a week. Here's what I've since discovered:

 

The major insurers will rate how likely a phone is to break. The iPhone X is the least durable iPhone Apple has ever made. For comparison, the SE is one of the most durable, and I've dropped mine 6 feet into concrete... The Pixel 3a was less durable than the iPhone X. I don't know where the 4's are, but I'd look into that. Also look into how difficult it is to replace a screen if it breaks. For the 3a, it's extremely difficult.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

Just now, techbeck said:

I got the 128gb model 4XL so really not an issue for me.  Only prob I have seen for some people is those who take a lot of pics/video.  Specially max video quality which will eat up a lot of space.  Last phone was only 64gb storage and I was fine with that as well. I tend to keep my devices clean and if I do not use an app for a while, it  gets removed.  Far as cloud storage, I think it is fine for most users but someone who is a power user will always want something different regardless of what  devices is used.

 

Anyway, if getting the phone from a carrier, they normally have a 14 day trial period where if you do not like the phone, you can return it and try another.  Something I normally recommend to people who are not sure what phone to use.  Tho this will only work for Samsung, Google, Motor, LG and other phones offered by the carrier.  Do not think the OnePlus series is available via carriers.

Yeah that's the thing, I'm with a no-contract carrier (Metro by T-Mobile right now) so I have to buy phones outright if I want a new one; no subsidizing. The price jump for higher internal memory models of certain phones makes it a hard sell for me. I'd rather just be able to buy a phone model and swap my microSD card from the phone I'm switching from.

[techbeck]

Just now, Brandon H said:

Yeah that's the thing, I'm with a no-contract carrier (Metro by T-Mobile right now) so I have to buy phones outright if I want a new one; no subsidizing. The price jump for higher internal memory models of certain phones makes it a hard sell for me. I'd rather just be able to buy a phone model and swap my microSD card from the phone I'm switching from.

I was lucky this time around.  Got my phone for free and ordered from Google..  Bday/Xmas present from my GF  who makes a crap ton more money than I since she works in the medical field.

[jnelsoninjax]

16 minutes ago, Brandon H said:

the Pixel line is really going down hill and many don't like the quirks of the Pixel 4 line. If you're considering the Pixel I'd recommend looking around for some reviews and decide if you're okay with its downfalls.

 

What are your requirements? Are you aiming for flagship or is mid-grade an option for you?

 

Here are a few I would recommend:

 

• OnePlus 7T (Standard or Pro)
• Samsung A series (Samsung's mid-grade offering; I find they function better than their own flagships. the current models are the A20, A50, A80)
• iPhone (9 or XR)

 

Everything else Android besides OnePlus or Samsung Mid-Grade is either not available in the US or has gone down hill in quality and/or update time-frame IMO

I do not want an iPhone, I much prefer Android. My requirements are simple, a phone that works and does what it is supposed to! I admit that I really do not know anything about the OnePlus series, or much of Samsung. I do know that Samsung tend to be more expensive, how do both stand for regular updates/security patches/etc?

 

3 minutes ago, techbeck said:

I got the 128gb model 4XL so really not an issue for me.  Only prob I have seen for some people is those who take a lot of pics/video.  Specially max video quality which will eat up a lot of space.  Last phone was only 64gb storage and I was fine with that as well. I tend to keep my devices clean and if I do not use an app for a while, it  gets removed.  Far as cloud storage, I think it is fine for most users but someone who is a power user will always want something different regardless of what  devices is used.

 

Anyway, if getting the phone from a carrier, they normally have a 14 day trial period where if you do not like the phone, you can return it and try another.  Something I normally recommend to people who are not sure what phone to use.  Tho this will only work for Samsung, Google, Motor, LG and other phones offered by the carrier.  Do not think the OnePlus series is available via carriers.

I am going to purchase my phone from Amazon most likely, and the thing that I need to make sure of is carrier compatibility, I am using a NVMO, Telo, that is on the Sprint network,

[techbeck]

2 minutes ago, jnelsoninjax said:

I am going to purchase my phone from Amazon most likely, and the thing that I need to make sure of is carrier compatibility, I am using a NVMO, Telo, that is on the Sprint network,

IF you get an unlocked Pixel, will work on any network i believe.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

6 minutes ago, jnelsoninjax said:

I do not want an iPhone, I much prefer Android. My requirements are simple, a phone that works and does what it is supposed to! I admit that I really do not know anything about the OnePlus series, or much of Samsung. I do know that Samsung tend to be more expensive, how do both stand for regular updates/security patches/etc?

 

I am going to purchase my phone from Amazon most likely, and the thing that I need to make sure of is carrier compatibility, I am using a NVMO, Telo, that is on the Sprint network,

haha fair on iPhone, only reason I listed it as an option is because I myself as a long time Android user am finally considering switching over due to the state of Android anymore and wanting something that "just works" like you say; it's hard to find that aspect with reliable lasting updates in the Android market anymore.

 

OnePlus, while their prices have gone up with each gen, they've kept a good track record of updating their devices from what I've heard. I don't own one personally but I know a couple people that have owned previous models and they were happy with them.

 

Samsung's Mid-Grade range is more affordable, usually the $300-400 range unlocked/un-subsidized but they're fairly reliable (from personal experience) and do get a decent amount of updates if just a little slow on that front.

 

If you're purchasing from Amazon then you won't really need to worry about comparability, they have good indicators and selectors on their listings to be sure you order the right model  

[jnelsoninjax]

1 minute ago, techbeck said:

IF you get an unlocked Pixel, will work on any network i believe.

I would obviously purchase unlocked, if I recall correctly, all Pixels are unlocked. I know that it is a matter of opinion, but between a OnePlus and a Pixel which would be better?

[jnelsoninjax]

2 minutes ago, Brandon H said:

haha fair on iPhone, only reason I listed it as an option is because I myself as a long time Android user am finally considering switching over due to the state of Android anymore and wanting something that "just works" like you say; it's hard to find that aspect with reliable lasting updates in the Android market anymore.

 

OnePlus, while their prices have gone up with each gen, they've kept a good track record of updating their devices from what I've heard. I don't own one personally but I know a couple people that have owned previous models and they were happy with them.

 

Samsun's Mid-Grade range is more affordable, usually the $300-400 range unlocked/un-subsidized but they're fairly reliable (from personal experience) and do get a decent amount of updates if just a little slow on that front.

 

If you're purchasing from Amazon then you won't really need to worry about comparability, they have good indicators and selectors on their listings to be sure you order the right model  

Is it true that Apple basically forces you to upgrade after a certain time frame by pushing updates that slow the phones down, or is that just a unconfirmed rumor?

[Brandon H Supervisor]

1 minute ago, jnelsoninjax said:

I would obviously purchase unlocked, if I recall correctly, all Pixels are unlocked. I know that it is a matter of opinion, but between a OnePlus and a Pixel which would be better?

the OnePlus 7T has both an in display finger print sensor & face unlock so you won't lose out on fingerprint if you prefer that over face unlock.

 

Price looks similar on both so I'd compare the spec sheets to determine which is a better option for you.

2 minutes ago, jnelsoninjax said:

Is it true that Apple basically forces you to upgrade after a certain time frame by pushing updates that slow the phones down, or is that just a unconfirmed rumor?

yes/no

 

they were silently pushing updates to older phones to throttle the CPU. their claim was to help the older batteries last longer.

they got called out and got in trouble for that practice a couple years ago now and I believe have stopped that practice and have a notification now when the battery is starting to fail.

[shockz]

The Pixel line is stagnant. You get a pixel if you want stock android. The camera on the 4 is good, but plenty of other competitors offer similar cameras (and also 3 camera systems) and more bang for your buck.

 

So go for a pixel if you plan on keeping your phone for an extended period of time, and get guaranteed, timely updates. And also looking for a no frill, stock (boring) android experience. 

 

Their price points are entirely too high. They are always on the end of the snapdragon cycles, and this year they didn't even bother with the 855 enhancements. Flagship spec pricing on 8-14 month old tech.

 

A lot of apps I used on my Pixel 4 did not support face unlock and resulted in manual password entries. Every time I wanted to use the app. The 4 is an entirely disappointing phone. If you want a pixel, go for a 3XL.

Edited February 27, 2020 by shockz

[techbeck]

Define boring as the UI has a lot of gestures and other features other OEMs have.  If it is just the look of the UI, then that is really subjective. So depending on your usage/needs...you may not find it "boring" at all.  But same can be said about most other devices as well depending on your usage if a device does not have what you need/want.  And luckily a "boring" stock UI can be livened up with a new launcher and plenty are available in the play store.

 

To each their own.  Pixel 3 series ares till being sold on Amazon at about $200 or so less than the P4s.

[techbeck]

47 minutes ago, jnelsoninjax said:

but between a OnePlus and a Pixel which would be better?

Really subjective.  Not sure if Amazon has a trial period to try out phones or not either.    There are plenty of user videos and reviews of each device on YouTube you can watch to help you decide.

[jnelsoninjax]

3 minutes ago, techbeck said:

Really subjective.  Not sure if Amazon has a trial period to try out phones or not either.    There are plenty of user videos and reviews of each device on YouTube you can watch to help you decide.

Good idea, I will look at YouTube, thanks for the suggestion!

[Joe User]

I've been using a Galaxy S9+ for about 2 years now, got it on launch day.  I have to say it's been my favorite phone since the Nexus One. Updates are usually monthly, we just got the second major update to Android 10. We're supposed to get 3 years total, so I don't expect much more in the way of updates. Samsung LOVES to add features that duplicate Google. If you want Android with a slick/polished feel, Samsung is the way to go.

 

I know two people with Pixel 3s, they love the phone. Updates are pretty much immediate after release, supposed to get 3 years as well. It's well made and takes good pics. If you like Google, and don't mind turning everything over to them, the Pixel is a great phone.

 

I've owned several LG phones over the past 20 years. LG makes great phones on paper. In reality, they're never as good as they sound, Updates are sparse and they have frequently mislead customers on how many updates they get. If you hate yourself, LG is the way to go.

 

Apple is in a universe to themselves.  Expect at least 4 years of updates, not slowed down by your carriers whims. Apple is the definition of a walled garden, you do things Apple's way just like everyone else and you don't break out of the garden, ever. If you wake up one morning and decide that you want a pampered experience and not just a phone, get an iPhone.

 

 

 

[Brandon H Supervisor]

1 minute ago, Joe User said:

Apple is in a universe to themselves.  Expect at least 4 years of updates, not slowed down by your carriers whims. Apple is the definition of a walled garden, you do things Apple's way just like everyone else and you don't break out of the garden, ever. If you wake up one morning and decide that you want a pampered experience and not just a phone, get an iPhone.

you could always jailbreak to break out of that garden  but updating iOS has always been a pain when jailbreaking as you have to reset and restore everytime.

[Joe User]

Just now, Brandon H said:

you could always jailbreak to break out of that garden  but updating iOS has always been a pain when jailbreaking as you have to reset and restore everytime.

You could also hit your phone with a hammer. I don't recommend either, but at least you know how your phone is going to work after the hammer.

 

 

[jnelsoninjax]

I have decided on a Pixel 3A XL, the reviews are really good and I found a good price on it.