new s*itphone needed

[Kalahari Inkantation]

my current phone spontaneously died again a few days ago

i bought a battery pack to mitigate my problems but it's definitely time to upgrade

[bluaki]

yes, the google pixel

it was way overpriced at launch, and now considering it's eight months old it's insanely overpriced for its weak cpu and other unremarkable hardware

the software's good but that's its only major selling point

you can get absolutely something of comparable performance for less than two thirds (maybe even half) the $650 base msrp (the most expensive configuration is nearly $900 lmao)

Weak CPU? SD821 was the best Qualcomm you could get until SD835 released this year.

That said, it is definitely the most overpriced Google phone yet. Rather than internal specs, I think the design is the main point that's lacking compared to the price. No waterproofing at all (unlike every other comparable 2016 phone), huge bezels that are completely empty with no speakers or buttons or anything to justify it.

I want it, but mostly because of the small size (basically nothing else is made at that size anymore) and the software. I'd probably prefer the Galaxy S7 or S8 for this size and lower price and Exynos if not for the Samsung junkware.

In hardware, one advantage Google has over whatever cheaper phones you might be thinking about is the camera.

oh... what do u tihnk of the nexus 5x

unless you can find it for like <$180, the nexus 5x's price:value ratio may actually be somehow even worse than the pixel's is

they're still charging $300 in 2017 for a phone that should have been no more than $250 in 2015

>2gb ram
>an insult of a processor
>criminally undersized battery
>horrible build quality
>random incurable bootlooping because it's a piece of lg trash

the thing is deservedly in the three-star range on both newegg and amzn (should be lower tbh)

honestly, unless you absolutely insist on having a pure android experience, i would avoid google phones altogether

I'm using a Nexus 5X right now.

I bought it at launch for the full $420
it got the fastest price drop ever of any Google phone only a few months later

My biggest issue with it and the main reason I want another phone soon is the storage: I paid extra for the biggest capacity option, but it's still only 32GB non-expandable. Not enough for me. The size (slightly bigger than I'd like) and RAM are moderately annoying too. Its software is already approaching end-of-life this year. Still, I'd recommend it at the current price.

I think mobile CPUs are advanced enough now that the difference between SD808 and basically anything else isn't particularly important if even noticeable at all. I'd even argue it's better than SD810  because of heat and battery life. I haven't had any hardware failure or bootlooping. I really liked the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 which were both also LG devices.

Side note: by principal, I hate that Google removed wireless charging from the Nexus 5X because the 6P's metal design can't support it and they refused to let the 5X have any sort of advantage over the 6P. The low RAM and storage specs were probably also chosen to make the 6P seem more appealing in comparison.

I'd say Sony's phones are the next closest to stock Android, but they're even more overpriced than Google.

[bluaki]

i feel like the amount of ram isn't the problem with your phone lol

I've considered as much myself, but what else could it be? A weak CPU?

it almost never actually reports more than ~3gb out of 4 in use at any given moment

but what else would be causing it randomly crash to homescreen in the middle of flipping through chrome tabs/other apps lol

[spoiler=i mean look at this][/spoiler]

although in that particular instance it actually is reporting over 3gb in use lol

and its cpu may be p. low-end today but it was solidly in the high mid range back in 2015

For mobile SoCs, as you're well aware, Intel is very niche. It's very probable those issues can be caused by chipset and driver issues, especially wireless.

You definitely shouldn't be seeing full OS crashes from Android due to RAM at 4GB. I've never even seen it on 2GB.

[Kalahari Inkantation]

i feel like the amount of ram isn't the problem with your phone lol

I've considered as much myself, but what else could it be? A weak CPU?

it almost never actually reports more than ~3gb out of 4 in use at any given moment

but what else would be causing it randomly crash to homescreen in the middle of flipping through chrome tabs/other apps lol

[spoiler=i mean look at this][/spoiler]

although in that particular instance it actually is reporting over 3gb in use lol

and its cpu may be p. low-end today but it was solidly in the high mid range back in 2015

For mobile SoCs, as you're well aware, Intel is very niche. It's very probable those issues can be caused by chipset and driver issues, especially wireless.

You definitely shouldn't be seeing full OS crashes from Android due to RAM at 4GB. I've never even seen it on 2GB.

the wireless issues are almost certainly on intel, that's true

and i guess it's possible all the other little issues are attributable to the phone's unusual x86 architecture as well

"crash" might have been too strong a word, rather what happens is it dumps everything currently loaded from the memory, leaving me to reset anything i had open

v. annoying because sometimes i end up losing data that would not be easy to recover

[Kalahari Inkantation]

yes, the google pixel

it was way overpriced at launch, and now considering it's eight months old it's insanely overpriced for its weak cpu and other unremarkable hardware

the software's good but that's its only major selling point

you can get absolutely something of comparable performance for less than two thirds (maybe even half) the $650 base msrp (the most expensive configuration is nearly $900 lmao)

Weak CPU? SD821 was the best Qualcomm you could get until SD835 released this year.

weak cpu considering its insane pricing

weak cpu relative to the beastly a10, the kirin, the exynos, etc., all of which blew the 821 out of the water with lower power draw/greater efficiency/much less heat waste

the only thing the 821 could blow up was itself

That said, it is definitely the most overpriced Google phone yet. Rather than internal specs, I think the design is the main point that's lacking compared to the price. No waterproofing at all (unlike every other comparable 2016 phone), huge bezels that are completely empty with no speakers or buttons or anything to justify it.

I want it, but mostly because of the small size (basically nothing else is made at that size anymore) and the software. I'd probably prefer the Galaxy S7 or S8 for this size and lower price and Exynos if not for the Samsung junkware.

In hardware, one advantage Google has over whatever cheaper phones you might be thinking about is the camera.

its hardware is pure disappointment but yeah, there's no arguing that the one area in which the pixel shines is the camera

it's still probably the best camera available on any mobile device

I'm using a Nexus 5X right now.

I bought it at launch for the full $420

you poor thing

how badly has it mistreated you

My biggest issue with it and the main reason I want another phone soon is the storage: I paid extra for the biggest capacity option, but it's still only 32GB non-expandable. Not enough for me. The size (slightly bigger than I'd like) and RAM are moderately annoying too. Its software is already approaching end-of-life this year. Still, I'd recommend it at the current price.

yep, everything about this phone screamed $250@launch, tops

and yet they had the audacity to charge over $400

and yet they have the audacity to still be charging $300

your average $200 sh*tphone these days has more ram and an at least equal if not better processor than the nexus 5x

I haven't had any hardware failure or bootlooping.

you may be one of the lucky ones

it happens to a lot of the more recent lg devices

https://www.xda-developers.com/lg-bootloop-lawsuit-adds-nexus-5x-lg-g5-v20-case/

Side note: by principal, I hate that Google removed wireless charging from the Nexus 5X because the 6P's metal design can't support it and they refused to let the 5X have any sort of advantage over the 6P. The low RAM and storage specs were probably also chosen to make the 6P seem more appealing in comparison.

and i of course hate when companies do this too

[Hiro]

tec, thoughts on oneplus 5?

[Kalahari Inkantation]

tec, thoughts on oneplus 5?

it meets many of my criteria

pros:

+the only decent snapdragon processor in 2017
+many rams
+1080p
+decently-sized battery
+ostensibly good ui
+decent amount of storage
+great price for what it offers
+good screen/body ratio

neutral:

•neither an upgrade nor a downgrade in terms of screen size, but i would prefer at least 5.7in
•processor may be decent but it's still a scrapdragon

cons:

-amoled
-disappointing camera
-no sd card slot

hmmm

certainly an option worthy of consideration

[Hiro]

neutral:

•neither an upgrade nor a downgrade in terms of screen size, but i would prefer at least 5.7in

holy hell how large of a phone do you want
I can't go with this phone because it's too large for me, in fact I think the GS8 is the only phone that seems to be acceptable to me right now in that regard, and even then it's too tall

cons:
-amoled

how is amoled a bad thing?

[Kalahari Inkantation]

holy hell how large of a phone do you want
I can't go with this phone because it's too large for me, in fact I think the GS8 is the only phone that seems to be acceptable to me right now in that regard, and even then it's too tall

i think that between 5.7 and 5.9in is ideal, especially with minimal bezels for maximal screen real estate

how is amoled a bad thing?

it's an immature technology with burn-in/color shift issues that amoled fanboys always like to deny

despite it being clearly evident on demo devices with amoled screens, and despite there being much evidence of burn-in occurring on user devices

amoled may be better looking (at first), but until the burn-in issue is made negligible, i would prefer the longevity and stability of an ips display for a device i intend to use actively for two years

[Hiro]

it's an immature technology with burn-in/color shift issued that amoled fanboys always like to deny

despite it being clearly evident on demo devices with amoled screens, and despite there being much evidence of burn-in occurring on user devices

amoled may be better looking (at first), but until the burn-in issue is made negligible, i would prefer the longevity and stability of an ips display for a device i intend to use actively for two years

i mean most types of screens have these issues to an extent, though yes it's slightly more prevalent with amoled, I find the lighting to be much better, and especially with a lot of lock screens mimicking the moto x's style nowadays with an all-black background, having the full screen backlit seems silly and negates the whole effect. I don't know about "amoled fanboys" but my phone does have one and I like it. The only burn-in I've noticed in the slightest is a small amount on the bottom navigation icons, but since those are always there anyway it's not like that even matters

[Kalahari Inkantation]

you would have to go to the ~EXTREME~ to get any sort of burn-in on an ips display lol

in fact i'm not even sure it's possible

whereas it occurs with basic natural use on just about any amoled display

i would prefer to avoid that problem because it just means the screen that was of peak quality out of the box will gradually become dull and uneven over my two years of ownership

[Kalahari Inkantation]

so i've discovered that there is one other phone that satisfies the vast majority of my criteria:

budget: $400 - $500, maybe up to $600 but absolutely not a penny more than that

must haves:

• minimum 4gb ram (preferably 6gb)


• minimum 32gb storage


• minimum 1080p display (1080p preferred)


• minimum 5.7" display


• ips lcd, no burn in-prone oled trash


• non-terrible camera


• decent battery life


• no qualcomm processors below the 835

the galaxy s8+

it too is amoled but oh well, it meets each of my other conditions

and like the mate 9, it also meets these conditions:

• no bigger than my comfortably sized current phone despite having a much larger screen


• [...] purportedly excellent battery life


• band 12 which is important for t-mobile and which my current phone lacks


• 64gb storage, more than adequate for me (current phone has 16gb which can sometimes be a bit of a challenge)


• sd card slot

in fact the s8+ is even smaller than my current 5.5" phone in all dimensions but height

sadly the s8+ also meets this condition:

perhaps my only real gripe is that it only has 4gb of ram at that price rather than 6, but considering everything else i think i can overlook that (and hopefully i won't regret overlooking it)

but still

hmmm

[bluaki]

you poor thing

how badly has it mistreated you

My previous phone was the Nexus 4, so it's a pretty big improvement over that. Faster processor, more storage, much better battery life, drastically better camera, added LTE support, USB-C is good (charging speeds too), and I even like the fingerprint sensor (despite my general dislike for biometric auth, I use it).

Funny enough, storage was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to upgrade from the Nexus 4 (16GB) as well. The other was losing Android updates. I really wanted 64GB+ and would've paid more for it, but I settled for 32GB.

Even before it launched, I was hesitant about the 5X's size. I already thought the Nexus 4 bezels were bad for its time, but the 5X had even worse bezels, and the Pixel somehow has worse yet (codename sailfish? more like crimson_chin). I still don't like the size, but at least it's lighter and thinner than the Nexus 4 which is pretty nice.

I thought the 2GB RAM would be significantly worse than the Nexus 4's 2GB because of moving from 768p to 1080p and from 32-bit to 64-bit, but it surprisingly feels about the same. It's silly that the RAM didn't increase at all three years later and at $80 higher launch price (N4 was $350). From 2011-2013, Google's phones doubled in RAM every year, then they just kept 2GB for four years in a row across the Nexus 4, 5, 6, and 5X.

Until I hit the storage ceiling, it was fine. RAM isn't a big problem, I don't dislike the SD808 at all, and it just works well overall. No reception issues or anything else really.

This is the first time I seriously wanted to upgrade to a new phone only one year later. Both the Nexus 4 and Nexus S lasted me more than two years after I got them before seriously needing an upgrade.

If they had just rereleased the Nexus 5 two years later with an updated SoC, more RAM, 64GB+ storage, a fixed power button, and USB-C, I'd still be happy with it today, but despite the name they didn't do that. Nexus 5 still has my favorite design of all Google phones: great size, good screen-to-body ratio, and a soft plastic back. Google even tried marketing the 5X with "We brought back everything you loved about the Nexus 5" even though it's not similar at all besides the soft plastic back and the LG logo.

yep, everything about this phone screamed $250@launch, tops

and yet they had the audacity to charge over $400

and yet they have the audacity to still be charging $300

your average $200 sh*tphone these days has more ram and an at least equal if not better processor than the nexus 5x

Correction on my last post: it was $429 at launch for 32GB, not $420, so even worse. The 16GB version (why) was $379.

And I disagree, I think it was worth more like $350 at launch (for 32GB). $250 was and still kinda is a real bargain for what this phone offers.

Where do you get "still charging $300" from? Didn't Google stop making and selling Nexus phones before the Pixel was announced?

It seems most new/unused ebay listings for the 5X range from about $270-$310. I've seen it drop to about $250 new for 32GB on ebay a few times last year, but only during limited-time sales and only for the non-US version (no CDMA, no band 12).

What $200 phones available today do you actually think are better than the 5X? How about even $250? For example, Moto G4 is $200 (2GB, 16GB storage) and G5 is $300 (4GB, 64GB storage), and both of them have drastically weaker SoC and much worse camera than the 5X.

Side note: by principal, I hate that Google removed wireless charging from the Nexus 5X because the 6P's metal design can't support it and they refused to let the 5X have any sort of advantage over the 6P. The low RAM and storage specs were probably also chosen to make the 6P seem more appealing in comparison.

and i of course hate when companies do this too

Adding to this, I saw some claims around the time it was announced that the Nexus 6P existing is partly to blame for the 5X's awful pricing too. For 32GB models, the 5X ($429) was only $70 less than the 6P ($499), as if Google wanted to avoid pushing people to the 5X with a price gap. Even the wildly overpriced Pixel is still $100 less than the bigger model despite sharing basically the same specs, unlike the lower-RAM cheaper-SoC 5X.

Well, prices for the Pixel don't exactly mean much, considering even the small model is overpriced by at least like $200. Matching the iPhone in the US and even drastically exceeding it in every other country is crazy, considering even when you ignore the cut corners it's more comparable to the Galaxy S7 which has been priced lower since launch and dropped even more in the months before Pixel's launch.

[bluaki]

so i've discovered that there is one other phone that satisfies the vast majority of my criteria:

the galaxy s8+

it too is amoled but oh well, it meets each of my other conditions

and like the mate 9, it also meets these conditions:

in fact the s8+ is even smaller than my current 5.5" phone in all dimensions but height

Yeah, you'd probably like the S8+ if those details are what you want. You could even import the better Exynos version, but I'm not sure if that works with Band 12.

There aren't that many SD835 devices yet. Your options are basically S8/S8+, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, OnePlus 5, Xiaomi Mi 6, or waiting for unannounced future phones like Pixel 2 XXL or LG V30.

By the way, even though the extra-tall ratio (18.5:9) makes the S8+ measure 6.2" diagonally, its width actually matches what you'd get from a 5.53" 16:9 phone. The XZ Premium and OnePlus 5 have 5.5" displays too.

If you really want more than 4GB, I guess OnePlus is your only option. Or Mi 6, but I doubt you want to consider that.

The new big Pixel might meet what you want too: current rumors say it's SD835 with 4GB RAM and a 6.0" display with smaller bezels.

On the other hand, the current rumors for the smaller Pixel paint an awful picture: keeps the huge bezels but adds dual front-facing speakers, loses the headphone jack, and is otherwise the same besides upgrading the SoC from SD821 to SD835. If this turns out to be true, I'm buying a 2016 Pixel as soon as the imminent replacement causes its first price drop ever.

[Kalahari Inkantation]

Even before it launched, I was hesitant about the 5X's size. I already thought the Nexus 4 bezels were bad for its time, but the 5X had even worse bezels, and the Pixel somehow has worse yet

how is this even possible

(codename sailfish? more like crimson_chin).

i lol'd

It's silly that the RAM didn't increase at all three years later and at $80 higher launch price (N4 was $350). From 2011-2013, Google's phones doubled in RAM every year, then they just kept 2GB for four years in a row across the Nexus 4, 5, 6, and 5X.

absolutely disgraceful, i agree

This is the first time I seriously wanted to upgrade to a new phone only one year later. Both the Nexus 4 and Nexus S lasted me more than two years after I got them before seriously needing an upgrade.

and it's only because the nexus 5x was criminally underspecced at launch in 2015 for a $430 device

i always try to buy phones that will last me a minimum of two years, avd even my $230 2015 shitphone managed because it was arguably even overspecced for its price

and that's why i'm so bothered by the fact that there are so few options with >4gb of ram in 2017: my cheap 2015 shitphone had that much at launch

Correction on my last post: it was $429 at launch for 32GB, not $420, so even worse. The 16GB version (why) was $379.

What $200 phones available today do you actually think are better than the 5X? How about even $250? For example, Moto G4 is $200 (2GB, 16GB storage) and G5 is $300 (4GB, 64GB storage), and both of them have drastically weaker SoC and much worse camera than the 5X.

https://www.amazon.com/ZTE-Blade-Factory-Unlocked-Phone/dp/B01N7IW7JX

this is $230, has more ram than the 5x, and the 625 is generally superior as a cpu to the 808

the 625 has a lesser gpu, but cpu performance matters far, far more for general use than gpu performance in phones

also, the moto g line in particular is another series of phones whose level of popularity today is completely unwarranted

the very first moto g had a wonderful price:value ratio

every moto g since has been underpowered absolute slop

to think i almost bought one of the things in 2015 before i discovered the zenfone lol

i'd probably have felt compelled to buy a new device at the end of my first year with the moto g 2