Just another - Which phone should I buy thread

[Zetta_x]

I have been on a verizon featured phone for about 5 years now. I have had 3 of the same phones (replacements are $50) averaged to about 1 phone every year and 2/3.

However, I'm going to jump into a smart phone with Verizon.

The top picks seem to be Samsung Galaxy S3 or Droid Razr HD (with the Nexus 4).

However, while the nexus 4 seems like an awesome phone, the batter life fails in comparison to Razr HD, no expandable SD slot, and no LTE network. Are there any other phones with Verizon that you would recommend or which of the two above seems better (and why)?

Thanks =D

 

[dreamseller]

go for the S3, has a much bigger community then all the other listed devices..

 

[Edgedancer]

Go the newly announced Nexus 4. Essentially, its a google phone with specs highly comparable to the galaxy s3, with a much lower price point. If I wasn't in the middle of a phone plan, I would grab one myself. It is promised to get the latest firmwares and updates for at least the next 2 years, probably more. Plus, we dont know how well the battery runs yet, as the software does generally have a big impact, and as for storage, it all depends on what you will sue it for. I have a bunch of games and stuff on my 16GB galaxy nexus, and i still have 2 gigs free, more if I didnt keep nand backups on there as well.

 

[Qtis]

Depends on what you're willing to pay for a phone and what you actually want to do with it.

If you want what is possibly the most interesting device IMO, go for the Lumia 920 (or 820 for a cheaper, smaller alternative). The best camera in the market and also a WP8 phone. Will probably have the best integration with the new Windows 8 too if you happen to use that. Alternative could be the HTC WP 8X for a premium WP8 device.

Want bang for your buck? Go for the Nexus 4. Best specs and price, and it beats pretty much all the competition in the Android phone market. It's at around the iPhone 5 level in terms of speed tests etc, but at over half the price. Only things missing are the 4G (IMO 42 Mbps is more than enough for a mobile device) and microSD (still have extra space on my 16GB Nokia N8 after 1.5 years). If you use streaming services like Spotify or Netflix, most of the stuff can be streamed and flash memory becomes moot in one way or another.. The S3 is a solid choice for an Android device too, but updates will be available later compared to Nexus devices (actually affects all Android devices).

If you honestly need the space on the phone and are willing to pay for the S3, why not pay for the iPhone 5? Never had an iPhone personally, but the iPhone has been one of the best and future proof phones on the market for quite a while regardless of not being able to use all the new features of new iOS versions on the older models. Lots of my friends are happy with their iPhone 3GS/4/4S/5.

Don't have any insight on the Droid Razr HD, since those aren't sold that much in Europe/Nordic countries.. Could look more into it, but going to sleep in a few mins

Just my 5 cents.

 

[Originality]

iPhone is not one of the best in terms of future proofing. It just has certain pros and cons.
Just for ideas, I'm going to get my new phone next Nov 6th. For me, it's a choice between iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE (I already have the SGS3, but it's not LTE and I can get a a lot of money back for swapping), and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

The SGN2 has the same specs as the SGS3, only bigger screen and comes with a neat stylus. It's a mini tablet. A quad core mini tablet.
The SGS3 is a big phone but is the perfect size for me. I'm used to it, and it is great. I just don't like the UI compared to HTC, and the autocorrect... That's worse than iOS!
iPhone 5 has better features for being a phone, but aside from that it's not got much else. It's smaller, has the app store, and retina makes for better reading (but bigger screen makes for bigger and more text). It also works with the media controls on my headphones. Doesn't have flash, doesn't have NFC, Bluetooth gets hit-n-miss sometimes, no removable storage, and overpriced flash memory. But it's an iPhone.

I've never had an iPhone before, so I'm probably going to get it. I'll keep my SGS3 for a while on a PAYG SIM (with unlimited Internet, courtesy of T-mobile) to decide which I like better, and if I want to sell back the SGS3 to recoup half the war funds.

 

[Zerousen]

I've never had an iPhone before, so I'm probably going to get it. I'll keep my SGS3 for a while on a PAYG SIM (with unlimited Internet, courtesy of T-mobile) to decide which I like better, and if I want to sell back the SGS3 to recoup half the war funds.

I'll just have to warn you, it might take a while getting used to what iOS doesn't have...

Anyways, if you can ditch Verizon, and you have good coverage in your area with T-Mobile or something, grab the Nexus 4. Should be supported by Google for quite a while, since even now the 2 year old Nexus S is still getting official updates. Also, having no LTE is honestly not a real dealbreaker, and HSPA+ on T-Mobile with the Nexus 4 can reach around 40-45 mbps.

Otherwise, since I have no personal experience with a Razr device myself, I'd say S3. Some people aren't a fan of the plastic feel on the S3, but it really is some tough stuff. Razr devices generally have better build quality though, as far as I can tell.

Here's a page that can help you compare the two devices.

 

[chris888222]

I'm extremely surprised that iPhone didn't get much negativity here.

Here's my summary:
- if you need a phone that does things well, no time to customize and optimize, like it just the way it is... iPhone is for that. It covers all of your basic needs: good SoC (the A6 is quite a mammoth), good graphics, good size. I dunno about your region, but in Singapore, high end Androids are extremely pricey and can be up to $200 more than an iPhone 5. Price wise I guess it really doesn't matter. It's just which OS you prefer.

- if you want to customize your set and want the most out of your device, then go for android. The possibilities are endless and based on some webs: a potential PC in your pocket. Most high end droids have fabulous specs, so it's definitely worth checking it out.

For iPhone, because the phone itself is bonded together with the OS, it isn't so demanding on the hardware. Hence an iPhone's specs may look weaker on paper, but it works just as well as the other powerful handsets out there. The iPhone 5 is certainly no slouch in power though. But really, it boils down to which OS you prefer in the end.

Speaking of iOS, Scott's departure could mean the end of skeuromorphicism in iOS.
To me, this is a wonderful thing. It was due to skeuromorphicism which made iOS start to lose out against the competition and made it dull.

 

[Joe88]

if your going to get a subsidized price your best bet is the s3