[Q] Which $500 phone? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello!
I'm going to the states (California) for Christmas with my friend and I am to buy a new phone.
I have set off $500 to it (as I too am buying Nexus 10 32gb), but I am having a hard time making a decision.
Originally I wanted a Nexus 4 (and still do), but I was not fortunate enough to order one when they were in stock, and now it has been two weeks and no news of when they will be, so I am thinking that I probably won't get one in time for the 19th of December... Here in Denmark the phone is about $700, and I really can't justify that. But $500 (taxes and shipping included?) I'd buy one.
My only concerns about the Nexus 4 is the screen (people say that is it worse than S3 & One X), battery life, camera and lack of internal storage. I also just heard that it does not have OTG (perhaps a software error). If I can't have the Nexus 4 I was wondering what phones you guys would recommend?
I am having a really hard time picking between the HTC One X and Galaxy S3, as I prefer to have the latest and greatest from android (4.2).
I like the SD card on the Galaxy S3, but I think the One X has a better design. I guess they are both equal in speed, but how about display and camera? What are your thoughts about the two phones?
If everything else fails, I could blow my budget and get a used $600 Galaxy S3 4G (Quad core version), but I would almost prefer a Nexus 4 over that.
What do you guys think, any other phones on the market that is worth looking at? High end devices, that you can get somewhere cheap on cyber monday unlocked at about $500-600?

I have also been looking at the Lumia 920, but I guess this is not really the forum for it I am afraid that it does not have enough app support to suit my needs

If you buy an S3 or a One X, you'll soon start cursing yourself for lack of software updates. Buy the Nexus 4, it will be well worth the wait. Oh, and the screen of N4 isn't bad, its just that the One X has the most awesome screen of any phone ever produced.

go for the nexus 4...

The thing is, we have no Google store in Denmark so I will have to pay a ridiculous price for it (more than a new S3). As long as the S3 and One X has proper development communities I am thinking it'll be OK.
If I can get a Galaxy S3 with 4G (quad core version) for even less than a Galaxy Nexus, I am thinking that might be the way? Unless google starts putting some on sale so I can get one before the 19th of December....
Or do you guys know where I can get a 16 gig version for $500?

There is quite a bit of development for the Galaxy S3. There is a stable CM10 ROM posted on Cyanogenmod's site.

Go for One X , overall better . Nexus 4 is lacking MicroSD slot which is a big minus and android version doesn't really matter , cyanogenmod is faster than stock roms

Mockingbird said:
Go for One X , overall better . Nexus 4 is lacking MicroSD slot which is a big minus and android version doesn't really matter , cyanogenmod is faster than stock roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The one X has no Micro SD either
I help it in my hand today, I love the design, but it feels a bit chunky compared to the S3, also power button is placed weird.
Sense is lagging, and I don't see a Cyanogenmod for One X without bugs

Related

S2 vs GNexus?

Hi!
I already asked this question at GNex forums, but I thought I could as well ask you guys too.
So, I'm buying a new phone. I'm not new to Android scene, but I've never actually had a high-end phone(well technically these both are last-era high-ends, but what ever...). So please guys, tell me why should I or why should I not buy S2 instead of Galaxy Nexus!
As far as I know, Nexus has better screen(larger and extreme resolution!), but S2 is more powerful. Though I've heard that Nexus' OMAP4 chipset is better than S2's Exynos. On the other hand Mali-400 is better than PowerVR...
Nexus would cost me 30€ less(GNex=370€ & S2=400€), that ain't a game changer though.
So tell me your opinions! So far I'm kinda gravitated on GNex due to the screen... Also it's the cheaper one of those two.
One thing that is a plus for S2 is larger community in XDA. I bet there are two times more roms for S2!(BUT, Nexus has alot of roms too, including CM9, AOKP, MIUI, Paranoid etc.)
Thanks!
ArmorD said:
Hi!
I already asked this question at GNex forums, but I thought I could as well ask you guys too.
So, I'm buying a new phone. I'm not new to Android scene, but I've never actually had a high-end phone(well technically these both are last-era high-ends, but what ever...). So please guys, tell me why should I or why should I not buy S2 instead of Galaxy Nexus!
As far as I know, Nexus has better screen(larger and extreme resolution!), but S2 is more powerful. Though I've heard that Nexus' OMAP4 chipset is better than S2's Exynos. On the other hand Mali-400 is better than PowerVR...
Nexus would cost me 30€ less(GNex=370€ & S2=400€), that ain't a game changer though.
So tell me your opinions! So far I'm kinda gravitated on GNex due to the screen... Also it's the cheaper one of those two.
One thing that is a plus for S2 is larger community in XDA. I bet there are two times more roms for S2!(BUT, Nexus has alot of roms too, including CM9, AOKP, MIUI, Paranoid etc.)
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think that GNex will always have Google's native support. That's a plus for that one.
They're two beautiful phones. Very powerful.
I probabbly take the GNex, but, here's your choise
Also, you can wait and go for a better phone, like HOX, or SGSIII.
Greetings!
ArmorD said:
Hi!
I already asked this question at GNex forums, but I thought I could as well ask you guys too.
So, I'm buying a new phone. I'm not new to Android scene, but I've never actually had a high-end phone(well technically these both are last-era high-ends, but what ever...). So please guys, tell me why should I or why should I not buy S2 instead of Galaxy Nexus!
As far as I know, Nexus has better screen(larger and extreme resolution!), but S2 is more powerful. Though I've heard that Nexus' OMAP4 chipset is better than S2's Exynos. On the other hand Mali-400 is better than PowerVR...
Nexus would cost me 30€ less(GNex=370€ & S2=400€), that ain't a game changer though.
So tell me your opinions! So far I'm kinda gravitated on GNex due to the screen... Also it's the cheaper one of those two.
One thing that is a plus for S2 is larger community in XDA. I bet there are two times more roms for S2!(BUT, Nexus has alot of roms too, including CM9, AOKP, MIUI, Paranoid etc.)
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my s2. I'd say go with the s2 if it was between those two.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
go with nexus you will get awesome hd screen (300+ppi not bat ! ) official updates from google first hand (no need to flash unofficial roms to get the latest) total google experience (also you will get rid of that awful touch wiz)
and its cheep..
but......
here are some cons
no sd card (it only gonna fell if you going to buy 16 gb version)
ok video recording (in that case s2 is winner)
that's it i won't find any more cons in nexus but lottssss of in s2 that's why i am also going to buy nexus (but i am going to wait for thier next version may be moto nexus ......)
good luck .
Well, i have never used a nexus but i can write some pros for the s2
1.HUUUUGE community for roms and mods
2.Easily rootable
3.Easily modifyable
4.Good hardware
5.Pretty much impossible to brick
6.Probably has the best kernel for any phone ever. The siyah kernel.
But at this point in time , personally if i were getting a high end droid, i would get the S3 or Htc One X
But i personally recommend the s2
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
I'm make it easy for you...
http://www.youtube.com/results?sear....0.0.0.483.1708.2-1j3j1.5.0...0.0.Gm8Af6ooc00
id buy the sgs2 over the nexus any day , no micro sd slot means i couldnt buy it if i wanted too , theres just not enough memory for my needs
also samsung sgs2 has a genuine 2000mah battery avalible
for me the sgs2 is only beaten by the sgs3 , id even rate the sgs2 more then the htc one x due to the one x having no removeable battery and no micro sd slot
horses for courses but sgs2 wins everytime for me
Hi i would go for gnex
Cuz of google support and cuz im pretty sure gnex will get gelly been inshallah
Bigger screen better resolution
And for me i have some problems with my sgs2 like over heat
So i would go for gnex if i had to choose again between them
I'd say go for gnex it got a better future i think
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
Wanted the Gnex but only good thing about it is google support but the sII just pwns it in every other way... sad to say...
I own an s2 but not much experience with the gnex. S2 is good, when it works properly, but I suspect gnexus would be less hassles.
S2 isn't bad on paper but I miss the Nexus experience I enjoyed on my Nexus One.
PS. 2100mah genuine extended batteries exist for gnex, too.
Thanks guys! A s you see, i choose S2. It wad a hard decision, but I'm happy with this! I knew nexus would have been good, but i really think it wouldn't be any better than S2! This phone's performance is just mental! And it's fun to say Mali
And there was a campaign price for S2 due to there newly opened electronics store near me, I paid only 333 euros! Even cheaper than the Nexus!
Thanks for answers!
Edit. Damn You 8 thanks/ day
Edit 2. I hate you SlideIT keyboard!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

help me decide nexus or s3

Hey guys I am up for a replacement on 8/20. I can't decide to get the s3 or the nexus
The s3 has so many features I love over the nexus.better battery life, bigger screen, more ram and a better processor.but the nexus has jellybean already.maybe some members who previously had a nexus can chime in and tell their personal opinion about the phones that would be awesome.thanks guys
Nexus or Sgs 3 and you thinkng??
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
If you are aware for all of these advanteages, than why are you even asking?
It seems like you already know the answer
bottom line WHY GET AN OLD PHONE???
S3 is newer.....cant wait for the Note 2. that will be my next new toy.
I have both the Nexus and S3.
I haven't got around to putting on Jellybean on the Nexus yet.
The S3 feels better in your hand and runs smoother, thanks to the better CPU. The bigger screen is certainly better and doesn't feel awkward either.
The notification light on the S3 is much brighter and more vivid than on the Nexus.
You will also notice how much lighter and thinner the S3 is to the Nexus.
The MicroSD port in the S3 is a nice addition too, something which the Nexus doesn't have.
TouchWiz isn't that bad either and it doesn't seem to slow down the S3.
The only bad thing about the S3 is that the back cover, once removed is actually a bit flimsy. But once its on the main unit, the S3 device as a whole seems to be good quality. Not metal, but not cheap plastic either.
All in all the S3 is a generation ahead of the Nexus, no question about it.
I'm not the biggest Samsung fan, however, if the S3 has all that over the Nexus, I'd certainly go for the Sammy. The Android OS will/can be changed/updated by rooting it. That would give you all the benefits of the better hardware combined w/better roms anyway. If HTC is out of the running, Moto has nothing to offer (american made) and Nexus is that dated then my vote is the S3.
That said, I can't wait to get rid of my kindle fire for the new nexus tablet, that thing is the ****
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire using xda app-developers app
If your using an upgrade get the S3 and worst case trade for nexus + cash. If your buying outright consider value for price/performance ratio... ie: nexus ~$300 vs gs3 ~$600 is the gs3 worth almost double? Is it almost twice as good?
Don't get me wrong I love the gs3 lasts all day does it all, has a micro SD, no direct updates/vanilla experience yet AND its quite a bit more.. I could easily have a nexus + nexus 7 vs my 1 gs3....
Just something to consider
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
kidhudi said:
Hey guys I am up for a replacement on 8/20. I can't decide to get the s3 or the nexus
The s3 has so many features I love over the nexus.better battery life, bigger screen, more ram and a better processor.but the nexus has jellybean already.maybe some members who previously had a nexus can chime in and tell their personal opinion about the phones that would be awesome.thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in the same boat, dude.
No microSD card on the Nexus is actually a deal breaker for me. Gorilla glass is a necessity - i hate scratch phones. Sound quality for me is a priority and SIII wins hands down.
Thoughts for SIII:
- SD card
- Wolfson DAC
- BT apt-x
- gorilla glass
- better camera
- quad core
Well, the advantages of Nexus:
- price (around £120 less in this country)
- it is google = no bloat, good support, speedy updates
I think the wise decision would be go for SIII when the price drops a little (after iPhoney 5 is introduced)
Thanks guys I am 99 percent going with the s3. I just didn't want to be in same boat so am in right now with this thunderbolt.because of ril issues the t-bolt is still stuck in gingerbread.don't get me wrong the t-bolt has amazing devs.but htc sucks with updating.the phone. I see there is a port for JB already for the s3 but I fear it will be a dead project like all the t-bolt ICS
Roms. This is definitely my last HTC product.
kidhudi said:
I see there is a port for JB already for the s3 but I fear it will be a dead project like all the t-bolt ICS
Roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope I'm not misunderstanding you but you have NO reason to fear Jellybean becoming a dead project on the S3. Maybe that specific thread will die, but there absolutely will be Jellybean roms for the S3. Many I'm guessing. Just give it a month or two.
ficklecycler said:
I hope I'm not misunderstanding you but you have NO reason to fear Jellybean becoming a dead project on the S3. Maybe that specific thread will die, but there absolutely will be Jellybean roms for the S3. Many I'm guessing. Just give it a month or two.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that was my fear. the ICS roms on the t-bolt have been in limbo for months now. I am a flash-a-holic and i wanted to make sure this device would be cool. I would love to see a 100% working port of the release for the nexus on this phone. I am dying to check out the new google search feature. blow my i-freak freinds out of the water . they think siri is good wait till they see this.:laugh:

What made you pick the S3 over the competition?

Hey guys/gals,
I'm literally counting the days til my upgrade, however with phones like the One X and a few others which i can't think of off the top of my head. Rather than asking VS. questions which will be answered by biased views or perhaps answers which don't answer the why i'll ask it like this.
What was the feature that made you buy the phone over the other phones on the market, what is your favourite feature which made the phone a defo puchase?
Thanks to all that answer this for me.
Mainly the processor, big ass screen and clearly the brand Samsung. HTC are good but from past experience I know that what they seem to offer is not always what they actually have to offer. Other phones are just out of the question, like nokia pure view since I would rather buy a camera than buy that phone (though I already have a DSLR so I don't need one). And to be honest I normally pick phones right away and then find everything there is to know about them. I just told myself that now is the time and this is the phone I want to buy.
what is your favourite feature which made the phone a defo puchase?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Huge community with lots of ROM's and customizations
- Large AMOLED screen (only had good experiences so far)
- Cool addon features such as Smart Stay
- Perfect USB OTG support
- Large battery
- Samsung-branded. (No issue with their devices so far)
- Powerful 4core SoC
Thanks for the input so far guys, its not a case I'm doubting the s3 but I'll probably get lumbered with a 24month contract and I don't want to miss out on another phone due to blindly buying the s3
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
If I had a Galaxy Nexus as your signature suggests I would have skipped the S3, I don't think the incremental benefits merit a 24 month tie in. Or you could upgrade now and when the next gen handsets are released your S3 and GN should raise enough to buy whatever tickles your fancy.
For me it was the SD card slot and removable battery. Also I was concerned about all of the screen scratch talk with the one X.
On AT&T, the One X looks to be the better performer but couldn't get past the issues above.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
diablous said:
Thanks for the input so far guys, its not a case I'm doubting the s3 but I'll probably get lumbered with a 24month contract and I don't want to miss out on another phone due to blindly buying the s3
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Contract ????? £500 PAYG unbranded CPW .
jje
Because the One X is inexcuseably flawed with the lack of replaceable battery and memory slot and traditionally rubbish battery life, and even though the S3 is also flawed most of it is just software problems that can be bodged up after the fact.
SIII doesn't have any serious competition imho. It is the best phone in the market at the moment hands down. If only my other decisions in life are that easy
diablous said:
Hey guys/gals,
I'm literally counting the days til my upgrade, however with phones like the One X and a few others which i can't think of off the top of my head. Rather than asking VS. questions which will be answered by biased views or perhaps answers which don't answer the why i'll ask it like this.
What was the feature that made you buy the phone over the other phones on the market, what is your favourite feature which made the phone a defo puchase?
Thanks to all that answer this for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I chose this phone because it is the successor of the previous best android device, the Samsung galaxy s 2. Things could only improve with the galaxy s 3.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Frostfree said:
If I had a Galaxy Nexus as your signature suggests I would have skipped the S3, I don't think the incremental benefits merit a 24 month tie in. Or you could upgrade now and when the next gen handsets are released your S3 and GN should raise enough to buy whatever tickles your fancy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree. Especially the fact that the nexus is about to get jelly bean, it's gonna be a brand new phone. Yes the S3 is the best phone out right now ( in my opinion) but the nexus is also fantastic and I miss that phone sometimes.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
To be honest I believe that there soon won't be a device (including Samsung) that will be let's say 2 or 3 times faster, better, etc. that the SIII. Quad core processors came out now so next year probably they will continue to distribute them. Plus custom roms or the SIII will get better, these guys at xda do a better job than any company out there, they are users that make upgrades for users and know what we exactly need. Software is never an issue it can always be upgraded, modified unlike hardware that is something that is hard to replace in a phone. So when I look for a phone I mainly look at the hardware, for the hidden potential of the phone. And to be honest Samsung SIII is the fastest phone currently on the market and we all know well that it has the most juice in it.
barondebxl said:
I totally agree. Especially the fact that the nexus is about to get jelly bean, it's gonna be a brand new phone. Yes the S3 is the best phone out right now ( in my opinion) but the nexus is also fantastic and I miss that phone sometimes.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nexus always gets the latest OS first but as soon as the Galaxy S's get upgraded you just get stuck with a phone that's always worse than the equivalent Galaxy S, and I'd never buy a phone just to get an OS a few months early because I'd quickly realise the mistake I made.
barondebxl said:
I totally agree. Especially the fact that the nexus is about to get jelly bean, it's gonna be a brand new phone. Yes the S3 is the best phone out right now ( in my opinion) but the nexus is also fantastic and I miss that phone sometimes.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. If you have a Nexus already, I agree that it will feel like a new phone with JellyBean on it.
I am still getting the S3 though. I will be new to Android so will have a bit of learning to do, and JellyBean is supposed to be coming to the S3 in Q4, so by then I'll be ready for it and I think it will make the S3 super-super-swishy (from the mere super-swishy it is now).
For me, replaceable batteries & memory cards are a must, so that basically blew many other phones out of the picture. Good camera, USB OTG, MHL-ing to use it as a games console, proper HD screen, good battery - all of these things sold it too me.
No iThings for me. I don't want to get tied into any restrictive iContract with iEULA, not shackled to iTunes, titchy screen, etc etc.
I was happy with my Windows HTC HD2 (before I bricked it). Hoping buying a Samsung flagship model on Android (with the massive user group that's gathering behind it and seemingly fast updates OTA from Sammy) will mean this phone will function well out of the box, and function amazeballs with a few custom tweaks & mods.
Hopefully I will get my UK blue this week :cyclops::victory:
Screen size and speed
Already running Jellybean, but like people have said you can change Software you can't change hardware and one thing i do miss is the S2 camera I had, so the Samera on the S3 is one of my big reasons.
Thanks to everyone who has posted so far.
What competition?
My last phone was an HTC Desire, and since I was displeased with the HTC Sense UI, I just decided that my next phone would be a Samsung. And the S III just happened to be the best phone out there.
hox has too weak battery in my case, so its a no-competition thing actually
next close to perfect phone is still good old i9000
The hype about it - I figured that with all the talk there would be loads of custom roms developed for the phone. I signed up for a two year contract and I wanted a phone that could last two years which this should do well with that processor. Had a Nexus S before and considered buying a Galaxy Nexus, but 16GB internal and no option for external SD just didn't appeal to me.

Is it worth buying now ?

M from India.. M planning to buy s2 at this point of year...m in dilemma whether to get out or wait for much more time..though s2 is a year old device.grant lost its glory anytime..but still somewhere I want others opinion..kindly help
Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2
sandeepkh said:
M from India.. M planning to buy s2 at this point of year...m in dilemma whether to get out or wait for much more time..though s2 is a year old device.grant lost its glory anytime..but still somewhere I want others opinion..kindly help
Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am buying one in a few days. I am from Argentina and I am upgrading from a Droid 2.
I think that suits my situation very well, as I want a bigger screen device (3.7' to 4.3'). It has an excellent design, which is something i really like. It has 2 cores (1 GHz core from D2 to 2 1.2GHz cores). I am also gaining RAM.
But above all this, the phones that are currently available in Argentina (where i live) are not that great. The S3 is releasing soon but at a huge price and screen seems to big for me. Then there are not other better choices in my carrier at least. Only got Milestone 3, HTC Sensation, Razr, and stop counting. So S2 is my best choice.
See how is your situation, you are not giving many details, but I think that it's a great choice, that's why I'll buy it.
Totally worth it ..!!
I don't know if people feel the same way about the Galaxy Nexus as I do, but I think that phone is the clear choice if you're going to buy an Android today.
It's priced very competitively. I think it's 350 USD (plus taxes) from Google Play?
Here in Hong Kong, it's about 400 USD (all inclusive).
Plus, with Jelly Bean it performs just as fast (if not faster) than the new phones like the S3 and the 1X.
I've had the S2 since launch and it's great. But I recently purchased the Galaxy Nexus for my wife. I updated it to Jelly Bean and that phone makes the S2 (running CM9) seem dated.
ohyeahar said:
I don't know if people feel the same way about the Galaxy Nexus as I do, but I think that phone is the clear choice if you're going to buy an Android today.
It's priced very competitively. I think it's 350 USD (plus taxes) from Google Play?
Here in Hong Kong, it's about 400 USD (all inclusive).
Plus, with Jelly Bean it performs just as fast (if not faster) than the new phones like the S3 and the 1X.
I've had the S2 since launch and it's great. But I recently purchased the Galaxy Nexus for my wife. I updated it to Jelly Bean and that phone makes the S2 (running CM9) seem dated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could have easily bought GNex days ago but reviews with camera quality, 5 MP vs 8 MP on S2 discouraged me. Also 1.3 MP vs 2 MP front camera. I always do self portraits, that's why. But GNex has sharp screen. Really a hard choice. But both are good and up to par with current and I hope future developments.
Bought 1 a few months ago after its price dropped. Imo it's worth it since i'm not subscribing to data plan
sandeepkh said:
M from India.. M planning to buy s2 at this point of year...m in dilemma whether to get out or wait for much more time..though s2 is a year old device.grant lost its glory anytime..but still somewhere I want others opinion..kindly help
Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know how much your budget is but (in Holland at least) for 70 euros you have the htc one s, if the extra cost is within your budget and you can get the original s4 (not the s3 variant), I would get that. It feels like a big upgrade compared to the sgs2, the screen is better, touch sensitity is better, it feels better in the had, standby is much better (up to 5 days on a single charge with light use), it feels much faster overal than the sgs2
Absolutely not IMO. Either wait for next Nexus or buy that classic designed SIII.
totally worth it, ive got this phone for 6 months now and already convinced 3 friends of buying it aswell!! And my girlfriend is soon going to sell her iphone 4 for the galaxy SIII.
The phone is very good and it got alot of roms to play with! I am happy i bought it.
The galaxy siii is ofcourse much better but also much more expensive... i would go with the s2 if i was you
Currently own S2, but next phone will be Nexus.
I don't know how it is in India, but here where I live is impossible to get a Nexus for less than U$1000 (unlocked). Really! I'm not lying. And carriers don't bring this kind of device.
Another thing to take into account is the fact that both SGS3 and Nexus are very big devices, surpassing the 13cm mark.
i9100
I've had this phone for 2 months and I really don't feel like I'm missing anything by not having an sIII or nexus... Just root the SII, and flash a sweet ROM.. (I use Resurrection Remix...) you will have a device that destroys anything that is stock.. plus... getting something epic for half the price of cutting edge is part of the fun.... also I can vouch for the 8mp camera on the i9100 it is freaking awesome!!! better than my point and shoot... and destroys any other phone camera I've used... plus 1080p video camera is freaking sweet!

[Q] Buy Galaxy S III/One X Now, or wait?

Hey fellow members of XDA, I hope you're all well!
Anyway, I have a question relating to Android phones. Recently, I purchased a Nexus 7 - I was previously an iOS user, but, after using the Nexus 7 - I found Android was actually on par, if not better than, the iOS experience.
So, although my original plan was to purchase an iPhone 4S - I have decided against that notion - and instead I am planning to buy an Android phone, and possibly even a Windows Phone - once Windows Phone 8 is released.
I will be using the phone for mainly internet browsing, social networking, music, movies, gaming, and perhaps even reading at times - although I already have a Nexus 7 for those, you cannot really take it everywhere despite the size of it, and no 3G/4G severely hamper it's connectivity. By that I mean, you can hardly fit it in your pocket.
Currently, I am thinking about purchasing either the HTC One X - or the Samsung Galaxy S III. Both are great phones, and while HTC has the advantage of Tegra 3 - and a staggering 0.1 GHz faster processor - the Galaxy S III has SuperAMOLED Plus, and it also has expandable storage. Both, in my opinion, are equal to each other: neither are truly better than the other, comprehensively, in any factor. GSMArena notes that the SGS3 chipset, the Enyxos, is not as good as the Tegra 3 chipset present in the One X. Tegra 3 is certainly preferable, since Tegra 3 offers a great gaming experience with exclusive games, such as the recently released Horn.
The Windows Phone 7 phones available right now, to me, are underwhelming, but if rumours are anything to go by, WP8 seems intruging, and may even be a possible contender to the current smartphone superpowers.
The deals I have found, though, note that the HTC One X is cheaper, however, presumably because it was announced earlier.
I have found a HTC One X available for £325 - or alternatively, on contract, £18.50 a month.
The Galaxy S 3, however, costs £410 (T-Mobile), and contract @ £22.75. (For purchase, both devices are second hand, but in Mint condition - boxed, unscratched, no faults etc.)
I used moneysupermarket to find the cheapest contract deals, and CEX to find the cheapest second hand, but mint condition, devices.
However, with the announcement of the Galaxy Note 2 at IFA, as well as, to a lesser extent, the Sony Xperia T (I think Sony phones are sexy), I am deciding whether to hold of for a couple of months. The Galaxy Note 2 may, however, be too big? I've seen the Galaxy Note, and it's a mammoth of a 'phone.' (Currently Galaxy Note users, can you comfortably use a 5.3 inch screen? And would you be able to handle a 5.5 inch screen? How comfortable is it in the hand, and are there times where the size just becomes overwhelming?)
I now think it would not be a good idea to purchase a phone now, a time where the next Nexus phone, and the next iPhone, are due to be released.
While both are most likely out of my price range, (£350 recommended, but £400 absolute limit - doesn't include top-ups, and for monthly deals, £25-£28 monthly - doesn't include upfront payment) would you think it would be worthwhile to wait until the release of the next Android/iOS/WP8 flagship phones, or do you think that nothing major will happen? By major, I mean the S3 or One X become virtually redundant compared to the newly released phones. I have seen recently that HTC are preparing a WP8 device, and are also preparing another flagship phone, for example, while all of us know that the iPhone 5 will soon be released, and the Galaxy Nexus is already approaching it's one year birthday.
Thanks for the help! I will listen to all suggestions, and I am also open to other phones available in the market now, or possibly in the future.
Please, though, do NOT mention BlackBerry's! Or any WP7 phones, at the moment.
EDIT: Ok, after researching the specs for the Galaxy Note 2 - it is basically an enlarged SGS3 - although it has 1GB more RAM, and it's processor is clocked 0.2GHz higher. In that case, I wont specifically wait for the Note 2.
Konflict1471 said:
Hey fellow members of XDA, I hope you're all well!
Anyway, I have a question relating to Android phones. Recently, I purchased a Nexus 7 - I was previously an iOS user, but, after using the Nexus 7 - I found Android was actually on par, if not better than, the iOS experience.
So, although my original plan was to purchase an iPhone 4S - I have decided against that notion - and instead I am planning to buy an Android phone, and possibly even a Windows Phone - once Windows Phone 8 is released.
I will be using the phone for mainly internet browsing, social networking, music, movies, gaming, and perhaps even reading at times - although I already have a Nexus 7 for those, you cannot really take it everywhere despite the size of it, and no 3G/4G severely hamper it's connectivity. By that I mean, you can hardly fit it in your pocket.
Currently, I am thinking about purchasing either the HTC One X - or the Samsung Galaxy S III. Both are great phones, and while HTC has the advantage of Tegra 3 - and a staggering 0.1 GHz faster processor - the Galaxy S III has SuperAMOLED Plus, and it also has expandable storage. Both, in my opinion, are equal to each other: neither are truly better than the other, comprehensively, in any factor. GSMArena notes that the SGS3 chipset, the Enyxos, is not as good as the Tegra 3 chipset present in the One X. Tegra 3 is certainly preferable, since Tegra 3 offers a great gaming experience with exclusive games, such as the recently released Horn.
The Windows Phone 7 phones available right now, to me, are underwhelming, but if rumours are anything to go by, WP8 seems intruging, and may even be a possible contender to the current smartphone superpowers.
The deals I have found, though, note that the HTC One X is cheaper, however, presumably because it was announced earlier.
I have found a HTC One X available for £325 - or alternatively, on contract, £18.50 a month.
The Galaxy S 3, however, costs £410 (T-Mobile), and contract @ £22.75. (For purchase, both devices are second hand, but in Mint condition - boxed, unscratched, no faults etc.)
I used moneysupermarket to find the cheapest contract deals, and CEX to find the cheapest second hand, but mint condition, devices.
However, with the announcement of the Galaxy Note 2 at IFA, as well as, to a lesser extent, the Sony Xperia T (I think Sony phones are sexy), I am deciding whether to hold of for a couple of months. The Galaxy Note 2 may, however, be too big? I've seen the Galaxy Note, and it's a mammoth of a 'phone.' (Currently Galaxy Note users, can you comfortably use a 5.3 inch screen? And would you be able to handle a 5.5 inch screen? How comfortable is it in the hand, and are there times where the size just becomes overwhelming?)
I now think it would not be a good idea to purchase a phone now, a time where the next Nexus phone, and the next iPhone, are due to be released.
While both are most likely out of my price range, (£350 recommended, but £400 absolute limit - doesn't include top-ups, and for monthly deals, £25-£28 monthly - doesn't include upfront payment) would you think it would be worthwhile to wait until the release of the next Android/iOS/WP8 flagship phones, or do you think that nothing major will happen? By major, I mean the S3 or One X become virtually redundant compared to the newly released phones. I have seen recently that HTC are preparing a WP8 device, and are also preparing another flagship phone, for example, while all of us know that the iPhone 5 will soon be released, and the Galaxy Nexus is already approaching it's one year birthday.
Thanks for the help! I will listen to all suggestions, and I am also open to other phones available in the market now, or possibly in the future.
Please, though, do NOT mention BlackBerry's! Or any WP7 phones, at the moment.
EDIT: Ok, after researching the specs for the Galaxy Note 2 - it is basically an enlarged SGS3 - although it has 1GB more RAM, and it's processor is clocked 0.2GHz higher. In that case, I wont specifically wait for the Note 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TL;DR but if you want to get the note II just because of the processor you can overclock the S3 all the way to 2.1 ghz but I recommend not anymore than 1.8/1.9. The S3 is a great phone I have it right now.
Also the One X has a much faster CPU if you look at quadrant scores. But really you get 60 fps on all games basically and butter smooth.
Oh yes, I forgot that you could overclock Android devices... Nonetheless, I doubt 0.1Ghz clock difference will provide a completely different, and better, experience.
Wait for the next Nexus.
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium
Well, now I sort of need a phone urgently...
I guess I could wait a little bit, but, if I can no longer wait:
HTC One X, or the Samsung Galaxy S III?
Konflict1471 said:
Well, now I sort of need a phone urgently...
I guess I could wait a little bit, but, if I can no longer wait:
HTC One X, or the Samsung Galaxy S III?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S3
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium
HTC is a pain to s-off and you have to remove your void stickers and take apart your phone and use a wire to do it....its not fun and very easy to render your device unusable....gs3 is incredibly easy if you like customizing...get a gs3...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 01:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:10 PM ----------
a lot of custom roms and kernels have different radios in them and if you cwm then root your HTC without s-off first then you will not be able to use your WiFi and your device will constantly try to turn it on and kill your battery....so you can unlock it then cwm then root but unless you take it apart first and s-off then it's pointless to Rom it. otherwise you will run into problems. a lot of roms say s-on is ok until you flash and realize your WiFi isn't working...so HTC will give you pain unless you know your device 100 percent inside and out....if you do it make sure you touch the right contacts with the wire at the right timing or you just ruin your phone....had that problem myself and went and bought a gs3 plug it into Odin and let Odin do the magic for you with out opening up your device just to completely unlock it (s-off) gs3 is the way to go....HTC has better processors but they have to turn down the clock because there batterys are horrible....if you want speed and battery life and the option to customize get a Samsung...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

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