Viewing 28 posts - 1 through 28 (of 28 total)
  • Phone purchase advice please!
  • Duane…
    Free Member

    Hi all,

    iPhone 4S has no working bluetooth or wifi, so time to replace it. I’d of course rather new, but will be more than happy with second hand (my 4S was bought used). Bit of an Apple fan, but thinking I may have to move to the Android camp now..

    I really want;
    * Very good camera
    * Vaguely tough construction
    * Decently fast
    * iOS or Android (prefer Apple)

    I would quite like;
    * Similar size to iPhone 4/5
    * Removable battery (for camping trips etc)
    * Takes external memory card
    * Sim-free price of £250-300 (used is acceptable)

    I’ve considered;

    iPhone 5
    + Marginally better than 4S
    + Stay with Apple
    – Not as good as Android competitors (for the price)
    – Not particularly good camera

    iPhone 5C
    + Better than iPhone 5
    + Stay with Apple
    – Looks silly
    – Not as good as Android competitors (for the price)

    Google Nexus 5
    + Good spec
    + Good camera
    + Relatively cheap
    – Big
    – Can’t fit memory card
    – Can’t replace battery
    – Android

    Samsung Galaxy S4
    + Good spec
    + Good camera
    + Price likely to drop with S5 release
    + Can easily replace battery
    + Takes Micro SD card
    – Big
    – Android

    Moto X
    + Smaller size
    – Spec not that great
    – Poor camera

    So, bit of a conundrum. Tempted by the Nexus 5 or S4. Are there any phones of a comparable spec to the Nexus/S4, but slightly smaller?

    Any thoughts would be great!

    Ta,
    Duane.

    wysiwyg
    Free Member

    iPhone 5C
    + Better than iPhone 5

    Not really..

    5S maybe

    chrisdw
    Free Member

    You want removable battery, yet also want apple. Hmm.

    Moto G is the one to look at for cheap android. Moto X is the old one.

    Get Samsung for removable battery.

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    Moses
    Full Member

    2nd hand Nokia Windows phone 🙂
    It has all you need apart from the OS. Try one and see how easy they are to use.
    Someone on here was whinging how little he was getting for his old Nokia, they can be bargains. Tesco were doing a new 920 for £210 or so.

    schrickvr6
    Free Member

    Nexus 5, Carphone Warehouse, £240, done….

    warton
    Free Member

    I’ve got the Nexus 5 (well, currently getting replaced after a son, water, phone incident) and for me it’s a cracking phone. better than other android phones as it’s android as intended by google, no other layers of crap over the top of it (it walks all over my old S3 in terms of ease of use and speed). I’d pick it over an iPhone every time (and I loved my iPhone 4)

    nickjb
    Free Member

    I wouldn’t worry too much about a replaceable battery. For camping trips an external USB battery is better. Not really up the latest phones but the moto g is cracking for the money.

    jimbobrighton
    Free Member

    I have a nexus 5 – great phone. Camera is a bit bobbins in low light though. but otherwise excellent for the money. Doubt I’d go back to apple unless the iphone 6 really is something amazing. But doubt it will be.

    ross980
    Free Member

    What about the new Sony Xperia Z1? It’s that rare combination of a top spec Android phone without a mahoosive 5″ screen (added bonus of being waterproof too)
    Review here

    gravity-slave
    Free Member

    Been looking for similar for my Mrs.

    Most high end Android phones are large. Most compact versions are much lower spec.

    Check out the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. High end, waterproof, good camera, card slot, good battery (pick up an external usb battery from Anker on Amazon for £15 to get a couple of charges out of it)

    Unfortunately a bit over your budget so depends where you can compromise, maybe not on price, but it’s brand new out so may drop soon. Some good monthly deals from Giffgaff.

    Flaperon
    Full Member

    I’m selling a mint condition Lumia 925 with wireless charger for £180 if you’re interested. Black, unlocked, still in warranty. Being replaced with the Lumia 1020.

    After the 1020 the 925 has the best camera of any phone on the market.

    somafunk
    Full Member

    Get a 2nd hand 5S and one of these 15000mAh rechargeable battery packs, My 5s takes stunning pics for a phone camera (don’t get hung up on pixel quantity) and the above charger is capable of fully charging my phone 3 times and my mini iPad twice with enough juice left for a partial charge of each again.

    My 5S 64gb is leaps n’ bounds ahead of the 4 32gb it replaced.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    Why a removable battery when you can buy a 10,000mAh battery with two USB ports that allows you to charge the phone several times, a camera, portable speakers, an iPad…
    I’ve got two, a 5000mAh and a 10,000mAh, neither were that expensive, and the flexibility is far, far more useful than having a removable battery that compromises the phone’s structure.
    Same with internal memory card. Why? Usually means issues with the amount of space allowed for apps, and organising files. There’s no problem using Dropbox, AirSharing, or any number of file-sharing apps in iOS.
    Both also means that if you want to use something like a LifeProof or Otterbox case, you have to keep taking the phone out to change the battery; much, much easier to carry the powerpack, and you’d be carrying a spare battery anyway, which would need to be charged, while a powerpack allows two, sometimes three charges.
    Here you go, this is the bigger one I have: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anker-Astro3E-Mobile-10000mAh-External-Battery-Pack-Charger-Power-Pack-NEW-/251426285687
    Can’t go wrong at £33.

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    The moto g is a great phone. But it fails on your good camera point. The camera is only 5mp and not all that good. They had to save the money somewhere.

    nickjb
    Free Member

    The moto g is a great phone. But it fails on your good camera point. The camera is only 5mp and not all that good

    But you could buy quite a nice DSLR with the money you save 😀

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    nickjb – Member
    The moto g is a great phone. But it fails on your good camera point. The camera is only 5mp and not all that good
    But you could buy quite a nice DSLR with the money you save

    fair point, well made! 🙂

    gravity-slave
    Free Member

    Same with internal memory card. Why?

    Flights, international travelling and rural holidays are all times when I’ve not been able to access remote data or be organised up front to manage all my content to ensure my whims are covered. Some games, a few movies and decent slection of music rips into space fast.

    Duane,
    On Android USB-OTG is one workaround to no slot. Some handsets like Nexus 5 support it. A 99p cable will let you mount a USB device, like stick or card reader for removavble storage. Also supports card readers, I copy camera or GoPro footage to my tablet and free up card space.

    cp
    Full Member

    Fwiw since the upgrade to KitKat, the moto g takes great pics. ‘Only’ 5 mp, but more MP’s in a phone is a waste of time anyway. Besides, you can fit more pics on the phone 🙂

    Duane…
    Free Member

    Thanks for the replies.

    5S is not an option – looking at £350+ for a beat up one.

    Sony Xperia Z1 looks to be out of my budget too.

    Moto G looks good, but concerned about the camera, I know it’s not just about the MP, but 5MP? I will be using this as my main holiday camera this summer so need it to be as good as possible.

    Not too keen on Windows Mobile – lack of apps etc etc

    Thoughts on Nexus 5 vs Galaxy S4? Nexus 5 is tempting as it would be new (would get a used S4).

    Ta,
    Duane.

    schrickvr6
    Free Member

    I’ve got the Nexus 5 and it really is awesome, I paid £300, for £240 you really won’t get a better phone, I wouldn’t hang about…

    bigphilblackpool
    Free Member

    Id hang fire to be honest.
    S5 out end of feb
    Ip6 out end of march (same source ive used has allways bin bang on dates and specs)
    New htc is out end of feb

    So the prices of the s4 will drop and the prices of the htc one etc will fall. I use a nexus 5 and s4 active for work.

    Gone right off apple after the abysmal quality of the lighting cables and the fact I was on my 5th ip5 relacement!!!! From apple as I just kept having issues with them.

    Dont be put off by the mega pixel of a camera. You only need above 5mp if your blowing your pics up to huuuuge sizes an old 2mp sony walkman still takes ace pics to this day without distortion! !!!

    loddrik
    Free Member

    IPhone 6 out end of march my arse. 😆

    Not a chance in hell.

    hazza123
    Free Member

    Literally no difference between the iphone 5 and the 5c bar the daft new colour schemes. Being no difference between the 2 is one of the main reasons they got rid of the original 5.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Same with internal memory card. Why? Usually means issues with the amount of space allowed for apps, and organising files. There’s no problem using Dropbox, AirSharing, or any number of file-sharing apps in iOS.

    Because they charge you 10x the price for storage than you can buy it for?
    Galaxy S3 here but I reckon Nexus will be my next phone maybe before I’m out of contract in August if there is good stock.

    On the size thing, you get used to it really quick.

    cp
    Full Member

    You don’t just get used to a bigger phone quickly, you wonder how on earth you managed on a smaller phone for so long!

    muggomagic
    Full Member

    as a nexus 5(work) and iphone 5(personal) user

    iphone
    +far better camera
    +reliable battery life
    +more apps available (android does tend to wait a month or 2 before getting the latest apps, seems even google updates it’s iOS apps 1st)
    +more accesories available
    +siri
    -expensive in comparison
    -quite limited in terms of set up
    -no widgets

    nexus
    +set up exactly how i want with tasker taking care of everything from muting at the time of meetings and only alerting for specific caller IDs to switching off wifi when out of range of known networks, etc.
    +widgets
    +Album art on the lock screen is excellent
    +great phone for the money
    -Doesn’t feel as premium as the iphone and the back looks gets mucky quickly
    -Camera is pretty poor in anything other that a decent level of light and with a still subject (useless at taking photos of the kids)
    -battery life very inconsistant. One day it’ll comfortably make it through the day and the next with similar usage it’s down to 20% by 4pm.

    Both phones are great, but if I had to live with one then I’d be missing more of the iphone features than I would the nexus.

    Duane…
    Free Member

    Thanks for the replies all.

    I’m now the proud(?) owner of a Nexus 5! For £240, be rude not to!

    Now to figure out this Android lark, what apps to use etc etc..

Viewing 28 posts - 1 through 28 (of 28 total)

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