I seem to have the recurring problem of breaking the micro usb ports in the phones, anyone recommend a decent large (5″ or more) android phone with USB C. Looking to buy outright, had a Sony Xperia, Samsung Note, Ulefone Power.

Will USB C give me any extra longevity, fed up of propping the power cables up on books etc to get the connection.

nexus 5 has USB C. it’s easier then having to fumble about with micro USB and the like, and it’s been robust enough.

I’ve been using an Elephone P9000 for the last year. 5.5″ screen, USB-C connection. It’s fast, the battery lasts ages, came with android 6.0 which was up-to-date at the time. No bloatware installed, just a few basic apps. Seems pretty solid so far. Superb value compared to the big names too.

Nexus 6p with one, works really well 16 months in now

I’ve seen a little plug in adaptor that you leave in your phone, and the compatible lead is a magloc style. Not tried them, might be rubbish.

With the Sony Xperia, did you not use the magloc charger? Means you only need the USB port for data. Broke my mag connector recently and its a real pain as the USB port is behind the waterproof flap.

Another option, wireless charging pad?

Edit after seeing post below…I had a mag lead, not a dock. So could have one in the car etc.

Curveball suggestion, but…..(In the spirit of recommendations based on ownership.)

Xperia Z3?

Desktop charging port. Makes the phone a mini desk photo frame as well, which is ace. Waterproof (good for cyclists!), excellent battery life, good camera, etc.

google “magnetic micro usb charger lead”. You can pop a bit into the phone port that then magnetically connects to the lead. If you need to use a standard lead, you can just pop the bit out.

upside: charging is bloody easy, less wear and tear on the phone socket
downside: very small bit poking out of phone.

USB-C is a pain in the arse.
Although it is superior to Micro USB

Noone ever has a cable you can borrow. Micro-USB chargers are everywhere. I had a Nexus 5X with it. Which has awful battery life. Always running out and if I forgot the cable sometimes it would be a day or two before I made it home to find the cable.

Now have a moto G which has a special charger which charges just as quickly, can use any old cable lying around…..

Too early for USB C, I’d wait 12 months

I have to admit the Ulefone Battery life was excellent, it’s dropped off a fair bit after a year though. NFC Charging or a charging dock – hadn’t thought of that good call.

Noone ever has a cable you can borrow. Micro-USB chargers are everywhere. I had a Nexus 5X with it. Which has awful battery life. Always running out and if I forgot the cable sometimes it would be a day or two before I made it home to find the cable.

One on my desk, one a home or travel bag and one in the car, what you doing with yours?

OnePlus 3. Large(ish), cheap(ish), fast, Android Pay support, and already running Android N.

You might have to budget on buying a few spare USB C cables as the one it comes with is most useful when paired with the stock charger (fills up the phone in about 20 minutes).

Huawei P9 FTW

Another vote for one plus 3, great phone.

USB c seems way more robust. My family break the micro USB at an alarming rate. C seems like it should survive longer. Aaaaand you ofc put in USB C either way into the phone which is amazing in itself.

I bought a Huawei mate 9 as everyone else is recommending what they’ve got

nexus 5 has USB C.

Nexus 5x does, 5 is micro usb

P9 is a great phone.

Also buy a few of these, leave one in your coat pockets so you’ve always got one.

That. I have 4 of the adaptors. 1 lives in my wallet.

Oneplus 3 user here. USB c seems way more robust, and has much higher power so charging is quick.

I have a Nexus 5x – I’ve managed to bugger up the USB C on that.

Is wireless charging any good, or a gimmick?

I’ve never used it, but usb c does charge quick, especially if the phone supports fast charging. The Huawei P9 supports fast charging, but inconveniently does not come with a fast charge plug/cable, although the one it comes with does charge pretty quickly compared to standard.

Fast charging will only work with the proper chargers though, older/3rd party USB chargers for other phones will still work but they will not charge as quickly.

Noone ever has a cable you can borrow. Micro-USB chargers are everywhere. I had a Nexus 5X with it. Which has awful battery life. Always running out and if I forgot the cable sometimes it would be a day or two before I made it home to find the cable.

Don’t you mean USB chargers are everywhere, so all you need to carry around is a one or two USB/USB-C cables?
Surely nobody makes dedicated hard-wired chargers anymore, the whole universal charger issue was legislated for some years ago, so most phones, now come with a wall-wart, it’s just a standard USB port so any device can be charged, and you can charge from a 12v accessory charger in a car, or from a USB port fitted in a car or radio head unit.
USB-C is very close in design to Apple’s Lightning port, it seems Apple were quietly involved in the design along with Intel, the design specifically created so it can be plugged in either way round, and use any USB charger, so all you should need are a couple of spare cables.

I had a Huawei honor note 8 with USB c. Best phone I’ve ever had. Wish I hadn’t got rid now for a galaxy 7 edge. No where near as good.

I cant say I have ever broken micro or micro usb. Usb C seems much more robust also though.
The one plus 3 has dash charge, a combination of the charger & special cable allow this, so pretty much done in 30 mins or so. Anything less seems very pedestrian these days.

I’ve had Nokia’s for ages and wireless charging would be essential on any new phone, it rocks

I have a Samsung A5, which has USB-C. It seems fine.

Tbh of you keep breaking pets you’re probably best with something that does QI charging.
Seems to be disappearng from newer phones though.

In the spirit of recommending what you have, I’ve been really impressed with my Honor 8. I’ve never broken a micro USB port, but the C version seems even more robust.

The supplied cable lives with the supplied charger, on my bedside table. If I’m going back out after work, 20 minutes or so in there gets to close to 100%.

I bought an extra long cable that lives in the living room, a cable to live at work and a cable for my bag with my back up battery. I think I might buy an adaptor too, to keep in my wallet.

Another happy P9 user…. P10 launches very soon.

+1 on Xperia with magnetic charging connector. Can’t remember when I last plugged anything into USB port. I have a dock at home and a lead in the car.

I hate to be That Guy but, how do you keep breaking them? I’ve got / have had all manner of microUSB devices and I’ve never broken a port ever.

Maybe you should get something with wireless charging….

I’m not sure how people break them either, micro USB, to me, i just feels fragile, but I’ve never had one break on me. some people are just pointless tho.. The same that have cracked phone screens all the time.

The same that have cracked phone screens all the time.

Depends on the phone, I had a ulefone and the screen cracked if you so much as looked at it funny.

And the replacement (Via Timpson, so not cheap) screen on my S4 wasn’t anything like as durable as the original.

So it’s not so much that some people are really clumsy, it’s just that the original screens on expensive phones are considerably better.

How to break micro usb

Walking on the cable whilst cable still in phone

Standing on the actual cable

Not realising cable is in phone and grabbing it in a rush

Todddler

Wife

I had a Nexus 5X with it. Which has awful battery life.

Really, I find it has one of the best out of all the smart phones I’ve used

Lucky if it made it past 5pm. New Moto G has about 40% when I go to bed. Use them in exactly the same way

How to break micro usb

Walking on the cable whilst cable still in phone

Standing on the actual cable

Not realising cable is in phone and grabbing it in a rush

Todddler

Wife

All bar one of those can be fixed by relocating where you charge it, no?

As others have said, oneplus3. There is always somebody around you can borrow a micro USB charger from so keep those adaptors handy. I got 5 for £5 off Amazon.

Even with a normal micro USB plug and an adaptor, fully charges in less than an hour

All bar one of those can be fixed by relocating where you charge it not being so clumsy, no?

FTFY