# Recommend me a new mobile device



## NoXion (Oct 26, 2017)

OK, so I've ordered my new PC and should be receiving it in a week or two. With that sorted, my next priority is to replace my ageing Huawei Kestrel. It's been a reliable and useful device so far, but the last few months have really brought home its shortcomings:

1) Tiny screen. I'm sick of having to zoom in and out so much, especially considering that not every website has a mobile version, and when they do, all too often they look like utter crap.

2) Memory? What memory? This thing fills it up way too easily, and that's without me running anything more demanding than the YouTube app or a web browser.

3) No more room at the inn. Data storage is meagre even with an SD card slotted in.

So yeah, I'm looking for something bigger and better than what I have currently. Price is not too much of a concern; as an absolute upper limit I would say that I am looking to spend no more than £1000, but if I can get something nice for £500 that would be great, and would also reduce the risk of my current phone becoming non-functional before the replacement arrives.


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## weltweit (Oct 26, 2017)

I know little about smart phones but I heard the new Google Pixels are supposed to be alright.


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## editor (Oct 26, 2017)

weltweit said:


> I know little about smart phones but I heard the new Google Pixels are supposed to be alright.


I'd get on to eBay and get a Samsung Galaxy S8 for around £499.


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## yield (Oct 26, 2017)

If I was after a new phone I'd go for Motorola Moto G5S. 32 GB, 5.2 inch full HD display 1.4 GHz octa-core processor and 3 GB RAM with a 3000 mAh battery & with a microSD card slot. £220 at Amazon.


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## NoXion (Oct 26, 2017)

I'm also interested in a larger form factor, so long as I can still make standard calls over a mobile network. I think they're called phablets?

Would definitely prefer to have a headphone socket. I really hope that getting rid of them hasn't become a thing among device manufacturers. Fuck off Apple with your wireless only bullshit.


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## ohmyliver (Oct 31, 2017)

s7 edge £453 from Amazon brand new ( Amazon.co.uk: Buying Choices: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge SM-G935F 32GB Single SIM Smartphone, Black ).... decent battery life (15% after 27 hours off charge with about 4 hours of screen time), headphones jack, 5.5 inch screen. great camera.


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## mauvais (Oct 31, 2017)

NoXion said:


> I'm also interested in a larger form factor, so long as I can still make standard calls over a mobile network. I think they're called phablets?
> 
> Would definitely prefer to have a headphone socket. I really hope that getting rid of them hasn't become a thing among device manufacturers. Fuck off Apple with your wireless only bullshit.


Phablets are somewhat diminished by the increase in size of normal phones. They still exist but definitely have a play with contemporary products before deciding you need something that's neither as convenient as a phone or as usable as a tablet.


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## editor (Oct 31, 2017)

ohmyliver said:


> s7 edge £453 from Amazon brand new ( Amazon.co.uk: Buying Choices: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge SM-G935F 32GB Single SIM Smartphone, Black ).... decent battery life (15% after 27 hours off charge with about 4 hours of screen time), headphones jack, 5.5 inch screen. great camera.


Or grab a new S8 from eBay  for another £50....


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## ohmyliver (Oct 31, 2017)

well, the cheapest I could find within the EU was 520 or so... but your point still stands.  I'd favour an s8 plus over an s8 though, just for the increased battery life, if nothing else.  Although if the OP does get an s7 edge, or s8, or s8 + then get a decent protective case as those phones are fragile.


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## editor (Oct 31, 2017)

ohmyliver said:


> well, the cheapest I could find within the EU was 520 or so... but your point still stands.  I'd favour an s8 plus over an s8 though, just for the increased battery life, if nothing else.  Although if the OP does get an s7 edge, or s8, or s8 + then get a decent protective case as those phones are fragile.


S8 is a bit of a pocket buster but it does come with a better battery. I'd prefer a slightly fatter phone with a big battery life.


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## ohmyliver (Oct 31, 2017)

s8 is long and thin.  It's the most annoying phone I have to test with because it's non standard resolution (it's 2k with extra pixels on one axis) messes up a lot of things which are fine on regular aspect ratios.   But yeah S7 < S8 < S7 Edge < S8 plus when it comes to battery life (although apparently the S7 Edge has better battery life than the S8 plus if it's still on Android 6, rather than 7)


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## editor (Oct 31, 2017)

ohmyliver said:


> s8 is long and thin.  It's the most annoying phone I have to test with because it's non standard resolution (it's 2k with extra pixels on one axis) messes up a lot of things which are fine on regular aspect ratios.   But yeah S7 < S8 < S7 Edge < S8 plus when it comes to battery life (although apparently the S7 Edge has better battery life than the S8 plus if it's still on Android 6, rather than 7)


Those super-high resolutions are fucking pointless too unless you're strapping the phone into a VR headset.


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## beesonthewhatnow (Oct 31, 2017)

Well, an iPhone X fits the £1K budget perfectly


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## ohmyliver (Nov 1, 2017)

editor said:


> Those super-high resolutions are fucking pointless too unless you're strapping the phone into a VR headset.


Agreed, 1080p is crisp enough, even on a 5.5 inch screen.  To be fair to the S8/S8 plus, the unusual aspect ratio (which I think causes problems with devs who set sizes of things to hard pixel values, rather than percentages of screen size more) it's because they've got software buttons, when then hide, but unlike say LG (whose Android skin I loathe) or devices like some Nexus phones they don't take up part of the 'normal' screen.   Did you get your S7 battery issues sorted?


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## editor (Nov 1, 2017)

ohmyliver said:


> Did you get your S7 battery issues sorted?


Nope. It's not helped by the fact that my old Sony Compact z3 - which I dusted off - seems to have developed the longest battery life in the world, so i think I'll flog my s7 and maybe look at a cheapo s8 or something else.


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## NoXion (Nov 1, 2017)

beesonthewhatnow said:


> Well, an iPhone X fits the £1K budget perfectly



I am never buying any Apple products. Hate the company's image and I hate the fucking stupid shit they pull like getting rid of headphone sockets. Real fucking innovative you dickheads.

Apple can fuck right off. And when they get there, they can fuck off again.


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## NoXion (Nov 2, 2017)

Wow. I think this might be exactly what I am looking for:

Razer Phone launch: company squeezes PC gaming tech into a smartphone


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## Fingers (Nov 12, 2017)

I have had my S8 for three months now and it has been awesome.


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## magneze (Nov 12, 2017)

S8 easily


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## Slo-mo (Nov 12, 2017)

I don't think the S8 has a headphone socket though, which the op said he/she wanted.

There really isn't any need to spend a grand on a phone though. £500 will get you something very nice indeed.


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## magneze (Nov 12, 2017)

It does. I'm looking at it.


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## Slo-mo (Nov 12, 2017)

magneze said:


> It does. I'm looking at it.



Happy to stand corrected.


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## NoXion (Nov 12, 2017)

This thing looks really good.


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## cybershot (Nov 12, 2017)

If you can deal with the 3-4 week wait times a whole bunch of my work colleagues swear by Chinese imports. 

They generally use this site, the link I provide goes straight to Xiaomi products, who have a good rep, but double check the phone will work over here. Good luck finding something with a headphone socket, thou most come with adapters, and splitters are not exactly expensive!

Xiaomi in Cell phones - Online Shopping | GearBest.com


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## NoXion (Nov 13, 2017)

I just found out the Razer doesn't have a headphone socket. How the fuck do they justify that, even if does come with with an adapter?

Adapters and splitters are more things which can get lost or broken along with your wireless earphones. I have honestly never found headphone wires to be bothersome at all really, so this whole business where more and more manufacturers get rid of the headphone socket just looks like a blatant money-grubbing exercise.


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## Fez909 (Nov 13, 2017)

NoXion said:


> I just found out the Razer doesn't have a headphone socket. How the fuck do they justify that, even if does come with with an adapter?
> 
> Adapters and splitters are more things which can get lost or broken along with your wireless earphones. I have honestly never found headphone wires to be bothersome at all really, so this whole business where more and more manufacturers get rid of the headphone socket just looks like a blatant money-grubbing exercise.


Was just about to say that the Razer sounded great til he said no headphones socket.

Rubbish!


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## Fez909 (Nov 13, 2017)

Anyway, have you looked at the new Sony?

My last two phones have been Sony and they've been the best phones I've ever owned.

Great battery life, removable storage, waterproof, great cameras, good specs, headphone jack 

Latest model is the Xperia ZX. Haven't looked at any reviews since it launched as I'm happy with my Z5 still (over two years old now). If I was looking for a new phone, though, that'd be the first model I checked out.

Downsides: not stock android. Updates are two years only, Sony customer services is a nightmare, battery gets worse with each new version rather than better (though they started from a high bar so it's all good).


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## NoXion (Nov 13, 2017)

Fez909 said:


> Was just about to say that the Razer sounded great til he said no headphones socket.
> 
> Rubbish!



It's extra annoying because I still like the Razer in spite of the lack of a headphone socket.

Fucking Apple and the gormless fucking idiots who copy them!


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## ohmyliver (Nov 17, 2017)

s7 edge is now 360 quid... last years top phone, but still


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## Slo-mo (Nov 18, 2017)

ohmyliver said:


> s7 edge is now 360 quid... last years top phone, but still


Where is that, please?  GiffGaff are still demanding 550 quids for it, which is ludicrous.


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## ohmyliver (Nov 18, 2017)

It was at Amazon, but looks like their out of stock now.


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## Slo-mo (Nov 18, 2017)

ohmyliver said:


> It was at Amazon, but looks like their out of stock now.



OK, ta.


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