Need some advice on picking a phone

[Tashannoc]

Hey all,

I'm hoping I can get some feedback on this. I'm a VERY longtime Windows Mobile/Phone/Mobile user, since back in the Mobile 5.0 days. I'm currently using a 1520.3 running Windows 10.

The phone is still a great piece of hardware, and I love the OS, but the app situation is killing me. There are apps that used to work on 8.1 that no longer work on 10, and I've been waiting months for updates that may never come. In addition, there's the seeming dozens of apps I'd love to use but don't have access to.

That said, I'm moving to Android soon (iphones are too expensive and too breakable, IMO, despite the fact that most of my friends use them). I'm looking at two phones and would love some feedback, especially from folks who have made the switch from Windows to Android.

1. Nexus 6P
Pros - Great build, large screen, stock OS with little to no bloatware, i like the rear placement of the fingerprint reader, 4k screen, easy OS upgrades
Cons - previous gen processor, no expandable memory, no wireless charging, a little pricey, no OIS

2. OnePlus 3 (Pros/Cons based on rumors)
Pros - Low Cost for the specs, high ram, current gen processor, low bloat, long battery life, MIGHT have expandable memory (I suspect it will have something similar to the X with the choice of either 2 sims or 1 sim and microSD)
Cons - 5.5 inch screen is about as small as I'll go (some rumors state a 5 inch screen), uncertain how well oneplus will update OS, camera on OP2 seemed lackluster so not sure how this one will stack up

I'm probably looking at another month before I make a purchase, and if I do end up choosing the Nexus I'll probably wait until the price goes down by $50 again.

Thanks in advance for your opinions and advice!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! I have a 6P, and it's great. The Snapdragon 810 can handle anything that's thrown at it without difficulty and without any of the overheating concerns that dogged previous 810 versions.

I have the 128 GB version, which was way overkill for me. If storage is a concern for you, go for the 64 or 128 GB version--and remember, the 6P doesn't have the bloatware that can take up an additional 3-4 GB of space on other phones.

I do miss wireless charging a bit. But the USB-C charging is very fast, so I end up not having to spend much time charging it anyway.

I can't really comment on the lack of OIS, because I tend to take photos when my hand isn't moving. In those situations, the camera takes excellent shots.

The availability of Microsoft Office apps on Android should make your transition easier (although I've never tried using them, so I'm not sure about their functionality). One of the more common complaints from former Windows Phone users is that Android's ability to read and transcribe texts over Bluetooth (i.e., in your car) is not as good as Cortana's. There is a Google Now command to read your last few messages and offer to send a reply, but it sounds like Cortana's abiilty is still more robust.

 

[gammerthumbs]

Both sound like really great choices. If it were me I would go with the Nexus

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[codeda]

I'd just wait until the Oneplus three is officially announced and then revisit. Should be next week. Will be cheaper in price but not that much. Newer soc. I've had the nexus 6p and really enjoyed it but I'm a phone junky and will probably get the OP3 as well. Nexus 6p has my second favorite camera of the phones I've tried in the last six months. They did a good job with it. Anyway good luck, either way .

 

[Rukbat]

As for "expandable memory", no Android phone has it. Expandable data storage, yes. But don't count on moving your apps to the SD card - some of them don't run from the card, so the option isn't there, and those that can be aren't moved as an app, little pieces of the app are moved, and pointers to those pieces are left in internal storage, so you don't gain much space by moving most of the moveable apps. As B.Diddy said, choose a phone with enough internal storage for your apps.

 

[Tashannoc]

I currently use the 32gb on my phone for apps, and the 64gb card for media (mostly music and movies, a few documents for quick reference, and my photos, which also back up to onedrive). I like to have media on the device for instances (airplanes, for example) when I don't have a signal. I understand the SD card limitations with Android. My understanding is that some of the newer Marshmallow phones can store apps on the SD card if you format it that way, but then the card is only usable in that particular phone.

One additional item in the 6P's favor: I'm on T-mobile in the US, so the fact that I could use WiFi text/calling is nice.

Regarding Cortana, it's available for Android, not sure how well it works, but in the newer preview builds of W10 desktop, you can get android notifications through Cortana on your desktop.

I'm definitely not going to make a decision until the OP3 launches, which is rumored for June 14. I actually got one of the free VR headsets from Oneplus, but I don't have an Android phone to use it with yet.

Thanks for the replies, keep them coming!

 

[B. Diddy]

My understanding is that some of the newer Marshmallow phones can store apps on the SD card if you format it that way, but then the card is only usable in that particular phone.

Yes, some phones on Marshmallow support this adoptable storage (but not the LG G5 nor any Samsung phones). I wouldn't recommend it, because SD cards can fail, and if the card has been incorporated into the phone's internal storage, sudden card failure could cause lots of problems. SD cards are also inherently slower than onboard eMMC memory, so you may also notice performance degradation of apps that are using the card. Adoptable storage is primarily useful for cheap entry-level devices that come with minimal onboard storage (which is ironic, because there aren't many cheap entry-level devices on Marshmallow).

 

[Tashannoc]

Thanks for the input. I was going to wait for the OnePlus (and Moto X/Z) announcement, but the 128gb 6P for $500 was too good to pass up.

Now I just need to figure out this whole Android thing when the phone arrives.

 

[Morty2264]

Welcome to the forums!

I get that you are in this kind of a jam - both phones are awesome! I've been recently enthralled with the OnePlus because it is just a nice piece of hardware! And yes, low cost as well!

I feel, IMO, that maybe I'd go with the 6P. But my first ever Android phone was a Nexus 5, and so I have a soft spot for the Nexus family. That being said, stock Android is a wonderful introduction to Google and to Android as a platform; and if you're looking for a big screen that will give you a great experience, I'd look at the Nexus 6P.

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