Best New/Older Android Phone for a Thrifty BlackBerry Z30 User (and don't say Priv!)

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Looking for some advice from the Android Central community here... (I've already read Android Central's Best Android Phones 2016 post but want a little more feedback from AC's members.

Back story:

My brother called me last night and asked for advice on which Android phone to buy. He's been rocking a BlackBerry Z30 the past couple of years, which he actually liked a lot. He's an engineer, smart guy, but hasn't put his smartphone to use for too much stuff beyond the communication basics (he has an iPad for games at home, uses a PC, doesn't really like the closed-ness of Apple's ecosystem at all so would much rather go PC / Android than other alternatives).

Now, while I'm the dumb one in the family who tends to blow money on whatever is tagged as "Best"... my brother is the thrifty one. Super value conscious, always looking for the best deal, and even after he buys something is watching for for price drops for weeks to make sure he didn't overpay. He's not cheap, nor does he feel compelled to buy the best things... he's a thrifter.

Based on all that, I found it really difficult to answer his question. My initial answer was "BUY THE S7 or Nexus 6P!" But his take on the S7 was too expensive. Then he was thinking about the maybe the year-ish old Galaxy S6, but then I said he'd probably want to go S6 Plus for extra size and bigger battery. I mentioned the Priv of course, seeing as he's moving over from BlackBerry 10, but he wasn't into it (I let him play with my Priv before and he just didn't like it).

So I'm sort of in between categories here... I'm not looking for the Best Android Phone, and I'm not looking for the Best Cheap Android Phone (that was built ground up to be inexpensive). I'm now looking for an Android phone that's all around awesome (maybe used to be the best) but is available for cheapest.

Any thoughts? (For the record, he's in Canada on a GSM carrier... MTS).

Mucho thanks in advance!

 

[Aquila]

The Nexus 6P will be superior to the S6 Edge Plus and the S6 is a little bit of a disaster. Here's my top 5 list of budget conscious devices, in order from best device to fifth best with normal prices:

1. Nexus 6P - $499 for 32 GB, $549 for 64 GB and $649 for 128 GB. I went with the 64 GB. Best camera, fingerprint scanner, hardware specs and performance of the list. Big beautiful screen, second largest device on the list.
2. Nexus 5X - $349 for 16 GB, $399 for 32 GB. I went with 32 GB. Best screen of the bunch, smaller than the rest, great value.
3. Moto X Pure Edition - $399 for 16 GB (on sale on Amazon for $299), $449 for 32 GB and $499 for 64 GB. I went with 64 GB. Not much going for it compared to the others - customization?
4. Nexus 6 - $349 for 32 GB (on Amazon). I have the 64 GB. Getting kind of old but still a very powerful device. Also the largest of the bunch.
5. LG G4 - $359 for 32 GB (on Amazon). My wife has this. Buttons on the back, micro-SD card and removable battery for people who like that stuff.

Honorable mentions: Moto G, HTC One A9

 

[xocomaox]

Moto X Pure for $299.00?

 

[Ry]

My initial thought would be Nexus 6P. It seems to be the consensus pick for best all-around Android smartphone at the moment.

Feature-wise, what stands out for him?

• Fast OS Updates?
• Fast Security Updates?
• How good does the camera have to be?
• What price range are we talking here? (Moto G to Nexus 6P?)
• Doesn't sound like he'll be gaming much on mobile so anything Snapdragon 810 or 820 might not be necessary?

My picks would be the third gen Moto G, Moto X Play, Moto X Style, or Nexus 6P.

 

[srkmagnus]

I think an LG G4 would be great. It can be purchased for under $400 and has a decently sized battery (removable too), good camera, SD card slot, and is a pretty solid device.

Something to consider if the s6 doesn't fit the bill.

 

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Thanks for the quick, great feedback. Will share thread with bro. Keep it coming!

 

[STARGATE]

This would be my best choice:

 

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Hmm... so I caught up with my brother this morning quick. He appreciates all the feedback.

One critical thing he mentioned about why he loves the Z30 is because "It's Bulletproof. I probably drop the phone once a week or twice a week at work and it never breaks. Screen doesn't crack, everything keeps working."

As I mentioned - he's a mechanical engineer and he often has to go down into the plant where it can be dusty, grimy, etc. and inevitably he beats the heck out of the phone. And he's not a fan of bulky cases.

Based on that, I'm thinking maybe a Galaxy S6 ACTIVE may be the best phone for him. Ruggedness built in and still a good phone. Will do some digging to see if I can find it for a good price.

 

[Ry]

Hmm... so I caught up with my brother this morning quick. He appreciates all the feedback.

One critical thing he mentioned about why he loves the Z30 is because "It's Bulletproof. I probably drop the phone once a week or twice a week at work and it never breaks. Screen doesn't crack, everything keeps working."

As I mentioned - he's a mechanical engineer and he often has to go down into the plant where it can be dusty, grimy, etc. and inevitably he beats the heck out of the phone. And he's not a fan of bulky cases.

Based on that, I'm thinking maybe a Galaxy S6 ACTIVE may be the best phone for him. Ruggedness built in and still a good phone. Will do some digging to see if I can find it for a good price.

S6 Active definitely, if he wants to go case-less.

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition