Re: should I get M8?
I've had my M8 since May and I absolutely love it.
First, about the battery:
To be honest, I have not been running stock since October. I'm currently using one of the better ROMs for the M8: ViperOne. I don't know how they do it but I can go a very, very long day on a single charge with so much left over I don't even need to think about my battery level. I leave the house between 7 and 7:30 in the morning and don't get home until 10 or 10:30 at night. In my 15 hours away from home, I typically use my M8 for email, facebook, texting, calls, streaming music to my car via bluetooth and I have wifi on at all times (connected all day at work) and I play a few basic games (chess, for example). When I get home at night, I typically have ~60% battery left. If I used it a bit more heavily that day, maybe it'll be down to 50% - but it never goes below 50% unless I use it after I get home instead of charging it. So as far as battery life is concerned, the M8 is fantastic, at least if you're running ViperOne.
Camera:
This is where I disagree with a lot of other people. I like the camera. It works for me. If I want to take professional-grade pictures, I'll buy a professional-grade camera with at least 10x optical zoom. But I'm not a professional photographer, and if I were I certainly wouldn't use a phone as my primary camera. So when I take pictures with friends and family, I don't need professional quality. But I do need it to take a picture fast so I can tap and be done, which the M8 does. The lower resolution of the camera allows it to save very quickly - instantly, in fact. I can tap 5 times in 2 seconds and take 5 clear pictures. The low-light pictures I've taken have actually been quite good, and while they lose some saturation, that's natural in a low-light environment (such as outdoors around dusk).
Build quality:
There is no better. Not iPhone, Galaxy, Z3 or any other device. This phone is beautiful. I have not held the M9 so I cannot comment on a comparison, but the M8 is just gorgeous. I do recommend a case, though. This is the first phone I have ever put in a case. In fact, I was hesitant to do so until I dropped it. That was the first time I had ever dropped a phone ever. Fortunately it fell onto a carpet and did not get scratched up or dented, but it was enough for me to get a case. Specifically, I bought the Spigen Slim Armor based on reviews and recommendations from others on this forum, and it is not a decision I regret at all. The case is very good without too much bulk.
Sense:
I love Sense. I hate Blinkfeed, mind you, but I love Sense. It's intuitive, functional and the UI doesn't make me want to tear my hair out like TouchWiz does. So I use the Google Now launcher or Nova Launcher (I switch between them every now and then) and everything works perfectly. Seriously, it just works.
Bloat:
My least favorite part of any stock device is the bloat. It was a primary reason I rooted and went S-OFF and installed a custom ROM in the first place. The bloat really uses system resources that don't need to be used, and without root you can't even uninstall the bloat. Things like VZW's messenger app, the NFL app that I never wanted and a dozen others. When I installed the current version of ViperOne, I had almost nothing I didn't need - what little bloat it comes with is actually useful in customizing your phone, though I haven't explored all the options.
Storage space:
I have more than enough storage space. In addition to the internal phone storage, I have a 32GB microSD card (class 10) where I store my pictures, music and videos, leaving my internal storage for a few apps and all system files/processes (which helps keep speed at desired levels by not making the phone work harder than it has to).
Bottom line:
With the M9, S6 and other phones coming out, a lot of enthusiasts will be looking to sell their M8 and get a new phone. With more people selling their phones and fewer people opting to buy the year-old device, prices will drop. This would be an excellent time to buy a used M8. Almost a year later, the phone is still just as much fun as it was when I first got it, though admittedly part of my enjoyment is playing around with different ROMs and setups, which is definitely not for everyone (kiss your warranty goodbye when you S-OFF!), but the device has not slowed down and my enjoyment of it has not decreased. Originally I was torn between the S5 and the M8, but in hind sight I made the right choice. I ended up with a S5 anyway from work, and while I like the battery life, I do not like the size or the interface, and the cheap build quality gets old fast after having my M8 for so long.
I highly recommend this phone.