Convince me to buy or talk me out of buying this phone

[PRW94]

Looking to get a new phone.

I've had an HTC One (M8) for the last two years (Verizon, as I'm on a VZW MVNO, but it's rooted), and I absolutely LOVE this phone and would keep it until it dies, but the battery is getting a little hinky, plus the camera sucks and I need a better camera for my job, I use the camera a lot for work.

I've dithered back and forth between HTC 10 (I've never had a non-HTC phone) and S7 (the glass scares me, I'm a klutz and I keep my phone in a mega-protective Ballistic case because of that).

I've even considered going to the dark side with an iPhone (there's an app I have to use for work that I have to jump through mega hoops to use with Android, but it's easier with an iPhone).

However, I keep coming back to this phone. It seems to have the features I'm looking for. I like the fact that it has 64 gigs memory and an SD card slot. It seems like the camera is first rate. It's rugged (refer to what I said about being a klutz). I can also get one pretty cheap right now.

I've never held one, but I've sampled phones of similar size and I think I can deal with that. I even think I can wear it in my dorky leather pouch on my belt without it looking like a battleship on my belt. (I know those pouches are dorky and out of style, but they work absolutely perfectly for my needs and I could care a rat's *** as I near my 60s about being dorky or out of style.)

I'm concerned about the rear camera glass issue (seems easily fixable now) and the GPS
issues (much more important, am a big user of Google Maps) but am willing to take a gamble.

So as I said in the subject line ... convince me to buy, or talk me out of buying this phone, compared to some of the others I mentioned.

 

[ABOSWORTH007]

The V20 is a great phone. The camera is okay. If that is your top priority, I would probably not choose the V20. The camera is decent but there are much better options out there. If you're patient enough to figure out in manual mode, you can take great pics but as far as point and shoot, it's just kind of meh.

I never had any GPS issues. The phone is smooth and fluid.

 

[citronbull]

I've had the phone since launch on Tmo. Love the 64 bigs, SD card, and the ever disappearing removable battery. If you don't care for waterproofing, then this is the right phone for you. My only gripe is that the camera can be a little inconsistent, not bad but sometimes, some shots are not great. I like the quad dac audio myself, there is a lot to like about this phone. I've never had any GPS issues whatsoever.

 

[Aquila]

Buy it. Agree with @ABOSWORTH007, if top priority is camera, get the G6 or Pixel instead, but the V20 is a very solid device.

 

[ABOSWORTH007]

Buy it. Agree with @ABOSWORTH007, if top priority is camera, get the G6 or Pixel instead, but the V20 is a very solid device.

From what I've read, those two that you mentioned (Pixel and G6) are at the top. HTC 10, U11, Galaxy S6-S8 series and iPhones all have great cameras too.

From my experience, I think the S6, S7 Edge and S8+ all have better cameras than the V20. Currently, I have an S8+ and I definitely feel that it is better than the V20.

Like I said though, the V20 does have an okay camera. It's not bad or anything.

 

[Mike Dee]

Buy it.
Camera has been good me as is but keep in mind I'm more of a dedicated camera guy and have thousands invested in equipment including a small DSLR.
If you like music you'll like this phone.
I love the secondary display.
I love the large LCD, though future iterations may switch to Amoled.
The removable battery is a plus and there are few options out there that can double and tripple you battery life if you don't mind a bulky phone.

 

[PRW94]

I don't need the greatest camera known to man, I just need a better camera than the M8, with the low resolution (it shows even with the big pixels) and that purple haze you get if you don't hit the sunlight just right (fantastic low-light camera though).

 

[ABOSWORTH007]

I don't need the greatest camera known to man, I just need a better camera than the M8, with the low resolution (it shows even with the big pixels) and that purple haze you get if you don't hit the sunlight just right (fantastic low-light camera though).

It will blow the M8 camera out of the water. You will be very happy with it. I'd say go ahead and buy the V20. It is a really great device. Only reason I traded it for an S8+ is because I'm a freak and get a new phone every 6 months because I love trying out different phones.

 

[flyingkytez]

Looking to get a new phone.

I've had an HTC One (M8) for the last two years (Verizon, as I'm on a VZW MVNO, but it's rooted), and I absolutely LOVE this phone and would keep it until it dies, but the battery is getting a little hinky, plus the camera sucks and I need a better camera for my job, I use the camera a lot for work.

I've dithered back and forth between HTC 10 (I've never had a non-HTC phone) and S7 (the glass scares me, I'm a klutz and I keep my phone in a mega-protective Ballistic case because of that).

I've even considered going to the dark side with an iPhone (there's an app I have to use for work that I have to jump through mega hoops to use with Android, but it's easier with an iPhone).

However, I keep coming back to this phone. It seems to have the features I'm looking for. I like the fact that it has 64 gigs memory and an SD card slot. It seems like the camera is first rate. It's rugged (refer to what I said about being a klutz). I can also get one pretty cheap right now.

I've never held one, but I've sampled phones of similar size and I think I can deal with that. I even think I can wear it in my dorky leather pouch on my belt without it looking like a battleship on my belt. (I know those pouches are dorky and out of style, but they work absolutely perfectly for my needs and I could care a rat's *** as I near my 60s about being dorky or out of style.)

I'm concerned about the rear camera glass issue (seems easily fixable now) and the GPS
issues (much more important, am a big user of Google Maps) but am willing to take a gamble.

So as I said in the subject line ... convince me to buy, or talk me out of buying this phone, compared to some of the others I mentioned.

If you're coming from the HTC M8, then you'll love this phone a lot. It's one of the few flagships that offers a military grade standard rating just like it's predecessor, the V10 (S8, G6, HTC U11 are all glass builds, the next best option is the Galaxy S7 or S8 ACTIVE). Audio quality is outstanding and it still has a headphone jack VS. HTC & iPhone. Also, you seem like the person to keep a phone for a long time; the V20 has a removable battery so as long as you take care of the device, it'll last a very long time especially since you can change the battery after a year or so when it degrades (my last Galaxy phone I really loved a lot but battery performance dropped after a year and I couldn't change the battery because it was sealed). Has a microSD slot (Pixels​ and iPhones does not, not sure why). Still has an IR blaster, an ancient Android feature but I still love it (because why not?). I can change the channels at the gym, at the bar, or even at someone's house. You'll find yourself using the 2nd screen a lot the longer you own it, I really love the customizable shortcut icons. Front and rear cameras are very good, dual wide angle cameras is REALLY useful and fun to use. The only issue is that AUTOMODE is not good and does just OK in low light and shutter speed isn't good in indoor situations (however manual mode fixes this problem). The screen is beautiful, but it's not as beautiful and vibrant as the S8 or Pixel, however you'll never have to worry about screen burn in on AMOLED devices. Price wise, this phone offers A LOT of bang for your buck, nearly half the cost of a Pixel XL or S8 Plus (you can find used on Swappa or eBay for pretty cheap). I understand your concern with the fragile rear camera, but honestly I haven't broken mine yet and I've own it since release. If it does break however, since the back battery door is removable, repairing it yourself doesn't seem like a hard thing to do. Just use a case and keep the preinstalled screen protector on it and you'll be fine. GPS works fine. It is a 5.7 inch phone so you'll have to understand it'll be a bigger phone than your M8 (however it's very slim so using it one handed isn't too bad)

I've own the HTC Inspire 4G, Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S6 Active, and Galaxy S7 Active and the V20 is my favorite of them all because of all the features it has. Phones are going the wrong direction with all glass builds, they're too fragile. Shame on HTC, I really enjoyed their metal designs, headphone jack, and front speakers. My next best recommendation is the S7 or S8 Active when it comes out, just get it unlocked.

 

[RaRa85]

Man listen. Get this phone.lol I'm running errands so I'll come back and post why later but this phone rocks across the board.

 

[Aquila]

You guys talk to much. Listen to the famous Greek goddess Nike, "Just do it".

 

[jjinal]

I hate these kinds of post. I'm like buy it or don't, I don't care!!

 

[PRW94]

I think I'm going to go for it. Appreciate the input. Will holler back with my assessment.

 

[PRW94]

Except the one that I was looking at on Swappa got sold ... ... there are more to be had, though.

 

[Mike Dee]

Except the one that I was looking at on Swappa got sold ... ... there are more to be had, though.

There's good deals through carriers but you might not want to go that route

 

[PRW94]

There's good deals through carriers but you might not want to go that route

Like I said I'm on an MVNO, the next time I deal with a carrier is when there are icicles in hell.

 

[muckrakerX]

Have to agree that the V20 is a very good phone. If you don't mind paying up front, you should be able to find a good deal on one. I got lucky and got one cheap on Ebay, and if was better than the seller's description. I was worried, though, because I ended up being the first and only bidder.

 

[AtTheHop]

I got mine for 299 thru Verizon by extending my contract 2 years. No monthly payments and they are the best carrier to use. Turned my S5 into a worldwide GPS that does not need cell service or WiFi, all maps are downloaded on the phone and is very accurate.

 

[jbeenemd]

Go to Best Buy and get a Moto G5 Plus.

 

[lateck2]

It sounds like any new phone will be an upgrade.
But, the V20 is a very good device. If removable battery is a must, the LG V series (currently) is the winner!
Love mine.

Lateck,