Please recommend me a new phone

[DasBimvo]

Hello,

This is my first post on this forum, so first of all, hi all

Currently, I'm a Windows Mobile user, but have more or less given up on it.

So, it's back to android. Thing is, I've lost touch with the phone market, hence this thread. I would say I'm an average user. No high intensity usage here, I make phone calls, send texts, read / write emails, browse the web, listen to music, use some social apps, watch the occasional video and play the occasional game. No need for top of the line hardware, though I wouldn't exactly mind having it.

As far as demands, or rather wishes go, I primarily want good build quality as I intend to keep the phone for at least 2 years. Decent camera is also a bonus, as well as a smooth experience, with stock android being a plus here. I'm not a big fan of manufacturer bloatware.

Budget wise, I don't want to spend more than 300eur for unlocked phones - single payment. I am willing to extend the budget to 500eur for buying through my carrier with a monthly plan (kinda what I'm leaning towards).

I should also mention I'm in no hurry. I'll probably get the phone at the end of 2017, unless my current Windows phone dies before that.

As per the devices I am looking at, the main one that caught my eye is the LG G6. 450eur through my carrier. Ticks most of my boxes, apart from the stock android one. I do have one concern though. LG left a bad taste in my mouth after owning an LG G2. Terrible device, it's what made me switch to Windows Phone. Bad build quality and buggy software. Has LG improved since then?

For alternatives, the Motorola Moto Z Play 2nd gen. also caught my eye. This one does tick all the boxes on my wish list, but it's not available at my carrier yet, so I'm not sure about the price, though it should be within my budget.

The upcoming Nokia 8 also seems interesting. I'm just concerned it will be outside my budget.

Lastly, there's the Samsung Galaxy S8. I'm including this one simply because EVERYONE is recommending it. Personally, I'm a bit torn. Seems nice, but the rounded screen seems more like a gimmick to me. Oh, and at 630eur it's outside of my budget, unless there's a very good reason why I should pay an extra 180eur over the LG G6?

Any comments / recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks

 

[DasBimvo]

Oh, and another alternative I came across is the Huawei P10. Just to add to the confusion

 

[DasBimvo]

No comments? :-\

 

[Morty2264]

Hi! Well, I am unsure of Euro pricing, but if you really want a stock Android experience, I would recommend the Google Pixel to you. Now that its second iteration is pushing to the threshold, the Pixel will drop in price. Has good specs and is an all around awesome phone. Let us know what you decide!

 

[ffejjj]

No comments? :-\

I have the LG G6 and it's really nice

 

[DasBimvo]

Thank you for your comments

I have had my eye on the Pixel for some time, but the pricing here in Europe is insane - 630eur for the basic 32GB version and 910eur for the 128GB XL version. For comparison, I can get the Galaxy S8+ for the same money, and the LG G6 for 400eur.

Speaking of the G6, I'm liking it more and more (on paper, at least) - I like the screen to body ratio, I like the wide-angle camera, and I especially like the water / dust / shock resistance. It just seems to be the best phone for the money, even though it does seem a bit sluggish compared to other flagships (based on comparison videos I watched).

So yeah, I think the G6 seems to be the phone for me. Even though I was in this situation before - deciding between an LG G series and a Samsung Galaxy S series - went with the LG which turned out to be a mistake.

Alternately, the Nokia 8 just appeared on German amazon for preorder - 580eur. Might shave off a Euro or two if I take it through my carrier. Seems like a decent phone.

 

[Morty2264]

Thank you for your comments

I have had my eye on the Pixel for some time, but the pricing here in Europe is insane - 630eur for the basic 32GB version and 910eur for the 128GB XL version. For comparison, I can get the Galaxy S8+ for the same money, and the LG G6 for 400eur.

Speaking of the G6, I'm liking it more and more (on paper, at least) - I like the screen to body ratio, I like the wide-angle camera, and I especially like the water / dust / shock resistance. It just seems to be the best phone for the money, even though it does seem a bit sluggish compared to other flagships (based on comparison videos I watched).

So yeah, I think the G6 seems to be the phone for me. Even though I was in this situation before - deciding between an LG G series and a Samsung Galaxy S series - went with the LG which turned out to be a mistake.

Alternately, the Nokia 8 just appeared on German amazon for preorder - 580eur. Might shave off a Euro or two if I take it through my carrier. Seems like a decent phone.

That's too bad about the Pixel! I was wondering how expensive it'd be over there. Still pretty high priced here in Canada, as well.

The G6 is phenomenal! It feels so good in the hand - I held it in the store and was pleasantly surprised that my small hands could actually hold a 5.7" phone. It's all about the ratio!

Yes, the G6 does have last year's Snapdragon so it's a little slower compared to devices like the HTC U11; but users here have commented, for the most part, that their G6 is smooth and that the experience is still snappy. My guess is that you won't really notice the difference once it's not paired with another device in comparison. That's what was advised to me when I posted in the G6 forums about it!

Speaking of the G6 forums, there are a few core users there that post often and really give us other users a great insight into how good the G6 is. If you need anything, I'm sure they'd be able to provide you with some in-hand details!

I had the G3 and I gotta say, I miss the LG experience. The G6, in my opinion, is a beautiful phone that works well. It's the best flagship LG has made thus far.

Let us know if you need anything else and keep us informed on what you decide!

 

[DasBimvo]

Thank you for the information on the G6.

Speaking of the G6, I was browsing YouTube today and came across what might end up being the phone I'll get: the LG V30. From what I've seen, it's very similar to the G6, boasting the same water, dust and shock resistance, same glass / aluminum build, dual cameras, but packs the latest hardware (Snapdragon 835) and all the goodies that were region dependent on the G6, mainly wireless charging and a high-quality DAC. It also ditches the LCD display in favor of an AMOLED and is ever so slightly larger:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbdrA_2vASw&t

Looks just about perfect if you ask me. If the price won't be anything silly, like >800eur, and everything else will appear to be in order, I think this one might just be it.

 

[Morty2264]

Thank you for the information on the G6.

Speaking of the G6, I was browsing YouTube today and came across what might end up being the phone I'll get: the LG V30. From what I've seen, it's very similar to the G6, boasting the same water, dust and shock resistance, same glass / aluminum build, dual cameras, but packs the latest hardware (Snapdragon 835) and all the goodies that were region dependent on the G6, mainly wireless charging and a high-quality DAC. It also ditches the LCD display in favor of an AMOLED and is ever so slightly larger:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbdrA_2vASw&t

Looks just about perfect if you ask me. If the price won't be anything silly, like >800eur, and everything else will appear to be in order, I think this one might just be it.

Excellent choice! Yup, the V30 has the latest software! So it will perform just as quickly as the other devices with 835. I've heard really good things about the display, as well. Keep us posted!

 

[DasBimvo]

Will do

Rumors say the V30 should launch in late September, so it might take a while for me to give some feedback, but regardless, I'll post back when I make a move

Thanks again for all your help

 

[Morty2264]

Will do

Rumors say the V30 should launch in late September, so it might take a while for me to give some feedback, but regardless, I'll post back when I make a move

Thanks again for all your help

No problem at all! Glad you are looking forward to buying the phone! It looks awesome!