Always keep going back to the M8 - but does it matter it's last years model?

[mikeyboy80]

I've been switching between devices all this year as i cant set to settle on one i like. Ive had the S6 but returned it cause i didnt like the lag on it. I had the M9 but didnt like the screen and some of my apps kept crashing. Had the Z3/Z3 compact but didnt like it. The iphone 6 didnt see it was worth the money. I always keep going back to the M8. The feel, finish and slickness just appeals to me and overall there just isn't any other device which appeals to me.

What im worried about though with this M8 is that is well over a year old and assuming im going to keep it for about a year will it stand up still in terms of speed browsing speed etc??

Also im not a mad camera user hardly take pics, do people really think the camera is poor?

 

[Mooncatt]

I thought the camera was pretty decent overall. Most of the people that don't like it tend to only consider the pixel count, which is only part of the equation. I got turned off the M8 because of bad USB ports, and that seems to becoming a more common problem.

 

[Tadrift]

To me, it sounds like you answered your own question. The M8 is plenty powerful for 99% of users right now. And really, there isn't that much that is going to change in the App world in the next year that will impact the performance. Phones many times slow down (or seem too) after about a year because they get loaded down with junk. I do a reset+restore about every 6 months. So I can't blame the phone. The phone takes good pictures, maybe not super fantastic, so if it works for you then that is all that matters.

I am a medium power user, never game, use the camera for like maybe 30 pictures a month. I listen to a lot music and have about 100 very active Apps. I bought a LG G3 at a discount 3-4 months ago and it is plenty fast for me. I always buy a generation back and have never suffered for it. I just stopped listening to people telling me I needed more.

Personally, I think we all get the upgrade bug. We want to believe the hype that a phone is going to be so much better for us. Truth is, normally "if you are lucky" it has marginal improvement. Or it loses something like a good screen, etc.

The M8 is a beautiful phone and if it works for you and you keep finding yourself coming back to it, then it will be great for you the next year.

 

[Big Spherz]

I own an M8. Clearly a competent phone. Would disagree with the opinion that the camera is decent. Don't know if its my copy but, I think the forward lens is hideous. As I have a dSLR, that wasn't an issue when I bought it. However, that changed when I tried Google Cardboard virtual reality. Although the experience is adequate, here's a list of improvements that are needed to make it a seamless experience. At 1k HD, pixels are clearly visible. 4k or better will be needed to resolve this. Graphic processing lags if you move faster than a slow pan leaving images out of focus. You'll burn through a full charge in a little over an hour of VR use. And lastly, thoughts of frying an egg on the phone come to mind. Have to be fair though. I doubt anybody's phone is up to the challenge of VR. Even considering Moore's law, I'd guess 4-6 years before phones can really handle it.

 

[mikeyboy80]

Thanks, I'm not an avid camera user but you saying that has got me worried

 

[Mooncatt]

I'm not familiar with any of that, so wouldn't even be a consideration for me.

 

[Tadrift]

I own an M8. Clearly a competent phone. Would disagree with the opinion that the camera is decent. Don't know if its my copy but, I think the forward lens is hideous. As I have a dSLR, that wasn't an issue when I bought it. However, that changed when I tried Google Cardboard virtual reality. Although the experience is adequate, here's a list of improvements that are needed to make it a seamless experience. At 1k HD, pixels are clearly visible. 4k or better will be needed to resolve this. Graphic processing lags if you move faster than a slow pan leaving images out of focus. You'll burn through a full charge in a little over an hour of VR use. And lastly, thoughts of frying an egg on the phone come to mind. Have to be fair though. I doubt anybody's phone is up to the challenge of VR. Even considering Moore's law, I'd guess 4-6 years before phones can really handle it.

Well, when the phone came out, the camera was decent (OK). The biggest changes in the past year in phones have been the camera's. New phones like S6 and G4 leave it in the dust. I can't defend it, BUT, if it was OK for you then, it is OK for you now. It hasn't gotten worse, but there is better if that is something important. My G3 camera is also not up to a G4, but it still takes damn fine pics for me.

VR is tough on even the very latest hardware. I don't think this applies to the OP concerns from what he has said. This goes off a different subject, but personally I think phones will start being designed for a specific use like VR. Kind of like a gaming PC vs regular. Because it is going to take one hell of a GPU to do it justice and that ain't going to be cheap. And that same VR designed phone will be so overkill for other uses, it would just be waste.

 

[mikeyboy80]

Thanks, still not sure. I was swaying towards the galaxy only cause of the camera but i hate touchwiz

 

[Mooncatt]

Thanks, still not sure. I was swaying towards the galaxy only cause of the camera but i hate touchwiz

If the camera is something you're wanting to consider, then look into the LG G4 or V10. I have the G4 and have been blown away by its camera. It's not DSLR quality like some review headlines hint at, but it has been consistently ranked one of the top smartphone cameras. The V10 camera is essentially the same, but adds manual controls to video recording. The hardware changes aren't too different compared to the G4. Considering the price difference and availability of third party apps with manual video controls, it's hard to justify the extra cost of the V10.

 

[mikeyboy80]

Sorry what's a v10? I'm not a techie to be honest. So you're saying the m8 is a no no? I'm not a mad camera user but i do want a decent enough one

 

[jlarkins08]

I have been having my m8 since launch day here in the US and I will say this phone is just phone for me... Every phone that has launched since then I compare to this fine speciment and I don't see any major gotta have features to upgrade.. For what I use my phone for like you , I am just a medium user... Social networking, music, web browsing, texting, Sharing pics, calender, and email.. This phone is more than enough and in my opinion still the one to beat.. so keep your M8 if it does it for you..

 

[mikeyboy80]

I have been having my m8 since launch day here in the US and I will say this phone is just phone for me... Every phone that has launched since then I compare to this fine speciment and I don't see any major gotta have features to upgrade.. For what I use my phone for like you , I am just a medium user... Social networking, music, web browsing, texting, Sharing pics, calender, and email.. This phone is more than enough and in my opinion still the one to beat.. so keep your M8 if it does it for you..

Thanks much appreciated. Like I said I was swaying towards the galaxy but I don't like the interface. What do you make of the camera on the htc m8?

 

[Mooncatt]

Sorry what's a v10? I'm not a techie to be honest. So you're saying the m8 is a no no? I'm not a mad camera user but i do want a decent enough one

The V10 is essentially the bigger brother of the G4 phone. It has a larger screen an extra Gig of RAM, and a secondary display for notices while the main screen is off, but otherwise is about the same.

The M8 is a no go for me because of my problems with the USB ports and reading many others with similar issues on here lately. The camera on it is decent, and I only mentioned the two LG phone's since you mentioned liking the Galaxy's camera but not Touchwiz.

 

[mikeyboy80]

The V10 is essentially the bigger brother of the G4 phone. It has a larger screen an extra Gig of RAM, and a secondary display for notices while the main screen is off, but otherwise is about the same.

The M8 is a no go for me because of my problems with the USB ports and reading many others with similar issues on here lately. The camera on it is decent, and I only mentioned the two LG phone's since you mentioned liking the Galaxy's camera but not Touchwiz.

Ah many thanks

 

[jlarkins08]

I think the camera is decent for what I use it for.. that's sending and sharing pics.. I'm no photographer so pixels don't mean much to me!

 

[mikeyboy80]

Many thanks