Best Android Lumia 1520 Replacement? Under $250?

[bo_woods]

I am currently using an LG G3, came from a Lumia ICON and just before that used a Lumia 1520. The 1520 has been the best phone I've ever owned.

Now that I've tasted some modern Android (My last android was the Motorola photon q 4g LTE), I would like to stick with it until MS releases their actual First Party Mobile device and Windows 10 Mobile matures some more.

My number one things I am looking for are:

- A Big and Sharp display (6 inch would be awesome but 5.5 is fine also)
- A Great Camera (One of the most powerful aspects to Lumia and a very important factor to me)
- A Smooth experience ( I don't care at all what pushes the horse, I just want the horse to go fast)
- A Beautiful Design (This is subjective so I don't expect it to filter out anyone's suggestions, but I just wanted to point out that this is important to me )

So far the Nexus 6 checks off all of these boxes except the camera department. The fact that this phones seems perfect for me in every way but simply lacks in the camera department almost physically hurts. Its beautiful, should be fast, and has a 5.9 inch 2k display. Ughhh, but the camera optics have been a complaint from what I've seen online

Help Me!!! Somebodyyyyyy!!!

 

[sydneycooper1979]

Ok well your price is a little narrow. If you can go up a little, the nexus 6P and the moto x pure edition could be great phones for you. Honestly the nexus 6 camera is not terrible. Especially if you are looking for the most bang for your buck. LG G4 would probably work for you if you picked up a used one. Although it might still run you more than $250.

 

[sydneycooper1979]

A galaxy s5 would fit everything except the screen size

 

[bo_woods]

Well the Nexus 6p is more than just a little more. It starts at $499 in the U.S, brand new and I don't see any used devices anywhere online. Every Nexus 6p I see elsewhere other than the Google play store is $600+ and brand new, which doesn't make sense to me because why would someone pay $600 for a phone that they can get for a hundred less direct from Google. And no I'm not comparing 32gb to 64gb or anything like that.

Tax and good shipping will make it around $550 which is $270 more than my price range...

 

[bo_woods]

Im comparing to the 1520 because it has a 6" 1080p screen, Extremely great camera, awesome battery life, beautiful design and plenty of bells and whistles (qi, super sensitive touch, etc.) And due to age it can be found for around $200 in great condition.


The Nexus 6 comes very close to this due to being around $230 and due to being equal in many areas and also better in a few such as display resolution. Although the camera is my one slap to the face.

I want something similar to the Nexus 6 but with a better shooter and didn't think it would take too much more money just to find one similar but with a better snapper.

 

[sydneycooper1979]

OK what about one of the one plus ones?

 

[bo_woods]

OK what about one of the one plus ones?

Ohhh! Thanks, heard and looked at them before but never really looked deeply into anything OnePlus

I will go take a look

 

[AlphaTango414]

Find a good used Note 4 for sub $300 if you look or a Nexus 5x.

 

[sydneycooper1979]

Yeah if you can snag a note 4 in your price range, that's a heck of a deal

 

[sydneycooper1979]

And make sure to check your local Craigslist ads

 

[LeoRex]

Its beautiful, should be fast, and has a 5.9 inch 2k display. Ughhh, but the camera optics have been a complaint from what I've seen online :

Don't believe everything you've read. The Nexus 6's camera had always been limited by a fairly pedestrian Google Camera app. That's changed quite a lot and the new version works extremely well... Might and day when compared to what it was b launch. And there's always apps like Manual Camera and FV-5...

I've owned a Nexus 6 for a full year and it takes really good photos... Maybe not quite as good as a Note or a G4 (which my wife has), but I still get excellent pictures and have no issues.

Considering the current price, if you discount the office because of some online reviews, you are doing yourself a great disservice.

 

[bo_woods]

Don't believe everything you've read. The Nexus 6's camera had always been limited by a fairly pedestrian Google Camera app. That's changed quite a lot and the new version works extremely well... Might and day when compared to what it was b launch. And there's always apps like Manual Camera and FV-5...

I've owned a Nexus 6 for a full year and it takes really good photos... Maybe not quite as good as a Note or a G4 (which my wife has), but I still get excellent pictures and have no issues.

Considering the current price, if you discount the office because of some online reviews, you are doing yourself a great disservice.

Thanks for that! I know a different camera app can make a world of difference do to different apps using the cameras capabilities and or having different post processing algorithms but I didn't really apply that thought o the Nexus 6. I just looked at it as having an all around mediocre shooter


Could you perhaps post some pics?

So far my top options I'm comparing are the Nexus 6, Note 4, and OnePlus One

The Note has a good reputation in the cam department but its not as nice looking as the Nexus imo, and id prefer stock android over touchwiz. I could download a launcher, but would that cause a slower experience? Hmmmm

 

[sydneycooper1979]

Nova launcher usually speeds up your day to day experience on galaxy devices.

 

[bo_woods]

Would anyone recommend the Note 3 still? The lack of OIS scares me but... still

Note 3 camera>Nexus 6 camera??

 

[sydneycooper1979]

No way. Nexus 6 everything > note 3 everything

 

[bo_woods]

Okay so I have narrowed things down. Right now its come down to the LG G4 or Nexus 6.

The LG G4 seems to offer what I can expect to be a better camera, but on the other hand the Nexus 6 has a bigger display and aluminum frame...

Decisions, decisions...

 

[AlphaTango414]

Big negative on Note 3. They won't see anything after Android L. Note 4 should still get Android M eventually.

Which both the N6 and recently G4 has Android M now.

 

[LeoRex]

Could you perhaps post some pics?

Gladly

These are a few that I have (they come from Google Photos, so they've been mildly compressed.... Now, I won't claim that it can best my wife's G4, or the other top shooters on the market, all I am saying is that you can take good pics. (I take pics other than trees and leaves, these are just some random ones out of thousands)

 

[bo_woods]

Gladly

These are a few that I have (they come from Google Photos, so they've been mildly compressed.... Now, I won't claim that it can best my wife's G4, or the other top shooters on the market, all I am saying is that you can take good pics. (I take pics other than trees and leaves, these are just some random ones out of thousands)

View attachment 208247View attachment 208248View attachment 208249View attachment 208250

Those are actually very good!

What Camera App did you use? Or what app do you most commonly use?

 

[bo_woods]

Does the OIS work well when recording video in any app?

Sample videos I've seen on YouTube have all seem to show that Nexus 6 videos are wobbly and shaky :S