If not Samsung, what brand next?

[subguy812]

I see many Note 20U users saying they are unhappy with Samsung's decisions, not just with the S21, but actually the unrest has been growing. I am included in this group. Once it is time for a new device, generally I pick up a couple a year, what is next? Any ideas of what models, companies have you attention?

 

[bandofbrothers2112]

The only aspect of the N20 Ultra for me was the soc in it which is why I imported the Snapdragon version into the UK.

Apart from that the phone has been / is stellar.

In the s21 line up it would have to be the Ultra if I bought one for various reasons.

I've not seen any brands / models catch my eye.

Hungrily awaiting for the N21 Ultra Snapdragon version.

 

[Rukbat]

I went from Samsung to Google for the Visual Core, the tech support and the fact that rooting isn't something the tech support people care about. (I had to send them a debug dump to fix a problem, but the phone was rooted. The technician just asked me to unroot and take another dump, so he wouldn't have to wade through all the additional things in the dump.)

 

[L0n3N1nja]

I'll probably just use my N20 Ultra for a few years if I'm not happy with what Samsung offers.

Sadly none of the other OEMs interest me right now, I might actually jump to Apple one day depending how things go.

 

[mustang7757]

For me I have few phones from different manufacturers, iPhone,pixels,one plus so if it comes down to taking a break from Samsung I'll hold my Note and continue with others .

 

[da7thsign]

I'll probably go back to Huawei. I had an Ascend Mate 2 that was a battery beast at the time, and the P9. They were good phones, just have to side load a few apps and I'd be ok. But if the Note 20 is truly the last of its kind, I'll hold on to it for a while, maybe get a fold 2 or 3 of its good

 

[Morty2264]

What a great thread! To be honest, I've truly loved my S10 and don't want to give it up! But when my phone eventually quits, I'd either stay with Samsung or go back to Pixel. I really loved my Google Pixel 2 and wouldn't mind giving the Pixel 5 or even the Pixel 6 a whirl in the future. The thing is, Samsung phones are just getting too big and unwieldy for me. And I miss the camera experience that I got with my Pixel.

I've always wanted to try OnePlus but their phones are getting too big as well, and their cameras don't compare well to Pixel's, either.

 

[Hermes Hidayat]

just sent my N20U for service...using the iP12PM at the moment.so far its nice...wasnt what i expected but its okay.

 

[srgonu]

If Samsung quits on note, will go with fold or pixel.

 

[J Dubbs]

I see many Note 20U users saying they are unhappy with Samsung's decisions, not just with the S21, but actually the unrest has been growing. I am included in this group. Once it is time for a new device, generally I pick up a couple a year, what is next? Any ideas of what models, companies have you attention?

I'm with some of the others, I would either wait out the fold 3, try OnePlus, or go with a Pixel. I'm personally VERY interested in the new rollable phone possibly coming out the end of this year or next year by LG I think it was. Best idea for an expandable imo.

 

[me just saying]

I might consider Microsofts Surface Duo 2 if it has nfc.

 

[Ranjen617]

Keep my Note phones until they give out. May go to the flip but the Pixel does look enticing.

 

[neil74]

I have frustrations with Samsung, the software whilst better still sits at the wrong of the bloat scale, updates whilst much better are still behind others and the camera choices/processing makes people and pet photos a lottery.

Having said this all of the others have their own compromises which makes it tricky. Pixel and OnePlus are my favourites of the other options (and I do have a Pixel 5) The pixel 5 is terrific but has less storage than I would like and is also smaller than I would like too (A 6.2-6.4" Pixel 5 with 256gb of storage would be great) The OnePlus 8 Pro is also impressive but the camera is IMO not quite as good and the screen is flawed.

Overall I still think Samsung ticks the most boxes and offers the most complete package, even if the removal of the SD card does take one of those away.

 

[cknobman]

I'm not ditching them, my S20 5G has been absolutely excellent in every way.

Also I'm loving the downsize (Note 9) in phones and dont think I will ever go back to a huge phone again.

 

[rsmin]

Well I tried to go another route this year. Have had almost every Note except the first one and Note 5. This year seeking a change I gave my Note 10+ to my wife and bought the LG V60 Dual Screen thinking it could replace my Note experience. The phone is a good phone, and the stylus works good and sometimes I would use both screens at once reading on one screen while making notes on the other. Worked like it was created to do. BUT, for me not having the stylus in the phone made a huge difference. I was constantly finding myself not having the stylus with me or taking the second screen off and not using it. Also I missed some of the things i took for granted with Samsung and that is software. It just works well with my watch, and my t.v.s. I also missed DEX. Plus not every function on my Galaxy Watch 3 works with phones not Samsung. Anyway I took my Note 10+ back from my wife. Bought her the A51 which she loves and will either hang on to my Note 10+, or eventually get the Note 20 ultra.
For me I just can't step away from Samsung, Also don't think I want the S21 with a stylus that doen't fit in the phone, even though they have a case for it to hide in. So my feeling is no, I want leave Samsung again. Too deep into their watch, their smart home automation, their t.v.s. Like some who have apple phones, they are too "walled in" to leave the apple system, I am too "walled in" to leave Samsung.

 

[CincyGuy]

Last couple of generations of galaxy phones (s10 and s20) have been generally problem free for me, and am happily upgrading to the s21. However, due to kids being on iPhones, and our oldest going to college this fall, my wife and I will switch to the new iPhones that will be released later this year. It will just be easier to share pics/vids at full quality and to communicate via Facetime. Also it will be easier for me at work to share pics/vids with coworkers, as 99% of everyone here is an iPhone user. Based on the reviews just posted, the S21 should be a great send-off from Android for me.

 

[srgonu]

It's interesting to note just two apps imessage and FaceTime driving people in to eco system while Android still struggling to figure out how to stay coherent with those apps and retain their users. I started my kid on pixel and she is very happy because she loves customizing her phone and not yet bothered by the peer pressure of her ios friends.

 

[skunkyjoe]

I'm going to stick with my S10+. To get the S21 would be a downgrade in some specs and an upgrade in others, but overall there is no must-have feature on the S21 to make the change. I'm a big Samsung fan but am disappointed that the phone sizes just getting bigger and bigger. My S10+ is 6.4 inches and that is the absolute largest phone I want to carry around. That rules out both Note models and the S21+ and S21 Ultra. I would consider an OnePlusOne or Xiaomi phone or even a Pixel in the future. Samsung needs to make a premium phone (top of the line cameras, quad Hd and enormous battery), in a size under 6.5 inches or I'll jump ship.

 

[Morty2264]

I'm with some of the others, I would either wait out the fold 3, try OnePlus, or go with a Pixel. I'm personally VERY interested in the new rollable phone possibly coming out the end of this year or next year by LG I think it was. Best idea for an expandable imo.

OnePlus has always been a contender for me. I've been keeping an eye on them since the OnePlus 5!

 

[sulla1965]

I'd go with a pixel every time. If they actually made phone without some major flaw. IE blue shift, Notch and no fingerprint scanner. This year it was the under the screen speaker grill. P5 had the worst call quality I've experienced on a phone in a long time.

So if I do go away from Samsung, I'd likely go oneplus route. Too bad HTC, Moto and now LG may be out of the flagship market.