Not impressed with any of the current flagships (Verizon) -- help!!

[axwhite1987]

Hi all! New member here looking for a bit of advice.

Yesterday I cracked the glass on my Galaxy Note II. I've been overdue for an upgrade, so it's time to move on.

Unfortunately, I'm not overjoyed with the current crop of flagships on offer. What I'd really like is a waterproof phone with the latest specs and a screen in the low 5" range. Had Samsung simply upgraded the Galaxy S5 with the latest internals, I'd be all over it. We all know what happened there. The only other waterproof options are less than spectacular, so I think I'll let go of that requirement.

It looks like the only real options are the Galaxy S6, the One M9, and the Droid Turbo. Here's what I'm seeing:

• Screen size/resolution: it's a wash -- they're all a good size and I don't need more than 1080p
• Thickness/weight: advantage S6
• Camera: advantage S6, followed by Turbo
• Performance: all perform well
• Battery life: Turbo clearly wins
• Storage: advantage M9 -- while it only offers 32GB, I can expand it with my existing memory card. However the S6 & Turbo do offer higher capacities, and perhaps those are worth looking at due to the performance improvements of internal storage.
• Charging: advantage S6 due to wireless and rapid charging options. None offer removable batteries, which is a bummer.

So like anything, each option has its pros and cons. Looking at the list, the S6 has more wins, but I'm a bit put off by what I've read about its battery life, and I hear the Turbo is a great option.

Am I missing anything here? Can anyone nudge me in either direction based on personal experience?

 

[SpookDroid]

G4 is also a solid choice, but IMHO, if you're coming from a Note 2 and you still love it and aren't put off by its size (I know you requested a low 5" range, but 'small phones' are a dying breed), I'd totally recommend the Note 4 over all of them. Or if you're patient enough, wait a couple of months for the Note 5 to come out.

The camera on the G4 is VERY impressive. On par with the Note 4 and S6/S6 Edge, with the HUGE advantage of having full manual controls.
Just take a look at this beauty.
https://plus.google.com/+PhilNickinson/posts/gzDAze8bJpb

 

[axwhite1987]

You know, I was actually hoping to use this opportunity to downsize, as I always felt the Note II was just a hair too large for my liking. At the time, I was willing to compromise on the larger screen since the Note was the best option in terms of battery life and performance.

Given my desire to downsize, I had completely written off the G4. Perhaps I should give it another look. If it is as good as you say, I may very well be in the same boat as I was when I bought my Note. Considering I've lived with the Note for well over two years without hurling myself off a bridge, maybe sticking with a larger screen wouldn't be so bad.

Plus, my wife thinks the G4 looks nice, and she's been mocking my phones for years, so maybe this is my chance to shut her up for good!

 

[SpookDroid]

And the Note 4 feels so much smaller than the Note 2, trust me hehe (I've had every Note since the 2, and only got that one because it felt more manageable than the huge original Note...I've been in love ever since.)

If you do go for the G4, you'll see a lot of similarities between Samsung features and the ones on LG's flagship. IMHO most of them are better carried out on Sammy's devices, but anyway, it's something to keep in mind.

 

[axwhite1987]

Goodness... I didn't even bother looking at the Note 4 since I figured it'd be so much bigger than the Note II. Looking at Note 4's size/weight specs, it's generally equal to or better than the Note II.

Under normal circumstances I'd wait to see what the Note 5 has to offer, since we're already 8+ months into the Note 4's lifetime. Sadly I can't really wait around with this broken screen. If I went for the Note 4, I'd almost consider just picking up the S5 since it's got the waterproofing, removable battery, and memory card slot. But there's no way I'll settle for a last-gen device. At least the Note 4 is still current in its category.

 

[SpookDroid]

You could get a 'get me by' phone if you want to wait for the Note 5. It's bound to come out in September/October, but there are some rumors that it might even be pulled into August to avoid competing with the iPhone 6S Plus, but that's just rumors. Or if you're on T-Mobile, you can get any phone on their new Jump On-Demand scheme and just use one of your 3 yearly upgrades when the Note 5 comes out.

 

[hallux]

Doesn't the Turbo have Qi charging and "Turbo" charging on the cable? Referencing the OP and the advantage to the S6 having those 2 capabilities.

 

[axwhite1987]

Doesn't the Turbo have Qi charging and "Turbo" charging on the cable? Referencing the OP and the advantage to the S6 having those 2 capabilities.

Yes, the Turbo is Qi-compatible, and it does advertise some form of rapid charging, but my understanding is that it's not nearly as impressive as the S6 in this area. However, maybe this is just because of the Turbo's considerably larger battery?

 

[hallux]

Yes, the Turbo is Qi-compatible, and it does advertise some form of rapid charging, but my understanding is that it's not nearly as impressive as the S6 in this area. However, maybe this is just because of the Turbo's considerably larger battery?

Motorola advertises 8 hours of use on 15 minutes of charging, what does the S6 do? The Motorola Turbo Charger can output up to 15W.

Standard: 5V / 1.67A (8W)
TurboPower: 9V / 1.67A (15W)
TurboPower: 12V / 1.2A (15W)

 

[axwhite1987]

I went to the Verizon store today so I could actually feel how each of these phones looked in person and felt in my hand. I think I'm going to go with the LG G4.

The M9 probably looked/felt the best, but I axed it because of the mixed reviews regarding its camera, and its lack of storage options means I couldn't fit all of my music on it. I similarly eliminated the S6 because I'd have to spend another $100 on the 64GB version to fit all of my music. I tried out the Note 4 but I already struggle to one-hand the screen of my Note II, and the 4 just felt too cumbersome. Also it's basically last year's model. Finally, the Turbo just felt too heavy, and I could achieve the same battery life gains with the G4's replaceable battery.

Ultimately the G4 just felt the most comfortable in my hand. It's got a great screen, and even though it's the same size as my Note II, it feels more accessible. The camera is highly regarded, and it's got the removable battery & memory expansion that the others lack. My only complaints are 1) it's not very thin, 2) it lacks physical home/etc buttons, 3) LG's Android customizations are supposedly quite poor, and 4) it doesn't have the absolute latest and greatest processor. Let me know if there are any other considerations I might be overlooking!

 

[SpookDroid]

Very solid choice. I'd still have chosen the Note 4, but that's just personal preference. I have a hard time loving the G4 because it feels like older Samsung stuff badly implemented (yes, sorry but it does, especially when you are using it next to a Note 4). It does have some great features though, like tap to wake/sleep (to this day I still find myself automatically trying to tap the screen on my Note 4 and work iPhone from time to time) and the full manual controls on the camera. That is probably the only thing I'm totally in love with and wish Samsung phones had. The camera is on par with the Note 4 and S6, but the full manual controls, including exposure time, make this one stand out A LOT.

Also I'm not a fan of the rear buttons. They just don't work for me, and no matter what anyone says, your fingers DO NOT fall naturally in that position. They just don't. haha

 

[axwhite1987]

Haha, I agree about the buttons. I don't think I'll mind them, but they certainly aren't any more "natural" than side-mounted buttons.

I'm planning on picking up the black leather version at the Verizon store today. Looking forward to either loving it or hating & returning it.

 

[SpookDroid]

Coming from the Note 2 you'll be reminded of a lot of Samsung features, trust me. And if you do use Multiwindow on the Note 2 or love the S-Pen, you're gonna miss the latter dearly and hate the way LG handles MultiWindow when compared to Sammy's phones. It's not terrible, it's just not good enough, and even more when compared to a Note.

I hope you CAN avoid the comparisons... I couldn't, and that's what keeps the LG G4 in a drawer next to my bed draining its battery until I decide to snap a few pictures and then back into the drawer it goes. I do give it to the G4, though, it seems to be immortal on Standby haha. Lasts over a week in the drawer receiving notifications via WiFi (airplane mode since I don't have a SIM card in it). Pretty impressive for a smartphone! On day to day use, though, it didn't seem to beat the Note 4 though.

 

[axwhite1987]

Gotcha. To be honest, I rarely use the stylus or multi-window. The stylus usually only comes out when I come across a desktop website that still has hover-over menus, or when drawing something. Similarly, it's very uncommon that I need to see two apps at exactly the same time, especially with Android's robust copy & paste functionality. For me, a smartphone is still very much a consumption device; I just can't see power-using on a touchscreen.

 

[joebloggs13]

The G4 is a solid choice. I was also a Galaxy Note user and needed a replacement quick, as mine was stolen. The choices available at the time, and that worked for me were the G3 and the Note 3. I ended up getting the G3 and honestly, I haven't looked back. The G3 is the best handset I have ever owned.

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