What's the best android phone right now?

[RavenSword]

So I'm going to try and pay off my iPhone 6 plus soon and I'm wanting to give android a go again. However, I have no clue which phone to go with. There's the Moro x style, of G4, Galaxy s6, Galaxy note 5, or maybe I should wait and see what the new nexus phone is like? I want something that will play games well, has good battery life, isn't too bloated down with interfaces and such, and has a decent camera, and gets updates in a reasonable amount of time. Basically, I want something close to stock android.

Any ideas?

 

[Rukbat]

"has good battery life" Phone for phone, iPhones have better battery life than Androids. Running a VM costs battery.

"isn't too bloated down with interfaces and such" Something not sold by a carrier. All carrier-branded Androids have carrier bloat, and only Nexus doesn't have manufacturer bloat.

"gets updates in a reasonable amount of time." That would be the Nexus. Every other phone has to have the manufacturer modify the update for the particular phone, then have the carrier make its own mods. Google writes Android for the current Nexus, so nothing has to be done to it. (Even if it's an older Nexus, less has to be done than, say, for a Samsung on Verizon.)

The problem with Nexus is that it also doesn't have all the extra goodies that the manufacturers add to their phones, so it's a balancing act. Do you want the utility of a Note pen, or tap to wake, or faster updates, less bloat and cheaper for the same phone?

 

[RavenSword]

"has good battery life" Phone for phone, iPhones have better battery life than Androids. Running a VM costs battery.

"isn't too bloated down with interfaces and such" Something not sold by a carrier. All carrier-branded Androids have carrier bloat, and only Nexus doesn't have manufacturer bloat.

"gets updates in a reasonable amount of time." That would be the Nexus. Every other phone has to have the manufacturer modify the update for the particular phone, then have the carrier make its own mods. Google writes Android for the current Nexus, so nothing has to be done to it. (Even if it's an older Nexus, less has to be done than, say, for a Samsung on Verizon.)

The problem with Nexus is that it also doesn't have all the extra goodies that the manufacturers add to their phones, so it's a balancing act. Do you want the utility of a Note pen, or tap to wake, or faster updates, less bloat and cheaper for the same phone?

I don't really care about most add ins manufactures add outside of what moto does. I'd rather have stock android with good battery life, a decent camera, and a good price. However, moto style is about as big as my 6 plus (which I'm starting to think is a tad too big) and I have no clue what the new nexus phone will be like.

 

[JoshDunc]

You cannot go wrong with your list. The S6 is absolutely a joy to use day in and day out just as a Nexus 6, Note 4, Note 5, Moto X Style, etc. are. I'd recommend going to your local carriers store and handling each phone if they have active display models.

Samsung Galaxy S6 - Black - 32GB
ZAGG Tempered Glass
AT&T

 

[trsbbs]

I'm enjoying the heck out of my M9. TouchWiz is not near as smooth as Sense 7. The thing uses memory correctly unlike SamDung. The camera works fine for my uses.

 

[RavenSword]

I'm also thinking about just picking up a 2014 moto x to save some money. I kinda want to go back to a smaller phone and this is the only one that's around 5 inches and runs stock android. However, I'm worried the phone is too old, won't be supported for the next few years, or if I'm just better off dealing with the size of the moto x style. Also, I heard some say the screens burned in after a while.

 

[Almeuit]

I'm also thinking about just picking up a 2014 moto x to save some money. I kinda want to go back to a smaller phone and this is the only one that's around 5 inches and runs stock android. However, I'm worried the phone is too old, won't be supported for the next few years, or if I'm just better off dealing with the size of the moto x style. Also, I heard some say the screens burned in after a while.

As I have told you in the past -- You will not find a phone that fits your needs 100%. We all definitely look for it but it is very rare for someone to be completely satisfied with no negative / down sides to their phone choice. You just have to weigh what is important feature wise to you, how much you want to spend, and go from there.

 

[Aquila]

I'm also thinking about just picking up a 2014 moto x to save some money. I kinda want to go back to a smaller phone and this is the only one that's around 5 inches and runs stock android. However, I'm worried the phone is too old, won't be supported for the next few years, or if I'm just better off dealing with the size of the moto x style. Also, I heard some say the screens burned in after a while.

Hi. Have you ever kept a phone for "years"?

 

[dpham00]

There is no best phone and no phone is perfect, only what is best for you. And that is something only you can decide. The specs are there, most of the devices are in stores, so go play with them and choose what works best for you.

 

[RavenSword]

Hi. Have you ever kept a phone for "years"?

No, I usualy swap it with a new one after a year or two.

 

[RavenSword]

I'm actually thinking of picking up a nexus 6. I really want my updates from Google and stock android. And the price is pretty good at $500. But I still worry about what I hear about the screen burning in. And the size maybe a bit unwieldy.

I think the phones I'm between deciding on are the nexus 6, moto x pure, Galaxy S6 or lg G4. But with the G4 and s6 I have to decide if I'm ok giving up stock android.

 

[jimbo1mcm]

Pick up a Nexus 6 and use it for a couple of weeks. If you don't like it, return it, but, for me, it is a better phone than my Iphone 6. Depends on your needs and likes.

 

[asnigro]

Im thinking about getting the Nexus 6 for my wife and I, switching from Sprint to Fi, then potentially selling both Nexus 6's when the new Nexus' come out this fall/winter. I would think resale on the Nexus 6 would still be decent in a couple of months if you cant return it (which I would think would be the case).

 

[mohit9206]

Get the Xperia Z3 or Z3 compact. Best battery lives in any phone today. Good processing power, good camera, guaranteed two years updates, etc.
Don't get HTC. They never update their phone. My friend bought HTC One Mini 2 but HTC never gave an update so HTC could care less about your phone being up to date.

 

[RavenSword]

So, I think now I'm between either the lg G4 or Galaxy S6. Honestly, I think I just want to pay off this iPhone, upgrade to a android phone on att, then sell the iPhone and just pay off the new phone month to month. And I think I can get over not having stock android and I can always just use the google now launcher if anything.

I think I'm leaning more towards the s6, but I worry about its battery life. From what I hear the s6 is faster.

 

[Ed Briggs]

No, I usualy swap it with a new one after a year or two.

Then the Moto X 14 or Nexus 6 will be just fine. Both are fast, fluid phones that will get updates for a while.

 

[Almeuit]

Closing thread - OP decided on an S6. - http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?p=4611067