So I'm due an upgrade from my 4s and I need a little help

[Kiez]

So I've mainly been considering the galaxy S5, I've read reviews and it seems pretty hit and miss between people saying its good and people saying its bad and poor build quality, etc.. Now for effectively same price as what I'll end up paying for a S5 I could choose pretty much any other smartphone excluding the 6+. After using iOS now for 2 years I think it's time I said goodbye, as I am sure many of your are similar, as a PC user been locked into a basic OS with very little customization, very strict rails on what can or cannot be installed (emulators) and overall just catering the device to myself I think android is definitely the way to go.

 

I have seen often on websites, reddit and tech vids of android users with completely overhauled mobile themes, the most common ones usually pipboy style from fallout. I was wondering how easy these things are to do as it is this kind of customization that really pushes me in the direction of android. Also has anyone had any personal issues with the S5 and if so a possible recommendation instead of? I really edge towards the S5 as prior to my iphone I had countless samsung phones before to the smartphone era that I absolutely adored and all worked fantastically. From the e250, g600, tocco and to this day the best looking phone ever IMO, the u600.

 

So thanks for any replies and any light you can shed on my sitatuion

[ilikemacandpc]

The s5 is no good. 

 

Get something like the One Plus One, Nexus 6, Moto X, HTC One M8, Note 4, LG G3, or iPhone 6. 

 

The S5 is not a worthy flagship. 

[Octavialicious]

HTC master race, go with one of their phones

[dizmo]

It's pretty easy, and if you're more ballsy, can be difficult. It depends what level of customization you want to go to, whether it be as simple as installing a new launcher, or a new ROM.

I just go the launcher/icon pack route. It's not as in depth, but it gives me enough customization that I can change pretty much everything I want.

 

As for the device itself, I wouldn't go with the S5.

What are your options? I'm guessing you're going carrier subsidized, so what carrier are you with?

What do you want to get out of your phone?
Likes and dislikes?

We can better help you with a little more information.

 

You won't regret going Android. Two of my friends converted earlier. Their response (they're not real tech savvy) "Holy. This is like going from a kids toy version of a computer to an actual computer."

[Maheshvara]

So I've mainly been considering the galaxy S5, I've read reviews and it seems pretty hit and miss between people saying its good and people saying its bad and poor build quality, etc.. Now for effectively same price as what I'll end up paying for a S5 I could choose pretty much any other smartphone excluding the 6+. After using iOS now for 2 years I think it's time I said goodbye, as I am sure many of your are similar, as a PC user been locked into a basic OS with very little customization, very strict rails on what can or cannot be installed (emulators) and overall just catering the device to myself I think android is definitely the way to go.

 

I have seen often on websites, reddit and tech vids of android users with completely overhauled mobile themes, the most common ones usually pipboy style from fallout. I was wondering how easy these things are to do as it is this kind of customization that really pushes me in the direction of android. Also has anyone had any personal issues with the S5 and if so a possible recommendation instead of? I really edge towards the S5 as prior to my iphone I had countless samsung phones before to the smartphone era that I absolutely adored and all worked fantastically. From the e250, g600, tocco and to this day the best looking phone ever IMO, the u600.

 

So thanks for any replies and any light you can shed on my sitatuion

Remember to follow your threads and quote members whose help you want

 

Currently i could only recommend:

 

- Moto X 2014

 

- HTC One M8

 

- One Plus One (this one seems like hit and miss with quality...)

 

- Sony Xperia Z3 (I absolutely love Sony )

 

 

But, since you're probably used to a smaller form factor, i sincerely recommend Sony Xperia Z3 Compact You get the strength of a flagship in a smaller phone

And that battery Mhmm

[madscientist56]

The s5 is no good. 

 

Get something like the One Plus One, Nexus 6, Moto X, HTC One M8, Note 4, LG G3, or iPhone 6. 

 

The S5 is not a worthy flagship. 

why,

gs5 is better than the i phone 6

[OriginalPromise]

The s5 is no good. 

 

Get something like the One Plus One, Nexus 6, Moto X, HTC One M8, Note 4, LG G3, or iPhone 6. 

 

The S5 is not a worthy flagship. 

U WOT?

HUH?

WANA GO?

360 NOSCOPE?

 

To answer your question OP, consider the following:

Galaxy S5

Galaxy Note 4

Galaxy Alpha

LG Nexus 5

LG G3

Nexus 6

OnePlus One. (Horrible customer support)

[KingDaddyDaniel]

HTC One M8 all the way.

[ilikemacandpc]

U WOT?

HUH?

WANA GO?

360 NOSCOPE?

 

To answer your question OP, consider the following:

Galaxy S5

Galaxy Note 4

Galaxy Alpha

LG Nexus 5

LG G3

Nexus 6

OnePlus One. (Horrible customer support)

 

 

I recommended the note 4. The s5 is made of terrible plastic, which i hate. 

 

I agree on the horrible customer support with the 1+1. 

 

The galaxy alpha is not a flagship class device. Small battery, low res screen, (but still powerful guts). Note 4 is much better. 

 

Also, Touchwiz is terrible. Samsung in the flip phone era is much different than samsung in the smartphone era. 

I did forget about the Xperia Z3. 

[OriginalPromise]

I've never been a fan of their spin of android, but I do like the features the hardware has to offer, like switchable batteries.

Don't forget SAMOLED, Split-Screen, ISOCELL, microSD, etc!

[PhantomChevron]

Get the G3, its unique, ain't as boring as the rest of the pack and still feels good in the hand, or get a Z3, because that looks pretty good too or Note 4, touchwiz on the note 4 has been more streamlined

[EpicAdom]

Good Android Phones

-Moto X 2014

-HTC One M8

-OnePlus One

-Nexus 5

just to name a few...

 

ALSO if u dont like TouchWiz (but really want an S5) then get the Google Play Edition S5

[Mew]

why,

gs5 is better than the i phone 6

 

Funny, the 5s is better than the gs5, how would the gs5 be better than the iPhone 6...

[Dr. Moose]

Samsung phones aren't as good as they were before the smartphone era, unfortunately. Samsung (as of the new Note 4) get the hardware right, but get the software wrong. If you didn't know, Google releases Android as "stock" Android; this is Android as Google intended it to look. But the cool (and sometimes cumbersome) thing about Android is that it allows manufacturers to put their own "OEM" (Original Equipment Manufacturer) skin over Android. This can alter the way Android looks, feels, and functions. It's great, but some OEMs (*cough* SAMSUNG *cough*) take this a little too far and completely redesign Android and add too many features (*cough* SAMSUNG *cough*). Samsung's software, called "TouchWiz", adds some really great features, but wayyy too many useless features. All of this on top of a very heavy (possibly the heaviest) skin on top of Android all contributes to a very laggy Android experience. And if this is your first Android phone, I wouldn't really recommend any Samsung phones. ESPECIALLY the Galaxy S5, which is Samsung's worst Galaxy phone. But, if you really want to get a Samsung phone, you should definitely not get a GS5. It's a bad phone and it's not worth the money. For now, the only good Galaxy phone is the Galaxy Note 4. But, the new iteration of the GS series is coming very soon, so you should definitely wait because it's going to need to be one hell of a phone to make Samsung some better profits next year. For the cleanest Android experience (fastest, most fluid and easy to use) get any of the Nexus phones (I'd opt for the 6 or the 5) or Motorola's Moto X and G. HTC makes the best-built Android phones in the market, and their skin over Android is pretty nice. LG's G3 is also very nice and features a 5.5" 2K screen. The skin on top of it isn't that bad and actually has some good features. Sony's Z3 and Z3 Compact are very clean builds of Android; the only difference in these two phones is the Z3 Compact is a smaller version of the Z3. Those (from what I've heard) are pretty awesome phones. Then, there's the OnePlus One. the "unicorn" phone. It's a high-end flagship phone with all of the top specs (of the time it was released, which was in April) all other flagship phones had. And it's only $350 for the 64GB version which compared to every other flagship device currently available, it's insanely inexpensive. The only trade-off would be obtaining the device; you need an invite to purchase it. It's available for AT&T and T-Mobile, and if you're interested, I have a few invites coming and when they do, I'll be more than happy to give you one. Just email me. Other than that, those are the only phones I'd recommend. Take into consideration too, you have to really put in effort to make a bad smartphone nowadays. Don't let specs worry you too much, because phones are very fast nowadays anyways. The only thing I truly worry about in phones are the camera, battery life, and the user interface. But, your need may vary. Just don't let specs control your entire decision, because more times than not, specs don't tell the whole story. Do some research; I'm more than sure you'll find something that'll meet your needs. 

P.S. My email is joshacosta107@gmail.com . Email me if you have any other questions. Hope I could help!

[Kiez]

It's pretty easy, and if you're more ballsy, can be difficult. It depends what level of customization you want to go to, whether it be as simple as installing a new launcher, or a new ROM.

I just go the launcher/icon pack route. It's not as in depth, but it gives me enough customization that I can change pretty much everything I want.

 

As for the device itself, I wouldn't go with the S5.

What are your options? I'm guessing you're going carrier subsidized, so what carrier are you with?

What do you want to get out of your phone?

Likes and dislikes?

We can better help you with a little more information.

 

You won't regret going Android. Two of my friends converted earlier. Their response (they're not real tech savvy) "Holy. This is like going from a kids toy version of a computer to an actual computer."

 

 

 

 

I am from the UK so the provider I'll be going with is Vodafone which I may be wrong in saying is closely linked but not owned by Verizon so in terms of what does the carrier offer, it's a pretty full collection of current smart phones. As for what I aim to get out of a phone, I would class myself a power user but im by no means a basic emails and text kinda guy either. The rails iphone has put me on over last 2 years ultimately just turned me into a basic user as there is not much more that can be done with them without burning through the battery within an hour. So I'd want my new phone for all the basics, games, email, net browsing and music with good looking design, not overly huge, I know the originally mentioned S5 is quite large so I wouldn't want to go anything above that kind of form factor. Ideally I would also like a micro SD expansion, 1080p screen and a high spec camera. Hope this is enough extra info and thank you for your reply. Im working until so that will be the next opportunity I get to go and upgrade so I got few days to look over all the options.

 

 

Samsung phones aren't as good as they were before the smartphone era, unfortunately. Samsung (as of the new Note 4) get the hardware right, but get the software wrong. If you didn't know, Google releases Android as "stock" Android; this is Android as Google intended it to look. But the cool (and sometimes cumbersome) thing about Android is that it allows manufacturers to put their own "OEM" (Original Equipment Manufacturer) skin over Android. This can alter the way Android looks, feels, and functions. It's great, but some OEMs (*cough* SAMSUNG *cough*) take this a little too far and completely redesign Android and add too many features (*cough* SAMSUNG *cough*). Samsung's software, called "TouchWiz", adds some really great features, but wayyy too many useless features. All of this on top of a very heavy (possibly the heaviest) skin on top of Android all contributes to a very laggy Android experience. And if this is your first Android phone, I wouldn't really recommend any Samsung phones. ESPECIALLY the Galaxy S5, which is Samsung's worst Galaxy phone. But, if you really want to get a Samsung phone, you should definitely not get a GS5. It's a bad phone and it's not worth the money. For now, the only good Galaxy phone is the Galaxy Note 4. But, the new iteration of the GS series is coming very soon, so you should definitely wait because it's going to need to be one hell of a phone to make Samsung some better profits next year. For the cleanest Android experience (fastest, most fluid and easy to use) get any of the Nexus phones (I'd opt for the 6 or the 5) or Motorola's Moto X and G. HTC makes the best-built Android phones in the market, and their skin over Android is pretty nice. LG's G3 is also very nice and features a 5.5" 2K screen. The skin on top of it isn't that bad and actually has some good features. Sony's Z3 and Z3 Compact are very clean builds of Android; the only difference in these two phones is the Z3 Compact is a smaller version of the Z3. Those (from what I've heard) are pretty awesome phones. Then, there's the OnePlus One. the "unicorn" phone. It's a high-end flagship phone with all of the top specs (of the time it was released, which was in April) all other flagship phones had. And it's only $350 for the 64GB version which compared to every other flagship device currently available, it's insanely inexpensive. The only trade-off would be obtaining the device; you need an invite to purchase it. It's available for AT&T and T-Mobile, and if you're interested, I have a few invites coming and when they do, I'll be more than happy to give you one. Just email me. Other than that, those are the only phones I'd recommend. Take into consideration too, you have to really put in effort to make a bad smartphone nowadays. Don't let specs worry you too much, because phones are very fast nowadays anyways. The only thing I truly worry about in phones are the camera, battery life, and the user interface. But, your need may vary. Just don't let specs control your entire decision, because more times than not, specs don't tell the whole story. Do some research; I'm more than sure you'll find something that'll meet your needs. 

P.S. My email is joshacosta107@gmail.com . Email me if you have any other questions. Hope I could help! 

 

 

 

Thank you for your reply and for going into so much depth with the explanation. With your help and also the other comments I have ultimately decided the S5 is now off the table seen as I don't think it had one positive reply in its favour haha so now I still have few days to look over the alternatives that have been listed. As I live in the UK i'm not sure that the oneplusone can be a suitable option due to the whole invite process but also if it can only be obtained on T-mobile then thats off the table too because T-mobile sucks over here. But I'll go away now and review my options and get back to you with any more questions seen as yourself (and everyone else here) seems much more upto scratch on smartphones than me      but again thanks for the time taken on your response and I'm sure I'll check back in with my decision to see if that forum approves or maybe with a final 3 options that you guys can help me compare!

[madscientist56]

Funny, the 5s is better than the gs5, how would the gs5 be better than the iPhone 6...

because the i phone 6 is running an operating system designed for smaller phones, for example the back buttons are always in the upper left hand corner which is difficult to reach with one hand, while the 5s is smaller so you can reach it, and the gs5 has the back button in the lower right hand corner. Just because a phone is new doesn't always mean its better.

[Mew]

because the i phone 6 is running an operating system designed for smaller phones, for example the back buttons are always in the upper left hand corner which is difficult to reach with one hand, while the 5s is smaller so you can reach it, and the gs5 has the back button in the lower right hand corner. Just because a phone is new doesn't always mean its better.

Well, there's reachibility mode, although it doesn't work that well. In my usage though, a back button isn't that useful, I rarely need to go back besides in web browsing.