My current phone (Google/LG Nexus 5X) is getting a bit long in the tooth. Battery life is abysmal (I've already replaced the battery once) with the device spending more time charging than being used. It's also super slow to use. Even after replacing the battery ~6 months ago it is still sluggish and battery life still sucks. It also hasn't received feature or security updates in over a year. It's probably time to look at replacing it rather than just keep throwing fresh batteries in to it. I would prefer android phone, preferably as close to stock android as possible. I'm not a power user either so I don't want to spend too much on a flagship device, I really just use my phone for messaging or for web browsing. I don't play any games or watch movies on my phone. What I would like: Android. No notch (I would rather thick bars than a notch). Type C Charging. Would be nice to have a fingerprint sensor on the back since that's what I'm used to using. Fast enough that when I click a button I don't wait 3 seconds and wonder if I actually clicked it, only for it to eventually pop up. Unlocked carrier. I've used up 17GB of storage on my current phone, so at least 32GB internal storage (what I currently have) would be good. I want something fairly 'brand name' and common so that compatible accessories (cases, etc) are easy enough to find. I also don't want to have to explain to people what my phone is every time I pull it out of my pocket (I'm not vain, I just don't want to talk to people) Things I don't care about: Doesn't need fancy cameras. Not a big deal if it doesn't have a 3.5mm audio jack I've been looking at the Pixel 3a 64GB. Currently available for AUD$550 ($380). It seems to fit what I'm after but I honestly don't know anything about phones or if there are any flaws with the 3a. One thing I'm not sure about is if it's even worth upgrading from a Nexus 5x > Pixel 3a? I'm open to other suggestions as well. Buying in Australia.

Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions. Just to update this I ended up getting the Samsung Galaxy A50. Got it for $429 (approx $300 USD) from Amazon.au along with a case and screen protector. Few thoughts based on really early impressions... The Good: Screen is very good, good brightness and vibrancy Notch does not bother me as much as I thought it would, I barely even notice it and I'm sure with regular use it will disappear completely Much more responsive. When I click something what I want actually happens. No more waiting 3-5 seconds thinking "Oh, did I press the button to open a new tab?.... Oh wait there it goes" Face unlock works pretty quick, often I will try unlocking with my fingerprint and face unlock will beat the fingerprint sensor. Battery life is much better. After 4 hours of use (2hr 20m screen on time) installing apps and playing around with settings I'm down to 81% battery from a full charge. My old phone would be about dead by now The Bad: WHY THE FUCK CAN'T I UNINSTALL FACEBOOK No, "Disable" is not the same WHY THE FUCK IS LINKEDIN INSTALLED BY DEFAULT SOOOO MUCH SAMSUNG CRAP FUCK BIXBY I'm actually going to miss the Google Discovery page (left from home, can't add it while using Samsungs CrapUI because FUCK BIXBY) I want to use the Android/Google clock, but Samsung doesn't let me disable/uninstall their clock or set a default clock app. Now any time I ask google to set an alarm it prompts me to choose which clock I want to use. In the settings there was a security prompt trying to get me to activate or install McAfee... No. That is a no from me. I do not like that. Samsung App store and all the crappy paid wallpapers and themes and shit Keeps prompting me to sign up with a Samsung account to access Bixby features. No. Not happening. Fingerprint sensor is slower and less accurate than the one on my Nexus 5X. Fingerprint sensor only allows a maximum of 3 prints to be stored. That's actually annoying because I want both thumbs for when I'm holding it in either hand, and both index fingers for if it's sitting flat on the desk either side of me when using thumb is awkward. Give me 1 more. Please. All up I'd give the phone hardware an 8/10. The software a 2/10. Samsung's garbage & bloatware really lets the phone down. Plan is to give Samsung CrapUI a go for a week or two and see if I can tolerate it. I might just be hating it because it's different to what I'm used to. If not I'll start looking for different launchers that will hopefully solve most of my issues.

Convince me not to buy a Pixel 3a

By Spotty
December 21, 2019 in Phones and Tablets

Followers 2

Go to solution Solved by Spotty, December 31, 2019

Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions.
Just to update this I ended up getting the Samsung Galaxy A50. Got it for $429 (approx $300 USD) from Amazon.au along with a case and screen protector.

Few thoughts based on really early impressions...

The Good:

Screen is very good, good brightness and vibrancy
Notch does not bother me as much as I thought it would, I barely even notice it and I'm sure with regular use it will disappear completely
Much more responsive. When I click something what I want actually happens. No more waiting 3-5 seconds thinking "Oh, did I press the button to open a new tab?.... Oh wait there it goes"
Face unlock works pretty quick, often I will try unlocking with my fingerprint and face unlock will beat the fingerprint sensor.
Battery life is much better. After 4 hours of use (2hr 20m screen on time) installing apps and playing around with settings I'm down to 81% battery from a full charge. My old phone would be about dead by now

The Bad:

WHY THE FUCK CAN'T I UNINSTALL FACEBOOK
- No, "Disable" is not the same
WHY THE FUCK IS LINKEDIN INSTALLED BY DEFAULT
SOOOO MUCH SAMSUNG CRAP
FUCK BIXBY
I'm actually going to miss the Google Discovery page (left from home, can't add it while using Samsungs CrapUI because FUCK BIXBY)
I want to use the Android/Google clock, but Samsung doesn't let me disable/uninstall their clock or set a default clock app. Now any time I ask google to set an alarm it prompts me to choose which clock I want to use.
In the settings there was a security prompt trying to get me to activate or install McAfee... No. That is a no from me. I do not like that.
Samsung App store
- and all the crappy paid wallpapers and themes and shit
Keeps prompting me to sign up with a Samsung account to access Bixby features. No. Not happening.
Fingerprint sensor is slower and less accurate than the one on my Nexus 5X.
Fingerprint sensor only allows a maximum of 3 prints to be stored. That's actually annoying because I want both thumbs for when I'm holding it in either hand, and both index fingers for if it's sitting flat on the desk either side of me when using thumb is awkward. Give me 1 more. Please.

All up I'd give the phone hardware an 8/10. The software a 2/10. Samsung's garbage & bloatware really lets the phone down.

Plan is to give Samsung CrapUI a go for a week or two and see if I can tolerate it. I might just be hating it because it's different to what I'm used to. If not I'll start looking for different launchers that will hopefully solve most of my issues.

Posted December 31, 2019

8 hours ago, rickymohk said:

Sadly only iPhone fit the last point "I don't want to have to explain to people what my phone is". Many people don't even bother to treat "smartphone" or even "phone" as a thing, they just say iPhone all the time.

Rant from a sole non-Apple user among iSheep friends.

I think it's more diverse than that, but among the mainstream I often see it divided into "iPhone" or "a Samsung." I don't think it's being sheep-like, it's that everyday people have no particular reason to know every last phone vendor and model. And let's face it, unless you're in China (and other parts of eastern Asia) there's a good chance that many of the people you meet will have an Apple or Samsung device in their pocket.