What Smartphone to get now?

[SeRpEnT]

If you actually think touchwiz is a pleasant user experience, you need to have your brain checked. It makes getting stabbed in the face with a pitchfork seem like fun.

Ok Mr knowitall - Please give us your list of gripes that you have with the touchwiz user interface.

 

[genetic]

Ok Mr knowitall - Please give us your list of gripes that you have with the touchwiz user interface.

He can't objectively argue his point.

 

[strader]

Or you could wait for the LG G2 if it comes to SA, looks like a serious piece of equipment.

 

[Knightwisp]

Or you could wait for the LG G2 if it comes to SA, looks like a serious piece of equipment.

Saw the news. Though I'll have to wait some time and will MTN even get it? They don't have the HTC One yet. The specs don't set it up to be much different than the HTC One/S4, and I'm sure it will cost more, being newer and all. If I were willing to wait I could go for an HTC One Max or Xperia Z Ultra.

Is a screen bigger than 5'' not too large for a smartphone? I don't think a 6'' phone is very "mobile".

 

[TJ99]

Or you could wait for the LG G2 if it comes to SA, looks like a serious piece of equipment.

It is, apart from suffering from a slight case of Appleitis (no SD card slot).

I'm also looking at a new phone in the next month or 2 and since it looks like the Note 3 will still take a while and the Xperia Z Ultra is ridiculously huge, it looks like the only options are the Galaxy S4 (best performance but plastic), the Xperia Z (great looking phone but only 16GB storage???) and the htc One (also good but with a camera from the stone age).

So far the Xperia is looking like the lesser of 3 evils.

 

[Kayoss]

It is, apart from suffering from a slight case of Appleitis (no SD card slot).

I'm also looking at a new phone in the next month or 2 and since it looks like the Note 3 will still take a while and the Xperia Z Ultra is ridiculously huge, it looks like the only options are the Galaxy S4 (best performance but plastic), the Xperia Z (great looking phone but only 16GB storage???) and the htc One (also good but with a camera from the stone age).

So far the Xperia is looking like the lesser of 3 evils.

Might be wrong on this, but most places give it to you with a free 16gb micro sd card. Either way, you could just buy one...

 

[b_crazy]

It is, apart from suffering from a slight case of Appleitis (no SD card slot).

I'm also looking at a new phone in the next month or 2 and since it looks like the Note 3 will still take a while and the Xperia Z Ultra is ridiculously huge, it looks like the only options are the Galaxy S4 (best performance but plastic), the Xperia Z (great looking phone but only 16GB storage???) and the htc One (also good but with a camera from the stone age).

So far the Xperia is looking like the lesser of 3 evils.

Do some research lol! Stone age

 

[Keigo]

Stone age...

Xperia Z
http://i41.tinypic.com/2qx5eo7.jpg

HTC ONE
http://i41.tinypic.com/28vxhdy.jpg

 

[TJ99]

Might be wrong on this, but most places give it to you with a free 16gb micro sd card. Either way, you could just buy one...

The problem is the built-in memory is only 16. Thus 16 plus a 32GB card where my current S3 has 32+32 and it's more than a year old.

 

[Chevron]

The problem is the built-in memory is only 16. Thus 16 plus a 32GB card where my current S3 has 32+32 and it's more than a year old.

And why in the world would you want 64GB on a phone? :wtf:

 

[TJ99]

Do some research lol! Stone age

Sure, here some researchlols for you:

Stone age...

Xperia Z
http://i41.tinypic.com/2qx5eo7.jpg

HTC ONE
http://i41.tinypic.com/28vxhdy.jpg

Pretty hard to see the suckiness if both pictures are downsized significantly. Try upscaling the One's pictures to the 13MP size of the Galaxy S4 or the Xperia instead to get a better idea of the detail captured:





Actual pixels > "ultra" pixels. I'm not usually one to care about massive resolutions in photos these days, like the Nokia fanbois with their eleventy bajillion gigapixel thing, but the One's pictures just look bad.

 

[TJ99]

And why in the world would you want 64GB on a phone? :wtf:

Music, videos, games(many of which are over a GB each), podcasts, ebooks, etc.

 

[Chevron]

Music, videos, games(many of which are over a GB each), podcasts, ebooks, etc.

I've tried all of those on a phone. A phone does poorly on most of those tasks. There are definitely better devices out there for those needs.

 

[TJ99]

I've tried all of those on a phone. A phone does poorly on most of those tasks. There are definitely better devices out there for those needs.

A phone does awesome on all of them, but sure there are better devices out there. That's not the point of a range-topping smartphone though, the point is that it can and does do everything. It's not supposed to be the best at anything, it's supposed to pack an incredible array of functionality into a tiny little handheld machine.

Sure a 55" plasma TV is better for watching episodes on, but I tend not to have it on me at all times. Of course a professional DSLR camera will take better photos and a gaming PC with 2 graphics cards is better for gaming on. So your argument is that we should all just buy those R100 phones at PEP and carry around a full camera kit, calculator, torch, gaming desktop PC complete with monitor, home theater system, scientific calculator, bookshelf, piles of CD's and DVD's, barometer, thermometer, standalone GPS unit, radio AND a portable power station complete with coal supply to drive all those bad boys just because "those devices can do it better"?

 

[ngwe23]

HTC one is the best phone in the market right now. Only down side is the messed up button config. But unless you are with Vodacom good luck getting it. Am not a fan of Samsung and their built quality. The just don't feel solid in the hand. TouchWiz is *** as well. If you don't mind Samsung just wait for the Note 3.

 

[Moshidi]

A phone does awesome on all of them, but sure there are better devices out there. That's not the point of a range-topping smartphone though, the point is that it can and does do everything. It's not supposed to be the best at anything, it's supposed to pack an incredible array of functionality into a tiny little handheld machine.

Sure a 55" plasma TV is better for watching episodes on, but I tend not to have it on me at all times. Of course a professional DSLR camera will take better photos and a gaming PC with 2 graphics cards is better for gaming on. So your argument is that we should all just buy those R100 phones at PEP and carry around a full camera kit, calculator, torch, gaming desktop PC complete with monitor, home theater system, scientific calculator, bookshelf, piles of CD's and DVD's, barometer, thermometer, standalone GPS unit, radio AND a portable power station complete with coal supply to drive all those bad boys just because "those devices can do it better"?

^^THIS^^

 

[Viva]

I recently got my S4. It feels good in the hand (really light and thin). I'd love to hold the Xperia Z, HTC One, Nexus 4 and iPhone 5 to compare the feeling in the hand.

In my opinion, Samsung's warranty for the S4 illustrates confidence in the device and their after sales service. They were not required to offer such a warranty - the S3 sold just fine without it. I believe they offer this warranty as an means to differentiate the product from the competition.

 

[b_crazy]

Sure, here some researchlols for you:



Pretty hard to see the suckiness if both pictures are downsized significantly. Try upscaling the One's pictures to the 13MP size of the Galaxy S4 or the Xperia instead to get a better idea of the detail captured:

View attachment 64095

View attachment 64097

Actual pixels > "ultra" pixels. I'm not usually one to care about massive resolutions in photos these days, like the Nokia fanbois with their eleventy bajillion gigapixel thing, but the One's pictures just look bad.

Thanks for that. Now do the same with low-light images and get back to me.

And also tell me you crop every image you take on your phone by 400%, then you might be making sense.



I've attached a picture I took with my HTC One above. Stone age my foot. Lab tests vs. everyday life pictures. Do your own tests before you judge.

 

[Tsepz_GP]

Contracts' due for upgrade

Xperia Z, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 2 or something else?

OR should I wait for the next round of phones but how long will that be?

GS4 is the way to go.

-Best camera in Android
-Incredible Display
-Very compact and lite build for a 5inch screen phone, it feels like it falls between the GS2 and GS3.
-Here in SA the GS4's are mostly 32GB variants
-Huge 2600mAh battery, great batt life
-Great performance especially with the latest ROMs
-Great after sales service by Samsung with ADH
-CPU/GPU 2nd ONLY to the Snapdragon S800, currently we don't have any phones here based on the S800.
-Tons of other awesome features.

Played with a Xperia Z on Sunday, wasn't that impressed, display was very dull compared to my GS4's even at the same brightness, Z seemed washed out, also the Z isn't as hand friendly as the GS4, its wider and with sharp edges, just not as great in-hand as the GS4.

 

[Franky03]

GS4 is the way to go.

-Best camera in Android
-Incredible Display
-Very compact and lite build for a 5inch screen phone, it feels like it falls between the GS2 and GS3.
-Here in SA the GS4's are mostly 32GB variants
-Huge 2600mAh battery, great batt life
-Great performance especially with the latest ROMs
-Great after sales service by Samsung with ADH
-CPU/GPU 2nd ONLY to the Snapdragon S800, currently we don't have any phones here based on the S800.
-Tons of other awesome features.

Played with a Xperia Z on Sunday, wasn't that impressed, display was very dull compared to my GS4's even at the same brightness, Z seemed washed out, also the Z isn't as hand friendly as the GS4, its wider and with sharp edges, just not as great in-hand as the GS4.

CPU 2nd only to the S800?? True if you are talking about the LTE version which has a S600.....but if you are talkin about the 'octa-core' version then it is 3rd with s600 being second...more or less the same in benchmarks compared to octa-core but is seems to be better in real life usage and battery life and at the end thats what is important. (not talking from personal experience,just what I gathered from reviews)

Was the Z on latest firmware?? That fixed screen issues