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What's the best Android phone?

I factory reset my phone over a month ago and just because. I had no issues with my phone, but just want to see if there would be a differende from all the software updates. There definitely was a difference so that should help. I've restarted the device maybe twice over the past 4 weeks? Anyways it does feel brand now and the S7 Edge is getting Android O, so it's definitely worth keeping around for the improved software, especially with those notifications and even better battery management.

Nice, thank you.
 

Davide

Member
Better camera? General consensus is that the Pixel had the best camera on the market until iPhone 8 and Pixel 2 showed up (even against the dual lens iPhone 7+).

Fingerprint sensor placement is a matter of taste, but quality can't be questioned. Pixel is instant.

As far as battery and processor, are you going by spec or actual performance? Battery lasts all day without issue and there's no hitch in performance. Again, general consensus, not just me.

The biggest factor, though, is support. Anyone other than Google is going to be unreliable for updates. You'll be lucky to get them at all, never mind on a reasonable schedule.

Not saying the OnePlus is bad. In a world where it was still just Samsung and LG, it would be a much better sell. But, it's hard to suggest it over a phone that will get better support for a longer time.
No, general consensus was definitely that the S8 had the best camera before iPhone 8 and Pixel 2. OnePlus 5 and Pixel 1's cameras are extremely close in quality, I'd say OP5 has the better camera overall with the addition of the telephoto lens and portrait mode.

Both are instant and faster than the iPhone 7 Plus (and 8 Plus I believe although not as sure). I guess it's up to taste, personally I much prefer having it on the front and I'm guessing OP might too coming from iPhone. If the 5T has an infinity display like the S8, of course, it might change to the back on the OnePlus too.

Battery is better for OP5 in terms of actual performance as well. The OP5 factually has far better battery life than the Pixel, and faster fast charging.

https://www.androidauthority.com/oneplus-5-battery-life-review-786111/

"Compared to the competition, the OnePlus 5 lasts on average 45% longer than both the LG G6 and Pixel XL."

Support isn't going to be the biggest factor for everyone, that might be the price, which OnePlus is much better with. Again, Google's apparent two year support of their phones is barely better than OnePlus, offering two major OS updates + security patches. If support was the biggest factor for me I'd go with iPhone.
 

Radec

Member
Top Tier :
Note 8
S8/S8+
V30

Mid:
One Plus 5


I owned both s8+ and note 8 and the extra 2gb ram of the note 8 makes a huge difference.

Spen is fun if you like to draw/write stuff.

Samsung phones have AWFUL software, just a warning.

Sure if you're still using s6.
 

plasmasd

Member
The V20 >> the V30 IMO

LG V20 is the last high end phone with a removable battery possilby ever. The headphone amp is incredibly good for a phone. The second screen is also very useful. If you put it in high performance mode it actually benches with some of the quickest snapdragon 820 scores I've seen. Camera is also nice. Will be sticking with it unless another removable battery phone comes out.
 
Better camera? General consensus is that the Pixel had the best camera on the market until iPhone 8 and Pixel 2 showed up (even against the dual lens iPhone 7+).

Fingerprint sensor placement is a matter of taste, but quality can't be questioned. Pixel is instant.

As far as battery and processor, are you going by spec or actual performance? Battery lasts all day without issue and there's no hitch in performance. Again, general consensus, not just me.

The biggest factor, though, is support. Anyone other than Google is going to be unreliable for updates. You'll be lucky to get them at all, never mind on a reasonable schedule.

Not saying the OnePlus is bad. In a world where it was still just Samsung and LG, it would be a much better sell. But, it's hard to suggest it over a phone that will get better support for a longer time.

pretty sure the general consensus was the Note7 had the best camera until the GS8 and then the Note8 and people only ever mentioned the Pixel because the Note7 got recalled.
 
Am I the only one who cares about stereo speakers? I watch a lot of videos on my phone without headphones and the mono speaker on my S7 Edge is horrible. Seems like there are no new phones that have stereo speakers and a headphones jack.
do people who watch a ton of video on their stereo speakers annoy others around them with that audio blasting or is this just done at home or something?
 

Megasoum

Banned
I still have a year to go on my iPhone 7 contract but I am thinking more and more of going back to Android next year... Looking at a couple of phones today (S8 and Pixel 2 mostly)...

The only two big features I have on my i7 that would be a deal breaker if I lost them is the fingerprint and the Apple Pay equivalent.

I assume Android Pay or whatever it's called would do just fine...

Not sure I'm a fan of the edge stuff on the Samsung phones.

Also... Why the fuck do Android phones always put the fingerprint sensor on the back? This is terrible... I always leave my phone on my desk when I'm sitting at my computer, I want to be able to unlock my phone without having to pick it up.
 

ISee

Member
All high end models are good enough to be your daily driver. All of them are fast enough, have good displays, have good cameras, batteries will at least hold for a day etc. Even mid range phones are valid options now days.
In the end just decide what features you need (like the headphone jack...) and pick the phone that looks best in your opinion.
 

AHA-Lambda

Member
I stand with the OnePlus posts.

I got a OP5 only a few weeks ago and love it.

Brilliant performance and battery life
Battery charges really quickly
Good screen (ok it's not bezel less but it's still to par with recent iPhones and doesn't make me feel like I'll snap it in half)
OxygenOS is very close to stock Android
Headphone jack
Tons of storage at 128GB
Good build quality
Fast fingerprint scanner

Only real knock I'd give it is no water proofing if that's a big deal to you.
I feel a mug for paying flagship prices for so long when this is half the cost for very comparable performance to what I've been used to before (always used iOS previously)
 
I stand with the OnePlus posts.

I got a OP5 only a few weeks ago and love it.

Brilliant performance and battery life
Battery charges really quickly
Good screen (ok it's not bezel less but it's still to par with recent iPhones and doesn't make me feel like I'll snap it in half)
OxygenOS is very close to stock Android
Headphone jack
Tons of storage at 128GB
Good build quality
Fast fingerprint scanner

Only real knock I'd give it is no water proofing if that's a big deal to you.
I feel a mug for paying flagship prices for so long when this is half the cost for very comparable performance to what I've been used to before (always used iOS previously)

Brofist
 

Radec

Member
I still have a year to go on my iPhone 7 contract but I am thinking more and more of going back to Android next year... Looking at a couple of phones today (S8 and Pixel 2 mostly)...

The only two big features I have on my i7 that would be a deal breaker if I lost them is the fingerprint and the Apple Pay equivalent.

I assume Android Pay or whatever it's called would do just fine...

Not sure I'm a fan of the edge stuff on the Samsung phones.

Also... Why the fuck do Android phones always put the fingerprint sensor on the back? This is terrible... I always leave my phone on my desk when I'm sitting at my computer, I want to be able to unlock my phone without having to pick it up.

You can use "ok google" to unlock your phone without touching it.

Samsung Pay shits on android/apple pay as it works on non-nfc device. Just tap it on their credit card machine and look at the cashier's face.
 
I stand with the OnePlus posts.

I got a OP5 only a few weeks ago and love it.

Brilliant performance and battery life
Battery charges really quickly
Good screen (ok it's not bezel less but it's still to par with recent iPhones and doesn't make me feel like I'll snap it in half)
OxygenOS is very close to stock Android
Headphone jack
Tons of storage at 128GB

Good build quality
Fast fingerprint scanner

Only real knock I'd give it is no water proofing if that's a big deal to you.
I feel a mug for paying flagship prices for so long when this is half the cost for very comparable performance to what I've been used to before (always used iOS previously)

See, a bunch of these things are applicable to heaps of phones on the market (all the things I highlighted at least). All USB C phones charge very quickly, 128GB is only a lot if you don't factor in SD slots (it should be enough for most, but not all!). I'm not hating on the OP5 since I've heard it's a great phone, just pointing out that a lot of these things are basically standard these days.
 

Davide

Member
See, a bunch of these things are applicable to heaps of phones on the market (all the things I highlighted at least). All USB C phones charge very quickly, 128GB is only a lot if you don't factor in SD slots (it should be enough for most, but not all!). I'm not hating on the OP5 since I've heard it's a great phone, just pointing out that a lot of these things are basically standard these days.
The biggest difference is, the OP5 being much cheaper than the other flagships.

The OP5 128 GB, the higher end model, is $450 cheaper at least in Canadian dollars than last year's Pixel 128 GB XL and it has double the RAM (4>8) and a 45% longer lasting battery.
 

Megasoum

Banned
You can use "ok google" to unlock your phone without touching it.

Samsung Pay shits on android/apple pay as it works on non-nfc device. Just tap it on their credit card machine and look at the cashier's face.

That's what I do everyday with Apple Pay. I tap my phone to the debit machine to pay for everything.
 
The biggest difference is, the OP5 being much cheaper than the other flagships.

The OP5 128 GB, the higher end model, is $300 cheaper at least in Canadian dollars than last year's Pixel 128 GB XL and it has double the RAM (4>8) and a 45% longer lasting battery.

Yep, very true. I can't imagine paying the wallet gouging prices of flagship iPhones or Pixels which have key missing features! But hey... to each their own!
 

Slayer-33

Liverpool-2
The S8 lineup is a masterpiece.

No bullshit

I have the regular S8, absolutely perfect size for a phone. Spigen case and pet film protector. Fucking rocking setup.

All black, absolute class. I get compliments all the time.
 

AHA-Lambda

Member
See, a bunch of these things are applicable to heaps of phones on the market (all the things I highlighted at least). All USB C phones charge very quickly, 128GB is only a lot if you don't factor in SD slots (it should be enough for most, but not all!). I'm not hating on the OP5 since I've heard it's a great phone, just pointing out that a lot of these things are basically standard these days.

True but please mention another phone that does all that while standing toe to toe for performance with flagships at half the cost? If there are then brilliant (I imagine something from Honor or Huawei would be equally relevant here). Many of the mid tier handsets now are eroding the need for flagships beyond the fanciest bells and whistles

The base OP5 is half the cost of a Note 8, heck it's even still cheaper than an iPhone 6S Plus new from Apple today
 
See, a bunch of these things are applicable to heaps of phones on the market (all the things I highlighted at least). All USB C phones charge very quickly, 128GB is only a lot if you don't factor in SD slots (it should be enough for most, but not all!). I'm not hating on the OP5 since I've heard it's a great phone, just pointing out that a lot of these things are basically standard these days.


Worth mentioning that OnePlus / OPPOs Dash Charge was reviewed the best quick charge tech
 
Am I the only one who cares about stereo speakers? I watch a lot of videos on my phone without headphones and the mono speaker on my S7 Edge is horrible. Seems like there are no new phones that have stereo speakers and a headphones jack.
I'm sure you are not, but at least in my own personal case, I'm looking for Bluetooth earbuds, and Bluetooth speakers.

At the end of the day, everyone is different, and you gotta find what is best for you.

Personally, in my own case, what is best for me can very much change depending on my circumstance, and beyond.
 
At the end of the day, seriously, do your research.

That's what I did. At least, in my case.

Read reviews. Do comparisons. Know what you are looking for.
 

Painguy

Member
Any device using a Snaodragon 835 + Adreno 540 that isnt samsung related n ur chillin. Samsung hardware drivers are fucked. So like, Sony, LG, OnePlus, HTC, Google Pixel 2, any of those n ur chillin.
 
Any device using a Snaodragon 835 + Adreno 540 that isnt samsung related n ur chillin. Samsung hardware drivers are fucked. So like, Sony, LG, OnePlus, HTC, Google Pixel 2, any of those n ur chillin.

I am glad to be chillin

Seriously, the 835 on the OP5 with 8 gigs of ram is just a speedy beast
 
My major gripe with the Note 8 is that OK Google is disabled during power saving mode. I would like to be able to use one of the hallmark Android features and still save battery, thanks.
 

Slayer-33

Liverpool-2
Does it still use the Samsung web browser?

The Samsung browser is fantastic. Got to admit Android running on my unlocked S8 is leaps and bounds better than what I had on my Note 4.

Huge improvements. Battery life is fucking crazy on the S8 too.
 
The best Android phone is the one that fits in your pocket and does everything you want. I've got a cheap and cheerful first generation Moto G, it's never let me down, and it's still going strong after three years. There are more expensive phones, there are more capable phones, but there aren't any less expensive, more capable phones. That's why I like it.
 

Painguy

Member
Totally not true anymore. When was your last time you tried a Samsung flagship device?

I'm using a S8 and it is the best.

Still is kinda true. Samsung hardware drivers for things like GPU are completely borked and missing essential features. Artificial benchmarks don't really show you that. 3D applications can break between updates. It's kinda bad.

To give them credit Samsung do like to change things in software more than other companies but it fucks with basic stuff that I mentioned above.
 
My major gripe with the Note 8 is that OK Google is disabled during power saving mode. I would like to be able to use one of the hallmark Android features and still save battery, thanks.

Isn't OK Google intrinsically battery-hungry, though? I mean, this feature requires the phone to be listening and interpreting the audio input constantly. How is that going to save juice?
 
The best Android phone is the one that fits in your pocket and does everything you want. I've got a cheap and cheerful first generation Moto G, it's never let me down, and it's still going strong after three years. There are more expensive phones, there are more capable phones, but there aren't any less expensive, more capable phones. That's why I like it.
Exactly.

Cliched, but very much true.

Best phone, whether iOS, Android, or otherwise, at the end of the day, is whatever you as a user are looking for.

Not everyone is the same.

At the end of the day, it's want what is best for YOU. You must look for what for what fits your own personal interests.
 
This is from my S8
Battery, speed and look are awesome.


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Oneplus make the best android phones hands down.

Great build
Top range specs
Near stock android experience
Cheaper than its competitors in the flagship category
 
Dated design

Camera is not top-tier

Extra work just get the fingerprint activated for US version

Non-AMOLED display (may be a plus for some)

Yeah whatever. After using them, I don't care. Camera is better than you think. I have the fingerprint scanner, bought a UK version. Best phones I've ever had.
 
LG V20
Snapdragon 820 processor
Dual camera lens
Awesome build quality which uses recycled fighter plane metal
Removable battery (despite the metal design, generally you have to pick plastic with a removable battery or metal without)
5.7 inch 1440p display
Second screen (bar at the top, enhances certain apps)
You can get them for like $300 unlocked on eBay
Fingerprint scanner dual functionality as power button so you unlock as you click the screen on
Android 7.0 with an 8.0 update coming in Q1 2018 (there's an XDA community so if you care about having it faster, there's that too)
Also I can't understate the importance of the quad DAC if you listen to music with headphones in. It's night and day difference.
MicroSD card support

The mobile "space race" is over for the most part and the only thing the V20 is missing is really the 18:9 display and Daydream VR support. Other than that, thanks to the removable battery, I can stay on this thing for another 4 years without issue.
 
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