Recommend My Next Phone

[WowRly]

The last phone I bought was OnePlus 7 Pro and it was after doing about 2 or 3 weeks of research to try and find the perfect phone for me. And I could not have been happier with the phone, which I bought shortly after it came out (~mid 2019). Now I'm about do some research on my next phone. I'm hoping to get some suggestions before I watch a bunch of YT videos and read a bunch of reviews.

Here's what's important to me.

• I'm looking to get a phone for the long-term. So I'm looking to get a phone that came out recently or is about to come out pretty soon.
• Battery life is very important to me. I hate having to recharge my phone but I use my phone all the time.
• I'm looking for a high performance phone.
• I generally prefer phones that are bigger because I sometimes tend to use the phone more like a laptop than a phone and, also, I do a little bit of gaming. And I do have a bias in favor of gaming phones just because they tend to be performance oriented and tend to look pretty cool, but I'm not limiting myself to having to have a gaming phone. My initial thinking is that I'm probably not looking to get one of those phones that folds into 2 screens.
• I don't like phones that can break easily, e.g., phone that you can break in half with your hands and a little bit of strength (as sometimes shown on YT).
• I hate the front camera notch that comes with most phones (not OnePlus 7 Pro), but it's not a deal breaker. But I still can't believe it's 2023 and phone companies are still creating phones with that camera notch.
• Customization is important to me. For example, I feel the OnePlus 7 Pro font is absolutely perfect. On the other hand, I feel that default Samsung phone font is horrendous, but it doesn't matter too much because I can customize it.
• Camera quality is somewhat important to me. But I don't think I would compromise too much for a quality camera though.
• I don't need the headphone jack and, it's not a strong preference, but I'd prefer not to have it.
• iPhone is not an option for me.
• I generally would prefer to spend under ~$1,500.

 

[GamerGuy]

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra....'nuff said!

 

[Regeneration]

My current and previous phones were Samsung Galaxy S series and I recommend you AVOID it all costs.

I have some screen burns on my phone, and it happened to the previous phone too.

 

[Hyderz]

avoid samsung z flip series... wifey has one and its been in the after service twice
a student has the new z flip 5 first day after two weeks the middle of the screen fold is so noticeable....
iphone is okay but the pro is very pricey...

im not sure about the latest google pixel but ive heard good things...

 

[KrazyT]

Fairphone 5

https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...10-years-of-software-support-gsmarena.313068/

5 years warranty / up to 10 years soft support
Swapable battery
Easy fix, you can repair everything in it, from screen to usb plug all by yourself

Really worth a look, but it doesn't have the "ultra max S flip" aura that make us so special :/
And for some it's the most important

 

[thesmokingman]

avoid samsung z flip series... wifey has one and its been in the after service twice
a student has the new z flip 5 first day after two weeks the middle of the screen fold is so noticeable....
iphone is okay but the pro is very pricey...

im not sure about the latest google pixel but ive heard good things...

That's ironic cuz we have two flip 5's and we've had zero issues so far. I was agnostic to the flip at first, I barely pay attention to phone specs as it is these days. I've been kind of over the phone rat race since the S10. However this flip is awesome, folding the flip its damn easy to stick in yo pocket and I keep finding new ways to use the fold, like it makes a great flashlight holder when you can't spare a hand. In a pinch you can watch videos with it folded at a 45. I love texting and watching youtube with it folded, cuz you know it's real hard to break the screen when you drop it. You can see the fold on the screen when opened up but its imo a non-issue especially when watching videos.

Otherwise the S series is just another Sammie phone, good but boring. The Flip is not as powerful but its so darn flexible and all said its good enough at everything else. I like that it can wireless charge folded too.

 

[SchumannFrequency]

Sony Xperia 5 V or Samsung Galaxy S23+

 

[silentbogo]

As much as I hate Samsung, their S flagships are still the best bang for the buck. Hardware-wise it ticks all of your boxes, software-wise you still have all of the customizations you want plus long-term update policy(so far Samsung are the only ones actually doing it across all of their lineups, not just talking about it).
I'm on board with S23+

My current and previous phones were Samsung Galaxy S series and I recommend you AVOID it all costs.

I have some screen burns on my phone, and it happened to the previous phone too.

Maybe the old ones. But anything newer than S9 - not much burn-in problems with those.
We have a bunch of older Galaxy S phones and various Xperias at my part-time job(company does cell tower drive-tests and various benchmarks). Phones are on with powered-on screen for 8-10 hours straight, and so far we still have perfectly functioning S9s and S10s (all of them) and about half of S7 Edge(other half has burn-in and infamous vertical stripes).

At my workshop I get Galaxy S-series every once in awhile, and as far as I remember - there were broken ones, there were ones with screen dead due to bad ingress protection, there were "stuck" screens that can only show logo on boot(factory defect, that appears late in phone's life, especially on A7x & A5x, but rarely on S), but so far not a single one with burn-in.

Fairphone 5

This one is still a gimmick-phone. As much as I like the idea, you are still paying a near-flagship price for gray mediocrity.
And when it comes to mediocrity - I'd rather be 100% sure that I can get parts for, let's say, Poco X5 Pro or Galaxy A54 locally at reasonable prices as quick as possible, rather than jump through the hoops to get my overpriced parts shipped from overseas. Heck, Fairphone don't even ship in half the countries anyways.
They are also trying to save many non-issues. As much as it tingles my nostalgia - there's no need for user-detachable battery in a modern smartphone with 2-day battery life. You use the one you have for couple of years, and once it degrades to the point of being noticeable - you go to a workshop and you pay $15-20 to get it done for you(or replace it yourself), and you forget about it for another couple of years. As far as I remember, many-many moons ago LG did a modular hotswappable battery thing and a screen module that can be replaced with 2 screws, all in a pretty decent LG G5 package, and guess what... NO ONE CARED.
Even user-replaceable is still possible on lots of phones (except Samsung).
Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi and many more have pretty cool plastic "pull-wrap" which allows you to detach a battery without bending or damaging it, and unlike pull-tabs - it's reusable.

 

[P4-630]

S23

 

[Solid State Soul ( SSS )]

The latest Samsung s series should cover all your needs, for a long time galaxy s series is considered the iPhone of androids

Google pixel 8 pro is also a great option but i heard mixed feelings about battery life

Just out of curiosity why IPhone is not an option?

 

[Night]

Vote goes to Samsung S23+. Battery lasts for over 4 days with work usage such as emails, calls and such. I was only worried about the size of the phone, because I mostly used compact phones until now (last was S20 for 3 over years), but I got used to it after a few days. It's not a huge difference. I'd recommend S23 as well due to its compact size, but since you prefer bigger phones, S23+ is the way to go, it has better SOT because of the battery size when compared to S23. 256GB+ variant should be prefered as it features UFS 4.0, 128GB model of S23 uses older UFS 3.1, S23+ also has UWB support while S23 does not.

 

[faye]

Very surprised no one is recommending a Pixel. 7 Pro/8 Pro should do everything you want for much less than max budget. Yes, occasionally they let a bad update out that has killed battery life, but it always gets fixed, and you have the option of unlocking the bootloader and running whatever you want now or in the future. Given you're planning to keep the phone long term the benefit there can't be overstated. Stock Android is also much quicker and more responsive than with Samsung's still bloated skin.

 

[Solid State Soul ( SSS )]

Very surprised no one is recommending a Pixel. 7 Pro/8 Pro should do everything you want for much less than max budget. Yes, occasionally they let a bad update out that has killed battery life, but it always gets fixed, and you have the option of unlocking the bootloader and running whatever you want now or in the future. Given you're planning to keep the phone long term the benefit there can't be overstated. Stock Android is also much quicker and more responsive than with Samsung's still bloated skin.

All they have to do is improve the battery life and its a solid recommendation, pixel phone have always had dub par battery

 

[faye]

All they have to do is improve the battery life and its a solid recommendation, pixel phone have always had dub par battery

It's honestly not near as bad as people make it out to be. I'm a heavy phone user (practically all my posts here and elsewhere are from my phone) and I rarely if ever have to charge my 7 Pro during the day. Put it on the charger at night, keep the screen brightness reasonable, and you should be fine.

Plus, if you have a day where you're on it even more then usual and do need to charge to get through it rarely takes more than 15, 20 minutes to top off to the point you won't need to worry, so what's the big deal?

 

[Frick]

Sony Xperia 5 V

Is the camera software improved? I have the 5iii and the camera is really frustrating. You can take great shots, but it's fiddly. The autofocus is just off enough to not be reliable. JPEG compression is not great (more or less severe banding whemtaking shots of a clear evening sky for instance).

 

[Calenhad]

How about the latest OnePlus? Personally I would never touch a bloatware heaven Samsung phone. But I have a very low tolerance for their bs. Even the Sony phone I have is miles better in that regard.
(I will 100% crawl back into the walled garden of iphones next time I get a new phone. But that is a whole 'nother discussion, I don't mean to start anything. I am mostly happy with the Sony.)

Is the camera software improved? I have the 5iii and the camera is really frustrating. You can take great shots, but it's fiddly. The autofocus is just off enough to not be reliable. JPEG compression is not great (more or less severe banding whemtaking shots of a clear evening sky for instance).

Can't really comment on the 5 V, but I have the 1 IV and the camera app on that is great. Quick to start, responsive, and no issues with auto-focus or anything else.

 

[unwind-protect]

I don't have battery life problems with my Pixel 8 Pro, nor did I have with the Pixel 6.

I had an iPhone for a month last year and I didn't feel it lasted any longer.

 

[freeagent]

My 14 Pro takes nicer pics and has a nicer display than my co-workers S22 something.

My co-workers seem to be afraid to take their phone into the shower to watch shows after work while they get clean lol.

You said no iPhone, its all I know.. sorry

 

[SchumannFrequency]

Is the camera software improved? I have the 5iii and the camera is really frustrating. You can take great shots, but it's fiddly. The autofocus is just off enough to not be reliable. JPEG compression is not great (more or less severe banding whemtaking shots of a clear evening sky for instance).

The areas where the Sony Xperia 5 V is stronger than the Samsung Galaxy S23+
- camera
- microSD support
- audio jack

The areas where the Samsung Galaxy S23+ is stronger than the Sony Xperia 5 V
- charge faster (makes little difference if you charge at night)
- 5 years of updates for Android

A Day with the Sony Xperia 5 V

Sony Xperia 5 V VS Samsung Galaxy S23 | Night Mode Camera Test

Most people believe that the Sony camera is better for night shots than Samsung.

Sony Xperia 5 V review

The biggest change this year is the retirement of the telephoto camera. The Xperia 5 V has a dual camera on the back with a 48MP main and a 12MP ultrawide...

www.gsmarena.com

Sony Xperia 5 V's main camera saves 12MP binned photos, and they have Sony written all over them, so to speak.
The photos are excellent across the board, and among the best you can get on a smartphone in 2023.

 

[P4-630]

- 5 years of updates for Android

That + it's smaller size I went with the S23.

 

[SchumannFrequency]

That + it's smaller size I went with the S23.

Battery life is very important to the OP and the + version has 800 mAh extra.
The + version is also larger which is also better for the OP, and one of the points he lists.

 

[Chrispy_]

If you don't want Apple, Pixel is the best Android experience, period.

Samsung S23 is a decent alternative but some of Samsung's choices still drive me nuts and it does feel like the phone is running additional bloat.

I don't have battery life problems with my Pixel 8 Pro, nor did I have with the Pixel 6.

I had an iPhone for a month last year and I didn't feel it lasted any longer.

Pixel A-series phones have always had phenomenal battery life. The 7a is really a lot of phone for the money, too.

 

[Frick]

The areas where the Sony Xperia 5 V is stronger than the Samsung Galaxy S23+
- camera
- microSD support
- audio jack

The areas where the Samsung Galaxy S23+ is stronger than the Sony Xperia 5 V
- charge faster (makes little difference if you charge at night)
- 5 years of updates for Android

A Day with the Sony Xperia 5 V

Sony Xperia 5 V VS Samsung Galaxy S23 | Night Mode Camera Test

Most people believe that the Sony camera is better for night shots than Samsung.

Sony Xperia 5 V review

The biggest change this year is the retirement of the telephoto camera. The Xperia 5 V has a dual camera on the back with a 48MP main and a 12MP ultrawide...

www.gsmarena.com

Sony Xperia 5 V's main camera saves 12MP binned photos, and they have Sony written all over them, so to speak.
The photos are excellent across the board, and among the best you can get on a smartphone in 2023.

I'm just gonna assume there are a whole bunch of asterisks there. The hardware in my phone is good, but it requires knowledge of photography to take good shots. A Samsung phone is literally just point and shoot, and that is a huge advantage. Consider winter. If I am to take a good shot with my Sony I have to remove my gloves and fiddle with a touch screen (not great in -20C weather). With a Samsung I might have to remove the gloves but I just have to point the lens at whatever and the photo will probably look quite good. I mostly take shots of clouds, skies and landscapes, and I can get some nice ones, but with a different phone I could just point the phone and touch the screen and it would look good. With a Sony there is actually photography involved. Which is fine, it's one of the reasons I got the phone I did, but the downsides outweigh the upsides. And no offence, but I do not take your or any (almost) reviewers word on autofocus and compression. That is something you only discover when you live the thing. Generally my 5iii is good, but at times it's much worse than say a Samsung Galaxy S9. Banding issues is also not something that is immedietly apparent. I might do a Reddit dive or something to find out if they actually have improved the software (I don't think they have, because surely the camera app in my phone would have gotten some updates if that were the case), because a Sony phone with slightly better camera software (better automatic/basic modes, better JPEG compression) would be a dream phone. Get good shots with basic/auto, get GREAT shots with manual. Now I get anywhere between ok and good shots with basic/auto. I even did a test, and for some scenarios my old Galaxy S9 was better than the Sony Xperia 5iii, and that should not happen.

 

[SchumannFrequency]

I'm just gonna assume there are a whole bunch of asterisks there. The hardware in my phone is good, but it requires knowledge of photography to take good shots. A Samsung phone is literally just point and shoot, and that is a huge advantage. Consider winter. If I am to take a good shot with my Sony I have to remove my gloves and fiddle with a touch screen (not great in -20C weather). With a Samsung I might have to remove the gloves but I just have to point the lens at whatever and the photo will probably look quite good. I mostly take shots of clouds, skies and landscapes, and I can get some nice ones, but with a different phone I could just point the phone and touch the screen and it would look good. With a Sony there is actually photography involved. Which is fine, it's one of the reasons I got the phone I did, but the downsides outweigh the upsides. And no offence, but I do not take your or any (almost) reviewers word on autofocus and compression. That is something you only discover when you live the thing. Generally my 5iii is good, but at times it's much worse than say a Samsung Galaxy S9. Banding issues is also not something that is immedietly apparent. I might do a Reddit dive or something to find out if they actually have improved the software (I don't think they have, because surely the camera app in my phone would have gotten some updates if that were the case), because a Sony phone with slightly better camera software (better automatic/basic modes, better JPEG compression) would be a dream phone. Get good shots with basic/auto, get GREAT shots with manual. Now I get anywhere between ok and good shots with basic/auto. I even did a test, and for some scenarios my old Galaxy S9 was better than the Sony Xperia 5iii, and that should not happen.

I have no experience with the Sony Xperia 5iii. Several persons I know have an old flagship Sony smartphone and they always manages to take natural photos with great sharpness and detail when they go on vacation. They are anything but professionals.

Of course, how photos look also has to do with the panel you view the images on and how good your eyes are. I have exceptionally good vision in general and I use a monitor that covers 100% of the sRGB color space.

What I can see on that monitor in e.g. shooting cameras is that Canon has the best color science and frequently beats Hasselblad models. Nikon often has significantly inferior color science, even when I compare a $1,300 Nikon to a $750 Canon. Sony is in between Canon and Nikon in this area, and they generally beat Samsung easily.

Samsung's colors tend to be less realistic, but you can take sharp photos with it. In terms of sharpness, I would also say the following. Samsung has sold a lot of marketing around their smartphones with over 100 MP camera. But expert photographers have compared images from these > 100 MP camera Samsung smartphones with images from Sony cameras advertised as 24 MP, and it turned out that these 24 MP smartphones from Sony have more sharpness than the >100 MP smartphones from Samsung.

The boss of Samsung has also been jailed, and if the boss of your company is corrupt then most likely many persons in your company are untrustworthy.

 

[Chrispy_]

The boss of Samsung has also been jailed, and if the boss of your company is corrupt then most likely many persons in your company are untrustworthy.

No surprises there...
Samsung have been exposed for cutting corners with warranties, data safety, and even actual human safety many times - and failing to address issues they're legally accountable for.

I won't boycott Samsung if/when they offer the best option on the market but at the same time I will actively look for comparable products from other companies if that's an option because I have multiple different large-scale experiences with Samsung stuff going bad and Samsung not doing what you'd expect to fix things (recall, firmware update, honoring warranties etc) and these aren't incidents related solely to the stuff I've purchased through work, they're widely-reported across tens of thousands of users, in national press, and occasionally crop up in interviews/discussions with reps from tier-one OEMs like Asus, HP, Apple.

TL;DR I think Samsung make mostly top-tier products but as a company they will treat you, the little guy, like absolute shit if anything goes wrong.