I know that I am new here and that asking for help on my first post is kind of selfish, but I do need some advice, I am currently stationed in Japan and I am rotating back to the US (Bremerton, Washington) at the end of this month. I need a new phone.
My Droid Razr M ended up dying on me so I am stuck using a friends iPhone 4, which as you all know is pretty old and decrepit by this point in its lifetime, seeing how its not going to be getting the next iOS update (Not that I really care, its his phone and I have to give it back before I leave.)
I am looking at three phone right now (from the T-mobile network because they actually seem to be doing something right) and they are the Samsung GS5, the HTC One M8 and the LG G3.
Also, I am not bound to any network, so if you suggest a phone that is on another network, and I will have good service there, I will look into it, don't be shy, I am the one asking for help here, I will take any and all I get.
What I care about:
Durability and build quality. I am in the military and this phone will be going to some crazy places.
Battery life is a must have. Working long days often without a means to charge my phone (while in the states) is essential in case of emergencies.
Longevity, I want this phone to last and not be "obsolete" the month after I buy it, because I will be having it for quite awhile.
Camera quality (Pictures and Video) going to some pretty cool places means I want pictures and videos to show my friends and family, this includes how long it takes to actually snap the picture and the ease of use for the settings.
Wifi connectivity and signal strength. I am going to be far from home, and the only way really having contact with them is by using Wifi when I pull into port. Also, again, camera quality.
Speakers/Audio Quality, this phone will be acting as my alarm clock for many many months and will also be used as a MP3 player as well.
What I do not care about:
Pointless features, If I am going to be spending a good chunk of money on a phone, I want that money to go into features that I care about (see above) so that I can have the highest quality.
Any iOS device, I like to tinker around with things and modify them to my liking, and I hate using iTunes.
Cost, I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for, I know these three phones are quite expensive and I am willing to pay that, either all at once, or on a month-to-month billing.
I hope that you all can understand, and if I feel I have forgotten something I will update this title post. In advance, I thank you all for your advice.
You wouldn't need to worry about it being obsolete any time soon because of it's 2560x1440p resolution and Snapdragon 801 with 3GB of RAM powering it. The build quality is amazing and from what I've heard, the battery is large enough to last well through the day(Assuming you aren't playing games all day!).
i would get a blackberry... all the others are flimsy by comparison or have useless features.
you won't get to tinker as much though and people will judge you because you are not using a iphone/android and can't use the (its a business phone) excuse.
If you are looking for something rugged then I believe Samsung released an S5 variant called the Galaxy S5 Active. I'm not a fan of the Samsung galaxy line of phones but it looks pretty rugged. I'm not sure what networks you can get it on as I'm not from the US.
What you need to do is look towards getting a better phone with a durable case and a battery pack.
I recently purchased a nexus 5 and it is an amazing phone. If you are experienced with android, you can easily root it and install a custom kernel. At that point, you can undervolt/underclock the processor and save quite a bit on battery life. No phones will really hold up without the use of a good case, and it seems like eventually any phone that I buy can't last more than a day. Just my input. I purchased a Kmashi 10kmAH battery pack that can charge my phone multiple (like 4 or 5) times before it dies. As far as screen protectors go, I only buy Armorsuit screen protectors. They are wet apply and are built to last.
I like nexus phones because the OS is unadulterated. No stupid carrier/manufacturer bloatware.
I have been reading all your comments, just had to deal with some personal things lately that have kept me distracted. Personally, I am sure the blackberry is a great phone, but not one that I am interested in.
The S5 active is appealing to me, but it is only available on the AT&T network, which I will have to look into the coverage where I will be stationed.
Nexus 5 huh? I have heard several good things about it, I will have to try. I have heard the camera isn't that great though.
The Nexus 5 suffered from some OS based camera issues which are now fixed. Another option is to go with a different camera application.
The Nexus 5 is also available on AT&T but not Verizon :( If it is between the S5 and the Nexus, the Nexus is much cheaper, although it is older. You won't have to deal with any Samsung shit, though.
The S5 active IS probably more durable, but any phone quickly becomes durable when you put a case on it.
It's not as good as the g2's battery life, and the gpu doesn't perform that great because of the big screen (probably still more than good enough).
The build quality on the m8 seems to be pretty good. It also has aluminium on the above and below the screen, so that will probably help if you drop it. The Xperia Z2 seems to be pretty well built too and it has better battery life than the m8 and it's waterproof. It has a glass front and back though (protected by an aluminium frame, but still...) The Xperia's camera is also way better than the m8's (the m8's camera is terrible).
If you need durability just get an Otter Box. I dropped my phone off of a mountain while rock climbing and the screen didn't even break. Granted it hit ledges a couple of times which slowed it down, but still......