So, I’ll be renewing my contract soon and am uncertain what phone i’d want to go with.
I really like the S10e. Full specs in a smaller package, reliable fingerprint and no curved display. Plus it still has a headphone jack. This is the obvious “save” bet option.
The S10 just looks a little fancier. Also, i’ve had the S8 and now the Redmi Note. Bothe are larger than the S10e. I’m not sure wether i’ll miss the size.
OnePlus 7 Pro. It’s not out yet, but will be when my contract is due. I’m not 100% sure wether my carrier will have it. One main feature i’d really, really want is that 90Hz screen. On PC high refreshrate made a huge difference. No Headphone Jack is a bummer though. Also no micro SD or such. I had the OP5 and was really happy with it and especially oxygen OS.
Finally, Pixel 3 XL. It’s come down enough in price to be an option. It’s a little dated and there have been reports of lack luster performance after some time. It still seems to be the best camera around. Most google features that are pixel specific won’t work for me in Germany. Other than that i’d be nice to get a phone directly from google. I always loved the Nexus line. My Nexus 5 remains th best phone i’ve ever had.
So what do you say? Assuming they all cost me around the same. Camera is not a huge deal. Headphone Jack is though. I can live with a dongle, but would prefer not to. Also, NFC is a must, but all those should have that. Anything that would make you take one over the others? Any other recommendations i should look into?
https://clark.com/cell-phones/best-cell-phone-plans-deals/
I always start with the cheapest plan then go with the cheapest phone, usually whatever is 99 bucks.
I went with republic wireless when it was 13 bucks a month, did not know it went to 20 a month since I am still paying the 13 a month I started with
https://clark.com/technology/switch-cell-phone-need-to-know/
https://clark.com/technology/cell-phone-planes-15-dollars-less/
Anyway at least I can give you a bump, I think I am one of the few here with a 3G phone and a 720 screen 
Oh nothing wrong with that. Most 99 Dollar phones will properly do 99% of what anyone would ever need.
I’m just a sucker for shiny new toys. I’ve been rocking a 200 Bucks xiaomi for two years now and am really hyped to get some of the “all screen craze” stuff 
In the end, all of these phones will probably do the job and be tons of fun.
I’ll now spend some time looking into the current dev status for those phones on XDA. Proper Lineage OS in the future is another priority on my list.
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Were I you, I’d go for the OnePlus 7 Pro, BUT ONLY if you intend on using custom ROMs at some point.
The stock ROM is fine. I really like it. But it receives security updates really really slow, and less fluid than most ROMs you’ll find on XDA.
Bringing up a new device like the OnePlus 7 Pro can take weeks, if not a couple months (I know from experience) so if you find you really like the stock ROM all is good.
But as far as the benefits go, there isn’t a giant chunk in the middle of the screen dedicated to the camera, it’s the best performing smartphone to date, I’ve heard the screen is one of the best on a phone ever, and it’s really great for development. I’ve owned a few OP devices myself.
But, all of that aside, if you can wait another 5 months or so, the Pixel 4 XL looks really promising. After I got my 2 XL, I have hard time working with anything other than Pixels because of the lucridity of other OEMs. It will have a stupid camera cutout so that’s a huge turnoff, but Google always seems to nail it with their smartphones software in spite of the sacrifices made for hardware.
At this point I’d argue the race for software optimization is more important given that for the last couple of years smartphones have only received incremental updates, and that’s where Google is able to shine.
However, that’s only if you can wait. The HTC team they bought will be working on it so what they do will be a little exciting. I hope the return of the headphone jack on the 3A and 3A XL is a clue as to what to expect on the 4, but I’m getting a bit off track.
Those are just some of my thoughts
I’ve not had a major Problem with Updates on my OP5. I personally think Oxygen OS is by far the best Android Manufacturer ROM Available. Though, yes, a custom ROM can still make this better.
I agree on the Pixel, but only to an extend. Reports have been, that the optimization on the OS level hasn’t been as spot on. Many Reviewers complained, that the Pixel 3 specifically had performance issues after it got used for a couple of weeks.
I’m excited for the Pixel 4 too. I don’t think the Headphone Jack will return though. And i personally feel like they’ll again deliver “Last Gen Hardware” on a price premium. Similar to the Pixel 3. Not that it won’t be a great phone. I just doubt that it will be anything revolutionary.
In the end, the market share of samsung alone has been a good indication for development in the future. In Europe we get the Exynos Version, which is still unlockable. And my past Note 4 and S8 have both had great dev support. Lineage OS is basically guaranteed. And Samsungs Android seems to get lighter with every Update.
In the end, it’s never been harder to go wrong with any Smartphone. At the same time, it gets harder to find the perfect match for yourself…
The funny thing about those performance issues with the Pixel 3 is they were caused by Digital Wellbeing.
Over time it would cache so much data that it would actually harm performance. I disabled it’s ability to track data on my 2 XL, and it’s a night and day difference
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Oh great. That’s good to know. This make the Pixel 3 XL look more appealing.
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if the headphone jack is a priority then i’d suggest the LG lineup as it really makes a world of difference with the right headphones. Ive been using my LG V30 and its been fantastic for battery life (8-9 hours on screen) and camera/audio quality, you can find one used for like $200 on ebay and its got the same build quality as the Samsung S9.
My opinion on the 90hz screen is that its a nice to have but it drains the battery life too much so ill avoid it until they make it less power hungry.
If I was going to purchase an android phone for myself right now, I’d get the 1+7 Pro. If I was price-conscious, the Pixel 3a.
I prefer the 3 tbh since it has a small screen and dual front speakers instead of the one top and one bottom firing like the 3a
I guess i’ll see in the coming two or three days wether Vodafone in Germany will carry the 7 Pro. They didn’t with the 6T. I have a few other options, that already sold the 6T, but this might take some months.
The 7 Pro certainly is sexy af.
I really liked the V30 and the V40 looks amazing, but LG’s software is worse than Samsung and the Custom Rom lineup is way behind. As much as i like their Quad-Dac, I’m not really willing to sacrifice daily usability for that …
Why does it matter if they carry it? Do carriers in Germany subsidize hardware? If not, just buy it unlocked and slot your SIM card in.
tbh samsungs software in the s10 looks quite similar to my V30s stock OS haha, I havent noticed any problems with LGs software, and performance is pretty much still on par with newer flagships.
I compare it to things youtube reviewers test like app load times and its generally the same or one second behind.
I dont mind their skin but I prefer Niagara Launcher; and that allows me to hide LG apps I dont use 
Edit: only gripe I have with my V30 though is the sound from speakers, and I wish I could have gotten the V40 with its boom box feature
Yeah they do a bit. Not like half the price but if you calculate it over 2 years, depending on Phone you can save a few bucks. You generally also get better contracts with phones, that aren’t available without. But it’s more like I’m financing the phone over 2 years without interest, which is good enough.
Ahh, we do that too, the financing thing.