Verizon Compatible Cell Phone Recommendations

[SpAmRaY]

I'm still using a 32Gb Moto X Developer Edition (2012) as my daily phone. My wife also has an identical phone.

We've had these for a little over 2 years now and they've been great but are starting to show their age.

I'm more interested in getting her something else but depending on what I find might also upgrade myself.

I'm mainly looking for recommendations on a phone I can buy outright for her that is Verizon compatible, has at least 32Gb built in memory, decent camera, isn't huge and preferably rootable and has some community support behind it.

I'd say her phone use consists mainly of texting, Facebook, taking lots of pictures and videos of the kids and some light 'gaming' (stuff like bingo or wheel of fortune).

My timeline is to get this by mothers day as a gift to her.

[tp4tissue]

s8

they're going to do that buy 1 get 1 free deal ..

just wait a little bit,  it'll be something like $700-800 for 2x phones..   if you don't need the second one, just sell it when the initial tide winds down, and get around $700 for it



Samsung has the best camera right now.. so.. make sense if you take fotos..

[Pwner]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

[tp4tissue]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

well you definitly don't want to pay for the pixel / pixel xl at this point..  since the samsung s8 has monopoly on the newest snapdragon 835..

[Pwner]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

well you definitly don't want to pay for the pixel / pixel xl at this point..  since the samsung s8 has monopoly on the newest snapdragon 835..

I'd say her phone use consists mainly of texting, Facebook, taking lots of pictures and videos of the kids and some light 'gaming' (stuff like bingo or wheel of fortune).

I would think she would be more than fine with the 821. 

[tp4tissue]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

well you definitly don't want to pay for the pixel / pixel xl at this point..  since the samsung s8 has monopoly on the newest snapdragon 835..

I'd say her phone use consists mainly of texting, Facebook, taking lots of pictures and videos of the kids and some light 'gaming' (stuff like bingo or wheel of fortune).

I would think she would be more than fine with the 821. 

how much is the pixel though,  is it still $6-700 ? 

wouldn't you want the Snapdragon 835 for that much ? hahahahaha

[Pwner]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

well you definitly don't want to pay for the pixel / pixel xl at this point..  since the samsung s8 has monopoly on the newest snapdragon 835..

I'd say her phone use consists mainly of texting, Facebook, taking lots of pictures and videos of the kids and some light 'gaming' (stuff like bingo or wheel of fortune).

I would think she would be more than fine with the 821. 

how much is the pixel though,  is it still $6-700 ? 

wouldn't you want the Snapdragon 835 for that much ? hahahahaha

s8 is about $100 more.  Worth spending that for the 835 she doesn't need?

Regardless, I'm sure she would be more than happy with either.

[SpAmRaY]

They look so big in comparison 

[Joey Quinn]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

Pixels are way overrated, when you add a sim card they automatically install the carrier apps so you'll end up with **** like VZ messenger on the phone. Google ruined what could've been an amazing phone

Nexus 6P all the way for vanilla android

[tp4tissue]

(Attachment Link)

They look so big in comparison 

s8 def looksmore  --the future--  though.. hahahahaha

[SpAmRaY]

(Attachment Link)

They look so big in comparison 

s8 def looksmore  --the future--  though.. hahahahaha

If I get a new phone it has to fit in my carpenter pants side pocket and the moto x is the perfect fit so anything much bigger I'm not gonna know how to carry it around.

Also not sure if the wife can handle having a very large phone, I might have to get her to test some newer phones out at the verizon store....

[tp4tissue]

(Attachment Link)

They look so big in comparison 

s8 def looksmore  --the future--  though.. hahahahaha

If I get a new phone it has to fit in my carpenter pants side pocket and the moto x is the perfect fit so anything much bigger I'm not gonna know how to carry it around.

Also not sure if the wife can handle having a very large phone, I might have to get her to test some newer phones out at the verizon store....

then cheap out on her and gets her ipho se.. hahahahahah

[SpAmRaY]

(Attachment Link)

They look so big in comparison 

s8 def looksmore  --the future--  though.. hahahahaha

If I get a new phone it has to fit in my carpenter pants side pocket and the moto x is the perfect fit so anything much bigger I'm not gonna know how to carry it around.

Also not sure if the wife can handle having a very large phone, I might have to get her to test some newer phones out at the verizon store....

then cheap out on her and gets her ipho se.. hahahahahah

But I've never owned an apple product of any kind....not sure I want to go down that path. 

[tp4tissue]

But I've never owned an apple product of any kind....not sure I want to go down that path. 

I was kidding..  females run out of phone battery at a high rate..  do not get her a small fone..

[SpAmRaY]

But I've never owned an apple product of any kind....not sure I want to go down that path. 

I was kidding..  females run out of phone battery at a high rate..  do not get her a small fone..

Oh yeah I forgot she always runs the battery down.... 

[tp4tissue]

But I've never owned an apple product of any kind....not sure I want to go down that path. 

I was kidding..  females run out of phone battery at a high rate..  do not get her a small fone..

Oh yeah I forgot she always runs the battery down.... 

it's all the paranoia they are socialized to have..   as if not responding right away means someone doesn't like her or vice versa,  many females are blighted with such intrusive thoughts.

[Pwner]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

Pixels are way overrated, when you add a sim card they automatically install the carrier apps so you'll end up with **** like VZ messenger on the phone. Google ruined what could've been an amazing phone

Nexus 6P all the way for vanilla android

I don't have any VZW apps on my XL..

6P is good too though, I agree there.

[noisyturtle]

Pixel XL is very very nice

[SpAmRaY]

I know the S8 is due out in a few days but would a refurbished S7 @ ~$300 be a good deal?

[tp4tissue]

I know the S8 is due out in a few days but would a refurbished S7 @ ~$300 be a good deal?

cricket has galaxy phones half off during cyber monday..  the latest one,  but its several months away..

The last cyber monday the s7 was 325 and the cyber monday before that the s6 was 325..


They do this every year..


Recently Samsung direct sold s7 from their website at 37x  because the s8's coming..


We should see NEW s7s for ~300 soonish.

[Jaymanlp]

Google Pixel/Pixel XL

Pure Android > Touchwiz

Touchwiz is the main bottleneck of Samsung devices. If their phones used stock android they'd perform so much better.
It's become such an issue that competitors will actually list stock android as a selling point.
So Samsung, just use stock Android or fix Touchwiz. Maybe then people won't think Android sucks and switch to iPhones.

[Leslieann]

If you are doing contract, get the best, most expensive model you can.
(financially it makes the most sense)

If you are buying outright, look for 1-2 year old top of the line models as they are your best deal.
Personally, I would go with a Verizon Galaxy S5, you can get these like new (factory refurb) for less than $180. So why not an S6... They removed a lot of the waterproofing and made them less durable. I would however spend a bit and get a wireless charging system though.

Regarding Touchwiz bottle-necking, the average user doesn't give two sh*ts and won't notice, the difference in speed is minimal, especially on anything remotely recent. It's not a big deal, but those who chase benchmarks like to make a lot of noise about it.


As for Verizon capability...
Only a Verizon based phone will get you guaranteed 4g coverage (and in some cases even get service since it is CDMA).  Verizon phones work great on other carriers (Verizon are world phones), but not all others work equally well on Verizon.

[digi]

If you are doing contract, get the best, most expensive model you can.
(financially it makes the most sense)

If you are buying outright, look for 1-2 year old top of the line models as they are your best deal.
Personally, I would go with a Verizon Galaxy S5, you can get these like new (factory refurb) for less than $180. So why not an S6... They removed a lot of the waterproofing and made them less durable. I would however spend a bit and get a wireless charging system though.

Regarding Touchwiz bottle-necking, the average user doesn't give two sh*ts and won't notice, the difference in speed is minimal, especially on anything remotely recent. It's not a big deal, but those who chase benchmarks like to make a lot of noise about it.


As for Verizon capability...
Only a Verizon based phone will get you guaranteed 4g coverage (and in some cases even get service since it is CDMA).  Verizon phones work great on other carriers (Verizon are world phones), but not all others work equally well on Verizon.

I hate Touchwiz just because of the clunkiness of it overall.. Pure Android just seems cleaner/snappier....

*Insert Xzbit Meme Here "Yo Dawg, I heard you like Mobile OS's so we put a Mobile OS on your Mobile OS"

This is from someone who currently owns an S6 btw.

[Leslieann]

I hate Touchwiz just because of the clunkiness of it overall.. Pure Android just seems cleaner/snappier....

*Insert Xzbit Meme Here "Yo Dawg, I heard you like Mobile OS's so we put a Mobile OS on your Mobile OS"

This is from someone who currently owns an S6 btw.

Personally, it depends on the specific part of the OS you refer to. In some instances Touchwiz fixes Android's clunkiness and in others makes it worse. Both have their issues and people ***** one way or the other depending on what they are used to.  Personally, I don't care, it's like arguing Windows 8 vs 8.1.
Use what you like.


And Touchwiz is not an OS on an OS, it's a modded OS (kernel and framework). Older Touchwiz was mostly framework mods which could relatively easily be returned back to stock Android with a few simple file swaps (I was a rom developer). It's not so easy anymore as it extends quite deep.

The bigger problem with Samsung today for me is KNOX.
Oh, how I despise that system, however, I still think the Galaxies have been the better phone the last few years.

[digi]

I hate Touchwiz just because of the clunkiness of it overall.. Pure Android just seems cleaner/snappier....

*Insert Xzbit Meme Here "Yo Dawg, I heard you like Mobile OS's so we put a Mobile OS on your Mobile OS"

This is from someone who currently owns an S6 btw.

Personally, it depends on the specific part of the OS you refer to. In some instances Touchwiz fixes Android's clunkiness and in others makes it worse. Both have their issues and people ***** one way or the other depending on what they are used to.  Personally, I don't care, it's like arguing Windows 8 vs 8.1.
Use what you like.


And Touchwiz is not an OS on an OS, it's a modded OS (kernel and framework). Older Touchwiz was mostly framework mods which could relatively easily be returned back to stock Android with a few simple file swaps (I was a rom developer). It's not so easy anymore as it extends quite deep.

The bigger problem with Samsung today for me is KNOX.
Oh, how I despise that system, however, I still think the Galaxies have been the better phone the last few years.

I just want the ability to stop accidental texts like I did on the S5, lol

[SpAmRaY]

You guys got any good apps or things you do when testing a used/refurbished phone?

[tp4tissue]

You guys got any good apps or things you do when testing a used/refurbished phone?

This is a difficult situation.. Testing phones are highly damaging to the phones.. because they're not active cooled devices..


So you take a brand new phone..   run the geekbench , or benchmark of your choice and compare it to other phone benches online.

The score shouldn't be hugely different..  (new version of geekbench will give you a hugely different score on some fones.)



If the phone seems like it's throttling in these benchmarks and get a lower score,  then put it infront of a box fan..  if the problem alleviates, then you know this phone that you bought might be on its last legs..


That's prettty much all you can do.


The other part is battery, but that's more straightforward.. you'd notice quite quickly by the screen on time if something was wrong there.