[ToyotaFan]

Originally Posted by GTO

- 4G
- Fast
- Top notch quality
- 64 GB (SD card slot or internal). My music collection is ~50 GB
- Should have a good antenna. Network is patchy where I live

No budget as such, but no iPhone. Android only.

Thanks!

Your requirements point to the Samsung Galaxy S6 which even though is 6 months old is a top notch smartphone if you can live with the smallish battery using the fast charger. Another good option is the Xperia Z5. Fresh in the market with great looks. Both these options offer great cameras.

If you want to stick with HTC the A9 is a good option. Iphone like looks although it's not flagship grade but the 617 should be upto task except in intensive gaming. Another option is the Oneplus x which has great build quality and VFM but not comparable to the other flagships.

Nexus 5 is another great option with a good camera and nice OS but its build quality made from plastic might not cut it for you.

In short if you want a very good camera choose Sony or Samsung otherwise HTC is great too. All 4 phones have topnotch build quality and pretty fast. Hope this helps.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by GTO

Requirements are simple:

- 4G
- Fast
- Top notch quality
- 64 GB (SD card slot or internal). My music collection is ~50 GB
- Should have a good antenna. Network is patchy where I live

Have a look at the LG G4; should cover the requirements mentioned above. I use the G3; even with 5.5 inch screen its quite easy for one-handed operation, and from the showroom experience, I find the G4 pretty much the same for ease of use. And the camera is just awesome

[dmplog]

Sorry. But what's your budget? You can also consider Honor 6!

[ontheroad]

Folks, At last decided to part with my no nonsense Nexus4. Flipkart is offering 5k for the Nexus and i traded it for Moto X play. Can some one suggest a good case for Moto X play? I dont want a bulky one as the phone itself is going to be big for my liking. The case should just protect from accident fall. Any feedback on screen replacement charge for MotoX play? Some feedback says its as high as the cost of phone!

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by GTO

- 4G
- Fast
- Top notch quality
- 64 GB (SD card slot or internal). My music collection is ~50 GB
- Should have a good antenna. Network is patchy where I live

No budget as such, but no iPhone. Android only.

Not an expert but going by personal experience Sony has been great for me. Unfortunately the market now isn't kind to those seeking perfectly hand-holdable phones and all are crossing the 5.2 inch barrier. If its something under 5 inches you seek, look no further than the Z3 Compact (4.6 inch). It comes with expandable memory slot (I think upto 120 gb) and 16 gb standard & personally I feel Sony has the best software for music listeners with upto 4 pre-set ambient settings, 6 pre-set choice of equalizer settings, personalized head-phone settings (for noise cancellation models, in-ear models, flat models etc) and also HSEE support for high quality audio. The battery is best in class as I've experienced. Quality and feel is sublime in a Sony, glass protectors are highly recommended though.

Alternatively the current Z5 can be easily called the flagship phone of all, although it is 5.2 inch but very manageable (I'm using one now). The benefits over Z3 Compact are dual-sim capability, better screen (1080p vs 720p) and an even more premium finish. There is a slight heating when running heavy tasks though I don't mind because I really wanted a water-resistant phone with a premium feel. The camera is fantastic and it too shares the same audio-friendly software as other Sony models. I don't think any manufacturer can come close to Sony when it comes to top-notch feel. Edit: Network is kind-of patchy in most places I use the phone as well, I guess the phone tries its best to capture the signal but the quality of all operators in India is deteriorating by the day.

[mukul32]

Originally Posted by GTO

Smartphone gurus, please recommend a model. Currently using an HTC One. 4.7" screen. Don't want a bigger phone (max 5", but prefer 4.7"). I think this is the ideal size.

Requirements are simple:

- 4G
- Fast
- Top notch quality
- 64 GB (SD card slot or internal). My music collection is ~50 GB
- Should have a good antenna. Network is patchy where I live

No budget as such, but no iPhone. Android only.

Thanks!

Well Rush, I would strongly recommend the Xperia Z5. It is easily the best all-round phone in the market today. And don't worry, the Snapdragon 810 doesn't overheat in that phone. If that is too big (5.2") the Z5 compact has everything that the Z5 has in a 4.6" diagonal.

Anyway, there's a reason I called it the best all-round phone. Just take a look at what it packs:
1.'Premium' glass/metal unibody design (yes, 'premium' here too! )
2.IP68 Water and dust proofing (HUGE bonus in rain & @ OTR's)
3.Brilliant 23MP camera with claimed world's fastest autofocus, hardware camera shutter button
4.Neat and clean user interface, no crappy design, bloatware and useless gimmicks here like Samsung and LG (trust me, this matters a lot, try using an LG phone after HTC sense)
5.Excellent sunlight legibility
6.Front facing stereo speakers
7.SD card slot
8.Fingerprint scanner in power button
9. 2900 MAh battery, great battery life (significantly better than S6 and G4)
10.Fast charging (Quick charge 2.0) is in

Apart from that, there is the usual flagship stuff like 3 gigs of RAM, 4k video recording, 1080p screen (720p 4.6" for the compact), top of the line processors and graphics, top notch build quality, long list of sensors, etc etc etc. No compromises there. And in 2015, I don't think anyone needs to have any concern about performance of a flagship phone.

In fact, all other flagships have at least one serious shortcoming. The S6 has the best screen of 'em all and is quite posh, but no SD card slot, subpar battery life, and Touchwiz. The One M9 has a BAD camera, heating issues and again, subpar battery life. The LG G4 has a great screen and one of the best cameras, but is too huge, and has possibly the worst UI among tier I OEM's. The Nexus 5X has cuttting edge software and a fantastic camera, but low internal storage and no expansion options. No extra OEM features there, either.
The Z5 has almost none of these. The screen resolution may not be world beating, but is more than good enough for the screen size. The rest of the screen in terms of colours etc. is excellent. And the glass is very slippery, but a skin on the back or a case will fix that.

But then, a combination of waterproofing, expandable storage, stereo speakers, fingerprint reader, clean user interface and great battery life is absolutely killer as a package, and nothing else comes close to it in that regard.

Here's a nice and detailed REVIEW of the Z5, and the same for the Z5 compact. Trusted and fair website, and easily as comprehensive as (y)our own official reviews.
Anyway, that's just my personal opinion. Hope it helps!

(PS: The Z5 compact, as the name might suggest, still doesn't fall under the sub-4 metre category )

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by djpeesh

Attachment 1446246

Thad,
Based on your recommendation, I just spent 5,000 rupees on the Aukey quick charger for my desk and car. If it doesn't work, I'm sending it to you

Please do. I think I have lost both my new devices in Chennai flood. One in case, one in house. Both car and house are full of water

My m4i also ruined by water.

Having a bad time here

[djpeesh]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Please do. I think I have lost both my new devices in Chennai flood. One in case, one in house. Both car and house are full of water

My m4i also ruined by water.

Having a bad time here

So sorry to hear that Thad. Hope you're safe. Lemme know if you need anything at all.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Please do. I think I have lost both my new devices in Chennai flood. One in case, one in house. Both car and house are full of water

My m4i also ruined by water.

Having a bad time here

Thad take care and hope that you are able to recover quickly from the floods. It is really a diaster on an unprecedented scale and such freak acts of weather are quite worrying.. sorry for the OT post.

[batterylow]

Originally Posted by GTO

Smartphone gurus, please recommend a model. Currently using an HTC One. 4.7" screen. Don't want a bigger phone (max 5", but prefer 4.7"). I think this is the ideal size.

Requirements are simple:

- 4G
- Fast
- Top notch quality
- 64 GB (SD card slot or internal). My music collection is ~50 GB
- Should have a good antenna. Network is patchy where I live


Thanks!

Hi GTO, I went from a Nexus 5 to a 6p and its been a revelation, snappy processor, the AMOLED screen is vivid and with excellent mobile and WIFI reception, battery life ( 4.5 hours screen on time). Do give the aluminium 64 gb version a look, one gets used to the bigger screen.

[GTO]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! Greatly appreciate it.

Originally Posted by ToyotaFan

Your requirements point to the Samsung Galaxy S6 which even though is 6 months old is a top notch smartphone if you can live with the smallish battery using the fast charger. Another good option is the Xperia Z5. Fresh in the market with great looks. Both these options offer great cameras.

Done. Will check out S6 & Z5. My office desk has a charger and so does the car, so battery life isn't a top priority. Of course, I'd like a nice battery, but don't need something that'll go on for 24 hours.

Another option is the Oneplus x which has great build quality and VFM but not comparable to the other flagships.

Yeah, somehow I never liked the quality of the Oneplus range.

Nexus 5 is another great option with a good camera and nice OS but its build quality made from plastic might not cut it for you.

Bingo! My brother has a Nexus and I don't like all that plastic. Metal is good. My HTC One feels a lot more substantial than his phone.

Originally Posted by vb-san

Have a look at the LG G4

Too big man. Don't want that large a screen.

Originally Posted by dmplog

You can also consider Honor 6!

Naah, not keen on this brand.

Originally Posted by dark.knight

If its something under 5 inches you seek, look no further than the Z3 Compact (4.6 inch).

Alternatively the current Z5 can be easily called the flagship phone of all, although it is 5.2 inch but very manageable (I'm using one now).

Originally Posted by mukul32

It is easily the best all-round phone in the market today. And don't worry, the Snapdragon 810 doesn't overheat in that phone. If that is too big (5.2") the Z5 compact has everything that the Z5 has in a 4.6" diagonal.

Thanks man! Lots of recommendation for Sony here. I didn't even know they make such good phones.

I think I'll go to a store and check out the S6 & Z5 side by side and pick.

Neat and clean user interface, no crappy design, bloatware and useless gimmicks here like Samsung and LG (trust me, this matters a lot, try using an LG phone after HTC sense)

. HTC has way too much bloatware in it.

The Z5 has almost none of these. The screen resolution may not be world beating, but is more than good enough for the screen size. The rest of the screen in terms of colours etc. is excellent. And the glass is very slippery, but a skin on the back or a case will fix that.

Sounds like quite a phone. Thanks for the detailed review.

Trusted and fair website, and easily as comprehensive as (y)our own official reviews.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

One in case, one in house. Both car and house are full of water

Oh shucks! Sorry to hear that Thad. Our best wishes are with you & all other folk from Chennai. Hope things get better soon.

[VW2010]

GTO

Check the Note 4. Its a turbo charged phone and i just upgraded from S5 while my wife uses the S6 Edge. S6 Edge is definitely better phone but from a price point the note 4 is more VFM with feature set and speed.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by GTO

Too big man. Don't want that large a screen.

In that case the Z5 maybe. Checked it out the other day and quite liked it

Suggested G4 because even though the screen is huge, the LG is surprisingly good for one-hand usage.

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by GTO

- 4G
- Fast
- Top notch quality
- 64 GB (SD card slot or internal). My music collection is ~50 GB
- Should have a good antenna. Network is patchy where I live

Call/audio quality + network reception = Motorola Flagships.

Top most positive with Moto devices is they come with pure form of Android which is fast, low resource hungry and reliable. Quick and regular OS upgrades are also promised with Moto devices.

For build quality, wait for the upcoming Moto X force/Turbo 2 That will be kind of life long gadget with it's 'shattershield' assurance.

Downside - bigger 5.5"+ screen. If you can make up your mind for this big size then this is the most ideal option considering all of your priorities.

If small size is important then you can consider previous generation Moto X 2014 which has got 5 inch screen with 73% screen to body ratio and slim bezels which makes it perfect device to operate single handedly. It also supports quick turbo charging. Downside - no external memory card supported, only available in 16 and 32 GB variants.

All other brands have already been suggested. Sony seems to be strong contender but their OS is bit let down, its not as bloated as HTC Sense or Samsung Touchwiz but still its nowhere near to pure form of Android. Though haven't seen Z5 so can't say if they have improved on this front.

Only left outs are likes of One Plus which can be considered. One Plus phones also come with less bloated form of Android but their OS are not as reliable as likes of Nexus or Motorola. These brands also skimp on fewer hardware components like noise cancellation setup, speakers, camera etc.

Won't suggest current generation of Nexus devices. One is from Chinese manufacturer which has already gained reputation of having some or other hardware quality issues. Other one is a built to cost LG. Both Nexus devices currently have question marks over longevity and long term trouble free reliable ownership.

[lurker]

- 4G
- Fast
- Top notch quality
- 64 GB (SD card slot or internal). My music collection is ~50 GB
- Should have a good antenna. Network is patchy where I live

do not underestimate huawei honor 6 & 7. If you do so, then do so at your own risk. The best quality of android phones this year goes to huawei. Of which honor is a brand.

Google selects the best android manufacturer to represent it's Nexus line. It started with Samsung, then went to LG, and now with Nexus 6P, it is manufacture by Huawei.

Moreover, the premium huawei's all carry dual antenna and thus have the best network reception of all phones. Period. And that includes moto and nokia/microsoft and nexus.

For instance the Huawei Ascend P-8 hands down beat the Samsung S6 and G4, iphone 6 and Note5 in network reception, call quality, speed of file transfer on wifi etc.

huawei is the only manufacturer of telecom switching equipment left in the field after motorola exited mobile phones and sold it to lenovo .. this gives them an insight into mobile radio like none other. Thus the qualities are reflected in their network reception and signal capture qualities.