Which phone after owning a Note 3 ?

Click_It on 17/12/2015 - 20:55
Last edited 17/12/2015 - 20:56

I've been a Samsung Galaxy Note owner for the last few years (1 & 3) and generally been very happy with them. It's time for a change away from Samsung, I don't think the prices fit the product anymore and have seen some very impressive no-name brands out of China which seem to be getting a following. Obviously I will be forgoing the S-Pen which I will miss but in reality only use it once or twice a month so I'll manage.

WHEN: Next 3 months

SCREEN SIZE: 5.3 - 5.8 inch (love the phablet form factor)

RESOLUTION: 1080 x 1920, thats ample for my eyes.

CPU: Snapdragon (ideally an upgrade from my present Snapdragon 800)

CAMERA: >13MP, Video must be capable of recording 1080p in 60fps though (I suspect this will rule a few out immediately), I actually use my phone as a camera heavily (mostly video but also stills) so something comparable or better than the Samsung Note 3 would be the goal.

MEMORY: 32GB if it supports MicroSD, otherwise probably need 64GB. And no less than 3GB RAM.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

  • Dual-sum would be nice if available in a quality phone
  • Mobile frequency bands, seeing I want a dual-sim the more aussie bands the better (I don't care about 4GX)
  • 3rd party support (custom roms, screen protectors, cases etc)
  • Battery, it needs to be >3000mAh (removable nice but not vital)

PRICE: Under $450 would be nice, but I'm flexible.

I think I've covered everything. The OnePlus Two generally ticks a lot of the boxes but I'm unsure about many other phone options so I look forward to the feedback.

Thanks in advance!

Mobile

Comments

  • shadowarrior on 17/12/2015 - 21:32

    I moved to a Moto X Style from Note. Had a Note 1, Note 2, Note 3, then told myself, enough is enough with this bullshit Samsung keeps pulling.

    • CyberMurning on 17/12/2015 - 22:19

      what are the bullshit samsung keep pulling? updates?

      • shadowarrior on 17/12/2015 - 23:09
        +4

        Major bug in their kernel which could brick your phone…they kept denying it for months till members from XDA pointed it out and then Samsung eventually rolled out fixes for some of the devices. (EMMC)

        Note 3 had the stupid Knox.

        A lot of their softwares (remote trace and wipe) never work reliably.

        They rarely update their firmware.

        They don't like to encourage Android power users to use an Android device like it should be.

        • CyberMurning on 17/12/2015 - 23:12
          +1

          understood. thats why i prefer buy second hand phone with good condition so i can straight away root it without fear (spent less $ anyway) - and get rid of knox and install other roms that are better but stable enough.

        • stargalaxy on 18/12/2015 - 12:14

          My note 3 is still on 4.4.2 while my LG G2 is on 5.02, Samsung really need to improve their game.

        • CyberMurning on 18/12/2015 - 12:46

          @stargalaxy: install europe 5.1.1, no need to root and wont trip knox i think.

        • kirynflare on 27/12/2015 - 22:57
          +1

          @eisniwre: Where do I find this Europe 5.1.1 for the Note 3? All I see is custom roms that have it..

        • CyberMurning on 28/12/2015 - 00:04
          +1

          @kirynflare:

          ah sorry.. official is 5.0.0 not 5.1.1
          http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/download/62887/N9005XXUGP…

          yes all other 5.1x are ported but quite stable i heard

        • kirynflare on 28/12/2015 - 00:05
          +1

          @eisniwre: I know this website. You've linked me 5.0, you said there was 5.1.1?

          EDIT: Just saw your edit

        • CyberMurning on 28/12/2015 - 00:06
          +1

          @kirynflare: wow you are fast.. i edited mine.. sorry !
          im gonna try ported Note 5 soon. Norma or phronesis

        • kirynflare on 28/12/2015 - 00:07

          @eisniwre: It means I spend too much time on this site haha

          Let me know how the custom roms go! Stability is quite important for me

  • datsocheap on 17/12/2015 - 21:46

    I've gone the same smart phone route with the Samsung Note 1 currently Note 3. I was holding out till Note 5 was going to drop in price, but with the loss of removable battery/micro sim/IR blaster/etc… I started to look for other options as well.

    I decided on the LG V10 H962 from QD ebay. Was able to get it at 10% off during ebay sale for approx $780

    The V10 H962 model meets most of your criteria except for price. If your willing to wait up to 3months this could be met as well with another price reduction and another ebay sale.

    Specs:

    5.7 inch QHD
    2nd front screen
    Dual Sim
    64GB internal memory
    Micro sim expandable (up to 2TB theoretically!)
    Snapdragon 808
    16 megapixel camera laser auto focus, f1.8
    Dual 5 megapixel front cameral (one extra wide angle)
    IR blaster
    Dedicated 32 bit hifi audio DAC
    3000mah removable battery
    Quick charge 2.0
    *edit 4GB RAM

    I'm waiting for mine to arrive next week hopefully. Can't wait.

    • CyberMurning on 17/12/2015 - 22:21

      wow didnt know lg has this kind of phone. i like the rocker button on the rear and knock code!

      this for you to read while waiting for the phone :)
      http://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-v10

    • AlmightyGaz on 18/12/2015 - 17:21

      Damn, if only they added a proper active stylus that would be the perfect note replacement.

  • CyberMurning on 17/12/2015 - 22:21

    i had note 2 then 3. i like the spen and have gear watch so i probably stuck with samsung. its ok i always root and install custom roms for every phone tablet even apple stuffs (before). touchwiz? never use it i use nova always.
    probably i will get second hand note 4 edge when the price is right.
    i cant use phone with less than 5.5" now.
    previously looking at sony z ultra. but spec by spec, my note 3 is better.
    or, huawei mate 7, or oppo r7 plus.

  • supnigs super skids on 17/12/2015 - 22:52

    the note 3 was pretty quick already given the 1080p resolution. Next progression would be the nexus 6p I recken. I havnt noticed a lot of speed differences from a note 3 to the s5,nexus 6, g3,z3.

  • negger on 17/12/2015 - 22:55

    Recently moved from Note 3 to iPhone 6s and honestly I like it better
    Work pays for the plan so price is no concern for me though.. I would have gone for Chinese phones if work doesn't pay for the phone and established android flagships are way too overpriced for what they offer IMO

    • CyberMurning on 17/12/2015 - 22:57

      once you go android you wont go back.
      well, unless you dont like rooting or jailbreaking or tinkering with phones.
      even if you dont, if you watch alot movies, android is so much easier (ie comptability with formats and the sd card accessibility).

      ups… not apple vs android again~ :D

      • [Deactivated] on 17/12/2015 - 23:00

        Why wouldn't you just watch movies on, I don't know, a tv?

        • CyberMurning on 17/12/2015 - 23:01

          travelling back and forth from home and work… public transport…
          and yes i cant afford to buy movies on itunes.

        • [Deactivated] on 17/12/2015 - 23:02

          @eisniwre: You need a better job, not a phone

        • CyberMurning on 17/12/2015 - 23:03
          +1

          @thorton82: haha fair enough i remember someone famous say that on newspaper recently :D

        • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2015 - 09:07

          @thorton82:

          And poor people don't have phones, right?

        • [Deactivated] on 18/12/2015 - 15:21

          @KaptnKaos: They shouldn't. Or cars.

    • maybeamacy on 18/12/2015 - 01:14
      -1

      I actually went from iPhone 5 to Note 3, used it for a year and a half then back to iPhone. I just found Android a very cluttered interface in comparison (eg. downloading PDF's to view them vs. loading in Safari with iOS).

      • akd on 18/12/2015 - 09:15

        Doesn't mean that you have to load it every time, wasting data every time (unless you are on $90-$100 plan). In Android you download on sd card and view multiple times.

      • dji1111111 on 24/12/2015 - 02:21
        +1

        Sounds like you had no clue on how to use the phone. It's not the interface.

  • deanylev on 18/12/2015 - 01:09
    +1

    Xperia Z5 Premium Dual meets all your needs, but they're super duper expensive.

    SCREEN SIZE: 5.3 - 5.8 inch (love the phablet form factor) Z5P is 5.5"

    RESOLUTION: 1080 x 1920, thats ample for my eyes. Z5P is 2160x3840, but runs at 1080x1920.

    CPU: Snapdragon (ideally an upgrade from my present Snapdragon 800) SoC is Snapdragon 810 (with liquid heatpipe cooling) - A massive upgrade from 800

    CAMERA: >13MP, Video must be capable of recording 1080p in 60fps though (I suspect this will rule a few out immediately), I actually use my phone as a camera heavily (mostly video but also stills) so something comparable or better than the Samsung Note 3 would be the goal. Camera is 23MP and does 1080p @ 60FPS and unbeatable and gorgeous slow motion

    MEMORY: 32GB if it supports MicroSD, otherwise probably need 64GB. And no less than 3GB RAM. Z5P has 32GB w/ Micro SD and 3GB of RAM, perfect!

    ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

    Dual-sim would be nice if available in a quality phone Z5P Dual has this
    Mobile frequency bands, seeing I want a dual-sim the more aussie bands the better (I don't care about 4GX) Z5P has plenty of bands
    3rd party support (custom roms, screen protectors, cases etc) Z5P will have plenty of ROMs and a lot of accessories
    Battery, it needs to be >3000mAh (removable nice but not vital) Z5P has 3430mAh
    PRICE: Under $450 would be nice, but I'm flexible. $1000+ :'(

  • Click_It on 18/12/2015 - 09:18

    Thanks, that Sony certainly ticks all the boxes I care about.

    The price tag… Obviously I've paid a lot in the past (Note1/3 weren't far short of those prices) but I'm not sure a phone is worth this price tag to me anymore, thus the interest in the Chinese brands which don't appear to be a pile of crap like they were a few years back.

    I have always liked SONY and LG in the big brands, that LG V10 above looks great too.

    As for the iPhone comment above, I have no interest in leaving the Android platform. Nothing personal just my preference, I like the customisation too much it would feel like going from home ownership to a rental, despite an iPhone being a fantastic device it's just not for me.

    Thanks for the feedback so far all, though I feel my original question hasn't been addressed yet - chinese brand options. OnePlus Two etc etc.

  • ProjectZero on 18/12/2015 - 09:58

    I would suggest Moto X Play, cheaper and ticks most the boxes as well.

    Just not sure on a dual sim version… I heard there was but I haven't seen it around.

    http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_x_play-7454.php

    Problem is the chipset is SD 615 so it's more of a sidegrade if not a downgrade from 800 and only 2GB of RAM. Price wise should be closer to your $450 than all the other phones.

    I've personally never used OnePlus phones so I can't comment.

  • pernunz on 18/12/2015 - 10:59

    If you're going to wait for 3 months, then wait for 3 months.

    Phones will be released with the Snapdragon 820 processor, which will provide significantly improved battery life and performance compared to any of the current (Android) phones.

    The 801, 808 and 810 of this year were not substantial upgrades on the 800 presently in your phone.

    • CyberMurning on 18/12/2015 - 11:04

      and also usb type C

      • pernunz on 18/12/2015 - 12:01

        There's no guarantee that phones with a Snapdragon 820 processor, or phones in the next few months would have a USB type C connector.

        Also, USB Type C is not one of the criteria the OP has described for his new phone.

        • Click_It on 19/12/2015 - 15:39

          True, I don't really care about USB Type C, if it's there that's nice but bit of a non-event for me.

          Snapdragon 820 on the other hand is appealing to me.

    • zan5hin on 20/12/2015 - 14:36

      I read today that Samsung has done a deal - they are getting exclusivity on the 820 for the first three months of 2016. Primarily for the new S7 and whatever else they release.

  • kayne1 on 18/12/2015 - 11:09

    The Note Edge was $639 only a couple of weeks ago from The Good Guys/Ebay. I bought one for the wife.

  • dqb on 18/12/2015 - 11:36

    I moved to an Oppo Mirror R5.

    http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_r5-6753.php

    I had a crash and my phone got squashed. So I had to get something with a matter of urgency and I wanted a smaller form factor to carry in motorbike jacket - it is an AMAZING phone. Quick, 4G, dual SIM, hasn't slowed for anything. I have an 128GB sd card with my entire 67GB music collection on it! (Took nearly 24 hours to copy it on!).

    The phone cost $269 at Dick Smith. Given this, maybe you should have a look at the Oppo R7. That should come in below your budget.

    RE:Samsung - having seen the Oppo, those Samsung handsets are way overpriced. The thing that was getting to me tho was the level of personal information they were asking. Of course, the pre-installed software over load didn't help either. As it is, the miry clay bog patch that is Google irritates me no end. Sure I want Android, but I have no need for most of the apps that come standard, and I refuse to update them (uses my bandwidth, space) - this makes it a pain to individually update instead of update all, but a price I'm willing to pay.

  • Axelstrife on 18/12/2015 - 12:56

    i currently have a note 3 and still love it but if i had some spare money and willing to spend on a new phone id be getting an LG G4

  • ozeebee on 21/12/2015 - 21:34
    -1

    Paper wise, the Galaxy range seems to be one of the best but my god the phnes slow down significantly after a year of normal use.

    It's a shame as I really like the Note Edge but past experience makes me stay away. I don't like rooting a phone, for a flagship phone to cost what it is, it should work out of the box with no hitches.

    • Diji1 on 25/12/2015 - 08:47

      That's not the phone it's Android and yes it's falls apart and slows down faster than good ol' Windows XP.

  • frowny on 21/12/2015 - 23:47

    I've had the Note 2, Note 3 and now Note 5, and I can say that the phone offers everything you're looking for, IF you are willing to wait for a deal.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/215418

    I picked up my dual sim Note 5 from this deal, and it is incredible.

    As much as people complain about no expandable storage (I do okay, cloud storage makes things easy, also no videoes on my phone, just photos), and no removable battery (I have never owned a second or spare battery in my life), you can work around it, and the Note always lasta at least a day and a bit.

  • Diji1 on 25/12/2015 - 08:47

    I can tell you which phone to avoid: any Sony Mobile model.

  • virhlpool on 02/01/2016 - 06:53

    Why not Samsung Galaxy S5?

  • hamwhisperer on 03/01/2016 - 20:44

    Sell your note 3 for $250 to $300 and up your ante a little and buy a Galaxy S7 plus.

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