Convince me to Upgrade

[Zodiark1593]

Currently rolling a T Mobile G2x overclocked to 1.5 GHz and running Cyanogenmod. Ui is sluggish in some spots, but my most demanding task is running my PS1 emulator, which the phone runs fine. RAM is on the low side, but workable for most browsing purposes, battery has degraded a second time, and stability is sketchy.

Now, I understand current phones have the above addressed, but I find it difficult to justify a $300 price tag for a new phone. Gaming-wise, there seems to be very little that can utilize current GPUs. Resolution-wise, most content I watch is in SD. I've an itchy trigger finger, I just need a compelling reason to upgrade. What've you got?

 

[Oyeve]

Note 4. Because....... Note 4.

 

[paperwastage]

for a decent new price-performance-ratio phone working on T-mobile...

I'd say Samsung Avant is good for futureproof (VoLTE/WiFi Calling/band 12 LTE, $150), but it's touchwiz and middle tier (1.5GB, qHD)

Otherwise, Moto G LTE (<$200) is a decent choice too, almost pure android, but no VoLTe/WiFi Calling/band 12 LTE, middle tier too


used, maybe you can find a Nexus 5/ LG G2/G3 below $300

 

[Midwayman]

used, maybe you can find a Nexus 5/ LG G2/G3 below $300

I think a used g2 would be great. Got one at launch and still have zero issues with it on speed and the development on XDA is pretty good. Its certainly in the 'good enough' phone category to do just about anything. The only thing I'd really like is a better camera, though it was one of the best at the time of release. The focus is just a bit slow and the newer laser assisted focus ones focus quicker.

 

[Mopetar]

You don't need to spend $300+ just to upgrade. There are going to be a lot of options available that will be an upgrade for you, but not break the bank. If you're typically already happy with the performance you're getting, you obviously don't need to worry about whether an upgrade has flagship-level performance.

Focus on the other features important to you such as removable battery and how easy it is to run a custom ROM. After that just see what you prefer in terms of size/RAM/storage/etc.

 

[poofyhairguy]

What've you got?

If you do any browsing 1GB of ram sucks. You think it is fine, but then you get a 2GB phone and its like "how the hell did I ever tolerate that?" It was my SSD moment in mobile. Apple users like to pretend otherwise, but its the same on iOS. 2GB is the floor for any modern compute device.

Edit: Holy crap that phone only has 512GB of RAM. I don't even know how that loads the entire OS. Lollipop on mine likes to eat a gig just with freaking Tapa running.

OP you would get a HUGE performance boost out of even a Nexus 4 or Moto X1. Like going from a Pentium 3 to a Core 2 Duo.

 

[Roland00Address]

If you are very budget conscious I would wait till after mobile world congress that occurs in late Feb. At MWC many phone companies announce new phones and because of this the old phones are discontinued. These phones are then released to customers around April to May.

The reason to upgrade is many phones will have double or triple the battery life due to more efficient radios, screens, CPUs, and bigger battery. We are talking major improvements since your 2011 tegra 2 soc (CPU/GPU and other circuitry). 10x nand speed (many things speed are limited by the bandwidth speed of your internal storage). 4x the ram, 4x to 8x the CPU speed, much faster cell phone radios etc.

I am hoping the $200 Asus zenfone 2 comes to t mobile. It is almost certainly coming to AT&T and hardware wise it could very much come to t mobile. The ASUS zenfone 2 has better hardware than the nexus five or one plus one with hardware close to the the nexus 6 with a 5.5 inch 1080p screen for $200 new. The zenfome 2 will start shipping in march who knows when it will hit the states.

 

[Maximus96]

convince us to convince you...upgrade, or not

 

[cbrunny]

doo it!

 

[Zodiark1593]

Well, most of the reasons seem primarily geared toward user experience. In terms of practicality, there doesn't seem to be much I'm losing aside from battery life.

Don't get me wrong, the geek side of me would love to have 2 ghz processing in my pocket, my practical self cannot find a reason to upgrade.

 

[Red Storm]

convince us to convince you...upgrade, or not

This. If you have to be convinced to upgrade... you don't need to upgrade.

 

[lxskllr]

Don't be a Consumer®. Upgrade when your current hardware is no longer fit for purpose. Companies will do just fine if you don't buy their crap, and the world will continue spinning. Besides, every month you delay upgrading gets you faster hardware for less money.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Well, most of the reasons seem primarily geared toward user experience. In terms of practicality, there doesn't seem to be much I'm losing aside from battery life.

Don't get me wrong, the geek side of me would love to have 2 ghz processing in my pocket, my practical self cannot find a reason to upgrade.

Sorry we failed you OP. Android has a lot of low end devices in the user base so I expect that phone has another year or two before it stops being useful.

 

[Roland00Address]

Don't be a Consumer®. Upgrade when your current hardware is no longer fit for purpose. Companies will do just fine if you don't buy their crap, and the world will continue spinning. Besides, every month you delay upgrading gets you faster hardware for less money.

I understand and agree with this mostly, but consider the situation [bhe has a tegra 2[/b] device. In other words a Samsung Galaxy S-II era device, and tegra 2 was pretty much the worse high end soc of the Galaxy II era (in its defense it was released 3 months prior to the S-II, and 6 months after it was released you could find it unlock for about $400 when an S-II would cost significantly more). This phone when it was release had 2.2 froyo on it, and never got beyond 2.3 gingerbread from the carrier. (Of course the OP has cyangonemod so if he is on the highest stable for his phone it is equivalent to 4.2 Jelly Bean.)

The OP does not have to spend much to get a much better phone than what he has that would have 5x plus performance in lte speeds (his phone lacks lte), ram, nand flash speeds, cpu, pixels, etc while still getting better battery life. Of course the OP should not waste money and probably go with a midrange device, and it is my advice is wait a few more months for the next generation to come out (which will drop the prices on the current gen hardware.)

If the ASUS Zenphone 2 comes to the US and T-Mobile, getting that type of phone for the OP would be night and day for $200. Or if you must have it now you can routinely find a moto g for t-mobile for about $100 for the older non lte model, or the 2013 moto x with correct T-Mobile LTE bands for $200 t $230. You can also get better hardware if you go swappa or refurbished.

I understand being cost conscious and do not buy stuff needlessly but there has to be a point for your own sanity you may want to spend some small amount of money to make your technology a whole lot better. A lot has happened in the 4 years since the OP's phone was first released.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Sorry we failed you OP. Android has a lot of low end devices in the user base so I expect that phone has another year or two before it stops being useful.

Oh no worries, in fact, you guys probably saved me some money. Its simply that user experience is low on my priorities compared to utility. Wish I could at least have an Android version of Handbrake, or a Crysis type game to really abuse the fast hardware these phones have, though it seems the new Snapdragon chips can't handle their own heat for long.

FyI, browsing on 512 MB is slow, but not so much that it is unuseable, in case anyone was curious. As testament to that, I've been posting from said phone through the browser. Hell, my biggest complaint is the bastard of an OEM refusing to update it since launch. A reasonably stable OS at least would have been nice. Cyanogen is still lacking on the stability side of things (actually, it's closer to trading one set of problems for another, yet keeping the worst)

 

[Roland00Address]

FyI, browsing on 512 MB is slow, but not so much that it is unuseable, in case anyone was curious. As testament to that, I've been posting from said phone through the browser. Hell, my biggest complaint is the bastard of an OEM refusing to update it since launch. A reasonably stable OS at least would have been nice. Cyanogen is still lacking on the stability side of things (actually, it's closer to trading one set of problems for another, yet keeping the worst)

Oh trust me I understand browsing on 512mb. I am currently using a Nokia 635 which has the same ram as you, and while it has a faster single threaded cpu, a snapdragon 801 or so would be 3x times faster.

But I do not mind using it for it is a temporary phone while I wait for better phones coming out this year. And I have my nexus 7 often on me, now in my pocket so if I need a much better device I just tether with my Nokia 635 and then uses my nexus 7. The 635 is adequate, it is not a great experience but in a pinch it is enough such as when I want to use a 4.5" device instead of a 7." Thing is I got it for $65 dollars, and I am just using it on the $30 t-mobile plan, and it is just a temporary phone, and eventually will be used as a backup.

My personal advice (which I am using as well) just wait another 3 to 4 months for the new devices, but for your (and my sake) please upgrade.

 

[Karl Agathon]

Note 4. Because....... Note 4.

:thumbsup:

 

[gorcorps]

If you have to be convinced to upgrade, you don't need to upgrade

 

[QueBert]

If you do any browsing 1GB of ram sucks. You think it is fine, but then you get a 2GB phone and its like "how the hell did I ever tolerate that?" It was my SSD moment in mobile. Apple users like to pretend otherwise, but its the same on iOS. 2GB is the floor for any modern compute device.

Edit: Holy crap that phone only has 512GB of RAM. I don't even know how that loads the entire OS. Lollipop on mine likes to eat a gig just with freaking Tapa running.

OP you would get a HUGE performance boost out of even a Nexus 4 or Moto X1. Like going from a Pentium 3 to a Core 2 Duo.

Nope my iPhone 6+ doesn't need more memory, it never lags. I have 10 apps open at the moment and Safari isn't stuttering at all. My 4S with 512mb running iOS 6 performed on par with my M7 with 2 gigs on 4.4 Windows Phone also runs fast with far less memory than Android. IMHO Android's the only OS that needs 2-4 gigs. I would take a 1 gig WP device over a 4 gig Android device, but that's just me.

 

[Zodiark1593]

If you have to be convinced to upgrade, you don't need to upgrade

Ehh, it's more like a pending impulse buy that I'm debating whether to go along with, or say "screw it." and put the money somewhere more useful. I'm leaning toward the latter at the moment.

 

[sweenish]

Nope my iPhone 6+ doesn't need more memory, it never lags. I have 10 apps open at the moment and Safari isn't stuttering at all. My 4S with 512mb running iOS 6 performed on par with my M7 with 2 gigs on 4.4 Windows Phone also runs fast with far less memory than Android. IMHO Android's the only OS that needs 2-4 gigs. I would take a 1 gig WP device over a 4 gig Android device, but that's just me.

It has one, maybe two at a time, but shows you last ten and reloads the frozen apps into RAM.

It's not about Safari stuttering, it's about the fact that you can't have more than two tabs or so in memory before the tabs have to reload.

You're confused as to how the RAM is used in iPhones, and what the effects of low RAM are.

 

[aranatecharete]

Go for any of the sub $300 phone. You can find some pretty great options there. Or go for a used high end phone.

I found a weird looking and sounding video at:
https://clip.mn/tag/Yzk3Y2U3ZGU

Cheers with that...!

 

[Red Storm]

It has one, maybe two at a time, but shows you last ten and reloads the frozen apps into RAM.

It's not about Safari stuttering, it's about the fact that you can't have more than two tabs or so in memory before the tabs have to reload.

You're confused as to how the RAM is used in iPhones, and what the effects of low RAM are.

This. I have a work issued 6+, the constant tab reloading in Safari is really annoying, especially on a phone with a screen size that's actually worth browsing on (I would never browse the web when I had a tiny 5S so this problem was rarely encountered).

 

[Zodiark1593]

for a decent new price-performance-ratio phone working on T-mobile...

I'd say Samsung Avant is good for futureproof (VoLTE/WiFi Calling/band 12 LTE, $150), but it's touchwiz and middle tier (1.5GB, qHD)

Otherwise, Moto G LTE (<$200) is a decent choice too, almost pure android, but no VoLTe/WiFi Calling/band 12 LTE, middle tier too


used, maybe you can find a Nexus 5/ LG G2/G3 below $300

Ordered a used G2 for $250. Was looking at the G3, but that goes for much higher. Only thing I'd miss is that SD slot, but the price was good, and the specs are great. Long as the battery doesn't go south, this could last me quite a few years.

Reason for the upgrade, one too many crashes on my current phone. Ironically, this marks my first phone purchase ever, as the rest have been hand me downs with killed batteries and such.

 

[you2]

Why do we care if you upgrade ? If you like what you have great !

As to your specific question; I have a note 4. It was an upgrade from a note 2 and I updated for 2 specific reason:

verizon added some new frequencies the note 2 did not pick up so I had reception isuses in certain areas and visibility outside sucked. It turns out to have other benefits - people I call say the call quality is significantly better (they think I'm on a land line) and clarity (sound) is generally better. It is faster and has a nicer display than the note 2 but i would not have upgraded for those two qualities as the note 2 was fast enuogh and the display good enuogh (other than lack of visibility outside).