I think I'm getting a Google phone next. S5 is getting slow.

[fuzzybabybunny]

I think I'm going to get a Google Pixel 2 next. I've been on the Samsung bandwagon for years because of the removable battery and upgradeable memory, but man, does each one get SLOW with time.

I'm rooted and I've used Titanium Backup to remove or freeze ALL of the Samsung bloat. I have the S5 with Android 6.0.1. I also have Greenify running to hibernate apps in the background like Facebook and FB Messenger.

Still, even with all this work, it's slow. I have to constantly bring up the app drawer to close all programs to free up memory. Loading programs can be slow.

You know what's NOT slow? You know what's smoother than my two-year-old S5? My four-year-old Nexus 7 2013 tablet running stock Android. Still buttery smooth, always has more free RAM than my S5.

So.... I feel like getting a Google Pixel next will be a good investment in longevity? What do you think?

 

[eBauer]

Do you have the 15 eMMC? If so,

1) Unlock the bootloader

2) Install Lineage OS (Android 7.1.1)

Edit - that is for the Verizon S5. IIRC if you're have a Sprint for instance, the bootloader is already unlocked.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I've got the T-Mobile version. Bootloader is already unlocked.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

And does Lineage OS have a working instant HDR photo mode in the camera? I really like the HDR ability on the Samsung S5 as well as the native video shooting functions (4K, 120fps, 60fps, etc.) and honestly the Samsung Camera app is 90% of the reason I haven't moved to a pure Android ROM.

 

[eBauer]

If you like the Samsung Camera app, then your best bet is sticking with the factory Touchwiz ROM.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

If you like the Samsung Camera app, then your best bet is sticking with the factory Touchwiz ROM.

Yeah, that's what I'm on. And it sucks.

 

[jhansman]

While I loved my S5, it did seem to be slowing down as well. I would have loved to get the Pixel (if only for a "cleaner" Android experience), but I just couldn't give up both a replaceable battery and expandable storage, so I opted for the S7 Edge. It seemed the best trade off, and Verizon gave me a healthy chunk of $ on the trade in. Too many choices out there.....

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

While I loved my S5, it did seem to be slowing down as well. I would have loved to get the Pixel (if only for a "cleaner" Android experience), but I just couldn't give up both a replaceable battery and expandable storage, so I opted for the S7 Edge. It seemed the best trade off, and Verizon gave me a healthy chunk of $ on the trade in. Too many choices out there.....

Wait, but the S7 doesn't have replaceable battery, right?

 

[Muadib]

Wait, but the S7 doesn't have replaceable battery, right?

That is correct, but with fast charging on my desk at work & in the car, I'm over the extra battery thing.

 

[udenyyp]

Pixel is over priced. I would get an OnePlus 3T instead.

 

[Yuriman]

Pixel is overpriced, except that if it were cheaper, it would be the phone absolutely everyone would be buying, and I'm not sure HTC knows how to build phones in large volume anymore, considering they haven't in a while. Supply and demand.

 

[Lodix]

Pixel is overpriced, except that if it were cheaper, it would be the phone absolutely everyone would be buying, and I'm not sure HTC knows how to build phones in large volume anymore, considering they haven't in a while. Supply and demand.

That's is not true it lacks a lot of features it is not perfect as a lot of people keep saying. And the problem of the stock is from Google, it is always the same with them.

 

[Yuriman]

As long as Google is selling as many as they can make, it's priced right. I bought one. It has better battery life than my S7, an objectively smoother UI, and I enjoy the layout of stock Android much more than TouchWiz. To my eyes the Pixel's 1080P screen actually looks better than the 1440P screen on the S7 - I can't resolve pixels on either but the colors look better on the Google phone - but YMMV. I like the Pixel's camera better, and it's both smaller and slightly lighter than the S7 which are pluses for me. On the other hand, I don't much care for the fingerprint scanner on the Pixel, and like the S7's dialer better. uSD card support would be nice, but isn't a major factor to me anymore. I also like the headphone jack placement on the S7 better, but overall I find the S7 mostly sits on the charger and I use the Pixel.

Granted, the S7 is a cheaper phone, and a lot of these are subjective, but in my eyes the Pixel is worth more.

 

[Commodus]

Pixel is overpriced, except that if it were cheaper, it would be the phone absolutely everyone would be buying, and I'm not sure HTC knows how to build phones in large volume anymore, considering they haven't in a while. Supply and demand.

To me, that means it's still priced well. It's easy to yell "overpriced!" when you look at spec sheets; it's another when you see how well a device works in practice. To me, the Pixel is fine because you're getting real OS update support, not months-long delays and sporadic security patches. You're getting a phone whose cruft shouldn't weigh it down several months after you buy it. The 12-megapixel camera isn't the highest-resolution example you can find, but its software can produce better output than a lot of what's on the market. And of course, there are a couple of ecosystem advantages, such as getting personalized cases.

With that said: unless you're in a rush to get a phone soon, it's likely best to hold off for the next Pixel. Likely a lot of lessons learned.

 

[Red Storm]

I would have had a pixel by now but the bezels kept me from buying one. Been using my work issued iPhone 7 plus but it's been quite buggy lately (frozen screen during calls with non responsive buttons, voicemails unable to be listened to, random resets, notifications not coming through, camera acting slow, etc) which has pushed me to wanting a good old Android phone again. Hoping the Pixel 2 drops the huge bezels. If so I'll definitely get one even if it's priced slightly higher.

 

[swanysto]

I got a Pixel as my work phone(iphone 7 as my primary). The phone itself is incredibly responsive, and never seems to lag or slow down. Screen is great, and the pictures are nice, speakers are pretty much samsung quality. Only thing I would change would be putting the fingerprint reader on the front like the iphone/samsung cause when it is sitting on my desk, I have to pick it up to unlock it. Other than that, I would highly recommend it, or see what the Pixel 2 has to offer.

I have had very poor experience with Samsung(had the epic, s2, s3, and s6) which is why I didn't get one. I always had GPS problems or charger port problems. My boss has always had them, and sticks with them though.

 

[Slappy00]

I'm sending my 6P out due to battery shutdown issues. This is my second Google phone and second one with problems (my nexus 4 had to be sent back for repairs to google). I'm not too high on Google phones these days, and unlike a previous poster, I have never had any issues with my Samsung phones, with the exception of them getting old and outdated. I'm looking hard at the upcoming S8 or s7 if Samsung throws a fire sale.

If you want removable with somewhat current gen, the V20 is the best you're gonna find.

 

[jhansman]

Yep, no more replaceable batteries in Samsung phones, but as noted, the supplied charger will take the S7 Edge from 40% to charged in less than 15 min. I can live with that. That, and the 256GB micro SD card Samsung gave me on one their special deals; I happened to buy the phone during the required period, so I a covered for storage for the rest of my life. And look Ma, no bezel!

 

[gorcorps]

I'm sending my 6P out due to battery shutdown issues. This is my second Google phone and second one with problems (my nexus 4 had to be sent back for repairs to google). I'm not too high on Google phones these days, and unlike a previous poster, I have never had any issues with my Samsung phones, with the exception of them getting old and outdated. I'm looking hard at the upcoming S8 or s7 if Samsung throws a fire sale.

If you want removable with somewhat current gen, the V20 is the best you're gonna find.

I'd be curious to know how you got this far with google (sending the 6p out). I called and got a terrible customer service rep, and I seem to be connected to him forever as when I called again I got connected to "whoever handled your issue last". I can't understand him, and he seems to just be reading the fixes off of a sheet like a comcast rep would do.

 

[Slappy00]

Corps,

No problems here, I called Huawei and got it taken care of in two days (to ship). Shipping tomorrow and the turnaroundtime is 10 days door to door. They were US reps and after a few questions about the symptoms they gave me a return number and a next day air package for UPS.

If you're out of warranty i'd get someone to swap out your battery, since that seems to be the problem.