Old phone is 2yrs old, time for an upgrade. Suggestions?

[deadken]

I am a T-Mobile customer. I have a plan with my daughter. She just got a new Samsung Galaxy S3 in December after her blackberry stopped working. I have a Samsung Exhibit 4G phone (NOT Exhibit 2, just Exhibit) it is 2 years old and was 'inexpensive' when I got it. It's a bit sluggish and small. I like that it fits comfortably in my pocket. But, I'm 46 YO, and my eyes aren't what they used to be (on the bright side, I find a lot more women attractive now). So, I'm thinking of getting the Galaxy S4 with what looks to be a HUGE screen (I know, it's not a Note / Note2), great text size, quad core vs. my single 800mhz CPU, 2GB of RAM vs. my 512mb (of which only 329MB is the MAX available).

So, yeah, compared to my old phone ANYTHING looks better. But, I figured I'd ask for NON-FANBOY opinions. I've looked at comparisons and the HTC seems pretty comparable. I'm guessing the SGS4 will have more accessories and those accessories might be a bit cheaper. I understand the HTC One doesn't have a removable battery, has a slightly worse camera, and much better speakers.

Anyone care to let me know some pros and cons before I go and buy a new phone? I've never owned an Apple product. I like the smaller size of the iphone, but I think I need a larger screen to really be useful (I know, I know, but, I'm not planning on getting glasses anytime soon).

Lastly, I have an idea of what to get. Seriously, everyone seems to own and love their S4. But, I appreciate the forums here and have always built my own Windows based PC's ever since I owned an HP 400mhz PII. It's not that the HP was bad, but I recognized that sometimes taking the road less traveled can make all the difference. So, I figured that I'd ask before I plunked down my cash.

FWIW: I don't text too much. I'm not on my phone constantly. I play some hangman and boggle type apps to kill time when human contact is not available or not what I'm looking for. I run 15 - 17miles a week with my phone. It provides my music and tracks my distance and times. My work phone has a Micro USB charger, so it's a *little* more convenient to not have to own separate chargers for separate phones.

-Thanks in advance for any help, Ken

 

[Joe1986]

GS4 is fine, maybe consider a Nexus 4 from the Google Play store. (Or used) People are starting to replace them, but they're a great phone at a great price.

 

[ImDonly1]

GS4 is fine, maybe consider a Nexus 4 from the Google Play store. (Or used) People are starting to replace them, but they're a great phone at a great price.

Pretty much this.
Can't go wrong with the Nexus 4 if on a budget and buying off contract.
If on contract GS4 or HTC One are almost the same.

You already know the differences...
HTC One better camera at night vs GS4 better during day.
GS4 removable storage (might be better for your music collection? depending how much you have) vs 32-64GB non-removable in One
HTC Sense vs TouchWiz
Better build quality of the One vs the S4.
Amoled screen in the S4 vs IPS in the One

Flip a coin and pick one really. I picked the S4 since blinkfeed kinda turned me off (I don't do social networking), the One wasn't on the latest android when I bought the S4 (might be updated now), and I don't really care for the microSD or removable battery but they are nice to have if I decide to need it.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Nexus 4 off contract will save you money vs. the GS4. The GS4 is $580 total ($100 down and then $20/mo until it's paid off). The N4 is just $300 from the Google Play Store. It's not as powerful but it's still good and only half the price.

Whatever you do, don't buy the Nexus 4 from T-Mobile. It's way more expensive than if you buy from the Play Store for whatever reason.

 

[pcsavvy]

If you are looking to own a phone outright, there is the Lumia 521 which can be bought for as low as $130. It is considered a low end Windows 8 phone but the memory can be increased and the 521 has received excellent reviews for a phone at its price point.

T-Mobile is also getting their Windows 8 flagship phone the Lumia 925 but it only has 16 Gigs of memory and the memory is not expandable. In on one review, the reviewer stated that to buy the phone outright is $529. This is an option if you are considering switching the OS.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I'm waiting a month or two to see what motorola releases. They burned me BADLY with the droid bionic, but there is so much hype surrounding the Droid Ultra and Xphone that I just feel the need to wait before upgrading.

Rumors about the xphone make it sound like it won't be that expensive so it would be a nice mid-range upgrade to my bionic that I could buy outright to keep unlimited data with verizon.

 

[MichaelBarg]

The S4 and HTC One are both excellent phones, and you can't really go wrong with either. They are a little different though: the main hardware differences you already mentioned, but also the software. If you can play with them both for a few minutes there's a good chance you'll find you like one or the other a little more. Also they feel a little different in your hands. Not a big deal, but since they are so similar I'd try to play with both for a few minutes in store to decide.

 

[Germanic]

I answered pretty much the same question on the other thread so here's my opinion (remember this is my opinion):

If it was the same situation 2 months ago, I would say 100% the Galaxy S4.

But now, I would wait for the Galaxy Note 3 to be honest.

Or the LG Optimus G2 although I'm not sure when it'll be coming to T-Mobile.

But to answer your question, between the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4, I would get the Galaxy S4 hands down. I really like the extra features (Air view is REALLY useful, as well as palm swipe to capture screenshots and alternate between webpages while browsing). The camera is better on the Galaxy S4 despite what HTC fanboys say. The difference between 13MP and 4MP is huge and the Galaxy S4 just takes much better shots in daylight. If you're more of a night camera person, then the HTC One camera beats the Galaxy S4 here.

In terms of the UI, you either love Sense or you hate it. Same goes with TouchWiz. But then you can modify the UI's for both so I don't think this is the decisive factor.

The displays are not really comparable. The Galaxy S4 uses Super AMOLED which is newer technology than LCD. The Super AMOLED = deeper blacks, better contrast, better motion performance (higher refresh rate) and more saturated colors. The LCD of the HTC One is really good as well... basically better brightness and more natural colors, but at the expense of lower contrast, less black levels and worse motion performance (you would only notice a difference if compared side by side when playing videos).

However the biggest factor for me was removable battery and microSD. I really like that you can easily replace the battery on the Galaxy S4 if you're sitting in a long conference and you're making many phonecalls a day... it really is a useful bonus. And if you're the type who goes on long roadtrips, plane flights or are a businessman, then the Galaxy S4 will last you a lot longer because it has that removable battery. When one battery is dead, then just pop in a newly charged one and it's back at 100% again.

In terms of overall battery life, I heard they're about equal. Not 100% sure on this one, maybe those who own both can comment on this particular detail.

The design language is obviously different. HTC went for a more industrial and robust design with aluminium back and stylish metallic speaker grills at the front. Samsung opted for a more conservative glossy plastic design which you either love or hate. I don't particularly mind the plastic of Samsung phones because it's sturdy and durable. Also I dislike it when metal becomes cold, moist and sticky... It really depends on what type of person you are.

But to me the factors that matter the most are: removable battery, microSD, the tons of extra features like Air view, palm swipe and the array of sensors... in the end you're definitely getting your money's worth on the Galaxy S4.

So:

If you like new technology get the Galaxy S4.

If you don't like polycarbonate/plastic and prefer metal, get the HTC One.

Oh and the other big factor for me was screen size. Just be really careful when you decide between the Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Don't let their similar overall physical sizes fool you. There is actually quite a big difference in screen size... the Galaxy S4 has a 5 inch display, whereas the HTC One has a 4.7 inch display. This isn't immediately apparent but after using the HTC One, I really think the 4.7 inches was too small for me.

The Galaxy S4's display has an option to become a super-sensitive input device and will be especially beneficial for people living in colder climates. The display can be utilized even with gloves on if a setting called "High touch sensitivity" is enabled. You can't do that with the HTC One.

 

[lopri]

He runs 15+ miles a week. If that matters, big phones are probably not the way to go. If he wears loose clothing the phone will not be secure. If he wears tight outfit a big phone will make unseemly bulges, back or front.

 

[lopri]

I would have suggested a second-handed Nexus 4 but that phone isn't ideal for running either. At least with loose clothes on.

 

[elitejp]

tie that sucker around your arm where your shoulder and bicep meet.

 

[nitrous9200]

I like the Lumia 521 I bought last week (upgraded from a Galaxy Exhibit/Exhibit 2 4g). Dirt cheap (can be had for $120 new), decent specs, and overall a much nicer experience than a low end Android phone like the I one I replaced. Screen is the same resolution but larger than your old phone, but the device is still compact enough that you can run with it easily. You don't sound like a heavy phone user, so why bother with a high end S4/HTC One?

 

[gmaster456]

Has an arm band ever occurred to anyone? You'll hardly notice it's there.

 

[zerogear]

The photos with HTC One and SGS4 that I took, I found that HTC One consistently took better photos (maybe because of OIS). While on SGS4, if everything is right, condition/lighting, etc, I get one excellent photo out of every few dozen.

 

[MrX8503]

Some notes that aren't available right off the bat:

SGS4 is 16GB, but its available space is only 8GB. You can get an mSD card to get more storage, but you won't be able to put any app on it.

The HTC One doesn't have expansion, but its 32GB standard and that storage has no app restrictions.

 

[zerogear]

I remember TouchWiz/Samsung has an app/system storage restriction in-itself. It doesn't allow for you to use the full remaining storage for apps (if I'm wrong, please correct me).

 

[deadken]

Thank you all for the great replies.

I'd like to clear something up: I bought an inexpensive phone last time (2 years ago) and frankly, was at the back of the pack from word 'go'. So, I figured that if I got the latest / greatest phone, I'd at least have something 'decent' as the years go by. Honestly, I like my Exhibit. But, it freezes, crashes, and reboots way too often. I figure that it might be because of the lower end hardware specs. I certainly could be wrong. I've been thinking about researching 'rooting' my phone. I figure if I could clear off the garbage it came preloaded with, I'd be much happier with my phone (telenav, T-Mobile TV, etc..). I'm guessing it'd free up some resources.

What I haven't mentioned is that my daughter is in college. I wouldn't mind saving a few bucks if I can. I'm going to look more closely at that Nexus 4. I've found it online (there is a 'google play store' on my phone, but I've searched 'nexus 4', 'nexus 4 phone', and 'nexus 4 phone purchase' but only apps and books show up). I'm going to stop in to a T-Mobile store and see the phone in person.

My current phone only has 514MB of internal storage. I've added a 4GB card. So, I'm guessing that even 8GB should hold me over for close to the two years I'd use the phone if I was on contract. Can I ask what the need for 16GB is? Vast music libraries? Movies? E-books? If there is a chance I'll need the 16GB version, it'd obviously be better to buy it now.

 

[Zaap]

Can I ask what the need for 16GB is? Vast music libraries? Movies? E-books? If there is a chance I'll need the 16GB version, it'd obviously be better to buy it now.

Basically more storage is for lots of photos/videos, and yes, if you're hauling around a lot media files. But keep in mind, just about everything mentioned for big files usually get stored on an SD card if one is present.

Internal memory is more often used for applications and their data. (unless of course, no SD). 3D mobile games usually take the most internal memory, sometimes up to 1GB each for game data. Most other apps use from a couple of k to a few MB at most. It doesn't sound like you're a huge app junky/gamer who needs room for 1,000's of apps, so 8GB might fit your needs fine. Certainly an S4 with 16GB+SD would.

I'd recommend going to a phone store and take a look. I find no amount of comparing online beats holding the real thing in my hand and seeing for myself.

 

[pcsavvy]

Unfortunately or fortunately, google store, windows store, and apple store have all kinds of apps, games, videos, and music. Depending upon the number you download onto your phone you can use up the internal memory pretty fast. Also depending upon how efficient the OS/apps use the phone's memory can also effect your experience with the phone.

Best bet is to go to your local phone stores and play around with various phones to get an idea what would make you happy and satisfied with the experience. There are various review/forum sites that specialize in the various 0S phones so you can get an understanding of what each phone is capable of.

It comes down to your expectations, budget and pre-paid vs post-paid service.

 

[pantsaregood]

Don't forget the Lumia 925. It's a T-Mobile variant of the Lumia 920, and therefore one of Nokia's flagship devices. Build quality is excellent, and the device itself is very nice - not expensive, either.

Windows Phone 8 should be fine on your eyes, given I use it without taking advantage of magnification features, and I'm legally blind.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Don't forget the Lumia 925. It's a T-Mobile variant of the Lumia 920, and therefore one of Nokia's flagship devices. Build quality is excellent, and the device itself is very nice - not expensive, either.

Windows Phone 8 should be fine on your eyes, given I use it without taking advantage of magnification features, and I'm legally blind.

Where are you seeing that the 925 isn't expensive? It's $650+ everywhere that I can see, and it doesn't look like T-Mobile sells it from their site either.

And actually, the only Windows phone I see on T-Mobile's official site is the Lumia 521, which is very low end. Wish they still had something midrange like the 810.

 

[Insomniator]

For someone only using the phone for basic games and music playing, I don't see how a $600 S4/HTC One make any sense over a $130 lumia 521.

If the 521 is too low end (which it shouldn't be given the specified use), then the Nexus 4 should be the choice.

 

[drbrock]

Yeah if you barely using the phone I would get a lumia. If you are getting it for contract price I would go with an S4. I have a note 2 and LOVE it but I think the screen size would be overkill for you since you don't use it much.

 

[pantsaregood]

Where are you seeing that the 925 isn't expensive? It's $650+ everywhere that I can see, and it doesn't look like T-Mobile sells it from their site either.

And actually, the only Windows phone I see on T-Mobile's official site is the Lumia 521, which is very low end. Wish they still had something midrange like the 810.

Lumia 925 launches on T-Mobile on 7/17/2013 at $50 plus $20 monthly installments, which still places their service at a price below that of other carriers, and it allows for upgrades after only six months.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Lumia 925 launches on T-Mobile on 7/17/2013 at $50 plus $20 monthly installments, which still places their service at a price below that of other carriers, and it allows for upgrades after only six months.

Ah, I didn't even know it wasn't out yet. No wonder the prices are so high - they're all for imported versions.

Still, that's $530, so still pretty expensive.

The upgrade after six months thing is kinda funny considering it's T-Mobile and there is no contract and no subsidy. You can upgrade as often as you want. You CAN choose to use their Jump program if you want but it's not a particularly good deal.