Phone recommendation: $200 range, good camera, probably android

[gregulator]

So I have been jumping carriers recently and am settling down on a family plan with ATT. Now it is time for me to find a phone.

I have previously used a Note II, Lumia 635 and 925, iPhone 5, and I think I want to head back to android, mostly since our company uses a lot of google products, and I want to be able to install ad block software (ads are killing mobile).

The Moto X 2013 is the most intriguing to me at this point, but there are a lot of complaints I see about the camera. I can't find a store with one to play with so I can't see for myself how "bad" it is. I know a lot of it is subjective, and honestly, in a lot of reviews I think they are splitting hairs (I know I won't be zooming in to the pixel level and looking at sharpness). I have a DSLR so it isn't like this is my primary camera, but I do like to take the phone out and snap photos here and there. I find the user experience to be almost as important with the cameras, and while the 925 has high reviews for camera quality, I find it to be slow to load and annoying. It looks like the Moto X is ready to take photos really quickly, especially with the shake motion. At the end of the day, it seems like most smartphones are in the same ballpark for camera quality, you can only do so much with a small sensor.

LG G2 was also a contender, but the UI seems terrible, and I hear there are gps issues. I have been tempted by the Z3 compact as well, but am not sure I want to spend that much on a phone.

After owning the Note II, I don't really want to spend a lot of time rooting and all that BS, so it makes the stock Moto X even more compelling.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Commodus]

So I have been jumping carriers recently and am settling down on a family plan with ATT. Now it is time for me to find a phone.

I have previously used a Note II, Lumia 635 and 925, iPhone 5, and I think I want to head back to android, mostly since our company uses a lot of google products, and I want to be able to install ad block software (ads are killing mobile).

The Moto X 2013 is the most intriguing to me at this point, but there are a lot of complaints I see about the camera. I can't find a store with one to play with so I can't see for myself how "bad" it is. I know a lot of it is subjective, and honestly, in a lot of reviews I think they are splitting hairs (I know I won't be zooming in to the pixel level and looking at sharpness). I have a DSLR so it isn't like this is my primary camera, but I do like to take the phone out and snap photos here and there. I find the user experience to be almost as important with the cameras, and while the 925 has high reviews for camera quality, I find it to be slow to load and annoying. It looks like the Moto X is ready to take photos really quickly, especially with the shake motion. At the end of the day, it seems like most smartphones are in the same ballpark for camera quality, you can only do so much with a small sensor.

LG G2 was also a contender, but the UI seems terrible, and I hear there are gps issues. I have been tempted by the Z3 compact as well, but am not sure I want to spend that much on a phone.

After owning the Note II, I don't really want to spend a lot of time rooting and all that BS, so it makes the stock Moto X even more compelling.

Thoughts? Thanks!

I'd seriously consider the G2 if you're really on a tight budget, and the Z3 Compact if you want the latest tech. I've used the G2 myself... didn't have any GPS or performance issues, and it had a consistently good (though not spectacular) camera. I've only used the Z3 Compact in stores, but I've seen plenty of reviews praising it.

Also, don't block ads unless they're really obscene or intrusive. I don't like the idea of purposefully depriving writers of income simply because their corporate overlords decided to place a banner or pre-roll ad.

 

[aShufflinZombie]

HTC One M7 or the Nexus 5 (slightly out of budget) would be good choices.

 

[Artdeco]

Used Nexus 5
http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-5-unlocked

 

[darkswordsman17]

How soon do you need the phone? Lumia 640 should be out like anytime. The ASUS ZenFone 2 should be as well.

Oh, guess it kinda depends how strapped your budget is.

The G2 recommendation I'd second as well, it's a pretty good phone even now, and you should be able to find some way to run stock Android or something like Cyanogenmod or whatever on it.

 

[vi edit]

Hold off a bit longer and see how the Asus phone reviews.

 

[Zodiark1593]

I too recommend the G2. Good phone in all regards. Great for gaming too.

 

[lopri]

Moto X, Nexus 5, G2/G3 all sound like great options if you can find one at $200.

 

[Strk]

I'm just checking, but do you want to buy the phone outright or buy it with a contract?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Used Nexus 5
http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-5-unlocked

Yup.

 

[Bman123]

I wouldn't get a nexus 5, everywhere you look people complain about the battery life. I'm waiting on the asus zenfone 2 to get reviewed and released here. You can't beat it for $200 brand new off contract

 

[midwestfisherman]

Lumia 640 or ASUS Zenfone 2

 

[gregulator]

Yes, looking to buy off contract and used is fine. Just bought a store demo moto x off ebay for $90. Seemed like a cheap way to see if it is good enough! If not, I will wait to see what happens with Asus and new Lumia.

Agreed on the Nexus 5, everyone complains about the battery! It is funny too, the more I look at G2 reviews, the more I find them all over the place. Some people say the camera is bad, slow to focus etc. It gets worse with ROMs. And there are tons of people that complain about the GPS. But this may just be internet noise!

I don't play games at all either. Just email/web/phone/text/photos.

 

[soccerballtux]

#1 you're a dumbass.
#2 it took some customizing but the LG G2 is where you need to be for $200. not going to get a better deal. Just switched from my Nexus 5 to LG G2 AT&T straight talk. great stuff.
#3 stop listening to dumbasses. only verizon model has GPS issue, totally fixable with some electrical tape inside the case

 

[soccerballtux]

G2 battery life is wonderful. 7hrs screen on time.

I chose a stock debloated ROM and finally got everything Holo Themed. You can turn off the annoying stuff.

DPI 380 on this phone is great. so much more productivity and screen space than Nexus 5, which is crazy it's only a quarter inch more but it's so much more space!!!

 

[rc3ilynt]

If the G2 is anything like the G3 I'd recommend it. The Moto X 2013 works well too but for the price you can get an s4 which has a significantly better camera.

 

[gregulator]

#1 you're a dumbass.
#2 it took some customizing but the LG G2 is where you need to be for $200. not going to get a better deal. Just switched from my Nexus 5 to LG G2 AT&T straight talk. great stuff.
#3 stop listening to dumbasses. only verizon model has GPS issue, totally fixable with some electrical tape inside the case

Glad I went with my gut and got the MotoX. The camera is actually really good surprisingly. Maybe because most of my shots are outdoors? I also find the google camera a little better, but the stock one is fine for loading quickly with the shake method.

I also think Motorola did a great job with this phone all around. Attention to details and neat features all around, rather than just throwing high end specs in a rig. If anyone is in the same boat and wants a cheap used phone, it would be hard to beat! I never knew how much I would enjoy stock android!

 

[ThisIsChrisKim]

I wouldn't get a nexus 5, everywhere you look people complain about the battery life. I'm waiting on the asus zenfone 2 to get reviewed and released here. You can't beat it for $200 brand new off contract

Having owned a "bad battery" and a "good battery" OnePlus One, Nexus 5 will get you around 3 hours of SOT in a full days of use. If that's enough, the battery will be fine. My OnePlus gets me about 5 hours of SOT and I'm not quite through my full battery in a full day of use.

 

[r0n]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchp...s&ks=960&fs=saas&saas=saas&keys=keys&st=LG g2

 

[soccerballtux]

Glad I went with my gut and got the MotoX. The camera is actually really good surprisingly. Maybe because most of my shots are outdoors? I also find the google camera a little better, but the stock one is fine for loading quickly with the shake method.

I also think Motorola did a great job with this phone all around. Attention to details and neat features all around, rather than just throwing high end specs in a rig. If anyone is in the same boat and wants a cheap used phone, it would be hard to beat! I never knew how much I would enjoy stock android!

slow dual core will be slow next year

 

[Graze]

Glad I went with my gut and got the MotoX. The camera is actually really good surprisingly. Maybe because most of my shots are outdoors? I also find the google camera a little better, but the stock one is fine for loading quickly with the shake method.

I also think Motorola did a great job with this phone all around. Attention to details and neat features all around, rather than just throwing high end specs in a rig. If anyone is in the same boat and wants a cheap used phone, it would be hard to beat! I never knew how much I would enjoy stock android!

Motorola is finally getting around to releasing lollipop(latest version of Android) on this phone. The Moto G(1st Gen) which is one of their margin price phones got his since last year. Both phones released in 2013
Motorola needs to get their heads out of their ass. This is the last time I touch a flagship phone of theirs.

Oh and the MotoX takes better pics than any Nexus except the Nexus 6

 

[RossMAN]

LG G2 for $175 read the entire OP in that thread.

Install Cloudy G3 ROM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leAIkPf_b8k

Get it while it's hot and before it sells out, it's still in stock using the 3nd link.

 

[synapsea]

HTC ONE M7 is simply the best

 

[Chocu1a]

Bought a Moto X for my wife. She loves it. She had a Nexus 4 before that. Likes the pure(er) Google experience.

 

[isekii]

LG G2 for $175 read the entire OP in that thread.

Install Cloudy G3 ROM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leAIkPf_b8k

Get it while it's hot and before it sells out, it's still in stock using the 3nd link.

If that had the MicroSD slot i would've been all over it.