Lol at the last phones "pro" being "ultra portable".
Unless this means that programs and such can be ported to it, aren't all cell phones ultra portable? Isn't that the point?
To me that's like saying a pro of a specific model of car is that it is "ultra drivable"
You cant say its wrong
Is there a particular reason you need a brand new model? I tend to look at flagships that are a year or two old.
Positives ... Good AI features
Negatives ... No 4K recording on all lenses
Some people just have different priorities.
If I'm paying $900 for a phone, you'd better believe that 4K30 is the barest of bare minimums I'm expecting that rear camera to do unless it's a deliberate tradeoff for something more ethical like a Fairphone. The Pixel 9 base model can shoot at 4K60 and 1080p240 (256 GB and the same $900 price). "Good AI features" lmfao blow it out your ass, Asus. I wonder where this comparison chart is coming from anyway.
I hate that they lumped the "AI" features into one.
Like... I love AI up scaling, but AI assistants can f*** off.
Yeah. AI and quality of video recording is just not high on the list for me.
Gsmarena is a better site to use for comparison of technical specs, if you care about those.
I was wondering when someone would say this. It's the only site I use to research phones.
They are quite exceptionally good and I really wish other consumers products had a website like that one with as much trust as that one.
I also use phonearena as a secondary. No idea if the two are related.
I feel like this should probably be top comment here
why would you choose any of the asuses?
"nicely built", and "sleek design" are not positives, but made up qualities. That's basically a goal for all phone manufacturers
"good AI features". sorry what? do they mean the power button opens the assist lant instead of the shutdown menu? or that the device sends home an order of magnitude more information about you than usual?
"ultra portable"? what the fuck does that mean for a fucking smartphone?
and "univeral fast charging" means it's glued in battery will wear out ultra fast.
buy a pixel if you don't care about keeping it for a long time, and about having a removable battery. otherwise get a fairphone
Sites so stupid you know some weren't even build by AI, just there to sell ads into your brainhole - and those ads will rot your brain less than the actual site "content".
how is "ultra-portable" a positive, when all these phone are the same size, and not even small phones at all?
Yeah, these pro/con lists are just random bullshit with 0 accountability and consistency.
The only useful comparisons are ones that show the actual specs side by side, and even then it doesn't tell the whole story.
I looked it up and the ROG phone 8 pro isn’t even smaller or lighter than the other two - if anything it’s slightly bigger and heavier. Truly useless as a positive point.
Same way "Confusing Charging Situation " is a thing when they all charge the same way, plus minus wireless but the pixel can do both, unless that is what is confusing.
Just finished setting up my Xperia Z2 Compact with Lineage OS. It is such a relief to have a truly compact phone again
You might want to specify what your requirements are in a phone - this might help us :)
Also, have you tried the following communities?
The pixel, so you can put graphene on it
Is graphene less glitchy than stock on a pixel 8? Or at least no worse? I'm tired of unfixed glitches since the pixel 6. YouTube PIP and split screen specifically
It doesn't aim to make enhancements beyond privacy/security specific ones. In that sense it's more likely to give you issues with certain apps because of things like sandboxed Play services and apps not having access to the device identifier.
That said, I use it and if you're OK with giving up certain things like Google Pay, then I recommend it.
Fairphone 5
positives:
- nicely built
- user servicable with replaceable components
- no AI shit
- eco friendly
- 8 years of service updates
negatives:
- its a bit more expensive for its specs
- cameras are a bit on the downlow but still good enough
i will wait for fairphone 6
I got an FP5 just a few months ago, very happy. Currently running E-Os on it. Big upgrade on the FP3 that it replaced. Liked the 3 but it was getting way to slow. It's not very expensive, considering it's fairtrade!
The performance is perfect, and who can say no to support until 2031😃
Edit: the best feature of a Fairphone is the high horse it comes with😉
You’re more morally superior to me in that regard.
Edit: the best feature of a Fairphone is the high horse it comes with😉
Oh being smug/on the high horse about being woke, I like it :D
and yeah Support until 2031 is damn nice. After that period I probably will use PostmarketOS and turn it into a linux phone
downlow
I do not think this word means what you think it means.
Inconceivable!
Big +1 for Fairphone
I feel like this phone should be good for most users. Most people don't need to take super high quality photos or play demanding games on their phones.
Sure it costs a bit more per performance, but I think it is gonna be worth the price in the long run.
I have a FP4 that I plan to have until end of software support. I will likely have to get a new battery in the future, but that's a breeze since it takes a minute to change and it is affordable, especially compared to many phones that are basically dead once the battery is bad.
I have a FP4 that I plan to have until end of software support. I will likely have to get a new battery in the future, but that’s a breeze since it takes a minute to change and it is affordable, especially compared to many phones that are basically dead once the battery is bad.
Couldn't you then install an alternative OS like lineage or /e/os or even PostmarketOS?
I so badly wish the 5 was available in the US. The 4 is too much of a downgrade for me :/
Great recommendation!
thanks for endorsing it :)
Question.
I’m seriously considering fairphone or anything similar (if it exists), for my next replacement.
They advertise two versions. One degoogled but £100 more.
How easy is it to just do it yourself? Is it just software?
as I didn't it myself yet I can't tell you how easy it is. But it seems that in the case of /e/os you can use an installation programm (available for linux/windows/macos): https://doc.e.foundation/easy-installer (its also available for fp5: https://e.foundation/leaving-apple-easy-installer-is-now-available-for-fairphone-5/)
Of these 3, the Pixel 9. It can run both GrapheneOS and CalyxOS.
The Pixel 8a can also run both, but it only costs $400. CalyxOS will support both phones until 2031.
There's not a lot of reason to even jump from the 8 Pro to the 9 Series unless you slurp up the marketing hype, especially if you don't care about intensive tasks like games.
For me personally, the new phone feeling comes from wiping my device every now and then and selecting exactly the right slate of apps to make my life easier/better/more organized.
When it comes to hardware it feels like there is less differentiation than ever before. Oneplus could make a case for their slider button, phones with a headphone jack or removable battery can claim bonus points for that, and I hear Sony has some nice form factors (tall & thin). When it comes down to it, the most important question for me is can I unlock it and get rid of any pre-installed junk.
I’m about to switch from iPhone to a Pixel 9 so I can put CalyxOS on it. Used iPhones since a 3GS in 2009, but the time has come.
Those comparison charts like the one you posted are unresearched/uncritical garbage made to sell affiliate links. They'll never actually give a harsh review to anything listed because they want you to buy something
Your best bet is to ask owners' groups for each phone you're considering for reviews and buying advice and weighing that yourself.
pixel, so you can run GrapheneOS
I look for a rom first, then a phone
Depends on your priorities but I'd also say Pixel even if keeping stock, best update policy
7 years of updates is nice
I'm very happy with my OnePlus 12. I'd recommend looking into them as an option.
God can these people keep AI out of phones?
Even those stupid "AI" camera features can fuck off, they always make the photo worse, unless all the do is pick a filter and adjust the saturation/brightness/contrast/etc. as soon as the do something unreversable like add blurring, they can fuck off because it always looks janky AF in real world use
I’d love more info on the “confusing charging situation”.
Nope, if you got more info on it it wouldn't be confusing anymore.
Personally, when I can afford it I'm going to go for the OnePlus Nord N10 5G. I don't feel the need for the more stringent security hardening on GrapheneOS, so basic LineageOS MicroG is enough for me.
I hate the lack of a headphone jack enough to make that tradeoff, vs a Google Pixel.
Is there a phone with a proper headset jack and isn't tainted by whispers of Chinese evil gov spying ? My country still feels the sting of the Nortel issue.
I can recommend the Samsung Galaxy A25. Has samsung chips (A15 has mediatek) and an audio jack (A35 does not). From what I've seen the new models (A16 at least) have all ditched the audio jack.
Decent phone with an okay screen, a headphone jack, and expandable storage.
Sony Xperia?
Maybe motorola? I don't know about chinese spying, and my g31 has a headphone jack, micro sd card slot and a pretty large battery (and is pretty affordable).
Good question, I honestly don't know. :-(
No OnePlus?
I have had OP8 for few years now and its still working perfectly fine. Battery could be better but other than that its still fast and reliable.
ColorOS is hot garbage unfortunately, full of Chinese bloat.
Up until the OP11 they would ship a different release for Western markets (OxygenOS), but from the 12 that's apparently a thing of the past.
I'm still rocking the 10pro and love it, but absolutely dread the moment when it inevitably fails someday.
I'm still rocking a OP6 running the latest Lineage. Cost me $60 used. $1000 for a phone is insane!
I've never paid more than $150 for a phone.
Having 2 or 3 phones for the same price means I can run a hot spare and have a test device for less than one of these new phones.
Motorola One. Cost me 200 bucks four years ago. Claims to be water resistant, but I've dropped it in the lake about a dozen times and accidentally tossed it in the washing machine once (I got it out right away.) It hasn't so much as frozen since buying it and the battery can still go about two days without a charge.
It's called the Moto One. Motorola doesn't make phones. Lenovo makes those, they bought the Motorola mobility brand years ago.
Oh my stars and garters, was I not specific with my words? Am I ignorant to which company has acquired other companies so I can be as technical as possible?
Or did I buy this phone, the one I'm typing on now, from the Motorola website, and it came in a box covered in motorola branding? How absolutely idiotic of me to assume Moto was short for Motorola.
I can not believe I was this wrong on the internet. The damage I've done to the collective knowledge of everyone who's seen my comment, who didn't know any better, can never be healed.
I had a similar inquiry, I think the conclusion is Pixel. It's not ideal but they're supporting updates for 7 years now which is a good push towards deshitification. And as others put, it can have custom firmware which can prolong that even longer (or if you want out of that Google ecosystem).
Haven't took the leap yet though. I'm typing this from a hand me down Galaxy S10 that's held together with rubber bands because the back glass became unglued. I haven't had updates in a while but bs Knox protection threatens to brick the thing if I flash a new firmware. Pixels are expensive, though.
S10-clutcher gang represent.
Hot glue might do the trick
Eh, I think I'll order a 15 dollar back glass replacement since it's also a little cracked. I only got this phone because I replaced it's spicy pillow battery myself (it was due for the trash heap). I might as well treat it with a little more care until I get some broken Pixel to play with lol
Google now provides a full 7 years of parts and updates for the pixel 8 and 9. Samsung may I think now do 7 years of updates on some phones no idea about parts though.
None. Pixel if you had to pick, but the SoC sucks. And the Asus phones have like no software support, so they are definitely not worth buying.
samsung galaxy S10. headphone jack, expandable micro SD storage, none of the bloatware.
Samsung? No bloatware? Since when has that been a thing
could always root and rom it, or whatever that means. My tech-inclined friend said it would fix any bloatware, but I've always just ignored the features I don't want and it's cool
It runs Lineage, the last of the Galaxies iirc.
Fairphone if you lay weight with the environment, Pixel for Graphene if you value privacy.
Of those three otherwise, the pixelthe fourth one.
I mean, come on is it that hard to at least give us some context? What you're looking for in your next phone, why you're hesitating? Stuff like that so, you know, we can at least try to guess what kind of answer you may be looking for ;)
I love my Nothing Phone 2. Check them out.
Of the 3, probably Pixel,but if definitely we flashing it.
I love my Nothing Phone 2. Check them out.
Lol just did that and ran into an unexpected Spez mugshot under "meet the investors"
I guess the plus side is, Pei left 1+ because he didn't like where they were going and felt restricted, so maybe it's purely a money thing? He's shown he's successful in the market with his vision, so I'll assume it's just financial backing and no pressure from the "board"?
I'm coping hard rn lmao
Well fuck. Did not know that....this might just have ruined my day lmao
I feel like I could buy 8 of my phone with that money.
The Pixel
I can recommend this one! It has incredible battery life!
I'd seriously add the song xperia vi into that consideration. Solid audio and screen.
VI isn't on LineageOS, only V is.
Still good enough, unique shape (nicer in hand), solid build, good-ish snappers.
Does depend on your carrier though. AT&T is pretty much off the table, it's not whitelisted.
I recently changed from the major carriers to JMP.chat (and now USMobile) because my carrier randomly decided a Pixel5 can't work on their network. But if I buy a Pixel 5 from them, it works.
JMP.chat pipes your SMS into XMPP, which is awesome, for $5/mo, including phone calls. I just use USMobile for a data connection now.
Looooove the battery life on the Xperia 1 VI, very good even on 5G. Just a shame it's so expensive
well you can't easily root asus phones anymore from what i understand. if these are your ONLY options id go for the pixel and run a de-googled rom.
Only partially related answer but I'm being (foolishly) hopeful the new Samsungs (S25) might make it to LineageOS ... might ... one day ... perhaps.
OOT, what site is this?
I’ve had a lot of Google phones: nexus s, galaxy nexus, nexus 4, 5 and 6 and a pixel 3. None of these phones lasted more than a year (I got many of them replaced at least once from the warranty). I’m not hard on the phone either, they just don’t seem to last and it’s always something stupid. On the pixel, the usb c port bent multiple times because I was still using wired headphones when I took my dogs for walks. I had enough of that and with Google basically becoming Apple anyway, I switched to an iPhone 13 three years ago. I haven’t had a single issue with it. I still think android is a much better OS. It comes down to this; if you want to mess with the phone, android is more accommodating but you may need to replace the hardware a lot more frequently. If you don’t want to mess with the phone and want something reliable, the iPhone is better.
Most phones are basically the same nowadays. Even the cheapest one can run smoothly. Just make sure it got 8Go+ RAM and enough storage if it doesn't have external SD card capability. If these prior specs are met just get the one with the best camera. (In this situation, it's likely the Google pixel)
If you want more bang for your $ ... Check out Xiaomi POCO
