Upgrading from S3 - Upgrade Suggestions?

SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 01:30

Hi guys,

So I have a S3 from early 2012 after having two or so htc one x screwing up (shitty battery life, went haywire once or twice so I kept losing my newest files, pictures etc, demanded a change in phone from vodafone).

Now my s3 is finally coming to the end of its good days – it's banged up all around outside with plastic chipped off but somehow the body is great, it sort of just dents inwards like putty than crack in pieces, never had a screen crack either when i drop it flat on the ground or in other awkward angles.

That said the battery life has never been great since i got it, considerably greater than the htc one x at about 2-2.5 hours screen on time, but it is getting worse down to 1-1.5 hours sometimes. Basically if I'm doing any decent/reasonable surfing, emails, usage of browser etc I couldn't spend a day out playing with the phon ein my idle time. Also the worse part is the phone is REALLY slow at times now. Like literally lags/takes ages… I haven't done a factory reset before, planning to do that next week.

However, I am being offered a chance to upgrade my phone as it's my birthday this month!! Yay! The gf is being generous. I was going to upgrade eventually anyway (as far back as July with the Z2 once i made some moolah in my new job).

Now, I"m out of the game abit and I am really lost at just what is worth upgrading to out of the latest gen phones. Correct me if I'm wrong but the contenders seem to be Samsung's S5, Samsung NOte 4, LG G3, Sony Xperia Z3, and I guess HTC is there too but I never looked at a single review ever since my terrible htc one x experience. THe one time I did pick up the htc one m8 or m7 or whatever it was (silver finish) I didn't like the feel of the phone, so unless on paper it is great I haven't been considering htc. And no to apple – had an old iphone 3 but yeah, not going back.

I'm sure many more have read reviews along the way, and would have a better grasp of which phone would be a great upgrade from the S3. Ideally my priorities would be:

  1. Battery life e.g. screen on time, for my browsing, productivity, emails and app usage. Can you ever get a screen on time of over 5 hours in phones these days?? Or is that a dream? I don't know how "reviews" eek out 6-8 hours on video mode as well as some general gaming, phone call time etc, as honestly I would have thought video takes up even more battery than plain browsing etc screen use.

  2. Good camera. S3 I notice failed in non-flash night situations, the gfs iphone 5 would still lighten the picture automatically and produce decent pics. I notice that phones like the Xperia Z2 they lag when you shoot a picture, or seem to give that impression as the galaxy s3 range take multi pics instantly, so I might have gotten used to that?

  3. General UI and feel of phone being nice. Nifty tools, features etc or just plain how awesome it is once you've used it for abit that I couldn't possibly know by testing in store

  4. Did I say battery life!

  5. Screen size as big if not bigger than S3. I really don't think I could go biger than note 4, e.g. 6" Nexus 6, just way too big for my pants pockets.

Otherwise, I don't really play many games (no time) or do any graphical arts, note taking etc, so any 'features' that might be there would be great along those lines, but not the main focus. Mainly it does the usual telephone stuff, browsing etc, but I like good UI, speed, and other form factor. Battery life being paramount and reliability in build. What would you guys suggest I upgrade from?

Some points to note: Never used a big phablet like note4, but the note3 i played around with felt great, but I"m worried that practicably once I have it I won't find an everyday use for the stylus… or the large screen, or have issue with pants pockets size etc being a guy?

S5 – I'm worried that it looks like the s3, s4 in a heriditary sense…. I'm also not sure what "great improvements" people are going on about besides the obvious next gen improvements for any phone – faster processor, ram etc, bigger battery. Supposedly there were big improvements? I don't care about gimmicks like heart rate monitor , like seriously – no value for me, whereas s5 is always spruiking that. Same for watch connectivity, like I said – if it has the feature, great, but not why I'd focus on getting it.

Don't know much about the LG G3… worried that I don't care/would notice a 4k screen difference, and if that meant sacrificing battery life or general use/feel just to have a super flashy, next gen screen, then I could do without?

Any thoughts/opinons would be great! And suggestions where the gf could obtain them locally (perth based) or otherwise online (although I assume grey imports can be abit of pain returning?)

Mobile

Comments

  • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 01:31

    Also, I'm abit confused how globally recognised phones like this are manufactured in terms of the 3g/4g network bands that they can access.

    I'm with Telstra now so clearly all of these major brand phones shoudl work on 3g, 4G frequencies etc, but will these work ok in south east asia – malaysia, japan, singapore, and also for abig US trip planned next year?

    I see there are, even for the S5 on GSMarena, geographical location models, and therefore i'm abit confused if these have different bandwiths they can access? I hear america supposedly runs on "GSM" via AT & T, and T-mobile, which is what Australia uses? But all other providers use something called CDMA? Horizon, sprint etc? Not sure about the mechanics and differences, but the end story is are the mhz frequencies that any major phone has, be able to access worldwide telecoms?

    Especially as many travel in this cheaper/more affordabl day and age.

  • ozhunter on 04/12/2014 - 02:49
    +1

    Get the Note 4, has awesome camera, battery and display. Oneplus One is better value though.

    • scrimshaw on 04/12/2014 - 06:49
      +1

      Nokia Lumias are well known for their great camera, the lumia 1020 for e.g is $399 and has a 41 megapixel camera with over sampling feature that takes better shots (in my opinion) than the iphone 6.

      I currently hold an LG G2 — it's a great device, the camera I'd rate 'above average' but not as good as Samsung S5, but it makes up for it with a good battery life lasting me 1.5 days of average use (4G LTE calls and net usage). The battery capacity is slightly larger than the S5 and the bezels too are also thinner making the phone look very large indeed when held side by side with S5.

      Downside is there is no SD card expansion and the battery cover is not removable, but given that nowadays Kit Kat no longer allows you to write to an SD card without a hack, I think I can live without SD.

      I don't play games but if I did I'd say this phone would last a lot less, but 1.5 days IMO is a pretty remarkable feat as my older Optimus 4X HD would conk out at pretty much end of the day.

      but the end story is are the mhz frequencies that any major phone has, be able to access worldwide telecoms?

      Most phones are worldwide capable. GSM, known as 2G, is a global standard with 4 different frequencies and your phone will support at least 2,3, or all 4 different GSM networks. We don't really need to look at what is supported, a new smartphone will always have quadband GSM. Only need to look at 3G and 4G network bands.

      There are several 3G networks operating in Australia. 3G frequencies are usually specified as UMTS/HSDPA or WCDMA frequencies on the mobile phone specifications.

      Australian 3G bands:

      850MHz (B5) – Telstra, Vodafone

      900MHz (B8) – Optus, Vodafone – available in most metro areas on Optus, with both Optus and Vodafone re-farming the 2G 900 spectrum in regional and rural areas

      2100MHz (B1) – Telstra, Optus, Vodafone

      There's also a big long list of supported 4G frequencies in Australia as well, listed here.
      http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/mobile_phone_frequencies

      Visit http://www.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3?sCountry=UNITED+S… for a web tool that can tell you which network bands are used by what country. This tool is not 100% correct though! The information on 4G LTE in Australia for instance hasn't been updated and it only shows 2 LTE bands when in fact there are a lot more.

      • ozhunter on 04/12/2014 - 10:52
        +1

        Nokia Lumias are well known for their great camera

        http://fortheloveoftech.com/2014/10/24/samsung-galaxy-note-4…

        Yea just found this. He seems to be mentioning android phones though, and didn't specify a budget.

        He's main concern is battery life, so probably the Sony Xperia Z3 would be best for him.

        • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 15:46

          One plus one is great value but there seems to be lingering quality reports, service issues etc, and quite frankly I wasn't impressed by the 'exclusivity'/jump through 100 hoops to get one thing. If they just sold the darn thing as per any other phone i'd be fine.

          No budget as it is a bday gift, but obviously it would be a next gen which could be up to 700,800. probably nothing 900-1000 though just out of consideration. I didn't consider non-android as I felt it would be nicer getting out of the apple eco system and being able to just drop and drag via usb files, than jump through this apple itunes stuff… particularly annoying when you dont have itunes on a computer etc etc. Just too much vendor control for my liking.

          Yeah main concern is great battery life, but I like that to be in conjunction with a well designed (physically) phone, good UI or general features/use… you now everyday things that would go unnoticed but otherwise make for a great phone.

          Not sure if 3GB ram makes a whole diff to 2GB ram but it certainly sounded to me that I should go 3GB to future proof - so the 2gb Samsung s5 worries me in that sense?

          last is obviously the camera, and i guess water proofing is an addition, but the fact that you need to have remembered to plug the holes/ports first sort of renders this abit useless if it's unexpected or not done?

        • ozhunter on 07/12/2014 - 23:12

          @SaberX: All the flagship phones would be an upgrade for you. I still think the Note 4 tops the list.

      • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 15:53

        Ok, my bad, i thought GSM by AT & T and T-mobile was used for both their 3g and 4g, so obviously these also run at a seperate bands.

        Thanks for the frequencies in aus, so I guess the next thing is cross checking that to the gsm arena netowrk bands to see if the phone supports it? That said wouldn't most major phones - z3, s5, G3 etc. support bands internationally in major markets like that? or are the models sold to aus generally designed with aus bands, and us models get a different design to incorporate a different set of bands, rather than creating one phone that covers across all spectrums/countries?

        Did I read that right - 42 megapixels? To be honest megapixels don't seem that big of an issue to me as i'm not blowing up my photos by a huge amount, so any modern day camera i think would handle this fine. I'm more interested in overall picture quality which I guess includes the sensor size, aperture and other camera functions built in.

        How does the Z3 bezel to screen ratio compare to the G3 and S5 you compared? Seems obviously the G3 has more of a 'large' look as the screen is alot larger due to the thin bezel, is the z3 similar in that it makes use of the phone for maximum screen size?

        one other thing I note is that the G3 is 5.5" , which if I avoid the note 4 on the assumption that i can't tell if i'll get used to a 5.7" screen size in my pocket over the longer term, then I would reasonably find the G3 similarly large?

        That would of course leave the Z3 and S5 at reasonable sizes (<5.3").

        What is this about kit kat not allowing you to write to SD Cards? So you can't store anything to SD cards anymore, or load it up from your computer with videos to be read from your phone? or is this writing programs onto there etc. that you're referring to? Would this not be fixed in lollypop, which i assume most new phones like G3, Z3 etc would eventually get upgraded to?

        • ProjectZero on 04/12/2014 - 16:15

          What is this about kit kat not allowing you to write to SD Cards?

          Not too sure if this is what the other commenter was talking about, but having used KK for abit now, the function of moving some apps to the SD card has been removed/hidden. I can't seem to do it anymore.

          E.g. I used to move some games onto my SD card (64GB vs. internal 16GB), however, I am unable to do so anymore.

        • moar bargains on 05/12/2014 - 13:40

          As pointed out by ProjectZero, this is to do with running apps off the SD card. You can still store all files, photos etc, but can't move apps to the SD card like you could with 4.3(or it might have been earlier?)
          Apparently this has been changed again in 5.0

        • SaberX on 06/12/2014 - 15:21

          @therog1:

          oh ok, that's no issues in that case, i've never moved apps to sd card on my s3 so i haven't gotten used to the feature. is the main reason just to save space by moving apps to sd card? Or more for migrating it to other androids?

          I assume any next gen like the z3 and s5 would get upgrades to 5.0 naturally?

          Mentioning upgrades.. if you buy a phone unlocked from telstra i know any updates come from them and hence you're restricte dto them.

          if you buy a brand new phone from a retail store just outright unlocked, do any android updates then come from google or sony direct? Kinda like the nexus phones? Therefore faster updating?

        • skelty on 07/12/2014 - 12:23

          @SaberX:
          yeah from their respective manufacturer, updates from manufacturer are typically faster.

  • Hotpotcorn on 04/12/2014 - 07:05
    -7

    iphone 7

    • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 15:43
      +1

      Again, not interested in the iphone range at this period, thanks.

  • TheAccountant on 04/12/2014 - 07:40
    +6

    Get either the Z3 or Z3 Compact.

    Amazing battery life, camera and screen in a beautiful looking body. Can't go wrong.

    • ProjectZero on 04/12/2014 - 09:10
      +2

      Yup, I can vouch for the screen on time for the Z3.

      Have the screen on for round 5 hours and still have 70% battery left when I was using it yesterday.

      Of course, battery life varies between users but it was kinda of amazing, ended yesterday with 54%.

      • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 15:43

        Yeah, a few others have said the battery is great on the Z3, but then the S5 still scores higher doesn't it?

        I assume the note 4 is nearly as good, but just slightly below, and not sure how the LG G3 scores?

        5 hours at 70% is great, is that the actual SOT stats when you hit up battery usage in the settings?

        Besides that though, how is the UI and camera, given you have the Z3? Does it not seem abit laggy in taking shots one after another compared to if you picked up say a galaxy s3,s5 etc?

        Not sure if the remote play ps4 thing is abit of a gimmick as it's cool, but thinking why would i need to remote play in my own house when i can just use my bigger tv in my room (unless someone was using the tv?). It would be cooler if the remote play allows you to actually play from outside your house via 4g…. some basic games that wouldn't chew through bandwith.

        • ProjectZero on 04/12/2014 - 16:07
          +1

          5 hours at 70% is great, is that the actual SOT stats when you hit up battery usage in the settings?

          What i actually meant was 70% was after 5 hours of usage SOT. With 72% left, the phone estimates a 22 hours with screen on and 2 days and 2 hours on standby.

          Screenshot

          Besides that though, how is the UI and camera, given you have the Z3? Does it not seem abit laggy in taking shots one after another compared to if you picked up say a galaxy s3,s5 etc?

          I actually moved from a GS3 and Note 2 to the Z3. The UI is less cluttered with crap ware, and looks pretty clean, I may be biased as I own the phone so I highly recommend giving it a shot at a Sony kiosk to form your own opinion. Just don't judge the speed based on the Z3 compact though, having tested both before buying, the Z3 Compact felt a bit sluggish…

          I don't normally use the camera on my phone though so I can't really answer that, just did a quick test and the burst shots aren't sluggish at all. There is may a sec after the shot is taken but it isn't going to impact you all that much I think.

          -EDIT- Just to add that The UI has been quite smooth so far, with minor hicups here and there which I've attribute to the apps opening and closing.

          -EDIT 2- Comparing to my GS3 and note 2, the UI is alot faster (probably due to better hardware) Although, I did flash GS3 with CM11 and that wasn't too bad… so maybe it's touchwiz at fault again?

          Not sure if the remote play ps4 thing is abit of a gimmick as it's cool

          I don't own a PS4 so i can't help there.

        • PVA on 04/12/2014 - 21:09
          +3

          Z3 beats the S5 for battery easily.

        • SaberX on 06/12/2014 - 15:31

          @ProjectZero:

          sorry I think i understood you right the first time - i interpreted that originally as after 5 hours of SOT you still had 70% of your battery left? That said the reviews posted online of battery life seem to come closer to 9-12 hours of usage, so for 5 hours of usage to have 70% left I assume a combo of reviews are done at max brightness, whereas yours may be set to low?

          Great to hear you were a former GS3'er as you probably know what i mean by the no lag multi pics , at least in its early yr for me! Until it starte dto slow down now in operation. The s3 traction to hold it is pretty much fine to me, so given you had a GS3 before how do you find the Z3 body and glass backing? Alot of reviews tend to be positive per this link, but the negative is the back is slipper, attracts finger prints, and they've dropped it a lot as a result:

          http://www.shopbot.com.au/pp-sony-xperia-z3-price-493149.htm…

          Would you agree?

          I'd normally not ask this or the UI sluggishness as I"d just go instore and feel it myself, but the problem is having to get back to the gf so she can buy something before i return home from site… so yeah don't have the physical advantage of popping instore.

          What were the hiccups in regards to apps opening/closing with your UI? Normal speed? Or they seemed slower than other UI's opening/closing apps? I haven't flashed my GS3 so I can't comment as I've never seen CM11, or any other android interfaces but my s3.

          If you don't mind me asking, how much did you get your z3 for? It seems RRP of $850 is the going rate still? Doesn't seem readily avialable in perth, or physical stores at least from googling? I can't even find a 32GB model here, so unsure if there is jsut no stock in aus as it's quite new? The z2 was already selling for $650 from telstra back in june after release, so im thinking 850 now for the z3 is probably abit pricey relative to where it's likely to head in a month or so?

          Did you do the water dunk test?

        • ProjectZero on 07/12/2014 - 17:08

          @SaberX:

          Alot of reviews tend to be positive per this link, but the negative is the back is slipper, attracts finger prints, and they've dropped it a lot as a result

          I Have to agree on this one because my phone has slipped off my leather wallet a few times… luckily it didn't scratch because it was carpet… But a case will fix it

          What were the hiccups in regards to apps opening/closing with your UI? Normal speed? Or they seemed slower than other UI's opening/closing apps? I haven't flashed my GS3 so I can't comment as I've never seen CM11, or any other android interfaces but my s3.

          It will always be faster then touchwiz i can guarantee that… It only lags behind by half a second if it does happens. It doesn't happen all that often, at least not yet.

          If you don't mind me asking, how much did you get your z3 for? It seems RRP of $850 is the going rate still?

          I got mine for that, needed a quick replacement for my note 2 because i had a little mishap the night before with it. I bought it at the Sony Kiosks for $849 unlocked and with 2 year warranty.

          Did you do the water dunk test?

          Did not dunk it no… but i did take it to the shower with me once to test it… though with water drops on the touch screen, it doesn't work 100% of the time, need to dry it before the touch screen functions properly again.

  • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2014 - 07:47
    +7

    I think the new S3 is great and Audi offers great pricing on the new model. I'd be concerned about your battery though, it should last at least a few years, all it does is crank the motor.

    • robbie613 on 04/12/2014 - 08:19
      -1

      err.. huh? Mobile phone != car. Pays to read the OP.

    • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 15:20
      -2

      Lol I had to re-read your post before I Realised your mistake…. umm yeah, definitely can't afford the Audi S3 haha.

      lol i like your style for responding without reading a word of the post though :P

      • [Deactivated] on 04/12/2014 - 17:14
        +7

        Looks like we have a couple of regular Einsteins here, but it was a joke. I thought the battery bit would make that clear, or did you not read my post through?

        • SaberX on 05/12/2014 - 01:58

          well there is a battery in a car though… and not much surprises me these days on the internet so I figured you legit just didn't read the post lol.

  • robbie613 on 04/12/2014 - 08:26
    -1

    I'm a S3 (phone) lover and just upgraded to an S5… people say it's just like an S4, too expensive <etc>. I have an IPhone 5S for developing apps but I don't love it. The screen on the S5 is awesome, it is a bit biger in size though, but has every feature of the IPhone 6 for less $$$ and it's waterproof OOTB. Speaker goes very loud if you want it to and the buttons are well-placed. Lollipop is coming any day now. If you don't like the OS you can always root it, use CyanogenMod http://www.cyanogenmod.org/ or Liquid Smooth http://liquidsmooth.net/ =)

    Fingerprinting apps will be the new password in a few years (with pin codes as backups) so keep that in mind. The S6 may be released in April / May, it looks cool but they are pushed for a deadline and will probably be $900 - $1100 i'm guessing.

    • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 15:38

      Great, but besides finger proof'ing the future tech/apps, what else was better when you upgraded from the s3? I mean besides the obviously better processing, ram etc, what truly stands out that you could state over a competitor? I've heard the camera has good sensor size over sony and other of the top contenders now, but apart from that and a good screen especially in daylight brightness, I haven't heard anything that might 'set it apart' from contenders so to say?

      Arguagbly some are telling me sony z3 has one of the best batteries out of the group, however I've heard here and there that the s5 lasts longer due to the emergency battery power savings features when it hits its lsat 20% (or whatever it was)?

      I probably can't wait until the s6 becuase it's always 'catch up' and by the time it goes down in price it'll be next june/july anyway i figure….

      That said, one thing I noticed on my s3 was the instant shot you could take , before taking another? The Z2 i testing in store sorta gave me the cross hair james bond introduction style when you clicked to shoot, so you had a micro lag to shoot again. I mean not an issue if you're taking any normal situational shot, but just something that makes me wonder if the camera or the camera software is below par??

      Can you comment on your battery life on the s5 - screen on time? How much do you get before you hit 20,30% on a full charge of screen on time - browsing, emails, apps etc? Excluding gaming or videos which I assume eat up more battery than normal SOT usage.

  • Reverse Snorkel on 04/12/2014 - 08:27
    +1

    LG G3 is also a great alternative. I'm running the G2 which I got over a S4 and I think it's pretty good. Screen is v/nice.

    • SaberX on 04/12/2014 - 15:40

      Heard that.. but I didn't think 4k Screen was required in order to sacrifice battery?

      But apart from having 3 GB ram over he 2gb on the s5, i didnt' know what else stood out? Maybe the UI is better, but I haven't had a chance to use it in real life.

      Issue is I needed to get back to the gf on my phone choice so she can order it, and i won't return home from site for another week or so!

      • PVA on 04/12/2014 - 20:59

        it has a bigger screen but small overall size (small bezel compared with others). the button on the back is good to use for photos.

      • Reverse Snorkel on 05/12/2014 - 09:56

        I find on my S2 battery life is awesome. I'll get a solid day and it will still have 30-40% left. Battery life was a major point when I purchased a phone.

      • beaver2233 on 05/12/2014 - 11:40

        Correcting you there its not a 4K screen. Quad HD = 2K.

        • SaberX on 06/12/2014 - 15:36

          I stand corrected. Thinking of tvs.

          G3 seems good for a phone but it seems to be in the middle /lower end of town in terms of battery life relative to competitors, maybe not bad as a phone compared to prior gen phones, but it clearly per a few battery tests i've seen come under the note 4,note 3, s5, xperia z3 etc, which is one reason I might give it a pass as I think for once I'd like to have as much battery life as I can eek out without sacrificing on a good phone's features just to take up better battery life in another.

        • beaver2233 on 06/12/2014 - 15:53
          +1

          @SaberX: yeah I agree with you 100%.

  • twigman on 04/12/2014 - 19:45
    +4

    If it means anything to your decision in buying; Galaxy S devices , if you crack the screen you'll have to pay for the whole top half (digitizer, glass, lcd, bezel etc), so any repairs will be quite expensive. I work at a mobile repair store and had a lady that had just bought an s3, drop it straight away and has to live with broken screen or $280 to get it all fixed up. Same deal with htc afaik

    I know the sonys are pretty good all around, infact i'd probably grab a z3 compact (but i prefer a slightly smaller phone).

    Other thing's you may want to keep in time if you're at all interested in staying up to date:

    1. how quick does the company release software updates? http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/08/the-state-of-android-…
    2. do i like this companies UI choice (Sense UI in htc, Zen UI in asus and so on)?
    3. if unhappy with software, or unable to update, is there good xda rom support?
    4. is there a good choice of cases for the phone, or ones that you like?
    5. is the phone practical? too big, too small?; i know a girl who has a phablet, it doesn't seem very convenient.

    Anyway, hopefully there are some points you can look into for your preferred phone - goodluck!

    • SaberX on 06/12/2014 - 15:43

      Good points raised. So with a zony xperia z3 how would the repairs go relative to the S series devices? Do you have to repair the whole top half? Luckily my s3 has been dropped numerous times but no smashed screens etc? I must be lucky? Or the s3 had a lot harder glass when i mine was made?!

      The z3 compact sounds cool, the only reason I haven't gone with it is it's smaller than a s3 screen size, great for on the go quick checks, but sometimes i wish i didn't have to squint at certain websites or emails, and i figures having an inch or so of real estate screen would make it alot easier to use it for a cross between productivity and getting things done for work and personally e.g. emails, browsing. for games i think it isn't so much an issue though. The battery life on the compact is indeed, from the reviews i've read in the last day or two, great.

      Regarding your questions to consider:

      1. How would you rate sony vs samsung? The link provided is a great concept but covers alot of network carriers in the US not Aus. In terms of phones purchased directly outright though - who is in charge of updates? Would it be sony and samsung? or android? Becuase with the google nexus phones i know they got updates straight away being the google phone (by nature). A telstra bought phone outright would be subject to telstra's updating times i assume? Which should be slower than the manufacturers (if they handle updates when you buy outright unlocked phones)?

      2. Unfortunately I can't get to a store to try the z3 UI. I played with the z2 in june- are they similar? If so it took abit of getting used to but I think ill survive with the z2 like UI?

      3. Never rom or loaded something else but standard manufacture before tbh.

      4. I didn't use a case for my s3, i always had one for my iphone prior to that though. so not sure whether i would go a case if i got a s5 or z3? I assume both would have good availability of cases. Also, it's a shame but i feel putting cases on will block the natural design/style which is what makes them stand out e.g. xperia z3's sleek glass look.

      5. Good question, and the issue i had in deciding if I would regret going to 5.7" on a note 4 or lg g3's 5.5". I've never used that big sizes, so I don't know if in 2 months time you'll just get fed up with it. Using them in store is great , you find all sorts of handy things, stylus etc, but real life day to day use may turn out to be much different….

      The z3 also appears to have no removable battery too? Unlike samsungs? And a non-guaranteed water proofing becuase of the variability of a removable cover flap?

      Thanks for your help!

  • smpantsonfire on 04/12/2014 - 20:44

    May as well get the Note 3 or 4. I'm super happy with my Note 3, battery is amazing, camera is great and the pen makes things really easy

    • SaberX on 06/12/2014 - 20:37

      How did you find the transition in size (Which is what worries me more) in terms of pants pockets etc? ANd secondly hands, everyday commuting and other times - did you notice any annoyance if you moved froma smaller phone before e.g closer to the size of the old gen phones like my s3?

      You don't find the stylus gimmicky - in the sense that it's useful when you test out the device, but worried on everyday use one would just flick through the phone with one hand more than whip out the style when on the go?

  • PVA on 04/12/2014 - 21:08
    +3

    battery life - get the sony z3.
    My son had a sony z now a z3, great phone (day and night), great camera, I like the software over other phones - the camera software and extras works well (including a burst mode 30 photos in 2 seconds, havent tried the 4K video recording), music player (walkman) is excellent, and battery life that beats any other phone available here.
    water proof, dust proof.
    great to hold, much better than the older models z-z2, and very thin. Camera button is good to have and use.
    This is all from using my sons phone, not just a quick touch in store.
    and did I mention battery life, getting towards double the iphone6 and well over double your sammy S3.
    http://www.phonearena.com/news/All-bow-to-the-new-endurance-…

    • SaberX on 06/12/2014 - 20:40

      Seems you can only get 16gb z3's? No 32gb? What do you mean by the music player walkman is excellent? The interface? Otherwis eI'm unsure how else a music player app could differ to competitors if you've got ear phones in?

      What sort of screen on time stats is your son getting? Actually one question I had was how is the 'holding' of the phone. Alot of reviews at this following link seem to bag the glass backing as being very slippery/sliding off surfaces, and a finger print magnet:

      http://www.shopbot.com.au/pp-sony-xperia-z3-price-493149.htm…

      I only ever picked up the z2 in telstra and didnt feel it to be super smooth that it'd slip out of my hands much. Then again it could just be sticky with oils/general public use. That said, i don't quite remember but it mustn't have been bad if i never noticed it? I assume the z3 has the same surface feel as the z2 and z?

      Their other complaint was it was quite a thick phone , contrary to what you said about very thin? I think the z2 was ok in terms of thickness? and the z3 is slightly thinner than the z2 from memory?

      Any other things you picked up worth mentioning while using you son's phone? Thanks for your input. Can't wait till a new battery life haha.

      • PVA on 06/12/2014 - 20:49

        I have a z. my wife has a z, my son did have a z now z3, all are glass backed, they dont feel slippery at all. z3 is rounded compared to the z2 and feels nicer to hold. I hold them on the sides so a glass back doesn't make any diffrence.

        Walkman app works great. I use Music Unlimited streaming service and it has its separate app but also works with the Walkman app. It simply works well (on my Z, same app for the z3), interface is great.

        the phone is thin, the z3Compact is thicker maybe thats what you have read.

        • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 10:55

          Music unlimited streaming service = refers to the ability to stream unlimited in the sense of data usage, or obviously your data usage access costs will stil be there but it allows you to stream all the latest music without limitation?

          Hmm I just read a comment on I"m pretty sure it is the z3… being quite thick. thena gain these generation phones aren't too shabby I"m sure any thickness diff between all models would only be barely cosmetic/noticeable compared to our old school phones days. Picky people perhaps? i think physical size length x with would be more an issue these days than thickness… and in particular weight.

        • PVA on 07/12/2014 - 11:34

          @SaberX:

          It is not thick at all and I cant see how anyone would think that. Maybe they are fanatics of some other brand. The z3 is 7.3mm, iphone 5s is 7.6mm, Samsung S5 is 8.1mm, LG G3 is 8.9mm - so it is thinner than an iphone Samsung and LG. The z3 is 0.2mm thicker than an iphon6plus (yes the one that bends) - I cant see anyone being able to feel that or that they would say iphone is thin and z3 is too thick.

          The Walkman integrates with the music I have on the phone and the save streaming music (playlists, albums whatever). It work really well. Streaming does use data but you can also do offline as well (when on WiFi download the music you want and mark it offline - no mobile data is used). Mobile Data doesn't worry me though as I have close enough to unlimited. My nephew was involved in a tiny band in Brisbane and when I searched in Music Unlimited they had all their music, pretty impressed with that.

          Family members have two Samsung s4's, I don't like how Samsung has changed so much of the OS, even just auto rotating a photo is a pain (cant do it with out pressing buttons, ever other phone you just rotate the phone). Sony is very Android with only some changes.

          One other thing I like is that it has location based wifi - meaning wifi is turned off (doesnt waste battery) and when I get inside home it auto turns on so data is now over wifi, leave home and wifi turns off again. I know Samsungs dont have that.

          But you are correct, all high end phone are similar in performance (but not waterproof/dust proof) and all phones would be great.
          Like I said I like the Sony cos I like how the software/OS works compared to other phones. Yes,I guess I sound like a fan but I am only saying how I use my Z and used my sons Z3.

        • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 16:52

          @PVA:

          Good points raised in your comparison - doesn't seem thick at all in that case.

          Wow, first iheard of the sony walkman, so if you stream a song (subject to your data usage) you can then save it to your phone for future offline listening (and not be subject to data charges then)? This is different as it actually doesn't download the music does it? Like you can't then t/f this to your computer? I assume searching in "Music Unlimited" refers to their band name? Or is that the name of some area to find music within the sony walkman app?

          I haven't used normal android so I guess i never noticed how changes the OS might be compared to the true form android? I would love a way to rotate a photo using your fingers to rotate in a circle, as opposed to samsung's hitting the menu button then selecting rotate right, repeat again if you neeed a second rotation etc.

          Didn't know it can turn on/off wifi automatically without your input - yeah that's a pretty cool thing to have. Wonder how it works/senses the wifi at home location wise given the wifi's off? Guess it enters a much deeper state of being 'off ' than wifi on, but remains in a certain conscious state to be able to pick it up.

          The slipping thing seems more comfortable with me now. THe one thing that bugs me is there is still quite a few reviews out there about the infamous glass cracking by itself/without any drops etc. Have you had any cracks or heard of any/seen any friends with the issue? My s3 dropped from my hand height many times onto the floor and never cracked the screen, some minor scuffs that you strugle to see only when the phone is off… but worries me if sony's cracks by itself, let alone some reports that it cracks real easily when dropped… i thought the s3 was gorilla glass too, so you would think both would be similar strength? I guess different manufacturers can specify different thickness (and therefore strength) gorilla glass when designing the phone?

        • PVA on 07/12/2014 - 18:03

          @SaberX:
          http://www.sonyentertainmentnetwork.com/music-unlimited/
          never tried but I highly doubt you can transfer the music to other devices. The subscription works over pc's, phones and playstations. In fact we have one subscription and both my son and I were using it on both our phones (cant play at the same time though).
          you can search like any music service, band name, artist name, track name, album name, genre, era…
          Music Unlimited has its own app or you can use it through the walkman app - walkman is better and also has your own stored music.

          samsungs rotate is not as simple as pressing a button, on my sisters phone you have to be in the Gallery (thumbnails of the photos) rotate the phone itself, then cick the photo you want. most times the rotate button is greyed out?? My guess it was some lawsuit and they removed that function, same goes for not being able to change the apps on the bottom of the screen on the samsung, it is locked in Australia, a lawsuit again.

          My son and wife have had a Z since it was first released (about April 2013). I got one for work about 6 months later. Work colleges also got a Z, none of us have had screen cracking problems. I think it is hugely been put out of proportion, the same as the bending of the iphone 6 is really rare.
          My son was really rough with his phone, throwing it onto tables, dropping it on floors etc and it never failed - it finally broke when he was acting a fool and angrily through the phone at a wall - the corner cracked and phone stopped working.

  • ankor on 04/12/2014 - 21:55

    I know we're not talking about cost, but at the price that the z3 compact is going for, I don't see how this is not the best android smartphone for 2014. I know the htc one m8, galaxy s5, and LG GS3 are strong contenders, but all the reviews (googlefu urself) seem to suggest that the sony z3 compact is exactly what you are looking for.

    • SaberX on 06/12/2014 - 20:53

      Agreed. WIht price, battery you can't go wrong. BUt the camera/UI would surely be more powerful/better on the contenders, in particular it's Z3 brother?

      Also, i'm worried the downgrade in screen size will be less to my liking than staying with a s3 screen size, or even so going slightly larger to the Z3's 5.2". Which is probably the issue, as at my young age I'll try and use it to multitask, read and check things. ANd i've been quite shut off from my phone these last two or three years that I haven't even begun to use apps properly to wire and synch everything in life together, so I sort of am hoping for a larger screen to facilitate the modern 'crackberry' connected device.

      If you want something small i agree, compact seems wonderful, and for that price!!

      • jzdhgkd on 08/12/2014 - 00:23

        Sony actually managed to squeeze almost everything from the Z3 into the z3 compact. The only differences are:
        * Screen - Z3 is obviously larger, but also has higher pixel density. Anecdotally, most stories I've read of people who get a 5.5"+ device can't go back to having a smaller screen.
        * Ram - Z3 has 3gb, Z3C has 2gb. I don't think you'd ever see a difference unless you're running benchmarks (or maybe in a couple of years' time when apps become even more bloated)
        * Build - Z3 has an aluminium frame whereas Z3c is a "soft touch sort" of plastic.
        * Battery - Z3 has a larger battery BUT has to power a bigger screen. Because of this, Z3c actually has a longer battery life.
        * Price - Z3 compact is $100 cheaper

        Everything else is the same.

        • ProjectZero on 08/12/2014 - 08:59
          • Ram - Z3 has 3gb, Z3C has 2gb. I don't think you'd ever see a difference unless you're running benchmarks (or maybe in a couple of years' time when apps become even more bloated)

          I'm not too sure about that, tested both phones at the kiosk before buying… the Z3C felt a little laggy with factory default widgets and what not.

        • jzdhgkd on 08/12/2014 - 09:38

          @ProjectZero: Unless the widgets are taking up a few hundred mb of ram each, I don't think the lagginess you felt correlates to the amount of RAM the phone has installed.

          The GPU on the Z3/Z3c isn't top of the line, so if anything I reckon that's why you felt a bit of lag. Unless of course you mean the Z3c was laggy compared to the Z3, in which case I have no idea… placebo maybe :P

        • ProjectZero on 08/12/2014 - 10:16

          @jzdhgkd:

          Unless of course you mean the Z3c was laggy compared to the Z3, in which case I have no idea… placebo maybe :P

          Yeah, I was comparing to Z3… maybe it was a placebo

  • battler on 04/12/2014 - 22:01
    +1

    I had problematic/laggy S3 and thought about upgrade path also
    But just put kit kat 4.4.4 'back to n00t' rom on it (based on official Samsung Korean s3 rom)
    Performance is very good now. A new lease of life and will probably get another 12 months out of it.
    Not trying to talk you out of a new phone, but highly recommend you give it some consideration…. Start with a factory reset as you plan to, then head down this path if you feel like experimenting.

    • ankor on 05/12/2014 - 01:41

      This is also a good idea. I have omegarom 4.4.4 on mine, and a $10.00 battery from ebay. I have screen on-time that goes from 2.5 - 3.5hrs, depending on how high I set the brightness and how bad mobile reception is (iinet mobile).

      In other words, new battery and root/rom = near new s3 phone experience.

    • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 11:06

      I'll try a factory reset plan if that's the case and see how it goes this week ahead… Just worried being away from home it'll be a pain re-installing everything! :( That said… I've never rooted before so I appear to be stuck on android 4.3 according to my phone. Not sure the diff to kit kat's 4.4….. but i assume it's a somewhat improvement - battery life does it have any effect?

      THe issue is if you factory reset, do you have to redownload every incremental download? e.g. if i did 300mb in yr 1, then 2gb in year 2 of subsequent updates, will the factory reset prompt for just one net upgrade of say 800 mb to skip everything inbetween and get to the end result? Which i assume will be a less fat OS as you're not installing layer upon old layer of software?

      Same for apps? Or does the concept work in a layer by layer update ?

      Going off topic but obviously any contacts you add as a 'google contact' would be saved to your gmail google contacts and therefore be safe to resynch to any new factory reset or new android device? I assume that's how the how google cloud thing works - which makes it easy to port contacts over to any new android phone/manufacturer if so!

  • neonlight on 05/12/2014 - 09:51
    +2

    Get a LG G3, its a world of difference.

    It's best price point for what its worth. <$550 nowadays.

    You can't get anything better at the price, not even Nexus, Z3, Z3 compact, S5, Note 4 etc All other flagships are way expensive.

    Samsung has gone downhill, apart from their Note 4 the rest are not worth mentioning.

    LG G3 has lollipop update and freaking awesome knockcode.

    • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 17:04

      the only issue neon is the battery life:

      http://www.gsmarena.com/battery-test.php3

      6 hrs 40 mins roughly on web browsing here compares to the z3's 12 hours is a big difference. note 3 comes in at 9 hours, and s5 at 9 hrs 30 mins.

      I have seen other battery tests which vary in terms of the hours reported but the G3 again came out at the mid way point to lower end…. Unless you can advise to the contrary?

      Price is good though, I don't think I've heard much about issues with the UI and other use? But how is the camera? I thought LG were one of the slowest to get updates out to the market e.g. the future probability of lollypop coming to thE G3 would be longer?

  • jzdhgkd on 05/12/2014 - 11:16
    +1

    I've got a Z3 compact which is essentially a shrunk down version of the Z3. Here are some thoughts on it:

    Battery life
    - is unbelievable. If I'm on my phone all day I can get 8hrs of SOT and still have 10% battery by the time I get home. If it's a normal work or uni day, I'd have 2-3hrs SOT and retire for the night with 50-70% left. My usage appears to be the same as yours - browsing, emails, messaging, music. If you're watching movies all day I doubt you'd see these numbers, but I imagine the same would apply to any phone?

    • There are so many options for battery saving including an extreme one ("Ultra stamina") that turns the phone into a semi-dumbphone (i.e. disables data and wifi, can only call, message, use camera, calendar and a couple of other select apps - I've never tried using this mode). The phone estimates I'll get a WEEK of battery life in this mode.

    • Oh and it's got a pogo battery charging port which saves you having to open up the micro-usb cover every night.

    Camera is OK. I think I was expecting too much because I've got a sony mirrorless and it's a great camera but the Z3c's one is a bit laggy as you said and there are some things about it that annoy me e.g. can't use image stabilisation and specify what ISO you want (IS is only available with auto-ISO). If you play around with the settings it can come up with some decent images but it's definitely NOT a camera if you just want to point and shoot. It does have a hardware shutter button though which is awesome!

    UI is great. I much prefer it to touchwiz for both aesthetics and the content/bloatware.
    - Aesthetics are obviously subjective but I just find the notification bar, app drawer and overall UI much nicer in the sony.
    - We all know how much crap samsungs come bundled with and yes I'm aware that many of them can be disabled, but it just means extra time going through each app's info and manually disabling them.

    Some other features I can think of:
    - double tap to wake. just double tap the screen and it'll turn on. I love this so much I find myself double tapping all phones and tablets only to be disappointed they don't work.
    - "smart backlight control" - equivalent to samsung's smartstay although my screen timeout is set to 2 minutes so i'm not sure if it's doing much.

    Glass back cover makes it really slippery. Seriously, you'll probably want a case for this one.

    Rest of the phone would more or less be like any other flagship I'd imagine. It's fast enough to be lag-free and can run any games or apps you throw at it.

    Honestly whatever phone you buy these days you're not gonna be disappointed.

    • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 17:19

      Great feedback, so i guess the compact comes with the glass cover like the z3? THat was my last worry, was reportedly the z3c and z3 suffering from the screen cracking issue, as well as the z3c being abit flimsy and breaking that way. Won't affect me if i get a z3 but i heard minor drops of 30 cm etc resulted in cracked screens. my s3 i've unfortunately dropped a few times, thought it was a goner, picked it up and over and saw no cracks in the body. Being polycarbonate i guess it chips away, but i'm worried a glass backing like the z3's would just shatter when hitting the ground.. i can just imagine it through the clenching of my teeth!

      OTherwise i'm happy with the battery life reported, and from everyone's feedback here it seems that camera, battery life, UI etc are all quite good. Better, if not on par with the samsung. The only thing that is unfortunate is 1) 16gb storage (my 32gb s3 already fills), and the issue about slipping/sliding…

      but worse would if the screen cracking on its own issue is more common than one thinks it may be… as well as being quite fragile to the drop. Have you or anyone else you've heard had much issues with the glass breaking /cracking on its own, or just plain fragileness when dropped from low heights etc?

      Heard about the micro port covers, pity it couldn't be waterproofed and charged without opening flaps. Do you feel the flaps will eventually (open close, open close each day) wear off or rip off the hinge? Not sure how it's hinged down but the last phone with a rubbery plug like that i could almost imagine the opening and rotating would wear it down and it'd fall off pretty quick.

      • jzdhgkd on 08/12/2014 - 00:03

        Yeah the compact comes with the glass cover.

        I've dropped my phone once since getting it. It was ~30cm onto a tiled floor and fortunately there was no damage. The phone itself seems really well constructed so I'm skeptical about all these stories of the screen/back cover just cracking "by itself". I think it's because people put these huge phones in their pockets and there must be some stress on the phone itself.

        Just googling the issue the first result I see is here. If you look at the pictures themselves in the first case there appear to be chips/damage to the frame suggesting the person dropped it, and in the second case the edges aren't straight suggesting the entire phone has been bent thus causing the crack.

        All in all the Xperia series are probably more fragile prone to glass breakage compared to other phones, but if you treat a $500-700 device like you should, I don't think you'll have a problem. I'm sure you've got lots of friends who have been through the iPhone 4/4S so get a second opinion from them as well. My GF had a 4S and the back cover had broken twice during her time with it. She blamed herself, not the manufacturer. In both cases (iPhone 4/4S and Z3), there are cheap replacement back covers you can get. This is a well known dealer but if you don't care about OEM covers you could always just buy off ebay for a couple of dollars. I wouldn't trust ebay ones to maintain a watertight seal though.

        The port cover I reckon is a weakness to the phone and it's pretty much how you described with the rubbery plug thing. As I mentioned in my initial comment you can get a pogo charger cable that bypasses the microusb plug so you don't have to open/close it every day. It's similar to the magnetic charger on macbooks but unfortunately not as good. The dealer above also sells replacement port covers and they seem easily replaceable.

        If 16gb is a limiting factor despite the mSD slot, you'll probably have to look elsewhere. LG G3 is a great phone and comes in a 32gb flavour. There is apparently a 32gb Z3 floating about but I've no idea when/where to get it.

        The phone is definitely slippery but I've now got a case on it so it's no longer an issue for me. If you primarily go without cases for your phones you'll want to get a feel for one in store before buying it.

  • whirlpool_guy on 05/12/2014 - 14:20
    +1

    OnePlus One, if you like to customise your phone (settings, look)

    IMHO the One fits all five of your requirements. It has a good quality 13Mpixels Sony sensor.

    Buy from DWI / T-Dimension.

    • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 17:11

      Issue with that was the hoops to jump through to get one just put me off right away. I would have got it months ago and im sure many others would if they weren't so 'exclusive' . Just got fed up and i hear there is weaker reception, bad service and some other potential problems? If you don't have this issue then it's a great value phone for what it does/the power it gives.

  • Fobsessive on 05/12/2014 - 15:36

    Just get a swappable battery. It's the best thing I've gotten my S3 4G, doubling battery life. Get the official Samsung kit with the separate battery charger for $50.

    • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 17:16

      THe kit come with the battery ? Hmm the issue is if it doesn't, i haven't had luck finding an original i.e. working well battery. the one i ordered turned out exactly as my fears were - paraded as a real one, looks nearly the same, albeit abit more discrepancies e.g. not so smooth wrapping, abit of scuffing and piece missing from wrapping (coudl be a manufacture issue but usually new items i assume would have this all complete and intact).

      I sent it back luckily as i withheld payment on paypal and they probably didnt want the hassle (hinted selling non-genuine batteries was illegal). on second thoughts as they refunded me the payment I should've just kept the battery, but it would have been against my word to then send it back with good faith in mind.

      Anyway… i dont' know if i can ever find a genuine one amongst all the 'genuine GS 3" batteries per google….

      • Fobsessive on 08/12/2014 - 14:26

        Have you heard of Mobileciti? They're well liked and known for A-tick Aussie phones and accessories.
        Here's the S3 kit I bought from them - has a battery and its own charging dock (but no charger brick).
        http://www.mobileciti.com.au/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-i9300-extr…

        The S4 has one too, and I'm guessing the S5 should have its own one. It's the best thing I've bought for me phone.

        If you don't mind carrying an extra battery in your pocket or bag, I recommend a Samsung or a LG G3.

  • glengood on 05/12/2014 - 16:23
    +1

    For the price, the LG G2 is still a great phone - especially if you are willing to root and put CloudyG3 Rom on it - which give the phone G3 software features

    • mangolassi on 05/12/2014 - 20:48

      +1 for CloudyG3. Stable, fast and gives a drastically improvement on battery life compared to stock.. It's one of the most stable ROM's for the G3.

  • wog_ta on 05/12/2014 - 21:53

    if your happy with the camera and willing to get another battery cyanogen mod will make your phone faster than when it was new. currently have mine on kitkat 4.4.4

    • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 17:14

      Never rooted so on stock whatever vodafone or whoever gives to me(I assume voda as the phone was originally on contract with them - but i since left and am on telstra prepaid now).

      Not too sure if it's worth the pain learning how to now?

      The hardest part is i tried a new battery from online once and i sent it back after deeming it fake given i was dropping battery life faster than my old battery even.

      I don't have much faith that i can successfully find an 'original' s3 battery and not a china/hk sent one that looks and is advertised as original, but isn't… so i dont know if again i should bother with the trouble as i can't tell the diff until ir eceive it!

      • wog_ta on 07/12/2014 - 17:40

        well I am actually still using the original battery in my S3, when i was still running stock android battery life was getting really bad. After flashing almost battery life significantly improved to the point I stopped searching for a new battery.

        The battery may not have been fake but rather old stock from the same time period as the i9300 was first launched in which case buying a fake battery may actually be better as it would likely been have been manufactured more recently. Here is a link to an aus seller that may have some better stock (http://batteryexpert.com.au/mobile-battery/samsung/genuine-b…)

        up to you if you feel up to it, there are a lot of youtube videos walking you through the process and XDA forums are filled with guides. if it is not your daily driver or you have a spare phone give it a go.

        • SaberX on 07/12/2014 - 18:08

          LOL that's the place i bought it from. Similar reasoning reckoned maybe it could be older stock.. or some other reason… but then I reasoned it's not really genuinely new if it's half the capacity of what one expected a 'new' product to be, if you know what i mean? But yeah, i returned it and didn't take a chance. THought about trying again elsewhere but put off incase i get another fake or (giving benefit of doubt) an old stock that's withered.

          HMm true , I guess I should try to root something eventually, since everyone does it and it seems best. SO even if i got the z3 which touches minimal of the android UI, would most usually still root it?

  • SuperTeD1982 on 07/12/2014 - 01:05
    +2

    I have the g3 and my housemate has the s5, and it looks to me the g3 has the better batterylife to be honest when we compare usage and he always has to charge at least once a day and i never have too! but, we never did a full on comparison and maybe he just uses it alot more than me i dunno, but i browse the internet a good bit, take a few pics, use the torch/led, send plenty of txts and maybe 3 or 4 short calls a day and i never really go below 30%, also alot of days i use the radio on speakerphone for upto 8hrs and even then i might go down to 10% after 14hrs usage, i've had the s3 (which i lost) and the moto xt885 (obviously a downgrade but funds were low at the time) before this phone and neither could put a patch on the battery life of it, the only advantage the s5 has got when comparing it with my housemate is that is has a heart rate monitor. Thats all i can see, even he agrees the picture, video and screen quality seems better on mine, but maybe cause of the quadhd screen, i'm not sure, but, i am sure the videos look excellent when played back on the phone. also video playback and pinch and zoom on videos is flawless, i honestly was worried about buying this phone but cannot fault it as of yet, i got the 32gb which is 3gb ram.

  • BobbyJ on 07/12/2014 - 18:45

    Can't be of much help in terms of specs, but from what I've read, the Moto X is a pretty good phone.

  • ZzRice007 on 07/12/2014 - 22:47
    +1

    I upgraded from s4 to a note 4. And it is absolutely amazing. Great battery life. Very thin, light and fits well in pocket if you don't use a case. Suprisingly u can still operate it with 1 hand. Coupled with a 128gb sd card and its good to go. Fast charging feature is awesome. I actually bought the second battery kit. But don't really need it because of the fast charge time.

    Phone runs smooth. And am very interested in the gear vr that is coming soon.

  • ajwhi on 08/12/2014 - 02:52

    I recently upgraded from the S3 to the S5.
    Was tempted to go for the Oneplus one, also the Z3 looked impressive in store. I have to say im very impressed with it so far, battery didn't exceed my expectations however I am certainly not disappointed in that regard. To me it felt like the best phone to hold which makes more of a difference to me than i'd like to admit.

    All in all if I were given the choice again I would have gone with the Z3. It's a god damn beer proof phone…
    Need I say more?

  • ozhunter on 08/12/2014 - 15:16

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6pPIG3EvAs

    Worth a watch.

  • nubzy on 08/12/2014 - 18:16

    Looking to get rid of the S3 as well. Become ridiculously slow, battery is gone even after a replacement sometimes wont hold a charge. Utterly hate the thing now and wont buy Samsung again.

    I am thinking of going for the Z3 Compact, a little worried about the issues some people have with it, but the camera and battery life are awesome, love the size too. Just waiting for a good deal under $500. Also considering LG G3 and OPO.

  • chris_21 on 08/12/2014 - 21:06

    Hey guys, thought I would chime in to say im seriously enjoying my Sony Z3 Compact.

    I had an old Galaxy S2 that finally hit the hay after an overseas trip. I hate how big the new phones are now.
    The LG G2 is probably the biggest phones should go imo, and that's coming from a 6'3" guy with large hands.
    Phones are meant to be practical, and to me, practical means one handed use, ability to place in pocket without a noticeable bulge and god damn long battery life!

    I had looked at the Z1 compact but you need to take into account software buttons, which technically made that phones screen size too small. The Z3 Compact, once you account for on screen buttons is 4.3 inches as an example.

    To me, I wanted a phone exactly the same size as the Galaxy S2, with high end hardware, micro SD Card, and stupidly long battery life. The Z3 Compact fit the design PERFECTLY.

    After getting a cheap $7 ripoff magnetic charger and a case, i charge my phone once every two days, use it one handed and have never had it lag.

    My only complaint are the software buttons, Im not sure who thought they were a good idea.

    • chris_21 on 08/12/2014 - 21:34
      +1

      I bought mine for $550 from JBHIFI in october. It was some intense haggling.

    • nubzy on 08/12/2014 - 21:49

      yeah it sounds great, just not sure about the durability of it, lots of people had screen cracks and some say the waterproofing didn't work, camera overheats etc.

  • BuyoTheCat on 09/12/2014 - 14:44

    I put cyanogenmode 11 for me S3 and it felt like a new phone. I reckon I can get another year from it while i patiently wait for a good deal on a new phone.

    • ankor on 09/12/2014 - 17:47

      Hopefully a working/stable lollipop for cyanogen and omegarom comes out soon. Lower power consumption would effectively mean no requirement for an upgrade from the s3 for my usage.

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