Best Android Phone for around $500?

LKing Bee on 04/06/2015 - 11:02

Hi all,

I am looking at purchasing a new phone for around the $500 mark. I am specifically looking at Android phones with 5.0-5.5 inch screen. My current phone is the Samsung S4 and I would like to experience a different brand this time.

I am not willing to spend $900 dollars or more for the latest phones currently on the market. I have narrowed it down to two choices:

  • LG G3
  • HTC ONE M8

Something with a long battery life like the would be nice.
I mainly web browse and watch Youtube videos.
A good camera would be good, but it's not everything.
I barely use any apps.

What are people's experiences with these phones and/or which one do you recommend?

Any other suggestions would be much appreciated.

Kind Regards,
King Bee

Mobile

Comments

  • extract on 04/06/2015 - 13:04

    I use and recommend HTC M8, very good battery life still getting 4hrs+ Screen time after a year of use. Has built in IR so can be used as a Universal remote control. Strong well built aluminum case that will help prevent the phone from damage. I rooted mine and installed GPE and this makes it a pure lag free android experience.

    Would also recommend you get the Dot Matrix case which lets you answer/not answer the phone by swiping up or down. Also if you double tap you will see the time and if you have music playing it will show you what the current track playing is and allow you to change to the next or previous track.

    I think you should look in the second hand market i wouldn't pay $500 for it now given that the M9 is out. Can find them in the $300-350 mark. I bought mine for $450 that was only 2 weeks old a few months after it was released on Gumtree.

  • frowny on 04/06/2015 - 13:13

    LG G3 is a great phone, but you have to put up with having an LG phone with its not great Android skin and bloatware.

    M8 is a very solidly built phone and you're not missing out on a whole lot by not getting the M9 (same screen, speakers, both have trash cameras).

    You might want to take a look at the OnePlus One, its specs overall are lower than the G3, but it recently announced that its price would be docked by 50 USD (which makes it an insane buy)

    Personally I would try to find a cheap Note 4 somewhere, I like AMOLED displays, and I find that the IPS display of the G3 to be just off colour in a lot of places, and even though it's a 2k display, it doesn't look nearly as nice.

  • King Bee on 04/06/2015 - 13:56

    Thanks for the comments.

    It seems M8 might be the way to go for my needs.

  • November14 on 04/06/2015 - 14:09
    +2

    I like how you said 'I barely use any apps' cause that's what happens. Blazing fast phone but in reality most people just use it to browse web, youtube, spotify etc.

  • johnn on 04/06/2015 - 14:21
    +1

    This is a good comparison of the battery lives of last years flagships.

    Sony Xperia Z3 (and the Z3 Compact) are well known for their amazing battery life. Pretty solidly built and IP68 rating so it's waterproof too. Camera is definitely better than the M8 but not as good as the G3 or S5.

    • discopotato on 04/06/2015 - 15:04

      Agree Sony Z2 or Z3 is also a pretty good choice, for 5.0-5.5 inch screen. Decent battery life, camera is pretty good, 4k recording, premium feel, expandable storage, front facing speakers. Full blown Sony software if you don't mind. Interaction with Playstation gaming is available too.

    • King Bee on 04/06/2015 - 15:50

      Agreed those Xperia models are great phones. My partner has the Xperia Z1 and she can start the day with 60% battery left and be confident that it will last throughout the day.

      Maybe a Z2/Z3 is something to consider.

      • enidan on 05/06/2015 - 11:14

        I recently got a Z3 Compact after having only Samsung phones, and am already used to the smaller size and the overall feel of it. Accessories can easily be bought online and it can also be charged via a magnet charger (about $10 on ebay) without having to open the usb slot.
        Battery is absolutely fantastic as well. Before buying, see if you can find a Z2/3 or Z3 Compact and hold it so you can see how it feels. The Z3 felt too long and bulky which was what stopped me from purchasing it, but it might be completely fine with you.

  • Woodyg22 on 04/06/2015 - 15:36
    +1

    watch Youtube videos

    Then you'll really want and love the M8's speakers, but the G3's screen.

    • King Bee on 04/06/2015 - 15:51

      Only in a perfect world..

      • Woodyg22 on 04/06/2015 - 22:44

        Nexus 6….oh wait $500, second hand?

  • Reverse Snorkel on 04/06/2015 - 15:55
    +1

    Love my G2.. The screen is really nice and I think the G3 is similar. Battery life is great too. If I was looking between the 2 I would weight in battery life heavily as they have large screens and screens use most of the power.

    • extract on 04/06/2015 - 20:08
      +2

      Had the G2 before the M8 and liked that phone a lot possibly even more then the M8. Best sized phone ever made, that was comfortable to hold in your hand while still having a large sized screen due to the bezeless screen. Wish LG would make a G2 with updated specs and a Micro-SD port and i would buy it immediately.

      OP if 32gig storage is good enough for your needs don't think twice and purchase the G2.

    • ChillBro on 04/06/2015 - 20:15

      The g3 has 1440p but the battery life suffers because of it.

  • somebargainhunter77 on 04/06/2015 - 20:56

    Hey I've been looking at same phones as you.

    I was leaning towards the G3 the most, but I've looked at cons for it. There are numerous articles, forums and YouTube videos on the cracks around its casing (around the microphone area), and how some people were refused to get it fixed because it wasn't under warranty. Also, it has a QHD display, which is an overkill for phones with screen size of 5-5.5 inch. Not only the difference between FHD and QHD is barely noticeable on such small displays and it drains battery a lot faster than its competitors. So, it probably isn't your cup of tea if you want a phone with long lasting battery life (got negged for saying this on a G3 deal for some reason…).

    Haven't looked much into the M8. However, it looks like a decent phone. Reviews are good, battery life is good, haven't looked much into the camera but surely it isn't as bad as Zenfone 2 other cheap phones.

    I'd suggest you to go with the Sony Xperia Z3. I don't have the phone anymore because water got into it somehow and Sony won't repair it for me for free (They want me to pay $549) and hence why I'm boycotting it lol.I enjoyed using it a lot. Battery life was awesome (never had to carry a portable power bank with me outside like Galaxy S4), camera was on spot and the speaker is placed on the front screen so it was really good watching videos on it. I'd buy it again if I wasn't boycotting them, but after the way they treated me, I'm not really looking forward to buying their phones again. Just don't use water on it or around it.

    If you don't really care about specs (just good for browsing and youtube), check out Lenovo Vibe Shot. It is set to be released some time this month, it's about $540 and the phone is a camera performance oriented phone, so expect a good camera from it. One downside is that it uses snapdragon 615, but I think that'll be good enough for your needs.

    • frowny on 04/06/2015 - 21:40

      I'm not sure if you can say that a QHD display is barely noticeable, going from a Note 3 -> Note 4 for about a month and I really saw the difference. I do a lot of reading and watching videos on my phone and the extra pixels make it look really really good.

      Now I've got the S6, and I can easily say that it looks better than my friend's S5, hands down.

      And no, the M8's camera is probably one of the worst cameras in any phone since the Nexus 4. Maybe even worse.

  • mick1 on 05/06/2015 - 09:35

    This is just my own personal experience, but I won't be buying another HTC phone. My HTC M7 is about 22 mnths old. It developed 2 issues - purple haze over photos (except when it's bright sunshine), and microphone issues (have to use on speaker all the time now - otherwise person at other end can't hear me.)

    Both are "known issues" - plenty of discussion if you google them. HTC never showed any interest in fixing these issues. On the camera issue, they first said it would be fixed in a later firmware upgrade (it wasn't). On the microphone issue, they just told me to vacuum out the dust (there wasn't any.) In the end you give up dealing with them.

    My old iphone 3GS (more than 5 years old I think), which I keep as a spare, has had a new battery, but otherwise operates like new. But I agree - they cost too much.

    Looking for a new phone now. Might try windows.

  • Bill48 on 05/06/2015 - 11:04

    Got a superseded LG G2 not long ago, does everything. My one gripe is that it doesn't upgrade Android to the latest version as my Nexus tablet does. I don't believe in phone companies getting away with charging what they do. These products are produced by the millions in regimented factories paying pittances. The unit costs, including development research (obtained how legally?) would be how much?
    Many of us are falling for brand and model envy at the expense of prudent spending. The OP is right to put a price limit on his spend.

  • King Bee on 05/06/2015 - 14:17

    Thanks for all the comments. I will continue to do extensive research on the following phones: LG G3, HTC M8 and Xperia Z2. Leaning towards Xperia Z2…

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