New phone: Galaxy S5 or Nexus 5

[sweenish]

If price is no issue, pay full price for your phones and stay on verizon with your unlimited data.

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

Hmm...I'm finding the availability of root to be less and less important as time goes on. Sure, its very important on my current phone, the S3, which hasn't been officially updated past 4.3. Also, my current rom is extremely slick and functional, SlimKat.

But on the newer phones like this beast? I'm not sure if there's anything I can't live without that requires root. Back in the old days I had to root before I could use my SNES emulator but I believe nowadays its not even required for that.

edit: I'm trying to justify an S5 for myself at this point. The lack of root has been a deterrence, but I'm not sure if it should be.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Huh? If you used your device for two years (and paid for the Next fee every month) then it is yours. You could definitely give it away or sell it afterwards. Plus, the monthly Next fee is different depending on what phones you're getting.

You only have to turn the device in to get the next phone *if* you replaced the phone in 12/18 months depending on what Next plan you're on.

Edit: to answer your question, I would get the Nexus 5, because I don't have to worry about unlocking it, etc. for international traveling. Not to mention all the perks of a Nexus device (guaranteed up to date, etc.). Looks-wise, I'm not too crazy about either. Personally, I would choose an Xperia Z2.

The next plan is so you get a new phone from the carrier with no money down but you pay for it each month. Pointless IMO because it costs more on your bill.

I dunno why people mention the xperia z2 everywhere when it isn't available and there is no release date or carrier info for the US market.

 

[s44]

If price is no issue, pay full price for your phones and stay on verizon with your unlimited data.

Verizon folks on XDA seem to have started buying the dev edition S5. Makes sense since it's only $600 and you can't take a subsidy on VZ anyway.

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/ET-G900VMKAVZW

 

[cronos]

The next plan is so you get a new phone from the carrier with no money down but you pay for it each month. Pointless IMO because it costs more on your bill.

That is not (just) what Next is. You need to look it up and really study it. Don't read old articles about it. It has significantly changed since the first time it was introduced.

I dunno why people mention the xperia z2 everywhere when it isn't available and there is no release date or carrier info for the US market.

You can already import it or it will be available soon directly from Sony website (not from the carriers). I didn't suggest it for you (I suggested Nexus 5), but I did mention that if I were you I would get the Z2, because I think it's the best flagship that comes out this year and you said that the price of the phone is of no concerns (i.e. why not get the best, even though expensive).

 

[cmdrdredd]

Hmm...I'm finding the availability of root to be less and less important as time goes on. Sure, its very important on my current phone, the S3, which hasn't been officially updated past 4.3. Also, my current rom is extremely slick and functional, SlimKat.

But on the newer phones like this beast? I'm not sure if there's anything I can't live without that requires root. Back in the old days I had to root before I could use my SNES emulator but I believe nowadays its not even required for that.

edit: I'm trying to justify an S5 for myself at this point. The lack of root has been a deterrence, but I'm not sure if it should be.

You make a good point and thinking a bit about it, it begins to look like more and more of a non-issue. Since Android is pretty mature now and 4.4.3 will be coming to the S5 soon, I wonder if it is even worth the worry. As you said the phones today are powerful enough that a slim ROM isn't really necessary any longer and they can power through most things. If they make a 4.4.4 or 4.4.5 android version and it comes late to the s5 will it really make a difference to the experience? I am leaning toward a no and the only reason I would even want root now is to run a ROM with lots of customization options that are aesthetic only. I do like the stock android look but if one device is superior in specifications and battery life it becomes less clear which path to choose and I am thinking now like you, that the added UI elements over the top don't drag it down as much as it used to.

 

[cmdrdredd]

That is not (just) what Next is. You need to look it up and really study it. Don't read old articles about it. It has significantly changed since the first time it was introduced.



You can already import it or it will be available soon directly from Sony website (not from the carriers). I didn't suggest it for you (I suggested Nexus 5), but I did mention that if I were you I would get the Z2, because I think it's the best flagship that comes out this year and you said that the price of the phone is of no concerns (i.e. why not get the best, even though expensive).

I did read about next and even talked to the manager at the at&t store. If you bring your own device next does not help you unless you have 4 lines. If you plan to subsidize the cost of the device (I.e. get an s5 for $200) then it alleviates the cost of the device up front. You still pay all the taxes up front though.

It isn't something I am going to do. As I said the discount is less than the monthly addition to your bill for a $200 device.

 

[s44]

You can get a fully moddable S5 on any carrier. You just can't get a subsidy for it on AT&T (use T-Mo version or GPE if/when that arrives or even Verizon dev edition) or Verizon (dev edition).

The Next unsubsidized plans on AT&T are pretty decent, but only really for family setups.

 

[cmdrdredd]

You can get a fully moddable S5 on any carrier. You just can't get a subsidy for it on AT&T (use T-Mo version or GPE if/when that arrives or even Verizon dev edition) or Verizon (dev edition).

The Next unsubsidized plans on AT&T are pretty decent, but only really for family setups.

I am pretty sure root will eventually come to other versions. I just think it is too new and devs are unwilling to buy a device to see it brick and lose money. What I am not sure of is whether it is even a major factor to me, after thinking about the things I actually use root for anyway.

I still have some time to make my decision.

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

My situation is extremely similar to yours, cmd. Only difference is that I'm with AT&T currently on a 3-person plan and paying about $45/month with their new billing plans. That price is phenomenal for the (always excellent AT&T) service and package we're getting. We share 10 gigs of data and go nowhere near it.

So anyways, I'll be following this thread closely to see what you do. To me, the S5 seems like a no brainer for you. I have this vision in my head of never ever removing the microusb charger cap from my nonexistent-future-S5. It'll be all Qi charging and I'll be wirelessly managing the phone via AirDroid. Forever maintaining the waterproof and dustproof nature of the phone.

edit: one more thing to add...personally I'm trying to wait for the iphone 6 and nexus 6 to see what's brought to the table. especially since my S3 works "good enough" for the time being.

 

[Morbus]

Price is not a concern here.

Then get three and give me one of them.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Then get three and give me one of them.

Lol...well I'm not concerned with price so much as getting the best device for me which isn't as easy as I thought.

Mom (2nd line) is unsure yet about iPhone vs Android. I'm set on Android myself.

 

[cmdrdredd]

My situation is extremely similar to yours, cmd. Only difference is that I'm with AT&T currently on a 3-person plan and paying about $45/month with their new billing plans. That price is phenomenal for the (always excellent AT&T) service and package we're getting. We share 10 gigs of data and go nowhere near it.

So anyways, I'll be following this thread closely to see what you do. To me, the S5 seems like a no brainer for you. I have this vision in my head of never ever removing the microusb charger cap from my nonexistent-future-S5. It'll be all Qi charging and I'll be wirelessly managing the phone via AirDroid. Forever maintaining the waterproof and dustproof nature of the phone.

edit: one more thing to add...personally I'm trying to wait for the iphone 6 and nexus 6 to see what's brought to the table. especially since my S3 works "good enough" for the time being.

I'm never going to use iOS for myself, but the Nexus 6 could be interesting. Unfortunately I think if they go too close to 6"(rumor points to 5.7") it will actually be bigger than I want. I've used a Note 3 quite a bit as a family member got one and at first it seemed great, but after the novelty of the large screen wore off I realized I would never use the pen and it was just bigger than I really want for day to day use.

 

[jhansman]

While it's true that now on my AT&T S4, I can 'disable' apps (which at least gets them out of the app drawer;not sure if it keeps them from running in the background), too many cannot be disabled (Music, Mobile Hotspot, Samsung Apps, etc.). I'd rather just be able to get this crap off my phone without having to root it. I know this is the price we pay for low cost subsidized phones, but Google's approach is much more sensible. I only went with AT&T again because I could not come up with the $$ an off-contract phone costs; the NEXT plan has lowered our monthly bill, but it's still more a month than I would pay off contract.

 

[toughtrasher]

I'm never going to use iOS for myself, but the Nexus 6 could be interesting. Unfortunately I think if they go too close to 6"(rumor points to 5.7") it will actually be bigger than I want. I've used a Note 3 quite a bit as a family member got one and at first it seemed great, but after the novelty of the large screen wore off I realized I would never use the pen and it was just bigger than I really want for day to day use.

Phones are getting a bit bigger than I want too. I remember the days when phones wouldn't even touch 5" and I'd complain it was too large. 5.7" is huge but I'm adapting to screen sizes and I guess it's how tech works.

 

[soccerballtux]

Oneplus one phone looks promising . $300 bucks just have to wait.

yeah I want that phone. seems like it's everything.

I'm happy with the N5, wouldn't mind bigger screen (wow, am I really saying that?) but don't want the phone to be much bigger, and am annoyed at the random quirks and bugs that Google leaves throughout their builds. I want more battery life.

So hence the Oneplus One. Bigger screen, battery life, etc.

 

[tinytim43]

Yes if price is of no concern then get the S5 since it's newer, me personally I'd never pay that much for a phone.

Definitely - also the screen size on the S5 is much better than iPhone 5.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I have decided I am going to get the S5. I got a chance to play with one yesterday and the UI wasn't that bad and it was noticeably better than my gs3, even without my S3 using touch wiz. The better battery and slightly better specs compared to the nexus device helped in my decision as well. I can worry about root later on down the line as I am pretty confident it will have that option eventually. I just don't see myself ever spending $750 for an imported z2 with no warranty and cannot continue to wait for a localized version. That would probably be the device I would buy given the option though.

I appreciate the feedback and opinions all.

 

[Seven]

You get the moto x which is better than the N5 and S5. Even the upcoming moto g LTE is better.

You get the s5 only if you want the samsung touchwiz and its gimmicks.

 

[Red Storm]

You get the moto x which is better than the N5 and S5. Even the upcoming moto g LTE is better.

You get the s5 only if you want the samsung touchwiz and its gimmicks.

Touchwiz may be annoying, but there's no question the S5 is better than the Moto G.

In regards to root, I do it for the Xposed Modules, don't care one bit about custom ROMs.

 

[dbk]

S5. definitely

 

[JohnAn2112]

I did read about next and even talked to the manager at the at&t store. If you bring your own device next does not help you unless you have 4 lines. If you plan to subsidize the cost of the device (I.e. get an s5 for $200) then it alleviates the cost of the device up front. You still pay all the taxes up front though.

It isn't something I am going to do. As I said the discount is less than the monthly addition to your bill for a $200 device.

Depending on how long you plan on keeping your phone, the Next program comes out cheaper. I'm going to assume you're going to keep the phone for 2 years since you're talking about a subsidy.

With Next:
You get a $25 discount on your line if you're on a mobile value plan but you're paying $32.50 for the phone over 20 months.
$32.50 x 20months = $650 (plus tax)
(Remember that once you pay off the phone in 20 or 26 months, the phone is yours to keep, sell, give away).

Without Next:
$200 (plus tax) to get you the phone subsidized over 2 years but your line is now $40 since you don't get the discount.
$25 x 24 months (for the 2 year contract) = $600

So, without Next, you're essentially paying $800 for the S5 "subsidized" instead of paying $650 on Next.

 

[s44]

You get the moto x which is better than the N5 and S5. Even the upcoming moto g LTE is better.

You may think you're making a clever point, but statements like this just torpedo your credibility.

 

[cmdrdredd]

You get the moto x which is better than the N5 and S5. Even the upcoming moto g LTE is better.

You get the s5 only if you want the samsung touchwiz and its gimmicks.

Um...no lol

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You may think you're making a clever point, but statements like this just torpedo your credibility.

Well some people feel pretty strongly about TouchWiz. TBH to see how it cripples a GS3 is pretty disappointing.