Still ok to get an LG G5? Want USB-C and easily replaceable battery.

[fuzzybabybunny]

My Samsung S5 is definitely showing its age due to the very low on-board storage and RAM. 2GB doesn't cut it anymore with memory-intensive apps like Facebook.

I want to get a phone that has:

- User-replaceable battery. I'm ok with using a spudger and getting glue off, but NOT if the screen is super thin and easy to break during disassembly. I plan to replace the battery myself every year and a half or so.

- At least 4GB RAM.

- USB-C with Quick Charge.

- Greater than 1080p screen so I can use VR apps.

- World phone. I won't be using it in the United States most of the time.

I can get a used LG G5 on Swappa for less than $150. It has:

- Battery tray.

- 1440 x 2560 for 554 ppi

- 4GB RAM, 32GB Storage

- USB-C, Quick Charge 3.0

I'm thinking that I could just load a stock Google ROM on the G5 for maximum performance.

Thoughts?

 

[Raduque]

Was it ever OK to get an LG G5? There's a reason it's so cheap. The hardware is kinda junk. A Snapdragon 820 is a terrible CPU. The battery is removable but tiny (2800mAh), and the sled is fragile. If a removable battery is the one make-or-break thing, get a V20.

Or change that requirement and get a more modern flagship.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Was it ever OK to get an LG G5? There's a reason it's so cheap. The hardware is kinda junk. A Snapdragon 820 is a terrible CPU. The battery is removable but tiny (2800mAh), and the sled is fragile. If a removable battery is the one make-or-break thing, get a V20.

Or change that requirement and get a more modern flagship.

I'm coming from an S5 which has a Snapdragon 801, 2GB RAM, and also 2800mAh battery.

I don't notice any kind of processor-limited slowdown in games or 1080p video on the S5, so I'm happy with the performance of even the Snapdragon 801. The lack of RAM is totally destroying the experience though.

Based on this I'm thinking that the G5 would be fine. The V20 would be too big for my hands, not to mention the specs are the same as the G5 besides the larger screen and battery and better audio DAC.

 

[WelshBloke]

- User-replaceable battery. I'm ok with using a spudger and getting glue off, but NOT if the screen is super thin and easy to break during disassembly. I plan to replace the battery myself every year and a half or so.

If you're happy using a spuder and hairdryer then the last few Samsung flagships are not that difficult to replace the batteries in. I wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis but every year or so would be doable. I guess the issue would be finding replacement batteries after a few years.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

If you're happy using a spuder and hairdryer then the last few Samsung flagships are not that difficult to replace the batteries in. I wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis but every year or so would be doable. I guess the issue would be finding replacement batteries after a few years.

Unfortunately the last few flagships don't have USB-C, right?

 

[WelshBloke]

Unfortunately the last few flagships don't have USB-C, right?

S8 and S9 gens do. I thought that the S7 gen was the last with micro USB?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

S8 and S9 gens do. I thought that the S7 gen was the last with micro USB?

I just looked at the teardown of the S8 with USB-C. Looks like I can really screw it up because it's glass adhered to the body, so really easy to crack when I try to take it apart. Ifixit gives it a repairability score of only 4/10

 

[WelshBloke]

I just looked at the teardown of the S8 with USB-C. Looks like I can really screw it up because it's glass adhered to the body, so really easy to crack when I try to take it apart. Ifixit gives it a repairability score of only 4/10

The back glass is really cheap to get a replacement anyway. Getting to the battery is pretty easy if you are careful, replacing things like the screen looks like a total nightmare though.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

The back glass is really cheap to get a replacement anyway. Getting to the battery is pretty easy if you are careful, replacing things like the screen looks like a total nightmare though.

Yeah, the curved screen looks awful and expensive to replace. Since it's curved I probably can't put a flat tempered glass screen protector on it to protect it either.

 

[WelshBloke]

Yeah, the curved screen looks awful and expensive to replace. Since it's curved I probably can't put a flat tempered glass screen protector on it to protect it either.

There are curved tempered glass screen protectors that stick to the screen. They are pretty good, I'm using one. Bit spendy though.