Help me choose a new cell phone

[Bob_McMillan]

So, my trusty Galaxy S4 has died in the worst possible way: the touchscreen broke. Everything else is fine, but the touchscreen is not responding.

Anyway, I decided to get a new phone. My sights were set on the Nexus 5x, mainly because of the price, the fingerprint scanner, and the support from Google. But I couldn't find it anywhere in my country, and I found out recently that it hasn't and might not ever be released here.

Now my plan is to buy it online from the States, and ask a relative who is coming home to bring it along. However, while I was checking out the retailer, I saw his other products, one of which was a LG G4 that was selling at a lower price (not much, just 2 dollars).

So two questions:

1. Which phone do you think is the best choice?

2. The seller says its "factory unlocked", but can I definitely use a sim card from my country with either of the phones?

Here are the ones I'm looking at:

Nexus 5x: http://www.ebay.ph/itm/LG-Nexus-5X-H790-32GB-Factory-GSM-Unlocked-4G-LTE-Android-Smartphone-US-Model-/151876435362?var=&hash=item235c8a7da2:m:mXlRUCnvEUlFL2-J5XsEAwA

LG G4: http://www.ebay.ph/itm/LG-G4-32GB-Factory-Unlocked-5-5-16MP-Android-Smartphone-Leather-Black-US-Spec-/131799814819?hash=item1eafe192a3:g:8CsAAOSwKfVXJ3TT#rwid

 

[Parasondox]

Firstly, what do you want out of your phone and what do you use your phone for most?

Don't worry, I don't work for a phone store that sells you can iPhone when you are a builder.

And NO an iPhone is not best for builders. Screw you... person who may disagree with that.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Well, I had the LG G2 and now I have an LG G5. Both have been/are great phones and the only major criticism of the G4 was that it wasn't different enough from the very good G3. I can't speak to the Nexus 5x as I've never used it, but I really like LG's smart phones. Their additions to the OS isn't intrusive and the extra features they give you are things you'll actually use instead of all the fluff Samsung crams on their devices.

Aesthetically, the G4 has the leather removable back so I think it's pretty classy looking and you can swap out batteries instead of relying on your charger.

I'm a little biased but I've had great experiences with LG phones. Good luck choosing!

 

[Pocket Protector]

I have no experience with the G4 but I hear good things. I have the Galaxy S6, and its a great phone. I had the S4 before and it was plagued with software issues. All of those seem to have been fixed on the S6. It seems that you want to stick with Android and Samsung is the leader of the pack there.

 

[Pocket Protector]

I have no experience with the G4 but I hear good things. I have the Galaxy S6, and its a great phone. I had the S4 before and it was plagued with software issues. All of those seem to have been fixed on the S6. It seems that you want to stick with Android and Samsung is the leader of the pack there.

 

[DefunctTheory]

I have a Nexus 5X (With Google Fi service) and I'm loving it. Really snippy, smooth, and the camera is nice I think. And, of course, it's Google's phone, so it's the one that's going to be getting updates for the longest.

Spoiler

Spoiler: Gore

Just keep in mind that's it's USB-C. It comes with an outlet charger and a USB-C to USB-C connector, so to make it work with older computers and such, you're going to need some new cables.

As for the compatibility... I think all Nexus 5s are multi-radio. The ones directly from Google certainly are. Still, you really need to check the specs of the phone and whatever company you're going to be using. Should do that regardless of manufacturer or source.

I can field specific questions if you like.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

The LG G4 beats the Nexus 5X in all technical specifications, more ram, more CPU cores, better cameras, better screen and so on...

All modern smartphones that aren't specifically built for a carrier use either a Micro, or Nano SIM card. The Nexus uses a Nano, the G4 a micro. The Galaxy S4 uses Micro Sim as well, so you should be able to swap the SIM directly from the Galaxy S4 to the LG G4, for the Nexus you'll need a new SIM. For compatibility? Most phones are universally compatible, so long as your service provider doesn't have any restrictions, you shouldn't have any issues. So it's best to check to see if your service provider supports either phone before you buy one.

 

[fenrizz]

I got the G4, and I cannot recommend it enough.
It has been miles above my last phone, a Sony Xperia X3.

Great camera, great sound and good battery life.
I'm very happy with it.

 

[Disco Biscuit]

Like you, I had a Galaxy S4 and it died from my negligence. What did I do? I bought the up-armored S5. I've dropped that bad boy, many times, and it just smirks and me and keeps going. If you broke an S4 screen, then like me, maybe what you need is one that can take a beating.

Galaxy S5 Active, for people who ruin the fuck out of a phone, and say "Never again."

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I can field specific questions if you like.

You pretty much summed up why I wanted the 5x. The support from Google was the biggest plus for me. How is the fingerprint sensor though? That is pretty much the only thing keeping me from choosing the G4, seeing as the G4 has higher specs. Oh, and USB C any better? It was hard enough for me to find OTG cables for my S4, I don't want to have to wait for a couple of years before they start making them for USB C.

All modern smartphones that aren't specifically built for a carrier use either a Micro, or Nano SIM card. The Nexus uses a Nano, the G4 a micro. The Galaxy S4 uses Micro Sim as well, so you should be able to swap the SIM directly from the Galaxy S4 to the LG G4, for the Nexus you'll need a new SIM.

Are you sure I need a new sim for the 5x? From what I remember, when I upgraded from an iPhone 3G to the S4 they just cut my sim into Micro sim size.

Firstly, what do you want out of your phone and what do you use your phone for most?

Honestly, price and being an Android phone are the only things that matter to me. As long as it's an upgrade from the S4, I don't care too much about the specs.

 

[MercurySteam]

So you're not actually looking for a new cell phone, you're in the market for a smart phone. I'd say out of the two I'd pick the LG but if you have the money see if you can get a Galaxy S6. The interface is great and the hardware outstrips the much more expensive iPhone equivalent by a mile. However if waterproofing and expandable storage is what you seek then pick an S5/S7.

 

[DefunctTheory]

How is the fingerprint sensor though? That is pretty much the only thing keeping me from choosing the G4, seeing as the G4 has higher specs.

It works pretty well. You can scan one (Or all) of your fingers, then to unlock the phone of activate whatever weird options you find (I have only used it for screen lock) simply by tapping you finger against the sensor. Don't have to stick it on and wait a minute, pretty much instantaneous.

If a finger print scanner is something you like, this one will serve you well. Though if it's just a curiosity, I'm not sure it really matters.

Oh, and USB C any better? It was hard enough for me to find OTG cables for my S4, I don't want to have to wait for a couple of years before they start making them for USB C.

USB-C is the new 'No flip' port, and it is awesome. Cable goes in every single time! The one problem is 'backward compatibly,' since your laptop, desktop, and chargers aren't going to start growing new port form factors.

However, the new cables are cheap. The phone comes with a charger and a good cable, so that's nice. And I only had to spend $8.50 to sort out the rest.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018S66L82/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[DefunctTheory]

So you're not actually looking for a new cell phone, you're in the market for a smart phone.

And the smart phone is a sub type of what kind of device, smarty pants?

 

[MercurySteam]

So you're not actually looking for a new cell phone, you're in the market for a smart phone.

And the smart phone is a sub type of what kind of device, smarty pants?

I'd say by definition a mobile phone, it's a nice umbrella term of portable phones over their long history. I haven't heard anyone call them cell phones in over a decade. Maybe its more an American term.

 

[DefunctTheory]

So you're not actually looking for a new cell phone, you're in the market for a smart phone.

And the smart phone is a sub type of what kind of device, smarty pants?

I'd say by definition a mobile phone, it's a nice umbrella term of portable phones over their long history. I haven't heard anyone call them cell phones in over a decade. Maybe its more an American term.

We call smartphones cell phones, as their now the majority. It's flip/'cheap' phones that are viewed as the odd one out these days.

Technically speaking, a mobile phone is a much wider net then even cellular (Cell) phones. Cell phones work on cellular networks (Those fancy towers), while mobile phones include those god damn, mother fucking satellite phones I hate so much, and wifi only phones (Did those die? I haven't heard of them in a long time).

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

All modern smartphones that aren't specifically built for a carrier use either a Micro, or Nano SIM card. The Nexus uses a Nano, the G4 a micro. The Galaxy S4 uses Micro Sim as well, so you should be able to swap the SIM directly from the Galaxy S4 to the LG G4, for the Nexus you'll need a new SIM.

Are you sure I need a new sim for the 5x? From what I remember, when I upgraded from an iPhone 3G to the S4 they just cut my sim into Micro sim size.

From what I understand, about the time the Micro SIM came out they started making 3G GSM SIMs with a breakable, or cutable, form factor, so they could be resized into Micro SIM. The Nano SIM is an entirely different form factor though, the ones I've seen, the entire SIM card is smaller than the chip on a Micro SIM. So you wouldn't be able to break a Micro down to a Nano without breaking the actual SIM chip. Although I've never experienced an issue getting a replacement SIM card from any provider.