Budget 20-25K Need a sturdy quad core android

[phunguus]

Im currently of the opinion that top brands grossly overprice their stuff. If I dont get any good phones by the time this thread dies, ill go get the Canvas HD.

1. Budget?
A: ~25k for a good branded phone OR ~13k for a cheap rebranded phone(read canvas hd)

2. Preferred Form Factor(flip, bar, slider)?
A: Bar

3. Preferred display type?
A: Sharp & clear screen(atleast 250ppi) with IPS and a strong glass covering. Size strictly between 4”-5”.

4. Do you have any brand preference or dislike? Please name them.
A: None.

5. Preferred input method (Touchscreen, QWERTY, etc.)?
A: Touchscreen

6. Camera required or not? If required, please specify type like front camera/flash/etc.
A: Not a priority. No of MPs doent matter to me. Just that low light snaps should come out good.

7. Preferred operating system? (Android, Symbian, iOS, Windows Phone etc).
A: Android (as close to 4.2 as possible)

8. Preferred connectivity options? (3G, Wifi, Edge etc).
A: EDGE, wifi, 3G in that order. Don't need 4G.

9. What is your intended use for this phone(internet, camera, multimedia, mails, etc)?
A: Average 1h calling per day. Apart from that music(FM radio included), frequent gaming, videos, some pdfs and regular internet surfing.

10. Any other requirements?
A: Quad core, alteast 1GB RAM, lots of dedicated space for apps (cant put a number but planning to load some heavy apps and games), shouldnt be a problem getting android updates(custom rom works for me), strong battery, should survive occasional falls.
Don't care if its a single SIM/dual SIM.

11. Q: If you have already considered a phone then please mention the model.
A: Had nexus 4 in mind but it doesnt have expandable storage.

12. Current Phone(s)?
A: Nokia 5530 XpressMusic(5800's trimmed version). Using it since april 2010 (thats 3 years 4months). Never been on android before.

Notes:-
1. If i spend 25k, ill expect to stay with it for atleast 2years.
2. As I said, I feel top brands overprice their stuff. Open for debate on this.
3. I know most of the quad cores are 5" but i feel 4.5" is the sweet spot for my palm size.
4. Have a colleague coming from USA in dec 1st week, anything interesting releasing in that time over there? Ready to wait if its worth it.

Thanks.

 

[blr_p]

For good low light photography, HTC one is the best. Alternatively Nokia Lumia 720 or 920.

I don't know of any other that can do a better job in low light.

Its a difficult choice, either that or you get a good all around camera that does not do as well in low light.

 

[phunguus]

Camera is the last thing i want to look at. I just filled it up because it was there on the template list.
Should have made it clearer, my bad.

 

[shanx]

If you can add another 3k then you have the Xperia ZR with 2GB of RAM and S4 pro quadcore.It will run all your applications pretty darn smooth. Its a great phone and will serve you well.
If you want something a little more Samsung'y then you have the older Galaxy S3 but the Mali400MP is nowhere near the Adreno 320 for gaming! Also the S3 has only 1GB of RAM.
The Xperia ZR is your best choice here!

 

[phunguus]

Hmmm...went through ZR's specs list. It's like
Xperia ZR = Nexus 4 + (FM Radio + expandable storage + better camera + ability to go snorkelling...dont really care about this feature) - (android updates + gorilla glass)

Need to evaluate that equation and see if it qualifies for a 4k price difference.
How does sony do when time comes for android updates?

 

[sarthakk250193]

Sony is really bad when it comes to updates.Also the display in their recent phones hasnt been good.

 

[blr_p]

Hmmm...went through ZR's specs list. It's like
Xperia ZR = Nexus 4 + (FM Radio + expandable storage + better camera + ability to go snorkelling...dont really care about this feature) - (android updates + gorilla glass)

Need to evaluate that equation and see if it qualifies for a 4k price difference.
How does sony do when time comes for android updates?

Don't forget the replaceable battery with the ZR. SD card facility means you can move apps (more or less) with the right skillz. With just 8GB(4.5GB usable) storage on the ZR that might become necessary.

If you don't need the waterprooding there is always the SP, but its a 1GB RAM model with excellent battery life. Dual core however so you decide whether battery is more important or quad core. I have doubts whether 1GB RAM models will ever see android 5.0. Ideally you want more than 1GB RAM if not 2GB RAM.

Draw up a shortlist then hit the local shops and hold the phone in your hand and compare models. There really is no other substitute.

 

[shanx]

ZR should get atleast two more Android versions! But there is the chance that it wont! If you can go up higher then i think you can get the Optimus G at around 30k. Its a Nexus 4 on steroids. However the ZR has 200mAh more battery power! Also the Optimus G only has 32GB of storage but it also has the same internals of the ZR. If updates is a concern then i think only Samsung pushes out timely(read better than other companies) updates, else the Nexus is your best bet for updates! as @blr_p said go to your local store try out the ZR and the optimus G! Both are premium devices and perform well. I personally like LG's UI more as i feel it is very close to stock android! Timescape UI on sony is also very good but this is your personal pick!

 

[blr_p]

The xperias don't have timescape any longer. Its more stock like now.

 

[blr_p]

ZR should get atleast two more Android versions! But there is the chance that it wont! If you can go up higher then i think you can get the Optimus G at around 30k. Its a Nexus 4 on steroids. However the ZR has 200mAh more battery power! Also the Optimus G only has 32GB of storage but it also has the same internals of the ZR. If updates is a concern then i think only Samsung pushes out timely(read better than other companies) updates, else the Nexus is your best bet for updates! as @blr_p said go to your local store try out the ZR and the optimus G! Both are premium devices and perform well. I personally like LG's UI more as i feel it is very close to stock android! Timescape UI on sony is also very good but this is your personal pick!

That LG optimus G i think comes very close to the OP's requirements, even i want to check it out

The display is much better than on the Z/Zl/ZR in terms of viewing angles because its an IPS screen. However LG tends to be slow on updates but they do have a nice UI. Can't see why the G will not get 5.0. It certainly has the specs.

Need to check out the 3rd party support for this one.

 

[phunguus]

Don't forget the replaceable battery with the ZR. SD card facility means you can move apps (more or less) with the right skillz. With just 8GB(4.5GB usable) storage on the ZR that might become necessary.

If you don't need the waterprooding there is always the SP, but its a 1GB RAM model with excellent battery life. Dual core however so you decide whether battery is more important or quad core. I have doubts whether 1GB RAM models will ever see android 5.0. Ideally you want more than 1GB RAM if not 2GB RAM.

Draw up a shortlist then hit the local shops and hold the phone in your hand and compare models. There really is no other substitute.

Is there any practical use for making the battery replaceable?
And I always wanted to ask this, can android apps be installed on a microSD card? Or can it be moved to an SD card after installation? Ive heard many contradicting views on this. Some even say that it was possible till ICS but JB and later versions wont have this capability.

Sony is really bad when it comes to updates.Also the display in their recent phones hasnt been good.

What do the guys on xda do exactly? Do they just build custom ROMs or do they also work on making updates for the phones which dont get official updates?
I knew the displays were prone to scratches and fingerprints but didnt know the display itself was not good.

ZR should get atleast two more Android versions! But there is the chance that it wont! If you can go up higher then i think you can get the Optimus G at around 30k. Its a Nexus 4 on steroids. However the ZR has 200mAh more battery power! Also the Optimus G only has 32GB of storage but it also has the same internals of the ZR. If updates is a concern then i think only Samsung pushes out timely(read better than other companies) updates, else the Nexus is your best bet for updates! as @blr_p said go to your local store try out the ZR and the optimus G! Both are premium devices and perform well. I personally like LG's UI more as i feel it is very close to stock android! Timescape UI on sony is also very good but this is your personal pick!

the ZR itself is out of budget, optimus will be a distant dream. I anyways don't want to spend that much on a phone right now.
The xperia Z didnt live upto many people's expectations. The entire phone is prone to a lot of scratches, no gorilla glass protection, display issues as sarthak mentioned above. And the pricing is just plain ridiculous. The ZR, although decently priced, is of the same genus as Xperia Z. Will need to get a hands on experience before i can trust it.


I think it's a bad time to be looking for a branded quad core smartphone right now. In every eligible phone, there is something missing/wrong. HTC One & Z both are exorbitant. Z & ZR have annoying problems with their screens & displays. Huawei Ascend & Note 2 have extra large displays. HTC One X & Desire 600 have a paltry 1800mAh for battery. Nexus 4 doesnt have expandable storage and FM radio. Samsung S3 is still stuck at android 4.0 & 4.1. Don't know what to do! [DOUBLEPOST=1374677611][/DOUBLEPOST]Ok so I'll go check out the ZR and optimus G. If they seem worth it, then i may go for it.

But apart from that, anything releasing in the US in the coming months? Whats the update on nexus 5?

 

[shanx]

@phunguus Dude you want to use this phone for the next two years right? Then get the Optimus G because it is a beefed up Nexus 4. The Nexus 4 is bound to get a few more Android updates. Since the Optimus G and the Nexus 4 have practically the same harware(storage better on G) , i think the devs will have little trouble making stock android ports for the optimus G! So you are covered more or less on receiving updates! Also the optimus G has corning gorilla glass 2 since you so desire such a thing on your phone! Go check out the G. I had a nice time yesterday with that phone in a store!

 

[phunguus]

i know the specs are perfect for me....i wish the battery was a tad stronger...but still its perfect.
But i dont want to spend so much on a phone. I upgraded my PC early this month, spent ~30k on that already. Still using the old 17" LCD and the 6y.o. 7200GS graphics card because i needed to get a phone by the end of this month. So running a little tight on budget. I arrived at the 25k budget figure after tightening every one my pocket strings. If Optimus's price was anything near 25k, i would have already gone and bought one. Still i'll go and check it out. If i REALLY like it, then i will need to work something out. Thanks a lot btw for letting me know about this model. I never even thought about browsing the LG catalog

 

[comp@ddict]

Go for Sony Xperia ZR. Enjoy the sturdy phone (won't need a case), and get the white one. Looks better.

 

[blr_p]

@phunguus Dude you want to use this phone for the next two years right? Then get the Optimus G because it is a beefed up Nexus 4. The Nexus 4 is bound to get a few more Android updates. Since the Optimus G and the Nexus 4 have practically the same harware(storage better on G) , i think the devs will have little trouble making stock android ports for the optimus G! So you are covered more or less on receiving updates! Also the optimus G has corning gorilla glass 2 since you so desire such a thing on your phone! Go check out the G. I had a nice time yesterday with that phone in a store!

Just played with it in croma, excellent display and very responsive.

I think 32GB (25GB usable) onboard is bearable without microsd.

 

[blr_p]

Is there any practical use for making the battery replaceable?

It means when you run out you just replace with a recharged one and continue without stopping. Additionally if you are into modding, pulling the battery offers advantages over not being able to do so in terms of reset.

And I always wanted to ask this, can android apps be installed on a microSD card? Or can it be moved to an SD card after installation? Ive heard many contradicting views on this. Some even say that it was possible till ICS but JB and later versions wont have this capability.

You can but it involves rooting and some effort on your part to use apps on XDA. The thing is its not clear to me which apps will move and which won't. Whether it works completely or whether there are exceptions.

JB discouraged shifting to the microad whereas ICS allowed it to a certain extent. I've yet to understand why goggle does not want you to move things to the SD.

What do the guys on xda do exactly? Do they just build custom ROMs or do they also work on making updates for the phones which dont get official updates?

They write apps, create hacks, provide rooting info, custom mods, a ton of things. They don't do updates for phones that do not get them. Custom roms are rolled and there can be issues with certain components not working etc. Since there are so many ROMS out there depending on the device its ticky to know how 'complete' they are unless you wade in and make queries.

I knew the displays were prone to scratches and fingerprints but didnt know the display itself was not good.

xperias come with a shatter proof film that supposed to protect you from glass if it breaks. This affects visibility some. You can place a screen protector on top or go more drastic and remove the film itself and put a scren protector on. The display is decent its the viewing angles that some do not like. This may or may not be an issue as it brings added privacy.

the ZR itself is out of budget, optimus will be a distant dream. I anyways don't want to spend that much on a phone right now.
The xperia Z didnt live upto many people's expectations. The entire phone is prone to a lot of scratches, no gorilla glass protection, display issues as sarthak mentioned above. And the pricing is just plain ridiculous. The ZR, although decently priced, is of the same genus as Xperia Z. Will need to get a hands on experience before i can trust it.

It has the same specs cpu & memory wise but the onboard storage is only 8GB and the secondary camera is just VGA.

As far as the Z goes, it needed to be used in a case, the same will apply to the optimus g as it also has a glass case similar to Z.

I think it's a bad time to be looking for a branded quad core smartphone right now. In every eligible phone, there is something missing/wrong. HTC One & Z both are exorbitant. Z & ZR have annoying problems with their screens & displays. Huawei Ascend & Note 2 have extra large displays. HTC One X & Desire 600 have a paltry 1800mAh for battery. Nexus 4 doesnt have expandable storage and FM radio. Samsung S3 is still stuck at android 4.0 & 4.1. Don't know what to do! [DOUBLEPOST=1374677611][/DOUBLEPOST]Ok so I'll go check out the ZR and optimus G. If they seem worth it, then i may go for it.

Is there ever a good time ? i think 3-6 months after launch is good. You get to see what accessories are available, prices drop, outstanding issues, the 3rd party forums are buzzing so you have lots of options. You can still play with the phones as they are available in the shops and the ad blitz is over.

The optimus g in that case is older than the ZR. Funny thing about ZR is i noticed on XDA, that India seemed to have got it before anybody else (!) The ZR owners are still trying to lobby to get their own forum. They will defnitely get it in time.

 

[amitkher]

They don't do updates for phones that do not get them.

Either this is wrong, or you are using a strange definition of "updates ", making it very very misleading.

"They " do updates for phones that do not get them. Phones for which the official updates stopped at froyo are happily running custom ROMs based on ICS and sometimes beyond. If this is not "updates", I don't see what is.

 

[terence_fdes]

@phunguus

..... In every eligible phone, there is something missing/wrong.....

The hard truth that hits all of us as we delve deeper & deeper in searching for the perfect phone that fits our budget. I recently purchased the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 - I am liking everything about this phone (including it's large size); I've fitted it with a 64GB SDXC card...... and then it hit me - I just cannot move any apps to the sdcard [Samsung & Jellybean 4.2.2 limitation]. See my thread - http://www.techenclave.com/communit...an-4-2-2-without-rooting.150941/#post-1852951

I am left with just 5GB of user space for apps. I do not wish to root or change the original ROM based os owing to practical problems & that I do not have the time & energy to waste.

I see guys very easily shooting off - 'just root the device' and like 'eureka' problems solved. This is all right for youngsters n nerds who have all the time in the world to rip-apart their expensive phones and sit on it for hours/days/weeks .... and even then there will always be new & unknown problems & the thrill of finding solutions (if they exist). But all this is an expensive & unproductive nightmare for someone who spends a major part of his day & night too (at times) in providing 'basic-needs' for his family.

So my tuppence advice - Go for a phone that has at least 16GB or more of Internal mem and 1.5 to 2GB RAM..... rest all are cosmetic requirements.

 

[vaibhavyagnik]

@terence_fdes i agree with you. Custom roms are generally a waste of time. Something or the other does not work + the risk of bricking your device (I bricked my samsung galaxy 3 once). The best experiences are out of the box experiences.

 

[comp@ddict]

Rooting takes less than 5 mins and is on the technical complexity for a 7th grader, not anyone older. Don't dismiss it as something "youngsters n nerds" do.