Best alternative to iPhone?

[jonhcox]

It's all so subjective. I've been switching back and forth since the OG Droid. Initially I preferred the customization of Android and found the iPhone to be limiting. Then back and forth until iMessages came into play and I truly enjoyed the ability to share high res images and video with family members on the same platform. Then I got bored again and started playing with Pixels- the fluidity and camera were much improved and the camera was best in class. Apps still flow differently- sometimes its a little functionality difference between the platforms, sometimes it is just outright better on iOS. Optimization in the garden is key. Lately though, I have really enjoyed the Pixel phones. I paid off my 11 Pro Max and got the 3aXL and ended up using it for a while and then it was time for my oldest to have a phone and started him there. So I got a Pixel 5. I think Apple has come a very long way in image quality and the optics are better. Google is still using older camera hardware. I still miss iMessages a bit if only because Apple isn't supporting the RCS format yet and I am not sure when that will happen. My wife bought a 12 Pro Max and I'll admit, the images are very nice. Then I pick up my Pixel and shoot an amazing Astro shot. I keep the iPhone just in case also knowing it's going to be solid for a while. That said, I've not had Pixel lag or camera issues (yet) but being able to unlock the Pixel at the grocery store with my mask on has been a firkin gift. I think Google will update the camera hardware this year and if so, I expect that it'll be pretty fantastic. I also hear Apple is going to do an Astrophotography mode on the iPhone 13. So much to like about both platforms and yet every year they get a little more similar.

 

[LFC2020]

We'll see what you say in September

Not upgrading this year, keeping my 12 pro max for another year. ?

 

[Fille84]

Once again 120hz doesn't have with speed to do, it's refresh rate. Very noticeable when scrolling a text for example. IPhone just feels old when using it beside a galaxy s21 for example.

 

[Madtiger27]

Once again 120hz doesn't have with speed to do, it's refresh rate. Very noticeable when scrolling a text for example. IPhone just feels old when using it beside a galaxy s21 for example.

I think that having 120 is icing on cake of an already great display. So, yeah, that would be a nice addition. Definitely, S21U display is better for that reason, but i think that it still has the waterfall sides, right? THAT is a deal killer. Sorry, waterfall sides remains one of the dumbest idea ever invented. And do not tell me that it has been fixed by software…it has not.

So, IF i was given a choice…120 Hz with waterfall or 60 with regular display, then i would pick 60 Hz.

 

[mjschabow]

I think that having 120 is icing on cake of an already great display. So, yeah, that would be a nice addition. Definitely, S21U display is better for that reason, but i think that it still has the waterfall sides, right? THAT is a deal killer. Sorry, waterfall sides remains one of the dumbest idea ever invented. And do not tell me that it has been fixed by software…it has not.

So, IF i was given a choice…120 Hz with waterfall or 60 with regular display, then i would pick 60 Hz.

The edges are curved but barely. Actually makes gesture navigation pretty comfortable to use.

 

[jamezr]

Talk to us in 4-6 months and see if your S21U is still “smooth”………or it will stutter and lag like the rest of them.

Like the rest of what? I think you should look in the iPhone forums here on MR...there are a lot complaining about stutter on the iPhone 12

 

[aggie99]

Talk to us in 4-6 months and see if your S21U is still “smooth”………or it will stutter and lag like the rest of them.

Lol.

My Z Fold 2 and Note 20 Ultra are both several months old and still smooth as day one. And dare I say I deal with less bugs than the current version of ios on my 12 PM.

I don't dislike the 12 PM. In fact I carry it on my work line along with my S21 as my personal daily driver. Both great choices with very little separating them. If I had to make a choice it would be the S21 Ultra but there is no denying there are things each device is better at.

I haven't used a Pixel in months so can't speak for it but as far as Samsung devices go the lag or stutter argument is no longer valid. I haven't noticed any more lag on a Samsung than the competition since maybe the S9+.

 

[Madtiger27]

Lol.

My Z Fold 2 and Note 20 Ultra are both several months old and still smooth as day one. And dare I say I deal with less bugs than the current version of ios on my 12 PM.

I don't dislike the 12 PM. In fact I carry it on my work line along with my S21 as my personal daily driver. Both great choices with very little separating them. If I had to make a choice it would be the S21 Ultra but there is no denying there are things each device is better at.

I haven't used a Pixel in months so can't speak for it but as far as Samsung devices go the lag or stutter argument is no longer valid. I haven't noticed any more lag on a Samsung than the competition since maybe the S9+.

Oh really…XDA forums say otherwise.

 

[The Game 161]

We'll see what you say in September.

By the way, just browsed through Facebook on my S21 Ultra and my iPhone 11 at the same time and 120hz is definitely noticeable.

Agreed I don’t get how people don’t see the difference. I personally can’t wait for the next iPhone to get it

 

[mjschabow]

Oh really…XDA forums say otherwise.

So do MacRumors in the iPhone/iOS forum. Just look at the comments every time an iOS update gets released. It's full of "did they fix the stutter when swiping to go to the home screen" comments.

Taking one side over the other is just dumb at this point. Both devices and software are great and it all comes down to user preference. And sure, both softwares will have annoying bugs here and there.

 

[aggie99]

Oh really…XDA forums say otherwise.

Half of those nerds root, load custom roms, side load apks outside of the play store. Nothing against them doing that but I grew out of that years ago. It can definitely have an effect on the operation of their device.

I can only speak from my experience. I buy nearly every flagship from Samsung and Apple that comes out. For the past three years Ive not seen a major difference in how the devices perform. Samsung, even with the S21 ultra still lags behind with the camera performance a bit (slower shutter and motion blur) but other than that in normal day to day use I don't see either noticably better.

These days its all personal preference. I prefer Android as my daily but I also love the iphone and glad I'm able to use it on my work line.

 

[macmesser]

Thanks to all for the inputs, which I weighed. I finally opted for the iPhone 12 Pro and was able to get a 2-for-1 deal with a Verizon plan. A family member had just lost her iPhone in the snow, so I killed two birds with one stone. At the ens of the day, my familiarity with the Apple ecosystem was determinative. The 12 Pro is awesome and after my 5 it seems like I've gone to iPhone heaven.

 

[The Game 161]

there is too much who is better game and I get that this is normal in tech forums and certainly on twitter but this can only really be judged on preference. There will always be better speced phones than others but it all boils down to your OS of choice and always will. People don't often choose their phone based on specs alone.

 

[dk001]

Half of those nerds root, load custom roms, side load apks outside of the play store. Nothing against them doing that but I grew out of that years ago. It can definitely have an effect on the operation of their device.

I can only speak from my experience. I buy nearly every flagship from Samsung and Apple that comes out. For the past three years Ive not seen a major difference in how the devices perform. Samsung, even with the S21 ultra still lags behind with the camera performance a bit (slower shutter and motion blur) but other than that in normal day to day use I don't see either noticably better.

These days its all personal preference. I prefer Android as my daily but I also love the iphone and glad I'm able to use it on my work line.

When you check them out here and there you seldom notice a difference unless it is drastic.
I will say that using a 120 screen alongside a 11PM or 12PM you notice the difference.

Personally I think it is a matter of the software. I at times see stutter on my 12PM but not on the 11Pm and other times the opposite. It would be nice if we could get back the ability to reduce or kill animations in iOS.

 

[jamezr]

Thanks to all for the inputs, which I weighed. I finally opted for the iPhone 12 Pro and was able to get a 2-for-1 deal with a Verizon plan. A family member had just lost her iPhone in the snow, so I killed two birds with one stone. At the ens of the day, my familiarity with the Apple ecosystem was determinative. The 12 Pro is awesome and after my 5 it seems like I've gone to iPhone heaven.

Can't go wrong with an iPhone...in the end whatever works best for you is the best choice!

 

[animalx]

Hmmm…mediocre?

iPhone 12 Pro Max.

#1 camera (photo & video) system...significant lead this year. Class-leading stills. Dolby Vision real-time video is just mind blowing.

#1 display...may lack 120Hz, but makes up for it in brightness, accuracy, and low reflectance. DisplayMate gives it the best of the best award.

#1 processor...by a wide margin. A14 is a true desktop level quality chip...that outclasses most desktop chips.

#1 design & materials (literally strong-as-nails glass, 316L stainless steel, sapphire, beautiful design).

#1 in water resistance.

It is literally a perfect phone...as evidenced by Tom’s Guide 1st ever 5 (out of 5) star phone.

#1 camera? That is VERY debatable. In a blind side by side, I tend to not prefer the iPhone's shots.

#1 display? In a word...no. It's a less capable old gen tech that the industry has moved away from. We're not going to sit here and pretend it's "best". Knock it off. lol

Processor? What good is power if you can't use it? Still can't do real multitasking or create a desktop experience with that "desktop power".

#1 design? That's your opinion, but I would strongly disagree with it. I find the design to be a bit dated in comparison even to phones from a few years ago.

#1 in water resistance? They are just catching up to the standard IP68 rating that's been common in the industry for years.

A perfect phone? You can't be serious. ?

 

[animalx]

When you check them out here and there you seldom notice a difference unless it is drastic.
I will say that using a 120 screen alongside a 11PM or 12PM you notice the difference.

Personally I think it is a matter of the software. I at times see stutter on my 12PM but not on the 11Pm and other times the opposite. It would be nice if we could get back the ability to reduce or kill animations in iOS.

Couldn't agree more. If you're used to seeing a 120 refresh rate, you will absolutely see a difference if you go over to a 60hz display. The scrolling almost looks like it's stuttering.

 

[animalx]

Talk to us in 4-6 months and see if your S21U is still “smooth”………or it will stutter and lag like the rest of them.

My Note 20 Ultra was still smooth and just fine when I trade it in for the 21 Ultra. The S20 Ultra I traded in for the Note 20 Ultra was also running smoothly when I traded it as well. So I have absolutely no reason to believe I will suddenly be stricken with "stutter and lag". Don't know where you got that from.

 

[animalx]

Nah, on a smaller screen it's pointless in my opinion. i'll take it on a bigger display like a tablet or laptop.

Never felt that my iPhone feels sluggish at 60hz.

How does screen size dictate usefulness of refresh rate? What does one have to do with the other? Are you really trying to say that if a screen is small, the display doesn't need to be fluid and smooth?

 

[LFC2020]

#1 camera? That is VERY debatable. In a blind side by side, I tend to not prefer the iPhone's shots.

Samsung is still behind pixel and iPhone for best point and shoot camera, people in Aus are already selling their s21s because of inconsistent photos.

#1 display? In a word...no. It's a less capable old gen tech that the industry has moved away from. We're not going to sit here and pretend it's "best". Knock it off. lol

side by side you can’t tell the difference when it comes to display quality, as I mentioned earlier 120hz isn’t needed on a small mobile display.

Processor? What good is power if you can't use it? Still can't do real multitasking or create a desktop experience with that "desktop power".

processor is very important keeps the phone running like a champ 24/7 Samsung users in Aus are getting constant overheating messages and camera lag. Could be exynos models only. Also chipsets matter for longevity, the iPhone 6s which is 6 years old is still getting software updates and performing like a champ. when it comes to longevity apple is in a league of their own, big part of that is their A series chips.

#1 design? That's your opinion, but I would strongly disagree with it. I find the design to be a bit dated in comparison even to phones from a few years ago.

this one is personal choice, prefer iPhone, better materials used.

#1 in water resistance? They are just catching up to the standard IP68 rating that's been common in the industry for years.

Best in the industry

A perfect phone? You can't be serious. ?

Absolutely serious, performs like a champ 24/7 365 days a year, most consistent OS in the business.

 

[LFC2020]

How does screen size dictate usefulness of refresh rate? What does one have to do with the other? Are you really trying to say that if a screen is small, the display doesn't need to be fluid and smooth?

120hz isn’t noticeable on a small device, picked up a s20u in store last year, made sure 120hz was on, side by side with my iPhone was like yeah nothing special in my eyes, on a bigger display like a laptop or tablet I’d take it 100% that’s when you’d notice 120hz.

 

[LFC2020]

The 12 Pro is awesome and after my 5 it seems like I've gone to iPhone heaven.

Am I reading correctly iPhone 5 ?? nice jump, enjoy using the Rolls Royce of smartphones ?Had my 12 pro max since launch, been a dream to use. ?

 

[Madtiger27]

#1 camera? That is VERY debatable. In a blind side by side, I tend to not prefer the iPhone's shots.

#1 display? In a word...no. It's a less capable old gen tech that the industry has moved away from. We're not going to sit here and pretend it's "best". Knock it off. lol

Processor? What good is power if you can't use it? Still can't do real multitasking or create a desktop experience with that "desktop power".

#1 design? That's your opinion, but I would strongly disagree with it. I find the design to be a bit dated in comparison even to phones from a few years ago.

#1 in water resistance? They are just catching up to the standard IP68 rating that's been common in the industry for years.

A perfect phone? You can't be serious. ?

Sorry to make you feel bad, but look at all the major publications AND Youtubers. 12 Pro Max remains the best point-n-shoot camera for stills. Yes, Samsung beats it at zoom…that’s about it.

And then you add in VIDEO capability, and the gap b/w 12PM and the rest of Android further widens. Not even close.

Like i said, with the exception of 120 Hz, 12 Pro Max remains the BEST display. The only display that may knock it off is the S21 Ultra…but up to now, 12 Pro Max remains the best.

In fact, according to XDA forum (yes, YOUR Android website), since iPhone X, iPhone displays remain the best because of color accuracy, lack of widespread color management on Android, and lack of black clipping. It remains the ONLY display that garners A+ rating on XDA…and IS the standard by which they grade other Android displays.

Create desktop experience? Like the stupid Dex thing?! LOL…good luck with that. Look at all the high-end productivity app on iOS that takes advantage of the processor….and compare that to the 2nd rate apps on Android.

Didn’t Android 11 cripple multi-tasking on Samsung phones? Oh yes it did! I think that Android 11 also cripple multi-tasking in general. LOL…didn’t think that i knew that, did you?!

From Slashgear: “Samsung’s Android 11 update, starting with One UI 3.0, has become even more aggressive in killing background apps to the point even some alarm apps stop working after 3 days. This also affects health and fitness apps that gather sensor data while running in the background. Not only is this more aggressive than stock Android, it also goes against Google’s stated policy for OEMs to be more transparent about things like these.

The slightly good news is that it’s possible to turn off this behavior or at least set it to your specifications. The bad news is that the process is lengthy and cumbersome. The worse news is that some report that a simple firmware update will reset everything back to the default behavior of being an aggressive background app killer.”



Dated? I don’t know…selling like hot cakes…even overtaking Samsung worldwide i think last quarter. Widely accepted as a genius design move by Apple. I wonder how many Android OEMs will copy 12 this year!

Water resistance……….iPhone can go deepest the LONGEST. No one else can. **** and read up on it before commenting.

It is THE perfect phone For reasons i already stated. Tom’s Guide (who is very particular) agrees.

 

[mjschabow]

can go deepest the LONGEST.

Tell me more!

 

[ian87w]

can go deepest the LONGEST.

That's what she said... ?

I'm here all night. Cheers.