Value vs Top Tier?

[nviz22]

So I am in the market for a new phone after borrowing an iPhone 7+ from someone. I am not in a rush, but I am having a tough time deciding between a value purchase vs going all in with the iPhone 8/OLED/Edition/X.

With a value purchase, I am thinking about the LG G6, LG V30 (on sale), HTC U11, Google Pixel XL 2 (on sale). With the LG G6, I see it as an alternative to Samsung. The type of phone I want is something that offers a high caliber screen, good processor, plenty of RAM, longevity for about 2 years, a top caliber camera, a cell phone payment system, strong battery life, facial/iris detection.

You would think I would've been set with the S8+, but nah that didn't happen. I am looking at the LG G6 at possibly a $300-$350 range before I would buy one. It's on the cusp of that considering it dropped to $390 and $400 last month.

Whereas the iPhone is what I desire the most. Spending $850-$1000 is mind numbing. Yes, I sold my S7 for $315 and could sell my SE for $250-$300, but that's still a dent in the wallet. I could wait for T-Mobile to offer a trade in deal where I could see if I can get $300-$400 in a trade in value offer through a bill credit plus getting 8 for $600 or so, thus making the price much more tolerable.

I want the iPhone 8, but my discretionary income would take a huge hit. I will get the latest processor, a "Galaxy caliber" phone with Apple Pay, dual camera system, sufficient RAM, a high caliber 18:9 OLED screen, minimal bezels, longevity with app updates/OS updates, strong battery life, FaceID, and it is something I can use for 2 years comfortably. Idk if I can use the LG G6 for that long. Head says LG G6 when it's more affordable, heart says iPhone.

Thoughts?

 

[TheRealAlex]

So I am in the market for a new phone after borrowing an iPhone 7+ from someone. I am not in a rush, but I am having a tough time deciding between a value purchase vs going all in with the iPhone 8/OLED/Edition/X.

With a value purchase, I am thinking about the LG G6, LG V30 (on sale), HTC U11, Google Pixel XL 2 (on sale). With the LG G6, I see it as an alternative to Samsung. The type of phone I want is something that offers a high caliber screen, good processor, plenty of RAM, longevity for about 2 years, a top caliber camera, a cell phone payment system, strong battery life, facial/iris detection.

You would think I would've been set with the S8+, but nah that didn't happen. I am looking at the LG G6 at possibly a $300-$350 range before I would buy one. It's on the cusp of that considering it dropped to $390 and $400 last month.

Whereas the iPhone is what I desire the most. Spending $850-$1000 is mind numbing. Yes, I sold my S7 for $315 and could sell my SE for $250-$300, but that's still a dent in the wallet. I could wait for T-Mobile to offer a trade in deal where I could see if I can get $300-$400 in a trade in value offer through a bill credit plus getting 8 for $600 or so, thus making the price much more tolerable.

I want the iPhone 8, but my discretionary income would take a huge hit. I will get the latest processor, a "Galaxy caliber" phone with Apple Pay, dual camera system, sufficient RAM, a high caliber 18:9 OLED screen, minimal bezels, longevity with app updates/OS updates, strong battery life, FaceID, and it is something I can use for 2 years comfortably. Idk if I can use the LG G6 for that long. Head says LG G6 when it's more affordable, heart says iPhone.

Thoughts?

S8+ owner here. I am seriously considering the LG V30 for a few reasons.

#1. The S8+ the OLED isn't as Punchy and Vibrant as the Note 5 Can't explained it. Looking to try LGs version of OLED on a phone.
#2. The S8+ while having more screen real estate ends up being smaller than the Note 5 webpages imgur reddit everything when opened defaults to a smaller aspect ratio on the S8+ but on the Note 5 16:9 everything opens up bigger.
#3. The S8+ is skinny and harder to text on the LG V30 will be as wide as the Note 5.
#4. S8+ with its Qualcomm 835 and radio combo gets amazing signal reception and fast LTE Data.
#5. Save the discretionary income my S8+ is just $19.80 for 12 months then I can jump to a new device.
#6. Next year when the IPhone 8 Plus comes out I'm jumping ship back to Apple. The 5.8" IPhone with no bezels or Home Button is just gonna be too small.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

If your heart is set on the iP8, then wait for that and spend a little more. For Apple/iOS, the iP8 is going to be the most drastic change vs incremental hardware upgrades in the Android market. Basically a more satisfying purchase.

Also consider, developers may take time to implement the new biometric features on their iOS apps. And you might be forced to enter passwords for x amount of time, since no Touch ID.

I'm not a huge U11 fan and the G6 will probably be forgotten about once the V30 arrives, plus the V30 will most likely not have that regional fragmentation of features that LG did with the G6. So, if you choose Android, I would go for the V30 or the Pixel 2 XL, leaning stronger towards the Pixel 2 XL.

Personally for myself, I always have to have the latest iPhone, Samsung phone, and another Android phone. So my choices are easier.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

If you want to spend the money and having the latest iPhone is important to you then go for it.

I'm not bothered these days. A new release used to excite me and I'd happily pay for the latest iPhone. My interests have changed now though and I'm happy saving the money, buying an older model and buying something else with the saved money like an Apple Watch. I could afford it, but I get the impression a lot of the marketing is more in line with attracting my money rather than delivering a product that is vastly different. Nothing I've seen in the rumour mill about the iPhone 8 inspired me to spend nearly £1000.

 

[Tsepz]

So I am in the market for a new phone after borrowing an iPhone 7+ from someone. I am not in a rush, but I am having a tough time deciding between a value purchase vs going all in with the iPhone 8/OLED/Edition/X.

With a value purchase, I am thinking about the LG G6, LG V30 (on sale), HTC U11, Google Pixel XL 2 (on sale). With the LG G6, I see it as an alternative to Samsung. The type of phone I want is something that offers a high caliber screen, good processor, plenty of RAM, longevity for about 2 years, a top caliber camera, a cell phone payment system, strong battery life, facial/iris detection.

You would think I would've been set with the S8+, but nah that didn't happen. I am looking at the LG G6 at possibly a $300-$350 range before I would buy one. It's on the cusp of that considering it dropped to $390 and $400 last month.

Whereas the iPhone is what I desire the most. Spending $850-$1000 is mind numbing. Yes, I sold my S7 for $315 and could sell my SE for $250-$300, but that's still a dent in the wallet. I could wait for T-Mobile to offer a trade in deal where I could see if I can get $300-$400 in a trade in value offer through a bill credit plus getting 8 for $600 or so, thus making the price much more tolerable.

I want the iPhone 8, but my discretionary income would take a huge hit. I will get the latest processor, a "Galaxy caliber" phone with Apple Pay, dual camera system, sufficient RAM, a high caliber 18:9 OLED screen, minimal bezels, longevity with app updates/OS updates, strong battery life, FaceID, and it is something I can use for 2 years comfortably. Idk if I can use the LG G6 for that long. Head says LG G6 when it's more affordable, heart says iPhone.

Thoughts?

Wait for the Galaxy Note 8, 6GB RAM, 3330mAh battery, 6.3inch QHD Infinity Display, and SPen Suite.

Samsung's Galaxy Note phones are always the way to go for longevity when looking at Samsungs.

I had my Note 4 from launch day up until end of last year, and it was STILL better than some competing phones in 2016. It had Fast Charging, VR support, QHD Display, Camera with OIS etc.... It was right up there with the best of them.

Samsung always seems to put their very best in their Note range. Even the Note5 is still a damn good phone in 2017, rocking 4GB RAM and Android 7.0 Nougat like 2017 Androids even though its from 2015.

 

[nviz22]

Wait for the Galaxy Note 8, 6GB RAM, 3330mAh battery, 6.3inch QHD Infinity Display, and SPen Suite.

Samsung's Galaxy Note phones are always the way to go for longevity when looking at Samsungs.

I had my Note 4 from launch day up until end of last year, and it was STILL better than some competing phones in 2016. It had Fast Charging, VR support, QHD Display, Camera with OIS etc.... It was right up there with the best of them.

Samsung always seems to put their very best in their Note range. Even the Note5 is still a damn good phone in 2017, rocking 4GB RAM and Android 7.0 Nougat like 2017 Androids even though its from 2015.

I can't use Samsung because their awful customer service experience, lack of updates, and not honoring their promotions properly. The Note 8 is just an even more expensive Galaxy S8+.

 

[nviz22]

If you want to spend the money and having the latest iPhone is important to you then go for it.

I'm not bothered these days. A new release used to excite me and I'd happily pay for the latest iPhone. My interests have changed now though and I'm happy saving the money, buying an older model and buying something else with the saved money like an Apple Watch. I could afford it, but I get the impression a lot of the marketing is more in line with attracting my money rather than delivering a product that is vastly different. Nothing I've seen in the rumour mill about the iPhone 8 inspired me to spend nearly £1000.

Would you go with an Android device instead to avoid aging hardware since phones are designed to deteriorate?

 

[5105973]

If you're looking to get 2 years out of this purchase, might want to wait and see if the IPhone 8 has Touch ID. To me, an iPhone 7 Plus has it all. This one I have now could easily see me through the next two years. If I had a lick of sense I'd skip the so called iPhone 8 and get the refined version that follows. But I'm going to at least try it. I'll be keeping my 7 Plus on case the new iPhone makes a bad impression before the return period is up.

 

[nviz22]

If you're looking to get 2 years out of this purchase, might want to wait and see if the IPhone 8 has Touch ID. To me, an iPhone 7 Plus has it all. This one I have now could easily see me through the next two years. If I had a lick of sense I'd skip the so called iPhone 8 and get the refined version that follows. But I'm going to at least try it. I'll be keeping my 7 Plus on case the new iPhone makes a bad impression before the return period is up.

I think I'll wait because the G6 drops in price as time goes on. I can't use the 7+ long term since it's bulky and lacks bleeding edge tech.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Would you go with an Android device instead to avoid aging hardware since phones are designed to deteriorate?

I prefer iOS to Android. I've got an Apple Watch, iPhone and iPad and like how they all sync. I don't really want to go back to Android as I've seen enough of the problems my friends have had recently. I still don't think it's as refined as iOS.

If the price is too high i'll just do what I did last contract and buy a year old device. I saved over £250 doing that last time around.

 

[Radon87000]

Just get a Pixel 2 once it launches or a One PLus 5 if you cant wait. The iPhone 8 is too expensive for what it is and the Galaxy S8 is about to be superseded by Note 8

 

[5105973]

I think I'll wait because the G6 drops in price as time goes on. I can't use the 7+ long term since it's bulky and lacks bleeding edge tech.

The G6 has a Snapdragon 821 vs the 835 in the S8, though, so it's not bleeding edge. It also has an LCD display vs OLED, which doesn't really make a massive difference to me personally except that OLED gives me more screen on time in Kindle where I can set a dark mode. But some people insist LCD is on its way out. And the onboard storage allotted to US is only 32gb and the trend going forward for starting allotments seems to be 64. I'm not saying the G6 isn't a great choice, I'm just concerned it may not ticking all the boxes on your wish list.

I know you've had some frustrations with Samsung customer service, so make sure you will get timely updates and adequate customer service so that you don't jump from one unsatisfactory customer service experience to another. I've read LG isn't the best with updates, but I read that last year. Things change.

 

[nviz22]

The G6 has a Snapdragon 821 vs the 835 in the S8, though, so it's not bleeding edge. It also has an LCD display vs OLED, which doesn't really make a massive difference to me personally except that OLED gives me more screen on time in Kindle where I can set a dark mode. But some people insist LCD is on its way out. And the onboard storage allotted to US is only 32gb and the trend going forward for starting allotments seems to be 64. I'm not saying the G6 isn't a great choice, I'm just concerned it may not ticking all the boxes on your wish list.

I know you've had some frustrations with Samsung customer service, so make sure you will get timely updates and adequate customer service so that you don't jump from one unsatisfactory customer service experience to another. I've read LG isn't the best with updates, but I read that last year. Things change.

That being said I might as well go iPhone 8 because I know I am getting bleeding edge Apple hardware and the best of iOS. The 821 processor isn't bad, but it is older. I just found out they suck with monthly updates but are somewhat respectable with major OS updates. If FaceID sucks I am not buying the iPhone 8. Going to go LG to save $.

 

[spinedoc77]

I look at it in 2 ways, the first one is applicable to myself:

1) I am really just leasing the phone for 1 year, although I usually pay full price for it I just end up selling it when the newer model comes out. Therefore I see my "lease" as costing me $200-300/year as the depreciation I lose when selling it. I never look at it as if I'm actually spending $1000 on a phone because I will recoup 70-80% of that at the end of the year.

2) If you keep your phones forever then just do the pay to own option all carriers have, eventually it will be paid off and the enjoyment you get from it will easily offset the extra $10/month you will spend.

Personally I had my heart set on an ip8, but lately have questioned that and wouldn't be surprised if I hit the buy button on a 7S plus, or whatever they call it. Losing screen real estate, having the fp sensor on the back, having to deal with whatever crap the function bar ends up being, more expensive, and who knows what "....gate" will come with it. The 7S+ checks off all my marks except the smaller bezels, but oh well.

 

[5105973]

That being said I might as well go iPhone 8 because I know I am getting bleeding edge Apple hardware and the best of iOS. The 821 processor isn't bad, but it is older. I just found out they suck with monthly updates but are somewhat respectable with major OS updates. If FaceID sucks I am not buying the iPhone 8. Going to go LG to save $.

Android Central has just come out with this article about the monthly security updates: https://www.androidcentral.com/android-security-bulletin

Samsung and AT&T are doing a decent job staying current. HTC unlocked was kept current by HTC while I was using it. If LG is not keeping up, I honestly would not touch them.

 

[nviz22]

Android Central has just come out with this article about the monthly security updates: https://www.androidcentral.com/android-security-bulletin

Samsung and AT&T are doing a decent job staying current. HTC unlocked was kept current by HTC while I was using it. If LG is not keeping up, I honestly would not touch them.

I guess it's either you go with the higher frequent monthly patches or you just use a phone and don't care about the little things. My friend who bought my old S7 off me? He doesn't care about the patches nor the new Android O update because the S7 does everything he needs. The lone thing is that the battery life isn't the greatest. It's about 3-4 hrs SOT.

If I go for a cheap device, then I will ignore a lot of the BS that would accompany it. Meaning janky software skins, infrequent device updates (monthly patches, though LG is fast w/ Android N, same with the Android O), and slower processors.

 

[5105973]

I guess it's either you go with the higher frequent monthly patches or you just use a phone and don't care about the little things. My friend who bought my old S7 off me? He doesn't care about the patches nor the new Android O update because the S7 does everything he needs. The lone thing is that the battery life isn't the greatest. It's about 3-4 hrs SOT.

If I go for a cheap device, then I will ignore a lot of the BS that would accompany it. Meaning janky software skins, infrequent device updates (monthly patches, though LG is fast w/ Android N, same with the Android O), and slower processors.

Well I myself don't worry about having the latest version of Android. Like I got lazy and left Marshmallow on my older Samsung's.

But security updates are something I don't think of as a little thing. I admit I was a bit blasé maybe a year ago, but now I've read more about the threats out there and heck, I even updated my generation 2 iPad mini, which I thought I would never do. I thought it would run slow and horrible. But after reading about the vulnerabilities I was leaving myself open to staying on the old 9.3.3, I updated and it runs pretty decently.

LG is not a small potato company. The LG G6 isn't a crap phone, it has been their star offering these past few months. It's a nice piece of hardware. They should support it like it is. If they do, it's truly a great value. If they don't, I'd say that's not getting value for the money to get a phone that leaves you more open to exploits than other phones you could afford.