Help me pick a new cell phone (T-Mobile)

In My Humble Opinion
1

It’s been 22 months and I’m up for an upgrade on Monday. Been reading the reviews and doing research but I’m having a difficult time making a final decision. I’m looking for a relatively high-end 4G Android smartphone with a good ≈4" screen.

Of course I’m going to go to the T-Mobile store next week and try them out first-hand, but I wanted to put it to you guys since the knowledge base is always so good around here, plus you guys will have extensive real-world experience with these devices where the store employees likely won’t.

I like what I’m reading about the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and am leaning toward that at the moment, but for a few bucks more (or less) I could also get a G2x, a MyTouch 4G, or an HTC Sensation. They all have their pros and cons, and I’m certain I don’t at all need this much phone; frankly I’m just going to send a few texts, make a couple of calls every now and then, but mostly look at a bunch of web pages a day and play games on it on the Metro on the way to/from work, but I like the potential of doing a lot more with it.

Recommendations?

2

Don’t know about those specifically but I love love love my Optimus V (I’m with Virgin Mobile). Android is the way to go for sure.

I love that I can check Gas Buddy prices from anywhere, scan bar codes out of the pantry to make instant grocery lists, and look like I’m at work even when I’m not lol.

3

If you’re interested in the potential of doing more…don’t skimp on the phone. The experience of an under powered phone is enough to convince you that you don’t need the extra features. But being able to do stuff smoothly on a good phone can show you that you may want them.
-D/a

4

I have a Galaxy S and love it, I don’t feel an need to upgrade. But of the phones you listed I would reccomend the HTC Sensation, it’s the best of the bunch in terms of specs. Too bad SGS2 isn’t available in the US.

5

The one I want is the HTC Sensation - I want it badly. That is the one I’d choose.

6

Why? What is the deciding factor for you?

7

I have the Samsung Galaxy S 4G - basically, I really like the phone, but the battery is horrible. I have to plug it in every single day to keep it fully charged! That said, it is a fast machine, great photo/video quality and tons of (free) apps that are great. The sound from the built-in speaker is only just OK, but the sound with a headset is excellent (also with external speakers very good).
BTW, I bought mine at Walmart (T-Mobile ready) for about $100 less than the T-Mobile store was charging for that phone. Also, get any other accessories online, or at Radio Shack or wherever - NOT at the T-Mobile store (way over-priced).

Also, my area has a good 4G connection - you might want to check that your home area has that connection as well before you buy the phone - some areas only have 3 G, so you would be wasting some money there. There is a tethering feature that also allows you to use your phone as a direct connect, or wifi, hotspot for your wireless laptop. If you have the 4G connection at your home, it works quite nicely.

8

I’m not in the Smartphone market, but I will tell you two features my dumbphone doesn’t have that the lack of makes me stabby: There’s no “dialer”; the numbers are on the QWERTY keyboard. Which isn’t a problem until you want to dial a number like 1-800-EXAMPLE, and you can’t remember which number the E is usually on! Secondly, there’s no field for address or even note or memo for my contacts, only for phone numbers. So I have a second list of people’s addresses that I have to keep under Notes, not easy to find.

I’m assuming any smartphone will have these features, but you never know. My last, simple slider phone from T-Mobile did both of these, but my neat little Samsung : ) (that I chose because it’s a cheap phone with a QWERTY keyboard) doesn’t. My next upgrade, I’m looking for these features specifically.

9

My SO has an HTC phone that I really like, so it partly the brand. My current phone is a Motorola Cliq and that phone has disappointed me to no end, so no more Motorolas for me.

Pros:

  1. Large screen
  2. Fast processor
  3. 1080p video
  4. 4G capable
  5. Front facing camera
  6. It’s gotten good reviews.

Cons:

  1. It might be too big. I tend to like smaller phones.
  2. No physical keyboard. I know I’ll get used to a touch keyboard, but my text may look screwy for awhile.
10

Since I have the exact same question, how about a bumpity-bump-bump-bump.

I doubt I’m going to be doing real-time video editing, or running protein-folding simulations on my phone, so battery life is a little more important than fancy dual-core speed.

11

This is true of pretty much every smartphone now. Some lower-end ones might go two days, since they have less power-hungry CPU’s, or if you don’t do much with it other than a few calls or texts you can get two days, but with any smartphone (iPhone, Android, Win 7, Blackberry) expect to plug it in every night. There’s really no reason not to, so I never understand why this is an issue with some people. They also charge via USB, so spend $1 and get a second USB cable and keep it at work or something in case you have an extra long phone call, or get bad reception (bad reception is a number 1 battery killer.)

Out of the phones you listed, the HTC Sensation is the best bet. I’ve been hearing some bad things about the LG G2x, and I know the Samsung phones are hit and miss. The big problem with the Galaxy S 4G is two-fold:

  1. The phone is really about a year old…it’s the same hardware as the Galaxy S released last summer, but with a 4G modem. Older CPU (single-core,) and not as much RAM as newer phones.

  2. Samsung sucks with it’s software. They are the slowest to provide updates (most of the Galaxy S line of phones didn’t get Android 2.2 until a few months ago, despite 2.2 being out when the phones were released…none of the US models have an official 2.3 version yet, though Sprint’s (the Epic) has a leaked 2.3 version, but it’s buggy…but all the official OS’s have been buggy from Samsung, so there’s that…)

One thing I’m not sure you know…not all Android phones are equal when it comes to the OS. All carriers put on their own “stuff,” for lack of a better word . Not just apps, but deeply-integrated launchers and ROMs in the core of the OS that can’t be removed and VASTLY affect functionality. Just go to a T-Mobile store, play around with an LG, an HTC, and a Samsung, and you’ll see the differences in how the lock screen works, how the apps are organized, how the contact list, phone dialer, and texting apps work, etc…

That being said, most people prefer the HTC software suite, Sense. And Samsung’s, TouchWiz, battles it out with MotoBlue from Motorola as the worst.

All that being said, are you dead-set on staying with T-Mobile? Obviously, if you go to a new carrier, you’ll get the same “new contract” deals, and IMO, Sprint now only has some of the best Android phones (Nexus S 4G, Evo 3D/4G,) it has the best pricing plan. And it is the only carrier left to offer real unlimited data…although T-Mobile isn’t tiered yet (and with the very real possibility of a merger with AT&T you can bet your ass it will happen,) they do throttle your connection if they feel you’re using ‘too much.’

But if you’re sticking with T-Mobile, as said, another vote for the HTC Sensation.

12

I went to the T-Mobile store the other day and bought the Galaxy S 4G. So far I’m happy with it. I already rooted it and dumped all the bloatware, freeing up a decent amount of space on the internal drive (and making it run better).

I’ve had a Samsung phone before and I’m familiar with their TouchWiz UI; it doesn’t bother me (except for the name which makes me giggle).

I don’t use much data and I’m practically always on Wi-Fi anyway.

Thanks for the input, everyone!