OT: Need a new smart phone. Opinions?

[trooper11 63]

Well there is a whole lineup for Nokia phones, so there is usually a good option regardless of your needs.

 

There is the 1320 which is a nice mid range phone with a 6" screen for $339, but then its a mid range phone whereas the Nexus 5 is packing high end specs for $350. The best budget phone is by far the Nokia 520 (soon to be replaced by the 525) which ranges from $79-$99, but again its an entry level smart phone specs wise.

 

The closest Nokia phones spec wise are the 929 and 1520. Both offer the same high end specs as the Nexus (but with better camera hardware) and are 5" and 6" displays respectively. They will also be much higher than a Nexus 5 unsubsidized ($499 for the 929 and $749 for the 1520)

 

If it comes down to getting an unsubsidized phone, the Nexus 5 is clearly the best bang for your buck. It comes down to what you personally want to use (i.e. OS, features, apps, etc) and if you end up getting an unsubsidized or subsidized phone

[crashkelly 62]

Well there is a whole lineup for Nokia phones, so there is usually a good option regardless of your needs.

 

There is the 1320 which is a nice mid range phone with a 6" screen for $339, but then its a mid range phone whereas the Nexus 5 is packing high end specs for $350. The best budget phone is by far the Nokia 520 (soon to be replaced by the 525) which ranges from $79-$99, but again its an entry level smart phone specs wise.

 

The closest Nokia phones spec wise are the 929 and 1520. Both offer the same high end specs as the Nexus (but with better camera hardware) and are 5" and 6" displays respectively. They will also be much higher than a Nexus 5 unsubsidized ($499 for the 929 and $749 for the 1520)

 

If it comes down to getting an unsubsidized phone, the Nexus 5 is clearly the best bang for your buck. It comes down to what you personally want to use (i.e. OS, features, apps, etc) and if you end up getting an unsubsidized or subsidized phone

 

Hi and thanks for all the info. I do not know if I would say that I am interested in a high-end phone, but I know that with my current phone I was in trouble, memory, cpu, ..., very soon after I bought it, say a year, and was out of space, already finding apps that wouldn't run. That being said, I am not going budget or lower mid-range, although I do appreciate the time you spent to post that info.

 

At this point I am really starting to learn over to the Nexus 5. Still researching things, but the ground swell in this thread when that phone came out could not have made a better statement about that phone.

 

I do think of myself as a computer guy and a techie, but I will also be the first to admit that most of the people on this forum know waaay more than me about this stuff and when that group jumps on something you can be pretty sure it is good

 

Honestly, I could still be swayed either was in terms of OS and that as it has been a good two years since I "played" with my phone. Resigned myself to phoning, texting, and checking email as adding apps just pushed it over the cliff.

 

Cheers and thanks again

[trooper11 63]

Just a little update. The Nokia 1520 is $550 out of contract, not $750.

[Tharnax 49]

One thing to keep in mind is that not all models mentioned are necessarily available in Canada, for example, the Nokia 1520 is not going to be available in Canada anytime soon.

 

Update: Nokia Canada has corroborated what we thought: the Lumia 1520 is not coming to Canada anytime soon. “At this time we have no information on Canadian availability,” says Nokia Canada."

 

Source: http://mobilesyrup.com/2013/10/22/nokia-announces-6-inch-lumia-1520-with-20mp-pureview-camera-and-snapdragon-800/

 

Crashkelly would have to look at sourcing an international unlocked version of the Lumia 1520, which maybe higher then AT&Ts locked non-contract price.

 

EDIT: Here are some windows phones you could buy in Canada through an online distributor which should come unlocked out of the box, just insert the appropriate SIM - Hookbag.ca

Edited November 6, 2013 by Tharnax

[crashkelly 62]

Well I bit the bullet and ordered the 32GB Nexus 5. Shipping is about a month out but that is perfect as I will be in the last month of my contract.

 

I really like the specs on the phone and the fact it is already unlocked. Biggest bonus is that I can now negotiate with a carrier to give me a good plan deal as if they don't I can just go to the next one

 

Thanks to all for the advice and input on this

 

Cheers

[CBers 6771]

Well I bit the bullet and ordered the 32GB Nexus 5. Shipping is about a month out but that is perfect as I will be in the last month of my contract.

 

I really like the specs on the phone and the fact it is already unlocked. Biggest bonus is that I can now negotiate with a carrier to give me a good plan deal as if they don't I can just go to the next one

 

Thanks to all for the advice and input on this

 

Cheers

 

Good choice

 

Could you not just get a SIM-only "contract" ??

 

In the UK a couple of the phone providers do that and it makes it cheaper than having a phone on contract.

 

Just a thought.

[crashkelly 62]

Good choice

 

Could you not just get a SIM-only "contract" ??

 

In the UK a couple of the phone providers do that and it makes it cheaper than having a phone on contract.

 

Just a thought.

 

Not sure, but as far as I know out here in Canada, you are either on a contract or you are not. If you are not that means you bought the phone outright or you are using a phone that you originally got on contract and have now finished your contract and continued on by month-to-month.

 

Essentially the latter is what I will be doing and that will allow me to move carriers if I choose.

 

Will be a new experience but it will be good

 

Cheers