What phone should I get at Verizon this weekend?

[GhengisKhan]

I'm switching from AT&T to Verizon this weekend. Wife wants a Pixel 3XL, son and daughter are going to pick their own, but I'm still unsure of what to get.

My major uses: (in order of importance)
Video recording of skateboarding, and general photography.
Watching videos (YouTube, Netflix, other streaming...)
Playing games (with Bluetooth controller)
Various other things that won't really matter what phone I have.

Requirements:
Android, NOT AN iPhone
Micro SD card slot

Preferences:
Would prefer to not have a notch, but if other points are good enough, I might live with it.
Screen looks good in low brightness.
Stereo speakers would be nice.

 

[TMCM]

It's getting harder to find phones with SD card slots. Imo with as much space as we get on phones today there isn't much of need for them anymore.

 

[exlink]

I personally would wait until the Galaxy S10 releases before making the switch. I think it's supposed to come out very soon.

 

[Aurelius]

Sounds like you're probably leaning into a Galaxy Note 9 or Galaxy S9+, although you might want to get one though a deal if you can... the Galaxy S10 is right around the corner, and it's going to make Samsung's current hardware feel a bit old.

It's a bit of a shame that you ruled out the iPhone, since that's literally the best choice for the use cases you described. Most current Android phones tend not to fare as well in video recording and get the short end of the stick when it comes to gaming.

 

[GhengisKhan]

It's getting harder to find phones with SD card slots. Imo with as much space as we get on phones today there isn't much of need for them anymore.

Doing photos and videos, I usually have to swap SD cards mid session. I have yet to see a phone with more than 500Gb of storage space.

I personally would wait until the Galaxy S10 releases before making the switch. I think it's supposed to come out very soon.

We're going this weekend. I'm not going to keep waiting for the next big release.

Sounds like you're probably leaning into a Galaxy Note 9 or Galaxy S9+, although you might want to get one though a deal if you can... the Galaxy S10 is right around the corner, and it's going to make Samsung's current hardware feel a bit old.

It's a bit of a shame that you ruled out the iPhone, since that's literally the best choice for the use cases you described. Most current Android phones tend not to fare as well in video recording and get the short end of the stick when it comes to gaming.

I hate all things Apple. I'm too cheap to pay an Apple tax for last year's hardware with gimped software.

 

[T4rd]

Doing photos and videos, I usually have to swap SD cards mid session. I have yet to see a phone with more than 500Gb of storage space.

We're going this weekend. I'm not going to keep waiting for the next big release.

I hate all things Apple. I'm too cheap to pay an Apple tax for last year's hardware with gimped software.

I can't imagine how much you'd have to shoot in pics or video to fill a 128+ GB phone in one sitting.. do you use Google photos (unlimited backups for negligibly lower quality photos and videos) or any other backup/sync solution? I unload all my pics/vids from my phone pretty often and have yet to fill my 64 GB phone, but it also gets unlimited backups at original quality (Pixel phone). Probably the closest I've done was recording 4K for 20-30 mins at a time and was still good on storage. I've compared original and compressed pics in the Photos app though and couldn't tell any difference at all on my phone at least even with zooming in.

I generally don't advise waiting for the "next big release" either, but the S10 is literally 3 weeks away (March 8th)... would be kinda foolish to get an S9 now at full price when you can get one cheaper in a few weeks or just get the S10.

But given your criteria and if you have to get them this weekend, the S9/S9+ or Note 9 are really the only phones I would consider. Note 9 comes in 128/512GB variants as well, plus has SD card support. My wife has the Note 9 and it has been fine for her, but she hardly uses a fraction of what it's capable of and the only reason I got it was I could get it half price up front and brand new.

 

[AltTabbins]

Get a real camera.

 

[T4rd]

Get a real camera.

Lol, yeah this too.. if I was anticipating filling my phone up with pics/vids that quickly anywhere, I would have my wife bring her D800 or something. I surely wouldn't be wanting to carry extra micro-SD cards and a SIM ejection tool with me and trying to swap those out at any point.

I've even straight drag and dropped the raw NEF photos into my Google photos page and it auto-converts the 20+ MB NEF raws to "high quality" JPEGs and they still look pretty good. Same with videos from her camera. Then I can instantly view/share them from my phone.. it's a pretty awesome service.

 

[AltTabbins]

I hate all things Apple. I'm too cheap to pay an Apple tax for last year's hardware with gimped software.

This isn’t 2010 anymore. The new Android flagships cost just as much as the new iPhone flagships. Not to mention that “last years” iPhone 8 cpu still beats out anything put out by snapdragon.

I like both Android and IOS but there’s no competition when it comes to video. The iPhone flat out just wins by a pretty big margin. Especially considering they are the only phones that I know of that can record 4K 60fps.

I’m not saying to go buy and iPhone but I’m curious if you have ever used one before. Or if you just hate it because it’s cool to hate Apple.

 

[Aurelius]

I hate all things Apple. I'm too cheap to pay an Apple tax for last year's hardware with gimped software.

It's alright to prefer Android, but really? The iPhone has had a clear performance lead for the past couple of years (to the point where it's usually outperforming next year's Android flagship), and its video recording performance stands out in particular. The main hardware edge Android flagships have now is a higher-resolution display, and maybe pen input if you use it.

 

[Westwood]

From my cold, dead hands.

 

[Dreamerbydesign]

This isn’t 2010 anymore. The new Android flagships cost just as much as the new iPhone flagships. Not to mention that “last years” iPhone 8 cpu still beats out anything put out by snapdragon.

I like both Android and IOS but there’s no competition when it comes to video. The iPhone flat out just wins by a pretty big margin. Especially considering they are the only phones that I know of that can record 4K 60fps.

I’m not saying to go buy and iPhone but I’m curious if you have ever used one before. Or if you just hate it because it’s cool to hate Apple.

Exactly this. Just look up benches. The A12 Bionic cpu in the XS/XS max smokes anything that’s running a android device. Not even close.


I switched to iOS about a year ago. Suddenly a phone with 3 gb or 4 gb of ram doesn’t feel sluggish.

My only complaint is the ecosystem is pretty locked down. But I used android for about 10 years, and I have no regrets.

Oh and did I mention the camera on the XS max is the best on the market?

So a high end iPhone doesn’t have a sd slot. That’s really the only complaint.

You’re already paying $1k+ for a top of the line android flagship. So really this”Apple tax” op speaks of is a thing of the past. 5 years ago I could see that argument.

 

[kirbyrj]

If you're buying an android phone, buy a Pixel 3 or 3XL.

 

[exlink]

If you're buying an android phone, buy a Pixel 3 or 3XL.

If the most important thing he uses his phone for is video recording then I wouldn't go with a Pixel 3. It's an amazing phone for photos, but there are better options for video recording.

 

[kirbyrj]

If the most important thing he uses his phone for is video recording then I wouldn't go with a Pixel 3. It's an amazing phone for photos, but there are better options for video recording.

I think most of the Pixel 3's issues are software fixable (mic being the biggest one which was fixed in the January patch). That's the beauty of the Pixel series. They actually get software updates.

 

[GhengisKhan]

I can't imagine how much you'd have to shoot in pics or video to fill a 128+ GB phone in one sitting.. do you use Google photos (unlimited backups for negligibly lower quality photos and videos) or any other backup/sync solution? I unload all my pics/vids from my phone pretty often and have yet to fill my 64 GB phone, but it also gets unlimited backups at original quality (Pixel phone). Probably the closest I've done was recording 4K for 20-30 mins at a time and was still good on storage. I've compared original and compressed pics in the Photos app though and couldn't tell any difference at all on my phone at least even with zooming in.

I generally don't advise waiting for the "next big release" either, but the S10 is literally 3 weeks away (March 8th)... would be kinda foolish to get an S9 now at full price when you can get one cheaper in a few weeks or just get the S10.

But given your criteria and if you have to get them this weekend, the S9/S9+ or Note 9 are really the only phones I would consider. Note 9 comes in 128/512GB variants as well, plus has SD card support. My wife has the Note 9 and it has been fine for her, but she hardly uses a fraction of what it's capable of and the only reason I got it was I could get it half price up front and brand new.

recording in 4k, 2 or 3 hours worth of footage (in 20-30 min clips) tends to eat up a lot of storage space. And I'm not always in areas with good enough connection for online backup to be an option.

Get a real camera.

When we go street skating, a lot of the time it's not in very nice neighborhoods. I'm not comfortable carrying around a DSLR camera and a bag full of lenses. Especially when you occasionally have to ditch security guards, angry pedestrians, and the occasional police officer. Weight and bulk can be very important.

This isn’t 2010 anymore. The new Android flagships cost just as much as the new iPhone flagships. Not to mention that “last years” iPhone 8 cpu still beats out anything put out by snapdragon.

I like both Android and IOS but there’s no competition when it comes to video. The iPhone flat out just wins by a pretty big margin. Especially considering they are the only phones that I know of that can record 4K 60fps.

I’m not saying to go buy and iPhone but I’m curious if you have ever used one before. Or if you just hate it because it’s cool to hate Apple.

I have been on Android since day one. Not all of the apps I use are available for iPhones, and I don't want to learn how to use an entirely different platform.
I enjoy having a headphone jack.
I just looked, and the iPhones are still more expensive than anything Android (except for the horrible failure RED phone).

If you're buying an android phone, buy a Pixel 3 or 3XL.

My wife wants the XL, and I am seriously considering it for myself.

At this point it's down to 3 phones...

Pixel 3XL
Galaxy S9+
LG V40 (I'm on the V30 now, and really enjoy the wide angle camera)

 

[kirbyrj]

I never use one of the LG V series, but between the Samsung and pixel phones I would choose a pixel. It's not that the Samsung doesn't get updates but at least you know with the pixel you are going to get security updates every month and feature updates for two years (if not longer).

 

[GhengisKhan]

I never use one of the LG V series, but between the Samsung and pixel phones I would choose a pixel. It's not that the Samsung doesn't get updates but at least you know with the pixel you are going to get security updates every month and feature updates for two years (if not longer).

I think you may have swung my choice. I didn't know that about the Pixel phones.

 

[T4rd]

recording in 4k, 2 or 3 hours worth of footage (in 20-30 min clips) tends to eat up a lot of storage space. And I'm not always in areas with good enough connection for online backup to be an option.

When we go street skating, a lot of the time it's not in very nice neighborhoods. I'm not comfortable carrying around a DSLR camera and a bag full of lenses. Especially when you occasionally have to ditch security guards, angry pedestrians, and the occasional police officer. Weight and bulk can be very important.

Sounds like a Go Pro or something like that would be more appropriate for that scenario then; something that can record for hours and not kill your phone's battery or internal storage and do a better job at it as well. But you don't carry all your DSLR lenses with the camera either; just put the strap on the camera and throw it around your neck with whatever kit lens you have that you can use in any setting for that activity. Something like a Sony RX100 could be a good camera to use for that as well since it's much more compact and portable and you don't have to worry about lenses.

If you're dead set on using a phone for recording things for hours at a time though, I'd still say the Pixels are one of the best despite it not being able to do 4K60 (only 4K30) just because no one else can beat their video stabilization, plus their exposure and rapid auto focus is just as good if not better than anyone elses. But keep in mind that some phones like Samsung's will also have a hard time limit on video recordings at 10 mins or 5 mins for 4K60 because they start overheating at that point (again - another reason to get a real camera if you're recording a lot). I'm pretty sure I've recorded for longer than that a couple times on my Pixel 2 XL, but the phone (and any other phone) gets pretty damn warm when you do that and it absolutely kills the battery.

Samsung phones have gotten pretty good with security updates as well though if you're concerned about that, they're just slow with OS updates. But the spare almost-3 year old GS7 we have just got a security update last month and my wife's Note 9 has been getting monthly security updates as well. Samsung may skip a month here or there too though and they're still not quite as consistent as the monthly updates Pixels get on the first Monday of every month.

 

[CHANG3D]

For your use case, have you thought about an action camera? GoPro Hero 7 and DJI Osmo Pocket are the two best IMHO. But you could also go cheap but reliable like a Yi 4K+ or something from AKASO.

While I would only recommend the Pixel 3 out of your limited options, I would also like to point this out:

The Pixel 3 does not have MicroSD.
The Pixel 3 does not have headphone jack. The iPhone XR is the same price as a Pixel 3.
And iPhone XR also has the best video quality compared to all of your options.

Luckily we can fix the lack of MicroSD with an USB-C storage stick (which also exists in lightning form too). The headphone jack is on the LG flagships are good because they have a good audio DAC, but for the rest just move on. The 3.5mm analog jack is dead. As for your hate for Apple, I think you ought to try it for a bit.

 

[EniGmA1987]

I hate all things Apple. I'm too cheap to pay an Apple tax for last year's hardware with gimped software.

Then you are too cheap for Samsung tax too, it is even worse than Apple's is. At least Apple has nice, custom designed SoCs and nicely calibrated hardware and their own software development. Samsung just uses generic hardware developed by Qualcomm and most of the OS work is done by Google for them. Then they have the gall to charge the sqame $950-1000 that Apple does when they didnt even do anything. And especially right now, it is already lasty years hardware. The S10 is right around the corner (pre orders next week for release in 3 weeks), so anything gen 9 is last gen.
Though I too hate most things Apple. I actually like many Samsung things, especially their displays and SSDs. It is really just their smnartphones that I really hate

 

[blade12]

I think most of the Pixel 3's issues are software fixable (mic being the biggest one which was fixed in the January patch). That's the beauty of the Pixel series. They actually get software updates.

Aren't there hardware issues too? Especially with the LG screen on pixel 3 (non-XL version). I came across lots of posts of people complaining and it made me bit nervous about going for pixel 3. As for XL version, I don't feel the XL is worth $150 more tbh, but the Samsung screen on it is certainly better.

 

[T4rd]

Aren't there hardware issues too? Especially with the LG screen on pixel 3 (non-XL version). I came across lots of posts of people complaining and it made me bit nervous about going for pixel 3. As for XL version, I don't feel the XL is worth $150 more tbh, but the Samsung screen on it is certainly better.

Haven't seen any reported display issues about the Pixel 3, just that it's made by LG. There were with the Pixel 2 XL's LG panel last year, but they were mostly fixed after the first couple months of production (at least my 2 XL's display is good and doesn't have the blue shift issue and looks good even next to my wife's Note 9).

The 3 XL is only $100 more than the 3 too; $800 vs $900. Compared to $650 and $850 prices of the 2 and 2 XL, they weren't much of an upgrade at all and yet they still charged more for them for some reason.

 

[GhengisKhan]

How many times do I have to say "no Apple", and this is not a camera discussion thread? I already own a DSLR, 2 GoPros, and a point-and-shoot. I'm getting a phone, and wanted suggestions for that. This is worse than a video card thread...