Alternatives to the V²

[Cullenator]

Welp, my phone is now randomly shutting down on me. I could reflash it to see if that helps but... I'm so tired of fixing this darn phone.

The G4 was too expensive (and not released in Canada), so I ended up buying an LG G3 Cat.6 on eBay. I got that version because I wanted the Snapdragon 805 over the 801 (even though the 805 is apparently only marginally better than the 801).

I thought about this after buying, but I bet custom ROM support will be more limited for my model, but I'm used to that with my Canadian S3. Plus I might stick with stock for a while and see how it goes. I've never owned an LG phone before.

Good luck to everyone else!

 

[vikramkhalsa]

One plus one is on sale.. its old now but can still stand on its own. I'm considering it but really don't like the size..

 

[shaxs]

One plus one is on sale.. its old now but can still stand on its own. I'm considering it but really don't like the size..

That and the quality assurance issues you read all over in the one plus one.

 

[hella356]

I went ahead and ordered a plastic-back T-Mobile LG G4 today. The replaceable SD/battery was the main thing, but getting a free 128GB SD from TMo with no $ down + extra battery, external charger, & 32GB SD from LG were the clinchers. I can't wait around on the Saygus anymore. There's a 20 day buyer's remorse period for me to see if I can deal with the dimensions, no hard home or capacitive buttons, LG UI, etc. This is the earliest in the cycle I've ever bought a phone, so hopefully root, custom ROMs, etc. will be available within that time frame. I rooted and installed a custom ROM on my previous S2 & S4 phones immediately, but unfortunately I won't have that option this time.

If the S6 had replaceable SD/battery, I would have ordered the 128GB version instead of the G4, however.

 

[vertigo_2_20]

I went ahead and ordered a plastic-back T-Mobile LG G4 today. The replaceable SD/battery was the main thing, but getting a free 128GB SD from TMo with no $ down + extra battery, external charger, & 32GB SD from LG were the clinchers. I can't wait around on the Saygus anymore. There's a 20 day buyer's remorse period for me to see if I can deal with the dimensions, no hard home or capacitive buttons, LG UI, etc. This is the earliest in the cycle I've ever bought a phone, so hopefully root, custom ROMs, etc. will be available within that time frame. I rooted and installed a custom ROM on my previous S2 & S4 phones immediately, but unfortunately I won't have that option this time.

If the S6 had replaceable SD/battery, I would have ordered the 128GB version instead of the G4, however.

Main thing holding me back on the G4 is battery life. While I appreciate being able to swap out the battery, I don't want the trade-off to be that you pretty much have to in order to get through the day. While battery testing is always going to vary, and YMMV, most tests are showing that similar to the G3, the G4 doesn't last very long. Probably why they're throwing in that extra battery for free. The other issue with the G4 is that it's still not at the carriers, so I can't get hands on with it to see if I like it or hate it.

I've been considering the Note 4, but I played with one today and there's no way. It's just too big. Which means the G4 probably would be, too, since it's only a little smaller, and I can't imagine the curve makes that much of a difference.

 

[hella356]

I handled a G3, which was pushing the limits in terms of size. The G4 is a little bigger, but hopefully will be OK, as the size is my biggest worry. My 2 year old S4 battery is still generally sufficient during a day, so hopefully the LG will be an improvement. Tough to compare the S4 with custom ROM to a stock device, but I'll find out starting next week.

 

[shaxs]

I got my used G3 yesterday. I replaced the missing back camera lense with a new one in 2 minutes. Easy. Other than that, it is in GREAT shape. It was manufactured in March 2015.....so it is 3 months old! It was a little difficult to root and install a custom recovery, but I got it done no problem. For $200, I am pretty happy! Still wish it was smaller, but it should be okay.

 

[alagga]

I think the only real alternative for the V² is the Fujitsu Arrows NX F-04G.

But I think I'll wait for the real Z4 (not Z3+), since it will get waterproof without these silly caps on all ports

 

[vertigo_2_20]

I think the only real alternative for the V² is the Fujitsu Arrows NX F-04G.

But I think I'll wait for the real Z4 (not Z3+), since it will get waterproof without these silly caps on all ports

That's in fact one of the changes with the Z3+ that people seem to ignore. It lost the USB cap yet maintained the water-resistance (not waterproof) rating. That to me is a big deal, as I know I would get very annoyed with having to take that off every time I wanted to charge then plug it back in after. Still, it would have been nice if they changed things a bit more, and more importantly, would get more presence in the U.S. market. That more than anything is what's going to keep me from getting the Z3+, the fact it'll likely be all but impossible to get for months.

 

[Sam K]

The just announce ZTE Nubia Z9 might be another alternative but unfortunately it doesn't have a microSD card slot, removable battery or water resistance. It has a 5.2" 1080p resolution screen with no side bezels, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 3gb or 4gb of RAM depending on the model, 32gb or 64gb RAM depending on the model, 16-megapixel rear camera using Sony's IMX234 sensor, optical image stabilization and 8-megapixel front facing camera. The "Exclusive" version includes a fingerprint sensor.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/The-bezel-less-ZTE-Nubia-Z9-is-headed-to-the-U.S.-market_id70087

If the Sony Xperia Z3+ just had the Sony IMX234 sensor with optical image stabilization then it would be a great alternative to the Saygus but unfortunately put an older sensor in the Z3+.

 

[shaxs]

The just announce ZTE Nubia Z9 might be another alternative but unfortunately it doesn't have a microSD card slot, removable battery or water resistance. It has a 5.2" 1080p resolution screen with no side bezels, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 3gb or 4gb of RAM depending on the model, 32gb or 64gb RAM depending on the model, 16-megapixel rear camera using Sony's IMX234 sensor, optical image stabilization and 8-megapixel front facing camera. The "Exclusive" version includes a fingerprint sensor.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/The-bezel-less-ZTE-Nubia-Z9-is-headed-to-the-U.S.-market_id70087

If the Sony Xperia Z3+ just had the Sony IMX234 sensor with optical image stabilization then it would be a great alternative to the Saygus but unfortunately put an older sensor in the Z3+.

An interesting option to be sure. Seems a little expensive though.

 

[Cullenator]

LG G3 Cat. 6

I've been using my new LG G3 Cat.6 which I found on eBay for a very reasonable price and have found it a very nice phone. Here's a few quick points about it:

• I thought the size might be too big, but after a week, I've found it still fits in the pocket quite well without any more bulge than my S3 did with the case. I can also use it with one hand just fine.
• Since the phone (the Cat6 LTE-A variant) was only released in the Korean market, it came with lots of Korean bloatware preinstalled. More on that later.
• Be sure to double check with your service provider to see if the phone has the correct network bands. While no provider in Canada has LTE-A in my area, I can get 4G LTE with certain providers, but with some I can only get 3G. Not sure if this is true in the US or other parts of the world.
• Rooting is EXTREMELY easy with the LG G3 One Click Root tool here on XDA. Unfortunately, custom recovery and ROM options are pretty limited for this model, and finding them is also difficult if you can't read Korean or Vietnamese. However, there are at least 2 ROMs that I have been able to find for this phone. CloudyCat6, a Lollipop ROM that allegedly has stability issues and is no longer maintained, and SphinX. I've been happily using the SphinX KitKat ROM, which is basically the same as stock, just without all the Korean bloatware. I don't really have a compelling reason to find a stable Lollipop ROM, but I'm sure this would bother some people.
• The reason I bought this phone was the solid performance of the Snapdragon 805, and I wasn't disappointed. I haven't really experienced any lag on this phone, even with games.
• The QuadHD screen is gorgeous, but I could just as easily live with a 1080p screen for better battery performance. Not to say the battery's bad on this phone. I can make it through a full day of moderate use without needing to plug it in, which is all I really need. I think I will get another battery and external charger for traveling, though.

Overall, I'm quite happy I bought this phone, and don't feel any regrets for not waiting for Saygus to make the V² (Or is it the V” now?)

Good luck to everyone waiting for their chosen phone. If you can't wait any longer, I'd recommend looking for an LG G3 Cat. 6 at a decent price on eBay. It's beautiful and works perfectly for my needs.

 

[redeyss]

Picked up new black leather lg g4 on swappa for $510. What a smoking deal! C'mon Saygus, give me a reason to sell it!!

 

[Cullenator]

Picked up new black leather lg g4 on swappa for $510. What a smoking deal! C'mon Saygus, give me a reason to sell it!!

Wow, that IS an incredible deal! Congratulations on that... I personally doubt you'll end up selling it, but would love to hear about it if you end up doing that.

 

[hella356]

I got the LG G4, but it's just too big for my liking & I don't like the button layout & soft keys. Returning it & will probably just give in & get a 128GB S6 when T-Mobile drops the price a bit more.

 

[Sam K]

It looks like half of the rumors for the Galaxy S6 Active turned out to be true. It will have a 3500 mAh battery not 2550. However with only 32gb of storage and no microSD slot there won't be much room to store apps, music, pics and videos.

http://www.droid-life.com/2015/06/0...amsung-galaxy-s6-active-with-3500mah-battery/

This was almost going to be a good alternative.

Sent from my SM-G386T using XDA Free mobile app

 

[redeyss]

Wow, that IS an incredible deal! Congratulations on that... I personally doubt you'll end up selling it, but would love to hear about it if you end up doing that.

Yeah, well it hasn't shipped yet, though I'm not too worried that it's not going to happen. It's a bigger phone but that camera... gotta have it! Wonder if Saygus can pull off the camera experience, seems tricky even for Sony themselves.

 

[vertigo_2_20]

It looks like half of the rumors for the Galaxy S6 Active turned out to be true. It will have a 3500 mAh battery not 2550. However with only 32gb of storage and no microSD slot there won't be much room to store apps, music, pics and videos.

http://www.droid-life.com/2015/06/0...amsung-galaxy-s6-active-with-3500mah-battery/

This was almost going to be a good alternative.

Sent from my SM-G386T using XDA Free mobile app

It's funny because yesterday I bought an unlocked M8 for $240, and today I was wondering if I should have waited for the S6 Active. Guess that answers that question. I have a feeling the S4 is going to end up being the one and only Samsung phone I'll ever own. Anyways, the M8 should be good enough to hold me over until the Fall lineup, hopefully there'll be something worthwhile there.

 

[kevin6876]

Since the Saygus seems to be up in smoke?

I cancelled my Saygus pre order on 5/20 and was refunded my money. So coming from a ZTE Z998, which hads't been too bad of a smart phone, the biggest thing is it has 4G LTE, so data speeds are great, but aside from that it's just good for phone + text, web and that's about it.

I pulled the trigger on an Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3. It should be in my hands tomorrow.

I know I've made some compromises, as compared to Saygus, but as I looked back I said to myself I really don't need to be paying $550 for a phone, especially coming from an $85 ZTE.

So I compromised with something in the middle. It was a toss up between the Idol 3 and the Asus Zenfone 2. Something about the Zenfone I just couldn't by it. The Idol with the front facing speakers, good screen brightness and stock android skin just appealed to me.

I'll let you know how it is.

Good luck to those hanging in there with Saygus.

 

[Cullenator]

Gionee Elife E8

So I wasn't planning on posting here now that I've found my next phone, but for those still thinking about V2 alternatives, this one looks pretty close in specs to the V2: the Gionee Elife E8.

24 MP camera with OIS
3 GB of RAM
64GB internal storage PLUS external SD slot
3500 mAH battery...
...Did they just copy Saygus' spec sheet? lol!

My only (kinda) criticism of the phone would be the MediaTek chipset, but hey, at least it's not the Snapdragon 810. My tablet that I've had for a few years now (ASUS MemoPad HD 7) has a MediaTek chipset, and it isn't too bad of a device at all as far as performance goes. I've never tried any custom ROMs on it yet though.

It's also a 6-in screen, but the bezel looks quite thin, so it might not be too bulky.

It probably wouldn't be the phone for me, but it's great that more storage and bigger batteries are becoming more desirable in the market.