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Coming From Arc S, Is T A Decent Upgrade?

I guess thread title says it all...
In next few days I'm about to sell my dear Arc S, and I'm undecided between three phones:
Ion, T and V, with T being the most probable option.
Now, this might sound as a newbie question, which I'm not, but I would appreciate as many opinions as I can get.
Regarding choices, I'm in love with Ion's build quality, but on the other hand T and V are more recent phones, and therefore will probably have a bit longer life regarding updates. I love Xperia T design much more than V, but on the other side, removable battery and water resistance, heh...
This is really a tough call.
(Xperia SP was also a choice, but I will rather buy older flagship device than newer mid-ranger).
So, any word will be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I'm from Arc S to TX. After i just bought my TX I feel Wow! don't need to suffer for internal memory and I still remember everytime I jump out from apps to homescreen, it takes time to load the icon and content. Mmm.. So far I'm satisfied with my TX. Nowadays 1GB of ram consider just enough for average user like me so couldn't expect that much on your Xperia T too.

you coming from arc s? so i guess you like the arc design? you want a good relation smartphonesize-displaysize? and a low prize phone (how much in sarajevo? Germany around 270euro) ?
you like flashing custom roms, you like play around? check the forum sections
maybe then go with xperia T (CM Support, PAC Support, some other Port Roms, Miui v5, some stock based Roms, many Mods)
how save is the V waterproof feature? is it necessary to have that?
thats some questions i would ask myself if i want buy a new phone. (by the way theres a guessing around the net XT can maybe get 4.3 directly, skippin 4.2.2, but not 100%sure)
by the way i not have that icon loading problem joonlin write about. it would be a decent update
a little subjective end note from myself:
you want handgasms? then take the T
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I love arc(h) design, that's the main reason I bought Arc S in the first place.
Yes, I care a lot about display size (and bezel size corelation), as I don't want a chocolade in my hands.
The price is basically the same then. It's about 520-540KM in sarajevo, which is about 270 Euros.
Of course the V's water-proof is not a killer feature to me, but removable battery is. Maybe I'm a bit paranoid, I don't know.
Like I said, Xperia T is the most probable option, and I already even ordered Nillkin case for it, from eBay.
I will report in next few days what I have bought. If I decide to go with T, then white one would be my preference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BtXZiVLtWc
maybe video like this help with the paranoid thoughts?
in worst case scenario you can change or let change the battery, also its possible to change backcover (there some shops in internet who sell custom backcovers)
heres a video with ion/T comparison (german, but you can see it in hands then )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_yJnAP9DEk

I'm not afraid of disassembling the phone. I disassembled probably every piece of electronics/phones I ever had.
I just thought it's a bit easier to deal with all kinds of bricking and freezings of phone, when you have a removable battery, but I guess thats's part of paranoia too.
I guess it's clear then. T it's gonna be, 99%.
And one more thing to ask. Some reviews are mentioning that flap covering microSD and microSIM is a bit messy.
Like, once you open it, you never really get to close it ideally again. I guess this is not entirely true?
Aso, based on video comparison above, Ion seems to have a bit brighter display, with better viewing angles. But ok, this is not a dealbraker to me.

I upgraded to the T from the arc (not s). Arc was a awesome phone, with a fast and fluid ui (on gb) and a great camera. Ive used the arc for almost 2 years and i've had my T for 5 months now.
The T is a worthy upgrade, the phone is faster, i like the jellybean firmware and the screen is a big upgrade from arc. Also the 1gb ram is a big relieve since my arc would always run low on ram. The batterylife is also quite a lot better.
When i first got the T i thought it was pretty thick but thats actually kind of nice. The T feels more stable in your hand because of its thickness and rubber back. The arc felt a little fragile (which it wasn't, i must have dropped that phone like a million times and its still alive)
The only thing which is not an upgrade in my opinion is the camera. It's a good camera but the arc camera was simply amazing.
I didnt go for the latest flagship because it was to expensive. My friends have the htc one, xperia z and lumia 920 and this phone doesnt feel outdated compared to those phones. I also think sony has the best looking no nonsense smartphone software.
So yes, upgrade to T
Sent from my LT30p using xda app-developers app

spromper said:
I upgraded to the T from the arc (not s). Arc was a awesome phone... The T is a worthy upgrade, the phone is faster, i like the jellybean firmware and the screen is a big upgrade from arc... The T feels more stable in your hand because of its thickness and rubber back. The arc felt a little fragile... The arc camera was simply amazing.
I didnt go for the latest flagship because it was to expensive... I also think sony has the best looking no nonsense smartphone software.
So yes, upgrade to T...
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This is basically the sum up of my current thoughts too.
Yes, Arc S was an amazing, and beautiful phone before anything else. And yes, it's having a great camera. And yes, it feels fragile, but it's not actually. Back cover is lame quality though.
And yes, the T (and Ion) feels heavier but it's a good thing. And I love T's design also, more than Ion's or V's.
And the same thing, I don't have enough money for Z or ZR now, and if I happen to have, I would question myself about buying Z. It's too big and too slippery, and too fingerprintable for my taste.

mr_torture said:
This is basically the sum up of my current thoughts too.
Yes, Arc S was an amazing, and beautiful phone before anything else. And yes, it's having a great camera. And yes, it feels fragile, but it's not actually. Back cover is lame quality though.
And yes, the T (and Ion) feels heavier but it's a good thing. And I love T's design also, more than Ion's or V's.
And the same thing, I don't have enough money for Z or ZR now, and if I happen to have, I would question myself about buying Z. It's too big and too slippery, and too fingerprintable for my taste.
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Z is pretty awesome, my friend is really liking the waterproof feature. but its pretty big indeed and my friends Z just broke(probably his own fault, he was throwing his phone around while he was drunk). But ive dropped my T quite a few times and i barely have a scratch. If i had to choose again i would take T again with no doubt. Ive seen a lot of people crying about sony and the jb firmwares on this forum but i dont share their opinion at all. Samsung and htc also aren't that good with upgrades. Samsungs arc comparable phone(galaxy s plus) didnt get a ics upgrade, my gf has the plus and shes stuck with some crappy unstable touchwiz firmware.
Sent from my LT30p using xda app-developers app

spromper said:
Ive seen a lot of people crying about sony and the jb firmwares on this forum but i dont share their opinion at all. Samsung and htc also aren't that good with upgrades.
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Heh, as 2011 Xperia flagship user, I'm quite familiar with all kind of whinings, cries, swears to never buy Sony again, etc...
To be honest, I was never obsessed with updates. My priorities were fast, functional, and bug-free firmware, so I spent most of my time with Xperia Arc S using stock GingerBread firmware (rooted and debloated).
But it should be said that ICS update for 2011 Xperia line was quite horrible. Creepy slow and full of bugs.
Now, what I don't get from your post is, why are people still crying about JB here? Isn't Xperia T already provided with JB update?
I didn't have time to read these forums throughly, so I don't know what is the feedback about JB yet, but shouldn't it be better than ICS in every way?

mr_torture said:
Heh, as 2011 Xperia flagship user, I'm quite familiar with all kind of whinings, cries, swears to never buy Sony again, etc...
To be honest, I was never obsessed with updates. My priorities were fast, functional, and bug-free firmware, so I spent most of my time with Xperia Arc S using stock GingerBread firmware (rooted and debloated).
But it should be said that ICS update for 2011 Xperia line was quite horrible. Creepy slow and full of bugs.
Now, what I don't get from your post is, why are people still crying about JB here? Isn't Xperia T already provided with JB update?
I didn't have time to read these forums throughly, so I don't know what is the feedback about JB yet, but shouldn't it be better than ICS in every way?
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Click to collapse
For me everything works great except auto brightness. So for me it is in every way better than ics. But people are whining about batterydrains, slow phones, gaming performance. I havent had any of these problems but i do have to say that i dont use a lot of heavy apps. Mainly whatsapp, chrome, dropbox, 9gag and facebook.
Sent from my LT30p using xda app-developers app

i upgraded from ARC S to XPERIA TX , and am feeling satisfied , TX has the arc design , it has bigger screen than xperia V , check this comparison from the GSM arena website
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4959&idPhone2=4958

I bought it! :victory:
About hour ago I bought my new beastie boy...
My first impressions are... WOW, just WOW!
Display is huge huge improvement over Arc S, in terms of everything. Colors are amazing, as well as sharpness. UI is beautiful too, probably the best Android skin among all big players, at least for me. Also, build quality seems amazing, and it feels rock solid in hands.
Also, JB came out of the box, version 9.1.A.0.489, and also it already popped me with mesage that new update is available, 9.1.A.1.141.
I guess I should update it, it's only 20-something MBs?

since I'am too considering to switch to one of these xperias i'm in doubt whether T is better than V. V's got a 4G support and is kind of weatherproof. it's also got newer chipset and isn't that alone enough for V to work faster that T? though usb otg is not listed among features this chipset natively supports it and I see no reason for it to be not enabled at least in a custom rom. another thing, the price of SP these days is closing down to that of V or T and it might be even better deal to go for with some 50-60 KM's (~$40) of difference between these models. I was considering even Z but decided to put it on hold until that issue with back glass "ungluing" has been resolved. I do not know how serious that is and do not want to become a victim of a pore design and lack of engineering common sense. i like all three models though, and it seems to be a tough choice what to go for.

As phone design plays a huge role in my decisions when purchasing a new phone, this time Xperia T won for obvious reasons (well, at least to me).
I never liked Xperia V design, not on pictures, and not in real when I compare it with T (or with Ion for that matter).
Yes, Xperia SP is having very close price range, to those of T and V, but still it's a mid-ranger, and somehow I would always choose older flagship over newer mid-ranger, with the same/similar price. But it's just me...

mr_torture said:
As phone design plays a huge role in my decisions when purchasing a new phone, this time Xperia T won for obvious reasons (well, at least to me).
I never liked Xperia V design, not on pictures, and not in real when I compare it with T (or with Ion for that matter).
Yes, Xperia SP is having very close price range, to those of T and V, but still it's a mid-ranger, and somehow I would always choose older flagship over newer mid-ranger, with the same/similar price. But it's just me...
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I came from the Arc and got the T, my missus just took delivery of the SP last week. I can catagorically say that the T is a most excellent upgrade to the Arc, but I like the additional items and functionality like the LED bar, slightly sleeker shape of the SP and faster processor. I'd go for the SP in hindsight but would definitely not be disappointed with the T.

Regarding pure aesthetics, I definitely don't regret buying a T and not an SP. Yes, I too like illumination bar of SP, and marginally better hardware specs (what is there to not like about that), but all in all, I think Xperia T is an amazing package, with very affordable price (maybe even underrated compared to some other OEMs devices), and generally an device with much more character to it, than Xperia SP. Like I said, design is beautiful, elegant with some nice accents, and probably the whole world is recognising it as a "Bond phone". While SP is bound to be a mid-ranger for the time being, and will never gain any significant attention probably.
And yeah, T feels rock-solid regarding build quality, something that my last phone, Arc S, was lacking badly (while still being an beautiful device).
Simply, I love my new phone, after merely two days of usage...

Dude, you sound like you're convincing yourself that you made a right choice. Praising a generaly older piece of hardware and crithisizing a new one, just because of your personal affection is not correct. I considered T as well, but opted for SP simply because is a new generation hardware. And even that is to become obsolete quite soon. There are some advantages of T, i agree it's got better camera and more storage, but anyone who want anything resembling a quality photo would go for a real point and shot or even a real dslr device, and storage can be expanded. I already put in a 32gb sdhc clas 10, fast memory with sufficient storage. And design of sp might not be striking, but sure is elegant and atractive. There are those like I am who do not want their phone to look like bannana. No offence ment. It' just personal taste. The rest of the the hardware inside SP is near flagship phones of not just sony, but of sumsung and htc as well. Go and check several tests and reviews, they can't all be wrong. So enjoy your phone but be realistic. While it is a mid-ranger, SP is a device with a lot of potential and if it had 2gb of ram it would be a absolut winner. Still, it has plenty to offer to any kind of user, even the heavy ones, and because being newer generation device it will enjoy longer support, so it was a logical chice for me. While the looks is somewhat conservative it is longlasting, plus i'm not going to take it to bad with me, at least not to make love to it. I'm going to root it and make it do it's job. It is supposed so serve my needs, connectionwise speaking, and it is supposed to do that for some time and i will need that support that SP will have. So good luck andhave a good time
---------- Post added at 06:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:04 PM ----------
And yeah, i'm not getting a hard-on watching bond movies.

skojevac said:
Dude, you sound like you're convincing yourself that you made a right choice. Praising a generaly older piece of hardware and crithisizing a new one, just because of your personal affection is not correct.
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And your reply sounded like...? You made my post very laid back and relaxed alike, with this kind of even more biased reply.
I'm not trying to convince anybody anything. I'm simply telling why I made the choice I made. I could have easily gone with your choice if I wanted to, but I didn't wanted (not couldn't).
And yeah, I'm not "getting hard on" watching Bond movies as well, I even don't like them.
I'm just telling that Bond colored marketing campaign helped this phone being desirable and recognisable piece of hardware, a bit more than an "usual" phone, and that's it.
Take it easy friend... SP is great device as well, I might even suggest it to my friend tonight (who's migrating from iPhone soon).

Thats all subjective reasons to choose a phone, of both of you two. its some sort of personal taste. for me mr_torture taste matches also my personal taste.
I believe noone can choose a phone just from objective point of view. because we humans and not robots
And just because a phone is generaly older piece of hardware, means nothing skojevac. Just wanne say :highfive:
If i would buy a phone with your arguments, then i also would not choose the SP, i wouldnt choose any phone with 1GB Ram.:good:
love the banana
the older, the sweeter ahahahaha

[Q] Sony Z1 vs Nexus 5, Help

Hi all just wanted to have your opinion since most of you are Z1 owners and I'm thinking of buying either the Sony Z1 Compact which just got announced and has the same specs as the Z1 but in a smaller formfactor or the Nexus 5.
I used to have the htc One mini coz it's more suited for one hand use than the htc One but the battery life is simply horrible and not a lot of ROM support.
So I'm asking Z1 users if you recommend the Z1 over the Nexus or vice versa ???
And is Sony updating their devices to the latest Android version or Like Samsung they just slow in pushing updates??????

ironfoxmind said:
Hi all just wanted to have your opinion since most of you are Z1 owners and I'm thinking of buying either the Sony Z1 Compact which just got announced and has the same specs as the Z1 but in a smaller formfactor or the Nexus 5.
I used to have the htc One mini coz it's more suited for one hand use than the htc One but the battery life is simply horrible and not a lot of ROM support.
So I'm asking Z1 users if you recommend the Z1 over the Nexus or vice versa ???
And is Sony updating their devices to the latest Android version or Like Samsung they just slow in pushing updates??????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally bro I'd recommend the z1, it really is a monster Android device which is SUPER smooth and handles anything you can throw at it (software wise), personally I also think it is the better looking of the two. Honestly people have ripped this phone to shreds with saying this and that but at the end of the day (I must be very lucky) mine is perfect and it works like a charm
I think Sony is definitely one of the better manufactures to release timely updates, Samsung are just horrible!!! The z1 is getting KitKat very soon, in a few weeks time so that's awesome! But NO phone on earth can compete with a Nexus device when it comes to the latest and greatest Android release from Google. I really like Nexus for that reason, and also custom firmware support far out shines most (if not) all devices.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to personal preference. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that spec wise, the Nexus 5 doesn't even come close to the z1.
Good luck in your decision :good:
EDIT: Oh I just saw on phonearena that they are pretty similar spec wise.

It's really hard to compare the two because software-wise they may be on the same level, but just about everything else is different. I've owned both the Z1 and the N5 and I plan to get the Z1S the day it comes out.
They're so different because of the size. I truly felt like the Z1 was the size of a "phablet," and yes I hate that term but for lack of a better word, I'll use it. I had trouble fitting the Z1 in my pocket whereas the N5 was a perfect form factor for me. If you're dead set on getting KitKat and the latest updates, Nexus 5 or Moto X are your best choices (Moto X got KitKat before the Nexus 4, which was impressive). I've used the Moto X as my daily driver for a few weeks and have zero complaints. Switching carriers, however, is bringing me back into the market of new phones on T-Mobile.
Anyway, I really suggest trying to go to a Sony store to see the Z1. You're in for a very rude awakening if one-handed use is of utmost priority. I think I have normal-sized hands and the phone felt very large. I owned the G2 as well (which I would HIGHLY recommend you consider) and it was every bit as good as the Sony in every way sans build quality. It's fine, but, it's no Sony! Sony has a truly unique, high-end design. The penalty, however, is the bulk and weight. Also, even though the G2 and Z1 had the same battery size, the G2 lasted WAY longer on a charge for me.
To be honest there is no bad choice and I don't know if I made your decision any easier, but there's my objective thoughts on each of the phones. We're fortunate to have to make these hard decisions because really, you cannot go wrong.
On a final note, I found the battery life to be unacceptable on the N5 which was my reason for return. I also found it had extreme difficulty picking up and keeping a signal in comparison to the Moto X. Sometimes we forget that phones need to, well, work as phones and signal strength is a top priority for me.
Cheers!
-Collin-

Here is my hands on comparison between the two. Maybe that will help you to make up your mind. I would choose the Z1 without a doubt.

Like @NanoSurfer already says: all boils down to personal preference
I was also comparing this 2 devices. I like to have the newest OS, but I also like to have a device that is not only a plastic-bomb. So my preference went to Sony and Z1 because of the design and the specs that alltogether make my decision easy. Sure, 4.4 is out, Nexus devices had it and the number of CustomROMs is not so small. But, when the time comes, we also get 4.4 and with this there would be some other ROMs available.

I didn't see it mentioned anywhere in this thread so I'm bringing it up. The Xperia Z1 Compact is IP58 waterproof (continuous submersion at 1.5m), so on that account you can't really compare the two... and by that I mean that between the top of the line specs in a small form factor, the support for external storage, the premium feel from the Xperia Z1, the far above average developer support from the manufacturer and the waterproofing, I'd certainly have the Xperia Z1 Compact above literally any other smartphone available on the market today.
That said there are obviously pros to the Nexus 5 as well, such as the extreme level of community development going on, the wireless charging and the speedy official updates.
Compared to the Nexus 5 I think the Z1 Compact will have better battery life as well, on account of it having the same amperage battery, slightly slower clock frequency and lower (but still definitely high enough) resolution.
In the end the Z1 Compact is a clear winner in my book.

I share the exact same thoughts. Can't believe I glossed over the water-proofing in my initial comparison
-Collin-

CollinFX45 said:
It's really hard to compare the two because software-wise they may be on the same level, but just about everything else is different. I've owned both the Z1 and the N5 and I plan to get the Z1S the day it comes out.
They're so different because of the size. I truly felt like the Z1 was the size of a "phablet," and yes I hate that term but for lack of a better word, I'll use it. I had trouble fitting the Z1 in my pocket whereas the N5 was a perfect form factor for me. If you're dead set on getting KitKat and the latest updates, Nexus 5 or Moto X are your best choices (Moto X got KitKat before the Nexus 4, which was impressive). I've used the Moto X as my daily driver for a few weeks and have zero complaints. Switching carriers, however, is bringing me back into the market of new phones on T-Mobile.
Anyway, I really suggest trying to go to a Sony store to see the Z1. You're in for a very rude awakening if one-handed use is of utmost priority. I think I have normal-sized hands and the phone felt very large. I owned the G2 as well (which I would HIGHLY recommend you consider) and it was every bit as good as the Sony in every way sans build quality. It's fine, but, it's no Sony! Sony has a truly unique, high-end design. The penalty, however, is the bulk and weight. Also, even though the G2 and Z1 had the same battery size, the G2 lasted WAY longer on a charge for me.
To be honest there is no bad choice and I don't know if I made your decision any easier, but there's my objective thoughts on each of the phones. We're fortunate to have to make these hard decisions because really, you cannot go wrong.
On a final note, I found the battery life to be unacceptable on the N5 which was my reason for return. I also found it had extreme difficulty picking up and keeping a signal in comparison to the Moto X. Sometimes we forget that phones need to, well, work as phones and signal strength is a top priority for me.
Cheers!
-Collin-
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Click to collapse
I've thought about the G2 its an awesome device with a huge battery and fits the hand perfectly but i got turned off by the horrible Android layout of LG and the plastic build quality. plus its more expensive than the Z1 Compact & Nexus 5 at least in my country.
I used to love Sony-Ericsson mobile before the Android era and especially now that they finally announce the Z1 compact which is the Z1S high end specs and not so large for one hand use made it so appealing to me

ironfoxmind said:
I've thought about the G2 its an awesome device with a huge battery and fits the hand perfectly but i got turned off by the horrible Android layout of LG and the plastic build quality. plus its more expensive than the Z1 Compact & Nexus 5 at least in my country.
I used to love Sony-Ericsson mobile before the Android era and especially now that they finally announce the Z1 compact which is the Z1S high end specs and not so large for one hand use made it so appealing to me
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Why do people keep talking about the Z1S? You know it's just the Z1 with T-Mobile support, plastic frame and a larger body right?
EDIT: The Z1S is literally a cheaper-to-manufacture, higher-margain-for-carrier, version of the Z1.

shem2409 said:
Here is my hands on comparison between the two. Maybe that will help you to make up your mind. I would choose the Z1 without a doubt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awesome review

Rekoil said:
Why do people keep talking about the Z1S? You know it's just the Z1 with T-Mobile support, plastic frame and a larger body right?
EDIT: The Z1S is literally a cheaper-to-manufacture, higher-margain-for-carrier, version of the Z1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately that's correct, but the addition of wifi calling is why I have to go with that version. When I step inside my building at work, T-mo drops and I rely on the wifi. The normal Z1 doesn't have it obviously.
I cannot believe they made this BIGGER! I mean, the Z1 is big, but why would this one be bigger? Argh.
-Collin-

[Q] Would you still buy the Z3c today?

Hello from North Carolina, US.
After carrying the Note 2 for two years, I am over the large phone form factor and was considering the Z3c back when it was released. But, I'm on Verizon (CDMA) and it just wasn't a good time to shift to TMobile. My Note 2 died, and I started carrying my wife's old Galaxy S3, which confirmed my preference for a smaller handset. Since my contract with Verizon is over in June, I figured I would carry the S3 until then, see what phones were announced at MWC and make my next phone decision based on that.
Frankly, for my use cases... MWC was MEH.
The S6/edge and HTC One M9 are both lovely phones, but I don't feel like they meet my needs as well as the Z3c. With the Z3c, I love the small form factor, the waterproofiness, the battery and the dedicated shutter button. Also, an S6 with as much storage as the SD card I already own will be hundreds of dollars more expensive than the Z3c.
That said, is it crazy to buy a 6 month old phone? Considering my use cases (primarily utilitarian - music, email, rss, news/weather, social, navigation, camera - no processor intensive games) and considering how surprisingly well the S3 is still running with these use cases at nearly three years old, I am thinking the Z3c may still be a good fit for me. And, I don't want to wait as long as the rumors are saying I would need to wait for the Z4 series (autumn 2015).
What about you, would you still buy the Z3c today? Do you think, based on how I've described my uses, that it would be a good fit for me? Is there another small form factor device I should be considering? Should I suck it up and wait for autumn and the Z4's?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.
Cheers
Jack

JackinNC said:
Hello from North Carolina, US.
After carrying the Note 2 for two years, I am over the large phone form factor and was considering the Z3c back when it was released. But, I'm on Verizon (CDMA) and it just wasn't a good time to shift to TMobile. My Note 2 died, and I started carrying my wife's old Galaxy S3, which confirmed my preference for a smaller handset. Since my contract with Verizon is over in June, I figured I would carry the S3 until then, see what phones were announced at MWC and make my next phone decision based on that.
Frankly, for my use cases... MWC was MEH.
The S6/edge and HTC One M9 are both lovely phones, but I don't feel like they meet my needs as well as the Z3c. With the Z3c, I love the small form factor, the waterproofiness, the battery and the dedicated shutter button. Also, an S6 with as much storage as the SD card I already own will be hundreds of dollars more expensive than the Z3c.
That said, is it crazy to buy a 6 month old phone? Considering my use cases (primarily utilitarian - music, email, rss, news/weather, social, navigation, camera - no processor intensive games) and considering how surprisingly well the S3 is still running with these use cases at nearly three years old, I am thinking the Z3c may still be a good fit for me. And, I don't want to wait as long as the rumors are saying I would need to wait for the Z4 series (autumn 2015).
What about you, would you still buy the Z3c today? Do you think, based on how I've described my uses, that it would be a good fit for me? Is there another small form factor device I should be considering? Should I suck it up and wait for autumn and the Z4's?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.
Cheers
Jack
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For sure I'd still buy the Z3C today.
You're using your wife's S3 which is over 3 years old, so calling a 6 month old phone 'old' is kind of bs (No offense @ all)
As for the Z4, well.... there is no word about a Z4C and based on what Sony previously did, there shouldn't be a Z4C, but a Z5C (if ever).
The Z3C is a great phone, besides the occasional build flaws and bad camera under low light conditions.

That's great feedback, thank you.
Dsteppa said:
You're using your wife's S3 which is over 3 years old, so calling a 6 month old phone 'old' is kind of bs (No offense @ all)
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None taken. The last 5 phones I've bought for myself or my wife have been purchased within 2 weeks of release, sometimes by me standing in line on release day. I buy them early, use them for 2 years when I can contractually upgrade and get a new one and start the cycle over. I typically use a phone for two years and it starts to feel "old" to me at ~18-20 months when a couple new cycles of phones and android versions have been released. My concern is not that the phone is "old" now, rather that, being 6 months old now, it may start to feel old at 12-14 months rather than 18-20.
Btw, I followed your photo link from another post of yours. Like you comments here, your sample photos are really helpful.
Thanks again
Jack

JackinNC said:
That's great feedback, thank you.
None taken. The last 5 phones I've bought for myself or my wife have been purchased within 2 weeks of release, sometimes by me standing in line on release day. I buy them early, use them for 2 years when I can contractually upgrade and get a new one and start the cycle over. I typically use a phone for two years and it starts to feel "old" to me at ~18-20 months when a couple new cycles of phones and android versions have been released. My concern is not that the phone is "old" now, rather that, being 6 months old now, it may start to feel old at 12-14 months rather than 18-20.
Btw, I followed your photo link from another post of yours. Like you comments here, your sample photos are really helpful.
Thanks again
Jack
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Thank you.
Well I don't know, in terms of specs I don't see much changing any time soon, unless all manufacturers decide to make 64bit phones or use a new type of battery that either lasts long and/or charges super fast.
In the end as long as you're doing 'normal' things the phone should be your companion for at least 2 years without you really noticing a difference between your phone and other people's.

Z3 and Z3 compact are best options on android right now.
implying you don't want a phablet.
new phones like GS6 and ONE M9 are cool but you can find a Z3 for 500€/$ and a Z3C for 400, (gs6 and one ~750$)
you'll have same software 5.0.2 with better UI, and better battery, only the camera will be a bit behind but still excellent.
so unless you have money to waste just go for it it's a good deal

I love my z3 compact but if I were to buy a new phone now, I would get the galaxy s6 edge.
The biggest issue I have with the z3c is the speaker. Currently if I am in a semi loud surrounding, I can hardly hear the other person on the line.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

As usual it depends on what you need. Me personally there is no other phone than the Z3c atm. Size/hardware/design... its perfect for me.
So if you're looking for a smaller phone (one hand use) with excellent battery life and fast hardware just go for it there is nothing that comes even close in that department.

I'm very torn right now, I'm frustrated that I would have to use the bloated stock software to get decent camera quality (no barrel distortion and better low light) and that CM12, while it runs decently doesn't support the features locked away by DRM. I'm contemplating reverting back to a Nexus 5...I think my biggest issue would be the camera, I thought it would be superb but in reality it only matches my nexus considering the distortion. And Sony's DRM and bootloader locking nonsense seems ridiculous to me.

zander21510 said:
I'm very torn right now, I'm frustrated that I would have to use the bloated stock software to get decent camera quality (no barrel distortion and better low light) and that CM12, while it runs decently doesn't support the features locked away by DRM. I'm contemplating reverting back to a Nexus 5...I think my biggest issue would be the camera, I thought it would be superb but in reality it only matches my nexus considering the distortion. And Sony's DRM and bootloader locking nonsense seems ridiculous to me.
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you can just root and then debloat.

2mal16 said:
you can just root and then debloat.
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That's easy...the hard part is losing all the customizations. I went to stock 5.0.2 rooted, system R/W support isn't there, I lose all sorts of little features like expanded desktop, quick unlock, navigation customization...

zander21510 said:
That's easy...the hard part is losing all the customizations. I went to stock 5.0.2 rooted, system R/W support isn't there, I lose all sorts of little features like expanded desktop, quick unlock, navigation customization...
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Rw is already fixed though you wont like the process if you want to Stay on locked bl. Those features will be implemented either by Sony or more likely xposed working. Just give it some time

2mal16 said:
Rw is already fixed though you wont like the process if you want to Stay on locked bl. Those features will be implemented either by Sony or more likely xposed working. Just give it some time
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Pretty sure Sony is done with us after this update, minus maybe a couple security patches there won't be any new features. I already tried CM12 for a good month, just couldn't stand the camera and the bugs were a bit too much for a DD. Hoping for xposed and working recoveries on lollipop...that's about all I can do right now.

zander21510 said:
Pretty sure Sony is done with us after this update, minus maybe a couple security patches there won't be any new features. I already tried CM12 for a good month, just couldn't stand the camera and the bugs were a bit too much for a DD. Hoping for xposed and working recoveries on lollipop...that's about all I can do right now.
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Jeah it will Come soon enough, I mean lolli was just released and recoveries,custom Kernels and a working xposed will all make their way on this device sooner or later. Just play the waiting game... again

zander21510 said:
Pretty sure Sony is done with us after this update, minus maybe a couple security patches there won't be any new features. I already tried CM12 for a good month, just couldn't stand the camera and the bugs were a bit too much for a DD. Hoping for xposed and working recoveries on lollipop...that's about all I can do right now.
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Let's see... The Xperia Z that has been released for about 2 years also received the Lollipop update, why would you think that Sony would stop update a phone that's just been out 6 month's. Can you please tell me your logic?
Sent from my D5803

Nice Features
There are some things which are so nice. Most of the new phones arent waterproof. Phones are getting bigger and bigger. But the z3c is smaller but quite good.

I certainly would buy the Z3C again, the biggest gripe I have is the lack of Quality Case choices. Great phone IMO, size, battery, speed and takes above average pictures(Auto mode) and if you take the time to use the manual settings it can take excellent pictures.

So far, Sony Z3C has no real competition. In android world. I just bought one.

Dsteppa said:
Let's see... The Xperia Z that has been released for about 2 years also received the Lollipop update, why would you think that Sony would stop update a phone that's just been out 6 month's. Can you please tell me your logic?
Sent from my D5803
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Click to collapse
Well with the persisting rumors that Sony is either scaling back or dropping their mobile division...I just have a gut feeling.
And I guess I changed my mind. Just ordered a replacement Nexus 5 like my old one. I will miss the size and it is a sharp looking phone, but the broken features that can never be fixed (mostly camera stuff) and the DRM nonsense really turned me off of this phone. I may be an oddball but I just don't like that I'm missing all the little customizations and things on CM12 when I'm on stock, and Xposed will probably only fix about half of those features. Miss Privacy Guard, Quick unlock, all that good stuff. And I just don't like the UI design choices. Plus all the no-name "device reporting" and "anonymous reporting" services running in the background that can't be disabled.
I'm sure in a few months CM12 will have the microphone & other issues ironed out, but what's the point of having a 20MP camera that has distortion and poor image quality that (from what I've read) can never be fixed in an AOSP rom?
I would recommend it to my fiancee that doesn't use her phone for much more than texting and Youtube, but not for a tinkerer like myself.

FOR SURE! Unless you want to wait for a Z4 Compact to even be announced, and then eventually come out, I'd say the Z3 Compact remains the best phone at it's size from anyone, still to this day. The Galaxy S5 Mini just came out recently, and it's a Snapdragon 400! The Z3 Compact has a great, waterproof build, MicroSD, Camera Button, and 801 processor. Nothing else comes close unless you're okay with a leviathan of a phone I love my Z3 Compact and really do not desire a new phone or ever again something larger...

Would definitely still buy again. Just ticks so many boxes that other devices don't (size, speed, battery, microSD, camera). It really has no competition. I'm not sure we'll see a Z4 compact at all - doubt z3 compact is a big seller and with Sony in such a mess, they may just focus on the Z4. If that happens, we're in bad shape for fully spec'd < 5" Android devices. The good news is that the hardware is advancing so slowly now, the z3c will probably be a viable platform for quite awhile.
My Galaxy S4 (two generations old!) still runs CM12 perfectly fine. It's an SD600!

Get the Z3c or wait for the next version (Z5c)?

Hello all,
I'm not very technical, but wanted some advice on my next phone purchase.
Currently have the S6 and hate it. Terrible battery life and miss front facing speakers from my HTC M7. I also want a smaller phone and water resistance is great if I can use my phone in the shower! So... decided on getting the compact.
From my research it sounds like the Z3c successor may not be too far away, but will probably sport a qualcomm 810 chip which I heard overheats and lose magnetic charging (I much prefer this to wireless charging). But a better screen, fingerprint scanner and newer design appeal to me too which I'm sure the Z5c will have.
Can you help me decide whether I should wait or just grab the Z3c now?
Thanks,
Jesus Eats Uranium

hi jesus. one thing to point out, some folk have been having issues with the magentic charger in that its been pulled out of its socket. sony were not repairing them under warranty either. I believe that this was mainly happening to folk with third party super strong mangetic chargers, but I personally wont even risk using the sony one as I do not trust the design. it it breaks you lose waterproofing or have to pay a decent chunk for repair.
as for the rest, well its its hypothetical but a bird in the hand and all that. plus price might be a factor. the z3c is without doubt the best phone I have ever used. as someone who values battery uber alles, its been a joy. plus with a very decent 5.1.1 update just out, there isnt much to not like.

DrEzkimo said:
hi jesus. one thing to point out, some folk have been having issues with the magentic charger in that its been pulled out of its socket. sony were not repairing them under warranty either. I believe that this was mainly happening to folk with third party super strong mangetic chargers, but I personally wont even risk using the sony one as I do not trust the design. it it breaks you lose waterproofing or have to pay a decent chunk for repair.
as for the rest, well its its hypothetical but a bird in the hand and all that. plus price might be a factor. the z3c is without doubt the best phone I have ever used. as someone who values battery uber alles, its been a joy. plus with a very decent 5.1.1 update just out, there isnt much to not like.
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Click to collapse
Can you explain the bird thing?

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. something good now is better than the promise of something better later. you know what your dealing with etc.

DrEzkimo said:
hi jesus. one thing to point out, some folk have been having issues with the magentic charger in that its been pulled out of its socket. sony were not repairing them under warranty either. I believe that this was mainly happening to folk with third party super strong mangetic chargers, but I personally wont even risk using the sony one as I do not trust the design. it it breaks you lose waterproofing or have to pay a decent chunk for repair.
as for the rest, well its its hypothetical but a bird in the hand and all that. plus price might be a factor. the z3c is without doubt the best phone I have ever used. as someone who values battery uber alles, its been a joy. plus with a very decent 5.1.1 update just out, there isnt much to not like.
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Click to collapse
Heya, good points.
On the magnetic charger point -- I've been using Sony's Magnetic charging cable regularly (it's the only way I charge phone) for last ~7 months, no issues so far. Phone make is from Nov '14. So the issue you mentioned must be from early batches or I just got lucky!

Never mind....

PuffDaddy_d said:
At this point in the life-cycle of the Z3C, you're better off waiting for the successor to be released BEFORE making your decision. If you get the phone now, you'll be purchasing a phone that is nearly 2 years old, which is considered outdated in the mobile technology world. Do you realistically see yourself continuing to use a 2 year old device for 2 more years while watching all the new devices being released around you? If the Z5C doesn't have the features you want or the price is simply too high, then you should get a Z3C on the cheap and call it good.
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Click to collapse
Two years old? It was released in September 2014 >.>
Sent from my D5833 using XDA Free mobile app

I'd say get a Z3 Compact and enjoy installing a pre-rooted 5.1.1 on it and immediately have the best, most-compact phone out there, running the most up to date Android. The phone, while less than a year old, is no slouch and still beats newer phones that have come out this year. It's battery life is fantastic and I don't think you'd regret it, especially if you can get one for a decent price. As they renamed the Z4 to be Z3+ in the US with no new compact model, it's not certain when the next compact model will come out, but I think that implies Sony is leaning on the Z3c for a while still.

Sadman Khan said:
Two years old? It was released in September 2014 >.>
Sent from my D5833 using XDA Free mobile app
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Ha - oops. I got WAY ahead of myself here. Good catch.

bofis said:
I'd say get a Z3 Compact and enjoy installing a pre-rooted 5.1.1 on it and immediately have the best, most-compact phone out there, running the most up to date Android. The phone, while less than a year old, is no slouch and still beats newer phones that have come out this year. It's battery life is fantastic and I don't think you'd regret it, especially if you can get one for a decent price. As they renamed the Z4 to be Z3+ in the US with no new compact model, it's not certain when the next compact model will come out, but I think that implies Sony is leaning on the Z3c for a while still.
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Hi, your comment about installing a pre/rooted 5.1.1? Will that allow me to bypass the Exchange PIN that is required and does the root impact the camera quality which I heard as well? Thanks for help
Sadman Khan said:
Two years old? It was released in September 2014 >.>
Sent from my D5833 using XDA Free mobile app
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Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

maddie01 said:
Hi, your comment about installing a pre/rooted 5.1.1? Will that allow me to bypass the Exchange PIN that is required and does the root impact the camera quality which I heard as well? Thanks for help
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
There is now a method for rooting that will not require you to unlock your boot loader, which is what causes the camera quality to crap out. So no worries. Check the sticky in the general forum.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

What will be your next smartphone?

I am exploring options for my next phone. What will be your future pick?
I was looking forward to a new sony device, but I am not blown away with the xperia x. But I guess it is still top of my list.

Guids said:
I am exploring options for my next phone. What will be your future pick?
I was looking forward to a new sony device, but I am not blown away with the xperia x. But I guess it is still top of my list.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably a Z5 compact. The Z5 is cheaper but has the same spec as the X.
Sony have the market on small top spec phones. I like a small phone in my hand, not some massive phablet.
Plus it's waterproof and has all the features. Top audio, noise reduction technologies built in. IPS screen, there aren't any other manufacturers that come close.
But it won't be for another year, hopefully by then there will be some development on it and things like rooting will be easy.

Didgesteve said:
Probably a Z5 compact. The Z5 is cheaper but has the same spec as the X.
Sony have the market on small top spec phones. I like a small phone in my hand, not some massive phablet.
Plus it's waterproof and has all the features. Top audio, noise reduction technologies built in. IPS screen, there aren't any other manufacturers that come close.
But it won't be for another year, hopefully by then there will be some development on it and things like rooting will be easy.
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Yeah unfortunately support on xda is virtually non existent for the z5 (compact). And I do not think it will surge eventually, then it would have happened already. It is also the main reason why I didn't switch earlier. But yeah.. Xda support is really important for me since I like to tweak certain aspects

I am going with the Huawei P9 Plus. It will be a step up from the z3c in a few areas. First off, the P9 has 4gb of ram, so multitasking is easier, and the chipset is a solid foundation as well. The z3c has a higher megapixel camera 20mp vs the 12mp P9 Plus. The P9 Plus is almost an inch bigger in size 4.6 vs 5.5 but I still think that it does not qualify as ( as Didgesteve called it ) a phablet.

Nokia's (the Finnish company) non compete clause expires next month, so in 8 days I believe, I'm waiting to see what they bring to market - I bet it'll be good - they've had years to prepare.

A Galaxy Note 6/7 or a Nexus phone. My biggest priorities are vanilla, lag free, good battery and waterproof. If google makes a nice Nexus that's waterproof and has good battery, lag and vanilla are given. For the Note, I'm not so sure about the UI. But my Z3C has become laggy as of late, even with a factory reset. Constantly at 1.6-1.9 gb memory usage.

Xiaomi Mi 5 is cheap and really rocks!!! :good:

istux said:
Xiaomi Mi 5 is cheap and really rocks!!! :good:
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Definitely not Z5 Compact, I'd rather wait for the Xperia X to have a compact version than buy a phone with barely any support from the community and not to mention Snapdragon 810 Problems

istux said:
Xiaomi Mi 5 is cheap and really rocks!!! :good:
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I ways also looking forward to this. But that video showing that it breaks easily scared me off. The camera is also underwhelming.
I like specs from oneplus 3, but it is just too damn big.

Much as i like the z3c for it's size and specs, my next phone will most likely be a nexus.
While Sony's firmware isn't bad i do miss the variety of 3rd party, AOSP based roms, something that a nexus won't lack thanks to the open bootloader and abundance of developers.
For now, until we know anything about the next Nexus devices, i just hope the PA team will manage to resolve some of the more pressing bugs, a daily-driver aosp MM rom might just keep me around for a bit longer.

Definitely not a Xperia!!

i switched from z3 compact to iphone SE

I went from a HTC Desire to a HTC Sensation, then a Xperia ZR and I have enjoyed my Z3 Compact since October, 2014. I wanted a new Xperia for the summer of 2016, something like the Z6 Compact but the new Xperia X series is not what I wanted.
The only Xperia X I wanted is the X Performance but it has failed to pique my interest. Battery tests look underwhelming compared to the Z3C, the camera isn't up to the other flagships and the price is too high for a smartphone that wont' be released in Europe until July.
So I have jumped ship and went to buy an S7 Edge that features great battery, screen, camera, waterproofing and Material themes so TouchWiz isn't annoying. Maybe the screen is too big at 5.5", but the AMOLED readability in summer is top-notch and the pictures and videos taken are miles better than any other phone camera I tried.
The S7 Edge was 570 euro including the Samsung VR glasses (thanks to Vodafone). The Xperia X Performance hasn't been released yet, but I expect it to cost around 630-650 euro.
Sony has failed me first choosing the SD 810 for the Z5 line and now leaving the Z series aside (Z6 Compact, Z6 and Z6 Premium was what I wanted).
I may return to Sony when they offer something that fills the void of the Z series, not right now with overpriced phones that are released too late.

I get my Nexus 5X tomorrow! YAY! Not the newest device, but almost anything seems to be better to me than any Xperia. I really like the Nexus line. If I hadn't been that misinformed by Sony about being open blabla I would have bought a Nexus instead of an Xperia. Actually using a Z3C, going to sell it as soon as I was finally able to recover DRM with Windows 10 or Linux (Arch). So my Nexus 5X will cost me about 100 Euro. Nice price for a quite decent upgrade of camera and processor (Snapdragon 801 --> Snapdragon 808) and for a device I can fully customize and which got amazing support in FOSS community / XDA.
I think smartphones today are really fast (more than 200 (!!) times faster than my first PC., an Intel 80386. Imagine 200 PCs in your room, haha) and it's not top priority for me to have the fastest device in the whole universe. What counts for me is that the device is fast enough to be ready for daily usage, that I can modify my device to my needs without losing any feature (camera quality, sound quality), not the needs a company wants me to have... and to have a good camera (battery of the Nexus 5X is not the best but acceptable). At first I was quite satisfied with my Z3C but that slowly turned into frustration and anger. It took months to root this unholy device without losing DRM forever (thank God for the dev that finally got it!). Afterwards it was a pain in the ass to do such simple things like rooting it, install recovery (compared to my S3 and Nexus 7; atm trying to recover my DRM for selling this crappy device but ADB won't call SuperSU - wtf?!)... then saw how "good" the open-source output of the so-called developer-friendly company was and I was massively disappointed, to say it in very kind words. Still there is no fully working (--> fisheye) AOSP for Z3 series. Lollipop got fisheye, CM13 for MM is not available yet (LOL?! The only manufacturer left... what a shame) because Sony released first MM working stuff (RIL, camera) in May 2016 afaik) - more than half a year after release of MM. That's what I call developer-friendly... lol. I never gonna buy any Xperia anymore, never in a million years, that's for sure, and try to avoid buying anything made by Sony in general.
Now I'm very glad to get a Nexus (I'm still very satisfied with my Nexus 7 2013 already) because the needs of the user and customizability are top priority and it has a very good cam, which won't produce (reverse) fisheye-pictures when unlocked. I won't need to use stock ROM for this device to be fully working, nor a locked BL and a thousand hacks for stock to be comfortable with (still no dark settings for MM stock, only eye-killing whiteness). Feels like not being in bonds any more...
My brother and my sister-in-law both got the same device (Z3C stock, not rooted) and are very satisfied (for whatever reason... camera on stock with DRM is even worse than on my old Galaxy S3)... so, well. For everyone who still likes Xperia, I wish you the best with that, honestly.
Good riddance, Sony...

is there any phone out there with similar dimensions to the z3 compact? i would like waterproofing as well, but not sure what's out there these days. i have to admit i love the concept rom

tronjojo said:
is there any phone out there with similar dimensions to the z3 compact? i would like waterproofing as well, but not sure what's out there these days. i have to admit i love the concept rom
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Z5 Compact

deniz2694 said:
i switched from z3 compact to iphone SE
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I know a lot of ppl that had made that switch and was satisfied about it

I'm looking for the best smartphone that does not tells itself that the system was been tampered if i root and modify something (Like KNOX or HTC do tell it), because if i want to bring my warranty back, i simply re-flash the firmware and it become unrooted.

No idea. I will be sticking with my Z3c for the foreseeable future.
I recently purchased a Galaxy s6 and was missing my Z3c within a few days. I have also recently used the LG G4 and Nexus 5x. All of these feel like a step down. The Z3c with the MM Slim rom is so fast and fluid and the battery life is ridiculous. The galaxy S6 could kill itself in 12 hours with almost no interaction. Also, it is hard to go back to a phone as large as those. Once you put a case on them, you may as well be using a tablet.

I would go for OnePlus 3 right now, but it's huge, i just don't get the hype for 5.5" screen, that requires your device body to have more than 15cm in size. All of a sudden 5" was not enough so they all had to go for more, not to mention big bezels on top and bottom of the screen even on those 5-5.2" devices.