Phone Recommendations, down to 3

DriversEd

Hi All,

I'm torn between the below three dual sim options, and any help would be appreciated.

HTC U11
OnePlus 5T
Note8

I need a dual sim phone, and would love a dual active phone, but i think they are like hens teeth, most everything in this market seems to be dual standby, or am i wrong?
I'm favouring the Note 8, after seeing a couple of people use the stylus, for taking notes on the fly in meetings, and to annotate photos before sending them onto someone, although its mental money. I need an unlocked version, and have found PhonesOnline.ie have them at 899, whats is that like??

also, as an aside, trying to get info from the manufacturers is just torture...
all three have told me there phones are dual active, and then also, that they are dual standby, and as for trying to buy a samsung here from themselves, or a major store, forget about it, or does someone have a suggestion?
at least with HTC + Oneplus, you can buy direct, unlocked phones, at least i hope thats what they are offering??!!

Mantis Toboggan

Isn't the one plus alot cheaper than the other two?

That's the one I'd be going for.

Is the Note 8 an imported model? Will you have issues with insurance and warranty?

I've owned the U11 and now the Note 8. Note 8 is the better overall phone. All 3 devices are decent, though.

micks_address

Basil3 wrote: »

Is the Note 8 an imported model? Will you have issues with insurance and warranty?

I've owned the U11 and now the Note 8. Note 8 is the better overall phone. All 3 devices are decent, though.

HTC will probably have the best headphone audio. Note probably the best camera, one plus cleanest and fastest implementation of android and should be cheapest

DriversEd

thanks Lads, much appreciated.
the cost, although always an issue, the best fit for me, and the best device is the issue really.
as for whether its imported or not, i'm not sure, as its not stated, but its stated its unlocked and i assume its for use here.

if you don;t mind me asking Basil3, is the note 8, dual standby or dual active, or is your a dual sim device?

DriversEd

And Basil3, i'm going from a HTC one M9, will i think its like carrying around a brick, with the extra size??!!

micks_address

DriversEd wrote: »

thanks Lads, much appreciated.
the cost, although always an issue, the best fit for me, and the best device is the issue really.
as for whether its imported or not, i'm not sure, as its not stated, but its stated its unlocked and i assume its for use here.

if you don;t mind me asking Basil3, is the note 8, dual standby or dual active, or is your a dual sim device?

The one plus is definitely unlocked

DriversEd

thanks Mick

DriversEd

DriversEd wrote: »

thanks Lads, much appreciated.
the cost, although always an issue, the best fit for me, and the best device is the issue really.
as for whether its imported or not, i'm not sure, as its not stated, but its stated its unlocked and i assume its for use here.

if you don;t mind me asking Basil3, is the note 8, dual standby or dual active, or is your a dual sim device?

I only have single SIM.

DriversEd

DriversEd wrote: »

And Basil3, i'm going from a HTC one M9, will i think its like carrying around a brick, with the extra size??!!

I don't think the size is a huge issue. I think the main issue with the note is the length rather than the width.

davo2001

Bare in mind the OnePlus has a 2 yr warranty, the others only have a one year AFAIK.

DriversEd

Length is always the problem Basil...;-)

DriversEd

But you're are happy with the Note8 anyway, a good phone in the round?
I can;t fault the reliability of the HTC, but must admit the Note has taken my fancy, are Samsung reliable, and how is the build quality?

tedpan

What about the LG V30? Absolute brilliant phone, with a class leading camera, audio and SD 835 processor. It's 631euro on eglobal central. Watch a few YouTube videos, definitely my next phone when I have the cash..

micks_address

DriversEd wrote: »

Length is always the problem Basil...;-)

Even the 5 t is long.. You can use the back finger print sensor to pull down notifications which is handy.

davo2001

davo2001 wrote: »

Bare in mind the OnePlus has a 2 yr warranty, the others only have a one year AFAIK.

They all have 2 years

DriversEd

i think they've all gotten bigger again this time around!
LG V30 looks very good also, now you're really confusing me...;-)

the stylus is the thing that most interests me, for the reasons i stated above, and if i go for the note, i hope i'd use it?!

DriversEd

so, has anyone had any dealings with phonesonline.ie then?

randomgar

OnePlus 5T would get my vote, a fantastic phone.

micks_address

DriversEd wrote: »

i think they've all gotten bigger again this time around!
LG V30 looks very good also, now you're really confusing me...;-)

the stylus is the thing that most interests me, for the reasons i stated above, and if i go for the note, i hope i'd use it?!

The LG has quad audio dacs if audio quality is important to you.. The audio quality on the one plus is poor. I bought a dragon fly red external USB dac to use with my sennheiser headphones. Again depends on whether you care about audio. People complain about the quality of the one plus camera.. I find it grand but camera quality isn't my number one priority when choosing a phone.. Screen quality, speed, audio quality, size, camera probably in that order...

DriversEd

anything on the reliability and build quality of the samsung note 8?

Alanstrainor

Oneplus 5T owner here. Fantastic device; blisteringly fast, incredible battery life, great screen and camera. The audio is grand to my ear, definitely no complaints anyway.

Do you find you take notes often? You would probably be best trying to use a Note 8 to see how it feels for taking notes, and anything stylus related. It really does set it apart from the competition.

DriversEd

thanks, i do take a lot of pics an video for work. not masterpieces, not in the media world, just use them a lot, like others i'm sure, for explaining issues related with plant and machinery in work. so thats why the stylus 'might be interesting, as i can make annotations on the pics and videos?!?!

micks_address

DriversEd wrote: »

thanks, i do take a lot of pics an video for work. not masterpieces, not in the media world, just use them a lot, like others i'm sure, for explaining issues related with plant and machinery in work. so thats why the stylus 'might be interesting, as i can make annotations on the pics and videos?!?!

Hmm if it's in good light then the one plus be fine re videos but if low light you might be disappointed.. Samsung probably have the best screen and camera bar the pixel on android. I just hate the Samsung bloatware.. If you really want to add confusion have you thought of a Google pixel 2xl?
Might not have dual sim..

DriversEd

thanks Mick, and its HTC manufactured isn;t it...?
samsung bloatware....now thats something i would not like, can this be removed or turned off?

micks_address

micks_address wrote: »

Hmm if it's in good light then the one plus be fine re videos but if low light you might be disappointed.. Samsung probably have the best screen and camera bar the pixel on android. I just hate the Samsung bloatware.. If you really want to add confusion have you thought of a Google pixel 2xl?
Might not have dual sim..

Isn't it frustrating that no matter how much you want to spend there's no ideal android option?

DriversEd

yes, i totally agree.
and the prices are getting out of hand again too!

micks_address

DriversEd wrote: »

thanks Mick, and its HTC manufactured isn;t it...?
samsung bloatware....now thats something i would not like, can this be removed or turned off?

Some Samsung apps can be disabled.. Not removed. They still run quite a heavy skin on android.. One plus performance is better in use..

DriversEd

do you know if the samsung is reliable, normally? and is the build quality up to what i'd be used to with the HTC's I've had?

micks_address

DriversEd wrote: »

do you know if the samsung is reliable, normally? and is the build quality up to what i'd be used to with the HTC's I've had?

I'd say similar build quality.. A lot of durability will come down to how you end up protecting the phone with a case etc

DriversEd

true, looking at the spigen case. i've always had the otterbox, but they've only one for the note, the biggest one, that has gotten bad reviews. and i don;t want to make this thing any bigger...;-)

sentient_6

Every single phone I would currently consider switching to from my U11 isn't perfect. Which is annoying. Both pixel 2's have odd hardware designs. Note 8 software and fingerprint position would bother me. Huawei mate 10 pro has odd software quirks. Sony xz premium is 64gb internal storage I like 128gb. LG V30+ is currently for sale on adverts.......tempted. But lg are poor for software updates! Argh.

T-Bird

sentient_6 wrote: »

Every single phone I would currently consider switching to from my U11 isn't perfect. Which is annoying. Both pixel 2's have odd hardware designs. Note 8 software and fingerprint position would bother me. Huawei mate 10 pro has odd software quirks. Sony xz premium is 64gb internal storage I like 128gb. LG V30+ is currently for sale on adverts.......tempted. But lg are poor for software updates! Argh.

Sony XZ Premium has external microSDXC support (up to 256GB).
I have had about 15 Android phones. None apart from this one has been current and usually previous years flagship.
I can honestly say that I will not be looking to change this phone for at least 2 years (except if anything far superior comes out in the meantime…).

sentient_6

T-Bird wrote: »

Sony XZ Premium has external microSDXC support (up to 256GB).
I have had about 15 Android phones. None apart from this one has been current and usually previous years flagship.
I can honestly say that I will not be looking to change this phone for at least 2 years (except if anything far superior comes out in the meantime…).

I know ya, but I find the performance of the phone with a large amount of data, in my case music, is better with it stored on the internal storage.

micks_address

T-Bird wrote: »

Sony XZ Premium has external microSDXC support (up to 256GB).
I have had about 15 Android phones. None apart from this one has been current and usually previous years flagship.
I can honestly say that I will not be looking to change this phone for at least 2 years (except if anything far superior comes out in the meantime…).

I generally like Sony but the phones just look like slabs... The square design with large top and bottom bazels just feels lazy

T-Bird

micks_address wrote: »

I generally like Sony but the phones just look like slabs... The square design with large top and bottom bazels just feels lazy

I thought that at first and was one of my concerns. It does seem old fashioned and almost every review slates the design. But it’s a great place for the thumbs when playing a game (like the Razer phone). The likes of the new Samsung’s means that all of the front is taken up and it makes it very awkward for me with my XXL hands anyways. The speakers are also on the front, so that also takes up space.

I for one am glad that they are not (yet) following the rest.

sentient_6

Has the XZ got oreo yet?

T-Bird

sentient_6 wrote: »

Has the XZ got oreo yet?

Yes, they started rolling it out towards end of October and monthly updates since then.

Just want to mention how good the battery life is. Its currently at 44% and not been charged since 7.30am. Prior to this, I have rarely got to 7.00pm before having to charge any of the previous phones.