Phones Off the Fence!!

[Wrathwitch]

Man was I tempted to buy the new upcoming iPhone X. I REALLY wanted it solely for the new cellular iWatch tbh.

I waffled over the less than impressive specs that the new iPhones (8 series), realizing that Apple really does well with their software/hardware and app balance. I wasn't too willing to wait to the possible next spring if the demand for the X is really going to be that constrained so I really researched the poop out of the 8+ to see if I would be willing to settle for the lack of customization and the stale design (my opinion).

What tipped me over to my Note 8 which I picked up this weekend was this (in bullet form):

1) In Canada at least, Bell and Telus have improved their network speeds to aprx 750mbps (striving for Gigabit LTE). At least in the major cities at this time.

2) Apple deals with both Qualcomm and Intel for their modem chipset. Intel chips do not have the capacity for GB LTE. The closest they can reach is 600 mbps. (already 150 mbps less than the existing carrier upgrade). Some iPhones have Qualcomm chips which have the ABILITY to work and achieve GB LTE speeds if your carrier can manage it.

3) Apple has crippled the features on the Qualcomm chip to match that of the Intel chip (currently a lawsuit going on regarding this). So when they release the phones next year (Intel has a GB LTE chip in the works but not ready for release at this time). Your new phone, should you have bought one, will be unable to achieve the carrier max speed should it exceed 600 mbps!

4) Apple would not activate these chips because the uproar between the carriers that carry the Qualcomm chips vs the Intel chips would be insane!

5) after researching the chipsets sold on the 8 and 8 Plus in Canada for the Bell and Telus Carriers (basically CDMA not supported which is one of the requirements on the chipset to make the GB LTE work), as well as specific antenna types) are NOT the Qualcomm chips.

6) S8, S8+, and Note 8 support GB LTE out of the gate.

For myself I could NOT justify spending that much money on a phone that is crippled, for a watch that may or may not have connectivity issues (hardware or software yet undetermined), as well as what I feel is a risk that the design of the current iPX is merely a beta product for Apple, I couldn't do it...

I know some people don't really care about reaching max download speeds with their device as long as it is fast enough for them, and no biggie, but for me, it is like buying already obsolete tech for an INSANE price! ($1778.00 in Canada for the 256.

That being said, I am LOVING this phone it is a BEAST and I am a customization addict!

The Garmin Vivoactive 3 looks amazing and while not as elegant and bells and whistles as iWatch, I think it will serve my fitness needs!

Good luck to everyone and may the odds ever be in your favour!

 

[Wrathwitch]

You will be back on once the bog downs/lag, re starts get to you.

This I find troll bait, but I will nibble....

Firstly, my Note 4 is just as snappy and quick as it has always been. I literally had NO valid reason to upgrade other than "I want".

Secondly, I have had the S3, S4, Note 4 and now the Note 8 and not once have I ever said to myself ... wow this feels slow, laggy and crappy.

I do however, have at least 3 friends that were forced to have to buy a new iPad, and iPhone because the update for the iOS on their devices, bricked or practically rendered useless their device that was about 3 years old or less. Ironically, they were unable to roll back the device to make it work.

I also have my mom, who right now tells me that she has to buy a new iPad because it is really slow, laggy, sometimes cuts out or that there is not software support for it any more (the apps). I have advised her not to update the OS past 3 years of use on any Apple product, the updates are generally too hard on the pre-existing software.

 

[Yankee512]

You will be back on once the bog downs/lag, re starts get to you.

Won't happen. iPhones lag, and crash too.

 

[Tig Bitties]

You will be back on once the bog downs/lag, re starts get to you.

Not on a Nexus / Pixel.

Yeah on Samsung's Lagwiz but not stock Android

 

[BlueGoldAce]

Not on a Nexus / Pixel.

Yeah on Samsung's Lagwiz but not stock Android

Except if you check out xda recent article on the note 8....they praise it. No longer “lag fest” or whatever you call it.

You have to adjust to the present time. I am selling my note 8....but it’s a great device with not lag. Name a phone, I’ve most likely owned it. The note 8 was top of the line performance wise.


I prefer my iPhone 8plus, Apple Watch combo. But that has as much to do with the environment I work in as the phone itself.

 

[Septembersrain]

I care about this too. Since experiencing my problems with the Intel modem in my 7 Plus, I've decided that my next device will be an Android.

I'm not knee jerk reacting either as I currently use a Note 3 for my media and I started with Android. So I'm just going back to what I used to have.

Now it's boiling down to the Note 8 or the V30. I'm just waiting to see the V30 in person before I make a move.

Apple has frustrated me with the way they cripple supplier components to match the inferior ones they buy.

I've heard Apple will be trying to make their own components in the future, so we shall see how that turns out.

 

[Yankee512]

Not on a Nexus / Pixel.

Yeah on Samsung's Lagwiz but not stock Android

Note 8 performance is so good I doubt it will ever slow down.

 

[Oohara]

Man was I tempted to buy the new upcoming iPhone X. I REALLY wanted it solely for the new cellular iWatch tbh.

I waffled over the less than impressive specs that the new iPhones (8 series), realizing that Apple really does well with their software/hardware and app balance. I wasn't too willing to wait to the possible next spring if the demand for the X is really going to be that constrained so I really researched the poop out of the 8+ to see if I would be willing to settle for the lack of customization and the stale design (my opinion).

What tipped me over to my Note 8 which I picked up this weekend was this (in bullet form):

1) In Canada at least, Bell and Telus have improved their network speeds to aprx 750mbps (striving for Gigabit LTE). At least in the major cities at this time.

2) Apple deals with both Qualcomm and Intel for their modem chipset. Intel chips do not have the capacity for GB LTE. The closest they can reach is 600 mbps. (already 150 mbps less than the existing carrier upgrade). Some iPhones have Qualcomm chips which have the ABILITY to work and achieve GB LTE speeds if your carrier can manage it.

3) Apple has crippled the features on the Qualcomm chip to match that of the Intel chip (currently a lawsuit going on regarding this). So when they release the phones next year (Intel has a GB LTE chip in the works but not ready for release at this time). Your new phone, should you have bought one, will be unable to achieve the carrier max speed should it exceed 600 mbps!

4) Apple would not activate these chips because the uproar between the carriers that carry the Qualcomm chips vs the Intel chips would be insane!

5) after researching the chipsets sold on the 8 and 8 Plus in Canada for the Bell and Telus Carriers (basically CDMA not supported which is one of the requirements on the chipset to make the GB LTE work), as well as specific antenna types) are NOT the Qualcomm chips.

6) S8, S8+, and Note 8 support GB LTE out of the gate.

For myself I could NOT justify spending that much money on a phone that is crippled, for a watch that may or may not have connectivity issues (hardware or software yet undetermined), as well as what I feel is a risk that the design of the current iPX is merely a beta product for Apple, I couldn't do it...

I know some people don't really care about reaching max download speeds with their device as long as it is fast enough for them, and no biggie, but for me, it is like buying already obsolete tech for an INSANE price! ($1778.00 in Canada for the 256.

That being said, I am LOVING this phone it is a BEAST and I am a customization addict!

The Garmin Vivoactive 3 looks amazing and while not as elegant and bells and whistles as iWatch, I think it will serve my fitness needs!

Good luck to everyone and may the odds ever be in your favour!

I hear ya about the cellular Apple Watch. Dying to get one myself... But I'm pretty much decided to get a Note 8 now. Might follow spinedoc77 in his experiment and activate my old 5s just so I can use the AW alongside the Note. I might try a Samsung watch, but I'm really not that keen on round watches and I love the AW design. Funny thing is it (gray/black at least) matches the Note 8 perfectly...!

 

[convergent]

I did the jump to a Note 8 this past weekend too, coming from iPhone 6S+ and original gen Apple Watch. I have had the watch on my wrist for 2 years, minus when sleeping. I was most worried about losing the watch. I was surprised that AT&T had a deal for the Gear S3 at $49 with a Samsung phone. I figured what the heck and bought it. I have to tell you that I love this watch. Minus two areas - complications and 3rd party apps, the Gear S3 to me is a much better watch... here are the things I like:

• It looks like a real watch... seriously, lets admit the AW is so ugly that its cool, but only because its Apple
• The rotating dial for navigation is way better than a crown and swiping, particularly with sweaty hands in the gym
• The UI on the Gear S3 is way more intuitive and easier to use (to me)
• I thought the round screen would lose a lot, but it really doesn't. Most apps touch controls in the curved edges and you need to scroll anything lengthy anyway
• Its super fast and bright
• Has great battery life... I leave it on to sleep and just hit it on the charger for an hour when I get to my desk in the morning.
• The Samsung Health and Workout apps are great, and again more intuitive than AW. For example it tracks your sleep if you just leave it on... no actions required. If you start running or doing a workout, it figures out that is what you are doing.
• You can use a keyboard to reply to texts or emails instead of talking to Siri.
• You can only do this with Spotify (which I'm going to switch to from Apple Music) - stream or download music. I downloaded my workout playlists, paired my earbuds, and did the trip to the gym minus my phone for the first time. Even sent a few texts while there. I realize the latest AW can do this too.
• Watch faces... thousands and thousands of them. Apple is just stubborn on this one.
• Better mobile payment support... works with nearly ever terminal, not just the ones with NFC.
• Uses regular watch bands

So what I didn't like:

• I really like complications... and so the only way to get data on a watch face is to get a watch face with it already designed in. There are many of them, but complications is way better particularly if you want data from a 3rd party app.
• 3rd party apps are few and far between, but honestly after the first couple of months of playing, 85% of what I did on the AW was the core applications, and the few 3rd party apps I used were not vastly improving my life by avoiding doing whatever on the phone. For example, the Delta app loaded my boarding pass, but I would never try to use that at the gate vs. just taking out my phone. The updates on flights were nice, but they are going to come through as notifications anyway so the app doesn't really accomplish a lot.

I would really encourage you to try the Gear S3 - I have the Frontier, if you are coming from an AW. I was very pleasantly surprised.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I did the jump to a Note 8 this past weekend too, coming from iPhone 6S+ and original gen Apple Watch. I have had the watch on my wrist for 2 years, minus when sleeping. I was most worried about losing the watch. I was surprised that AT&T had a deal for the Gear S3 at $49 with a Samsung phone. I figured what the heck and bought it. I have to tell you that I love this watch. Minus two areas - complications and 3rd party apps, the Gear S3 to me is a much better watch... here are the things I like:

• It looks like a real watch... seriously, lets admit the AW is so ugly that its cool, but only because its Apple
• The rotating dial for navigation is way better than a crown and swiping, particularly with sweaty hands in the gym
• The UI on the Gear S3 is way more intuitive and easier to use (to me)
• I thought the round screen would lose a lot, but it really doesn't. Most apps touch controls in the curved edges and you need to scroll anything lengthy anyway
• Its super fast and bright
• Has great battery life... I leave it on to sleep and just hit it on the charger for an hour when I get to my desk in the morning.
• The Samsung Health and Workout apps are great, and again more intuitive than AW. For example it tracks your sleep if you just leave it on... no actions required. If you start running or doing a workout, it figures out that is what you are doing.
• You can use a keyboard to reply to texts or emails instead of talking to Siri.
• You can only do this with Spotify (which I'm going to switch to from Apple Music) - stream or download music. I downloaded my workout playlists, paired my earbuds, and did the trip to the gym minus my phone for the first time. Even sent a few texts while there. I realize the latest AW can do this too.
• Watch faces... thousands and thousands of them. Apple is just stubborn on this one.
• Better mobile payment support... works with nearly ever terminal, not just the ones with NFC.
• Uses regular watch bands

So what I didn't like:

• I really like complications... and so the only way to get data on a watch face is to get a watch face with it already designed in. There are many of them, but complications is way better particularly if you want data from a 3rd party app.
• 3rd party apps are few and far between, but honestly after the first couple of months of playing, 85% of what I did on the AW was the core applications, and the few 3rd party apps I used were not vastly improving my life by avoiding doing whatever on the phone. For example, the Delta app loaded my boarding pass, but I would never try to use that at the gate vs. just taking out my phone. The updates on flights were nice, but they are going to come through as notifications anyway so the app doesn't really accomplish a lot.

I would really encourage you to try the Gear S3 - I have the Frontier, if you are coming from an AW. I was very pleasantly surprised.

Spot on!!!! I feel the same way for the most part, with my S2 Classic against my AW2.

To add on to that ... Widgets on the gear watch are very useful. And it's has Voice Memo that auto syncs to my phone, which Apple left out of the AW for some strange reason.

 

[convergent]

Spot on!!!! I feel the same way for the most part, with my S2 Classic against my AW2.

To add on to that ... Widgets on the gear watch are very useful. And it's has Voice Memo that auto syncs to my phone, which Apple left out of the AW for some strange reason.

I'll have to checkout the voice memo... hadn't realized that was there. I hit S Voice and asked to record a memo. It told me it wasn't installed, so I installed it. Then left a memo. Where do I find the memos I recorded?

 

[ultravisitor]

You will be back on once the bog downs/lag, re starts get to you.

Don't forget the frustration that will occur when Google releases Android P and Samsung doesn't get it out to their devices for several months. There are people who waited 6 months for their S7s to get Nougat for crying out loud.

It happens every year with the people who go with Samsungs, LGs, and whatever else: they bitch and moan about how long it takes to get the latest version of Android for their devices.
[doublepost=1507304814][/doublepost]

Note 8 performance is so good I doubt it will ever slow down.

I think I've heard people saying that same thing about every Samsung flagship upon its release over the past few years, but lo and behold, look what happens a few months later...

 

[convergent]

Don't forget the frustration that will occur when Google releases Android P and Samsung doesn't get it out to their devices for several months. There are people who waited 6 months for their S7s to get Nougat for crying out loud.

It happens every year with the people who go with Samsungs, LGs, and whatever else: they bitch and moan about how long it takes to get the latest version of Android for their devices.

And iPhone owners bitch and moan about new iOS releases making their older model iPhones run like crap.... particularly shortly after they are released. Choose your poison. I'm right now blocking the iOS update on all my families' iPhones including my own, because of all the reports of issues. Heck, I know two people with brand new iPhone 8s and they are both experiencing bugs in the first day.

 

[ultravisitor]

Choose your poison.

With Android, my "poison" is Nexus/Pixel. Fast updates and snappy, responsive UI for basically the useful life of the device.

 

[widgeteer]

I think I've heard people saying that same thing about every Samsung flagship upon its release over the past few years, but lo and behold, look what happens a few months later...

I've read this a lot but it seems to discount all the reasons that Samsung has been lauded for the last two years. They've changed the entire face of their UI into something that probably represents the best skinned version of Android on the market. The Note's RAM management is outstanding, another change from previous iterations.

Also, I must say I find it funny when I read people on here obsessing over updates. Many (most?) of the folks who post here buy new phones seemingly every six months let alone year over year, so I can't see where OS updates is a big deal for this crowd.

 

[ultravisitor]

I've read this a lot but it seems to discount all the reasons that Samsung has been lauded for the last two years. They've changed the entire face of their UI into something that probably represents the best skinned version of Android on the market.

Yeah, it seems that every year for the past few years people have been saying that Samsung is really doing a good job with TouchBloat or whatever it is that they call it now, and then I go and pick up one of their phones to see what it's like, and it's still just a horrible mess. Just last weekend I was looking at an S8 and just...no. God no.

Even if it is "the best skinned version of Android"...it's still a skin. And it's still ugly.

Also, I must say I find it funny when I read people on here obsessing over updates. Many (most?) of the folks who post here buy new phones seemingly every six months let alone year over year, so I can't see where OS updates is a big deal for this crowd.

I keep my phones for two years, and a lot of people hold onto their iPhones for many years (check out the huge number of people who have held onto their 6/6 Pluses up until now). Timely updates matter to people like us, and there are a lot of us.

 

[convergent]

Yeah, it seems that every year for the past few years people have been saying that Samsung is really doing a good job with TouchBloat or whatever it is that they call it now, and then I go and pick up one of their phones to see what it's like, and it's still just a horrible mess. Just last weekend I was looking at an S8 and just...no. God no.

Even if it is "the best skinned version of Android"...it's still a skin. And it's still ugly.

I keep my phones for two years, and a lot of people hold onto their iPhones for many years (check out the huge number of people who have held onto their 6/6 Pluses up until now). Timely updates matter to people like us, and there are a lot of us.

The Samsung skin being a "horrible mess" and "ugly" is your opinion and you are welcome to it. But with their phones, at least you have a choice to change it if you don't like it. There are literally thousands of ways to make it look. With iOS, you get one.

Regarding the "TouchBloat" you refer to, have you actually tried to use one of these, or just playing with it for 5 minutes in a store? I had a Galaxy S5 for about 6 months as my daily driver, several years back, and it was a "horrible mess" to use, to quote you. The current crop of Galaxy devices, and in particular the Note 8 that I have is just as smooth and fluid as an iPhone. There is a learning curve so if you just picked it up it would likely be confusing, but after a couple of days its just as easy to use as an iPhone. There is no "horrible mess" here that I've seen. Function for function there are a few pros and cons either way, but I've been very pleasantly surprised.

Timely updates can be a double edged sword. Take a gander at how many threads on MR are full of people pissed off because the timely updates have bogged down their phone. I have not lived it yet with Samsung, so will reserve judgement, but there are pros and cons to the Apple ecosystem. Knowing you "can" get an update is definitely a pro, but there are plenty of cons to.

 

[ultravisitor]

Regarding the "TouchBloat" you refer to, have you actually tried to use one of these, or just playing with it for 5 minutes in a store?

No. Because I don't want to be part of the Samsung software ecosystem. I have literally zero use for it when so much of it duplicates what I have in other ecosystems, and for crying out loud, why would I want to split my Android experience into Samsung experience vs everything else? And some of it adds crap that I don't want.

Oh, right. I can change how it looks...kind of. Changing launchers and getting icon packs will do a bit to change the aesthetics, but that does not work across the entire system. And really, I just see it like putting a band-aid over a stab wound.

And you're right, I don't have to use any of Samsung's crap. But that doesn't change the fact that so much of it is coded into the system. I don't want it to be there at all in the system. I mean, you're talking to someone who deleted iTunes from his iPhone. The only way for me to get rid of the Samsung additions would be to install a ROM, and I'm really not interested in going down that road again.

In that sense, all of Samsung's crap is, to me, bloat. If Samsung offered a phone with the Pixel software experience and their own hardware, I might possibly be interested in that.

And as I've said elsewhere, many people claim upon a new Samsung flagship's release that "wow no lag, this is totally great yeah". Six months or so down the line, though, they're not singing that tune anymore. That's not just a problem with Samsung, either; that's a problem with a lot of skinned Android. The experiences on iPhones, Pixels, and Nexus phones typically do not degrade the same way over time.

 

[mclld]

Man you are super serious about this Samsung stuff arent you?

 

[convergent]

No. Because I don't want to be part of the Samsung software ecosystem. I have literally zero use for it when so much of it duplicates what I have in other ecosystems, and for crying out loud, why would I want to split my Android experience into Samsung experience vs everything else? And some of it adds crap that I don't want.

Oh, right. I can change how it looks...kind of. Changing launchers and getting icon packs will do a bit to change the aesthetics, but that does not work across the entire system. And really, I just see it like putting a band-aid over a stab wound.

And you're right, I don't have to use any of Samsung's crap. But that doesn't change the fact that so much of it is coded into the system. I don't want it to be there at all in the system. I mean, you're talking to someone who deleted iTunes from his iPhone. The only way for me to get rid of the Samsung additions would be to install a ROM, and I'm really not interested in going down that road again.

In that sense, all of Samsung's crap is, to me, bloat. If Samsung offered a phone with the Pixel software experience and their own hardware, I might possibly be interested in that.

And as I've said elsewhere, many people claim upon a new Samsung flagship's release that "wow no lag, this is totally great yeah". Six months or so down the line, though, they're not singing that tune anymore. That's not just a problem with Samsung, either; that's a problem with a lot of skinned Android. The experiences on iPhones, Pixels, and Nexus phones typically do not degrade the same way over time.

So you are the anti-ecosystem guy... got it.

But a couple of things... I've had iPhones slow down and need to be kind of refreshed, so it can happen to any of them if you load enough crap to bog them down.

Its not an all or nothing thing you know... you can get rid of some things and keep others. For example, why would you buy a note and then delete all the Samsung software that allows you to use the pen. Why would you have a Gear S and delete the Samsung software that controls it. If you don't like their browser, then replace it. If you don't like their email client, replace it.

The difference between Samsung and Apple is that they at least let you choose most of this stuff. Apple locks down everything. If you really want a pure Android experience, then buy a Pixel. But because that's what you want, it doesn't make everything else bloated crap. That's just your opinion.

 

[Voodoochild346]

Man you are super serious about this Samsung stuff arent you?

Samsung gets hot from all sides. From the Apple fans who feel threatened by them and the stock Android fans who complain about anything that isn't stock Android and praise features that Google adds to their official release that the companies they complain about had for years. "I don't need Samsung's crap on my phone!". "Boy, this split view feature sure is great!".

 

[ultravisitor]

So you are the anti-ecosystem guy... got it.

More like anti-useless-ecosystem. I see no need to put eggs in so many baskets when I see very little value for me in some of them.

But a couple of things... I've had iPhones slow down and need to be kind of refreshed, so it can happen to any of them if you load enough crap to bog them down.

Sure. But the problem is that with Samsung, their OS is already full of so much crap that those phones get bogged down far more quickly than an iPhone will get bogged down.

I don't hear about too many people wanting to carry around a Samsung Galaxy S4 because the experience is still good enough, yet there are lots and lots of people still carrying around an iPhone 6--and both of those phones were released in 2014. Hmm...

For example, why would you buy a note and then delete all the Samsung software that allows you to use the pen. Why would you have a Gear S and delete the Samsung software that controls it.

Right. I wouldn't buy those products. That's why I don't buy Samsung. That's exactly what I've been saying.

But because that's what you want, it doesn't make everything else bloated crap. That's just your opinion.

...duh. I thought that was implied. That's kind of the nature of subjectivity.

Again, though, the biggest problem I have is that for many people, they basically think that Samsung IS Android. Samsung gets credit for all sorts of things that already existed in Android and then when people don't like or have a problem with Samsung software, they blame Android.

 

[Radon87000]

More like anti-useless-ecosystem. I see no need to put eggs in so many baskets when I see very little value for me in some of them.


Sure. But the problem is that with Samsung, their OS is already full of so much crap that those phones get bogged down far more quickly than an iPhone will get bogged down.

I don't hear about too many people wanting to carry around a Samsung Galaxy S4 because the experience is still good enough, yet there are lots and lots of people still carrying around an iPhone 6--and both of those phones were released in 2014. Hmm...


Right. I wouldn't buy those products. That's why I don't buy Samsung. That's exactly what I've been saying.



...duh. I thought that was implied. That's kind of the nature of subjectivity.

Again, though, the biggest problem I have is that for many people, they basically think that Samsung IS Android. Samsung gets credit for all sorts of things that already existed in Android and then when people don't like or have a problem with Samsung software, they blame Android.

The software on the Note 8 isnT as bad as what it used to be though. You should give the newer models a look.

 

[convergent]

More like anti-useless-ecosystem. I see no need to put eggs in so many baskets when I see very little value for me in some of them.

Sure. But the problem is that with Samsung, their OS is already full of so much crap that those phones get bogged down far more quickly than an iPhone will get bogged down.

I don't hear about too many people wanting to carry around a Samsung Galaxy S4 because the experience is still good enough, yet there are lots and lots of people still carrying around an iPhone 6--and both of those phones were released in 2014. Hmm...

Right. I wouldn't buy those products. That's why I don't buy Samsung. That's exactly what I've been saying.

...duh. I thought that was implied. That's kind of the nature of subjectivity.

Again, though, the biggest problem I have is that for many people, they basically think that Samsung IS Android. Samsung gets credit for all sorts of things that already existed in Android and then when people don't like or have a problem with Samsung software, they blame Android.

To correct your dates, the Galaxy S4 was released in April 2013, and the iPhone 6 was released in September 2014. That's about a year and a half difference. I don't really want to debate 3-4 year old phones. I'll save you the trouble. I had an S5 and hated it.... the software was quite wonky.

I buy what works for me at the time that its available. I don't hold a rigid bias against any one product, ecosystem, etc.. In 2013, I was quite happy with Apple and their ecosystem... that has changed as their focus has changed under Tim Cook. If they re-direct, then I may as well. I was interested in what Google announced and prepared to return my Samsung phone and watch if I felt Google better met my needs, but it doesn't.

Given your anti-Samsung sentiment, I doubt you can even allow yourself to see what there products do. If you are unwilling to take advantage of any ecosystem, then you take a lot of functions off the table to your own detriment. I'm willing to look at any product or ecosystem.

You said you would never buy a Gear S3 or Note 8, call them crap and bloated, yet you've never actually taken the time to objectively see for yourself. Every product and every company has pros and cons. I took another chance to try Samsung after having a very negative experience a couple years back. I found that they are much better.

I'll see for myself if things get bogged down over time. I'm quite confident if that were to happen, I could handle fixing it given a career in the tech industry. If not, then I'll learn something. But with 6GB of RAM, the Note 8 has a lot of headroom compared to any other device... so I'm not worried.

I don't personally care what you buy, but in doing research I tend to listen to people that are objective and willing to openly talk about the good and bad of products... not someone that has such blind bias that they can't be objective.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Note 8 buyers, get back to this thread in six months, tell me how Samsung's Lagwiz is doing for you ? ( I had the Galaxy S8+ back in Spring, and yes the micro stutters, slight hiccups, and quarter second lag is still there. Yes it's way smoother and better than the S4 days, but lag is not gone on the S8+ as you'd expect. I mean my Nexus 6P is two years old, and feels light years ahead on smoothness and just buttery lag free compared to the S8+ )

Nothing beats stock Android Nexus / Pixel phones for pure smoothness and being almost lag free. Plus updates immediately not having to wait till April, 2018 to get Android 8.0 Oreo that was released in August, 2017 for the stock Google phones.

I'm no iPhone fan, but admit Apple does it right with updates, even old phones like the iPhone 5S are still officially getting updates.

And I also still know people happily using their old iPhone 5S or 6 and still satisfied and content with it. But I don't know anyone happily using a Galaxy S4 or LG G2 still, and good luck getting your carrier to update that age of a Android phone in 2017, whereas Apple will and does.

To me it's the iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X or Pixel 2 XL phones only to choose from in 2017. Those 3 phones are my only recommendation for this year, and I'll throw in the OnePlus 5 recommendation too for a great stock Android like experience on a budget. So only 4 phones are worth buying this year. No other phones should even be considered.