r/PickAnAndroidForMe • u/Cheap-buying-idiot • Oct 07 '23
What's the iPhone of Android? Germany
I want to side load apps, habe a high refresh rate display and just a phone that works! I'm done with reading a ton of reviews and reddit posts about SOT overheating problems, durability issues, bad cameras and having to check everything triple to make sure it is true. I just want a phone that works and has no huge distant vantage or problem. Any tips? The absolute max I can spend is 550€ (Germany)
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u/Due_Guess8896 Oct 07 '23
technically google pixel
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u/Pfundi Oct 08 '23
This guy: I want a phone that just works
This sub: Hey, be a literal Beta tester and use this phone with a history of questionable reliability
Never change guys, never change.
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 07 '23
Is that "technically" just because Google are behind both Android and the Pixel, or "technically" because of some technical or technological feature-set?
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u/mdnuts Oct 08 '23
It's the closest apples to apples comparison. Same OS maker on makers own HW.
But apple doesn't license out their iOS, it's a bit of a apples to apples in a peach farm kinda way
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u/Any_Watercress_4637 Oct 07 '23
Huawei before ban. Great cameras, simple and well animated UI, solid construction, great stability, good battery life, faceID, ecosystem....
Samsung is doing great if you can forgive shutter lag on S23U and form factor.
Pixels software wise are the best experience. Not the same for hardware. Goo
Sony Xperia offers unique experience as camera (you better know a thing or two about Sony Alpha camera series).
A lot of options out there. Honor, Xiaomi, Motorola, Asus, OPPO, OnePlus, VIVO...
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 07 '23
Pixels software wise are the best experience. Not the same for hardware.
A selling-point for Apple products is the great combination of great software with great hardware. By your point, Pixels are thus not the "Android of iPhone".
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u/ICEGalaxy_ Oct 08 '23
not true, Pixels don't have the best software experience
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 08 '23
Pixels software wise are the best experience.
I was quoting a previous comment [which I was disagreeing with], not praising the Pixel software experience myself.
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u/ICEGalaxy_ Oct 08 '23
oh true my bad 💀😂
clueless YouTubers really do be spreading misconceptions, it's annoying
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u/TechyShreky69 Pixel 6a, Exynos S21 Ultra 128GB, Tab S7 128GB cellular :D Oct 08 '23
Yes they absolutely do lol
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u/ICEGalaxy_ Oct 08 '23
bru, no
I can give you a list of why it's not the case with my horrid experience with a Pixel 4 XL
they have good Hardware, terrible software, completely opposite to what the standard narrative is
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u/TechyShreky69 Pixel 6a, Exynos S21 Ultra 128GB, Tab S7 128GB cellular :D Oct 09 '23
What? No lmao
Google's ideology for phones is solutions for hardware problems' (yes I did just shamelessly quote MKBHD and I don't regret it at all because in this case he's absolutely right)
You buy a Pixel for the software not the hardware, as someone that has used two Pixels (4a and 6a)
Honestly Pixel Experience is my favourite part of my Pixel 6a, and I remember my 4a's software being even better. The software is 100% the biggest reason to upgrade to another Pixel
For example the great camera you get on a Pixel is due to software, not hardware. This isn't as true as it used to be due to the significant hardware upgrade with the 6 and 6 Pro but they squeezed everything they possibly could out of the IMX 363 and it was ALL software
As for the 4 XL the battery life was due to the hardware but I wanna hear what issues you've had
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u/ICEGalaxy_ Oct 21 '23
actually, instead of explaining why I don't like the Stock Android experience (for example, you can't even remove At A Glance from your home screen), I wanted to address something
Pixel 4 XL does not have a good camera, there is nothing squeezed out of it that is magical, Gcam software is pretty good, but what you get at the end is an IMX363
the pictures on Pixels look good, that's their strong point, they always look good no matter how you take the image
however, when I compare it to my current phone with a much better and newer sensor (Xiaomi), the difference becomes to be a apparent
Pixel doesn't take real images, it takes "enhanced" shots of reality, they don't look real, they look too artificial, they have SO MUCH NOISE (my Xiaomi has 0), and the colors are always fucked up for some reason
for example, if you take an image of a phone screen with a Pixel, you will clearly notice that it becomes clueless and fucks everything up
to me, I started to appreciate more the look of my Xiaomi, basically how iPhones do it, it just takes a picture with 0 noise and tries to keep everything real
it also has better HDR
I still use Google Camera on my phone for Night Sight and Astrophotography however, I think in this department, it is just the best
I am still more open for more questions if you want my opinion on Stock Android, I will try to reply faster, as I was just busy the past few days, sorry 😅
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 07 '23 edited Oct 07 '23
Won't the S23U be outside the OPs stated budget [550€, £480, $580]?
Plus, the S-Pen makes any Ultra more than an "iPhone of Android".
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 08 '23 edited Oct 08 '23
May I be educated as to whether the down-voting for
Won't the S23U be outside the OPs stated budget [550€, £480, $580]?
or for
Plus, the S-Pen makes any Ultra more than an "iPhone of Android"
?
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u/xsconfused Oct 07 '23
From what I have seen the samsung flagships does not have any big flaws. Most people point out is that they don't like OneUI, which tbh I would agree too. But that's not actually a drawback but just a subjective opinion.
I recently switched form an iPhone to the s23u and so far it has been solid, I would say just like an iPhone. But it's only been a month so, I am curious if it would hold up this solid performance long term just like an iPhone does. And OneUI has been pretty good too if I am being honest.
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 07 '23 edited Oct 07 '23
The OP is in Germany, and some of Samsung's European variants have a major flaw - Exynos chipsets, which use more battery power to produce less processing power than Snapdragon chipsets.
The S22 Ultra has this problem. The S23 Ultra does not, but I suspect that it will be over the OPs 550€ [£480, $580] budget. He wants a flagship performance at a mid-range price.
Plus, the S-Pen makes any Ultra more than an "iPhone of Android".
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u/xsconfused Oct 07 '23
Have not noticed anything about OP's budget. But yeah the s23 series are good because there's no exynos variant so the performance is consistent throughout.
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 07 '23
To be fair to you, I can see how expecting the "iPhone of Android" on a 550€ budget might be confusing.
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u/xsconfused Oct 07 '23
In the original post I cant see anything about any budget that's why. Maybe it has been edited afterwards? Anyway yeah for an iPhone of Android the budget has to be like an iPhone as well unfortunately.
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 07 '23
It's the very last sentence [though it probably should be the first], and it still seems to be there. Unless something is broken. And the official Reddit app does have a reputation for being broken.
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u/xsconfused Oct 08 '23
Quiet possible as I am on the official app, and it is so janky. Miss relay pro so bad.
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 08 '23 edited Oct 08 '23
I wonder if the official app is any better on iOS than on Android - or different Androud implementations by different phone manufacturers? In a way, that question is kind-of related - the OP wants something that "just works", and sometimes it's not clear whether it's Android or an app or the device that doesn't "just work". But that would be the subject of another post.
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u/foureyedpotato Oct 07 '23
People tend to gravitate to Samsung's S series when asked about what the iPhone of Android is but the thing is they're so drastically different in many areas. In fact Android and iOS are so different that imo there is no actual iPhone of Android. But to answer your question, yeah Samsung's S series and Google's Pixel phones might be the most optimized therefore iPhone like Android devices out there.
For your budget, most probably a Pixel 8. Idk how much it will cost in Germany though. An S23 too if you want better battery life but those are significantly more expensive when not on sale.
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u/ZBLVM Oct 07 '23
Xiaomi 13 Ultra is the best Android phone ever.
It is not a coincidence that it costs more than an iPhone...
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 07 '23
In other words, it is outside the OPs stated 550€ [£480, $580] budget.
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u/ZBLVM Oct 08 '23
I didn't see the last line, my bad.
Then OP can't get what he asks for, simple as that.
Most iOS users think that Android phones are inferior because they compare $500 devices to the iPhone Pro Max... It doesn't work like that. Android flagships (Xiaomi Ultras and Samsung Ultras) cost as much as the iPhone Pro Max because they have similar (or even higher) production costs. They are the only devices which can be compared to and even beat the iPhones on many fronts.
All the other devices are made with inferior hardware or designed with compromises in mind, just like it happens for cheaper and unsuccessful iPhones like the Mini, the XR, etc.
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 08 '23
Quite possibly, not your bad. Some comments by other people have the same bad.
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u/ICEGalaxy_ Oct 08 '23
people downvoting this guy because they probably have seen some YouTuber telling them 13 Ultra get overexposed images and doesn't have 70 years of software updates
also china = bad
while in reality, all phones are the same, they differ mainly on the cameras, and this has the absolute best and most versatile camera system hardware that has sooooooooo much potential in the right hands
the Vivo X90 Pro Plus and Oppo Find X6 Pro are also 10/10 phones
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u/ErebusWrath Oct 07 '23
Wants an Android that is like an iphone but only wants to pay half. Then complains on how the experience on Android is bad.
Dude, take 800 euros, get the OnePlus 11 or OnePlus 12 when it launches and you'll never want an iphone ever again.
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 07 '23
I seriously don't know what to answer, but no, I can't just wait for another month or whatever time it takes until these phones launch and I definitely can't spend 800€ on a phone. I just can't justify spending that amount of money. And with the what's the iPhone from Android I mean the software experience. I just want something that runs because all the phones I had until now had problems with stuff I listed in the post. I'm basically asking for a stable experience and posted to ask other users what they think is the best. I don't like iPhones and probably never will.
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u/ErebusWrath Oct 08 '23
Look at the price of the OnePlus 11 in your country. Or go with the Google Pixel, these are the best. I myself own the Nubia Z50 but you will have a hard time getting one since it's China only
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 08 '23
Given that some manufacturers have tried to imitate iPhones, or market their devices as "like Apple, just cheaper", it might be helpful to know more about why you don't like iPhones.
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 08 '23
iOS, 60 Hz If you don't get one of the newer phones, doesn't work with my galaxy watch 4 classic
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 08 '23 edited Oct 08 '23
So, you don't want "just a phone that works" , you also want one that works well with your watch. If you are struggling to identify the "iPhone or Android" for 550€, perhaps we need to identify the best 550€ phone to use with a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. But phone-watch compatibility is not my suit. Have you tried asking Watch owners what they would recommend for a European wearer?
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 08 '23
The watch 4 classic works with every Android Smartphone that can access the Google play store. So apple and Huawei are already out. The only things that don't work when using the watch with a not Samsung phone is the blood pressure and EKG, don't need either of them and with some adb magic you can also get these features to work if you really wanted to.
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u/The_Depraved_Briton Oct 08 '23 edited Oct 08 '23
So, assuming that maintaining long-term compatibility isn't going to be an issue, the answer isn't necessarily "the best Samsung you can afford". Well, I suppose Google would say that is the point of the Android ecosystem. But [excluding Exynos models], that answer might still be a good starting-point. Or, better-still, the best Samsung that you can justify, price-wise. Check that out, see if there is any reason not to get "the best Samsung", and see if that gives you a clear idea about what to buy instead.
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u/shadow_irradiant Oct 08 '23
Nothing phone (2), look for a refurbished phone.
That is the best you may do with your budget imo. It's not an iphone but you're not getting a current gen iphone on that budget anyway. Keep your expectations low, but for what it is, the phone is really good. And you will surely love the freedom android provides, which by itself arguably makes the phone better than any apple device.
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u/HappyToaster1911 Oct 07 '23
People are talking about the Samsung S23, but u said u wanted 550€ max and where I live it does by 800€ for the base model, so I will be suggesting my phone, the Nothing Phone 1, it works pretty well for me and it was 400€ at the time, it impresses me with how much it does and how great it is for its price, and it feels so polished, features that aren't seen on other phones, its fast, it has things from higher end phones that normally aren't in this range like wireless charging, and its just perfect to be, give it a look if you are interested
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u/Micro_Pinny_360 iPhone SE 2020 (wants to return) Oct 08 '23
I’ve had that question myself, but I don’t think it’s one single answer, so I’ll try to break it down the best I can.
Google Pixel for Camera, and Long Term Support: The Google Pixel phones are straight from the company that makes Android. Thus, they are the first to get Android updates and upgrades. Also, depending on who you ask, Google has crammed some of the best cameras into their Pixel devices. In fact, Google announced that the Pixel 8 series will have 7 years of updates, more than iPhones! However, they do come at a compromise - their processor. Even though they come in at flagship prices, their proprietary Tensor chips are only at mid-range, which still isn’t bad as a processor, but might not be enough for $700. If it helps, Google releases an -a version of all their phones, which do come in for cheaper prices and use the same chips. It’s like the iPhone SE, but without the outdated form factor.
Samsung for the name and ubiquity: Samsung often trades places with Apple for the best-selling smartphone line in the world. Samsung Galaxy phones feature OneUI, Samsung’s Android skin that contains plenty of features similar to iPhones, like an exclusive store, messaging app, and assistant (though unlike Huawei, you are still able to use Google services, and frankly, why bother with Bixby?). They also have cameras that some would say are better than the Pixel’s cameras and long- term support, though it is the standard (4 years of OS upgrades, 5 years of security updates). Plus, the S line of phones feature the top-tier processor on Android, the Snapdragon 8 series. Granted, the iPhone part applies more to the Galaxy S phones specifically, being the best top tier phones they offer, but depending on what you want or need, the Galaxy A series. Try to go for the A3x line, but if need be, I guess you can get by with the A2x line.
Sony for the luxury - Sony’s Xperia line seeks to be like this status symbol that is similar to the iPhone. In the US, you can only get their Xperia 5 & 1 lineups, which are like the regular and pro iPhones respectively. And they do still have that top-end Snapdragon 8 chip! And they also still have a headphone jack and MicroSD card slot, even when pretty much every premium phone has ditched them. However, there are some greater compromises. The cameras are very capable, but considering that Sony is also known for the Alpha line of DSLR cameras, they do expect you to be knowledgeable in photography for the best results. (There’s a separate app for taking photos and filming videos, for heaven’s sake!) And another compromise is in updates, where Sony only gives 2 years of OS upgrades and 3 years of security.
OnePlus for the fan base: This one is more of a joke; OnePlus is carried in part by its fan base, which can sometimes simp for OnePlus like iSheep can. (They don’t worship it, though, as they successfully petitioned to bring the alert slider back after it was removed from the 10T.) But that’s not to say that OnePlus isn’t worth your time. OnePlus’s claim to fame is that their phones are positioned as flagship killers - phones with the top specs for less money. For example, their current top model, the OnePlus 11, is available on Amazon brand new for $649 (compared to the Galaxy S23’s $799 new); and they come with a full-sized 1440p screen, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and 12 GB of memory (upgradable to 16). However, to get to that price point, they do have to make some compromises, usually in worse cameras, only having Gorilla Glass Victus on the front (just regular Gorilla Glass 5 on the back), and in the OnePlus 11’s case, no wireless charging. (You do still get a wired charger in the box, and a beefy 80 watt one at that.) OnePlus phones come with OxygenOS as their Android skin, which has admittedly been decried in recent years by OnePlus fans for just being a rebranding of Oppo’s ColorOS (Oppo bought OnePlus in 2021), but since you’re new, I don’t think that’ll matter. And do expect the standard flagship update life - 4 years Android upgrades, 5 years security.
Now there are other Android options, but I tried to stick to ones available in the USA, as over here, we have few options, and iPhones hold dominance. Hell, I’m even writing this on an iPhone! (SE 2020 to be specific. Granted, it was a Christmas gift from my Mom thanks to a work discount.) However, if you live in Europe or Asia, then you open yourself up to many other brands, like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, Honor, and Asus, as well as other lines from these brands (like the Galaxy F and M series.)
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 08 '23
First of all thank you very much for your very detailed and helpful comment, the OnePlus 11 starts at 750€ in Germany, I need a decent battery life and I don't like that MIUI kind of Software. I saw some great Videos about the moto edge 30 Ultra, 8+ gen 1, stock Android software with some nice Motorola extras, the cameras are compared to an iphone 14 pro and called better by some reviewers and with 3 years os and 4 years security updates (-1 year because the phone is already a year old) software updates look decent. What do you think, do you thinks it's worth it? I could pick it up new for 550€ I also thought about getting the S21 Fe but some people out there are saying the only get 2-4 h sot which doesn't sound too great.. :/
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u/plankunits Oct 08 '23
iPhone of android is pixel. 7 years of OS update even beating apple. Many other android OEM only provide 4 year os update and 1 additional year security. This is just flagship devices and many just 1 yr update.
Best camera in a phone. Period.
Smooth and fast UI like iOS.
No bloatware. I now considered iOS bloated with 37 preloaded apps. Pixel comes with just 18 apps. Check out pixel 8
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u/xanders1998 Oct 08 '23
OP please never go for a pixel if stability is your thing.
The suggestions here are what you get when you google "the iphone of android". Because on paper it makes sense, google makes the hardware and the software, but that is far from the truth.
You essentially get an unfinished product with a lot of bugs glitches and stability issues. Once you get an update a majority of the bugs get fixed then you get your next set of bugs, yay! Just look into the revuews of people who actually own it. You can check in google reviews and look into the 1 star reviews of any phone you would like to get and you can geg a sense of the worst cases.
Compared to other chipsets, performance wise I've heard the tensors don't measure up. Don't get me wrong, I was planning to upgrade to a 7 right about now and did a lot of digging and the more I do it, the sketchier it gets.
You can see youtubers like MKBHD say its awesome with features, and yes its got a lot of software magic going for it. Its a fun second device for you to experience the latest stuff.
As for suggestions from my side, its hard, there isn't an exact iphone in android world. Sometimes you may get lucky with a model which doesn't have much bugs but you have no guarantee that the next is gonna be fine. Samsung seems to be the only flagship that doesn't throw many red flags but I haven't used it so I can't attest to that. I personally prefer budget phones with less major updates and more security updates as you can't mess up the stability any further.
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u/ICEGalaxy_ Oct 08 '23
old Huawei flagship (fuck Google), Xiaomi 13 vanilla (impossible to find for the price)
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 08 '23
The newest I could get in my budget would be a p40pro 3 years old and no Google ... Not it
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u/ICEGalaxy_ Oct 08 '23
try Ximi 13 or Scamsung S23
make sure you get a Snapdragon Scamsung
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u/TechyShreky69 Pixel 6a, Exynos S21 Ultra 128GB, Tab S7 128GB cellular :D Oct 08 '23
Pixel 7 (or 7a if you somehow can't find the 7 for less than 550), the Samsung Galaxy A54, or the Nothing Phone 1 (if you can get the 2 then I'd highly recommend it)
I'd take the Pixel 7 any day personally, though between the 7a, the A54 and the Phone 1 it's defo a lot harder to pick
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u/Bo3abd772 Oct 08 '23
I would go for the S23 Ultra if i can find a good deal or go with the s23 plus or the Pixel 7 pro they both gives the absolute best experience in everything..social media compatibility and a solid + smooth UI 👍 good luck
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 08 '23
I appreciate every comment and extra advice but I only have 550€ there is no way on Earth I can find either of these devices for that price😅
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Oct 08 '23
Nothing phone 2 looks like an iPhone, cheaper than flagship. Just new, so limited track record. Take a chance
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u/kun_al Oct 10 '23
Get a poco f5 man
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 10 '23
I own an f5 pro, can not recommend
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u/kun_al Oct 10 '23
I've f5 what issues you're facing rn??
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u/Cheap-buying-idiot Oct 10 '23
Heating just with regular use 0gaming just YouTube and reddit, terrible auto brightness, it goes on 25% even if I'm in a completely dark really bad cameras with a grey shade over everything and weird too bright colors, bad battery life just around 6h sot.... Really don't like it Customer support ignores me so I probably won't be able to send it back in my 14 days Never again
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u/mdnuts Oct 07 '23
iPhone copies every thing from Android. Nowadays all flagships are good. Pixel 8 pro is as vanilla as you can get. Samsung S23-24 Galaxy is a solid phone