Official Phone Thread

[quote=xIchi]So I've got a question regarding an upgrade I might do. Currently using a Xiaomi Mi2s (Snapdragon 600 with 2GB Ram, HD Ready, 4,3") and I am thinking of getting a Z3 Compact as an upgrade (Snapdragon 801, 3GB Ram(?), HD Ready aswell with 4,6"). So currently the phone market is all about that 64-bit ARMv8 stuff. But how important is it and how much of a waste would it be to upgrade to a Z3 Compact now? I've read a bit about the ARMv8 stuff, it at least requires Android L to actually be worth and the new 64-bit cores are apparently not even better than the 800+ Snapdragons. Atm it appears to be something only marketing needs. Double a number and it is more appealing. In 1 year 64 bit will be the base for everything, just like PCs. Honestly, do we even look at the specs anymore and ask wether it is a 32bit or 64bit PC anymore? So I guess the progress on phones is on the same road. The only problem I have is the HD Ready at 4,6". :/[/quote]

[quote=Searz][quote=xIchi]So currently the phone market is all about that 64-bit ARMv8 stuff. But how important is it and how much of a waste would it be to upgrade to a Z3 Compact now? I've read a bit about the ARMv8 stuff, it at least requires Android L to actually be worth and the new 64-bit cores are apparently not even better than the 800+ Snapdragons. Atm it appears to be something only marketing needs. Double a number and it is more appealing. In 1 year 64 bit will be the base for everything, just like PCs. Honestly, do we even look at the specs anymore and ask wether it is a 32bit or 64bit PC anymore? So I guess the progress on phones is on the same road.[/quote] It will definitely make a difference, but I don't think it will make a big difference in most cases. Where performance is important is where it will matter the most, so in games and benchmarks mostly. So far I don't think there's a single Android phone with a 64bit CPU. I don't think there's a single mobile CPU with support for it even. It's also very rare in tablets so far. Nexus 9 is the only tablet I know of that has a 64bit CPU. A phone with a Snapdragon 800 CPU will last for years if updated well. NAND performance has become more of a bottleneck recently. Lollipop pre-compiles extra code and stores it, which results in much better CPU performance, but also relies more on NAND performance to be smooth. It would not be a waste to purchase a Z3 Compact right now. Another good contender is of course the Nexus 5. The difference between 801 and 800 in performance is pretty tiny and the guaranteed updates, less bloat and cheaper price are pretty nice advantages. The battery life is definitely better on the Z3C (but compared to your current phone the N5 is bound to be an improvement too) and so is the speaker. The size of the Z3C is probably also an advantage to most too. Camera is about the same. Megapixels are not an indication of quality. N5 has less lens-distortion and artefacting while the Z3C has better resolution. Google has been planning big updates to the camera software too, so that's a definite positive. [quote]The only problem I have is the HD Ready at 4,6". :/[/quote]Don't worry, it's a good screen. Even if it does not excel in sharpness, it is not a problem. And it is very good in other areas. But one thing to note about it is the very blue color temperature. This can luckily be changed in the settings. I definitely recommend that you do this. 6500k is what you should pick.[/quote]

[quote=xIchi]Doesn't the Nexus 5 have a 5" display? I was already fighting with 4,6" as I am not a fan of those Phablets and 4,3" was my absolute favorite. But somehow I also do want a slightly bigger screen. Compareable to my Mi3 that is lying around here (not actually using, got it form my sis cus she destroyed the simslot, so I tested around a bit). It is 5" and I do not enjoy using it in the slightest way.. But the upgrade to Z3C might happen this week then :)[/quote]

[quote=Searz][quote=xIchi]Doesn't the Nexus 5 have a 5" display? I was already fighting with 4,6" as I am not a fan of those Phablets and 4,3" was my absolute favorite.[/quote] Display size is not the only factor in the size of a phone. Bezel size is also important. Screen-to-body ratio is how to best measure that, and the Mi2s and Mi3 both have about 65% while the Z3 Compact and Nexus 5 have about 71%. Z3 Compact is actually pretty much the same size as the Xiaomi Mi2s. And Nexus 5 is slightly bigger, but noticeably smaller than the Mi3. http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Sony-Xperia-Z3-Compact,Google-Nexus-5,Xiaomi-Mi-3/phones/8744,8148,8193[/quote]

[quote=xIchi]True I forgot that, just recently looked that stuff up as Huawei has gone on the trend of making phones with over 80% screen.[/quote]

[quote=Searz][quote=xIchi]True I forgot that, just recently looked that stuff up as Huawei has gone on the trend of making phones with over 80% screen.[/quote] [url=http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Sony-Xperia-Z3-Compact,Google-Nexus-5,Sharp-AQUOS-Crystal/phones/8744,8148,8836]Have a look at Sharp Aquos Crystal[/url] :) Kind of crazy. I just wish they'd put the empty area at the top instead of the bottom.[/quote]

[quote=xIchi]Yeah also found that one cause I was looking for more edge to edge phones xD. Btw. probably getting the Z3C today when my local store has it on stock :D.[/quote]

[quote=xIchi]K Update on my side. I actually considered to storno the order, but it was too late and the Z3C came with my TV and I wanted to deny the package to send it back and get the money (that's how you do it in germany at least). But while carrying the TV my Mi2S slipped out of the pocket and took a ride down the stairs (and I am living on the 5th floor or sth). So yeah I ended up actually taking the Z3C and started it. Ok some Sony stuff, some PSN stuff, some google stuff. Pretty neat, the bloatware isn't even that much and HOLY SHIT why has no one ever said that Sony's android is so much better than anything else. Smooth, beautiful and easy to use and pretty stable lol... Meanwhile everyone comparing iOS to TouchWiz???[/quote]

[quote=Searz][quote=xIchi]Pretty neat, the bloatware isn't even that much and HOLY SHIT why has no one ever said that Sony's android is so much better than anything else. Smooth, beautiful and easy to use and pretty stable lol... Meanwhile everyone comparing iOS to TouchWiz???[/quote] Well, TouchWiz has a lot of extra functionality. But it has many downsides and I definitely agree that it's a step up from TouchWiz. I will however say that Sony is kind of in the middle when it comes to software. Better than Samsung and LG, but worse than HTC and Motorola (and Nexus too ofc, goes without saying).[/quote]

[quote=xIchi]I used a Motorola RAZR and RAZRi for a while and well my HTC Sence times go back to the Wildfire hype so I can't judge. But RAZR and RAZRi were indeed useful, but just not as beautiful as Sony's. Or rather, Sony's design is just more appealing for me personally. And in the end, I deleted most stuff from the homescreen as I don't really dig all that social media stuff etc.[/quote]