Which phone to replace my LG Nexus 5?

in android •  7 years ago 

Which phone to replace my LG Nexus 5?

nexus5.png

My Nexus 5 is more than 3 years old now. I've always taken good care of it, the screen is almost scratch free. And even though it's still serving me quite well, I'm starting to feel the urge to buy something new.

I've been following the smartphone news for that past 6 months now, and I still haven't found my ideal phone. Maybe someone here has a suggestion?

Below is a list of things I like about my N5, and what I would like to have again in the new phone. On the other hand there's also a list of dislikes.

N5 pros

Hardware

At the time, the phone offered the most bang for buck: around $ 400 got me a top of the line SoC with 2 GB memory and a fairly good screen.

Customization

Rooting and custom ROM'ing is so easy on my N5! I've been running CyanogenMod and Lineage OS probably from day 2. While I was on Android 6 I ran Xposed with a number of very handy modules.

Currently I'm on Lineage OS 14.1 (20170523) with Franco's kernel. My phone passes the SafetyNet test, so I can run almost every app. Except for some online banking apps, but that's OK.

Accessories

Because the N5 was pretty popular, it's been very easy to buy high quality accessories like protective cases. They've saved my phone countless times from breaking to pieces on the floor.

N5 cons

Battery

The battery was too small from the start. Or the hardware too power hungry, whatever. Lately it's been a real problem: I can barely make it to the end of the day on one charge. I have to make sure to recharge the phone on every possible occasion, and it's annoying.

Camera

When I compare my pictures to others made with an iPhone it's obvious the N5's camera is subpar.

Storage

My N5 only has 16 GB storage, and after a clean install only about 12 is available to the user. I can't pop in an SD either.

Wishlist

  • awesome hardware: I've got my mind set on a Snapdragon 835 SoC, and at least 6 GB RAM because I want my next phone to last me at least 3 years.
  • good custom ROMLineage OS support: I hate manufacturer skins/customizations for Android because they usually introduce too much bloat. I want my ROM to be light and lean. I will install the apps I want myself. Good custom ROM support also means that I shouldn't hardware functionality because the manufacturer uses closed source binary blobs in the stock ROM
  • good camera
  • not huge/good body-to-screen ratio: I think 5.5" is probably the biggest I'm willing to go
  • at least 64 GB storage, preferrably extendable with SDs
  • has to work in Europe (Belgium)

My own selection so far

  • Xiaomi Mi 6

    • pro: hardware wise it ticks all the boxes
    • pro: looks very nice, especially the Ceramic edition
    • con: custom ROM support might be iffy
    • con: it has to come from China, if anyone knows how to reliably get it from a store in Europe, do let me know
  • LG G6

    • pro: good camera
    • pro: great body-to-screen ratio and therefor great to handle
    • con: last year's SoC (SD 821)
  • Samsung Galaxy S8

    • pro: best camera
    • pro: best screen and body-to-screen ratio
    • con: "just" 4 GB RAM, although maybe it's a non-issue. I don't know if 4 GB will suffice 3 years from now
    • con: custom ROMs: no Lineage OS support yet, and in Europe we'll get the Exynos SoC. The camera also seems to require binary blobs, so the pictures quality on a custom ROM will probably be shitty
  • ZTE Nubia z17

    • pro: great hardware
    • con: China phone
    • con: custom ROMs?
    • con: camera quality?
  • One Plus 5

    • pro: great hardware for a solid price
    • pro: good custom ROM support
    • pro: too bulky and ugly

Help me out!

I'd love to hear your suggestions. I don't minding waiting a few more months if you know of interesting phones that aren't available yet.

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