Personal computing discussed

Moderators: renee, David, mac_h8r1, Nelliesboo

 
FireGryphon
Darth Gerbil
Topic Author
Posts: 7729
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 7:53 pm
Location: the abyss into which you gaze

Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:48 am

My current iPhone 4 is barely functional so I need to get a new phone. The iPhone 5s is an obvious choice, but Apple is playing games with availability and I may not be able to wait a month for the phones to become widely available. What are some alternatives to the 5s?
Sheep Rustlers in the sky! <S> Slapt | <S> FUI | Air Warrior II/III
 
DancinJack
Maximum Gerbil
Posts: 4494
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:21 pm
Location: Kansas

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:53 am

The 5 is still a damn good phone. If you have to go Apple, I'd get the 5 over the 5C.

As far as construction goes, there are probably only a couple phones that can match the iPhone's quality on the Android side. HTC One comes to mind. Maybe one or two more. The Lumia's are nice phones if you can get along with WP.
i7 6700K - Z170 - 16GiB DDR4 - GTX 1080 - 512GB SSD - 256GB SSD - 500GB SSD - 3TB HDD- 27" IPS G-sync - Win10 Pro x64 - Ubuntu/Mint x64 :: 2015 13" rMBP Sierra :: Canon EOS 80D/Sony RX100
 
jss21382
Gerbil Jedi
Posts: 1655
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 8:20 am
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact:

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:57 am

Their sales in a day right now match blackberry's quarterly shipments, I'm not certain it has anything to do with them playing games with availability. But, as an alternative, there are the play editions of the S4 and the one. https://play.google.com/store/devices/collection/web_home_5000005_partnerUS?hl=en Nothing else really gives you the full software support experience you're used to with Apple
X2 3800+ @ 2.3, 2GB Mushkin pc3200, Lanparty Ultra-D, X850XT @ 560/585
 
End User
Minister of Gerbil Affairs
Posts: 2977
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2004 6:47 pm
Location: Upper Canada

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:12 am

FireGryphon wrote:
My current iPhone 4 is barely functional so I need to get a new phone. The iPhone 5s is an obvious choice, but Apple is playing games with availability and I may not be able to wait a month for the phones to become widely available. What are some alternatives to the 5s?

You waited this long you can't wait another month? If you order the 5s from Apple today it will ship this month.

As jss21382 stated Apple is selling a ton of these things so it is not surprising that they are hard to get.

iOS 7 performs very well on my 5 so I would have no hesitation in recommending a 5c.

One thing I like about the iPhone is that Apple will replace a faulty phone within the warranty period at a store. I walked into an Apple Store with 5 days to go on my warranty and Apple replaced my iPhone 5 within 10 minutes.
 
Arvald
Gerbil Elite
Posts: 761
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:14 pm
Location: Gerbil-land, Canada

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:25 am

The issue is unless you go with an iPhone the investment you made in any apps (and in many cases music) is lost.

You may as well either buy a 5 or 5c or buckle down and wait for the 5s.
 
derFunkenstein
Gerbil God
Posts: 25427
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2003 9:13 pm
Location: Comin' to you directly from the Mothership

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:39 am

Arvald wrote:
The issue is unless you go with an iPhone the investment you made in any apps (and in many cases music) is lost.

You may as well either buy a 5 or 5c or buckle down and wait for the 5s.

That's a huge argument for sticking with the ecosystem, regardless of how functional or not the iPhone 4 is with iOS7. And if I was in that position and needed to stay with Apple, I'd pony up for the 5s and wait until it comes. Especially if you're upgrading on contract go top of the line or go home - otherwise you'll be in this same boat when the 6s ships in 2 years.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Twittering away the day at @TVsBen
 
jihadjoe
Gerbil Elite
Posts: 835
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:34 am

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:02 pm

+1 for the iPhone 5.
IMO better than the 5c, and you can probably get one on the cheap as people rush to upgrade.
 
trackerben
Minister of Gerbil Affairs
Posts: 2188
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:28 am
Location: 'Tween oceans...

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:14 pm

I'd get an iPhone 5 if most 5c accessories do fit it. iOS apps tend to be best-of-breed and if you have other iOS devices sharing accounts it makes sense to stay in-system.
 
Usacomp2k3
Gerbil God
Posts: 23043
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 4:53 pm
Location: Orlando, FL
Contact:

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Thu Oct 03, 2013 10:38 am

End User wrote:
You waited this long you can't wait another month?

Agreed.
 
SuperSpy
Minister of Gerbil Affairs
Posts: 2403
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2002 9:34 pm
Location: TR Forums

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:17 pm

If you can wait, I would suggest it. While the 5 (and 5c) are very nice phones (I have a 5 now), the 5s is a very powerful phone and would likely be well worth the wait if the price difference isn't a concern to you.
Desktop: i7-4790K @4.8 GHz | 32 GB | EVGA Gefore 1060 | Windows 10 x64
Laptop: MacBook Pro 2017 2.9GHz | 16 GB | Radeon Pro 560
 
hiro_pro
Gerbil
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:20 am
Location: DC
Contact:

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:41 pm

i have the 5s and my wife has the 5. i find the 5s is faster, even internet. i know it is the same LTE signal. it just feels like my phone searches and renders must faster. of course her phone is over a year old so a fresh 5 might be faster than her phone.
i7-930, GA-X58A-UD3R, Crucial MX100 512GB, 2 TB WD Black *2 mirror, ATI 5850 1 GB, 12GB (3*4GB)
Nikon D600, Tamron 24-70 & 70-200 2.4 VC, Nikon 50 1.4, 85 1.8, Sigma 35 1.4
 
Buub
Maximum Gerbil
Posts: 4969
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2002 11:59 pm
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:42 pm

Ordered my 5s (upgrading from 4S) a couple days ago. Now the long wait begins... Supposedly it will ship "in October" whatever that means!
 
ludi
Lord High Gerbil
Posts: 8646
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2002 10:47 pm
Location: Sunny Colorado front range

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:13 pm

@OP: Are you on GSM? You can pick up a used, unlocked, Nexus S for about $75 on Amazon, and temporarily swap your SIM. Then flip the phone again after upgrading, or hold it as an emergency spare.
Abacus Model 2.5 | Quad-Row FX with 256 Cherry Red Slider Beads | Applewood Frame | Water Cooling by Brita Filtration
 
morphine
TR Staff
Posts: 11600
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Portugal (that's next to Spain)

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Thu Oct 03, 2013 5:05 pm

For non-Apple phones, here are what I believe to be the best:

Oppo Find 5 - by far the best-looking phone around IMO and one of the best built, comes with stock Android, only available unlocked - see oppostyle.com
HTC One (has a mini variant)
LG G2
Sony Xperia Z1 (mini variant said to be coming)
Samsung Galaxy S4 (has a mini variant)

My site of choice for reading up on these things and their reviews is gsmarena.com

Disclaimer: I got a cheap iPhone 4 a couple months ago, because I don't like big phones. I ain't even an Apple fan, far from it. But if I did go for something bigger, there's the list. I'd totally grab the Oppo :)
There is a fixed amount of intelligence on the planet, and the population keeps growing :(
 
sourish55
Gerbil In Training
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:37 am

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:52 am

Hi every one, as now i have Iphone 4s, i want to buy iphone 5s or Samsung galaxy Note 3, please advise which one is better.
Last edited by Kevin on Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: EDIT BY MOD: Spam link in profile, user banned.
 
trackerben
Minister of Gerbil Affairs
Posts: 2188
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:28 am
Location: 'Tween oceans...

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 6:33 am

sourish55 wrote:
Hi every one, as now i have Iphone 4s, i want to buy iphone 5s or Samsung galaxy Note 3, please advise which one is better.


Have you read through the OP advice on upgrading from a iPhone 4? And a Galaxy Note is not that pocketable, it's more of a comms-enabled micro tablet with stylus and big screen for two-handed use.

I would base my choice on my prior investment in iOS apps and on whether I see smartphones as more of DIY hobby (Android) or more of luxury appliance (iOS). But if security is most important I'd stick with iPhone or a new Nexus.
Last edited by trackerben on Mon Oct 07, 2013 6:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
 
morphine
TR Staff
Posts: 11600
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Portugal (that's next to Spain)

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 6:50 am

trackerben wrote:
whether I see my mobile as more of DIY hobby (Android) or more of luxury appliance (iOS).

That comparison is hardly fair. Android isn't in 2.1 land anymore :)
There is a fixed amount of intelligence on the planet, and the population keeps growing :(
 
trackerben
Minister of Gerbil Affairs
Posts: 2188
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:28 am
Location: 'Tween oceans...

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 7:04 am

Yes 4.x is a far cry from froyo. Jelly Bean shows that Google is finally in the OS quality race, delivering functionality and expansion beyond Apple's offerings. But even expensive droids are nowhere near even older iPhones in terms of overall systems design and security and UI polish.

If only Android shells and diallers weren't so iffy, or the fragmented UIs and bloatware so scattered and ad-infested, or many good apps so delayed or unavailable. And the open-source nature of the OS and ecosystem is too easily gamed by malware syndicates...
 
Prestige Worldwide
Gerbil Elite
Posts: 765
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:57 pm

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 2:53 pm

Nexus 4 is fast and dirt cheap.
8700k@5GHz, Custom Water Loop | ASRock Fatal1ty Gaming K6 | 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
RTX 3080 | LG 27GL850 144Hz | WD SN750 1TB| MX500 1TB | 2x2TB HDD | Win 10 Pro x64
X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro | Sennheiser HD555 | Seasonic SSR-850FX | Fractal Arc Midi R2
 
JohnC
Gerbil Jedi
Posts: 1924
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:08 pm
Location: NY/NJ/FL

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 3:08 pm

trackerben wrote:
more of luxury appliance (iOS)

:lol: It was a "luxury appliance" once, back in 4S days. Ever since iPhone 5 and its crappy aluminum frame it slowly but surely moved into "children's toy" territory. :wink: The iOS7 and iPhone 5c have only made it worse.
Gifter of Nvidia Titans and countless Twitch donation extraordinaire, nothing makes me more happy in life than randomly helping random people
 
morphine
TR Staff
Posts: 11600
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2002 8:51 pm
Location: Portugal (that's next to Spain)

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 3:47 pm

trackerben wrote:
Yes 4.x is a far cry from froyo. Jelly Bean shows that Google is finally in the OS quality race, delivering functionality and expansion beyond Apple's offerings. But even expensive droids are nowhere near even older iPhones in terms of overall systems design and security and UI polish.

Let's just agree to disagree and proceed :) (like I said, I have an iPhone 4)
There is a fixed amount of intelligence on the planet, and the population keeps growing :(
 
Buub
Maximum Gerbil
Posts: 4969
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2002 11:59 pm
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: Alternative to iPhone 5s

Mon Oct 07, 2013 6:04 pm

sourish55 wrote:
Hi every one, as now i have Iphone 4s, i want to buy iphone 5s or Samsung galaxy Note 3, please advise which one is better.

Neither. Both. What do you want?

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest
GZIP: On