KPH tech blog

This blog post is part of the My Next Phone: Revisited miniseries.

LG G7 ThinQ

Everything about this phone seems perfect. Wide-angle lens is now the same resolution as the primary camera (LG G5, I’m looking at you), a high-quality audio DAC supporting 32 bit audio, and a 3.5mm headphone port.

What’s more, it comes with a Micro SD card slot, and seemingly most of the features I currently have on my Galaxy S7.

So it’s a very similar smartphone to my S7, but with a higher quality DAC (32 bit, to my S7’s 24 bit audio) and an improved rear camera setup. Only problem: availability. Almost no UK networks offer it on contract, with only option being to buy the device direct from LG. Not sure about that…

Huawei P20 Pro

On first glance, this seems like the perfect phone. 3 cameras, one of them 40MP and supporting 3x optical zoom/5x hybrid zoom (optical+digital).

However, there is a price to pay – no Micro SD Card slot, and no 3.5mm headphone port. Two things I’m not sure I could do without.

Huawei P20 Lite

P20 Lite looks slightly better on paper, more like a phone I could handle. Plus, from a recent hands-on in my local tech store, it appears to be almost the same size (body) as my S7, so bigger screen (albeit LCD) in a similar sized body.

3.5mm port, high quality audio DAC. Missing a few features, but it’s cheap and impresses on paper, at least.

Honor Play

Cheap gaming phone – all the bells and whistles of a flagship and a gaming phone, at the price of a budget/medium-range smartphone. If I can get a hold of one, I’d certainly consider this in the running for my next phone.

Pixel 2/XL

Not sure about this one. The 1st Google Pixel (manufactured by HTC), looked okay, but felt big and clunky in my hands. But, it’s price is still way too expensive.

The Pixel 2, however, might be worth a look now that the Pixel 3 has been released. Only bad things are no headphone jack and no micro SD slot. But it has stereo front-facing speakers, just like on my HTC Desire Eye.

I prefer the XL for its higher screen-to-body ratio, but, another negative point – the 2 XL is more expensive than the regular Pixel 2.

OnePlus 6

I’ve been tempted by OnePlus before, except their phones were never available on contract here in the UK. o2 did start supplying the 5T for a while, but I wasn’t impressed with the phone or the network to commit to anything.

Still, that doesn’t rule out the OnePlus 6, which looks like a great device.

Oxygen OS is often praised for it’s customisation, and certainly looks impressive.

Only downside about an otherwise great, budget flagship-killer: no micro SD card slot.

OnePlus 6T, while being more widely-available, scraps the 3.5mm port for an under-screen fingerprint sensor.

Shame as this phone would’ve been a perfect match for me, but if I can’t get a OP6, especially now that the 6T has come out, I’m swiping left on both for the moment.

Blackberry Key 2

Blackberry’s supposed ‘return’ (did they ever leave?) has been a bit of a bumpy ride, but the Key2 looks to have improved on what the KeyOne strived to achieve.

Great looks, phycisal keyboard, 3.5mm port, expandable storage…

Except, it isn’t all great. Had a feel of one recently, and I couldn’t even type one word without making so many mistakes. Keyboard keys are way too small, and feel like they’re going to break after a couple of weeks usage.

Giving this one a miss. If they could release a phone with a landscape keyboard the length of the screen, just like the Planet Gemini PDA, then I might be convinced by the presence of a phycisal keyboard.

Nokia 7 Plus

Seems like the perfect replacement for my S7. Fairly new device (released Feb 2018), 3.5mm port, micro SD, part of Android One program so no unnecessary bloatware, great build quality and seems unbreakable in good old Nokia fashion (see: Jerry Rig Everything’s Durability Test video).

Downsides? None, except that every major UK network seems to have stopped selling it. Damn!

Huawei Mate 20 Lite

The first of the Mate 20 series to be released, looks like a half-decent phone. More affordable than the M20X or M20 Pro, but comes with 3.5mm jack and micro SD support.

Xiaomi Pocophone F1

The phone that everyone’s raving about. A flagship in the body of a mid-ranger, with the price of a budget phone. Sounds perfect. But… availability? I haven’t been able to get a hold of one yet, so not sure about splashing the cash for something I haven’t yet seen.

Samsung Galaxy S9

Not much to say about the S9. Pretty much the same as my S7, but 2 generations younger. 3.5mm port, micro SD, one of the best AMOLED displays on phones, variable Aperture on camera.

The S9 Plus comes with the 2x optical zoom telephoto lens as well as the standard vari-aperture one, with a bigger screen, but costs more.

Both are overly expensive for a slight, incremental upgrade of my S7. Smaller S9 has same size body as S7 but obviously a bigger 18:9 Infinity Display screen. The UI is exactly the same as my S7 (which I’m fine with, because it’s usable and quick), but Quick Charge technology hasn’t evolved (still Quick Charge 2.0), and then there’s the much-discussed, controversial Bixby button, which can’t be remapped.

iPhone SE (128GB)

First up, it’s an iPhone. Major negative for me, but it’s one of the only small and compact devices still out there (until it isn’t, now that it’s not officially part of Apple’s lineup despite still receiving iOS updates).

128gb model would give me enough space for music, and photo/video capture. Has a 3.5mm port.

Never used to be a fan of the chamfered edges, with a definite ridge evident, but now I’m a fan and I like it.

For £349, it still rates highly as a phone and continues to beat many budget phones in terms of performance. Received iOS 12 update, so that’s a plus.

Downsides? Obviously, no micro SD slot, plus it only supports 16 bit audio, in contrast to my S7’s 24 bit audio – would that mean a poorer-quality music-listening experience? Probably, plus there’s the lack of an equaliser, with only ‘presets’ to choose from to customise the sound.

Sony Xperia XA2

First up, it’s a Sony device, meaning quality is high. I like Sony’s Android software optimizations, I like the UI, the cameras, and also the audio quality.

Used to own a Sony Ericsson phone, the W910i – great build quality, accessories, software, music quality & overall experience, but it took a long time to boot up – forcing me to switch to a Nokia phone of equal quality but lesser boot time.

My Walkman MP3 player, however, still offers up a premium experience even after 10 years of usage. If a Sony phone can match that experience, then I might be convinced by an Xperia device.

XA2 looks good enough and cheap enough for me, with great build quality and all the bells and whistles I’m looking for in a new phone.

Sony Xperia XZ3 / Xperia XZ2 Premium

Recently, I have noticed Virgin Mobile (a MVNO, or Mobile Virtual Network Operator), which runs off the EE network (so no loss of signal for me), offering the superior XZ2 or XZ3 with a free PS4 console for the same price per month – but over 36 months, not 24 months – so it might be worth my whole considerating those devices instead.

The XZ3 initially looks great on paper, with micro SD support, a great screen and camera. But, no 3.5mm jack, plus the audio quality (despite being a Walkman-esque device) is only 24 bit – the same bitrate as on my Galaxy S7, so no improvement there. Especially when the LG G7, Huawei P20 Pro & Samsung Galaxy S9/+ offer 32 bit audio.

XZ2 Premium looks superb. The screen… just wow. 4K HDR screen, over 700 PPI (pixels per inch). Plus, comes with a Dual rear camera setup – 1 colour, 1 monochrome, as well as 1080p/960fps super slow-motion video capture, which is superior to the Galaxy S9 offering of 720p/960fps.