Help Alternatives to S6? Must have removable battery, MicroSD slot

fordguy00 · May 25, 2015

fordguy00 said:
They already have. The A5.

Ok I take that back, it looks like they're gonna release the J1

Slug · May 26, 2015

fordguy00 said:
it looks like they're gonna release the J1

How in any way, shape or form could that be considered a "less-premium" version of the S6? 4.3" 480 x 800 TFT display, 512MB RAM + 4GB internal storage, dual-core Spreadtrum SOC... these are entry-level specs for 2015.

fonefare · Sep 8, 2015

I have a different reason in favour of a removable battery.
It rescues me when every so often my phone hangs and nothing will fix it.
Also, carrying an extra battery is so much lighter than most power banks.

In favour of a Card - I live in a small town in Gujarat and my wifi is not the best in the world. I can't count on Cloud Service.

I will wait for a very smart phone that will have both - a pullout battery AND a MicroSD card slot

jack58 · Sep 11, 2015

The Note 4 is still being sold and a top 5 phone, (#1 in 2014) and has removable battery & SD.
Not a lot of difference in performance with the new Note 5 which doesn't have removable battery & SD.

texaggie77 · Sep 16, 2015

I wanted to share with everyone an experience where my SD card came to the rescue. Several days ago my Samsung S4 started randomly rebooting. I tried removing the battery and reinserting, but it would reboot then immediately turn off. It turns out that the power button was stuck in the "on" position. I tried taking it apart and pressure blowing the inside, but it was still stuck. There was no way to keep it turned on!

Thank God I had all my family pics, videos, and other important documents stored on my SD card, because they would have been inaccessible otherwise. Yeah I know I could have "sent it in for repair", but I really don't feel comfortable sending pictures, documents, of my whole life to some stranger. And cloud is out for me, since my Internet is spotty.

And yes, I probably should be backing up my SD card to somewhere else since they can go out too. But sorry guys, 128GB of internal storage would not have saved me in this case.

jack58 · Sep 16, 2015

Great example texaggie! I keep all my pics and important stuff on my SD card too.
Phones with high storage are expensive, whereas SD cards are cheap in comparison.

murali_krishnaa · Sep 23, 2015

EarlyMon said:
Both HTC and LG have sd cards

The LG has a removable battery, but we haven't seen the 2015 version yet.

We have seen the new HTC One M9, it doesn't have a removable battery.

You're asking for other phones - what regional or carrier preferences do you have?

If you are that interested in Samsung, I say u go with the Note 4. It's still a power packed mobile.
If other manufacturer go for LG G4/V10. Those are really premium as well as awesome mobiles.

See the comparison of these: http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=6901&idPhone2=6749&idPhone3=7606

jack58 · Oct 22, 2015

They're already phasing out the Note 4 in stores, trying to force customers to buy the Note 5.
When I told the sales rep a friend of mine wanted a Note 4, not Note 5 and he would be looking elsewhere, the sales rep goes "Wait!, we have a couple in stock in the back room! Kinda sneaky if you ask me.

I'm thoroughly sure I'm keeping my Note 4 until the Note 6 comes out. Even then, I may go with another brand if I find one that has SD card support and removable battery.

andygold · Nov 27, 2015

Another reason to have removable SD card...i have a rooted, daily used LG Optimus G Pro, which is used mostly an entertainment device, and testbed. I store about 40 Gb of music and files on the external card (yeah, i know). I'm always tweaking settings and firmware that root allows. Every few months, i end up doing something that screws my phone big time, and I'm stuck going back to factory stock. When i had my phone's 32Gb internal memory full of my music/files, it would literally take a full day to reinstall everything into internal memory. Now, with my media and files on external SD memory, my factory reset is done in minutes, and none of my files on the SD card are touched. Win win!

Pottertons · Nov 29, 2015

I had a similar experience to texaggie77.
Micro SD is an absolute must for me, so i'm biting the bullet and going to try the LG G4 for the grace period that my provider offers.

Really though, internal memory can never truly replace an SD card. In order to truly do so you would have to....

1) either carry an OTG cable and Thumb drive, or have a subscription (eventually a premium one which requires more money) for cloud storage
2) Even with both of the above, you'd have to be CONSTANTLY backing up everything instantaneously.
3) I imagine the RAM would take a hit if multi-tasking. (maybe not on a new device, but as time goes on....)
4) I also imagine that your battery would drain even faster (better make sure to carry that powerbank with you)
5) If cloud is the option you choose, you'd be taking a big hit on your monthly data cap

I say this because of what happened to me recently.

S4, term over and looking at potentially upgrading. Literally the day before I was going to do so, my phone Hard Bricks during a game.
Now, I was able to retrieve any media i had on there because of the SD card support. However, all i could think about was, what if this were to happen, with the S6, while out for the day with the family when i tend to savor many moments by camera or video. Followed by transferring them when i get home.

Unless you would be willing to stop and upload/OTG transfer after each and every shot or minutes recorded, there isn't anything other than an SD card that can ensure your data is saved. Not even cloud storage

Where i am, the difference between the 32GB and 64GB S6 is $100. And that's for the contract price. Meanwhile, a 32GB card is quite cheap. Around $10/$15.
At the end of the day, the only reason they're doing this, is for money. They've torn a page out of Apples books.

jack58 · Nov 30, 2015

Pottertons said:
Where i am, the difference between the 32GB and 64GB S6 is $100. And that's for the contract price. Meanwhile, a 32GB card is quite cheap. Around $10/$15.
At the end of the day, the only reason they're doing this, is for money. They've torn a page out of Apples books.

Exactly! Samsung is trying to FORCE you to do what they want. Won't work with me as I got a Note 4 instead and when I'm ready for a new phone next year, I'll go with another brand... goodbye Samsung.

chanchan05 · Dec 1, 2015

Actually, onboard storage IS more expensive than an SD card because of the different technologies used. Onboard memory on phones nowadays are more closely related to SSDs than SD cards, and are much faster. Think of it as SSDs vs normal HDDs. An SSD hard drive can cost 5x or more than a normal HDD. That's the price of performance.

Now I'm not saying that Samsung isn't putting a premium on their devices that they actually cost a LOT more than they are worth physically, but to say that the price difference is inexplicable for a 32GB and a 64GB version isn't true. In the realm of SD cards for instance, a class 10 card is up to 3x more expensive than a class 6 card. And the flash memory module on a phone is much faster than a class 10 card.

Same reason why Apple prices also jump a lot when the memory increases.

Pugs1957 · Dec 1, 2015

You sound like very lucky people not having had an SD card fail.

electricpete · Dec 5, 2015

EarlyMon said:
I hear this all the time and I'll tell you why I hate it - here's what it translates to:

"If you're not happy with what Samsung offers and how I have assessed storage, you're using your phone wrong."

SD card users have a love / hate relationship with the cards.

When it's more hate, fine, get the Samsung.

When it's more love, get a phone that supports it.

No matter how many ways people say what they prefer about sd cards, someone has an argument for it.

Pros: Cheaper, cheaper to configure post-purchase, easy to change as your needs do post-purchase, easy to interchange with other devices or pc without having your phone chained down, has been encrypt-able from day one (it's called secure digital) without needing a vendor solution, and my favorite reason that's just as valid - just because.

Cons: can go bad, can create support problems, can get ripped off buying a counterfeit, slower to use, can't store apps (seriously the 2010 solutions for that are just stop gaps).

The truth is that everyone learns to live within their storage budget, measured in GB and money.

Here's another thing - some people hate Samsung. Just like some hate HTC, or Apple, or Sony, or whatever.

But not getting why some people need an SD card or why some people need a larger or removable battery is like not getting why some people need to eat eggplant or own a dog instead of a cat.

I freaking hate eggplant and love cats and dogs but so what ok.

Android is all about choice.

Samsung is offering less in some areas but more in others.

The more in some does not negate the less in others.

Samsung may claim it does and that may work for you but it is not going to work for everyone.

And NOT because they don't get it.

Cheers.

op said sd cards were non-negotiable.
Nevertheless we're discussing it... that's the way things go sometimes.
On the subject of pro's con's of sd cards... I vote this the "best answer"

Deleted User · Dec 7, 2015

my sad and pathetic S6 only has 32 gb

Deleted User · Dec 7, 2015

Pugs1957 said:
You sound like very lucky people not having had an SD card fail.

I've never, in my entire life, ever has an SD card fail. Ever.

chanchan05 · Dec 7, 2015

secretsquirrel said:
I've never, in my entire life, ever has an SD card fail. Ever.

That doesn't mean it doesn't happen, and it could happen at the most unfortunate times. I've been using SD cards since 2005. The first time one actually failed me was just a month ago. Normally my SD cards fail after I have used them already. Like when I already got a new SD card, then after a few months, decided I needed another flash drive and get my old SD card to put in a portable card reader for that job, only to find out it doesn't work anymore. This year, I have a 4 year old 32GB SD card in my Note 2 that suddenly refused to work. Would have lost everything in it if I didn't have a backup, which thankfully I have.

In your case it may just be that it hasn't happened yet. Took 10 years before it happened to me. But it CAN happen. Plus SD is slower. I'd like to still have that option though.

The Galaxy A8 is probably the best alternative right now to the Note and S6, if you plan to stay within Samsung.

Pottertons · Dec 10, 2015

I guess the overall question is; Which form of storage is most reliable in terms of spontaneous damage/failure?

Speed is indeed a big plus, but speed will mean very little when your phone bricks and your storage has lots of keepsakes on it.

chanchan05 · Dec 11, 2015

Pottertons said:
I guess the overall question is; Which form of storage is most reliable in terms of spontaneous damage/failure?

Speed is indeed a big plus, but speed will mean very little when your phone bricks and your storage has lots of keepsakes on it.

Your phone is less likely to brick than the SD card to fail. Unless you mean accidental damage, but that doesn't count as "bricking", if we stick to definitions. And that's what backups are for.

Deleted User · Dec 13, 2015

The Galaxy A8 is probably the best alternative right now to the Note and S6 said:
I've found I outgrow SD cards faster than they die, in that I usually buy a bigger capacity one when the price has dropped enough. I'm certainly aware they CAN die - and so can the storage built into the phone - and indeed became the hero of a friend on a European trip recently. I advised her to buy a 2nd SD card, in case her one died or got corrupted, so worst case scenario she'd still have half her snaps. That's exactly what happened, though happily the 'unreadable' card could be read via a card reader on her laptop later anyway.

I don't intend to stay with Samsung. Work is a bit hectic but when things settle down and I get paid I'm looking at a Sony Xperia Z4. Still doesn't have a removable battery but is at least waterproof and claimed to go for 2 days, plus SD card slot. This weekend has really driven home how useless the S6 battery is, and also how slow to charge it is, if not using the 'fast charger'. Joined my wife on a business trip, just a bit of surfing, a language learning app and reading an epub, was literally joined to the wall socket to keep the thing going.

Example - took photo of beach from restaurant while having breakfast - the battery was already at 69%, after a 100% charge overnight. 5 minutes on wattsapp and taking a photo, 30% of the battery?

I don't just dislike this phone, I hate it.

Hadron · Dec 15, 2015

chanchan05 said:
Your phone is less likely to brick than the SD card to fail. Unless you mean accidental damage, but that doesn't count as "bricking", if we stick to definitions. And that's what backups are for.

To second this: no matter what storage you use, you need to back up anything that's important to you. If a phone breaks then the internal storage is lost, but an SD card can be removed and the data on it saved. But the SD card can fail itself. And if the phone is lost or stolen then you lose the data however they are stored. So if there is stuff that's important to you, back it up regardless of how you store it.

Mrlukeprice · Mar 3, 2016

I have to say everyone, DO NOT buy the LG G4, I had it for 3 months and it got the bootloop issue(search google), LG have released a statement accepting this is a known hardware issue, when I sent it off for repair they told me it was no longer under warranty and had water damage?? Even though its never been near water?? So there no way I'm buying a G4 again LG can get bent!

Besides the G4 though I really cant think of a flagship top end device that has the power and grunt I want with the biggest deal breaker of all....a removable battery. ( trust me I have been searching price tag is no issue, quality and value for money is though! )

I know people bang on about how its not all that important and just buy a power bank external battery bla bla bla but I'm telling you, try walking a day in my shoes and you would soon realise it HAS to have a removable battery. Plus I like to keep my handsets for more than a year, by that time the amount of hammer I would give to a battery inside a non removable battery phone would render it almost useless and powerlessly impotent!

Im afraid smartphone manufacturers have woken up and smelled the coffee, they realise they have come to somewhat of a end of the road as far as technological advancements go on mobiles and the best way to stimulate income and sales is to make sure we need to buy a new model every year or so, hence the non removable batteries and lack of SD Card slots.

Its disgusting to be fair and anyone who tries to defend these manufacturers are stupid, deluded brand loving pet's who want to get bled dry for all there worth.

Anyway if anyone can think of a decent smartphone with removable battery that isn't about two years old+ or a LG G4 please tweet me @Mr_Luke_Price would appreciate it!!

Thanks

chanchan05 · Mar 3, 2016

Mrlukeprice said:
I have to say everyone, DO NOT buy the LG G4, I had it for 3 months and it got the bootloop issue(search google), LG have released a statement accepting this is a known hardware issue, when I sent it off for repair they told me it was no longer under warranty and had water damage?? Even though its never been near water?? So there no way I'm buying a G4 again LG can get bent!

Besides the G4 though I really cant think of a flagship top end device that has the power and grunt I want with the biggest deal breaker of all....a removable battery. ( trust me I have been searching price tag is no issue, quality and value for money is though! )

I know people bang on about how its not all that important and just buy a power bank external battery bla bla bla but I'm telling you, try walking a day in my shoes and you would soon realise it HAS to have a removable battery. Plus I like to keep my handsets for more than a year, by that time the amount of hammer I would give to a battery inside a non removable battery phone would render it almost useless and powerlessly impotent!

Im afraid smartphone manufacturers have woken up and smelled the coffee, they realise they have come to somewhat of a end of the road as far as technological advancements go on mobiles and the best way to stimulate income and sales is to make sure we need to buy a new model every year or so, hence the non removable batteries and lack of SD Card slots.

Its disgusting to be fair and anyone who tries to defend these manufacturers are stupid, deluded brand loving pet's who want to get bled dry for all there worth.

Anyway if anyone can think of a decent smartphone with removable battery that isn't about two years old+ or a LG G4 please tweet me @Mr_Luke_Price would appreciate it!!

Thanks

Oh i dunno. Having a non removable battery allows them to streamline the phone casing and components, making it lighter while having a bigger battery inside. So yes, the individual phone can last longer than a phone with a removable battery on a single charge. Making it an improvement over phones with user replaceable batteries. But it is less practical if you want to go on extended periods far from a socket, where two batteries would be better.

But to say they are deluded is a bit of a stretch. Especially since nowadays new battery technology allows them to last longer over time against wear and tear than previous. Keeping new batteries topped up as often as possible actually extends their lifespan, to beyond the 1 year older battery technologies usually begin to deteriorate significantly.

jack58 · Mar 3, 2016

Mrlukeprice said:
I have to say everyone, DO NOT buy the LG G4, I had it for 3 months and it got the bootloop issue(search google), LG have released a statement accepting this is a known hardware issue, when I sent it off for repair they told me it was no longer under warranty and had water damage?? Even though its never been near water?? So there no way I'm buying a G4 again LG can get bent!

Besides the G4 though I really cant think of a flagship top end device that has the power and grunt I want with the biggest deal breaker of all....a removable battery. ( trust me I have been searching price tag is no issue, quality and value for money is though! )

I know people bang on about how its not all that important and just buy a power bank external battery bla bla bla but I'm telling you, try walking a day in my shoes and you would soon realise it HAS to have a removable battery. Plus I like to keep my handsets for more than a year, by that time the amount of hammer I would give to a battery inside a non removable battery phone would render it almost useless and powerlessly impotent!

Im afraid smartphone manufacturers have woken up and smelled the coffee, they realise they have come to somewhat of a end of the road as far as technological advancements go on mobiles and the best way to stimulate income and sales is to make sure we need to buy a new model every year or so, hence the non removable batteries and lack of SD Card slots.

Its disgusting to be fair and anyone who tries to defend these manufacturers are stupid, deluded brand loving pet's who want to get bled dry for all there worth.

Anyway if anyone can think of a decent smartphone with removable battery that isn't about two years old+ or a LG G4 please tweet me @Mr_Luke_Price would appreciate it!!

Thanks

Look at the new LG G5. It has a removable battery.
I'm going with the new Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge w/Gear VR/64GB microSD when it comes out March 11th.

Hadron · Mar 8, 2016

Yup, if your requirements are "removable battery and not LG" then it might be time to give up on smartphones. Though if you destroy a battery in a year all I can say is try charging it before you run it down too low, because it's only if they are abused that they die that quickly (and running them flat constantly is abuse - they aren't NiCds).

And for the person who says sd cards never fail, I had one do just that a few weeks ago. Samsung card, 9 months old, lightly used, irrecoverable. The first failure I'd suffered, but I knew better than to believe it couldn't happen to me so there was nothing important that wasn't backed up.

Help Alternatives to S6? Must have removable battery, MicroSD slot

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