Upgrade recommendations from Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Hey there, that is a company phone I am getting, I would recommend to buy a battery from a brand called Anker if this is available, Galaxy Note phones are great and sticking to this device is a wise choice unless the Note 8 comes this year and you have the possibility of getting one. I hope this advice works.

Thanks Jesse.  Battery for Note5?  I heard that doesn't help much.  Its a device that draining a lot of juice.

So you're recommending sticking to the Note?   Cool.  Note7, is it the one with battery issues or was it all fixed already?
Note8 seems releasing next month in August.  Maybe I should wait a little.

The Note 7 is being released again with the tag as refurbished meaning that it will come with a new and less powerful battery but to my knowledge this will be at the end of the year, Samsung is trying to clear whatever is left of his remaining inventory. If your current phone is draining battery and is out of manufacturer warranty I will recommend a custom ROM such as lineage OS to see is this helps, I have seen a few phones getting help in that area  by doing this

Thanks Jesse.  Do you think replacing battery would help?  

Any other ideas besides Samsung?

I would say if replacing the battery does not work, I would say installing another ROM such as Lineage to see if this fixes the issue. Last step is to try and switch to the new Note 8 once this is available.

Never replaced OS on Android.  Would it require a complete wipe out and reinstall?

I would recommend to follow this tutorial: https://forum.xda-developers.com/note5/general/how-to-install-lineage-os-note-5latest-t3636975

I have had success following these instructions for doing it on older Galaxy note devices but the process is the same. You can always do a backup of your information using these tools. Wiping out your phone info will happen otherwise.

I disagree with the last comment since traditionally Samsung and some of typical carriers load these phones with some much useless crap not needed that only affects the overall performance of the phone and unless you root the phone and gain access to remove these apps you won't be able to remove these apps at all.

For normal users, stay with the stock ROM (firmware) is the best practice and I will not recommend rooting or changing the ROM unless your phone is obsolete and you are an Android enthusiast and you do not mind end up turning a smartphone into an expensive brick.

Thanks Jackie and Jesse.  

I do like larger screen.  Definitely.  Battery life sucks though.  I cannot go anywhere without an external battery or a charger.
I heard battery is an issue with note 5 though.  Even replacing it won't help much.

As for the budget.  I normally get AT&T with 2 years contact. So you don't pay a full price for the phone.  It's embedded into the contract payments.

Looks like Note is still on the top of the game.  Any other phones I should consider?
Thanks.

You can't replace the battery on the Note5.

If the battery is draining, check your apps http://www.samsung.com/ca/support/skp/faq/1088501 and there are ways you can extend such as the brightness of the screen and sleep time etc. http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-galaxy-note-5-battery-life-tips-661990/ 

I have this phone and curse at the usb port.  Why can't they take the lead from Apple here.

As far as a new phone, the next best that I am looking at is the Pixel https://madeby.google.com/phone/ vs the iPhone with the larger screen https://madeby.google.com/phone/

I agree with last comment above, the Pixel is a phone we are looking to use in our department for evaluation purposes.

Thanks Scott.  Which Pixel? XL?
I looked at Pixel also and its lacking display size/resolution and camera vs Note5.  And Note 8 should be even better.
Not sure about battery though.    Pixels looks good 3450mAh.

I would recommend the Pixel XL.

https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/cellphones.html

There are only a few choices if you stay with AT&T.

The choices are Samsung S8+ and LG G6 for your usage.

That's a good point.  Pixel isn't available with AT&T.  Sucks!
Should wait for Note8 most likely.

Samsung Note series is unique for its pen. Note 5 has a problem that if you insert the pen wrongly, it will be stuck inside and you cannot get the pen without damaging your note 5.

The closest match is LG Stylus 2 Plus but it only has 1080P display.

http://m.gsmarena.com/lg_stylus_2_plus-8079.php

I see.  I rarely using stylis.  Never had an issue with it though doesn't matter which way I insert it.  Always works.
 I like Note mostly for a large bright screen, high resolution, and 16mp camera.

If having a pen is not necessary, I will recommend ASUS Zenfone AR.

https://www.asus.com/Phone/ZenFone-AR-ZS571KL/

But, it is not offered in AT&T shop like Google Pixel XL.

I have owned ASUS Zenfone 5 before and the battery is good.

If you want large and vivid display, do expect you need to replace your phone within 2 years if the battery is not removable.

Actually, you need to go to shop to test the user interface and its performance before you make any decision.

If I can manage to get a new job with a better pay, I will get a second hand LG V20 as it has a removable battery.

http://m.gsmarena.com/lg_v20-8238.php

https://m.att.com/shopmobile/cellphones/lg/v20.html#sku=sku8080245

AT&T has LG V20 in their store and you can get in at a lower price.

Thanks Jackie.  Asus is a good option.
I see if I can get a phone outside AT&T and only get AT&T service.

Good move.

You should be fine.

I am using two Android phone now. SAMSUNG S5 and SONY Xperia Z2, both are second hand ones.

My needs are different from yours as price and durability  are my major concerns and battery utilization is the second concern as I stay online for nearly 18 hours a day.

If you have no further question, please do us a favor and close this question.

Thanks!