Upgrade tomorrow, upgrade or not?

[EggotheKilljoy]

My upgrade is tomorrow, and I'm wanting to get the Epic 4G Touch. Im debating on whether or not to upgrade though, since the Galaxy Nexus imsgoukd be getting released on Sprint soon(maybe in the next few months?) And there's the possibility of an LTE E4GT getting released sometime soon as well. But I really want to get rid of my Evo(well use it to boot custom ROMs on, since I keep my main phone stock) since I'm having alot of problems with it and my local Sprint store is terrible at customer service. Any opinions on what I should do, or anyone have any clue.as to a possible release date of the GNex? If it matters, my city has WiMax and is in the first round of LTE rollouts.

[nova46]

Man if you can hold off for a bit, I would really wait for the Galaxy S III. Not entirely sure when the release will be but should be sometime mid-year. It's going to be one beast of a phone that will be future proof for a while. Quad core exynos processor, 720p or 1080p Super AMOLED Plus screen, LTE enabled, ceramic backing, and other goodies. If not, I'm fairly certain Sprint is about to release a version of the HTC One X very soon, possibly tomorrow since Dan Hesse has a press release type thing tomorrow at MWC. If you really don't want to wait I would at least try to hold out a month or so whenever Sprint gets the Galaxy Nexus. While the Epic Touch 4G is a great phone, it's not future proof at all considering it does not have LTE.

[legion125]

Unless your EVO is giving you serious problems, I'd wait. In 60 - 90 days I'm positive Sprint will release the GNex and LG Viper (both LTE devices) Plus. Sprint will also use the CTIA event in May to announce all the new phones it will launch including the rumored E4GT LTE and EVO LTE (One X).

 

If you get a good WiMax connection and want the E4GT then here's a good sale for today and Thursday.

 

http://www.androidcentral.com/sprint-galaxy-s-ii-epic-4g-touch-black-white-offer-best-price-online

[BenChase7]

Tough choice! If you're happy with your current 4G coverage, the Epic 4G Touch is nice... The Epic Touch is sweet, no doubt, But like the others, I would wait so you can take advantage of LTE, especially if your market is in the first round of Network Vision/LTE deployment. It wont be long.. I think two months will be well worth the wait.

[strung]

I'd say go for it. You can always ebay it. Though I tend to upgrade my phone every 3 or 6 months :-) The nice thing is good phones hold most of their resale value. The camera alone is worth it. Though if you listen to music on your phone, I'd wait or get the iPhone as the DAC on the Epic Touch 4G is garbage. The camera on the Galaxy Nexus is extremely disappointing (unless or course they choose a different part for the Sprint version). I'd rather have a good camera than LTE.

Edited March 1, 2012 by strung

[Sgt. Slaughter]

I'd say go for it. You can always ebay it. Though I tend to upgrade my phone every 3 or 6 months :-) The nice thing is good phones hold most of their resale value. The camera alone is worth it. Though if you listen to music on your phone, I'd wait or get the iPhone as the DAC on the Epic Touch 4G is garbage. The camera on the Galaxy Nexus is extremely disappointing (unless or course they choose a different part for the Sprint version). I'd rather have a good camera than LTE.

 

How are u upgrading that often? Less ur paying full price for each of them....and in that case u lose $ a ton on resale...

 

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

[strung]

How are u upgrading that often? Less ur paying full price for each of them....and in that case u lose $ a ton on resale...

 

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

 

Online you can get android phones often for free ... e.g. on http://wireless.amazon.com/ usually a few months after release.

Then just buying/selling on ebay.

[lrmcgarvey]

Personaly, I would be scared that the resale value of a wimax phone will be in the dumps by the end of this year.

 

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[pyroscott]

I'd say go for it. You can always ebay it. Though I tend to upgrade my phone every 3 or 6 months :-) The nice thing is good phones hold most of their resale value. The camera alone is worth it. Though if you listen to music on your phone, I'd wait or get the iPhone as the DAC on the Epic Touch 4G is garbage. The camera on the Galaxy Nexus is extremely disappointing (unless or course they choose a different part for the Sprint version). I'd rather have a good camera than LTE.

 

Are you speaking from personal experience or are you judging the nexus camera strictly on megapixels? My experience with the nexus camera is that it is really good quality for a 5 MP and has zero shutter lag. It gives smaller files is about the only difference between it and the E4GT. I would take nexus camera over E4GT any day. And I have had both phones.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[strung]

I owned the E4GT for about 3 weeks and own a 4S. I don't own a Galaxy Nexus though but have compared it side by side and seen some of its pictures online. So not really scientific comparison; I could be well off base. Zero shutter lag is cool though. Forgot about that. The 4S also low zero shutter lag maybe not as fast as the Galaxy Nexus though, but the GN 4 out of 5 pics will be lag free, but out of focus. The Galaxy Nexus takes good pictures in good light - I don't think I was fair saying its extremely disappointing. Sorry, I was probably still pissed about the absolutely abysmal audio quality on the E4GT. Samsung switched from the amazing Wolfson codec used in the original Epic Touch to a cheaper Yahama codec with high noise.

Edited March 1, 2012 by strung

[pyroscott]

Well, I tested out how the Nexus' focus would work with fast picture taking. I took 7 pictures as fast as I could inside with lower light than is usually optimal and 2 were out of focus. Then I walked out to the deck and took about 30 in bright light and didn't really notice any that were out of focus.

The E4GT takes really good pictures, I'm not trying to take anything away from that, but I like the ability to quickly snap a picture. In fact, I gave away a $300 point and shoot camera to my sister in law because it took too long between pictures then I went out and bought a new one that I tested in the store to find the quickest shutter lag. I could have cared less if one took slightly better pictures or had more megapixels. But to each his own. There are always some things that someone will like more about camera "A" and things that other people prefer about camera "B". I have to admit, when I first learned that there was a 5 MP camera in the nexus, I was very surprised. All the top phones were coming out with 8 MP cameras, but this camera is so much better than the 5 MP on my HTC Hero. I still use a 3.1 MP point and shoot from time to time and that still takes good pictures so It's not all about MP.

All things aside, I bought the nexus not for battery, camera, processor, or any other stat. I bought it so I could be in complete control of my phone experience, be able to make any adjustments I wish, and be assured prompt upgrades with every new version of Android. The 720p screen was a nice bonus though.

[chappo2000]

Definitely wait. You have to constantly remind yourself that you'll be stuck with this phone for the next 22 months. That makes it critically important to select a phone that is not going to see its eol or end of life while you're still contract. For example, I bought the evo 4g the first week of launch. Now my upgrade is due April 1st. Can you imagine the pain I'd feel if I bought that phone just six month later? I feel sorry for those people. Don't make that same mistake.

[BenChase7]

Definitely wait. You have to constantly remind yourself that you'll be stuck with this phone for the next 22 months. That makes it critically important to select a phone that is not going to see its eol or end of life while you're still contract. For example, I bought the evo 4g the first week of launch. Now my upgrade is due April 1st. Can you imagine the pain I'd feel if I bought that phone just six month later? I feel sorry for those people. Don't make that same mistake.

 

Is it 22 or 20 months now? For some reason, I thought it was only 20 months to upgrade.

 

Edit: Looks like its 20 months to upgrade now. https://manage.sprintpcs.com/specialoffers/RebateWelcome.do

[oversight]

If you can, I would sit back and wait until CTIA to see what's on the horizon for Sprint. That's when Sprint will likely talk about the next flagship HTC device, be it a new EVO or some other variation of the One X. Samsung will likely have unveiled the GS3 by then, and we may have a bit more info on that mystery L710 device (the rumored E4GT LTE). We might even get a snapshot what Motorola is working on.

 

Sprint announced plans to release quite a few LTE enabled devices this year and undoubtedly there will be several mid- or high-tier handsets in that bunch.

Edited March 4, 2012 by oversight

[legion125]

I think its currently at the 22 month mark when you upgrade from your current contract period or use your last premier upgrade then your reset to 20 months from there on. EX. I'm out of contract now and was at 22 months. When I get around to upgrading I'll be able to upgrade at 20 months.

[IAmSixNine]

If your in one of the first launch markets like me (Dallas, TX) then id wait to see what HTC / Samsung bring to the table with their new round of LTE capable devices. HTC / Sprint have an announcement on April 4th so perhaps the ONE series will be announced then. Also as someone mentioned the SPH-L700 or L710 recently passed FCC testing so not much longer before its available.

I currently have an Epic Touch and its one of the best phones i have ever owned. Still Stock as well.

I keep an EVO 3D as back up in case i break it or it dies on me.

[pyroscott]

I currently have an Epic Touch and its one of the best phones i have ever owned.

 

One of the best? What was better?

[IAmSixNine]

The EVO 3D was also pretty solid. However i am not happy with its smaller size screen or screen type. I am sold on the SAMOLED screens. But if it wasnt for that i might still be on the 3D.

Both devices are very solid out of the box.

Thats just my opinion.

[pyroscott]

The EVO 3D was also pretty solid. However i am not happy with its smaller size screen or screen type. I am sold on the SAMOLED screens. But if it wasnt for that i might still be on the 3D.

Both devices are very solid out of the box.

Thats just my opinion.

 

The 3D was a good phone, but I liked the E4GT quite a bit better. Possibly due to my severe distaste for Sense(less waste of resources) Not to mention the 3D was way harder to unlock the bootloader and root. All in all though, the 3D was a very good phone, but the E4GT seemed to me to be in a class of its own.

[IAmSixNine]

Yup, thats why i said its one of the best i have owned.

Each of them has features that make it unique. I think the 3D is built a bit more solid and less fragile. LOL has 3D for the people who can actually view it with out getting sick or a headache, and as both devices were made pretty solid running GB right out of the box.

[pyroscott]

I am definitely in the minority here, but I felt like the E4GT was more durable. I had the 3D in a case all the time, but the E4GT, I would keep in my pocket, out of the case. I even dropped my uncased E4GT from about 5 feet onto rough concrete getting out of my truck at the gas station and there was not a scratch on it. The 3D felt heavy and like I would drop it if I wasn't giving it a death grip. It also felt like it would gain more speed if I dropped it and smash the screen. The plus to the 3D would be that replacement digitizer is around $20 where a E4GT screen is almost $200 if the screen were to ever break.