Input For Upgrade

[Gudasau]

Greetings!
I'm currently limping along with my stock Motorola Bionic which I've had since it's release... I'm still on the grandfathered unlimited data, so have been afraid to do anything to rock that boat. I really need to replace my phone (FDR aren't doing much these days).
I can't afford the latest and greatest device, so am looking to see which previous model of Samsung or Motorola y'all have liked -- but would be a nice upgrade/step up for me. Keep in mind, I'm on the Bionic now, so I don't know about the most advanced gizmos and wouldn't be missing something I don't know about
Just something quicker, a nicer display, better battery life, and better camera. Honestly, I'm kinda guessing anything would be better than what I have now, but I do plan to live with this "new" upgrade for a couple of years, so it's important to me to find the best for the least amount of money...
You all have been so helpful to my family and me in the past, so I'm asking for more of your great advice. Please keep in mind that I will running whatever I get stock...
Thanks in advance!
Deb

 

[cr6]

Welcome back Deb, thanks for stopping by!
It really depends on your budget, but you can pick up some really great "gently used" devices from Swappa. The S4 would be a great inexpensive device, as would the Motorola Droid Maxx. If you're looking to keep your unlimited plan, unfortunately you'll have to spend a bit more and pay for a newer device at full retail. That said, you can still pick up new S5s from Verizon and new S4s from Best Buy. Hang in there and some of our more knowledgeable members can give you their input.
Good luck!

S5 tap'n

 

[Sajo]

I think it really comes down to what you want. How much is in your budget? Do you want to keep unlimited data and but your phone on E Bay or Swappa? Or are you going to cash in your upgrade and but the phone on discount at Verizon? I had aBionic and loved it. Sold it and bought a Droid Razr M (the model after the Bionic). Loved it for a year or so, sold it and bought a Droid Maxx (the model after the Razr HD and Razr M). The Droid Turbo is the latest and greatest Droid but still kind of pricey. You can get a brand new Droid Maxx on E Bay or Swappa for around $200 if you don't want to change plans. It has all the latest and greatest bells and whistles and killer battery life. But it will not be a huge change from the Settings menu you are used to on the Bionic. That's just one example though. There is nothing wrong with the Galaxy S5, S6, Note 4, LG G3 or G4, HTC One, etc. So many good phones to choose from. It really comes down to how you plan on paying, what you plan to do with your current plan and how much you are willing to spend.

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[Gudasau]

Wow! Thanks for the quick responses! I do NOT want to lose my UDP! There's 4 of us on that thing and I fear someone would tar and feather me if I ditched it LOL!
cr6 & sajokaz, that's exactly the kind of feedback I am looking for, thank you, both! Someone who has experience with the Bionic and can compare with what's come out since is an added bonus. I do like the Motorola product, but am not married to it. Samsung looks appealing too. I was wondering if the S4 would be enough of a step up for me. Idealy, I would like to stick around $200 for a gently used phone. I'm kinda nervous about buying used, but it's my only option at the moment. What kind of luck have y'all had with Swappa? I've never heard of it...

 

[Sajo]

Swappa.com sells new and used phones. The thing that is better there than E Bay is they check the ESN in all phones for sale to make sure it is not reported stolen or black listed. So you are safer as a buyer in knowing that the phone you are buying has been checked to make sure the ESN is clean. I bought my Droid Maxx there last August, brand new in the original box. It is still running great today. It's a good site to check out and see what prices are like for new vs used on all the different models. Oh....you can haggle with the seller also, make offers and see what they say. My Droid Maxx will be listed there in a few days. it will be the first time I have used the site as a seller.

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[Gudasau]

Swappa.com sells new and used phones. The thing that is better there than E Bay is they check the ESN in all phones for sale to make sure it is not reported stolen or black listed. So you are safer as a buyer in knowing that the phone you are buying has been checked to make sure the ESN is clean. I bought my Droid Maxx there last August, brand new in the original box. It is still running great today. It's a good site to check out and see what prices are like for new vs used on all the different models. Oh....you can haggle with the seller also, make offers and see what they say. My Droid Maxx will be listed there in a few days. it will be the first time I have used the site as a seller.

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Awesome! Thanks for letting me know about Swappa! Heading over there right now!

 

[Sajo]

Awesome! Thanks for letting me know about Swappa! Heading over there right now!

You are welcome. Happy shopping!

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[lesboots]

Wow! Thanks for the quick responses! I do NOT want to lose my UDP! There's 4 of us on that thing and I fear someone would tar and feather me if I ditched it LOL!
cr6 & sajokaz, that's exactly the kind of feedback I am looking for, thank you, both! Someone who has experience with the Bionic and can compare with what's come out since is an added bonus. I do like the Motorola product, but am not married to it. Samsung looks appealing too. I was wondering if the S4 would be enough of a step up for me. Idealy, I would like to stick around $200 for a gently used phone. I'm kinda nervous about buying used, but it's my only option at the moment. What kind of luck have y'all had with Swappa? I've never heard of it...

I have gotten two phones from Swappa, both great deals.

I have used an S4 for a couple of years and still like it, except the battery life. The camera is pretty good.

 

[Gudasau]

Just set up my account with Swappa. Trying to figure it all out! Lots to look at! This is gonna be fun! Thank you ALL for your help! If I have any Swappa questions (beginner stupid stuff - like what's the difference between the colors of those little boxes above the American flag icon) , do I need to start a new thread or may I ask here?

 

[Sajo]

I am not an admin / moderator so this may be over ruled, but I don't mind answering questions here in this thread. It seems somewhat related to the original question. I would definitely stick to US sellers, with the US flag symbol.... Just my opinion.

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[Gudasau]

I am not an admin / moderator so this may be over ruled, but I don't mind answering questions here in this thread. It seems somewhat related to the original question. I would definitely stick to US sellers, with the US flag symbol.... Just my opinion.

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Yes, I will be sticking with US sellers only. What do those colored boxes above the flag mean? There's red, blue, white, etc....
Also, are there more than one kind of Motorola Maxx? I'm seeing Maxx HD and just plain Maxx....

 

[Sajo]

There was the Droid Razr Maxx HD, on of the 2012 Droid models and the Droid Maxx, which was the 2013 Droid model. If you want an upgrade from the Bionic, I would suggest not buying the Razr Maxx HD. It does not have many newwrr features than the Bionic. The Droid Maxx and Moto X in 2013 really changed the Moto phones and added many cool new features. Also....I forgot to mention the Moto X earlier. It is another awesome phone. The original was the 2013 Moto X and the second gen is called Moto X 2014. Both are awesome.

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[cr6]

If you can afford an S5 over the S4, go with that one. The camera is much better, and the battery life is absolutely amazing. That said it will be a bit more expensive. It's been out for a year though so it won't cost as much as a brand new flagship device.
The S4 is a great device though, but since it's been out a lot longer, you might consider purchasing a replacement battery if you go with this one. (OEM batteries for this device will be less than 20 bucks)
Happy shopping!

S5 tap'n

 

[dezymond]

I agree with @sajokaz , swappa is a great place to get newer devices at a fair price.

I'm not too familiar with Swappa, but I'm sure they have a FAQ section. I'm sure you can sneak in a question or two about Swappa, but keep us updated about which phone you are considering.

I'm currently on an s4, a now +2yr old device and it's been great. I would stick with the phone if I didn't have an upgrade available as it still runs smooth and can pretty much keep up with many of today's latest phones for the most part.

 

[Gudasau]

Y'all are so helpful! Thank you! I'm currently surfing, googling reviews, and struggling with yet another FDR on my Bionic. I plan to pull the trigger on something new-to-me this weekend! Right now, I am looking at the Samsung S4 & S5 AND the Motorola Maxx. Funny, these were the ones I was already looking at before posting here. I guess I'm on the right track! Lovin' this Swappa thing, it's really cool!
Please keep the suggestions coming. I'm loving all this input! Thanks again!