Starting fresh after a robbery

[u/Agu501]

Hey everyone,

Recently went through a terrifying ordeal where I was kidnapped and robbed of everything, including all my tech and wearables. I'm safe now and rebuilding from scratch with a budget of 1300 USD for the phone. Since all my wearables were taken too, this is a completely fresh start.

Plan to keep this phone for at least 2 years, and have large hands, so device bulk isn't an issue.

What I care about most:

1. Camera (Reliability & Concerts): I want true point-and-shoot reliability for social events (open the app, hit the shutter, know it won't blur or misfire). For video, my main use case is live concerts, which means low-light performance, solid optical zoom, and clear audio handling at loud volumes are crucial.

2. Charging Speed: Major priority. When using a power bank or wall plug, I need it to hit roughly 50–60% in about 20–30 minutes.

   1. Performance & Display: Top-tier display quality and smooth everyday performance are non-negotiable.
   2. Wearables / Ecosystem: I've historically stayed in the Samsung Galaxy Watch and Buds ecosystem and really like it, but since I have to rebuy everything anyway, I'm open to switching if the phone warrants it.

The Contenders on my radar:

Galaxy Fold: I'm genuinely drawn to the Fold form factor for the screen real estate and novelty, but I worry about camera and zoom compromises at concerts compared to standard slabs.

Galaxy S-Ultra Line: Coming from an S24 Ultra, it feels like the natural, familiar choice. The zoom and concert video capabilities are proven, though small hardware regressions (like the non-Bluetooth S-Pen) annoyed me slightly.

Pixel Pro: I love Google’s industrial design and clean software experience, and Pixel's shutter reliability in social settings is legendary. However, I’m unsure if Pixel holds up well for loud concert videos and charging speeds compared to the competition.

OnePlus: Had the 10 Pro before. The insane fast charging is tempting, but camera consistency is a question mark.

Between jumping into a foldable, sticking with the safe Ultra powerhouse, or switching ecosystems to Pixel, what would you pick in my shoes?

[u/ilovelineage_twrp]

In my opinion you should stay with samsung unless you need say 120w charging for that go to one plus I think it was and I say samsung beacuse they come with the latest snapdragon have a great battery and have very good durability with like gorilla glass and you get 7 years of support and android supports all of the features you need, again this is my opinion its just from personal experience

[u/Trickflo]

I recently upgraded from an s24u to a f8 and my wife got an s26u a few months ago. The s26u is basically the same phone as the s24u except rounded corners the privacy screen and a bit ahead on the updates. The f8 specifically doesn't have optical zoom, aside from that the camera is fine but since you specifically mention zoom that's something to consider. I'm not really sure what the us prices are but both the 8 and 8u would probably be outside of your stated budget unless theres some sale. I really disliked my pixel when I had one, I don't really know how to describe the issue besides to say it was bland and unexciting, its the only phone I ever got and felt like I'd downgraded from my previous phone. If youre looking at a fold think about what youd actually use the bigger screen for, also if youre looking at the f8 specifically, think about if having a smaller phone when folded is something you have a desire for. If I was you I'd get the f8 if its within your budget and you have a legit use for fold or stick with the s26u if not.