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Hi everyone,
I'm a longtime lurker in these forums, and I'd love some advice on phone options.
I'm a Verizon Wireless customer, and for some specific reasons, have to stay that way.
My current phone is a Droid 2 Global. It's my first Android device. Previously, I had Windows Mobile, for phones and PDAs, dating all the way back to when it was called Windows CE.
I'm happy-ish with Android, and plan on staying with Android for now, but it's time to upgrade, and I'd like to do it while I can still stay on my grandfathered unlimited data plan (so anytime between now and the next 3-4 months).
I'd like to get a phone I'll be happy with for the next 2 years, so I'd like to have some future-facing features, like high resolution and NFC, in addition to enough RAM to run today's software and tomorrow's.
My current phone, the D2G, running the stock rom and the .629 update, is slow like a turtle moving through molasses. It once wasn't this way, and it's not overloaded with apps, but it's a situation I'd like to avoid in the future.
So, in my next phone, I'm looking for the following, and I can't seem to find a phone that has all of these features:
-removable, easily replaceable battery (so I can carry around more than one)
-global (GSM/HSPA) capability
-physical keyboard
-1 GB RAM or more
-dual core processor (or better)
-4G LTE
-ICS + moderately decent upgrade schedule for future releases
-NFC
-1280x720 screen
No phone matches all of these. The three phones that come closest are:
1. HTC Rezound: no physical keyboard or NFC
2. Samsung Galaxy Nexus: no physical keyboard or global capability
3. Droid 4: non-removable battery, no NFC, no 1280x720 screen
I travel internationally a couple of times a year, but not more frequently, so I suppose that I could just keep my current phone (the D2G, which is SIM-unlocked) for world-roaming purposes, and use it when I travel.
I've had a physical keyboard for a long time - my last 5 phones have had one, and I type much faster on it. I could give it up, but don't really want to.
I feel like NFC is a serious want-to-have, not for today, but for 12 months from now, when it'll be convenient and more common.
I want the higher resolution 1280x720 screen. I don't HAVE to have it, but when buying a phone for 2 years, it seems like it'd be foolish not to get it.
The other thing that tempts me is that it seems like we have phones with quad-core processors just around the corner - is it worth waiting a few more months to get one? My single core D2G was the fastest phone out there when I got it about two years ago, and now it's one of the absolute slowest - does it make sense to go dual core when quad cores are here?
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Anyway, that's what I am thinking about. Can anyone provide some guidance?
Should I just bite the bullet and get the Galaxy Nexus, and travel globally with my slow-as-molasses D2G? Or should I saddle up with the Droid 4 and its sad screen, forget about replacing the battery, and live near a charger at all times? Or maybe just wait until something cooler comes out from around the corner?
Anyone?
Bueller? Bueller?
Wait a couple weeks for the S3 and either use your D2G for global use, or buy an incredible 2 or Droid 3 for global use on the cheap. Physical keyboard is worthless now, as screen sizes coupled with amazing auto correct software make touchscreen keyboards a breeze and an obvious choice.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
Would you take the SIII over the Galaxy Nexus?
Are the non-Nexus Samsungs much harder to root?
I honestly love the Nexus. It's sexy and snappy. I bought one for my wife. I don't think the SIII will be harder to root than the Nexus. Your call really. The SIII will be newer and the "it" phone for a while, but the Nexus is still very capable and is gonna be way cheaper right now. You can probably get a Nexus for about $100 on contract as long as you avoid corporate Verizon stores. They will rape you on price and give you **** service. Check Costco or Best Buy in your area. They'll be cheaper on both devices than a Verizon store.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA
one thing I would say about the resolution is that its a bit of a marketing ploy.
once you start getting above WVGA resolutions unless you perch the device on your nose its quite hard to tell the difference.
Whats more important is actually the screen tech, I can promise you that a decent panel at a lower res will look a lot better than a cheap or average panel with a high res.
Will time make a difference? nope, not unless you become very short sighted and actually have the device on the end of your nose
To be honest id agree with you on the NFC thing, if your set on keeping it for a few years it would be worth it, but that's a relatively newish tech hitting the markets, might be worth holding back a few months until Q3 12 to see whats in the pipe line. A lot more NFC devices will be coming out, one of them is bound to tick more of your boxes....
just a thought.
Nexus is always a good bet...
Coming from Sprint, I don't really know about Verizon's phones..
However,
Physical Keyboards are a dying breed. Most of these phones will be bulky and have bigger batteries or shorter battery life.
Currently typing this on my Galaxy Nexus, I highly recommended this phone.
Yes, there are only soft buttons (sans the power and volume), but its definitely future tech.
Amazing resolution (the screen has mfc defects, but they're often overlooked)
LTE, HSPA, GSM
And I do believe it has a place for your SIM card (Sprint doesn't use sim cards, so I'm not sure)
The phones extremely thin, light battery, and has a nice feeling curved glass and battery cover.
Great battery life once you unlock it and flash a battery mod.
No complaints here
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
I was browsing the web earlier, looking for a cheap upgrade to my LG Nitro which is slowly getting on my nerves with its battery life. I came across these two phones, which are fairly impressive knockoffs of the Samsung Galaxy S4:
http://technokarak.com/orient-n9500-samsung-galaxy-s4-clone.html
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1qUhm...agon-v89-specs-samsung-galaxy-mega-clone.html
The Orient N9500 is most impressive, delivering similar performance as the S4 at only $234 USD. The only problem is that it doesn't support LTE, which for me is a total deal breaker living in one of the largest US metro areas.
Does anyone know of any similar knockoff phones and/or cheap phablets that support LTE? The Nexus 4 would be a no brainer with it's ROM support and quality at $299, but once again, no LTE.
Technocian said:
I was browsing the web earlier, looking for a cheap upgrade to my LG Nitro which is slowly getting on my nerves with its battery life. I came across these two phones, which are fairly impressive knockoffs of the Samsung Galaxy S4:
http://technokarak.com/orient-n9500-samsung-galaxy-s4-clone.html
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1qUhm...agon-v89-specs-samsung-galaxy-mega-clone.html
The Orient N9500 is most impressive, delivering similar performance as the S4 at only $234 USD. The only problem is that it doesn't support LTE, which for me is a total deal breaker living in one of the largest US metro areas.
Does anyone know of any similar knockoff phones and/or cheap phablets that support LTE? The Nexus 4 would be a no brainer with it's ROM support and quality at $299, but once again, no LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although the Orient / Star n9500 has a smaller battery than preferred for such a beefy package, I'm seriously considering it. If its relatively steady - and that price range - it will probably see massive outspread - wich means mods & ROM galore ^^,
As to LTE, You'll most likely have to look in a different price range, "china phones" targeted for international marked - as China wont be getting LTE services untill estm. early 2014. And The largest network provider by far, China Mobile - is backing LTE TDD - a different standard.
pr0xZen said:
Although the Orient / Star n9500 has a smaller battery than preferred for such a beefy package, I'm seriously considering it. If its relatively steady - and that price range - it will probably see massive outspread - wich means mods & ROM galore ^^,
As to LTE, You'll most likely have to look in a different price range, "china phones" targeted for international marked - as China wont be getting LTE services untill estm. early 2014. And The largest network provider by far, China Mobile - is backing LTE TDD - a different standard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I assumed when they meant "Galaxy S4 clone" that it included the pentaband/multicarrier radio.
Oh well, the Orient is still amazing for the price and honestly HSPA+ really is good enough! If you are streaming Pandora and it never skips or buffers, you can't tell the difference between even a good EDGE connection and LTE unless you ran Speedtest. Wifi is the thing to be on anyways so you don't go over any data limits. I might go for it myself.
I have loved and used Samsung phones since I switched from HTC's fuze.
I had a Captivate, a Galaxy S, Note, Galaxy S3 and was planning on getting a Note 3. The Captivate and Note where grey imports and the Note 3 was going to be one. Another thing that I liked is that you could flash the latest rom from any region and use the modem from your region, did this with all of them.
Now with all the bootloader locking, Knox warning after rooting and now region locking it's very doubtful I'll get the Note 3.
Now this thread is here not to defend the Note 3, or to rant and vent against Samsung, but to provide alternatives to it. It should be a better phone that the Note 1
What would you recommend or what are you planning on doing?
Any recommendation should be unlockable, flashable and rootable as Samsung's phones USED to be.
So, do you guys have any thoughts on the following phones? Pros, cons against the Note 3?
HTC One Max? When will this phone be announced and available?
Sony's Xperia Ultra?
$769.50 Unlocked
Pros: Bigger screen
Cons:
No stylus
No flash on the back
Glass on the back
Screen seems to pick up scratches if you use a pencil and touch is not pressure sensitive. See Ericka Griffin's review
Note 8
$477.50 3G Unlocked
$589.50 LTE Unlocked
Pros:
Even bigger screen
Cons:
Probably would need a BT handset like Sony's SBH52 or Samsung HM5000 Pen Type Bluetooth 3.0 Headset
Outdated S3 hardware and lowres screen
Note 3 Developer's edition
Has anyone used the Note 2 Dev edition? Pros, cons?
Cons:
Really don't know if this will be available, and if it becomes available what capabilities it will or won't have.
So, any thoughts?
Sent from my LG-LS970
jgaviota said:
I have loved and used Samsung phones since I switched from HTC's fuze.
I had a Captivate, a Galaxy S, Note, Galaxy S3 and was planning on getting a Note 3. The Captivate and Note where grey imports and the Note 3 was going to be one. Another thing that I liked is that you could flash the latest rom from any region and use the modem from your region, did this with all of them.
Now with all the bootloader locking, Knox warning after rooting and now region locking it's very doubtful I'll get the Note 3.
Now this thread is here not to defend the Note 3, or to rant and vent against Samsung, but to provide alternatives to it. It should be a better phone that the Note 1
What would you recommend or what are you planning on doing?
Any recommendation should be unlockable, flashable and rootable as Samsung's phones USED to be.
So, do you guys have any thoughts on the following phones? Pros, cons against the Note 3?
HTC One Max? When will this phone be announced and available?
Sony's Xperia Ultra?
$769.50 Unlocked
Pros: Bigger screen
Cons:
No stylus
No flash on the back
Glass on the back
Screen seems to pick up scratches if you use a pencil and touch is not pressure sensitive. See Ericka Griffin's review
Note 8
$477.50 3G Unlocked
$589.50 LTE Unlocked
Pros:
Even bigger screen
Cons:
Probably would need a BT handset like Sony's SBH52 or Samsung HM5000 Pen Type Bluetooth 3.0 Headset
Outdated S3 hardware and lowres screen
Note 3 Developer's edition
Has anyone used the Note 2 Dev edition? Pros, cons?
Cons:
Really don't know if this will be available, and if it becomes available what capabilities it will or won't have.
So, any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see them releasing a developer edition for this phone as much as I would get one it is all about the Spen in Samsungs eyes but you never know
How are Sony's, HTC's and LG's attitudes to rooting now?
Acer Liquid S2 looks very interesting.
Almost same great specs as Note 3:
snapdragon 800 quad core 2.2, Adreno 330, 13mp camera (4K video rec), 1080p Corning Gorilla Glass (lcd) display, 2gb ram.
but with larger screen 6", 4 led ring flash (powerful flashlight), stereo speakers, microSD, up to 128 GB, and... fm radio!
Lte support: 800 / 1800 / 2600.
They haven't published a weight for it yet. No Knox or Region lock! I'm guessing hoping an unlocked boot loader! I have a new crush!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317
keeping my note 2 and buying the refreshed version of this W3 Windows x86 Desktop OS tablet for 280$
http://www.staples.com/Acer-ICONIA-W3-810-1600-81-32GB-Tablet/product_48343
because no phone or phablet will be 8.1" in display size
or have a real desktop OS that runs .exe files
and just use it in tandem using my note 2 to tether unlimited verizon 4G to the windows tablet. and keep the note 2 for calls, messages, notifications, GPS.
both in either pocket.
I was SO getting a Note3 to replace my Note2 as quickly as possible but recent events have turned me off and I'm in no hurry whatsoever anymore. I'm going to sit tight and follow how things develop.
If you're into Samsung have a look at the Mega which I had for about a week. It was really nice but I ended up returning it because when I set the brightness to 100% it would often "auto-dim" due to overheating.
Right now I'm keeping my Note2 but have actively started to look at other brands (I'm only one person and Samsung could care less about my business, but if bad reputation spreads things could change quickly).
Personally the only other phone alternative I would consider is HTC Max which I think is being launched on 15th Oct.
both ultra and mega are sluggish in comparison to Note 3 so a no no for me, and mega is plastic. Note 3 is lovely phone with good features but the beast is caged in cheap looking plastic and the bezel is ugly. The design has put me off somewhat but I love the features. So not sure what I'll do with it I've been offered iPhone 5s 64gb to swap, I'm considering it.
Xperia Z Ultra is the best alternatives.
How about HTC One MAX which will be coming soon?
Fact of the matter is none of the other large size screen phones are considered alternatives to the Note. An alternative or a substitute is something that fulfills the same benefit. Even now after two years of launching the note, there is no phone that provides you with same or equivalent multi tasking features and the S-pen.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk 2
The Xperia Z Ultra is too big with the bezels. I had it for awhile. And it scratches so easily.
If I wasn't getting the Note 3 it would be the LG G2. Nice big display and fast. I also had it for awhile to test. Great phone.
The Oppo N1 is the only interesting phablet alternative.
yes +1 for Oppo N1.
http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_n1-review-990.php
Tubgirl said:
I was SO getting a Note3 to replace my Note2 as quickly as possible but recent events have turned me off and I'm in no hurry whatsoever anymore. I'm going to sit tight and follow how things develop.
If you're into Samsung have a look at the Mega which I had for about a week. It was really nice but I ended up returning it because when I set the brightness to 100% it would often "auto-dim" due to overheating.
Right now I'm keeping my Note2 but have actively started to look at other brands (I'm only one person and Samsung could care less about my business, but if bad reputation spreads things could change quickly).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
riz157 said:
Personally the only other phone alternative I would consider is HTC Max which I think is being launched on 15th Oct.
both ultra and mega are sluggish in comparison to Note 3 so a no no for me, and mega is plastic. Note 3 is lovely phone with good features but the beast is caged in cheap looking plastic and the bezel is ugly. The design has put me off somewhat but I love the features. So not sure what I'll do with it I've been offered iPhone 5s 64gb to swap, I'm considering it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the Galaxy Mega, Samsung missed a HUGE (pun intended) opportunity with that device. I checked it out in person at an AT&T store. The first thing I thought was 'Holy Jesus, this thing is huge' (and i'm a pretty big guy, but even I was surprised at the size). The second thing I thought as I played with it was how laggy it was. I know they were just testing the waters, but they went too low-spec with that device. I think people like us (nerds and technophiles) could deal with the lower-res screen and the plastic feel of the phone, but the internals of the device killed it. If they had done slightly better specs (I'm talking maybe Note 2 range) and a slightly smaller screen (6"), there would have been people jumping all over that phone.
That being said, if they come out with a Galaxy Mega 2 next year that is actually speedy and a little bit smaller, then I might seriously consider buying one.
After a quick research I decided that I will wait for HTC ONE Max,My experience with my old HTC HD2 ,which is still my backup device,is very good.
Ascend Mate?
I used Huawei Ascend Mate for a while. It's a pretty good device, quad core, 2GB RAM, 6.1 inch, nice screen, good quality, and the price also. (I paid 350 euros for it in France, which is very cheap compared to the 750 euro price tag of the Note3). The cons were, only 8GB of inner storage (there's a slot for external SD card though), no stylus (this bothered me the most), not really good camera, and -well it isn't really important to every user- no custom software development. Rootable, so u can at least remove the bloatware. I've heard about some MIUI custom ROM for it, though, but never tried it.
hagba said:
After a quick research I decided that I will wait for HTC ONE Max,My experience with my old HTC HD2 ,which is still my backup device,is very good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck. They botched the launch of the One and now the One Mini whose design (at least in China) the One Max shares. Not to mention their precarious financial condition.
azzerc said:
Hi guys.
I have recently upgraded to the HTC One Mini and I have to say that I'd love this handset if it wasn't for the fact that the plastic edge/chassis keeps cracking. I am on my second handset as Vodafone were happy enough to replace my first one when I reported this issue to them but it has happened again on my second. These small cracks were not there when I first got either of the two handsets but seemed to appear after a few days of use. I have been back to the store again and they will replace the handset or let me change to a different model/brand so there is no issue there. My question are: Has anyone else had this issue? As I can't seem to find any info on other instances. And, Does it's big brother the HTC One have the same issue as I may upgrade to that?
Cheers guys any info would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=45061270#post45061270
HTC Corp is facing supply constraints on its latest smartphone, sources familiar with the matter said, piling pressure on already disappointing sales and increasing the likelihood the firm will post its first net loss this quarter.
The problems with the HTC One Mini, launched in mid-July to generally positive reviews, come partly from a casing shortage arising from design difficulties that are crimping production rates, one of the sources said.
The casing troubles come hot on the heels of shortages associated with the flagship HTC One model's camera module, indicating the Taiwanese company is still struggling to overcome supply chain difficulties which delayed the One's full launch and contributed to a record low first-quarter net profit.
Another source said consumer and telecom demand for the One Mini could not be met at the moment, even though analysts estimate that the company plans to ship only around 200,000 of the devices each month.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/24/htc-shortage-idUSL4N0HK18P20130924
BarryH_GEG said:
Good luck. They botched the launch of the One and now the One Mini whose design (at least in China) the One Max shares. Not to mention their precarious financial condition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
who knows my humble contribution may help them with their finacial situation!,besides since I dont have a marriage arrangment with Samsung I see no harm in flirting around a bit!!.
Galaxy Note 2 hands down.
Hey guys!
New member and first post
If you dont want to read all of those words down below...haha
Ended up getting the Edge and Nexus 6 shipped to me at the same time... Cant open both devices up and test drive them. Leaning towards the edge just because of all the "phablet" features it has. And the N6 is just a big ol phone with stock android...right? Which phone should i keep? Purely suggestions/opions. Please no arguements. Thanks!
I have a bit of a situation and just wnted to get some opinions. I ordered the Nexus 6 the day it was able to be ordered from TMobile, i ordered the 64GB and that went to backorder. Since ive ordered the N6 Ive been looking at the Edge and was swayed to getting the Edge instead of the N6. So the last 2 weeks I callied tmobile to cancel my N6 order and to see if there were any dates on when theyll be getting the Edge back in stock and i kept getting no dates or info. Finally, i checked again last night and the rep told me that the Edge was definitely in stock and if i ordered it it would def ship. So i went ahead and ordered the Edge, but i noticed that my N6 order was still not cancelled so i asked the rep to process a cancellation on it again. The rep did and i was told it may take up to 48hrs.
This morning, i got an email and text stating that my Edge had shipped. Yay. Then about an hr ago i get another email and text saying my phone had shipped, i thought that was weird so i checked the details and, of course, my 64GB N6 just shipped as well haha.
So since i cant open both boxes to test them out i would like to get some input on which phone to keep. What swayed me to the Edge was just the amount of features it has over the N6. Im wanting a phablet to use for work and just to easily take notes, schedules and whatnot and the Edge just seems like the better choice. Please no arguements just want opinions.
Thanks in advance for any replies. Sorry for the long write up, just wanted to get all the details out of the way.
I think you already made your decision. As a basketball coach, I like the Note series because of the options that are available. So, if it's mainly about business use get the Edge.
I would suggest you try them both for about 3 to 5 days. You should not let a 50 dollar restocking fee stand between you and your true love
Keep the edge. Nexus 6 has one cool feature I wish the Edge had (front facing speakers) but other than that the Edge trumps the N6 IMO
I've had a ton of phones and the Edge is hands-down the best phone I've ever owned, easy
If you want maximum Performance from latest Snapdragon 805 your choice need to be a Nexus.
I got Edge and I want to tell you I'm about to get Nexus 6 White.
I have both of them as we speak and honestly, The Edge is better in terms of options and need. My Nexus is for my business line and Its basically just simple task phone. i pull it out 2-3 times a day. Just my opinion, but the Nexus is much more "boring" to me. The Edge is versatile and i like that.
Here are a couple of good comparison articles that might help choose which device is right for you.
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Nexu...-match-Samsungs-cutting-edge-offering_id61787
http://www.androidheadlines.com/201...ogle-nexus-6-vs-samsung-galaxy-note-edge.html
Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.
Been using the N6 for a couple of days and I just tried out the Edge for a couple of hours today. My thoughts so far...
-The N6 is nice but I like the features that the Edge offers and TouchWiz isn't that bad.
-Not that it matters too much, but the Edge is noticeably lighter than the N6.
-I like the Edge's screen compared to the N6. It seems sharper, to me, and overall looks better.
-And like ingenious247 said, the N6's front speakers is the best feature and it's what's making the decision so hard since I watch a lot of videos and listen to music.
I
I have both currently... And I am keeping...
I have been an android phone junky, flasher, and modder for years. I sold my note 3 and bought a nexus 6 (was on sprint). I then changed over to tmobile. Luckily the nexus 6 is factory unlocked (yes the Sprint model is). I used the nexus for 2 weeks and loved a lot about it. I picked up a T-mobile Note Edge yesterday. In the End I am going to sell my nexus and stick with my Note Edge:
Nexus 6:
Pros:
Truly unlocked and can be used with any carrier (Sprint, Verizon, Tmobile, ATT)
Beautiful 6 inch screen
Great front facing speakers (only phone that beat it was my htc m8... thats saying a lot)
Pure stock android OS with quickest update support
Extremely fast performance without slowdown with daily tasks even with tons of apps open
Battery Life (yes, even though the battery is non removable, it lasted me 1.5 - 2 days without recharging)
Turbo Charging - 15 mins gives 6 hours, this is actually true!
No Carrier bloat pre installed (also a con....)
Accessories: Like most phones can get decent cases and tempered glass screen protectors cheaply (although with the nexus you need to order most not much in stores currently)
Wireless charging: Built in support for QI wireless charging (helps makeup for the non removable battery)
Cons:
Signal strength ( some places I have had no issues with other devices, it struggled to hold signal)
Sound quality over some calls was full of static
No wifi calling yet
Non removable battery (i know I said that the battery life is amazing but still option to switch is great)
No sd card slot
Gaming performance disappointing ( Madden nfl has some noticeable slow down... doesn't make any sense with the specs of this phone and no extra bloat from another launcher interface)
Installing carrier apps gave mixed results, some worked but visual voicemail etc, gave problems
No extras : fingerprint reader, stylus, heart rate scanner etc ( i knew this ahead of time, but just saying in comparison with competing phones)
No one handed support (I usually have no issues with large phones even on the note 3/4 ,but did with the nexus). Samsung got it right with the shrinking down to make one handed easier.
Camera : Pictures overall are good, but the built in apps and the speed of camera to react left me disappointed.
Overall: If you want the biggest screen on the latest hardware, want constant up to date software, and no bloat the Nexus is great. It is truly what the "android" experience is meant to be without any adultery. The sound is great as well from the speakers for music and speakerphone conversation. Some disappointment with signal strength and sound on handset during calls but not deal breakers. Truly unlocked for any carrier, so take it to any network and not be tied down.
Note Edge:
Pros:
Amazing Screen (may not be as big as the nexus, but the picture and pop is better and noticeable side by side)
Call quality and signal strength are great. The noise canceling features make a huge difference for those on the other end and never had breakup or static on my end.
Interface and speed : Amazingly fast even with the touchwiz interface
Touchwiz : Yes I am saying this is a plus, Many things like messages coming across the edge screen, quick responses, and being able to send a text to a number that called straight from the history or dialer without adding them as a contact first is something you truly are grateful for once you move to a phone that doesn't have it. The quick are useful as well.
Edge Screen : I have found the tickers and shortcuts to be useful. Some of the features are gimicky but most overall are nice.
Extras: S-pen (great for creativity and productivity), fingerprint scanner, and heart rate scanner.
Camera: Front and back cameras are great and good built in editing options (pictures taping the heart rate scanner makes it a breeze)
Modding support: Samsung devices in general are booming with support for modifications (if you don't care as much about this, this means nothing lol)
Carrier support: Tmobile version is unlocked for ATT as well, this is a plus (not for all carriers like the nexus)
Gaming performance: Pointing out to Madden NFL that I noticed had performance issues on the nexus, runs smooth as silk, no slowdown whatsoever.
Removable battery : Easy swapping of spare
SD card slot: memory expansion and no worries if something happens to the device if you can still pull the card out.
Cons:
Software updates: No official Lollipop from samsung yet, should be out soon. Updates drag a bit with samsung and TW integration.
Accessories: Not many options for phone due to design and limited production. No tempered glass screen available yet (one coming soon supposedly). To me this is a decent concern, I have always counted on tempered glass to protect the screen and avoid scratches. Has saved my screen a couple times from drops. Replacing a screen protect for $15 bucks vs hundreds is huge.
Touchwiz: If you are anti bloat this could be a con, to me its not, but trying to fair to all.
Price: Even with contract extensions the price of the edge is crazy.
Speaker placement: While the speaker may be better than some of the past Samsung devices, the rear placements makes it a pain at times when listening to stuff on speaker.
Battery life: It isn't as good as what I saw on the nexus, doesn't come close to 1.5 -2 days on a charge.
Fast charging: is faster than past samsung devices, but nowhere near as fast as the nexus on turbo charging
Lack of built in wiress charging : At this price point , it is disappointing that this wasn't built in.
Overall: My favorite phone that I have owned so far. The modding support for me will be a huge factor as well. You are paying a hefty price with or without a contract to get it though. The lack of accessories is a bit worrying as well. User experience is very user friendly. Device is extremely fast and multitasks well even with Touch Wiz. Extras like finger print scanner , heart rate sensor and S-pen to me enhance the experience and productivity (heart rate sensor is trivial). One handed support and many things in the software show that it was thought out for user experience to make day to day life easier. Battery life is not what you can get from the nexus but you can carry spares. Addition of "fast charging" is good but not as good as the Nexus. The lack of built in wireless charging is a let down as well. Still the quality, features, and performance to me makes it a clear cut winner.
impossible question to answer
I also have both, if you are into developing and seeing how far you can push your phone with tweaks mods and hacks than obviously you would want to go with the Nexus, if you are looking for ease of use and everyday functionality than you would want to go Edge..... In my opinion there is really no answer as to which one is better its just personal preference. I can say this though, I only had my Note Edge for about 3 or 4 days when my Nexus arrived from Google Play and I have been using the Nexus ever since. That being said I pulled out the Edge for an issue I had with a wearable and am seriously considering switching back for my daily driver. The S pen and the Gear Manager are the two features that I have decided make it the best choice for daily use. I will keep the Nexus no matter what because it is just the way to go for development purposes. It also allows you to keep your daily user nice and clean and even away from rooting if you are the type that likes to not mess with something thats not broken. Keep em both my friend! I know that if I got rid of one a couple weeks later I would be wanting it back. And I agree with the previous poster, the one feature aside from the development aspects that I really hate about the edge is the lack of forward firing speakers. That and the full 5.9 inch of quad HD display is hard to be beat. I really dont understand why manufacturers spending billions on development cant hire someone to implement forward firing speakers.....
There is a surround sound mod for the edge that fixes this issue. I no longer have anything to complain about on the edge besides the lack of accessories which changes soon hopefully
Sent from my SM-N915T using XDA Free mobile app
I currently have an S9+, and aside from the battery dying much quicker than it used to, it still runs fine. I was looking at trading in for the S21+ since T-Mobile has a decent offer, but I'm having trouble deciding if it's worth it. The specs don't look to be that huge of a leap above what I have now, slightly faster processor and slightly more memory, and the screen resolution is actually a downgrade. Plus, no SD card.
The Ultra looks like it would be, but I don't want to spend quite that much. I'm not seeing enough to convince me on the 21+ Am I missing something or is it really not worth upgrading?
BradHP said:
I currently have an S9+, and aside from the battery dying much quicker than it used to, it still runs fine. I was looking at trading in for the S21+ since T-Mobile has a decent offer, but I'm having trouble deciding if it's worth it. The specs don't look to be that huge of a leap above what I have now, slightly faster processor and slightly more memory, and the screen resolution is actually a downgrade. Plus, no SD card.
The Ultra looks like it would be, but I don't want to spend quite that much. I'm not seeing enough to convince me on the 21+ Am I missing something or is it really not worth upgrading?
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Jump on the hype train my dude ! Look at funny camera holes, not good 4 trypophobia lul
Spoiler: Me ranting about the design
No seriously, I think the upgrade is more on the look and feel side than anything else, and my personal tastes don't really hate the new design but don't love it either. It's like they tried to be revolutionary, then someone on twitter told them the first design was offensive to the [insert random common point, physical trait, interests and tastes] group of people, so they sanatized it so everyone would not feel it's awful. Well it worked, I don't think it awful but damn that's booooooorrriiiiiiiiiinnng.
in short I think you're fine with what you have, and i may even say try to look elsewhere a little, you might find your true love (in phone of course) in another brand
Have a nice day.
Raiz said:
Jump on the hype train my dude ! Look at funny camera holes, not good 4 trypophobia lul
Spoiler: Me ranting about the design
No seriously, I think the upgrade is more on the look and feel side than anything else, and my personal tastes don't really hate the new design but don't love it either. It's like they tried to be revolutionary, then someone on twitter told them the first design was offensive to the [insert random common point, physical trait, interests and tastes] group of people, so they sanatized it so everyone would not feel it's awful. Well it worked, I don't think it awful but damn that's booooooorrriiiiiiiiiinnng.
in short I think you're fine with what you have, and i may even say try to look elsewhere a little, you might find your true love (in phone of course) in another brand
Have a nice day.
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Thanks, I'm already leaning towards not getting the S21. I don't understand how it's barely an upgrade (and in some ways a downgrade) from the phone I've had for 3 years. Looking into the OnePlus 8T right now.
BradHP said:
Thanks, I'm already leaning towards not getting the S21. I don't understand how it's barely an upgrade (and in some ways a downgrade) from the phone I've had for 3 years. Looking into the OnePlus 8T right now.
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I have a OP8. OnePlus is. A good brand, but if you prefer smaller phones (which I doubt since you had samsung phones lol), check Google Pixels
Yeah, I like the biggest screen I can afford. Watch a lot of Netflix/Prime/Youtube on the go. I already went ahead and ordered that OnePlus 8T after reading more reviews and the forums here. Can't beat the price of free when I trade in the S9.
I decided to upgrade from my Note 9 to the 21+. Why? Because I felt like it and got a great deal from AT&T on my trade in. My Note was running fine, but it is getting a little long in the tooth since It's been 2+ years.
I chose the Plus because I wanted the bigger screen and bigger battery. The glass vs plastic wasn't an issue for me, I'd have been fine with either. I also didn't want to spend the $$$ for the Ultra since I'm not a big photo person, just a casual photographer for personal purposes. The plus was just in that nice sweet spot for me, and I knew this would be the last flagship that I'd get the big $800 credit from AT&T for a trade-in, so I figured I might as well take advantage while I could.
How much the battery on your S9+ last?
With the S21+ you will have twice the battery time. The 1080+ screen actually increases battery time by about 20-30% over the unncecessarily high (IMO) QHD+ resolution
And apart from battery is far better in processor power of course, and an upgrade in genearl in many ways... On screen fingerprint reader, much faster one, far better cameras, better audio, and so on
Definitely worth it. My last phone is exynos s9+ and definitely s21+ (exynos) double performance and double the battery life
I came from a VZW Pixel 3aXl....to a Unlocked phone... seems like an upgrade to me, plus I got 200 bucks tradein
BradHP said:
I currently have an S9+, and aside from the battery dying much quicker than it used to, it still runs fine. I was looking at trading in for the S21+ since T-Mobile has a decent offer, but I'm having trouble deciding if it's worth it. The specs don't look to be that huge of a leap above what I have now, slightly faster processor and slightly more memory, and the screen resolution is actually a downgrade. Plus, no SD card.
The Ultra looks like it would be, but I don't want to spend quite that much. I'm not seeing enough to convince me on the 21+ Am I missing something or is it really not worth upgrading?
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Click to collapse
The s21 Plus looks great but honestly I went from Samsung to Sony to Huawei to Xiaomi and I find Xiaomi to be the best, decent custom ROM support and good hardware, a lot cheaper than Samsung devices too. Maybe take a look at the Mi 10 Ultra? Not sure about where you are from though, afaik you have to import them into the UK. If you don't mind flashing a new ROM to your phone and tinkering around with it, I'd go for a Xiaomi. Big fan of Sony's though, the hardware is awesome and they're pretty much bloat free out of the box
I moved from S10+ to S21+ and I'm happy with the change because S21's screen is flat, the battery life improved, the camera improved a lot, the fingerprint scanner is way much better than s10+, I like the screen to be setup to 96Khz for example, still it has the crappy amoled with terrible PWM like most of the phones... If you have the S9+ that has much worse battery than s10+, the s21+ could be a good choice in all senses.
Take in consideration that Android 11 is still not very good in general and we need to wait 6 month till we will see an improvement.
I never been interested in the ultra because its curved screen, is not practical.
Like everyone else whether a device is an "upgrade" comes down to preferences, useful features which make a difference. Price is a consideration but not an issue if the device stacks up. Trade-in promotional pricing doesn't motivate me for a number of reasons. First off, I don't want to deal with carrier bloatware. Secondly, I don't care to enter into a muli-year commitment with any Service Provider. Lastly, all US Galaxy variants are bootloader locked.
My daily driver is an SM-G9750, S10 Plus, Hong Kong variant. I would enjoy Snapdragon's latest SoC found on the S21 but that's not saying the S10 Plus is slow, it's not. A larger battery is also appealing but I'm pretty sure I'll still need to charge the battery once a day. The cameras on the S21 Plus are the same as the S20 Plus and the only difference from the S10 Plus is a bit larger appiture. 5G is in it's infancy but at this time many of the useful iOT it will enable aren't yet available. Additionally, many 5G users state it's not much faster if any, than a good 4G pipe but at this time for device manufacturers and service providers 5G is a goldmine, the greatest marketing scheme since light beer. Based on my preferences these are issues I have with the S21 Plus.
1) No MicroSD. Sorry but I have zero faith in Cloud Storage, not only for data security but privacy as well. Samsung has also reduced internal storage capacity. 256 GB isn't enough, I have to close double that amount on my MicroSD already and adding more every week. It also saves time when you need to transfer data to a new device.
2) Camera Housing. The S21 camera module is an improvement over the S20 which is awful. It blends into the frame a bit better but it still doesn't lay flat and will snag coming in and out of pant pockets. It also degrades the device's symmetry. Samsung has like many of their competitors have gone overboard with multiple lenses. I'm certain if you had a photo from an S10 and another from an S21 side by side, you wouldn't be able to tell which device created the snaps. That's the trend in mobile phones but if you want really great photos, use a camera not your phone.
3) 3.5mm Jack. Wired audio is the gold standard, Bluetooth doesn't compare and who wants the hassle with charging buds? Yes, I can buy new earphones with a USB connector if I don't want to use a dongle but then I can't charge my device while listening to audio files, which I do often. Plus I really like my earphones, they sound great!
3) Flat Display. I like the look of Immersive Displays. I do a lot of gaming and watch a ton of movies or videos. A curved display doesn't bother me at all.
4) Size. The s21 Plus and Ultra aren't pocket phones. They're huge, closing in on tablet size, just too big! I prefer a device I can easily slip in and out of my front pocket. If I went with an S21 it would fit well but sacrifice a number of features.
5) Screen Resolution. Not sure in most instances if I could tell the difference between 1080 X 2400 and 1440 X 3040 Pixels but why downgrade on an "upgrade"?
6) No Earphones or Charger. Not my biggest issues but then again isn't the S21 Plus supposed to be an "upgrade" over my current device?
samsung offered me a crazy good deal. traded in my note 20 which sucked anyway. gave me a huge trade in credit. only 199 which they jacked to 260 something with bogus shipping fee and tax. free galaxy buds plus. 200 dollar credit towards accessories. it was a crazy good pre order deal. its always the cheapskates who ask questions like this. of course your old phone battery is ****. thats gonna happen. is it worth it? if the phone has better features [except for losing MST] and costs next to nothing in trade hell yes it is. samsung gives me great offers and has since 2 years ago when I traded my S8+ in for an S10+.
I just bought it and upgraded from S8+
Apart from battery I can barely see any notable improvement so I imagine that from the S9 the improvement is even smaller.
I thought my phone was dead so I bought a new one. I then starting playing with the OS and "Odin"ed the **** out of it and now I have 2 almost identical phones.
Still worth for me as my old S8+ is not working properly with the camera and GPS but if the hardware would have been ok, I probably wouldn't have upgraded.
For me: Worth it 100x over. My previous phone was an lg g7 thinq.
That thing took a beating and was quite the loyal device.
However, it was my carrier that ultimately decided I jump ship and upgrade. After their recent merger, I began to roam in my upstairs office. Started to miss calls and texts. Bad bad bad.
So, as I said I jumped ship; to a carrier affiliated with my internet provider *cough*.
I looked over their offerings, and the S21+ jumped out as being the "best bang for the buck".
Never had a Samsung device before, but so far I'm loving it! My wife got one too, and she feels the same.
Got the 256GB variant, and that gave me some relief, as the lg was starting to act funky as I had to move a lot of apps to an sd card so I wouldn't run out of space.
Again, for me, totally worth it. Feels like I went from a buick to a lamborghini!
Am I late to jump on the bandwagon? Anyway, I just received mine a week ago and here are my thoughts why this should be worth or doesn't worth to be upgrade.
I came from Huawei P20 Pro. IMHO if you're holding last year models such as P40 Pro or Galaxy S20, you shouldn't upgrade to this one unless you're offered with a crazy trade-in deal.
So, if your phone is older than last year models? Like S9, S10, Huawei P20 Pro, or iPhoneX etc, the specs worth an upgrade, but the price is still arguable. You shouldn't get this one on MSRP. Only do it if there is some sweet deals. For example, in Brazil, they added a SF charger for free. That's the least deal you should go for. For me, in SG, I've received Galaxy Buds Pro and a Samsung 10k mAh Wireless Charging Power Bank, and a Samsung Clear Case. That deal is a can't miss one.
Storage-wise, on my previous P20 Pro, which is 128 gb, it barely hit to 80 gb after 2 years of photos and video recording. Have a few gb of songs downloaded but nothing else. I didn't install big-ass games. So, for this one, 256 Gb should last long enough for me. In case if the storage run out, I'll simply backup the large files to my PC and carry on. No big issue on the storage.
No audio jack is a bummer. My P20 Pro also doesn't come with a round hole, but at least, they throw a cheap USB to 3.5mm adapter in the box. Samsung even doesn't bother with it. So unless if you get a pair of Buds Pro like me, you should get some Bluetooth headphones, or if you still prefer your wire earphones, get those kind of adapters that you can plug-in your charger and 3.5mm audio jack at the same time.
For display, I didn't buy any of the previous Galaxy phones because of that waterfall edge display. Didn't fancy a curve edge especially because it's very hard to get a good screen protector. This flat screen is perfect for me. The issue comes where I have to decide between FHD 120Hz and UHD 60Hz display. I used to use UHD display on my LG V20, and if someone said the pixels are not noticeable, I'd surely give him a pair of glasses. They're very noticeable, but 120Hz wins over the 60Hz, so, I have to pick-up the FHD again.
For an Asian, I got a pretty big hands, so size of this phone is not a problem, especially it is even slimmer than some other smaller screen phones. But when your screen is 6.7" and FHD, the pixel density goes below 400 dpi (398 dpi to be exact). If you've got an OCD for this, get an S21, because it has got higher dpi than the S21 Plus.
To wrap things up, the deciding factor for me to choose this phone over other contenders such as OnePlus 8T, Mi 11 etc are as follows.
- Not Chinese Brand (currently, we're boycotting as much Chinese brands as possible)
- Excellent camera setup. (Easy win over OP 8T)
- larger battery
- sweet deals (to receive $300 worth of freebies for a $1000 phone is undeniable).