Related
*Moved from different thread - this suits better*
Hello everyone,
just made this review about the iOcean G7 a while ago. I cannot post any links or videos yet so I made a small site, for the single purpose it looks a bit better and I can post the photo's and video I made. chinahardware.info/?page_id=9
I left out all the Antutu benchmark stuff, there is already plenty of that to be found. I hope someone finds it informative
Contents
Intro & Specifications.
Screen/Display.
Camera.
Sound.
Overall use & Connectivity.
Conclusion.
Intro & Specifications
Welcome to this iOcean G7 review
The G7 is not the first phone of the Chinese iOcean company but definitely one with a new design. If you are not familiar with the iOcean company you can look up their website iocean.cc or go to their Facebook page. The phone that had put iOcean in the spotlights was the X7 Youth. It has (still) good specifications with a surprisingly low price, making it a very tempting choice. After the X7 Youth there were more ‘adult’ versions as the Turbo, Plus and Elite, all with different sets of specifications and prices. One thing remained: the design. All the X7 models are the same except for their internal hardware components. With the G7 the designers at iOcean made daring step. They slightly changed the design but more obvious: they changed the size of the phone. Where all X7 versions were enjoying a neat 5 inch FULL-HD display, the G7 has a gigantic screen size of 6.44 inch, technically making it a phablet (phone/tablet).
This devices comes with the latest of the MediaTek processors: the MT6592, an octacore processor with the Mali 450 GPU to support it with graphical applications.
My personal questions were if I would be enjoying carrying this colossal phone around and if the GPS-problems with the MediaTek MT6592 would finally come to an end.
Specifications:
General
OS Android 4.2.2
Chipset Octacore Mediatek
CPU 1.7Ghz MT6592
GPU Mali-450 700Mhz
RAM 2GB
Battery 3500mAh
Two Camera’s:
Rear camera 13 mega-pixel
Features F2.0 aperture
LED flash Yes
Video [email protected]
Front camera 5-mega-pixel
Memory
Internal 16GB
SD card Yes: support up to 32GB
Network support
Dual-sim Yes
WCDMA 2100MHz/900MHz
GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
Body
Dimensions (mm) 175 x 90.5 x 8.9mm
Weight (g) 205 grams
Colors Black and White (and perhaps a red one?)
Screen/Display
Let’s start with what is most obvious about the device when you see it: the enormous display. With a 6.44 inch display the G7 is one of the biggest devices I ever worked with. It is quite a bit bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
For the technicians amongst you: the devices comes with a Retina LTPS display and is an OGS, which stands for One Glass Solution. So the screen will be thin with good viewing angles. Since a large amount of the surface of the phone is consisting out of glass, I am glad they processed the screen with laminated glass, meaning it consists of two or more layers of glass and bonding interlayers before fused together though autoclave or chemically.
The above shows us that the display is big, thin, highly scratch-resistant and with the Retina LTPS it also means the display is bright and vivid. When the screen is on full brightness it is very useable in light areas and outside. I used it for a couple of days now and even on these sunny days I could easily read the screen.
This is supported with a stunning 1920×1080 resolution, granting the screen 342 pixels-per-inch. I used the iOcean X7 with 440 pixels-per-inch and I could see some difference but you would have to look closely and search for it. 342 PPI is still very impressive for a screen size this big and reading text is a real charm on this device. Giving the device a higher resolution screen would not benefit the price and the performance of the G7 and I personally think this was the right decision.
In the box I also found a screen protector which I applied directly but since the layered protection of the screen itself I think this is a personal choice.
Another bonus is the fact that you can operate the device wearing gloves or with wet hands. I found out these few days that the display is highly sensitive and I do no longer need my touch screen gloves in the winter which is a real big plus.
Camera
The camera of the G7 is even being used by iOcean to take photos of the new X8 model, which is coming up halfway in April, for their Facebook page. If the company itself is confident enough about the quality is has to say something, right? The G7 enjoys a 13 mega-pixel rear camera which out-of-the-box shoots at 9.5 mega-pixel. This is probably done to save memory and to quicken up the burst-shoot function. At 9.5 MP all photos will be more than sufficient for most uses: Facebook, Twitter, emailing them to friends/family, etc. Switching to 13 MP decreases the field of view as well a bit of speed in burst-mode but it is still very fast and it is barely noticeable. The front camera is 5 mega-pixel and can be used for conference and video calling or to make the much loved selfie. A trend is to not only increase the mega-pixels of the phone but also the aperture of the lens, meaning more light can travel inside which tends to produce better pictures.
I shot some pictures with the G7 myself and I can tell you they are of very good quality. I used different kind of settings; all photos taken inside were under medium-light conditions and outside it is clearly a sunny day. (They are shown on the website.)
One of the things I like to do with my phone is to watch videos on YouTube, mostly with other people. The low quality of the sound and especially the low maximum volume most of the other Chinese phone suffer from sometimes takes the fun away in doing that but with the G7 that will not be the case. The sound can be set to a very loud level while maintaining good quality with no distortion.
Now, something pleasant happened when I laid the phone on its back while playing music: sound actually got better! Thanks to a very smart design feature the G7 device does not fully touch the surface and thereby covering up the speaker grill. A small tab, looking a bit like a stub of the speaker grill, is attached so room is left between the surface and the device hence the sound waves can move freely. It gives a powerful and full sound which I have not heard with many devices. One small point could be that it makes the phone wiggle a bit when lain down but I highly doubt that would bother anyone.
Overall use & Connectivity
The biggest question for me was whether the G7 would fit in my pocket but even with the flip case it fits. Though it is completely understandable when someone would go for the somewhat smaller X7 or better the X8 in April. This is definitely not a one-handed device and both hands are needed to type. It is very useable for watch movies, series, YouTube and the like as reading and typing text. I am a forced user of the public transport every day and I use that time to read rapports for work, etc. Still not as comfortable as a good physical keyboard, on the 6.44 inch screen it is now also workable to edit and type text.
The overall build quality is very good with no plastic-squeaks, a strongly fit back cover and pretty narrow bezels. The only real point of criticism is that the three android control buttons on the chin of the phone do not lit up so in the dark. This may provide an issue when not completely familiar with the device.
The device supports all normal connectivity frequencies used in the West: for Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n for both 2.4G and 5G. For mobile internet: HSPA+ 900Mhz/2100Mhz WCDMA.
GPS
The GPS has been a problem with MediaTek devices since a long time and let me happily start by saying that the iOcean G7 gave me a GPS fix in 3 minutes. This was indoors without any connectivity and updated satellite positions. Outside the same set-up gave me a fix in about 40 seconds. Compared to more expensive and well-known mobile phones MediaTek will always lose the battle but for the average Chinese branded mobile phone user this will be a pretty welcome result.
Conclusion
The iOcean G7 is one of the biggest Chinese phones I have ever handled but also one of the better built and designed. The overall quality of the phone is very good, the camera shoots very worthy photos, the sound capabilities are amazing, playing most games is absolutely fun (no stuttering), display quality is very good at least to say, making the G7 a very enjoyable device for everyday use. Considering all this, the price is very reasonable. If you are looking for an affordable mobile phone with a big display, this is probably the one.
A good functioning GPS and a size that still fits my pocket: my questions are answered, how about yours? Please feel free to post comments or send me a message if you have any more questions.
You can also send me an e-mail: [email protected]
Or look up more information on the official iOcean Facebookpage! Please give them some support and click the ‘like’ button.
chinahardware.info/?page_id=9 for the photo's
I am enjoying the use of the iocean G7. It maybe gigantic but it is not heavy.
Battery life is really good. For light use, you can get up to 4 days. For heavy use, you can get at least 2 days.
Does iocean use a "skinned" version of Android like sense or miui?
sent from Carina Nebula with my Nexus 5 inter dimensional cruiser...
Ltdrev said:
Does iocean use a "skinned" version of Android like sense or miui?
sent from Carina Nebula with my Nexus 5 inter dimensional cruiser...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its Android 4.2.2, I have not played with HTC or Miui but it feel like the standard Android. It came with Google Play Store and all the other apps. Don't think I see any Chinese apps.
It actually came rooted as well.
Ysabelkid said:
I am enjoying the use of the iocean G7. It maybe gigantic but it is not heavy.
Battery life is really good. For light use, you can get up to 4 days. For heavy use, you can get at least 2 days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello,
My Iocean G7 battery lasts about 1 day (wifi and bluetooth always on).
I didn't find how to install CWM on it so I could do a wipe batterie's data.
Does someone has a CWM for Iocean G7 ?
Thanks
Yes a bit
Ltdrev said:
Does iocean use a "skinned" version of Android like sense or miui?
sent from Carina Nebula with my Nexus 5 inter dimensional cruiser...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had no idea but I did a comparison for you. iOcean did use some sort of theme (not a entire skin) for their Android version but you can switch back to the standard Android look with 2 clicks (icon called Theme) does that.
I am using Themer now but in the video review on my website (chinahardware.info) you can still see the iOcean theme.
Does that answer your question?
Ysabelkid said:
Its Android 4.2.2, I have not played with HTC or Miui but it feel like the standard Android. It came with Google Play Store and all the other apps. Don't think I see any Chinese apps.
It actually came rooted as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine came with a small theme (mostly the icons were different) but I could switch back any moment.
Yours came rooted? Where did you buy your iOcean G7?
Danacy said:
Mine came with a small theme (mostly the icons were different) but I could switch back any moment.
Yours came rooted? Where did you buy your iOcean G7?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In Settings, under Device Administration, I got Superuser which I turn it on.
I bought my G7 from 1949deal - first time buying from them. Order on Thursday and shipped by DHL and arrived on Monday. I bought the brown case which I think is useless. Cannot find the slip-in case on your video.
I don't use Facebook/bluetooth and have turn off the gesture - thats why I think the battery life last so long.
22
Ysabelkid said:
In Settings, under Device Administration, I got Superuser which I turn it on.
I bought my G7 from 1949deal - first time buying from them. Order on Thursday and shipped by DHL and arrived on Monday. I bought the brown case which I think is useless. Cannot find the slip-in case on your video.
I don't use Facebook/bluetooth and have turn off the gesture - thats why I think the battery life last so long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean the orange case? Try Aliexpress.com It's a sideways flip-cover (bad quality btw).
Cannot find the Superuser setting you mentioned but I thought that will only appear when you root te phone, right?
How is the battery life on the phone? Better than other Android phones or just pretty similar?
Danacy said:
You mean the orange case? Try Aliexpress.com It's a sideways flip-cover (bad quality btw).
Cannot find the Superuser setting you mentioned but I thought that will only appear when you root te phone, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought the orange case - its rubbish.
This guy has a slip case - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXMGeWo0W8Q which is like one of those for spectacles.
Not sure if it is 1949deal that rooted the phone before sending out. I learnt of it from the guy in the above video which is why I bought from the same seller as he did. He mentioned about it here - http://mtkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=559&p=1929
---------- Post added at 11:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 PM ----------
nismofan25 said:
How is the battery life on the phone? Better than other Android phones or just pretty similar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life depends on how you use it. It has a 3500 mAh battery - huge.
I don't use Facebook or bluetooth or push notification for my GMail. I use Whatsapp, Line, SMS and calls and some surfing.
For light use, I can get more than 3 day. For heavy use, I can get at least 2 days.
I already enjoying the use of the iocean G7. I think its gigantic its not heavy . Battery life is so good. For light use, you can get up to 4 days. For heavy use, you can get at least 2 days. you also use it enjoy it .........................................
Michael Hill said:
I already enjoying the use of the iocean G7. I think its gigantic its not heavy . Battery life is so good. For light use, you can get up to 4 days. For heavy use, you can get at least 2 days. you also use it enjoy it .........................................
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you tell me if the led flash is powerful like Samsung ones I had a few chinese phones but the flash led is weak.
Thanks
cyberbit said:
Can you tell me if the led flash is powerful like Samsung ones I had a few chinese phones but the flash led is weak.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The led flash is strong - red light for Whatsapp and green for Line.
Camera is great - people were impress with it when I took photos in a recent vacation.
good day how to root iocean g7 please help.
Bluetooth
The bluetooth is horrible.
There is lag with the headphone bluetooth, sometimes does not pair with bluetooth on the car.
In others features this phone is really good.
I hope that in the next firmware the iocean improve the bluetooth.
G7 flash and recovery
Hey guys,
I am also a proud owner of my G7... I certainly do love it, at the moment I think I have to flash it to a more recent rom since it came with a 4.2.2.
I want to flash to latest but I dont have a custom recovery installed. Will the inbuilt recovery be fine enough?
I am guessing you guys have an idea of what the way to get a recovery and flash it actually... and I use linux with adb and fastboot installed and it can see my device too although I could get a windows computer is necessary.
Thanks
Recovery
xdadeem said:
Hey guys,
I am also a proud owner of my G7... I certainly do love it, at the moment I think I have to flash it to a more recent rom since it came with a 4.2.2.
I want to flash to latest but I dont have a custom recovery installed. Will the inbuilt recovery be fine enough?
I am guessing you guys have an idea of what the way to get a recovery and flash it actually... and I use linux with adb and fastboot installed and it can see my device too although I could get a windows computer is necessary.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MIUI is always a good choice
http://www.needrom.com/download/miui-by-miuipro-ru-9/
FunTouch OS was also very good
http://www.needrom.com/download/g7-funtouch-os/
To install:
Step 1: From the links above: download the ROM you want and put it on a SD-card. Not in a folder but in the root of the SD-card. Put SD-card in phone
Step 2: Shut down your G7. Not restart but really shut down. Then:
– Power button + volume button up, to enter the recovery mode. (First hold volume up and then press power button and keep volume button pressed until you see the recovery menu)
– Wipe Data / Factory Reset -> delete all user data (use volume buttons to select)
– Wipe Cache Partition -> Wipe cache
Step 3: Return to recovery main interface Install zip from sdcard -> choose zip from sdcard -> Select your ROM
Step 4: Brush complete, restart the phone Patience required – first boot takes a while
So we've seen the hands-on videos, we've seen the specs and we've seen the release dates. We're psyched. We don't know yet if we need to choose one from the 2015 line-up or stick to what we have already/upgrade to a Moto X (2014).
It's time to discuss with fellow possessors of the Moto X line what Motorola did good in your opinion and what it did bad this year around with the Play and Style.
Personally I'm much more attracted to the Play rather than the Style but is the 615 processor much of a downgrade? It's tagged as a mid-spec phone but it's not in my eyes, and most of you can surely agree.
Camera quality has been addressed (hopefully).
Play has a whooping 3630 mah battery, so it feels like a midder-speced Droid Turbo. It even has the same weight (169 grams).
Higher screen size, higher screen to body ratio. Hopefully this won't me such a big issue as I believe Motorola made them STILL with the ergonomics in mind.
How will the build quality be? The Play version doesn't seem to resemble the X (2014) as much as the Style does in terms of aesthetics and build quality.
So...fellow citizens: Upsides, Downsides? Discuss.
I too am most interested in the Play but can't really put my finger on where the 615 stands.
I play a few, graphically not to high end games (Blek, Candy Crush,...) and have currently a Huawei P8.
If I knew the 615 performs good enough for daily stuff (maybe on par with the Nexus 5?) I'd definitely try it out...
Greets
-Zeppelin- said:
I too am most interested in the Play but can't really put my finger on where the 615 stands.
I play a few, graphically not to high end games (Blek, Candy Crush,...) and have currently a Huawei P8.
If I knew the 615 performs good enough for daily stuff (maybe on par with the Nexus 5?) I'd definitely try it out...
Greets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the same boat as you. I feel the 615 should be more than enough as far as performance goes for running the browser, Google Inbox, etc. I'm not much of a mobile gamer, only really play some of the lighter games included in the last few humble bundles such as Ridiculous Fishing and Threes!.
I'm waiting on some early reviews to come in, but I really do hope that this will be the perfect phone for our use cases.
same here ... not worried about the SD 615 tho but more about build quality since i love my moto X and it's amoled display, i can live without amoled but not without a decent build quality..
the battery and the camera are huge improvents for sure that's why i'm thinking of buying one X Play ^^
I'm fairly sure the Verizon version (Turbo 2 name has already been registered) will be the one to get. It will likely be like the Play, but better cpu, wireless charging, likely qhd screen.
Only downsides are it will be a Verizon exclusive, and no unlocked bootloader.
I was reading somewhere that Motorola might want to make the X Play as the EU "version" of Droid Turbo.
lol
I will get the Moto X Play when released looks very decent! Would have been better if it had Wifi AC (Just installed a Netgear R7000 at home) but it will suffice for my needs. Will sell my Galaxy S6 before purchase. Have been looking towards chinaphones as well LEtv Le 1, Meizu Mx5 and the newly announced Sony M5 also still can't make a definitive decision can anyone help/point me in a good direction.
I mainly use the rear cam would love decent low light pics, browsing, feedly, youtube and some gaming, with minimal call and whatsapp.
Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G920F met Tapatalk
Here are some benchmarks for the Snapdragon 615, looks like a very capable SOC.
http://www.androidheadlines.com/2015/04/snapdragon-615-powered-xiaomi-mi-4i-gets-benchmarked.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Qualcomm-Snapdragon-615-MSM8939-SoC.117495.0.html
Dual 4G/4G ?
Hi all,
Do you know if the moto x play is a 4G/4G dual sim?
Regards
Oby_1
Mafiatounes said:
I will get the Moto X Play when released looks very decent! Would have been better if it had Wifi AC (Just installed a Netgear R7000 at home) but it will suffice for my needs. Will sell my Galaxy S6 before purchase. Have been looking towards chinaphones as well LEtv Le 1, Meizu Mx5 and the newly announced Sony M5 also still can't make a definitive decision can anyone help/point me in a good direction.
I mainly use the rear cam would love decent low light pics, browsing, feedly, youtube and some gaming, with minimal call and whatsapp.
Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G920F met Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're selling your S6 to get a Motorola? I feel like that might be a downgrade...
Why?
Stock Android, better battery life, no freakin hardware button, 5,5"... That are all positive aspects I could see for him...
-Zeppelin- said:
Why?
Stock Android, better battery life, no freakin hardware button, 5,5"... That are all positive aspects I could see for him...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And best of all no shizwiz, jokes apart i had a Moto G gen 1 (2y ago) and really liked it, with a stock mid range system the experience is smoother, unlike the top end hardware of the S6 that works so hard and feels sluggish
That's what 99% of the manufactorers don't get and stick to there UIs, which are all much to heavy on the hardware...
I need a new phone for my girlfriend. She had a moto g 2013, and I want to buy the moto x play..but..in Spain it costs 395 euros. I think it´s a little expensive for a midrange. So i´m considering the new xiaomi redmi note 2 with the mediatek helio x10 and only 140 euros, what do you think guys? I don´t know what to do.
What about the new moto g?
inkmars said:
So we've seen the hands-on videos, we've seen the specs and we've seen the release dates. We're psyched. We don't know yet if we need to choose one from the 2015 line-up or stick to what we have already/upgrade to a Moto X (2014).
It's time to discuss with fellow possessors of the Moto X line what Motorola did good in your opinion and what it did bad this year around with the Play and Style.
Personally I'm much more attracted to the Play rather than the Style but is the 615 processor much of a downgrade? It's tagged as a mid-spec phone but it's not in my eyes, and most of you can surely agree.
Camera quality has been addressed (hopefully).
Play has a whooping 3630 mah battery, so it feels like a midder-speced Droid Turbo. It even has the same weight (169 grams).
Higher screen size, higher screen to body ratio. Hopefully this won't me such a big issue as I believe Motorola made them STILL with the ergonomics in mind.
How will the build quality be? The Play version doesn't seem to resemble the X (2014) as much as the Style does in terms of aesthetics and build quality.
So...fellow citizens: Upsides, Downsides? Discuss.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanx:good:
The two things the play has that i like over the style are the 1080p screen and much larger battery . Those 2 combined will probably kill the style on battery life.
Dont like:
Smaller screen
No dual speakers mono only
Its not as visually appealing
Mid range processor
2gb only of ram
The small screen and lack of stereo speakers are deal breakers for me. The other stuff i could probably live with.
sent from my Nexus 6 or Note 4
designgears said:
Here are some benchmarks for the Snapdragon 615, looks like a very capable SOC.
http://www.androidheadlines.com/2015/04/snapdragon-615-powered-xiaomi-mi-4i-gets-benchmarked.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Qualcomm-Snapdragon-615-MSM8939-SoC.117495.0.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for that! for my scenarios, the SD615 will do just fine (web browsing, social media, taking photos/editing, call/sms). can't wait for it to arrive, just (pre)ordered it yesterday on a german site
What I really find puzzling is the LCD screen. Why throw away the advantage of amoled in handling the active display? If it turns out to be well thought about (e.g. a mode in which the screen only turns on upon sensor activity instead of being continuously lit to display notifications) I'll be buying the play.
hello
I'm trying to decide which large screened phone to purchase
Huawei P8 max
Letv le max x900
the p8 max has a bigger screen but I am not sure if the letv has a better screen?
also I am not concerned about the size or the 4g connectivity, I wish to know which phone is better with regard to snappiness launching apps and 'multitasking'
which phone has a better sense of 'future proofing' as much as one could say future proofing...
and which phone is just better phone in other aspects?
I would like to hear your opinions please
oh forgot to mention does anyone know which one has a better loudspeaker, I like to listen to music with the loudspeaker (the one at the bottom)
thank you very much!
- Emmanuel
emmanuelw said:
hello
I'm trying to decide which large screened phone to purchase
Huawei P8 max
Letv le max x900
the p8 max has a bigger screen but I am not sure if the letv has a better screen?
also I am not concerned about the size or the 4g connectivity, I wish to know which phone is better with regard to snappiness launching apps and 'multitasking'
which phone has a better sense of 'future proofing' as much as one could say future proofing...
and which phone is just better phone in other aspects?
I would like to hear your opinions please
oh forgot to mention does anyone know which one has a better loudspeaker, I like to listen to music with the loudspeaker (the one at the bottom)
thank you very much!
- Emmanuel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be patient & buy the LeMax Pro; build-wise it's quite similar to the x900, but it's using the SD820 cpu which is an entirely different class compared to the overheating SD810.
Listen to adwinp!
Wait for the Le Max Pro, before deciding.
I have the Le Max and P8Max and Mate 8 (Mate 8 is NOT worth the upgrade (IMHO) from the 7/S or P8Max and mine will be sold in the next couple days)
If specs are what you're looking for Le Max wins on paper, if you can't wait for the Le Max Pro.
If camera is the selling point, P8max has a brilliant camera (IMHO better than the mate 8 in low light and auto focus mode is faster) and its better (IMHO) than the Le Max which has a decent camera, which struggles with auto focus, and low light. Don't be fooled by 21MP vs 13MP...or ultra pixel...It sounds good but its not.
If connectivity is your thing...the LeMax will connect to 5g Wifi, the P8Max struggles and 9/10 times won't.
Speakers, P8Max, cleaner sound at high volumes.
Overall speed, about the same really. Where the P8Max can freeze during gaming its few and far between and depends on the gaming...
If custom ROMs are your thing, Le Max has the better support community and it seems to be growing.
If screen size is your thing, its tough to say. Tied. While the 2k screen is nice on the Le Max, the p8max has a brilliant 6.8" screen
If storage is your thing, P8Max Simple. While 128GB is nice on the Le Max. That's it that's all. But even better than that is the 64GB and the ability to add a 200GB sd card. I have a 200GB card in my 703L and their are no issues.
If security is your thing, They are both Chinese phones so while the Le Max and Le Max pro have fingerprint
If build quality is your thing, both quality builds, but the edge goes to the P8Max, its cleaner and well built.
If future support is your thing, Le Max. It has the community support behind it.
I'll say this. While I have been harsh on the P8Max, I would not part with this phone. The Le Max already has me wanting the Le Max pro. Huawei has the screen size right and a 2k screen with 6GB, Mali 880 MP GPU, Kirin 8+1 follow up is the hope and dream... the P8Max screen is just perfect in size. I just prefer it to all others, as I read a ton for work.
The Le Max Pro is going to be a monster of a phone. So if you can wait for that, and are leaning towards the Le Max. Wait.
At the end of it all, you cannot go wrong with what you are picking, its your call, just understand that all phones have their pros and cons. These two are no different.
Good luck.
Cheers.
Excellent pertinent comparison, @TheTruthSeeker. What do you do for a living?
@emmanuelw - I've been changing phones every ~6 months or so for the better part of my smartphone consumer years since the HTC Diamond Touch (yes I know, I'm ashamed, I was a Windows Mobile user). HTC, Sony, Huawei, ... you name it - I've owned most flagships.
Here's my experience with the device so far:
1: really good all-around build quality - metal + glass. Neither scratch easily (I do not use a phone case or screen protector).
2: huge screen - I wanted to see whether this would blur the line between a smartphone & tablet, as I've been using the latter for most of my multimedia needs (video, gaming).
The device sports one of the best screen-to-body ratios I've seen - one of the reasons I stopped liking HTCs after the original One/m7.
Anyway, watching, playing, reading feels really nice on such a huge screen & I've been reaching less & less for my tablet as it is. Doesn't seem to be too much of a battery sucker at low brightnesses but you feel the drain at higher brightness levels. I'm a 5ft9" guy & usually use the device with 2 hands; 6.8" is a bit too big - 6.2"-6.3" seems to be the sweet spot for me.
3: GPS - gets a fix fast & is usually reliable. Never really had an issue with it.
4: WIFI - as mentioned, won't connect to 5GHz, but 2.4GHz is OK, as are the speeds. No dropouts & doesn't take its toll on the battery. Range capture is OK, nothing to write home about.
5: Audio - one of the low points - if you have good earphones or headphones, the built-in DAC might make up for the crappy device audio. Speaker audio is downright horrible by today's standards.
Best I've experienced are of course HTC, & Sony.
6: Storage - I have the 64Gb + external 128Gb microsd Samsung EVO+. I am installing games with huge space requirements (Final Fantasy, emulators & their ISOs), lots of downloads, lots of audio, & not once have I been nagged for space running low. Storage speed is nothing special, definitely not Samsung-fast.
7: Bluetooth - drops out once in a while, but I rarely really use it.
8: 3G/4G - usually stays connected to 4G in urban areas, but sometime stuggles with keeping a connection where other phones still have connectivity.
9: Camera - quality is OK with decent lighting, but struggles in low light - definitely worse than the LG G4.
10: Touch responsiveness - OK, but not great.
11: Battery life - as long as you're not running on high brighness, it really does offer great battery life.
Barely comes close to 2 days of heavy usage, despite what Huawei advertised.
11: software-wise - gets some updates once every month or so, but even at the dawn of Android N, still didn't receive the Marshmallow update.
Virtually zero community support due to spotty GPL compliance related to the released open source components. Definitely no developer support like in the case of Sony. Zero responsiveness to queries by global support. Rooting & customization will be your only salvation.
Usability - the heavily skinned interface takes some getting used to it but nothing alternative apps can't remedy to. The phone itself is quite responsive, with support for most software features. Doesn't have NFC, but not an issue for me. Some built-in features are really useful, like the permission manager & background app monitor, but both are now a standard in android 6.0.
12: performance - you must keep in mind that the P8max is really a mid-ranger. You might encounter rare initial lags with demanding, big apps or games, but the regular mortal you will rarely feel it.
It all boils down to your needs - what are you looking for in a phone?
The snapdragon platform is mature - will provide excellent performance & compatibility, good battery life (especially on the 16nm FinFET process) & should have plenty of developer/community support. The Huawei Kirin platform is not there yet. I was hoping for changes due to advent of the Nexus 6P, but they used a SD810 instead of a Kirin.
Keep in mind that the Kirin935 in the P8max is an aging platform, but prices should drop in accordance.
Are you a power user - if yes, go for Snapdragon, or for Exynos, but I'd really go for Snapdragon. Mediatek is not there yet.
Are you a mere mortal, looking for regular performance from your phone (save for the big screen) - you can bet on any of them.
I'd really go for the LeMax Pro though, unless other manufacturers announce 6"+ devices (I'm looking forward to a Sony Ultra this year). The Kirin935 & SD810 are a thing of the past now.
Again - what are YOU looking for?
first thank you adwinp and TheTruthSeeker
I will definitely heed to your advice and be patient for now see what comes next
I am leaning more towards the LE Max as future support is important for me I don't change phones often
I also desire to have a phone with a good internal speaker sound but then I guess the new le max will have the same speaker as the older one which I understand is only mediocre in quality...
I do use the phone to play music with sheet music on the go so I look at musical notes on the screen which have to be large and listen through the speaker
at the moment I have a small nexus 4 phone so even the 6.3 inch would be an upgrade screen wise but I am not sure if the speaker on the le max is better than the one on my current nexus 4 I can't find any details on the speaker of the le max...
my main concerns are
- good sound and good LARGE screen above 6 inch
- good support updates and preparation for future (as much as possible)
- smoothness of operation the least amount of lag when launching apps and multitasking (I don't do games though)
one of you mentioned some touch problems with the screen I think, this concerns me as I have such problems in my nexus 4 and they annoy me a lot
I listened to some music on the internal speaker of my cousin's lg g4 phone and was quite impressed with the quality, do any of these phones can compare with the quality of sound of the lg g4?
what other phones are to be waiting for this year, the le max pro the maybe p9 max but is the z6 ultra going to be better than any of these for my needs?
or any other phone you know off bigger than 6 inch?
thank you again!
- Emmanuel
After my Tour to Android and P8Max I would only take a Snapdragon device if u plan to have it longer and want Updates and Roms!
I think the Sony Ultra modell this yeah will be your best choice, I will sell my P8max too if the Specc are good!
thank you Hirs_E_Fruit, why do you think the sony would be better than theLE Max? and another issue is how do we know if sony is actually going to release a z6 ultra, and last are there any other upcoming phones larger than 6 inch?
I think because Sony will sell it worldwide officially so there will be a larger base of community. Rumours suggest there will be 4 Versions of the z6, lets hope its true.
P9max but i would not recommend it anymore.
emmanuelw said:
first thank you adwinp and TheTruthSeeker
thank you again!
- Emmanuel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TheTruthSeeker said:
Wait for the Le Max Pro, before deciding.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@ Truthseeker: How is the refresh/frame rate on the p8max? I heard it leaves trails, which I find odd. How are the colors/blacks and what about the sharpness (count pixels easily?) Last but not least, is the speaker of good quality? Cheers :good:
adwinp said:
Excellent pertinent comparison, @TheTruthSeeker. What do you do for a living?
@emmanuelw - I've been changing phones every ~6 months or so for the better part of my smartphone consumer years since the HTC Diamond Touch (yes I know, I'm ashamed, I was a Windows Mobile user). HTC, Sony, Huawei, ... you name it - I've owned most flagships.
Here's my experience with the device so far:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@ adwinp: How is the refresh/frame rate on the p8max? I heard it leaves trails, which I find odd. How are the colors/blacks and what about the sharpness (count pixels easily?) You're the only one who said that the speaker is horrible, strange.
adwinp said:
Excellent pertinent comparison, @TheTruthSeeker. What do you do for a living?
@emmanuelw - I've been changing phones every ~6 months or so for the better part of my smartphone consumer years since the HTC Diamond Touch (yes I know, I'm ashamed, I was a Windows Mobile user). HTC, Sony, Huawei, ... you name it - I've owned most flagships.
Here's my experience with the device so far:
1: really good all-around build quality - metal + glass. Neither scratch easily (I do not use a phone case or screen protector).
2: huge screen - I wanted to see whether this would blur the line between a smartphone & tablet, as I've been using the latter for most of my multimedia needs (video, gaming).
The device sports one of the best screen-to-body ratios I've seen - one of the reasons I stopped liking HTCs after the original One/m7.
Anyway, watching, playing, reading feels really nice on such a huge screen & I've been reaching less & less for my tablet as it is. Doesn't seem to be too much of a battery sucker at low brightnesses but you feel the drain at higher brightness levels. I'm a 5ft9" guy & usually use the device with 2 hands; 6.8" is a bit too big - 6.2"-6.3" seems to be the sweet spot for me.
3: GPS - gets a fix fast & is usually reliable. Never really had an issue with it.
4: WIFI - as mentioned, won't connect to 5GHz, but 2.4GHz is OK, as are the speeds. No dropouts & doesn't take its toll on the battery. Range capture is OK, nothing to write home about.
5: Audio - one of the low points - if you have good earphones or headphones, the built-in DAC might make up for the crappy device audio. Speaker audio is downright horrible by today's standards.
Best I've experienced are of course HTC, & Sony.
6: Storage - I have the 64Gb + external 128Gb microsd Samsung EVO+. I am installing games with huge space requirements (Final Fantasy, emulators & their ISOs), lots of downloads, lots of audio, & not once have I been nagged for space running low. Storage speed is nothing special, definitely not Samsung-fast.
7: Bluetooth - drops out once in a while, but I rarely really use it.
8: 3G/4G - usually stays connected to 4G in urban areas, but sometime stuggles with keeping a connection where other phones still have connectivity.
9: Camera - quality is OK with decent lighting, but struggles in low light - definitely worse than the LG G4.
10: Touch responsiveness - OK, but not great.
11: Battery life - as long as you're not running on high brighness, it really does offer great battery life.
Barely comes close to 2 days of heavy usage, despite what Huawei advertised.
11: software-wise - gets some updates once every month or so, but even at the dawn of Android N, still didn't receive the Marshmallow update.
Virtually zero community support due to spotty GPL compliance related to the released open source components. Definitely no developer support like in the case of Sony. Zero responsiveness to queries by global support. Rooting & customization will be your only salvation.
Usability - the heavily skinned interface takes some getting used to it but nothing alternative apps can't remedy to. The phone itself is quite responsive, with support for most software features. Doesn't have NFC, but not an issue for me. Some built-in features are really useful, like the permission manager & background app monitor, but both are now a standard in android 6.0.
12: performance - you must keep in mind that the P8max is really a mid-ranger. You might encounter rare initial lags with demanding, big apps or games, but the regular mortal you will rarely feel it.
It all boils down to your needs - what are you looking for in a phone?
The snapdragon platform is mature - will provide excellent performance & compatibility, good battery life (especially on the 16nm FinFET process) & should have plenty of developer/community support. The Huawei Kirin platform is not there yet. I was hoping for changes due to advent of the Nexus 6P, but they used a SD810 instead of a Kirin.
Keep in mind that the Kirin935 in the P8max is an aging platform, but prices should drop in accordance.
Are you a power user - if yes, go for Snapdragon, or for Exynos, but I'd really go for Snapdragon. Mediatek is not there yet.
Are you a mere mortal, looking for regular performance from your phone (save for the big screen) - you can bet on any of them.
I'd really go for the LeMax Pro though, unless other manufacturers announce 6"+ devices (I'm looking forward to a Sony Ultra this year). The Kirin935 & SD810 are a thing of the past now.
Again - what are YOU looking for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@adwinp - Thank you for your kind words, I work in the social legal field but repair mobile devices and dab in ROM play here and there. Learning and by no means near a pro/amateur/etc.
I too swap devices regularly and have not held a flagship longer than a year since my blackberry 8800 back in the day! Way back lol.
A wealth of information in your post here, well said and done! Great post!!!
Cheers.
---------- Post added at 02:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 PM ----------
gideonMorrison said:
@ Truthseeker: How is the refresh/frame rate on the p8max? I heard it leaves trails, which I find odd. How are the colors/blacks and what about the sharpness (count pixels easily?) Last but not least, is the speaker of good quality? Cheers :good:
@gideonMorrison In all honesty, everyday use NO trails or flashing (Everyday use being texts, emails, maybe two dots, chess, checking the weather and the like) but in memory intensive games (chaos rings 2, need for speed MW, 6 guns, anomaly 2, etc) you will notice trails, screen flashing, and (when the device heats up) dreadded laaaaag. It doesn't happen all the time, but often enough to realize this is a midrange phone NOT a flagship, premium device built to dominate from Huawei.
As for the speaker, its decent. It can play at high volumes with no considerable distortion. BUT, do they have the same sound quality of say a Blackberry passport or HTC boomsound, sadly no. But this is my humble opinion. You will enjoy the speaker while on speaker phone, watching youtube videos, etc. True audiophiles will look past the specs and agree that this is a good speaker with ok sound quality.
Hope this has helped.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TheTruthSeeker said:
@adwinp - Thank you for your kind words, I work in the social legal field but repair mobile devices and dab in ROM play here and there. Learning and by no means near a pro/amateur/etc.
I too swap devices regularly and have not held a flagship longer than a year since my blackberry 8800 back in the day! Way back lol.
A wealth of information in your post here, well said and done! Great post!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers.
---------- Post added at 02:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:04 PM ----------
gideonMorrison said:
@ Truthseeker: How is the refresh/frame rate on the p8max? I heard it leaves trails, which I find odd. How are the colors/blacks and what about the sharpness (count pixels easily?) Last but not least, is the speaker of good quality? Cheers :good:
@gideonMorrison In all honesty, everyday use NO trails or flashing (Everyday use being texts, emails, maybe two dots, chess, checking the weather and the like) but in memory intensive games (chaos rings 2, need for speed MW, 6 guns, anomaly 2, etc) you will notice trails, screen flashing, and (when the device heats up) dreadded laaaaag. It doesn't happen all the time, but often enough to realize this is a midrange phone NOT a flagship, premium device built to dominate from Huawei.
As for the speaker, its decent. It can play at high volumes with no considerable distortion. BUT, do they have the same sound quality of say a Blackberry passport or HTC boomsound, sadly no. But this is my humble opinion. You will enjoy the speaker while on speaker phone, watching youtube videos, etc. True audiophiles will look past the specs and agree that this is a good speaker with ok sound quality.
Hope this has helped.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Truthseeker for your extensive reply :good: I remember my old Galaxy Nexus suffering from bad ghosting, which is years ago, but find it somehow hard to believe the Max has the same issue (in the year 2015, that is). Is it something a lot more phones suffer from, because it is a new-ish device and by now you'd think they won't make (old) mistakes anymore. I wonder if I would really really (while gaming/watching movies as well?) notice and be put off about it (trails/ghosting/flashing). Not entirely sure what you mean by flashing however
Good to hear about the speaker. My Alcatel Idol 3 had superb stereo speakers, but have a feeling this one isn't bad indeed.
Say "cheese", then rate this thread to express how photos taken with the Moto G5 Plus come out. A higher rating indicates that photos offer rich color (without over-saturating), sharp detail (with all subjects in-focus), and appropriate exposure (with even lighting).
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
More of marketing gimmick. Good hardware but worst software. Chinese developers don't know how to code. Lenovo killed the Moto brand
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
The camera is poor. I have no Idea why is there so many people defending the camera on this device, but it's nothing special.
Mrkblo said:
The camera is poor. I have no Idea why is there so many people defending the camera on this device, but it's nothing special.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is advisable for you to stop posting on this forum coz you don't own a moto g5 plus which is clearly visible in your profile.
Camera is the main highly of the phone. ?
What are you talking about? I'm writing this from my Moto G5 plus. Just because you disagree with me it doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to post here. In my opinion the camera is nothing special, even my old galaxy s4 and Lumia 730 are able to get some better snaps in good lighting conditions.
Developer Anindya said:
It is advisable for you to stop posting on this forum coz you don't own a moto g5 plus which is clearly visible in your profile.
Camera is the main highly of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Low light is bad compared to 2016 flagships. I just tested with my S7 and it kills the G5 Plus. If camera is most important to you, I recommend getting a used S7 for about the same price. Good lighting is fine.
I really like the G5 plus camera, compared to my old phones (Xperia z3 compact, moto g4 plus, nexus 4 and others) I think it's a really good camera for its price range. And I don't even tried to unlock the boot loader and use the hdr+ Google camera, thats looks even better on snaps.
The camera is okay. I take lots of pictures with it, they look fine.
When I really care about the picture looking nice, if I'm with other people, if those people have a modern flagship phone, I'll ask them to take the picture. And those pictures look significantly better.
Google's hdr+ really helps in low light too. Stock rom, using the 32-bit apk found in a thread here with camera2 API enabled via build.prop.
This is more light than I could see with my own eyes, alley building lights in the distance only. Forget S7, this rivals low light on my $2500 Sony A7s!
waingro808 said:
Low light is bad compared to 2016 flagships. I just tested with my S7 and it kills the G5 Plus. If camera is most important to you, I recommend getting a used S7 for about the same price. Good lighting is fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where can you get a used s7 for same price.???
pradsngh523 said:
Where can you get a used s7 for same price.???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ebay, Craigslist, and Swappa if you're in the USA.
Coming from moto e 1st gen which i bought for Rs 7000 in 2014. This phone has a pretty good camera at this price point considering that i bought it for Rs 10000. And i love the professional mode in this camera. You just have to know how to use the camera for good shots. It would be great to have Raw support in stock camera. But i love it.
Some samples.
I personally think moto did an awful work with this camera, even my 2015 nexus 5 beats it anytime its pitted against it.
pradsngh523 said:
I personally think moto did an awful work with this camera, even my 2015 nexus 5 beats it anytime its pitted against it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Moto did screw it up with their processing of the image. But turn it off by applying the chromatix mod and extend your DR with the Google Camera from defcomg/savitar, and the pics coming off of this are actually pretty amazing.
Dishe said:
Moto did screw it up with their processing of the image. But turn it off by applying the chromatix mod and extend your DR with the Google Camera from defcomg/savitar, and the pics coming off of this are actually pretty amazing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually im waiting for moto to provide oreo stock ota. hopefully they will also release stable 64bit sources also as oreo only support 32 bit kernel sources as of now. If not i gues that is the final choice i have. Untill that I'm struck on good ol nexus 5. low light images on nexus 5 are just sweet despite having f2.4 camera.
Dishe said:
Moto did screw it up with their processing of the image. But turn it off by applying the chromatix mod and extend your DR with the Google Camera from defcomg/savitar, and the pics coming off of this are actually pretty amazing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where can I download the Google camera app compatible with the moto g5 plus??
jmindset said:
Where can I download the Google camera app compatible with the moto g5 plus??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Search and ye shall find. Everything you need to have and know should be here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/g5-plus/how-to/how-to-fix-g5-plus-camera-mods-tools-t3722844
Dishe said:
Search and ye shall find. Everything you need to have and know should be here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/g5-plus/how-to/how-to-fix-g5-plus-camera-mods-tools-t3722844
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks dude
Any of you tried the new cam update on the G5Plus? I think it's great! I have the S7 edge and took pictures with both phones of the same thing. Then as they uploaded to Google photos, I had a hard time distinguish which is which without looking at the info. Moto G5Plus in low light. Ignore the mess, I'm before moving. I did not selectively focused just point and shoot. Look at the sharpness on the books and the glass bunny. These pics were made near midnight with only floor lamps farther away.
Glad they've been improving the stock shooter! I noticed an update, but for some reason the new app is having trouble with video recording so I might go back. Google Camera running on here has been blowing everything else out of the water, but those shots are very respectable.
Hi
Looking for buying advice, criteria as follows:
- Looking to spend as little as possible, but must be improvement over the LG D855/OnePlus One/iPhone 6 we have in the house already.
- Must be Android, as we're Auto users.
- New, it's a gift.
- Camera is absolute priority. Particularly speed for stills.
- ROM available (or OTA stock upgrade) to Nougat/Oreo.
- Min 32GB storage, or smaller and expandable via SD.
- Minimum FHD screen, 5 inch. OLED/HDR would be great but not essential.
- USB Type C would be nice, but not essential.
- Flashable for stable, alternative ROM without bloat, such as Lineage.
- Good VR experience prefereable but again not a priority.
We're currently using Lineage OS ROMS on our Android phones which are snappy, stable, look pretty and ticks all the boxes but the cameras mean we're losing out on great moments. Whole reason for upgrade is that Android Auto is better than Apple CarPlay, but the cameras on our Android phones are pants in comparison to the iPhone 6. They're shocking in low light and to get a sharp picture you need still subjects and a tripod. Whilst the iPhone's shots aren't really any better under those conditions, it's the fact that when the shutter button is pressed, the picture is snapped and there's no lag or blur, regardless of conditions, even with Auto HDR. Whilst low light shots are grainy on it, the subjects are never lost and the memory of the moment isn't ruined!
I've read about how good the pixel is, but it looks out of my price range. I'm thinking about the Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge, with some other ROM on it. What's your thoughts? Camera better than LG's G5/G6? Also not averse to chinese alternatives, as long as the camera is up to scratch and it's ROMmable.
Thanks!
mr_rodge said:
Hi. Looking for buying advice, criteria as follows:...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet is to post this question within one of the following threads that is specific to your question.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1846277
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1620179
Good Luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT VIA PM UNLESS ASKED/REQUESTED BY MYSELF.
PLEASE KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE
OK will do. Thanks!
mr_rodge said:
Hi
Looking for buying advice, criteria as follows:
- Looking to spend as little as possible, but must be improvement over the LG D855/OnePlus One/iPhone 6 we have in the house already.
- Must be Android, as we're Auto users.
- New, it's a gift.
- Camera is absolute priority. Particularly speed for stills.
- ROM available (or OTA stock upgrade) to Nougat/Oreo.
- Min 32GB storage, or smaller and expandable via SD.
- Minimum FHD screen, 5 inch. OLED/HDR would be great but not essential.
- USB Type C would be nice, but not essential.
- Flashable for stable, alternative ROM without bloat, such as Lineage.
- Good VR experience prefereable but again not a priority.
We're currently using Lineage OS ROMS on our Android phones which are snappy, stable, look pretty and ticks all the boxes but the cameras mean we're losing out on great moments. Whole reason for upgrade is that Android Auto is better than Apple CarPlay, but the cameras on our Android phones are pants in comparison to the iPhone 6. They're shocking in low light and to get a sharp picture you need still subjects and a tripod. Whilst the iPhone's shots aren't really any better under those conditions, it's the fact that when the shutter button is pressed, the picture is snapped and there's no lag or blur, regardless of conditions, even with Auto HDR. Whilst low light shots are grainy on it, the subjects are never lost and the memory of the moment isn't ruined!
I've read about how good the pixel is, but it looks out of my price range. I'm thinking about the Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge, with some other ROM on it. What's your thoughts? Camera better than LG's G5/G6? Also not averse to chinese alternatives, as long as the camera is up to scratch and it's ROMmable.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As stated use the Thread in place: **DEVICE SUGGESTION THREAD** -- Not sure what device to buy? Ask here!