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I’ve been quite a fan of Xiaomi products ever since I used the awesome little Mi 2S. Till date, the phone is among the most favourite ones that I’ve ever owned!
Come 2014, and I was tempted by more releases… iBuyGou sent over a Xiaomi Mi 4, and although I got to use a lot of phones this year, the Mi 4 and the OnePlus One remain to be among my favourites. And I’m a littlleeee skewed towards the Mi 4 thanks to my preference for smaller phones. Basically, phones that fit in my pocket.
I do a lot of traveling on the motorbike and prefer to have the phone in my pocket than anywhere else. 5.5 inch phones haven’t gotten to a level where they’d fit (in thee sitting position), and therefore the Mi 4 pretty much hits the bullseye as far as size is concerned.
Unboxing video
Form factor… and feel
The Mi 4 looks a lot like another popular phone. The latest edition of that ‘popular phone’ is known for a very unique feature, i.e., bending. However, the Mi 4 looks more like a mashup of the previous versions of the phone. If you are a sucker for original design, you should totally stay out. If not… let’s talk!
The bezels are extremely thin, thinner than any other phone I’ve ever owned. This is really what makes the 5-inch phone in a pocket a possibility, really. A lot of other phones have slim bezels, but the top and bottom part of these devices really makes up with abnormally large chunks of bezel. The Mi 4 however doesn’t do anything of that sort, and offers a very one-handed-usable experience.
The edges on the device are chamfered… or tapered if you like to call it that. This is more noticeable on the part that blends into the front than the rear. Not only does it give the Mi 4 a lovely visual appeal, but also makes the device easier to use… and your hands harder to slit.
Xiaomi phones traditionally featured buttons on the right, with the ability to change the look and feel because they’re attached to the rear cover. This changed with the Mi 3, which didn’t offer a removable rear at all. The Mi 4 does a bit better and does give you the liberty of taking off the rear… if you have a suction cup handy. And even if you do, you do not have the ability to swap the battery which is a bit of a shame. A bit. User replaceable batteries are overrated!
The front of the Mi 4, as I said before, will remind you of ‘the other phone that shan’t be named’. On the top there’s the earpiece in a little slot of its own. I like it when earpieces are at the same level as the body, they otherwise tend to be dust magnets. Anyway.
On the left of the earpiece you see a little back spot which hides the proximity and light sensors, on the left to which sits the famous Mi logo. On the extreme right, you can see the impressive 8MP camera.
Below the screen, there’s the usual set of buttons -- overflow, home and back. Depending on what OS you’re running (MIUI V5 or MIUI 6), the leftmost button will act as either the menu button or the recent tasks button. In my case, it is the latter… because I love the look and feel of MIUI 6.
The chin of the Mi 4 makes home for the reinforced micro USB port and of course the machine drilled speaker grill. Before talking about the sound of it, let me tell you that it looks pretty kickass
Nothing on the left besides the camouflaged SIM slot. The right edge is where you access the power and volume buttons, all covered in great-feeling metal.
The top is where it gets interesting… because not only do you see the standard 3.5mm earphone jack here, but also an IR sensor which is a first for Xiaomi. It is extremely useful as a feature, but unfortunately the range isn’t as much as you’d have liked, on the Mi 4.
Display
Out of all the phones that I’ve had a chance to use and play with, the Mi 4 sits right on top with the other 5 incher… the OPPO Find 5. I totally loved that device but had to let go of it earlier this year to fund another purchase. Anyway, the Mi 4 does look as good as the Find 5 on screen quality terms. Like I’ve said before, 5 inches of screen is the maximum I can handle, and displays like the one used on the Mi 4 really make it worthwhile. I have another phone for YouTube and video, but that phone is increasingly becoming obsolete due to the presence of the Mi 4!
MIUI (6, in my case) lets you choose between 3 color modes and 2 saturation modes. I usually like to have a very balanced and consequently natural display, but on the Mi 4 it is the ‘cool’ color mode I use everyday. To be very frank, the ‘warm’ mode is on the verge of being called yellow; standard and cool are the only modes you will ever choose in between.
Saturation has a couple of modes -- Brilliant and Standard. The difference between these two modes isn’t as pronounced as the ones between the color modes. I use my Mi 4 in Standard mode, Brilliant gives it a tinge of warmness. Comes down to personal preference, imo.
Backlight bleeding is something Chinese phones have been suffering from for a long, long time. Thankfully, it isn’t the case here. Minus a little part. There’s a slight bit of backlight bleeding on the right edge (bottom), which is hardly noticeable and definitely QC-able. You can certainly live with it and it’s far from a deal breaker.
In a nutshell, I’d rate the display a healthy 9/10, at par with the OPPO FInd 5!
Camera
If anything, smartphones from 2013 to 2014 have progressed leaps and bounds on the camera front. There’s of course difference in performance, but it isn’t as significant as the difference (read: improvement) in camera tech.
I LOVE the Xiaomi Mi 4 as a camera phone. It might not have the most number of pixels, or even the most features (it lacks a substantial slow shutter mode, for one), but the Mi 4 does a very good job at capturing moments for you. It’s all about the right timing, and thanks to the super fast focus mode on the Mi 4, I am able to take a lot of pictures at the right time. On terms of camera performance, I would rate the Mi 4 second only to the mammoth OPPO Find 7 (which surprisingly uses the same IMX214 sensor as the Mi 4! But it turns out, there’s a lot more to picture quality than just the sensor )
The Mi 4 carries a lot over from the Mi 3. As in, it features the same ‘vivid’ sort of a picture tone with a little bit of exaggeration; but it’s definitely less than the Mi 3, making pictures seem a lot more real. MIUI 6 might also be a bottleneck as far as hardware performance is concerned, but even then I’m pretty satisfied.
During the initial days with the phone, it had a naggy issue where the camera wouldn’t focus during macro shot attempts. This has since been solved thanks to a multitude of OTA updates (the perks of being on a beta channel…)
The camera app does lack a bit of functionality though, which I hope will be added with future OTA updates. Xiaomi are usually pretty quick in pushing new updates -- weekly, most often.
The camera also does 4K, but it isn’t relevant to me. It isn’t to you too, if you don’t have a 4K aka UHD television!
Another interesting feature is 'Refocus'. As the name clearly suggests, it allows you to focus on parts of an image AFTER clicking. I'm happy to report that it works wonderfully well.
Curious, I wanted to know how it worked. Xiaomi advertised a 0.3 second focus duration, so it wasn't all that difficult. Snooping around the phone's file system told me that the device actually takes multiple photos (4 if I remember right) with different points in focus so that you're able to achieve the magical refocus feature later on. Intelligent, I must say! (HTC had to add a whole another sensor to achieve this )
Battery
I’m very satisfied with the battery life on the Xiaomi Mi 4. It isn’t as good as the OnePlus One, but it falls short only by a shade. On the upside, I get a display that’s way more vibrant and an absolute treat to look at. And according to Android, I look at it about 6 hours before it the phone needs another trip to the wall socket. Speaking of wall sockets, make sure you use the bundled Xiaomi Mi 4 charging adapter. Or be prepared to give it a good few hours of charging (4-5). The stock charger charges up the Mi 4 pretty darn fast; any other charger (even the 2A ones) take way way longer for some reason. Xiaomi don’t advertise anything like VOOC so I’m assuming its some secret tech they’re employing here to get the battery charged fast (unless it is Qualcomm’s fast charging, lol).
My usage often greatly varies from day to day. Most days, I’m left with a good 50% charge at the end of the day, with the phone unplugged for around 18-19 hours along with 3 hours of screen on time. I think this is pretty respectable for a small phone with a 5-inch display, and one that’s so bright.
It might be worthy to let you know about the apps that I use the most, so you get a clearer image about battery life: feedly, Chome, WhatsApp, Pocket, Gmail and a couple other apps that keep changing depending what season it is
All in all I’d give the battery a decent 9/10. Please keep in mind that it took the device a good few weeks before the battery life got to this point; it was far far worse when I started off with using the Mi 4. It could also be the MIUI 6 ROM, but I suspect it has got to do with the hardware itself.
MIUI 6
Its hard to miss what the Mi 4 runs on. Not only because its pretty beautiful and even more functionally useful, but also because of the fact that the media loves to hate the MIUI ROM; at least that section which hasn’t ever used a Xiaomi phone. And I don’t blame them for that. The MIUI ROM does leave an impression of being a bit of an iOS lookalike, but there’s much more to MIUI than that. Calling MIUI a lookalike of iOS is like speaking only one side of the story… if you know what I mean.
Controversy aside, MIUI is pretty useful and handy, but it takes a while to get used to. Especially when you’re coming from another Android smartphone that runs a more closer-to-vanilla ROM.
While I’m yet to come across any significant functional improvements on MIUI 6 compared to the previous iteration of the ROM, I do very much like the look of it. A lot of the settings previously near-unreachable are now easier to get to, which does leave a good impression in the mind of the user. You can now easily switch launchers and other default apps, in a very steamlined manner unlike earlier.
Conclusion
I’ve had the privilege of using a lot of phones this year, including the HTC One M8, OPPO Find 5, Find 7, Xiaomi Mi 3 and of course the OnePlus One besides this… but guess which phone I like the most? Yeah you got it right. Of course this is a very subjective topic, since a lot of smartphone users these days tend to pick phones with displays larger than 5 inches. But I guess I’m just too old skool.
The way the Mi 4 is performing for me right now, I think I would be happy to use it as my main phone for a good one year. Like I mentioned before, battery is a very important component on a smartphone for me, and the Mi 4 hits the sweet spot. It almost lasts as long as the Mi 2S with a 3200mAh battery! (keep in mind that the Mi 2S has only a 4.3 inch 720p screen).
Stuff like an IR sensor (which needs a decent English language app at the moment) make the Mi 4 a real worthy smartphone for the money. I'm waiting to see how it performs in the market when it's available in more countries than just China, especially India. Untill then!
I would like to thank iBuyGou.com for shipping the phone. Go get the phone from them!
A great review! Thank you for your effort. You described most aspects of the phone but everything you wrote was positive. I am iterested in buying that phone so I really need to know things that you disliked.
Usually people that buy a phone and will use it in their everyday life tend to "hide" the flaws so after ALOT of effort I concluded that the weak points of Mi4 is the camera and audio quality. You seem satisfied by the camera but what about the sound?
Thanks again.
mi4 Google
hello
I'm Abhi from mumbai, 00919867788773
I buy mi4 from china last month. All box pack from reputed internet website official paid money.
I have trouble that, I'm not able to start any Google application. Like no Google play store a gmaps and so not able to download any app.
it alwa'ys show warning
No internet access, and security warning that ur Not access to Google application.
I can receive emails And well connected withe wlan and also will sim data.
Have gone in mi market and done all download for Google by Eric...
Also installed all Google framework
But not able to start Google play store and any Google appilcation.
Please give the solutions , how do I star Google play store to download all Apps.
Uninstall and reinstall the play store. Or flash the international version of MIUI at Xiaomi.eu
Sent from my Xiaomi Mi4
ioannis_n said:
A great review! Thank you for your effort. You described most aspects of the phone but everything you wrote was positive. I am iterested in buying that phone so I really need to know things that you disliked.
Usually people that buy a phone and will use it in their everyday life tend to "hide" the flaws so after ALOT of effort I concluded that the weak points of Mi4 is the camera and audio quality. You seem satisfied by the camera but what about the sound?
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, thanks for the comment and sorry about the late reply.
The sound from the built in speaker is honestly disappointing. Other phones like the OnePlus One give a much better output. That said, the Mi 4 lacks mostly only on the volume. Quality is rock solid -- but volume is often insufficient.
@yash3339 how is the signal strength, 3g on the indian networks?
Good review!! :good:
I totally agree with this review cos I myself own a MI4 and its been one month since I'm using it and I can say its a power house without burning a lot of money... Outstanding phone... Can't wait for it to get the official Lollipop update
whosaysjohn said:
@yash3339 how is the signal strength, 3g on the indian networks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Signal is perfect. Been using 3G on Airtel without any issues
Krahe8 said:
Good review!! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! Glad it helped.
sidzcool said:
I totally agree with this review cos I myself own a MI4 and its been one month since I'm using it and I can say its a power house without burning a lot of money... Outstanding phone... Can't wait for it to get the official Lollipop update
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed, you got it spot on. Even without Lollipop MIUI 6 is plenty interesting!
I'm using the reliance network here and speed is not that bad... Battery life with wifi is superb
With 2g its almost similar but with 3g due to network strength theres a battery drain, this is a network issue though so its not the fault of the mi4. But hands down this the most powerful device available at this price range. Don't feel uncomfortable when ur friends say its cheap chinese. Just in case if ur friends make fun of ur device, jus laugh back at them cos they have no clue wat they r getting into ..
But Y these devices are priced so low is that ( this is jus my opinion) they dont sell much out of china and advertising is very minimal. yeah i know the mi3 and 1s got great ads in flipkart but stocks were limited and thats y the price is so low. U r paying for wat u actually want rather than wat the manufacturer wants.. But this is my opinion... opinions for me or against me are most welcome
sidzcool said:
I'm using the reliance network here and speed is not that bad... Battery life with wifi is superb
With 2g its almost similar but with 3g due to network strength theres a battery drain, this is a network issue though so its not the fault of the mi4. But hands down this the most powerful device available at this price range. Don't feel uncomfortable when ur friends say its cheap chinese. Just in case if ur friends make fun of ur device, jus laugh back at them cos they have no clue wat they r getting into ..
But Y these devices are priced so low is that ( this is jus my opinion) they dont sell much out of china and advertising is very minimal. yeah i know the mi3 and 1s got great ads in flipkart but stocks were limited and thats y the price is so low. U r paying for wat u actually want rather than wat the manufacturer wants.. But this is my opinion... opinions for me or against me are most welcome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They have not launched Mi 4 outside of China as yet...xiaomi phones are always priced low...they dont make much from phone but make up through services...
---------- Post added at 10:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------
yash3339 said:
Signal is perfect. Been using 3G on Airtel without any issues
Thanks, bought it a week back...working good so far...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whosaysjohn said:
They have not launched Mi 4 outside of China as yet...xiaomi phones are always priced low...they dont make much from phone but make up through services...
---------- Post added at 10:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------
yash3339 said:
Signal is perfect. Been using 3G on Airtel without any issues
Thanks, bought it a week back...working good so far...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to know its working fine for you
sidzcool said:
I'm using the reliance network here and speed is not that bad... Battery life with wifi is superb
With 2g its almost similar but with 3g due to network strength theres a battery drain, this is a network issue though so its not the fault of the mi4. But hands down this the most powerful device available at this price range. Don't feel uncomfortable when ur friends say its cheap chinese. Just in case if ur friends make fun of ur device, jus laugh back at them cos they have no clue wat they r getting into ..
But Y these devices are priced so low is that ( this is jus my opinion) they dont sell much out of china and advertising is very minimal. yeah i know the mi3 and 1s got great ads in flipkart but stocks were limited and thats y the price is so low. U r paying for wat u actually want rather than wat the manufacturer wants.. But this is my opinion... opinions for me or against me are most welcome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, you got a point there... but I've been using Chinese devices long enough for my friends to truly realize their real value
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey I've been using device for 2 months and I feel that this device is worth its price.. Thats all..
Notification LED
Nice review Yash, addressed most of the queries the prospective users would have.
Hi MI4 users,
I would like to know if the MI4 has a notification LED.
In one review on youtube (I think, Ash's), he did mention that it has a notification LED which lights up to show the phone is charging.
What I want to know is if the LED blinks to notify unread notifications (missed calls, sms, emails, IMs, etc)? Is it a single color LED or does it light up in different colors as per the category of notification.
AP
Hi there,
The led does blink for notification such unread messages (texts, what's app, emails) calls even your clash of clan notification
Actually mi4's led does work as would work any regular led on other phones
Edit : it does light up in different colors as per category
Sent from my MI 4LTE using XDA Free mobile app
By the way, here's how my mi4 lte is doing on a French wireless operator using lte band 3 (1800mhz)
Sent from my MI 4LTE using XDA Free mobile app
This Device so far... is Awesome
Xiaomi Mi 4
Nice review indeed. Thanks a lot for sharing with us.
Recently xiaomi has released another great product xioami Note, which I personally think is cool and better than Mi 4 in many sense. Hope you will write a review on Mi note.
Any more comments on the Battery drain on 3G? I'm switching from a Nexus 5 to Mi4, I don't want to fall into the same low battery trap again :/
cyanide911 said:
Any more comments on the Battery drain on 3G? I'm switching from a Nexus 5 to Mi4, I don't want to fall into the same low battery trap again :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll be fine the mi4 has a much bigger battery. And my mi3 gets good battery life too : p
Sent from my MI 3W
Related
hi my note 5's screen got broke so I need a new smartphone
with my price tag the only solid options are the hTC 10 and the Huawei Mate 9
I found some reviews bashing the headphone jack performance of the mate 9 so for comparison with the galaxy s7 for example or the note 5 for those who owned both of the devices how is it.
also the gaming performance how is it ?for example how much fps you get with Riptide Renegade on high settings
and also I would like to know if there is a flaw or a problem you encountered with this phone.
sorry for being long and I would really appreciate your help.
thanks in advance
AlMaghraby said:
hi my note 5's screen got broke so I need a new smartphone
with my price tag the only solid options are the hTC 10 and the Huawei Mate 9
I found some reviews bashing the headphone jack performance of the mate 9 so for comparison with the galaxy s7 for example or the note 5 for those who owned both of the devices how is it.
also the gaming performance how is it ?for example how much fps you get with Riptide Renegade on high settings
and also I would like to know if there is a flaw or a problem you encountered with this phone.
sorry for being long and I would really appreciate your help.
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally i have no complaints. There are minor ticks here and there but thats as expected. HEadphone jack is fine on my unit. BT is really nice. Battery is great. i avg 9-10 hours SOT per charge and thats over 2 days for me. ( 1d 18hr )
Ive tweaked a few things. i do not get push notifications unless it is from a text.
I also do not use FB apps. Instagram or SC. ( use Metal for FB and website for instagram )
ONLY use the chaarger included with it. or the one huawei makes for car charging.
Reception is great. Small things here n there on Tmo but it works well.
Camera is Excellent. i was 15ft away from a car at a show and in the photo you can read the tire sidewall!
CONS:
Limited cases and Glass coveres
Limited charger options
Trickle charge issue. ( old HTC things. unplug for a few minutes then plug back in for about 5-10 more. gives a true full charge )
I have a 128gb SD in and i love having 183gb to store anything on.
DO NOT use the internal batteyr estimator. Not accurate ( USE GSAM )
Compared to my Note 5 this is THE BEST phone i have ever used. Im going to sell my Note 5, eave sprint and stick just to Tmobile. or ATT idk yet.
Can't argue with this.
On Amazon (in Germany) you can find now plenty of cases for Mate 9. I can recommend the Spigen rugged case that I purchased lately and it is really good. Glass protection is indeed a big problem: most of the items that claim they are for the Mate 9 are to narrow and the few ones that are having the right size are of a very bad quality.
The phone itself is great, better than everything I had so far (my last phone was an LG G4). The screen is "only" full HD, but to be frank, I do not see the need to have a higher resolution on a phone (it still can make 4K videos if this is what you need). Video recording quality is really great: the most beautiful colors I have seen on a phone video recording so far. Wide aperture photos are a hit among my family and friends (I am the only one now in charge to take photos in my family when we go out ). ANTUTU benchmark almost 120k - faster than my colleague's Galaxy S7 - so, whatever you want to do with it, it will do it great.
The only thing that I miss sometimes is the support for MHL (but it has other mirroring options). And I would have liked to have the option to hide the Android navigation keys in all applications but the screen is anyhow huge so, this is not a big issue either since the keys are anyhow hidden when you play videos or I read a book.
so what about notifications problems that is all over internet? is that solved already?
at least europe versions.. I want all my notification instantly like on other phones, no matter is that whatsapp or something else..
And is it true that notification are gone from lockscreen after unlocking phone or just putting screen on to see what is it?
i'm also considering to get this model
digitall1982 said:
so what about notifications problems that is all over internet? is that solved already?
at least europe versions.. I want all my notification instantly like on other phones, no matter is that whatsapp or something else..
And is it true that notification are gone from lockscreen after unlocking phone or just putting screen on to see what is it?
i'm also considering to get this model
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Notification problem happens with the Chinese version, as far as I know, i have the EU version and i get all the notifications.
Honestly, even now, this is the BEST phone there is, the first phone i don't need root as there are workaround for everything, performance, and battery and top notch, camera is great but slightly disappointing in low light, screen is big apparently now "old school" and very sharp and bright, stereo speakers are great, the DAC is average at best but still decent.
Fantastic phone, camera, battery life, screen, sound of speakers, build! Not so awesome is the update history of Huawei. Updates come late and limited.
The only real drawback is the lack of developers. I had hoped for LineageOS, but I think that boat is torpedoed and sunk.
Still GREAT value!
Battery is stellar. I've been in bed all day sick, with my phone by my side. Almost at 10 hours screen on time at 13% battery left. Bluetooth has been used, connected on WiFi.
It's the best phone I've EVER had. Well, S3 note 4 and G2 are up there.
The HD screen is fine. I had the G4 S7 previously. Don't miss the screens.
The video recording format is irritating in that 2k won't upload to YouTube. It's too modern.
Definitely give the phone a go. I bought the Chinese 6gig 128gig version converted to international ROM. Have contemplated selling but just can't let it go! Even my mate with his S8 loves it. Oh, and it's not got a curved screen, another plus for me!
Didn't want to buy a phone with non removable battery.
Pretty much a non issue with this phone as it's hot such a great battery and a sensible screen resolution so doesn't drain fast.
The camera bokeh effect is simply the best on the market by a mile. Low light is mediocre though.
Massive screen. Great speed. Phenomenal finger print sensor.
I hated the soft keys but you learn to hate them less.
Overall delighted with this thing.
Doesn't slow down. If anything it goes faster with time which is odd but just what they seek to claim!
what about 4k video and auto upload to google photos? is that solved or it must be converted into h264?
This is the best phone I've ever had. Coming from an s7 and wife has s8 plus and still use a note 5 for our home phone. It's without question my favorite! Screen still looks fantastic for 1080. The battery is off the chain. I could easily go 2 days and have, just generally charge it before I go to bed and is always above 50%. Fast!!!! Smooth!!! I don't know how they do it, but next to Apple this is the must fluid phone out there. Heck, I'd say it's smoother than my friends 7S. Only paid 400 for it and it's dual sim to boot.
Honestly can't say enough about it. Only get rid of it if mate 10 is better somehow. I am intrigued by less bezels.
Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk
It's the best phone AFTER the B186 and up update, before that battery life was ****. I am on the 190 now with the phone updating to 193. It is the best phone in terms of battery life, performance and hardware/software. Too bad the update method is ****... like a HUGE TURD that third parties have to fill the gaps on this. Oh it's also **** that some of the huawei apps are in chinese (like the store) or whatever... It sucks BIG TIME.
I'm not a fan myself.
The Huawei android skin is yet another confusing and pointless skin that just causes issues and degrades Android. Go for a Google phone and have Android in it's true glory rather than in a compromised and inferior veneer.
Oh yes and it looks like I can 'kiss goodbye" to any updates from Huawei, with the Mate 10 phone now round the corner.
My last Android security patch was for April.
As the title asks: has anyone here got the phone yet? What are your thoughts on it? I got mine yesterday. So far, I'm impressed yet slightly bored due to the lack of new features.
The phone itself is amazing, quick and beautiful. The fingerprint scanner is fast, the phone is comfortable to hold but lacks anything exciting from it!
Post some thoughts below!
Have you tested Displayport Alt? It's part of the USB 3.1 standard and any USB-C to HDMI/Display Port adapter should work, even if it's branded for a laptop for a laptop.
Sumenthus said:
Have you tested Displayport Alt? It's part of the USB 3.1 standard and any USB-C to HDMI/Display Port adapter should work, even if it's branded for a laptop for a laptop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I haven't tried that actually. I'll have to look it up and see if I can try it! I'll report back if I manage.
My immediate reaction is, I wish this thing was in the omnibalance design. It is too chunky for me, I don't like the curve of the back which is really quite thick in the middle. Very slippy as well, slips all over the place..
It is very quick, the screen is very nice and as usual, for me anyway, battery life is very good.....darn it, if only the XZ2 was a bigger screened version of the XZ1 form factor.
This phone needs a case - no doubt about it - it could be very slippery otherwise.
I've come from the Pixel 2 XL (due to Google's inability to code updates properly; luckily they refunded me even after 5 months!) - the XZ2 certainly is bigger and heavier but it fits better in my pocket...
There were nice things Google had done to Android that improves the user experience that the Sony like others will not have. Nothing functionally different just a bit 'dull' in terms of experience.
The camera of the XZ2 is not up to Pixel 2 standards but I've yet to play with it properly.
I like the XZ2 - I hope I feel this way in six months time.
murrayalex said:
My immediate reaction is, I wish this thing was in the omnibalance design. It is too chunky for me, I don't like the curve of the back which is really quite thick in the middle. Very slippy as well, slips all over the place..
It is very quick, the screen is very nice and as usual, for me anyway, battery life is very good.....darn it, if only the XZ2 was a bigger screened version of the XZ1 form factor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with the phone being slippery! I can't even hold it between my shoulder and ear without it wanting to fall within seconds! Also needs a screen protector which I've had no luck finding.
As for the form factor, it doesn't seem half bad in all honesty. I come from the HTC 10 so for me it feels nice to hold and I personally like the curve on the back!
smallfish82 said:
This phone needs a case - no doubt about it - it could be very slippery otherwise.
I've come from the Pixel 2 XL (due to Google's inability to code updates properly; luckily they refunded me even after 5 months!) - the XZ2 certainly is bigger and heavier but it fits better in my pocket...
There were nice things Google had done to Android that improves the user experience that the Sony like others will not have. Nothing functionally different just a bit 'dull' in terms of experience.
The camera of the XZ2 is not up to Pixel 2 standards but I've yet to play with it properly.
I like the XZ2 - I hope I feel this way in six months time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 for dull. That's the first thought I had after setting it up. I want to root/unlock the bootloader so I can put xposed on it for customisation but I don't want to lose the DRM keys either.
Love it! I came from Z3... Fast, good battery life in my opinion. Nice screen, doesn't feel that thick to me. The only thing I dislike is how slippery it is. Bought a Qi charger that I put it on first night I had it. Looked like It was laying still. 20 minutes later it woke me up when it had slid off and hit the floor ? it survived, but I instantly ordered a case for it.
I will charge it on the floor for now ?
Devzz said:
As the title asks: has anyone here got the phone yet? What are your thoughts on it? I got mine yesterday. So far, I'm impressed yet slightly bored due to the lack of new features.
The phone itself is amazing, quick and beautiful. The fingerprint scanner is fast, the phone is comfortable to hold but lacks anything exciting from it!
Post some thoughts below!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right the phone is a little boring but that's not a bad thing.. As it works as expected.
I got the s9 returned it now as couldn't make phone calls with it (a highly reported bug)
Also Samsung blocked call recording apps
pepzin said:
Love it! I came from Z3... Fast, good battery life in my opinion. Nice screen, doesn't feel that thick to me. The only thing I dislike is how slippery it is. Bought a Qi charger that I put it on first night I had it. Looked like It was laying still. 20 minutes later it woke me up when it had slid off and hit the floor it survived, but I instantly ordered a case for it.
I will charge it on the floor for now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is why Sony built Wireless Charging Dock WCH20 like this
https://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/wireless-charging-dock-wch20/
Great phone, snapy, it boots like a beast, camera is awesome and i think i will get used to the shape, it feels ok in hand, nice UI, bu unfortunately after i got it i realized botom speaker is making strange noises, allmost unberable, so i bring it back for exchange tomorrow, bought in Slovenia, seal was broke, so watch out for that
stipi69 said:
Great phone, snapy, it boots like a beast, camera is awesome and i think i will get used to the shape, it feels ok in hand, nice UI, bu unfortunately after i got it i realized botom speaker is making strange noises, allmost unberable, so i bring it back for exchange tomorrow, bought in Slovenia, seal was broke, so watch out for that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! That's a really good tip, people need to ensure the device is new and the phone hasn't been used before! Sorry to hear it's making noises though. Good luck with getting a working version after exchanging!
Devzz said:
Thanks! That's a really good tip, people need to ensure the device is new and the phone hasn't been used before! Sorry to hear it's making noises though. Good luck with getting a working version after exchanging!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After couple of updates, reboots and full night charge speakers settled, it works o.k. I am buffled... I had an apointment today for immediate phone exchange but will cancel it leter, cause i cant be sure if that was software related between updates.
I tried so hard today in morning, max loudness and shaking etc, it performed flawlessly... So i keep it, if error reocurs i still have waranty ?
I encourage you all to buy it, it is a beast
The phone it's good, fast and stable. But sincerely if I could go back i buyed a pixel 2 xl. I've enabled volte but don't work, camera it's not impressed me also front camera it's average. Impossible to use without cover, i buyed a cover from amazon. For tempered glass i advice brotect airglass, it's the only with no halo and no brightness lost
Zazzinho said:
The phone it's good, fast and stable. But sincerely if I could go back i buyed a pixel 2 xl. I've enabled volte but don't work, camera it's not impressed me also front camera it's average. Impossible to use without cover, i buyed a cover from amazon. For tempered glass i advice brotect airglass, it's the only with no halo and no brightness lost
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only trouble for me with pixel us that call recording does not work on it otherwise I would have got one
After a few days of use, the phone is a solid choice.
Striking a good balance with a decent screen size & still manageable to use one-handed.
The display is plenty bright , even in sunlight outdoors, colors are excellent, right up there with the best AMOLED displays on the market.
Sound from the FF Dual speakers is plenty voluminous, quality is there as well, tweak with your music/equalizer app of choice or, as I do, use what's on board.
The addition of wireless charging is welcome, THX Sony!
Ditto for the US model having a working FPR.
I'd prefer a front or side-mounted FPR, but, use of the FPR is waaay down on my list of desired features, I can take or leave it, regardless of position, or, missing altogether.
Battery life, well, JMHO, you'd be hard pressed to find any phone that's not at least acceptable & this one is no different. The discussions on battery life are subjective at best & range to the ridiculous.
My 2¢ on the subject:
If you're employed/in-school, or otherwise engaged in activities that take priority over using your phone full time, odds are you can make it 1.5-2 days between charges on any phone. If you have more free time than that, YMWV.
No phone is perfect & this one, while I think is a keeper, has a few areas in need of improvement.
1) No 3.5 mm jack. While this is of no consequence to me, nevertheless, it was a boneheaded decision to drop the option, 'nuff said.
2) It's gotta be the slickest (read:SLIPPERY) phone I've ever used. If you're gonna use a case, this is moot, but, when I'm @ home, I like to shed the case for a more comfortable grip. The fit in hand is perfect, but, I do wish Sony woulda/coulda done something with the back glass to ensure a more secure grip. (Textured glass, a la Sandstone finish, just spit-ballin' here).
3) The super-sized vibration motor is, IMHO, total nonsense. The space it occupies would have been better utilized for the MIA 3.5 mm jack, larger battery, an I-R Blaster.
One or all of these would be welcome, compared to the gimmicky vibration motor.
4) No 6GB RAM option Stateside (possibly in other markets as well,worth looking into before buying).
I bought a 6GB RAM model on Swappa, but, having the different RAM versions, especially in the price range, is a head-scratcher.
Overall, a very nice phone for every day use. As for recent offerings (six months or so), I've used the following:
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Note FE
Mi Mix2 (highly recommend)
Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design
Note 8
Xiaomi Mi A1
RazerPhone
Moto X4 (Android One)
OnePlus 5T
Galaxy S9+
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
I'd take this one, the Sony Xperia XZ2, every time, without hesitation. Still have the Xiaomi Mi Note2 as a 2nd phone..........................,the Mi Mix2, OnePlus 5T & Samsung Galaxy Note FE were/are viable daily drivers,can't go wrong w/either one of 'em.
They're all great phones, but, for my use, the XZ2 is tops.
Put a stylus on your phone already Sony,& I'd probably never give the competition more than a casual glance....
I was going to send it back after a few days but it is growing on me, the screen is really really nice, with good deep blacks and superb brightness and clarity (it is hard to believe it is not a higher resolution), it is very fast and it has a very premium feel (if a little slippy). I also have the XZ1 and prefer the form factor of the XZ1 but the XZ2 has more going for it as an overall package. Some online reviews have been quite dismissive at times of this phone but it does have something, a bit of character?
Personally, I'd never buy a Samsung for a lot of reasons and I suppose you could call me a bit of a Sony fanboy in that I've owned lots of them down the years. This is the best Sony phone for a good long while, a great all rounder.
Very pleased with this one.
KOLIOSIS said:
After a few days of use, the phone is a solid choice.
Striking a good balance with a decent screen size & still manageable to use one-handed.
The display is plenty bright , even in sunlight outdoors, colors are excellent, right up there with the best AMOLED displays on the market.
Sound from the FF Dual speakers is plenty voluminous, quality is there as well, tweak with your music/equalizer app of choice or, as I do, use what's on board.
The addition of wireless charging is welcome, THX Sony!
Ditto for the US model having a working FPR.
I'd prefer a front or side-mounted FPR, but, use of the FPR is waaay down on my list of desired features, I can take or leave it, regardless of position, or, missing altogether.
Battery life, well, JMHO, you'd be hard pressed to find any phone that's not at least acceptable & this one is no different. The discussions on battery life are subjective at best & range to the ridiculous.
My 2¢ on the subject:
If you're employed/in-school, or otherwise engaged in activities that take priority over using your phone full time, odds are you can make it 1.5-2 days between charges on any phone. If you have more free time than that, YMWV.
No phone is perfect & this one, while I think is a keeper, has a few areas in need of improvement.
1) No 3.5 mm jack. While this is of no consequence to me, nevertheless, it was a boneheaded decision to drop the option, 'nuff said.
2) It's gotta be the slickest (read:SLIPPERY) phone I've ever used. If you're gonna use a case, this is moot, but, when I'm @ home, I like to shed the case for a more comfortable grip. The fit in hand is perfect, but, I do wish Sony woulda/coulda done something with the back glass to ensure a more secure grip. (Textured glass, a la Sandstone finish, just spit-ballin' here).
3) The super-sized vibration motor is, IMHO, total nonsense. The space it occupies would have been better utilized for the MIA 3.5 mm jack, larger battery, an I-R Blaster.
One or all of these would be welcome, compared to the gimmicky vibration motor.
4) No 6GB RAM option Stateside (possibly in other markets as well,worth looking into before buying).
I bought a 6GB RAM model on Swappa, but, having the different RAM versions, especially in the price range, is a head-scratcher.
Overall, a very nice phone for every day use. As for recent offerings (six months or so), I've used the following:
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
Note FE
Mi Mix2 (highly recommend)
Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Design
Note 8
Xiaomi Mi A1
RazerPhone
Moto X4 (Android One)
OnePlus 5T
Galaxy S9+
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
I'd take this one, the Sony Xperia XZ2, every time, without hesitation. Still have the Xiaomi Mi Note2 as a 2nd phone..........................,the Mi Mix2, OnePlus 5T & Samsung Galaxy Note FE were/are viable daily drivers,can't go wrong w/either one of 'em.
They're all great phones, but, for my use, the XZ2 is tops.
Put a stylus on your phone already Sony,& I'd probably never give the competition more than a casual glance....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the detailed feedback.
Does VoLTE work on T-Mobile?
dachao said:
Thanks for the detailed feedback.
Does VoLTE work on T-Mobile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the H8296 model (non-US).
As for does it have VoLTE?
Short answer: Maybe?
Here's why I say that:
Using the search function in settings nets the following result:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
However,when navigating from that,I don't "see" it:
If I go here:
I get this:
When I select this option,I lose all APNs & have to manually enter the APN,wash/rinse repeat.
I do see the LTE+ icon in the status bar,not sure if that's related or not:
If you have a dialer code that might reveal hidden settings, that'd be awesome & I'll take a look...
Perhaps flashing US Firmware will show the settings,or,it's already active,but,the setting is unaccessible(?) (a future root solution,perhaps).
If you have a method/app to check/confirm VoLTE,I'd be glad to check it out & share the results ......... :good:
EDIT:
I used T-Mobile's BYOD App to verify VoLTE & judging by their wording, not definitive:
Could be B.S. to get you to buy one of their phones,T-Mobile US just got fined $40 MILLION USD by the FCC for being less than truthful regarding rural service connections/calls...........
https://www.tmonews.com/2018/04/t-mobile-pay-40-million-fcc-settlement-failed-rural-calls/
FWIW,T-Mobile's DIGITS app works just fine:
@KOLIOSIS
The settings are the same as the settings on my XZ.
I don't understand why Sony phones don't support VoLTE but most of the Chinese phones do.
I have planned to purchase one plus 7 pro. Is it worth buying?? If someone is using please give me feedback, who have bought that phone....
We're using the Oneplus 7 Pro as business phones, and I can honestly say that this is the fastest phone I've ever used. First time in a long time that I'm not flashing Lineageos first thing. [emoji16]
Skickat från min GM1913 via Tapatalk
All depends what you want in a phone if speed and development is your thing then yes it's a winner if it's more camera then there's better out there P30 pro for example , ticks many boxes but camera could be improved if it's possible ,
Sent from my GM1913 using Tapatalk
For me it's the best overall phone in 2019! Good luck
I have had mine since it was released, and it just keeps getting better. Some will say the camera is weak, and maybe that was true back in April, but I think it takes great shots now. I am running Android 10 beta, and it is rock solid. If you are looking for a phone for overall usage, this is it. Best bang for the buck. I would highly recommend this phone to anyone.
The camera is garbage. You get used to it and that's why it seems to get better but it's garbage nonetheless. Me and my girlfriend keep taking pictures on her galaxy s8 because wherever we take them on my 7 Pro they turn up horrible.
I wouldn't call the camera garbage at all. I have a Galaxy S10E as well and much prefer the OP7 over it including the camera. Takes great pictures, even of my kids which is always difficult. Remember these are phones. The cameras have come a long long way.
If you can get the gs10+ for same price or promo from carrier I'd go that route. I like my OP7 pro but truly the gs10+ is better phone for most.
Ip rating if you must,
Wireless charging,
Better camera,
SD if needed,
Overall better support directly through carrier vs dealing with OP sometimes awful customer service and Warranty nightmares. Again I like my 7 pro. And won't be changing it for a while but truly the gs10+ is a better phone for 70% of people.
There is an issue with the battery when u play games like PUBG. It takes 3:30 to 4 hrs playing only. Everything else is perfect. At least for me
If money is no issue grab a s10 or even note 10 on the dark webs. They are getting cheap fast.......
Can't go wrong with any flagship. Screen is average if coming from Samsung line. I'm in love the storage speed honestly.
Currently scratching my itch for stock Android but it won't last too long. I prefer baked in features rather I use them or not.
Battery life is average.
If comparing to zte, xiaomi or any of the other mid priced/high spec cheap phones, OnePlus wins.
polomarco said:
I have planned to purchase one plus 7 pro. Is it worth buying??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Question is so vague, as to make it impossible to answer meaningfully. Worth buying? Worth it to who, you? We don't know anything about you, so how would we know? Such as what device you currently have, what types of things you like to use your phone for, what your budget is, etc.
Most folks on this forum section own the 7 Pro. So they will likely tell you it was worth it. Folks do not tend to frequent a particular device forum, unless they own and like that phone.
The 7 Pro is crazy smooth and fast, with flagship specs in most regards, but with a much lower price than the big brands (Samsung, Apple, etc.). The mostly clean Android interface (without too much manufacturer "skinning") is nice as well. The camera may not be the absolute best. But more than sufficient in most cases, in my opinion. No waterproof rating. No wireless charging, either. But whether you miss those features or not, depends on your needs. And most of those details, you could have easily read on any number of internet reviews of the device (and maybe you already have).
Just as important for many of us here, is that the device has good XDA community support.
Normally I always go for the top model of a phone that comes out, but this year is a little bit different.
I currently have a pixel 5 and I'm thinking of switching back to a OnePlus device. Before prices were officially announced, I had already set my mind on a 9 Pro.
However, here in Canada, the difference between the regular 9 and the 9 Pro is $500...
Aside from the price, I really like the fact that the regular 9 has a flat screen rather than curved edges. I hate any screen protector other than glass and there are no proper glass screen protectors for curved screens.
The reason I'm torn is because the camera setup is not the same on the regular 9, it does seem quite a bit inferior. It's using the same sensor as the 8 Pro and I think it's missing the telephoto camera entirely as well. It's also missing OIS, which I'm sure can't be good for video stabilization as well as low light photography.
However, the reason I'm still considering it is because I think it still may be an upgrade from my Pixel 5 in every area, except for the camera. I don't know how much better my Pixel 5 camera would be, compared to the OnePlus 9, or if they would come close enough where I wouldn't mind the subtle differences.
What does everyone else think? Anyone else out there with a pixel 5 and looking to switch? Unfortunate how big the price Gap is in Canada compared to the US. I think in the US the price difference is about $240, compared to Canada's $500.
Any opinions or feedback would be appreciated!
Not a Pixel 5 but a Pixel 2, I'm still using this phone as with Android 11 it's still a great phone...granted it does not have the high specs that most phones come with nowadays. But it's just the right size in my hand, works well except for poor battery life.
There are so many new phones out or coming soon...Asus Rog 5, Xiaomi range, Oppo Find X3, and now the OnePlus. A part of me still wants to hold out for the Sony Xperia 1 III if and when it is released....but I would really love a new phone now...not sure which one to go for or wait a while...I'm really leaning towards the OnePlus 9 pro...
I use my phone to make phone calls, Pixel 5 is unusable for call quality. I didn't buy a Pixel 5 but the only person I know who did returned his for that reason. And using his, I agreed with his decision. Google always makes cool phones but ultimately it's an undesirable phone. Pixel 4 physical design was a complete failure. Pixel 5's under screen speaker complete failure. I wish Google would just make the basics amazing, and stop doing dumb ****.
But even physical design Google failed with Pixel 5. That plastic finish is there because they had to do a cutout in the aluminum shell to allow for wireless charging and then covered up that hole with that resin. I swear, Google might have some of the dumbest designers.
I got the Oneplus 9 for $600. That's good enough for me, I think phones are phones. Spending over 1K is insane to me. And this phone should last me 3 years.
As for camera, I would be surprised if OP9 isn't an upgrade since all the reviews are saying in many times OP9 is head to head with Samsung and Apple, Pixel 5 fell behind in the game. I also am believer if camera quality isn't up to snuff, buy a camera... I have never seen a picture from a phone that is half as good as from a camera.
You say the camera is quite a bit inferior, reviews I've seen so far have said for the average user between OP9 and OP9 Plus would not know the difference between the pictures taken. I'm in that camp, I always assume phone camera pics are garbage. After all the rave reviews and hype for iPhone camera, I'm always amazed how bad the photos are. That's what I learned, regardless if it Samsung Ultra or Apple, it's always more suprising to me how bad the pictures are really not much better than a $500 phone's picture.
I think phones might be the biggest tech scams. Just think about how little you get for the money, they are horrific value. But they claim their profit margins are tight, I don't believe them considering their sales volume. Processor that can barely play games. Cameras that are reality worth $20 and nothing more. 6" screen. Horrific audio quality, from speaker and buds. Overall phones are horrific tech in terms of quality, and incredibly expensive.
After that rant, I seriously hope Google doesn't screw over their fans with Pixel 6 and release a solid phone and stop using their fans like guinea pigs for idiotic ideas with half baked implementation. Give them a phone that others can look at and think, gee if I didn't already buy (blank) I'd get that. They have failed with every single Pixel phone in that regard, especially when Oneplus has been doing exactly what Nexus and Pixel fans wanted.
Google should make phones that show Apple users Android can be beautiful, reliable, intuitive. Not making things like under glass speakers, hideous physical designs both front and back etc. Let the other manufacturers like Samsung experiment. Google Pixel should be the best that Android has to offer IMO.
I'm somehow in the same boat.
I've used the pixel 5 for some time and i slowly started missing a bigger screen and oxygen os but most of all decent sound quality so i started looking..
I tried s20fe 5g but traded it within a few weeks for a OnePlus 8t just to see if I'm in to Oneplus again. So far i really enjoy it, except i would love to have a slightly better camera.
So far I've seen quite some reviews of the 9 series and I'm thinking of switching.
I believe it's not the spectacle as they advertised it but it's a great device.
At least the normal 9, the differences with the pro are to little given the price difference.
Normally I would be waiting to see what Pixel 6 will be, but Google has never failed to do something that a Pixel phone would be unusable for me. They always do something stupid and seriously shaft their users. Like they could use better hardware but continue to use the same cameras for every Pixel year after year.
Appreciate all the feedback guys,
I understand your point about phone cameras not being as good as a dedicated camera, but the thing is it's not as convenient to lug around a dedicated camera for those quick shots you want to take. That being said, it's nice to have as good of camera as you, can given that it's on a phone.
In terms of the Pixel 5's design, I've never been one to be picky about a design of a phone in general so it's not an area of concern for me. I tend to throw a case on my phones anyways, so the design is a non-factor.
However, that under screen speaker is definitely a real thing and something that bugs me a lot. I don't consider the Pixel 5 having a stereo speaker setup because of how bad that top speaker is.
Phone calls are fine if you're in a quiet environment, but if outdoors it's very hard to hear the other person. It's not a good sign when a smartphone is having trouble doing its job as a phone...
This is one of the biggest, if not the biggest reason I want to switch over to the OnePlus 9. It has a dedicated cutout for that speaker grill and there's no nonsense of the speaker being under the screen.
Going back to that camera, it's not so much about the actual hardware as it is about image processing. Even though the Pixel 5 is using an older camera sensor, the pictures that come from it are incredible because of Google's image processing.
Looking up camera comparisons online, to my eye at least, the Pixel comes out with the better shot. It has a lot more contrast and vibrancy compared to OnePlus. There is also a lot more dynamic range and areas such as the sky are not as blown out as they look to be on the OnePlus 9.
I can probably get away with some of those issues by editing the picture after the fact, but sometimes, some aspects of a picture cannot be saved no matter how much editing is done to it.
I'm torn because it seems that in every other aspect, the OnePlus 9 is a superior device to the Pixel 5.
Many people have not complained about performance on the Pixel 5, but I have personally experienced lag and slow down from time to time. I am the type of user who tends to switch between apps and just generally navigate the UI very quickly, and I think sometimes the Pixel 5 has trouble keeping up with that.
After reading your replies though, I am starting to lean towards the OnePlus, as it seems like the pros far outweigh the cons, even though the one pro the Pixel has is of great value to me.
Any additional feedback or opinions are welcome of course, in the meantime I will continue thinking this decision over to see if it would be worth grabbing that OnePlus 9.
The way I see OP9 for me is it's the cheapest way to get premium hardware, $600 for me at least. The hardware and screen matters to me more than camera. And I truly believe among any of the phones $400 and above, most users won't see difference between photos taken on phones. They are all within that margin nowadays.
I truly hope Pixel 6 will offer premium hardware with solid software and no stupid gimmicks. Google offers are truly solid, awesome phone that doesn't use their users as beta testers for stupid ideas.
If so, then yeah I'd trade in the OP9 for a Pixel 6. Cause no question, Google makes the best software on Android platform still, best camera app, best phone and messaging apps and of course best Android experience. But Pixels always have really stupid ideas and treat their paying customers like unpaid beta testers. That's disrespectful.
Ended up caving and grabbed the OP9. As I mentioned in my previous post, there only seems to be one pro for the Pixel 5, which is the camera. In every other category, the OnePlus 9 outshines the Pixel 5.
Regardless of how much significance I hold to that one upside of the Pixel 5 (camera), all the pros for the OP9 made me think it makes more sense to go for the 9 instead.
Not to mention, that under-screen earpiece speaker is hard to deal with. Like @zymphad said, I can also look into the Pixel 6 and see if it's worth switching back to Google for. Otherwise I'll stick with the 9.
As a workaround for the OP9's camera, I can simply just take a handful of shots of whatever I am taking pictures of (hopefully getting one or two good shots out of the handful), and rely on apps like Snapseed for them to "pop" a bit more.
Looks like the phone is going to ship out today, should have it by next week! Thanks again for the input, everyone.
Mine arrived. At work, tomorrow will post modified boot.img to root. Little doubt phone will be great and the Haselblad hype ruined the phone release since the pics are up to stnadard with Samsung and Apple just does not live up to hype, IMO Haselblad failed and they only had one job to provide consistent natural colors across all footage and cameras.
OP9 is a must-skip for me. No dual sim for North America, bad fingerprint scanner, expected OnePlus camera flub, and base OP9 display has low DPI while OP9 Pro has a curve. For iPhone prices they aren't offering iPhone quality. Battery issues seem to be common too. My P5 will last another year.
Unsurprising you whine about a camera that so far from what I've seen from people who make a living reviewing Android phones, OP9 camera is now within the same league as Samsung, loses some, wins some.
Fingerprint reader hasn't failed for me, in all lighting conditions and environment so far. Love it, it's fast and precise.
Battery lol? It's the best in class, fastest charging and seems to last forever.
Whines about the display but bought a Pixel 5. Is this a joke?
For how I use my phone compared to the Pixel 5 failure. Honestly this isn't even vs OnePlus, this is just Pixel 5 being a failure compared to all competition, Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus, etc.
I use my phone to text, make phone calls, watch youtube, netflix, gaming, reading forums / blogs / news, chatting on discord, sharing memes, listening to music. For what I use my phone, Pixel 5 is dead last compared to all other phones I considered sub $800.
{
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"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
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I have always been a Google phone fan, from the g1, og Nexus, Nexus 5, 6p, og pixel, 2xl, 3xl. I love the monthly update and the "pure os". But I just got a op9 from tmo (USA) for a great deal 1/2 off so it comes out to be about 360 over 2 years. For that price I'll deal with the shortcomings of the op9...
I know this is a little old, but I've had the Pixel 5 for a little less than a week and will be returning it. My last phone? OnePlus 6 that I got at launch. I also ordered a OnePlus 9 today.
It's the little things that just kill the Pixel 5 for me:
*Under screen speaker is awful
*The notification/ringer volume either can't be heard or can be heard by everyone, there's no middle ground.
*Can't remove Google Bar or Widget from the homescreen or lockscreen, and Nova keeps bugging out with gestures, so it's not even worth it sometimes.
*The processor. I've installed several apps that just sit there for a while after downloading and don't install for a few minutes. Unacceptable.
*have to switch hands to take a screenshot with the shortcut.
The size is great, but the lack of certain things that should be standard in 2021 is just flat out unacceptable even with some nicer things (call screening is phenomenal). I have a dream that one day all phones will be less than 6.2" so I'm not lugging a tablet around...
XNine said:
I know this is a little old, but I've had the Pixel 5 for a little less than a week and will be returning it. My last phone? OnePlus 6 that I got at launch. I also ordered a OnePlus 9 today.
It's the little things that just kill the Pixel 5 for me:
*Under screen speaker is awful
*The notification/ringer volume either can't be heard or can be heard by everyone, there's no middle ground.
*Can't remove Google Bar or Widget from the homescreen or lockscreen, and Nova keeps bugging out with gestures, so it's not even worth it sometimes.
*The processor. I've installed several apps that just sit there for a while after downloading and don't install for a few minutes. Unacceptable.
*have to switch hands to take a screenshot with the shortcut.
The size is great, but the lack of certain things that should be standard in 2021 is just flat out unacceptable even with some nicer things (call screening is phenomenal). I have a dream that one day all phones will be less than 6.2" so I'm not lugging a tablet around...
Click to expand...
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I'm right there with you on a lot of these points. That under screen speaker was just horrible. It's basically a mono speaker, I don't even consider that under screen speaker a speaker to be honest.
I like my big phones though so that's one area we see different but for the majority of it I pretty much switched for the same reasons.
OP9 has its deficiencies mostly in camera, lack of OIS and below average front camera that I NEVER use.
But sometimes it can shine.
Did you take that picture using Portrait Mode or PRO mode?
The only way to get 50MP is using the PRO mode on the app.
First Picture is PRO mode...
Second Picture is Portrait....
My Opinion. I prefer Oneplus over anything.
If your looking for specs yes, I can't believe I would say this but the "new" Red Magic 6R is only $499 and the specs are even higher..
But I'm a OnePlus user through and through. Wont ever change unless they go out of business.
rickysidhu_ said:
I'm right there with you on a lot of these points. That under screen speaker was just horrible. It's basically a mono speaker, I don't even consider that under screen speaker a speaker to be honest.
I like my big phones though so that's one area we see different but for the majority of it I pretty much switched for the same reasons.
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You know the microphone is under glass because it's water resistant. I agree though some of googles developers must be some real gems.
Hi guys,
I need to decide between those 2 devices.
I'm not a gamer but the Asus phone is really amazing piece of hardware .
In the other hand the camera is not good enough and it's quite important for me.
My question is if there is any way to make camera better , for example gcam and if it's really help?
Second thought
What you think about rog phone as non gamer phone?
Thanks
Rog 5 is great!!
ROG Phone 5 is great if you are heavy into gaming, need the added battery to still use GPS, and don't mind a few missed notifications or emails in the background.
OnePlus is better if you want to stay current on the latest software updates and security improvements, prefer a wider selection of or more affordable accessories, and value a larger community for support or development.
Further reading:
The ROG Phone 5 packages security updates into the firmware versions, so they are not released separately. This means they are a bit slower to arrive and tend to skip incremental versions.
GPS and 5G are expensive on your battery life and despite having a rather large battery and quick charging, gaming needs most of it. A lot of the ROG Phone 5 features for gaming include disabling background tasks and minimizing network traffic, which are hard to do if you actually need those.
Thank you all!
The battery is never been issue for me since I got available charger must of the day.
I'm not such a gamer honestly , but this phone is so cool that I just can't ignore it .
What about the camera ?
It's my main concern, is there any way to make it better with root ?
sagiag said:
Thank you all!
The battery is never been issue for me since I got available charger must of the day.
I'm not such a gamer honestly , but this phone is so cool that I just can't ignore it .
What about the camera ?
It's my main concern, is there any way to make it better with root ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. You can improve the perceptual quality, but the (lens) resolution won't actually change. It was silly to add that AR feature to Armory Crate knowing they cut corners on the camera because it only made it more obvious.
Got you .
So I guess I'll skip this one and choose the OP thanks guys
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Personally I had the same dilema, I picked the rog phone 5. No regrets so far. The battery is so much better, I can make it last 2-3 days on a single charge. The screen is amazing. Speakers are literally among the best speakers on a smartphone, possibly THE best. Software is amazing too. I had an OP3T before and I loved oxygen OS more than stock android, unfortunately OnePlus is going in a different direction. Thanks to the cooling, performance is pretty darn great too, beats the OnePlus any day . ZenUI has almost all features of oxygen os and MORE. Design is pretty cool, and so is the camera if I'm being honest. Here's some photos that I took a couple of days back. Not really a huge sample but perhaps it'll help you. No editing or retouching was done.
After looking a bit deeper, it appears the OnePlus 9 camera is 50MP. Reviews keep saying how amazing it is, but its still a budget lens.
thejus44 said:
View attachment 5362951Personally I had the same dilema, I picked the rog phone 5. No regrets so far. The battery is so much better, I can make it last 2-3 days on a single charge. The screen is amazing. Speakers are literally among the best speakers on a smartphone, possibly THE best. Software is amazing too. I had an OP3T before and I loved oxygen OS more than stock android, unfortunately OnePlus is going in a different direction. Thanks to the cooling, performance is pretty darn great too, beats the OnePlus any day . ZenUI has almost all features of oxygen os and MORE. Design is pretty cool, and so is the camera if I'm being honest. Here's some photos that I took a couple of days back. Not really a huge sample but perhaps it'll help you. No editing or retouching was done. View attachment 5362947
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have the photos been made in any mode, and in 64mp?
ChrisFeiveel said:
have the photos been made in any mode, and in 64mp?
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No no, absolutely zero tinkering. Tried it using default settings. I took them in 64MP but had to downscale as XDA wasn't accepting higher resolutions. More than a couple of people have remarked on the camera quality so you should be perfectly fine in that regard.
Also btw, Asus actually won the MKBHD blind camera test of 2020 so camera quality wouldn't be an issue. The Sony sensor here is really good, I can confirm.
thejus44 said:
Also btw, Asus actually won the MKBHD blind camera test of 2020 so camera quality wouldn't be an issue. The Sony sensor here is really good, I can confirm.
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But the ZenFone 7 pro (the winner) doesn't have the same camera does it? At least my research revealed those are different one.
thejus44 said:
No no, absolutely zero tinkering. Tried it using default settings. I took them in 64MP but had to downscale as XDA wasn't accepting higher resolutions. More than a couple of people have remarked on the camera quality so you should be perfectly fine in that regard.
Also btw, Asus actually won the MKBHD blind camera test of 2020 so camera quality wouldn't be an issue. The Sony sensor here is really good, I can confirm.
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Results From This Blind Smartphone Camera Test Will Surprise You
Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, hosted his third annual, 17-minute blind smartphone camera test featuring 20 new smartphones. The phones were
petapixel.com
Brownlee is using the default settings with no focus on still images.
What you can take from it is that on Twitter, Brownlee's followers chose the generic photos of the Zenphone 7 Pro. The second you click anything or the target begins to move, the results are obsolete.
Hi guys
Thank you all for your help!
I found out that the Sony IMX686 sensor is the sensor in the Zenfone 7 and also in the rogphone 5
It's a pretty decent sensor.
The issue is that I have kids and when I taking a pictures ia can't guarantee that they will stand still .
About night shot , must of my photos is in daylight or indoor so almost no nightshots in my case.
I would say if you really want decent photos - get neither of them and buy something that has a focus on cameras.
Sources told me OnePlus never had such a decent image quality (Cannot say for myself, I have a OnePlus but I could not care less about image quality nor do I even recognize "high/good" quality as good quality because they mostly look ugly to me compared to "lower" quality)
However if it's only between those two I would say buy an Asus - take some pictures and return it in case the quality is not good enough for you or take a look at reviews with their photos and decide if that's enough.
I wouldn't agree that gaming phones are only for gaming. They have decent hardware, large batteries and high display quality. If you care about those things - then even a gaming phone might be something for you.
They are still smartphones. you can call with them, chat with your friends/family and so on. Even GPS works and doesn't drain more battery than on average phones.
The only thing that might matter are updates.
If you care much about those things OP is better. It all depends on your needs and requirements. For example I don't care about manufacturer updates. The last one I installed was about 2012 before I started to flash my phones.
Anubarak16 said:
I would say if you really want decent photos - get neither of them and buy something that has a focus on cameras.
Sources told me OnePlus never had such a decent image quality (Cannot say for myself, I have a OnePlus but I could not care less about image quality nor do I even recognize "high/good" quality as good quality because they mostly look ugly to me compared to "lower" quality)
However if it's only between those two I would say buy an Asus - take some pictures and return it in case the quality is not good enough for you or take a look at reviews with their photos and decide if that's enough.
I wouldn't agree that gaming phones are only for gaming. They have decent hardware, large batteries and high display quality. If you care about those things - then even a gaming phone might be something for you.
They are still smartphones. you can call with them, chat with your friends/family and so on. Even GPS works and doesn't drain more battery than on average phones.
The only thing that might matter are updates.
If you care much about those things OP is better. It all depends on your needs and requirements. For example I don't care about manufacturer updates. The last one I installed was about 2012 before I started to flash my phones.
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Tnx bro .
Really appreciate your answer
Honestly I'm flashing my devices like crazy so OTA is not big deal for me .
I'm really disappointed with OP 8 can feel that they go to a very bad way oxygen OS have plenty of bugs and the product feels to me like not completed product.
Let's say that you have the option to choose any smartphone in the world.
What would you take?
Samsung is not an option btw
Well... I'm not the best choice to answer your question. In my opinions notches, punch holes, curved displays and no bezels are disgusting.
I hate none symmetrical phones so all those are totally a no go for me. Plus I mostly have my phone in my hands when I use it so small bezels / curved displays result in faulty touch recognitions.
That being said most phones in the world are nothing for me. Out of those I care about power and performance because I buy my phones for 4/5 years. An outdated chipset / lesser power might be a pain in the ass in 3 years when I still want to use chrome with my 30 tabs, play games simultaneously and write messages between loading screens by switching apps in <1s.
So currently my choice is the Asus cause it fulfills nearly all my criteria. If OnePlus had no Notches/Punch holes + a larger battery I would take those. I considered many other phones but all of them either look not so good and are weaker compared to Asus. Funfact: Buying a new Smartphone usually takes me around 4/5 months every 4/5 years
Shame Samsung isn't an option. The Note 20 Ultra takes great photos. The pinhole camera is a silly design, but at least they centered it. The raised camera lens is awkward, but easily fixed with a case.
I've taken pictures of people flying past that look like they stopped to pose. Samsung makes good cameras, so you may still want the lens inside someone else's shell.
Sometimes someone makes bad experiences with certain brands. Let it be customer support or defective devices.
I would never buy a Samsung device for myself as well because no other brand caused me so much trouble in the past. Let it be unlocking the bootloader or other related things.
Anubarak16 said:
Sometimes someone makes bad experiences with certain brands. Let it be customer support or defective devices.
I would never buy a Samsung device for myself as well because no other brand caused me so much trouble in the past. Let it be unlocking the bootloader or other related things.
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Fundamentally, the internals are only one of a couple sets each generation. Even the software and entire support staff are changed out. You may not want to support Samsung, but you did. Guess who made your display panel?
I never said I don't want to support or harm them. I know many use their panels.
It's the same for OLED TVs and LG.
Of course they may also change the software but I rooted several Samsung devices and except for my very first one (Galaxy s1) all of them were not as easy as OnePlus devices or Nexus.
It's a combination of many things together that disappointed me or friends - not only with phones It's the same with other devices. (I had to work with the software of their TV devices once and it was a pain in the ass compared to LG WebOS or Sony to make my software running).
I'm open to give them a chance again when I think it will become better (I highly doubt this will ever be the case since I guess I'm not their peer group) but until that day I won't buy devices directly from Samsung.
I don't just say "it's trash" for no reason or "hate" them or whatever... I keep in touch with the company and inform me about their products but mostly they don't suit my requirements