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Considering Galaxy S3 - Looking for owner input

I need a new phone. My Galaxy Nexus is shot... It was my first Samsung phone though so I'm a little gunshy due to the problems I have had. I am trying to decide if I should go with the Galaxy S3 or wait for the Motorola Razr Maxx or HD that is supposedly coming soon.
Problems I had with GNEX
Data Drops - known problem, I put up with it, but it was annoying. Data would drop and then take min to reconnect, sometimes few times a day
Screen cracked two places - First phone I ever cracked the screen, but much larger screen then I had before (Dinc). Phone still usable but annoying. Both phones I'm considering have the Gorilla Glass so I assume this wont be an issue
USB Charging port - the final straw, the port went bad. GNex sometimes thinks it is charging when not plugged in and switches every few seconds causing the display to come on constantly and kill my battery within two hours from a full charge. Other times I have to plug in and out just to get it to charge overnight. I know the USB board can be replaced but seriously, not putting money into this phone. I'm worried the GS3 has the same USB charging problem board???
Google Wallet - Verizon blocked it on GNex and GS3... I assume they will block on Razr??? I am rooted so I was able to install the APK but it was always hit or miss as far as using wallet... only worked about 50% of the time. It would connect but then say the transaction did not go thru. I really want to use NFC.
How does the rooted ROM community view each phone? Will the Razr have as many custom ROMs? I will Root whatever phone I get.
The Razr Maxx's aren't out yet so can't tell how they hold up... The GS3 worries me most with the USB charging port and the above issues I had with the Samsung line...
Any comments appreciated. I have an upgrade avaible now so I don't have to wait, but I can limp thru the day with the Gnex plugged in at work a lot so if the Razrs are worth waiting for I can... unless they're not expected till January, but they claim BEFORE the holidays so I assume November?
Also, are there any phones I'm missing? I liked the Dinc and HTC Sense (I know... I know... ) but no HTC phones seem to have NFC and the flagship is not avail on Verizon. I need to stay on Verizon. I will root.
Thanks,
Jim

First i must say the GS3 is MUCH better than the GNex and i haven't had any data drops so far, the screen seems fine but as always be careful with it. I can't say much about the port because i've never heard of that going bad on anything before. Now about rooting and custom roms. From what i can see the GS3 will have a wide arrange of custom roms and support for awhile. The Razr Hd and Razr Maxx Hd will get support but i doubt it will come near as much as the Gs3 as the Gs3 is much more popular than any other android phone. Google Wallet is also blocked on all Verizon phones. Also i personally think the Razr Maxx Hd looks awesome but i already got a gs3 so thats that. Hope this helped your decision.

calaski8123 said:
I need a new phone. My Galaxy Nexus is shot... It was my first Samsung phone though so I'm a little gunshy due to the problems I have had. I am trying to decide if I should go with the Galaxy S3 or wait for the Motorola Razr Maxx or HD that is supposedly coming soon.
Problems I had with GNEX
Data Drops - known problem, I put up with it, but it was annoying. Data would drop and then take min to reconnect, sometimes few times a day
Screen cracked two places - First phone I ever cracked the screen, but much larger screen then I had before (Dinc). Phone still usable but annoying. Both phones I'm considering have the Gorilla Glass so I assume this wont be an issue
USB Charging port - the final straw, the port went bad. GNex sometimes thinks it is charging when not plugged in and switches every few seconds causing the display to come on constantly and kill my battery within two hours from a full charge. Other times I have to plug in and out just to get it to charge overnight. I know the USB board can be replaced but seriously, not putting money into this phone. I'm worried the GS3 has the same USB charging problem board???
Google Wallet - Verizon blocked it on GNex and GS3... I assume they will block on Razr??? I am rooted so I was able to install the APK but it was always hit or miss as far as using wallet... only worked about 50% of the time. It would connect but then say the transaction did not go thru. I really want to use NFC.
How does the rooted ROM community view each phone? Will the Razr have as many custom ROMs? I will Root whatever phone I get.
The Razr Maxx's aren't out yet so can't tell how they hold up... The GS3 worries me most with the USB charging port and the above issues I had with the Samsung line...
Any comments appreciated. I have an upgrade avaible now so I don't have to wait, but I can limp thru the day with the Gnex plugged in at work a lot so if the Razrs are worth waiting for I can... unless they're not expected till January, but they claim BEFORE the holidays so I assume November?
Also, are there any phones I'm missing? I liked the Dinc and HTC Sense (I know... I know... ) but no HTC phones seem to have NFC and the flagship is not avail on Verizon. I need to stay on Verizon. I will root.
Thanks,
Jim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spotty data and drops all over the place here... coming from all htc devices it's horrible... that being said.. the phone is very nice n fast but if u can't live with the crappy Samsung radios anymore I'd say wait.
Google wallet can be fixed via rooting.
Sent from my unlocked VZW Galaxy SIII

I live in an area where I have 4g LTE everywhere so I can't say anything bad about the radio cause I have no issues with mine nor did I have issues with My Gnex (as far as the radio)... I would say that Samsung makes THE most cheapest phones out there as far as parts and build quality but I still LOVE my phone for some reason.... Maybe cause it's just fast as hell and some of the downfalls don't affect me but I will tell you that you had better make sure that you get a solid S3 NEW cause if and when it does fail their refurbs are a JOKE and I think I am on my fourth Verizon refurb cause they keep sending me garbage but I finally have one that I "think" is going to be good minus the power button being loose as hell but I think every S3 I have had has a loose power button... Just know that the bootloader is unlocked and if you go to another phone it's gonna be locked until these kickass devs over here figure it out... And as far as development goes, I am in LOVE!! Sooo many options with my S3's and I don't see it stopping anytime soon... Read the forums and make a wise decision but I don't regret getting this phone I think I have just been cursed by Verizon.... Just please don't buy an iPhone.... LOL Have a great day!

Coming from a Droid X (rooted) to a GS3 (not rooted yet) can't really complain. In Phoenix coverage is very good, even along desolate hwy's and out in the desert far from anything. Just recently drove across country and used Sirius/XM 90% of the way and made a ton of calls. XM app only dropped out 3 times, in some very remote areas of hwy. Didn't drop a single call and sound quality was good, even traveling at 75 mph. Sent a lot of SMS with Pictures taken along the way, all w/o problem.
Will say that inside of buildings here in PHX, I do see slightly lower signal strength than my Droid X. It's not a deal breaker as the structures I'm talking about are old and mainly steel and concrete. Took a short period of time to adjust to the TouchWiz, but it's no more difficult than any other manufacture tweaked OS. The phone definitely does not have the "built US strong" feel, kinda flimsy. I could drop the DX and not worry too much. This phone I spent a few extra $'s for a stronger case.
Overall, I'd say it's a good phone for now until something better comes along. Could be worse, gotta co-worker with an LG that drives him nuts. He's gonna need therapy one day.

Haha no iphone for me. Wife has one but I wont go over to the cult. Thanks for the replies so far... Seems people like the Samsung but it still has problems that make me worry. I'm tempted to wait for the Razr just too see them both but I think the GS3 has some better specs... I live in northern NJ outside nyc so very good coverage but my nexus still just periodically losses all connections and has to reconnect... Four replacements makes me nervous....
Jim

Xmeoff said:
Coming from a Droid X (rooted) to a GS3 (not rooted yet) can't really complain. In Phoenix coverage is very good, even along desolate hwy's and out in the desert far from anything. Just recently drove across country and used Sirius/XM 90% of the way and made a ton of calls. XM app only dropped out 3 times, in some very remote areas of hwy. Didn't drop a single call and sound quality was good, even traveling at 75 mph. Sent a lot of SMS with Pictures taken along the way, all w/o problem.
Will say that inside of buildings here in PHX, I do see slightly lower signal strength than my Droid X. It's not a deal breaker as the structures I'm talking about are old and mainly steel and concrete. Took a short period of time to adjust to the TouchWiz, but it's no more difficult than any other manufacture tweaked OS. The phone definitely does not have the "built US strong" feel, kinda flimsy. I could drop the DX and not worry too much. This phone I spent a few extra $'s for a stronger case.
Overall, I'd say it's a good phone for now until something better comes along. Could be worse, gotta co-worker with an LG that drives him nuts. He's gonna need therapy one day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha... I'm a cop so I prob need an otterbox, but I didn't get one with the nexus it would make the phone huge. I'm used top the size now so am otterbox prob wouldn't bother me. Just thought maybe with gorilla glass a thinner case might be OK.
Jim

If you are really worried about wear and tear on the usb port this mod should be right up your alley: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1877191
All in all, it takes no more than 20-30 minutes to install, worst case.

It depends how much you care and flashing roms, I'd wait for the razr maxx HD. It's suppose to have a locked boot loader, but they're unlocking all there new phones. Some new phones are suppose to be coming out in the next couple months, so you might wanna wait to see what's coming.
Sent from my Cocaine White S3.

If you can, I'd at least advise waiting a few months for the next Nexus, Maxx HD etc. Phones with the next gen chipset (S4 Pro etc) are coming out soon.
My S3 is a great phone, but I have to agree the radios are worse than my previous HTC phone. If you are in an area with poor signal, the S3 will frequently drop data and gps locks.

Wow that's a really cool mod... I like. As for flashing ROMs I am pretty crazy until I find one I like then I back off and usually just do the updates. Sometimes it takes a while to find something that has all the features I want.
I'm still undecided...going to go look at the store today and hold it.
One more question... I read the reviews talk about the screen on gs3 being a little darker... Is this a problem or is it fixed with the custom ROMs?
Jim

Being in New Hampshire, with no other 4g coverage here on any other carrier, the service is awesome. The screen seems a tad darker than my epic 4g was on Sprint, but it is far from a problem. Rooting is extremely easy. Like it takes 2 minutes literally. Tons of stable ROMs. I definitely made a really good choice with the GS3, you won't be disappointed.

calaski8123 said:
I need a new phone. My Galaxy Nexus is shot... It was my first Samsung phone though so I'm a little gunshy due to the problems I have had. I am trying to decide if I should go with the Galaxy S3 or wait for the Motorola Razr Maxx or HD that is supposedly coming soon.
Problems I had with GNEX
Data Drops - known problem, I put up with it, but it was annoying. Data would drop and then take min to reconnect, sometimes few times a day
Screen cracked two places - First phone I ever cracked the screen, but much larger screen then I had before (Dinc). Phone still usable but annoying. Both phones I'm considering have the Gorilla Glass so I assume this wont be an issue
USB Charging port - the final straw, the port went bad. GNex sometimes thinks it is charging when not plugged in and switches every few seconds causing the display to come on constantly and kill my battery within two hours from a full charge. Other times I have to plug in and out just to get it to charge overnight. I know the USB board can be replaced but seriously, not putting money into this phone. I'm worried the GS3 has the same USB charging problem board???
Google Wallet - Verizon blocked it on GNex and GS3... I assume they will block on Razr??? I am rooted so I was able to install the APK but it was always hit or miss as far as using wallet... only worked about 50% of the time. It would connect but then say the transaction did not go thru. I really want to use NFC.
How does the rooted ROM community view each phone? Will the Razr have as many custom ROMs? I will Root whatever phone I get.
The Razr Maxx's aren't out yet so can't tell how they hold up... The GS3 worries me most with the USB charging port and the above issues I had with the Samsung line...
Any comments appreciated. I have an upgrade avaible now so I don't have to wait, but I can limp thru the day with the Gnex plugged in at work a lot so if the Razrs are worth waiting for I can... unless they're not expected till January, but they claim BEFORE the holidays so I assume November?
Also, are there any phones I'm missing? I liked the Dinc and HTC Sense (I know... I know... ) but no HTC phones seem to have NFC and the flagship is not avail on Verizon. I need to stay on Verizon. I will root.
Thanks,
Jim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't Verizon offer a 14 day return/exchange policy? Worst case is try it, if you don't like it return it for another phone. Just don't root it during that time frame if you want to play it safe. Otherwise, ROMS provided for the GS3 are awesome in this community. I've had both the Sprint variant and now on Verizon for it's 4G LTE service.

Personally I'd wait a few months. Reception sucks but it's not too bad.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium

I would go with it and a JB ROM... I almost bought the iPhone 5 and backed out to keep my GS3 and unlimited Data..thank god I went over 2 GB today lol
Sent from VZW Galaxy SIII

I am also in the upgrade search. Thanks to all that contributed it may have helped me a bit with my choice as well coming from my Dinc.

Yes thank you for everyone's input. The opinions seem to be a little split, but that is to be expected. I'm leaning towards the GS3. I went to my local Verizon guy I've been dealing with for years. He said hands down he would go with the GS3. He said the Razr is still a bit behind in specs. I also see that the GS3 is 2GB RAM and the Razrs are only 1GB... The GS3 felt nice in hand.. sleek and smooth. The Motorola is still too clunky feeling to me.. angular and just not sleek. Personal opinion.
He also said there is no set release date for the Razrs... and I can get the GS3 cheaper. I also liked the reviews of the TouchWiz gestures...Interested to see how they are. Do any of the custom ROMs maintain the Touch Wiz gestures or features?
I think with the better specs right now I'd go with the GS3. The biggest problems, screen and reception, seem to be issues I can deal with. I rarely use my Nexus at full brightness and I the reception seems to be better than NExus in my area.
Jim

Also the battery on the GS3 seems to be pretty good considering its not promoted as such like the Maxx HD will be...

intelinside83 said:
I would go with it and a JB ROM... I almost bought the iPhone 5 and backed out to keep my GS3 and unlimited Data..thank god I went over 2 GB today lol
Sent from VZW Galaxy SIII
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I almost got it too. Went to apple store and compared it hands on. I had 30 day return policy. Compared to the iphone, the colors are so much more vibrant! And the screen size is icing on the cake.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 04:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:47 PM ----------
I'll also add that I own a macbook pro, and syncing--unless you run bootcamp--can be a PITA. Even with Android file transfer, it's often hit or miss.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

skater95 said:
It depends how much you care and flashing roms, I'd wait for the razr maxx HD. It's suppose to have a locked boot loader, but they're unlocking all there new phones. Some new phones are suppose to be coming out in the next couple months, so you might wanna wait to see what's coming.
Sent from my Cocaine White S3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is no way a Verizon phone will come with a unlocked bootloader unless its that dreaded iPhone.

N5 to OnePlus?

Just got an invite and I have until 3pm tomorrow EDT to make up my mind. Is this a worthy upgrade from the N5?
I really like teh stock n5 UI with Gravity box and Xposed. It's really smooth and flawless, with no crashes for weeks at a time. How buggy is the firmware compared to stock N5?
Is the increased CPU power noticeable?

if you ask me, its not worth the upgrade, i mean the phone is amazing but so is the N5, the 1+1 is definitely better but not worth an upgrade. I came from a nexus 4 and it was a very worthy upgrade

Depends on how much you value your money. I don't think that you should be upgrading from a phone that is less than a year old and is going to be getting an android L update.
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app

About the only thing worth up changing to the OnePlus for would be the battery life. It does outlast the nexus 5 by a fair bit.
Other than that it's all a bit sideways really.
Mmm bacon

Lol. It's definitely worth the upgrade. This phone outclasses the N5 in every way.
Transmitted via Bacon

Bigger screen, better battery, better camera....I did the upgrade and am very satisfied. Almost regretted that I didn't wait for the N6. But the price of it really is a turn off.
Sent from my A0001 using XDA Free mobile app

Well the N5 would go to my wife who is currently using my old N4.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

Worth the upgrade. While I don't have one sadly. It is, Better battery life. More customisation out of the box. I'm on the Xperia Z1 waiting to get my 1+1.

I'm thinking about moving to this also from the N5. Is it as buggy as some of the threads let on? Yellow band, touchscreen sensitivity, ghost swipes... I don't mind flashing things here and there but I'd like something that "just works" most of the time.

I left the note 3 and am happy with this phone. Battery is just about the same for the usage I put it through. I miss the use of s pen for a few things here and there, but that's about it. Only regret is not having an external SD card, but an otg cable kept handy does the trick quite well. The n5 is a great device, I played with one for a while, but I would probably get this one over it if I had the choice. I've had no issues with yellow band or any loops. But for people who mess with their device issues are to be expected. Isn't that why we are all here to begin with?

Spitfire said:
I'm thinking about moving to this also from the N5. Is it as buggy as some of the threads let on? Yellow band, touchscreen sensitivity, ghost swipes... I don't mind flashing things here and there but I'd like something that "just works" most of the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The negative people tend to be more vocal.
Ghost swipes have been fixed, it was a problem on Synaptics, not OnePlus or Cyanogen.
battery life is a lot better on OPO than N5. its day and night difference.

I moved from the n5 to the opo primarily because of the battery life - well worth it on that front. Though it will take a while to get used to the size difference.
Sent from my One A0001 using Tapatalk

I'm somewhat in the same boat as you, I'm coming from my N5 to the OPO. Battery life was bothering me with the N5, I had Franco's kernel, Greenify, etc. and nothing would really help. I was lucky enough to get an invite and figured why not, I will pass any phone I don't use to 1 of my kids, so no loss. I really anticipated the N6 and I was very disappointed with the price and the whole carrier thing, I hate to be indebted to ATT, but at $650, buying it was out of the question. Anyway, I got my OPO a few days ago and have to say I'm really enjoying it. I unlocked the bootloader, loaded TWRP and rooted it immediately, it would be painful to do that after you've got it all loaded up. It's been extremely smooth, fast and responsive, I love the additional real estate thats a real pleasure, the battery is lasting significantly longer, but I will keep an eye on it during the next few weeks. I've not had any of the issues I've seen others have, so thats also a relief.
CM is a very thorough ROM and has pretty much everything I would want and will not even bother with xposed at this point. Now I think the headphone/mic thing is a bit of a pita, something to do with 2 wiring standards and OPO's choice, but both headphones I use are ok.
So all in all I'm pretty happy with my choice. Good luck.

I also moved from the N5 to the OPO. I sold my N5 for the amount of money I needed to buy the OPO so it was easy for me.
I did it for the camera and especially the battery life. Both things are exceptional on the OPO compared to the N5.

My main issue is the size. It was this or the gen 2 Moto X which not much bigger than the N5. We'll see how it goes. My wife can always use it and I'll sell her N4 for 50 bux.

Spitfire said:
I'm thinking about moving to this also from the N5. Is it as buggy as some of the threads let on? Yellow band, touchscreen sensitivity, ghost swipes... I don't mind flashing things here and there but I'd like something that "just works" most of the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't had any problems at all with the phone and I flash a lot. Phone is the fastest and smoothest ever... Should totally go for the 1+1.
to OP: Yes, buy it and give the N5 to your wife. You won't regret it, plus, the newer 1+1s should not have yellow banding. I have no problems with my phone at all.

[Q] Think I want a Z3V, you guys diggin yours?

Been waiting for the S6 to come out and now that it's been released not happy about several things and think I'm going to pass. The Z3V seems to have everything I'm looking for, waterproof and good reception being high on the list.
My needs:
Good call quality and reception
Water proof
Good battery
Good camera
SD card slot
Durable
From everything I've been reading it looks like the Z3V has got this covered. Not sure I like the glass back but it'll live in a case anyways, which I'm finding out there is not much choice there. Btw I'm coming off a Razr Maxx HD, I ruled out the Turbo fairly quick lol. Thanks!

My Z3v has blown away every expectation I've had on any phone I have owned. Battery life, radio reception, OS stability, no lag, seriously the smoothest running device I've ever used, camera, SD Storage, 3gb RAM, waterproofing and Wireless Qi charging, stereo front facing speakers, and LED notification. Everything works as intended and expected. I've had mine since launch and 4-5 months later I'm actually more enthused about it than I was the first day. Without question if my phone met its demise today, I'd turn around and get it again without hesitation. It's hard to think about switching to another device when the one you have has performed flawlessly with no hiccups.
The only thing it doesn't have currently but supposedly is planned to is simultaneous data and voice. It is a slight disappointment, but not critical for me.

Yup I agree with PChain

Everything needed to be said, pchain has said it. I won't likely ever get another branded phone since there's nothing too new or attention worthy about them. I'm very disappointed how the S6 turned out to be as the Z3v is already everything as it is but incredibly better.
The glass back isn't too much of a concern since it is Sony's tempered glass. Look up any youtube video of Sony's Drop test, they're nearly indestructible. It's worth it man, get this phone and you won't have to wait as long for the update for simultaneous voice and data.

Well I'm sold, thanks for the replies! Should've just got it in January when my contract was up but I was hoping for great things from the S6 and thought I'd wait it out, but like many I'm disappointed in the direction they went.

Awsome, but none of these phones are particularly "durable"...
The hardware guts, performance and elegant form of this phone blow me away. No question, hands down, this is more pocket computer than I ever imagined. In the Verizon store it's absolutely the best bang for the buck.
I'm a bit OCD, so if it gets dropped and marred, or scratched, or dented, or cracked I'll completely freak out and cry like a baby! It's not a particularly durable design, but it's really well put together. No weird seems, misalignments, etc. Because I work in landscaping and construction, I've swapped my unused Xoom tablet line with an old handset that I'll bring to work instead of the Xperia so I won't have to feel like I'm performing an act of surgery every time I take a call (cleaning hands off, etc).
I think this phone in a top notch case is super hard to beat for most applications.

IMO - the Z3v is the best bang for your buck. I was first intrigued by Sony Xperia when the Z2 was @ Verizon a few years ago. I'm glad that the Z3v was available when my Razr Maxx bit the dust last Fall, though not initially.
I first went "Cheap" with a LG G Vista, but it shutdown a few times. I swapped it for the Moto X 2014. While the Moto X is a fine phone, it got hot to the touch and the battery isn't the greatest. Luckily - the Z3v came out during my 2 week trial and the third time was the charm!
It has never shutdown, the battery life is pretty good, and the MHL and mirror link functions work via my Smart TV! The same cannot be said on the former phones mentioned.

Go for it!
Based on your post, stan smith, i think this is the ideal phone for you. Thats awesome to hear youre making the move. Just picked the Z3v up a few days ago and I'm blown away. I like to believe im an educated consumer and did a lot of digging on all the latest VZ offerings. My expectations for this phone were sky high and they are being surpassed! i'm running nova launcher and the phone is by far the snappiest device ive ever had. Tap to wake is phenomenal. Having moved here from an HTC ONE M7, my primary concerns were pixel density (M7: 468ppi - Z3v: 424ppi) and screen brightness (M7: 460nits - Z3v: 407nits) but these are no longer a concern. Expectations exceeded.

Really excited about this phone! I will admit I'm concerned about the size, haven't even seen one in person yet. I did some comparisons at phonearena and it looks really tall, like .66" taller than my current razr maxx hd. Going to hit Verizon maybe tonight if not tomorrow and check it out, probably bring it home if I think I can manage the size of it. :good:

I love my phone. I came from a Galaxy S5 and I think this phone is so much better in many ways. I particularly like the solid feel and build of this over the S5. Don't know how it would compare to the S6.
Like someone posted, the only bummer about this phone is the lack of simultaneous voice and data. That is very disappointing in this day and age on a high end phone. But I can live with it and perhaps they will fix that with an update in the future.

vplaza96 said:
I love my phone. I came from a Galaxy S5 and I think this phone is so much better in many ways. I particularly like the solid feel and build of this over the S5. Don't know how it would compare to the S6.
Like someone posted, the only bummer about this phone is the lack of simultaneous voice and data. That is very disappointing in this day and age on a high end phone. But I can live with it and perhaps they will fix that with an update in the future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Idk how solid the S6 would be, but compared to this, it definitely can't withstand water anymore. lol
The lollipop update that will include everything is reaching upon us soon. Sony confirms they're in final phases of testing to work out the bugs. We will all soon get simultaneous voice and data (again, depending from whatever phone we came from before).

Got it tonight!! Solid phone, love the look and feel. A little big but I can get used to it. Lol the guy at Verizon didn't know anything about it, said he never sold one and tried to talk me out of it. Once I schooled him on the features he was pretty impressed. Glad to join this very limited club and thanks for all the advice!

americandad said:
Got it tonight!! Solid phone, love the look and feel. A little big but I can get used to it. Lol the guy at Verizon didn't know anything about it, said he never sold one and tried to talk me out of it. Once I schooled him on the features he was pretty impressed. Glad to join this very limited club and thanks for all the advice!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yay, welcome aboard. I should school the employees more often too because I talk to the reps about account assessment and stuff, and they just have not much of a clue about my phone being there. This is what Apple and Samsung (as well as Motorola Droid) brainwashing does to corporate employees..

GigaSPX said:
Yay, welcome aboard. I should school the employees more often too because I talk to the reps about account assessment and stuff, and they just have not much of a clue about my phone being there. This is what Apple and Samsung (as well as Motorola Droid) brainwashing does to corporate employees..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup-Yup! Pretty sad when the consumer has to do the job of the salesman. but more sad that this illustrates just how easily the masses are brainwashed.
Good for you, AmericanDad. hope you enjoy it!

Coming from a rooted Droid DNA w/ a custom ROM, I'm not seeing any improvements, says the camera. If it wasn't for the ailing battery in my DNA, I would have kept it. Form factor is a bit of a downgrade and visually, it looks very reminiscent of the Droid Razr HD. Camera is definitely better, but the autofocus time takes away from it. A good phone, but nothing here to make me forget my DNA entirely.

sabinblitz said:
Coming from a rooted Droid DNA w/ a custom ROM, I'm not seeing any improvements, says the camera. If it wasn't for the ailing battery in my DNA, I would have kept it. Form factor is a bit of a downgrade and visually, it looks very reminiscent of the Droid Razr HD. Camera is definitely better, but the autofocus time takes away from it. A good phone, but nothing here to make me forget my DNA entirely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what exactly you're asking or what your point is but I assure you the Z3v has surpassed every expectation I've had in any device I've ever owned. Battery life will absolutely crush the DNA, radio reception is better than today's Moto offerings, there is zero lag, the camera is really good, it is water proof, has front facing stereo speakers, multicolor LED notification, Qi wireless charging etc. I've had the Z3v since launch and if my device met its fate today I'd immediately get another. Once you have a completely fast stable OS that performs flawlessly you don't want a different device. The Z3v is without a doubt is the most underrated unknown non-marketed devices on Verizon. Unless rooting is a necessity for you there is no reason to question if the z3v is worthy of being your next device. While the DNA is a good device in many ways, the Z3v is good in just about every way. The new Samsung S6,, S6 Edge, and HTC M9 aren't even close in tempting me away from this bulletproof device. I've never had a Sony device before and took a chance and it has been the best technology decision I've made in years. Just my two cents....

pchain said:
I'm not sure what exactly you're asking or what your point is but I assure you the Z3v has surpassed every expectation I've had in any device I've ever owned. Battery life will absolutely crush the DNA, radio reception is better than today's Moto offerings, there is zero lag, the camera is really good, it is water proof, has front facing stereo speakers, multicolor LED notification, Qi wireless charging etc. I've had the Z3v since launch and if my device met its fate today I'd immediately get another. Once you have a completely fast stable OS that performs flawlessly you don't want a different device. The Z3v is without a doubt is the most underrated unknown non-marketed devices on Verizon. Unless rooting is a necessity for you there is no reason to question if the z3v is worthy of being your next device. While the DNA is a good device in many ways, the Z3v is good in just about every way. The new Samsung S6,, S6 Edge, and HTC M9 aren't even close in tempting me away from this bulletproof device. I've never had a Sony device before and took a chance and it has been the best technology decision I've made in years. Just my two cents....
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Click to collapse
I couldn't say this any better. I really liked the underrated phone part of the post. That is so true. I came from a Nexus 5 on ATT. I am so impressed. My only gripe is I like stock Android. But the phone build quality and the countless other features make it awesome.

I've had mine for about a week now. Battery is amazing, I'm on my 4th day without a charge but I'm not a heavy user and it gets turned off at night. Wifi signal is incredible! My workshop is about 150' away from my house and I never got wifi there with my razr maxx hd, but the Z3v gets a strong signal. Real pleased with the call quality also. All in all happy with my choice.

To pile on with the radios, i've been in my current house for nearly five years. Previous phones were htc one m7 and a galaxy sIII prior to that. When making calls, i was forced to stand near the front of the house. living room/foyer/bedroom didn't matter. as long as i was near the front. Most likely due to some very large trees in the backyard. Just last night, i noticed i did not have to leave my den when taking a call. for the first time in this house, i could relax on a phone call. so very pleased with this device.

I've heard things like the notification LED are amazing, someone care to elaborate? Not sure what people mean and I've watched some review videos and they don't show it off or anything so I'm confused

Do you have any regrets with this phone?

I am a bit skeptical of Samsung as they come out with phones too frequent which could mean that their hardware and software are really not meant to last two years of the contract.
So has anyone had any regrets with this phone yet? I was also looking at M9 as well but the edge looks alot sleeker.

None at all! The only problem is it's so Good I don't need to root! Haha

No regrets here. Came from the M8, which was a great phone, but this phone still blows me away. Best device that I've ever owned!
Had an issue with battery not lasting on stock, but since I flashed Sac's rom, battery has been great.

Yea that was another thing I read that with lollipop that the battery doesnt last long. So it is fixed with a custom rom?

I do have huge regrets, I came from my N5 and this phone has been nothing but slow, laggy, and full of bugs. I am returning it and going back to my N5 which is faster, smoother and snappier than this Flagship device. I was really excited before i bought it, i honestly believed all the specs and hardware were going to give me the best experience available. This whole memory issue is driving me nuts, i'm constatly running between 88-90%+ RAM Usage. I can't open applications or hit home button without getting desktop redraws, or looooong processing time, unlocking the phone takes forever, hitting the recent app takes forever, it overheats when charging, it overheats when using GPS, it overheats when I look at it haha.
Anyways, i'm going back to the N5, but not sure what else to upgrade to, any ideas?

No regrets here, runs great on rooted sac23 ROM. I love it. As for the lag that some are experiencing, that's supposed to be fixed in the next update 5.1.1

I regret getting the phone through Sprint.
The developers seem to be completely ignoring the 920P varient. Except for Sac23 and Ktoonsez, bless them.

dazednconfused said:
No regrets here. Came from the M8, which was a great phone, but this phone still blows me away. Best device that I've ever owned!
Had an issue with battery not lasting on stock, but since I flashed Sac's rom, battery has been great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent you a pm

Thoth33 said:
I regret getting the phone through Sprint.
The developers seem to be completely ignoring the 920P varient. Except for Sac23 and Ktoonsez, bless them.
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Click to collapse
Sprint has always been the black sheep of the developer world. Takes forever to get any kind of OTAs so we're always behind the other carriers.

I have the edge and the m9. Screen and camera are the best out. Hate touchwiz. The phone definitely lags at times but I still think it's a solid phone.
M9 has better speakers and software plus soff.

No regrets here but I might if the rumors are true and Samsung releases the S7 this year.
I also have a Nexus 5 & a Note 4 (910C) and my S6E is my favorite.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

returning the LGv20...

I feel like this phone is a great phone for a small audience.. And that's for music lovers.. Other than that this phone is actually pretty bad... The camera is useless with all the grain.. The screen is horrible at night it bleeds out so much.. The UI is disgusting.. And OMG THE LAG IS ABSURD.. How they released a phone thats constatly lagging..
Tbh very disappointed I have never returned a phone in my life. And I buy almost every phone that's release... Now I have no option to switch to iphone 7 until I can find a pixel xl for a good deal...
T-Mobile 918h

Is this a joke? This phone is smooth as butter especially compared to the v10, you're either running it with a poorly performing sdcard or you've got a defect.
UI is disgusting? What it's like every other freaking phone. There are plenty of 3rd party launchers to change it as you see fit.
Camera I am unsure of since I haven't really used it much yet but I am sure its not horrible like you're claiming.
Either way good luck with whatever phone you choose next. I am being sincere if my phone was like that I'd change too but mine has been good so far.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

evo4g63t said:
Is this a joke? This phone is smooth as butter especially compared to the v10, you're either running it with a poorly performing sdcard or you've got a defect.
UI is disgusting? What it's like every other freaking phone. There are plenty of 3rd party launchers to change it as you see fit.
Camera I am unsure of since I haven't really used it much yet but I am sure its not horrible like you're claiming.
Either way good luck with whatever phone you choose next. I am being sincere if my phone was like that I'd change too but mine has been good so far.
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Click to collapse
Have you ever used a stock android phone such as a pixel or a nexus?..

egren58 said:
I feel like this phone is a great phone for a small audience.. And that's for music lovers.. Other than that this phone is actually pretty bad... The camera is useless with all the grain.. The screen is horrible at night it bleeds out so much.. The UI is disgusting.. And OMG THE LAG IS ABSURD.. How they released a phone thats constatly lagging..
Tbh very disappointed I have never returned a phone in my life. And I buy almost every phone that's release... Now I have no option to switch to iphone 7 until I can find a pixel xl for a good deal...
T-Mobile 918h
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Click to collapse
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm just explaining my experience owning the phone since October so that you have more info about its capability.
Are you on a stock phone?
The rooting process and custom roms have allowed Dev's to fix many of the issues that existed on stock.
Lag? Mine is fast as sh*t. I came from the note 4 with one of the best custom roms (tx_dbs_tx) and this phone is much faster.
I'm on OvrDrive's rom and couldn't be happier. The latest update has the camera working faster and taking exceptional pictures. Better than my note 4.
Yes, the screen is not a sammy. When we are able to integrate kcal it will be close. I had kcal on an early rom version that really made the screen look good. Unfortunately, we have had problems with modifying the kernel, but I believe it is only a matter of time until it can be done safely.
I'm using a custom theme which looks great, especially at night. I don't spend a lot of time looking at my phone in a pitch black room, so I rarely see the bleed. This is the price you pay for a second screen, which I really like. I wouldn't trade the second screen for a phone without the second screen just to lose the bleed which I only see .01% of the time.
I got my wife an S7 edge. It is stock. Other than the great sammy screen, there is nothing that would make me consider trading my V20. I have so much more control over my phone than hers and can do much more.
If you are on stock, then maybe that is the problem. Rooted with a custom rom is great. If you aren't willing to go down that road, then, yes you should switch.

androiddiego said:
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm just explaining my experience owning the phone since October so that you have more info about its capability.
Are you on a stock phone?
The rooting process and custom roms have allowed Dev's to fix many of the issues that existed on stock.
Lag? Mine is fast as sh*t. I came from the note 4 with one of the best custom roms (tx_dbs_tx) and this phone is much faster.
I'm on OvrDrive's rom and couldn't be happier. The latest update has the camera working faster and taking exceptional pictures. Better than my note 4.
Yes, the screen is not a sammy. When we are able to integrate kcal it will be close. I had kcal on an early rom version that really made the screen look good. Unfortunately, we have had problems with modifying the kernel, but I believe it is only a matter of time until it can be done safely.
I'm using a custom theme which looks great, especially at night. I don't spend a lot of time looking at my phone in a pitch black room, so I rarely see the bleed. This is the price you pay for a second screen, which I really like. I wouldn't trade the second screen for a phone without the second screen just to lose the bleed which I only see .01% of the time.
I got my wife an S7 edge. It is stock. Other than the great sammy screen, there is nothing that would make me consider trading my V20. I have so much more control over my phone than hers and can do much more.
If you are on stock, then maybe that is the problem. Rooted with a custom rom is great. If you aren't willing to go down that road, then, yes you should switch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am rooted. I have had the phone for about 10 days. I am on weta rom.. Is just I feel like this phone is phone is not the android experience I am used to.. I used the s7edge as well and did not like it either.. I am more of stock android. And I am starting to realize why people refuse to use anything but stock android.. I have had zero used for the second screen yeah it looks nice and I can see someone use it. But not me.. And the camera is. Really bad like dammed I think the nexus 6p takes netter pics. Selfies look like you have makeup.. Even with beauty turned off. AGAIN THIS IS MU EXPERIENCE.. Is my device defective?. Idk but highly doubt it.

I understand with the camera. I came from the v10 (also tmobile) and I can't figure out why the camera on the v20 takes such blurry/water color grainy what ever you call it pictures sometimes. Still hoping it's a software fix because the hardware is there. Should be at least as good as the v10 if not better... And it's not.
As for lag, I don't get it. Mine was smooth and fast for a while but now it lags sometimes. Open a text and count to 5 while I wait to see when it feels like actually popping up.
Sometimes I'm typing and waiting for the letters to pop up.
Ugh.
I wonder if it could be blamed on my SD card... It's the 200gb card that came with the v10.
I use SwiftKey keyboard. Never had a problem with lag before so I don't think it's the keyboard's fault.
My v10 was doing the same thing with the stock text messaging app and it wasn't even set to save anything so I don't think it had to do with large files or anything.
I set it up as new so I didn't bring a bunch of junk from my other phone and I don't really have all that many apps. I don't use the Facebook app and I don't have any problems at all with battery draining. The battery is awesome!
But I do wish I could figure out the lag. It doesn't make any sense that it should take so much time to open up my text messages. I would be tempted to blame it on the fact that I told it not to delete them anymore but like I said, the V10 was doing it and that one was deleting everything all the time!

I have costumized every aspects to get as close as to what I am used to and no luck at all.. I really tried to give this phone shot.. But just not for me..

planetbeen said:
I understand with the camera. I came from the v10 (also tmobile) and I can't figure out why the camera on the v20 takes such blurry/water color grainy what ever you call it pictures sometimes. Still hoping it's a software fix because the hardware is there. Should be at least as good as the v10 if not better... And it's not.
As for lag, I don't get it. Mine was smooth and fast for a while but now it lags sometimes. Open a text and count to 5 while I wait to see when it feels like actually popping up.
Sometimes I'm typing and waiting for the letters to pop up.
Ugh.
I wonder if it could be blamed on my SD card... It's the 200gb card that came with the v10.
I use SwiftKey keyboard. Never had a problem with lag before so I don't think it's the keyboard's fault.
My v10 was doing the same thing with the stock text messaging app and it wasn't even set to save anything so I don't think it had to do with large files or anything.
I set it up as new so I didn't bring a bunch of junk from my other phone and I don't really have all that many apps. I don't use the Facebook app and I don't have any problems at all with battery draining. The battery is awesome!
But I do wish I could figure out the lag. It doesn't make any sense that it should take so much time to open up my text messages. I would be tempted to blame it on the fact that I told it not to delete them anymore but like I said, the V10 was doing it and that one was deleting everything all the time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they are not doing very well in optimizing their software

egren58 said:
I have costumized every aspects to get as close as to what I am used to and no luck at all.. I really tried to give this phone shot.. But just not for me..
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Click to collapse
Ok, I get it. But why not give OrvDrive's rom a try since you are rooted? Can't hurt. His rom has the least complications of the others, not to bash them in any way. I appreciate the effort of all devs and know that behind the scene they are working together to some degree.
If you do find a better new phone, let me know. I might switch too.
Cheers.

androiddiego said:
Ok, I get it. But why not give OrvDrive's rom a try since you are rooted? Can't hurt. His rom has the least complications of the others, not to bash them in any way. I appreciate the effort of all devs and know that behind the scene they are working together to some degree.
If you do find a better new phone, let me know. I might switch too.
Cheers.
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Click to collapse
Well I just ordered another pixel xl.. Since I lost my first one, But until then I will be using an iphone 7 plus.. And returning this back to T-Mobile...

egren58 said:
Well I just ordered another pixel xl.. Since I lost my first one, But until then I will be using an iphone 7 plus.. And returning this back to T-Mobile...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well good luck man hope it all works out for you. The no external memory support and the ridiculous price point for the pixel is why I didn't choose it.
To be honest I would not be using the v20 if a workable modern Samsung Note were out but we are about 6 months out for that and my v10 got the dreaded boot loop so I had to have a phone. Pixel is too expensive for what it offers, Apple is a scumbag company that I absolutely do not support and the s series from samsung doesn't interest me.
I am a big fan of removable batteries too despite not really using a phone long enough to need to replace the battery but I love aftermarket battery packs. LG is the only one to offer this and it looks like it might be the final high end model to feature this (the g6 looks to be water proof)
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

evo4g63t said:
Well good luck man hope it all works out for you. The no external memory support and the ridiculous price point for the pixel is why I didn't choose it.
To be honest I would not be using the v20 if a workable modern Samsung Note were out but we are about 6 months out for that and my v10 got the dreaded boot loop so I had to have a phone. Pixel is too expensive for what it offers, Apple is a scumbag company that I absolutely do not support and the s series from samsung doesn't interest me.
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Click to collapse
I was skeptical about the pixel.. But I'll tell you this..just the pure android and smoothness of a pixel phone alone is worth it.. I had never run into a single issue with that phone. Always butter smooth and never had a fc on any apps

LULZ.

Zero lag here. 3 months in. I'm using the H990DS model with no bloatware.
I also find the camera to be great. Love the wide angle lens as well. Not sure what you're smoking..

reaktor TuT said:
Zero lag here. 3 months in. I'm using the H990DS model with no bloatware.
I also find the camera to be great. Love the wide angle lens as well. Not sure what you're smoking..
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Click to collapse
Camera great?. I s voted one of the worst camera of 2017 based on consumer..

Not sure why you think the camera takes poor quality pictures. This was taken with the wide angle camera (which most people think is generally terrible) in super low light, in situations where most phones would fail.
I'm also not sure what's bad about the UI? There are now a dozen or so themes that theme the actual system ui, and a trillion different launchers to theme your icons and app launcher.
No lag here. Over 60 user apps installed.
I use the second screen all the time for the quick flashlight access and for controlling Play Music when the phones docked in my car.
Your phone is either a dud, or you've got an app rampaging in the background somewhere.
Edit: ignore my broken TV. It somehow was cracked while wall mounting, and we handled it like it was the world's most valuable but brittle gem stone.

The second screen is practically a requirement for me after a year with the v10, the music controls without turning on the phone is such a fantastic feature along with the quick function shortcuts.
I am going to definitely miss it if the v series turns into a non removable battery phone or the note 8 grabs my attention.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

egren58 said:
I feel like this phone is a great phone for a small audience.. And that's for music lovers.. Other than that this phone is actually pretty bad... The camera is useless with all the grain.. The screen is horrible at night it bleeds out so much.. The UI is disgusting.. And OMG THE LAG IS ABSURD.. How they released a phone thats constatly lagging..
Tbh very disappointed I have never returned a phone in my life. And I buy almost every phone that's release... Now I have no option to switch to iphone 7 until I can find a pixel xl for a good deal...
T-Mobile 918h
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Click to collapse
Honestly, just learn how to root it. It fixes every problem you have and more.

StarCommand said:
Honestly, just learn how to root it. It fixes every problem you have and more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been rooted. Since day one..

egren58 said:
I have been rooted. Since day one..
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Click to collapse
If I can't root a phone I don't want it lol.
Also, maybe its the ROM your using, there are a lot of factors that play a part.