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Galaxy S3 or One S ?

I've been searching everywhere for a comparison thread or video or anything between the T-Mobile One S and Galaxy S3 . I right now have the One S and I am torn between this and the S3, so simple question, what phone do you think is better and why? T-mobile One S or T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3 ( we pretty much know the specs)
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using XDA

As always, this is a question of tastes, likes and dislikes.
Looking only at the specs, the S3 is better.
But looking at practicability I think the One S is better.

If you don't care for the money go for the S3.
The benefits of the one s over the s3 are better price, better haptic due to the smaller screen and better touch due to the aluminium body.
On the other side the s3 comes with bigger battery, sd card support, better screen (hd), better cpu and probably the bigger fanbase in the future... Therefore more developers.
I don't use touchwiz or sense so this wouldnt matter for me.
Gesendet von meinem HTC One S mit Tapatalk 2

this is what ive been wondering. i have till the 18th to return my htc one s if i dont like it (since i get 30 days to return it here in california). ive had reboots, signal going in and out which has been driving me nuts and wifi calling dropping calls for no reason when i have full wifi signal. also i think the gs3 looks like crap to me and cheap and the htc one s looks way better, but the GS3 does have better features (IMO) then the htc one s.
Galaxy S3:
Bigger screen
HD screen
Expandable micro sd card
Bigger battery and also can be replaced
More ram 1gb vs 2gb which might not even matter
I think the cpu and gpu is the same as the htc one s
NFC
HTC One S:
Much better design and sexier
Camera software is better (i think it is)
Htc sense 4.0 (which i think is much better then touchwiz)
I figure for the money im better off with the gs3 since i paid 250 plus taxes for my one s. but i will see.

Firstly the GS 3 does NOT have a better processor, just because it is "quad" does not mean that it is better
The S/XL/X AT&T/Evo 4G LTE uses the latest snapdragon chip, the S4 dual core krait. Have a look at the benchmarks comparing the GS 3 and the HTC One S and the HTC One X (Snapdragon S4)
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9300_galaxy_s_iii-review-761p5.php
Unless you are looking at the version that the USA is getting in which case the GS 3 will then have the s4 as well.
Also just because the GS 3 has a bigger battery does not mean that it is also going to be better
Many factors affect battery life:
- screen size/type/res.
- driver/software optimization for battery
- the hardware that is used especially the CPU
etc.
So due to the bigger screen/higher res, the bigger battery is needed.
From what I have seen (from people who know what to post for screenshots regarding battery life and the required info. ) and heard from a friend (who owns the GS 3), the battery life does not sound that good, seems very average and only slightly better than the X.
Also just look at the atrix, it had a big battery, yet its battery life was terrible.
However, due to the s4 being very power efficient, the battery life could be a fair bit better than the exynos quad gs3,
version.
At least you will be able to get an extended battery though
The GS 3 only has 1GB of RAM as well (USA version has 2GB). There really is no need for any more RAM.
The GPU in the GS 3 is better (the GPU in the GS3 USA version is the same as the HTC one s [adreno 225])
So to sum up, if you want a bigger/better screen, more storage for dropbox, internal and the choice of using an SD card, NFC, better 1080P video recording (camera/photos seems good, but not a huge difference from what I can see and the HTC one/Sense V4 has a lot more features and some of them are great along with a better UI IMO) and a larger developing community go for the GS 3.
Although play with the GS 3 first and see what you think of touchwiz as I personally don't like it one bit, hate the colour scheme, modded apps and feels like a big step down from sense V4 overall IMO. Although touchwiz is tweaked very well under the bonnet.
Also you may find the GS 3 to be too big.

I think the OP is talking about the T-Mobile Galaxy S3 which will have dual core not a quad. Sure it all comes down to preference, would you like to have "TAMPERED" written to your bootloader and documented by the same company that is supposed to honor your warranty ? How bout a VGA front camera ? Maybe the atrocious cut out for the ****ty front camera? How bout poorly designed antennae that struggle to get a signal inside a building ? What about a non expandable 16gb memory device of which only about 10 is free ?
Touchwiz and Sense both hog resources, but TW is much, much lighter. The One S restarts Sense every chance it gets, and has a serious multitasking problem.

KillaHurtz said:
Sure it all comes down to preference, would you like to have "TAMPERED" written to your bootloader and documented by the same company that is supposed to honor your warranty ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not an issue for a lot of people as some are happy with the stock ROM in its current state and see no reason to root and flash a custom ROM yet as the 1S is super fast and smooth out of the box with great battery life and features.
Also is that not only if you use their method via their website for unlocking or whatever it is?
KillaHurtz said:
How bout a VGA front camera ? Maybe the atrocious cut out for the ****ty front camera?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the front camera really that important? Out of all my friends and family that I know who also have a front camera on their android phones, no one actually uses it......
The quality isn't amazing, but it isn't terrible....
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That was taken with some light coming in through the window (however, it is very cloudy outside, so it would be much better when we have blue skies)
The "atrocious cut out" There is nothing wrong with it IMO.
On the other hand the notification LED is atrocious and probably the cheapest/tackiest way that HTC implemented it.
At least the entire design and looks of the S is far better than the white & pebble blue GS 3, which looks like a cheap fisher price toy IMO......
Might be built very well and durable (not as durable as the GS 2 by the looks of things though) but there is no denying that in terms of "perceived quality" the HTC handsets especially the S due to the aluminium unibody/MAO process are still leagues ahead of Samsung.
KillaHurtz said:
How bout poorly designed antennae that struggle to get a signal inside a building ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had my device since release day and have had no problems with the signal whatsoever no matter where I am, just took these SS when in a shopping centre in the car park level (bottom level out of three levels) and this is my signal with a H connection, which usually results in a weaker voice reception as opposed to a G/E connection:
KillaHurtz said:
What about a non expandable 16gb memory device of which only about 10 is free ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not an issue for some people otherwise we wouldn't have even laid eyes on the device just like the others....
Unless you plan on throwing your entire music collection (can use google music as well instead) on to your device along with films etc. then there won't be any problem with storage.
Over 500 photos including lots of 1080P recordings, along with emulator files, wallpapers etc. over 60 apps installed (including games) and I still have plenty of storage.
KillaHurtz said:
Touchwiz and Sense both hog resources, but TW is much, much lighter. The One S restarts Sense every chance it gets, and has a serious multitasking problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have only had 2 reloads of the sense launcher when I was just using pure stock and it was only after returning from a game whilst using the browser as well. I have disabled a lot of sense widgets/apps etc. and use apex launcher, ics browser +, snowstorm weather widget, smooth calendar, APW calendar 4x4 widget, switch pro, and tasks free widget, swiftkey beta 3 and I have no problems with the multi-tasking, or any reloads whatsoever now.
And for the people who are experiencing the "serious" problems with the multi-tasking I am sure HTC will eventually release an update tweaking it or they could just root the mobile and install this app and then set the multi-tasking to what you want:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...t=W251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5ycy5hdXRva2lsbGVyIl0
I have had the GS 2 (on stock ICS) right beside my 1S (complete stock sense) and the 1S was noticeably quicker and smoother in every area that I tried be it browsing, games, loading apps/menus, carrying tasks out etc.
The GS 3 seems to have just as many problems as well, seems to be some wifi problems, screen problems amongst other problems and I am sure as time goes on and more and more people get their GS 3 will see even more posts stating problems etc. just like what it was with the 1S.
No device is perfect out of the box, guaranteed that every single device will have problems, even the iphones, which are suppose "to just work out of the box" have problems with the screen, buzzing in ear piece, poor battery life for a lot of handsets and signal problems as well etc.
And just because people experience certain problems with their devices does not mean that it applies to every single handset there is in the world.....

When OP asks this question here, I assume you ask the same on s3 forum cos you will for sure have most of people recommend one s here and s3 there.
There is no definitely good or bad, or better or worse between these two. Even one s is not HTC's flagship, give it to other brands, it could enough take the crown.
We could only rationally compare the specs and provide personal preference which is so depending on individules. I wouldn't deny that s3 does have better specs in some areas but one s wins in others. And one s has a few issues such as the mao coating chipping off. But it does not stop us loving the phone, rather, it only makes us love it even more cos only when you care your device, you want it better, right? Just like me, I never know what problem s3 has and will have, simply because I don't really care, I am satisfied with my beloved one s and I am pretty sure I will keep loving it since it is almost almost perfect.
So, the best way to find out which one to get, is to see the specs first, then find out any issues with both, especially if there is any deal breaking one, if you still cannot decide, go play with both in your local shops and feel them yourselves. However, I do recommend avoiding black one s cos it has hardware issue, but grey one is fine.
In the end I would say, I lovey my one s! Hope lots of people do the same (of course, try love your one s, not mine )
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA

if you're mad about the reboots and random issues it has when it first came out don't think the s3 is going to be perfect and bug free either cause you're going to be dissapointed if you gave up ur one S for a rebooting brick

icecicle said:
if you're mad about the reboots and random issues it has when it first came out don't think the s3 is going to be perfect and bug free either cause you're going to be dissapointed if you gave up ur one S for a rebooting brick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only problem I have is the multi tasking on it, and also this weird screen flickering
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using XDA

s10shane said:
this is what ive been wondering. i have till the 18th to return my htc one s if i dont like it (since i get 30 days to return it here in california). ive had reboots, signal going in and out which has been driving me nuts and wifi calling dropping calls for no reason when i have full wifi signal. also i think the gs3 looks like crap to me and cheap and the htc one s looks way better, but the GS3 does have better features (IMO) then the htc one s.
Galaxy S3:
Bigger screen
HD screen
Expandable micro sd card
Bigger battery and also can be replaced
More ram 1gb vs 2gb which might not even matter
I think the cpu and gpu is the same as the htc one s
NFC
HTC One S:
Much better design and sexier
Camera software is better (i think it is)
Htc sense 4.0 (which i think is much better then touchwiz)
I figure for the money im better off with the gs3 since i paid 250 plus taxes for my one s. but i will see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im in the EXACT same boat as you. I got my One S for 290 on Tmo with upgrade and am looking to sell back my One S for the GSiii. The only thing is I have til the end of this week to decide! Haha. If I sell back to T-Mo, will I be able to upgrade again?

Regarding reboots, since release day pretty much, I have only had 2 reboots and they both happened when I was using swiftkey beta 3, so it may have been related to that app due to it being in "beta" stages.....
Haven't had any more reboots since the latest beta version and update for the 1S *touch wood*

Closed Source Project said:
Im in the EXACT same boat as you. I got my One S for 290 on Tmo with upgrade and am looking to sell back my One S for the GSiii. The only thing is I have til the end of this week to decide! Haha. If I sell back to T-Mo, will I be able to upgrade again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah u can still upgrade if u return it within the 30 days or whatever days u have. i probably will trade mine back in right before it ends. it just depends on how much the gs3 cost me. i cant stand no micro sd card expansion. i know we get drop box but what good is drop box when ur out and u get crappy 2g? its pretty much useless and so is google music. this is why i would much rather have expandable memory so i dont have to rely on my internet connection. it just sucks to give up such a sexy ass device plus i normally hate samsung and love htc but i feel like im getting more for my money if the gs3 cost me the same as the htc one s cost me. if it cost more then i will stick with the one s.

s10shane said:
yeah u can still upgrade if u return it within the 30 days or whatever days u have. i probably will trade mine back in right before it ends. it just depends on how much the gs3 cost me. i cant stand no micro sd card expansion. i know we get drop box but what good is drop box when ur out and u get crappy 2g? its pretty much useless and so is google music. this is why i would much rather have expandable memory so i dont have to rely on my internet connection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is the exact same reason I am considering switching over for. Thanks for the reply, nice to know I get my upgrade privilege back. If you find out how much the GSiii will cost on upgrade, please let me know. I will do the same for you
EDIT: I read Samsung states that the newest device should be 199 with contract (upgrade I assume as well if TMo is good). So same price if not cheaper if TMo does or doesn't have the 50 mail in rebate like with the One S (at least for me in Chicago). I found that on THIS article.

Closed Source Project said:
That is the exact same reason I am considering switching over for. Thanks for the reply, nice to know I get my upgrade privilege back. If you find out how much the GSiii will cost on upgrade, please let me know. I will do the same for you
EDIT: I read Samsung states that the newest device should be 199 with contract (upgrade I assume as well if TMo is good). So same price if not cheaper if TMo does or doesn't have the 50 mail in rebate like with the One S (at least for me in Chicago). I found that on THIS article.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet if its 199 with no rebates then I will get it asap. I paid 250 plus tax and over night shipping which cost me 340 which is kinda to much money for this phone. I sent the rebate in but it can take up to 8 weeks to get my 50
Sent From My HTC One S Using XDA Premium App

As I see it the main reason to choose the one s over sgs3 is the size. And that was a good enough reason for me
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA

Habarug said:
As I see it the main reason to choose the one s over sgs3 is the size. And that was a good enough reason for me
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the size is nice and its 720p which is also nice. I like the expandable micro sd and the removable battery is nice as well and NFC support.
Sent From My HTC One S Using XDA Premium App

Terminator19 said:
Not an issue for a lot of people as some are happy with the stock ROM in its current state and see no reason to root and flash a custom ROM yet as the 1S is super fast and smooth out of the box with great battery life and features.
Also is that not only if you use their method via their website for unlocking or whatever it is?
Is the front camera really that important? Out of all my friends and family that I know who also have a front camera on their android phones, no one actually uses it......
The quality isn't amazing, but it isn't terrible....
That was taken with some light coming in through the window (however, it is very cloudy outside, so it would be much better when we have blue skies)
The "atrocious cut out" There is nothing wrong with it IMO.
On the other hand the notification LED is atrocious and probably the cheapest/tackiest way that HTC implemented it.
At least the entire design and looks of the S is far better than the white & pebble blue GS 3, which looks like a cheap fisher price toy IMO......
Might be built very well and durable (not as durable as the GS 2 by the looks of things though) but there is no denying that in terms of "perceived quality" the HTC handsets especially the S due to the aluminium unibody/MAO process are still leagues ahead of Samsung.
I have had my device since release day and have had no problems with the signal whatsoever no matter where I am, just took these SS when in a shopping centre in the car park level (bottom level out of three levels) and this is my signal with a H connection, which usually results in a weaker voice reception as opposed to a G/E connection:
Not an issue for some people otherwise we wouldn't have even laid eyes on the device just like the others....
Unless you plan on throwing your entire music collection (can use google music as well instead) on to your device along with films etc. then there won't be any problem with storage.
Over 500 photos including lots of 1080P recordings, along with emulator files, wallpapers etc. over 60 apps installed (including games) and I still have plenty of storage.
I have only had 2 reloads of the sense launcher when I was just using pure stock and it was only after returning from a game whilst using the browser as well. I have disabled a lot of sense widgets/apps etc. and use apex launcher, ics browser +, snowstorm weather widget, smooth calendar, APW calendar 4x4 widget, switch pro, and tasks free widget, swiftkey beta 3 and I have no problems with the multi-tasking, or any reloads whatsoever now.
And for the people who are experiencing the "serious" problems with the multi-tasking I am sure HTC will eventually release an update tweaking it or they could just root the mobile and install this app and then set the multi-tasking to what you want:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...t=W251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5ycy5hdXRva2lsbGVyIl0
I have had the GS 2 (on stock ICS) right beside my 1S (complete stock sense) and the 1S was noticeably quicker and smoother in every area that I tried be it browsing, games, loading apps/menus, carrying tasks out etc.
The GS 3 seems to have just as many problems as well, seems to be some wifi problems, screen problems amongst other problems and I am sure as time goes on and more and more people get their GS 3 will see even more posts stating problems etc. just like what it was with the 1S.
No device is perfect out of the box, guaranteed that every single device will have problems, even the iphones, which are suppose "to just work out of the box" have problems with the screen, buzzing in ear piece, poor battery life for a lot of handsets and signal problems as well etc.
And just because people experience certain problems with their devices does not mean that it applies to every single handset there is in the world.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this post almost completely.....except that I am definately having the data issue. I am hoping against hope that the ghost firmware update will correct this.
I returned mine yesterday and am having the same problem with this second one.
Edit-I think I'm in a fringe/low lieing area. I never get a real good signal, but the indicator fluctuates wildly. Mostly at 1-2 bars or less.
I myself would choose the One S over the SIII. Which I did.
I was a little concerned about the battery but it has turned out to be a non issue. Battery life is superb!

Changed my mind. I am sticking with the One S. Build quality is wayyyy better plus I would have to shoot myself in the groin if I had to deal with TouchWiz, even for one day. It's nice that you can have much more memory, but that's about it.

Closed Source Project said:
Changed my mind. I am sticking with the One S. Build quality is wayyyy better plus I would have to shoot myself in the groin if I had to deal with TouchWiz, even for one day. It's nice that you can have much more memory, but that's about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah it does suck but at least there is apex launcher which makes any phone nicer lol. plus im sure there will be a cm9 rom for it somewhere along the way. lol im still thinking about it. i probably wont make up my mind till i see the pricing official from tmobile

HTC One Vs. Samsung Galaxy S4

I have seen SO many threads about the pro's and con's of both handsets and most are based on bias because people just want to justify their purchase one way or another or are comparing 5 minutes of use in a shop with their every day phone. I have now got both phones and here is my "opinion" of the pros and cons for both....
Screen:
The One's screen is stunning but feels small compared to the S4 and while I am one of those people who prefers the unnatural oversaturated colours offered by the S4 the sharpness seems way better on the one. Icons on the S4 have a slight fuzzy look to them compare to the One like a JPG being stretched. Could all be down to the screen size which as I said I much prefer the S4's larger screen.
Design:
This is a lot of preference but anyone who says the S4 is better looking than the One is on crack or like I said justifying their own purchase. The Samsung's plastic obviously has benefits like being able to change the back cover when it is scratched and removable to access the battery or SD card (which I don't care about the battery as I don't keep phones for longer than 12 months usually and as long as the phone has ample storage for me I am fine). Also the plastic on the S4 feels greasy and gets dirty with fingerprints very easily. One thing that a lot of people don't like that Samsung keeps doing but I love is the physical home button. The fact I can with one hand turn the phone on with the home button is WAY better than the two handed approach with the One which the power can only be turned on by the power button on the top left. On a funny note I left my old S3 on the S4 box in my office and someone walked in and picked it up and said "wow how amazing is the new S4 it looks so much better than the S3", might be a good thing because people obviously like the look but it shows that the 4 isn't that big of a difference from the 3.
Camera:
This has been done to death but believe me that both are great. If the HTC had a 8mp camera it would be the definitive Android phone but it doesn't. Both has a lot of tricks and features and both do a great job. The HTC does a better job with low light and with moving objects and the S4 has way more details.
Sound:
HTC wins this hands down. Not only with the built in speaks but with headphones too. Samsungs audio player also pales in comparison to HTC's which is as with everything on the HTC beautiful and consistent with the resat of the OS but also correctly downloads album art and lyrics to play in a Karaoke mode.
Software:
This one I am really in two minds about and my comparison is purely on stock.. The HTC's new Sense is pretty amazing. Its fast and has a consistency in its look that Samsung should take note of. I have owned a S2 and S3 and Touchwiz has barely changed. Why is the SMS app black but the mail app is white and the calendar app is a wooden brown? It seriously feels like Samsung has way too many programmers working on Android and gave them all one app or part of the interface to work on and didn't allow them to communicate to the other people to get a consistent look. Its ugly and isn't customisable in many situations. I have shown people the S4 and they marvel at how smooth it is but until you actually run it along side the One for a period its hard to describe how much smoother the One is. Never stutters never and little pauses or skipping of animations like the S4 does. On the other hand all the things the S4 can do are cool, if not gimmicky and useless. Samsung have better support from developers and as such things like my Fitbit sync wirelessly with the S4 but not my One, Grindr crashes constantly on the One and more. Support for the one is pretty amazing already and its still brand new. I also love the fact I can download a ROM and easily install it which you can not do easily on the HTC. I only every use stock but I will use the Stock UK or American or German or what ever version is the newest as here in Australia new ROM are usually released pretty slowly. It becomes an addiction every day looking if a new Android version or ROM has been released to install and try on your Samsung. 90% of the S4's new features I have turned off, they aren't guaranteed to work 100% of the time and can be more trouble than they are worth. Example Smart stay... this rarely happens but it does happen and did happen with my S3 too is that I will put the phone down on my desk at work and it will never turn the screen off, some how it thinks my office's ceiling is a face and stays on. The one feature I do love of the S4 is the one where you wave your hand over it and it lights up for a few seconds to show the clock and alerts then turns back off. Also something simple that the S4 does that the HTC doesn't which I didn't realise until I had both was when you get a message or alert the Samsung turns the screen on and displays it (admittedly in an ugly pastel coloured but for SMS's) but the HTC will never turn the screen on unless you press the power button. I will also mention that Samsung's Touchwiz also seems unpolished and incomplete, little things like the MP3 player on the lock screen not correctly fitting and cutting the bottom off just makes me think again that Samsung's developers didn't work together to produce a single OS but instead a mish mash of individual bits to make one up (maybe they rushed it out to steal some of HTC's thunder).
Hardware:
Obviously Samsung wins this hands down but once again with Touchwiz slowing down the S4 the One just feels faster. Benchmarks are great but you don't live your life in a benchmark how the phone functions in every day use is what counts. All the sensors and support that Samsung has is way better than HTC. Just simple things like putting a magnet in the phone so covers know when they are closed and turn the phone off. Simple yet awesome. The fact that Samsung continues to make a flagship phone with only 16gb and then used up over half of it with is ugly bloated OS is just beyond forgiveness. So many people say well use the SD card but always remember that you can not install apps to the SD card and a few big games and your phone can be full. HTC has a 32 and 64gb model readily available here in Australia and I guarantee that the 32 and 64gb models of the S4 NEVER get launched here just like they did with the S3. SO many promises broken, no size over 16gb and no wireless charger released even though they showed them off at the launch.
Battery:
Both easily got me through a days use. The HTC didn't last as long in standby and the S4 didn't last as long in use so they pretty much evened each other out. The fact the S4 supports wireless charging is a huge plus for me. People ***** about its useless and not as fast as a cable but they obviously don't get it. With wireless Qi charging you can still use the cable when your in a hurry and need a fast charge but the convenience of just sitting the phone on my desk charger at work and its charging is priceless. I work 9-5 so if it sits on the charger for 8 hours then its never going to go flat on me. I don't have to worry about one of the staff stealing my Micro USB cable (which happens all the time) or even looking for a cable its just amazingly convenient to sit it down and its charging. I have ordered one of those Chinese Wireless Qi inserts for the S4 and cant wit to use it. You cant add that to the One and the One is very slow charging. VERY SLOW.
Conclusion:
Both phones are the pinnacle of Android technology right now for mobile phones and both deserve to be hugely successful. In the end I stuck with the S4 as my every day phone simply because the support it has from app developers like fitbit like I mentioned before, optional wireless charging, the home button, the screen size and the fact I can flash ROMs when ever I feel like it. Every now and then I think I have made a mistake and should keep using the One, mainly when I look at how ugly Touchwiz is and when I get stutters in the OS which is unforgiveable for a phone with this kind of power. All the flaws in the S4 can be fixed with software and I one day hope Samsung wakes up and makes Touchwiz have the same beautiful look and constancy of Sense, till then I will download other apps to replace Samsung's and hope the speed issues are resolved in updates in the future which I can flash so easily when ever I want to.

thanks for the recap on every other review out there. you are in the s4 forum, therefore s4 > htc one to all users here who arent trolls.

bnathan said:
Sound:
HTC wins .....
with headphones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are not talking about exynos variant right?

HTC One Cons:
- CID based roms
- Locked Bootloader, unlocking it will cost you a part of you warranty and a lot of anger if turned in for repair
- Slow updates
- Hboot versions determines wether you can flash/update a rom
This for me is enough not to buy any HTC even if it would be made of gold

iphone!

I was using the S600 9505 variant. And my post may have gone over things that reviews and such may have mentioned but no review covers it all and I have not seen a single review mention things like the fact the HTC screen doesn't turn on to show notifications.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

Wow, yet another biased review that makes out its unbiased.....Jesus.
Couple of points:
With TW, you can change the background of the SMS app, if that annoys you? So what if its a different colour to the mail app.
Sense, unlike touchwiz doesn't have the quick settings it the notification bar. Sooooo convenient to be able to toggle things quickly without having to add widgets to the home screen.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk (how ironic is that eh)

What do you mean bias? Seems like your here to defend your decision to buy the S4. I have used both phones for weeks and I gave my observations. Simple. Not biased. I still love my S4 and that's what I am using today so I am hardly here to bash it.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium

Do we really need another useless thread?
You should carry on here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=40865558

I've seen so many threads about the pros and cons of the S4 I decided to make another one.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

Tomo1971 said:
Wow, yet another biased review that makes out its unbiased.....Jesus.
Couple of points:
With TW, you can change the background of the SMS app, if that annoys you? So what if its a different colour to the mail app.
Sense, unlike touchwiz doesn't have the quick settings it the notification bar. Sooooo convenient to be able to toggle things quickly without having to add widgets to the home screen.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk (how ironic is that eh)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, another bias review and he says its unbiased. SMH....
---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 AM ----------
marcadam said:
I've seen so many threads about the pros and cons of the S4 I decided to make another one.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LMAO

Finally a comparison between the two. I couldn't find any.

WTF guys?! This is the general thread. OP had both devices and felt like posting his thoughts. You dont like? Move the #$^#$^ along and keep your opinions to yourself.

I dont get cretins that like Unibody design phones with no storage expansion.
Ok, on built 32 GB of space is ok, its just that when you already have a nice and good microSD card, you would need to throw that thing away and you would need to tediously copy the data from the sd card to the phone.
What about the battery? After 2 years, if you intend to keep the phone, your battery is going to be much weaker than when you bought it. Batteries get weaker with time and lose their performancel.
Sure you can keep going on, but good luck using that thing with 50% or less battery performance after 2 years.

bnathan said:
I have seen SO many threads and most are based on bias
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
here is my "opinion"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Conclusion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These types of threads are funny and fairly frequent. OP, this is what you're essentially saying - "everyone else's opinion isn't as good as mine so let me tell you what's really going on." And there's bias throughout your post and that's OK; but call it that. Everyone wants different things so their view is always going to take that in to account no matter how objective they try to be. I like Samsung's s/w features and Sense doesn't even have Awake Stay. So if I were to review TW vs. Sense which do you think I'd like best? But that's just me and I know I'm in the minority; at least on XDA. When expressing an individual opinion the best approach is to state your position, describe how you use your device, share your findings and then let others draw a conclusion based on their needs as to which phone or feature is "best."

Iphones?
As if we really need threads like this
Enviado desde un Samsung Galaxia S Cuatro LTE

HDR video from my S4

Dear god who gives a ****
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

If i had to choose between the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One, it would be the Galaxy S4 by a long mile. Or not really since i already have the Samsung Galaxy S4 now
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There are many reasons why i did choose the Galaxy S4 over the HTC One. And maybe some of my reasons are the same reasons for you to choose the Galaxy S4 over the HTC One. I'm gonna write down all of my reasons to buy the Galaxy S4 here, so this post might get pretty long.
1. Polycarbonate body. Since this Polycarbonate body is made out of some kind of plastic, it doesn't spread the heat around your whole hand when the phone gets hot. Yes, alumininum looks and feels great, but it have a negative side because aluminum spreads the heat way more out than plastic does. Therefor, the HTC One will spread the heat to your whole hand instead of having the heat on one place only when it gets hot, like it is on the Galaxy S4.
This article shows how hot the Galaxy S4 gets under heavy usage and where the heat is and how the heat spreads out: http://blog.gsmarena.com/thermal-im...rfaces-shows-that-the-device-rarely-gets-hot/
2. HTC One gets alot hotter than the Galaxy S4 according to NordicHardware's test of the Galaxy S4. And therefor my reason number 1 is pretty valid. The article is in Swedish though, so if you want it translated, then use Google Translate.
I see some complaints that the Galaxy S4 gets pretty hot for someone. And if the Galaxy S4 gets that hot, then the HTC One for sure gets even hotter and even more bad to hold.
3. It have a microSD card slot. So yeah, i'm currently using a Samsung MicroSDXC Pro UHS-1 64 GB Class 10 card in my Galaxy S4 witch is great. Taking tons if pictures and recoring alot of videos when you are on a vacation is going to take up a HUUUUUGE amount of space. And not to mention that 1080p movies are needed when you have a 1080p screen. And those 1080p movies can take huge amount of space to. Same goes to alot of mp3 files / musics.
4. It have a removable battery witch means you can change out to a fully charged battery when you are out of battery on your main battery in 10 seconds. This allows you to keep doing what you are doing without having a big massive brick of a battery pack with you witch will be in your way when you are using the phone.
Or you can even buy a bigger battery that gives you over 3000 mAh (an example) witch will last you for ages.
5. It have a cleaner and better design than the HTC One. This is my opinion after holding and looking at the HTC One.
6. 5 inch screen is better than 4.7 inch screen. Specially when the Galaxy S4 are smaller in size than the HTC One.
7. The Super AMOLED screen on the Galaxy S4 is way better than the IPS LCD screen on the HTC One, because you can choose if you want the colors to really pop or if you just want to have perfect color accuracy (thanks to the Adobe RGB / Professional Photo mode) on the phone.
8. It have Android 4.2.2 witch is better than Android 4.1.2 that the HTC One have.
9. Samsung releases Android updates way faster than HTC.
10. It have alot of sensors witch i find great. No other smartphones have this many sensor inside a phone.
11. It have tons of cool and handy features witch i mean is there to bring the development of the current smartphones forward rather than just updating something you already have or something existing on your phone or just stand still like iOS have done since 2009. Some of the features the Galaxy S4 have doesn't really works optimal yet, but i still think it's pretty nice to have those features and they will also get better in future updates. It's always handy to have WHEN you need it and when you want to use them.
12. It's lighter and thinner witch makes it more pocket friendly. Not only that, but the backside of the phone is more flatter witch makes it better to use on a flat surface.
13. The camera on the Galaxy S4 are WAY WAY better than the HTC One in light situations. Here are some pictures i have been taking with my Samsung Galaxy S4. Remember that those pictures under are BIG.
Here is a picture of the same flower with HDR effect on.
As you can see, the true power of the Galaxy S4's camera makes the HTC One's camera to looks horrible in light situations.
14. The sound quality when you are recording videos are also better than the HTC One's sound quality. The proof is here:
15. The HTC One wasn't available when i had to buy a new phone. So since the Galaxy S4 was available when i needed a new phone, then i bought the Galaxy S4.
So there you have it. This is 15 of my reasons why i bought the Galaxy S4 over the HTC One.

Here is a little help, if you can't decide whether to take the one or s4:

Galaxy Note 3 vs HTC One Max

The way I see it, the Note II is the best smartphone available still. The combination of screen size, storage options, S Pen, and most important to me... True BATTERY LIFE!
Ever since I bought my FIRST and current smartphone, the HTC Evo 3D with sprint, I have been GREATLY disappointed with my battery life, screen size, and terrible camera! You guys here made the best choice... I have never seen a phone hold a crown and reign like the Note II has.
My contract is finally up (since April of this year) and I am poised and ready to pull the trigger once again. Although it's early...
Will it be the NOTE III or The HTC One Max for you guys based on the current news? Will the HTC max even peek your interest? Or are you set in your samsung ways?
I need your help because I don't wanna be unhappy for 2 years again.

It depends if Samsung opts for LCD or AMOLED.

I completely agree with your thoughts written in the first half of your message. I have Samsung Galaxy Note 2 since December 2012 and this SUPERPHONE is absolutely amazing. It's like a small computer in your hand with amazing screen, good battery, s-pen. Did not have any problems with this smartphone during these seven month. It's still the best smartphone in the market in term of browsing the Web, working with Office, playing games, reading e-books etc. By the way, I use this additional battery dock: http://www.mobili.lt/lt/aksesuarai/samsung/811205.html which allows me to be completely free and do not be tied to a power cord during the day.
So, I strongly recommend you to choose Samsung Galaxy Note 3 instead of HTC ONE Max because the absence of a removable battery is a big minus to HTC especially if you are a 'hard core' user.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Btw note 3 will have 2 sd card slot. If htc max miraculously have a 3500mah + removable batt + spen then i might consider getting htc Lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

limitbreak09 said:
Btw note 3 will have 2 sd card slot. If htc max miraculously have a 3500mah + removable batt + spen then i might consider getting htc Lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We're talking about two phones that no one has real details on yet. Here's some safe assumptions about the N3:
It'll have a more powerful Octa than the SGS4 or S-800
It'll have a 1080P (most likely) AMOLED display
It'll either be the same size as the N2 with a bigger display but thinner and lighter (à la the SGS4) or the display will increase a lot as will the size of the device
It'll have all the new features of the SGS4 plus some we don't know about yet
It'll most likely have a bigger battery and get better battery life than the N2
It'll have a 13MP camera and may have OIS and optical zoom if the rumors turn out to be correct
It'll most likely continue the current Samsung design language (EG: "evolutionary")
Here's some guesses about the One Max:
It may have expandable storage; the Butterfly S finally does
It won't have a removable battery because it's against HTC's religion and hampers their design creativity
It won't have an inductive display and will use N-trig (like the XZ Ultra) which offers no pen sensitivity and prohibits things like Air View and hover
It may have some inking apps (HTC Scribe 2.0?) but they won't be as comprehensive as S Note because HTC offers very few s/w features that Samsung does even on their flagship devices (they don't even have an Awake Stay equivalent)
It should look and feel great; just like the One does
This same "vs." conversation is going on in the XZ Ultra vs. Note comparison thread. The Note's designed for consumption. Samsung's tagline for it is "Be Creative" and half of the features listed on their website talk about creation. I doubt that other devices will offer that level of creation support. But it's obvious quite a few people don't care and buy the Note for its big-ass display. For those people, devices like the OG Pro, Ultra, Max, and Mega are possible considerations. For productivity users and creators it's hard to see anything coming close to the Note-series. Lovers of giant phones, you have a lot more choices.

artorelis said:
I completely agree with your thoughts written in the first half of your message. I have Samsung Galaxy Note 2 since December 2012 and this SUPERPHONE is absolutely amazing. It's like a small computer in your hand with amazing screen, good battery, s-pen. Did not have any problems with this smartphone during these seven month. It's still the best smartphone in the market in term of browsing the Web, working with Office, playing games, reading e-books etc. By the way, I use this additional battery dock: http://www.mobili.lt/lt/aksesuarai/samsung/811205.html which allows me to be completely free and do not be tied to a power cord during the day.
So, I strongly recommend you to choose Samsung Galaxy Note 3 instead of HTC ONE Max because the absence of a removable battery is a big minus to HTC especially if you are a 'hard core' user.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A couple questions I have regarding the note 2. Many people did a screen time test where they left their screen on "never sleep" and reported up to 10hours battery life!
Does this test include having 4g, bluetooth, and gps on? Honesty we all just want phones that do everything they SAY they can do without dying halfway through the day.
Also when the Note II originally came out on shelves what were the on contract prices for the 16/32/64gb versions. With all the apps and games not going to SD card I would love having a 32 or 64gb version to be safe. But I don't want to break the bank. Don't wanna pay more than 350.
Thanks for the help guys

Etheridge Gray said:
A couple questions I have regarding the note 2. Many people did a screen time test where they left their screen on "never sleep" and reported up to 10hours battery life! Does this test include having 4g, bluetooth, and gps on? Honesty we all just want phones that do everything they SAY they can do without dying halfway through the day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A car rated at 25MPG on the highway can get 35MPG if it's going downhill, with a tailwind, with only the driver in it, with the tires over-inflated, and with the A/C off and windows up. Using the phone "normally" which is screen on auto-brightness and no power-saving tools active I can get 7.5 hours of screen-on time. And that's with some combination of Wi-Fi/HSPA on all the time and I have nine different syncs going constantly. I'm also a heavy BT user and haven't found that to be a big drain (EG: listening to music or making calls where the display is typically off). Based on the SGS3 vs. SGS4 I'd expect the N3 to do at least 25% better than the N2; maybe more.
Also when the Note II originally came out on shelves what were the on contract prices for the 16/32/64gb versions. With all the apps and games not going to SD card I would love having a 32 or 64gb version to be safe. But I don't want to break the bank. Don't wanna pay more than 350.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Western markets have matured and high-end smartphone sales are slowing down. I'd highly doubt that the N3 will be any more than the N2 was price-wise at launch. I don't know where you are but the U.S. contract price was $299 for the 16GB and I don't think any of the U.S. carriers offered versions with more storage. It's $199 most of the time now and can be had for $99 during timed promotions. The N2 was €640/£546 off-contract in Europe at launch. The N3 will end up with more s/w on it than the SGS4 because of S Pen. Samsung may make 32GB the starting storage size to avoid the debacle they had with the SGS4.

BarryH_GEG said:
A car rated at 25MPG on the highway can get 35MPG if it's going downhill, with a tailwind, with only the driver in it, with the tires over-inflated, and with the A/C off and windows up. Using the phone "normally" which is screen on auto-brightness and no power-saving tools active I can get 7.5 hours of screen-on time. And that's with some combination of Wi-Fi/HSPA on all the time and I have nine different syncs going constantly. I'm also a heavy BT user and haven't found that to be a big drain (EG: listening to music or making calls where the display is typically off). Based on the SGS3 vs. SGS4 I'd expect the N3 to do at least 25% better than the N2; maybe more.
Western markets have matured and high-end smartphone sales are slowing down. I'd highly doubt that the N3 will be any more than the N2 was price-wise at launch. I don't know where you are but the U.S. contract price was $299 for the 16GB and I don't think any of the U.S. carriers offered versions with more storage. It's $199 most of the time now and can be had for $99 during timed promotions. The N2 was €640/£546 off-contract in Europe at launch. The N3 will end up with more s/w on it than the SGS4 because of S Pen. Samsung may make 32GB the starting storage size to avoid the debacle they had with the SGS4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your honest and realistic response on the N2s battery life. 7.5 hours of SCREEN ON time is ridiculously good. Honestly I love everything about my current smartphone except for the few things I hate about it.
Battery life
Low internal storage
Terrible camera /camera flash/zoom especially in low light conditions.
I hate sprint where I live. Can't blame phone for that.
Small screen (4.3) only qHD.
I am hoping the N3 on Verizon's awesome network will fix my problems. It should be a upgrade on every front.
What are you guys thoughts on the galaxy s4s camera operating in the night? Do you think N3s camera will outshine the s4s? Camera and video recording will be HUGE for me!

Really appreciate the response guys. Now I know that it's not necessarily needed for those with N2s, but I thought I'd share this with yall.
Portable 12000 mAh battery. We all know it's not the most ground breaking news, but I would love to use this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ZBZ64Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1372698191&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

I'm just not seeing the sense in a comparison thread for 2 devices that don't exist yet.
Nice referral link btw.

I only one thing guys, after watching indeed criticism on s4 design, Samsung will have to do exceptional in note 3 to convince current note 2 users to upgrade. If the satisfaction level of s3 users was 7/10 then note 2 has 9/10 so its difficult to convince all 9 users to update their device. A lot of people are expecting that it will be shaped just like s4, if this is the way, it will a fail for most.

Note 3 IF it comes with SLCD or IPS. No more AMOLED for me, thank you.

I do believe that note 3 is just gonna look like the s4, but wait for S5 tho, i think thats the turning point where samsung will blow us away with a new design.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

sohebq said:
I only one thing guys, after watching indeed criticism on s4 design, Samsung will have to do exceptional in note 3 to convince current note 2 users to upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be launched in the fall, the N3 was probably about half way through development when the SGS4 was launched in the spring. It takes 6-9 months to design a mobile device, identify specs for all the components needed, source all those components, set up assembly lines, and test it all (making adjustments where necessary) to make sure you've got it right. When Samsung evolved the SGS4's design they did so intentionally; following in the footsteps of Apple who evolves their designs too. There was more commentary about "plastic again" then there was about the design itself.
A removable battery requires access to it and Samsung's method is a removable back cover. Said back cover needs to be flexible and durable. Metal and glass are obviously neither. Since they have a removable back cover they also leverage that by putting the SIM cards and expandable storage underneath it eliminating the need for slots on the side of the phone. Those slots with ejection mechanisms cost more, are points of failure, and add weight. I guess they could seal the back and provide a battery door but that would mean relocating all the SIM and SD card slot to the side of the phone. That would require valuable space along the side of the phone which Samsung uses for antennas. Moving to a sealed design with external slots while retaining a removable battery would mean all Samsung's current design methods would have to be discarded. Their subsequent replacement would be no trivial exercise.
No phone ever built has been as thin as the SGS4 with a removable battery. The OG Pro offers a removable battery; the only recently released device to do so. It's 9.4MM thick and weighs 172g. The N2 is the same thickness and 11G heavier. So whatever magic Samsung worked to get the SGS4 thinner (7.9MM), lighter, with a bigger battery, and a larger display will most likely be worked again on the N3. Which also means its design will follow in the SGS4's footsteps. So for those expecting something "revolutionary" I think you'll be disappointed. Personally, I've never been bothered by Samsung's designs or use of plastic. My devices aren't fashion accessories; I view them as tools. The removable battery and the ability to replace the back cover for $20 if I damage it are more important to me than aesthetics. The HTC One isn't selling well and for Q2 HTC will be down 21% YOY in revenue. So while it's truly a beautiful device materials and design wise there's obviously more to sales success than just a pretty face. For those that design is really important to you should probably look at the One Max and XZ Ultra.
limitbreak09 said:
I do believe that note 3 is just gonna look like the s4, but wait for S5 tho, i think thats the turning point where samsung will blow us away with a new design.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree. And they've already made a move in that direction. Last month they acquired 50% of SGL Group which is a leader in the use of carbon fiber. I'd expect that to factor in the SGS5's design. But it's way too late to impact the N3.
The South Korean company's materials arm, Samsung Petrochemical, has established the joint venture with carbon manufacturers SGL Group and will own 50 per cent of the joint company, Samsung SGL Carbon Composite Materials. In a joint statement, the two companies said they planned to develop new electronic applications built with carbon composite materials. The deal with SGL group will give Samsung access to an exclusive long-term supply of carbon materials​http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10141157/Carbon-fibre-phones-coming-from-Samsung.html

@barry
I agree with everything you said. Honestly I already felt this way. Who cares if it "FEELS" cheap if it performs top of the line and outperforms what FEELS durable and premium??
Furthermore, ever since I held the Galaxy SIII, I loved how light it was! It's one of the strong selling points for me. People just wanna complain because they are spoiled. Simple as that. Back to the N3..
I reallllly really really am concerned about the camera on the N3! I really want a camera that takes amazing shots in ALL environments! Especially low light to night shots with AND without flash. Camera is definitely something of paramount concern since I am a All-in-one kind of guy. And I know the N3 has the potential... But will it reach it??
I definitely have battery life concerns since we are increasing screen size and resolution, but at the same time trying to make the phone lighter and equal in size to the N2. Where will there be room for the 3500mah?? (that's the battery I'm hoping for!)

Etheridge Gray said:
[MENTION=307506]I reallllly really really am concerned about the camera on the N3! I really want a camera that takes amazing shots in ALL environments! Especially low light to night shots with AND without flash. Camera is definitely something of paramount concern since I am a All-in-one kind of guy. And I know the N3 has the potential... But will it reach it??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking forward to the camera and assuming it'll be the one in the SGS4. There are two sensors used in the SGS4; ExmorRS in Octa and ExmorR in S-600. The latter's an older version of Sony's sensor. My guess is that with the massive quantities of S-600 SGS4's produced (they are 2/3 of those built) they outpaced Sony's ability to supply the newer sensor so Samsung only used it in the i9500. Supply shouldn't be an issue with the N3 because it sells in lower volume than the SGS4.
The N3 should do significantly better in low light than the N2/SGS3; the SGS4 does. It won't do as well as HTC's new camera with its larger photosites. But with HTC's paltry 4MP resolution and just average daylight performance getting truly good low light performance is a trade-off. If the N3's camera has optical image stabilization and optical zoom it'll be a fantastic camera. I've seen some great shots taken with the SGS4. The best daylight shots I've seen from the One lack detail and have an "oil painting" look when viewed at full size. The One can capture shots in low light that the SGS4 can't touch but when all's said and done they aren't very good as most low light shots typically aren't because of focus issues and shutter delay caused by the lack of available lighting. So overall I think people will be happy but to those who low light performance means everything they may be disappointed and should consider the One Max which is using the same camera as the One.
This is what's capable with ExmorRS...
This is a great picture; social size.
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Here's a crop full size. 4MP doesn't give you a lot to work with when it comes to detail.

@barry
Thanks again for a very informative reply. Put my expectations into a realistic view, but it also lets me know that I shouldn't be disappointed either.
Looking back over 2 years ago when I got my android day 1 purchase.. I realize that waiting for a 2 year contract to expire makes alot of sense. If it was only a year we would not see the leap in technology like I soon will
Comparing my EVO 3D to my future Note 3..
4.3inch qHD vs. 5.7-6inch fullHD1080P
5MP Camera vs 13MP Camera
1GB internal storage vs 32GB
3G (no 4g w/sprint my area) vs. 4GLTE
1GB RAM vs. 3GB RAM
720p video vs 1080p at 30fps
Dual Core 1.2 vs up to 2.0 Quad-Core
1730mah battery vs. Maybe 3500mah
Need I mention software??
Truly an INSANE upgrade. I think everyone should wait 2 years. This way you will TRULY be IMPRESSED. No. Matter. What.
Thanks again Barry. You have really helped. I DEFINITELY think the I'll choose the N3 over the One Max. Time will tell for sure

Who knows what these 2 devices are going to be about. All I know is that the note 3 is my next phone A 1000% sure. The Note 2 was a smash hit, still is. Considering things are going to improve ( battery life, display, S pen features), IM SOLD. STFU AND TAKE MY MONEY NOW!
---------- Post added at 07:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:36 PM ----------
sohebq said:
I only one thing guys, after watching indeed criticism on s4 design, Samsung will have to do exceptional in note 3 to convince current note 2 users to upgrade. If the satisfaction level of s3 users was 7/10 then note 2 has 9/10 so its difficult to convince all 9 users to update their device. A lot of people are expecting that it will be shaped just like s4, if this is the way, it will a fail for most.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that Samsung is facing is biggest challenge yet, even bigger than the S3 to S4 upgrade because the note 2 was such a game changer, I honestly believe that it is one of those devices that are legendary ( like the S2, HD2, nexus one). When the note 2 came out, it impressed EVERYBODY ( reviewers, geeks, general consumers), turned some HTC fanboys into note 2 lovers ect... When I ordered the note 2 from the UK, I didn't expect it to have a flawless performance, didn't expect it to have amazing battery life, didn't know about multi window and all the new S pen features. Now that we know all that, how can Samsung really impress us? Its going to be tough to best the note 2 software wise I believe, especially because the note 3 will also launch with jelly bean, the note 2 had the advantage to launch with a brand new OS version at the time. In terms of specs we can expect an upgrade in pretty much every way but what new features like multi window, pop up browser is Samsung going to introduce? How well will it be implemented? Will it be flawless like the note 2 or with lots of stutter and bugs like the S4? I cant wait to find out.

barondebxl said:
I think that Samsung is facing is biggest challenge yet, even bigger than the S3 to S4 upgrade because the note 2 was such a game changer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's what people said about the Note I when it came out. It's amazing how much perception changes with time.
GSMArena - The Galaxy Note is a monster compared to regular phones - but then again, it's not exactly a phone. It's thin (9.7mm), light (you wouldn't guess it weighs 178g) and the rounded edges help ergonomics. But still, one handed use is a problem - your thumb most likely can't reach every point on the screen (certainly not comfortably) and unless you have big hands, you can't easily wrap your fingers around the Note to hold it without fear of dropping. Two-hand thumb typing is absolutely spot on, however. Pocketability is an issue too - you can certainly slip in into your pocket (the thin frame helps a lot here), but a lot of people won't find that solution acceptable. Still, most coat pockets or purses will find enough room for the Galaxy Note, which is worth having around with all that screen real-estate.
Verge - Arriving in a white, smartphone-sized box, the Galaxy Note goes to great efforts to convince you that it really is as portable as a phone. It’s not. The bezel around the display is minimal and the 9.65mm thickness is practically the same as on the latest iPhone, but there’s just no way to shrink that 5.3-inch display. Pocketing the Note is an exercise in either frustration or denial. Oh, it will fit inside your pants pocket, but try walking around with it there and you’ll see that fitting inside a space is only half the battle. You’ll need to either take to wearing blazers every time you go out or accept that you won’t be able to comfortably transport the Note somewhere around your body. Like most smartphones, the Note warms up during a long call, heating half of your face in the process, and there’s the social aspect to consider. Human society has yet to evolve to the point where it can witness a person holding up a massive slate of technology to his ear without attempting to make a bad joke about it.
Engadget - If you were holding out for a device that bridges the gap between smartphone and tablet, you'll want to take Note. It's an absolutely massive Android handset and a high-res pocketable tablet rolled into one. If you have the hands to support it, it may just be the best thing to happen to mobile devices since the capacitive touchscreen. You can take notes, doodle between (or during) meetings and make phone calls. Those calls can be placed using the built-in earpiece and mic, or via a Bluetooth headset, which we would recommend. Holding something this large up to your ear can be rather unpleasant -- and unsightly.

BarryH_GEG said:
Here's what people said about the Note I when it came out. It's amazing how much perception changes with time.
GSMArena - The Galaxy Note is a monster compared to regular phones - but then again, it's not exactly a phone. It's thin (9.7mm), light (you wouldn't guess it weighs 178g) and the rounded edges help ergonomics. But still, one handed use is a problem - your thumb most likely can't reach every point on the screen (certainly not comfortably) and unless you have big hands, you can't easily wrap your fingers around the Note to hold it without fear of dropping. Two-hand thumb typing is absolutely spot on, however. Pocketability is an issue too - you can certainly slip in into your pocket (the thin frame helps a lot here), but a lot of people won't find that solution acceptable. Still, most coat pockets or purses will find enough room for the Galaxy Note, which is worth having around with all that screen real-estate.
Verge - Arriving in a white, smartphone-sized box, the Galaxy Note goes to great efforts to convince you that it really is as portable as a phone. It’s not. The bezel around the display is minimal and the 9.65mm thickness is practically the same as on the latest iPhone, but there’s just no way to shrink that 5.3-inch display. Pocketing the Note is an exercise in either frustration or denial. Oh, it will fit inside your pants pocket, but try walking around with it there and you’ll see that fitting inside a space is only half the battle. You’ll need to either take to wearing blazers every time you go out or accept that you won’t be able to comfortably transport the Note somewhere around your body. Like most smartphones, the Note warms up during a long call, heating half of your face in the process, and there’s the social aspect to consider. Human society has yet to evolve to the point where it can witness a person holding up a massive slate of technology to his ear without attempting to make a bad joke about it.
Engadget - If you were holding out for a device that bridges the gap between smartphone and tablet, you'll want to take Note. It's an absolutely massive Android handset and a high-res pocketable tablet rolled into one. If you have the hands to support it, it may just be the best thing to happen to mobile devices since the capacitive touchscreen. You can take notes, doodle between (or during) meetings and make phone calls. Those calls can be placed using the built-in earpiece and mic, or via a Bluetooth headset, which we would recommend. Holding something this large up to your ear can be rather unpleasant -- and unsightly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. I can understand them though. I remember when one of my co worker got the evo 4g back in 2010 and I had a nexus one with its 3.7 inch display and him with a 4.3 inch display, I held it and thought that it was gigantically ridiculous. Now I look at the evo 4 g as a tiny phone and cant believe that I thought it was a big device. Its just a getting used to thing. Same thing with folks who will use the galaxy mega for a while, going back to a 5.5 inch is going to be painful.

Perplexed S8+/S7E

So a little background...I currently own a LG G4 and my Wife has a G5. Against better judgment my wife decided to ignore my suggestion to put her case back on her phone and of course she dropped it and shattered the screen. I am due for an upgrade and plan on giving her my G4 and I want to upgrade to either the S7 Edge or the new S8+. I was leaning for the S8+ because of the VR that you get for free but was wondering if the S7E would be a better option. I mostly play basic games, FB, and web surf on my phones, and my phone is usually my go to camera and with a baby on the way I want to make sure I have as good of one as I can get. I will use the VR quite a bit I think as long as there are some cool apps out there for it. So basically S8+ or S7E or is the S8 a better option?

Latest is greatest. Go for S8+ or S8. Better screen, bluetooth 5.0, better video card, 2 versions of android from 7 to 9, 64 gb internal etc.

You will most definitely enjoy the amazing S8+ screen if you consume a lot of media and surf the web, and of course VR is improved once again. The S8/S8+ camera is currently the best that there is in any phone, very good at low light, and takes detailed shots with excellent colors.
But you should definitely first try the S8 and S8+ in real life, especially when you have owned a smaller phone like the LG G4 before. I bought the plus version because I have the Galaxy S6 Edge+, and the width of the S8 plus version is almost the same, only a bit taller. The normal S8 is roughly the same size as your previous phone (the LG G4), but still packs a huge display, making it great for media consumption. Buying the normal S8 will only decrease the battery size by 15%, but will cost $100 less (at least where I live, buying the phone unlocked) and you can handle the phone with one hand, while having a huge display for media. Camera and performance are the exact same on both devices.
So, I suggest you to try the phones in real life to see if you like the S8 or the S8+ better, they are the very best that there are right now, and the best that there will be until August. :good:

You would quickly regret getting the s7e IMO. The note 7 spoiled me and the s7e isn't even comparable to it IMO. I'm hoping the s8+ has the same tech (minus exploding batteries) as the note 7.
If you want a s7e bad enough, I will sell you mine on the 21st.

I have never even seen a note 7. To me a stylus would be annoying and slow down using the phone. What were the best things about the note 7? Everyone raves about them hopefully the note 8 is cool

The S7 Edge is a great phone, have it now. May also be the last phone Samsung makes that comes with an unlockable bootloader, root and xposed. I have an S8+ coming but it will be swiftly exchanged for an S7 Edge if it arrives locked down to such an extent that I deem it not to be fundimentally android anymore...

Thanks for the replies. I also agree that if the S8 is locked down to that extent I don't see myself wanting to keep it. It's like buying a house and not being able to decorate it the way you want.

S8 sd835 will for sure be locked down, if I were you I would get the exynos s8. I currently have the s7e so the s8 isn't enticing to me, but if I had anything else I would definitely jump to s8, cameras between the two r basically identical

Shuthefrontdoor said:
S8 sd835 will for sure be locked down, if I were you I would get the exynos s8. I currently have the s7e so the s8 isn't enticing to me, but if I had anything else I would definitely jump to s8, cameras between the two r basically identical
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some are saying exynos to will be equally locked down if thats the case i will return it for the exynos S7 edge; which i have now and i must say, it is awesome! Xposed and root is pretty sweet!

johnwayne27 said:
I have never even seen a note 7. To me a stylus would be annoying and slow down using the phone. What were the best things about the note 7? Everyone raves about them hopefully the note 8 is cool
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The note 7 was just on a different level as far as smoothness/quickness. I'm not sure if it was the processor or just UI differences, but I never had any lag at all on it. I've now had 2 s7e's and they both lag or hesitate when doing simple stuff like pulling up samsung pay. With the note, all I did was swipe up and pay, and with the s7e I have to swipe up and wait for 1 or 2 seconds before the screen becomes responsive again. Its small things like that.

dumpyloser said:
The note 7 was just on a different level as far as smoothness/quickness. I'm not sure if it was the processor or just UI differences, but I never had any lag at all on it. I've now had 2 s7e's and they both lag or hesitate when doing simple stuff like pulling up samsung pay. With the note, all I did was swipe up and pay, and with the s7e I have to swipe up and wait for 1 or 2 seconds before the screen becomes responsive again. Its small things like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The note was on another level. The design was pretty much perfect. Synergies now in the s8 but the height might piss us all off more than we think. Time will tell.
But the note smoothness was real and I fear that we have fond memories of a phone we didn't have long enough for it to "SammySlow" like all their products do. It kills me but I'm gonna take another leap of faith again.
I love my pixel but it's also supremely boring. Had the note never failed I wouldn't have owned the pixel. It teaches you that Google is far superior in software and that pizzazz means a ton more than that to me I guess.
Sent from my Pixel XL using XDA-Developers Legacy app

I am actually considering canceling my S8+ pre-order and getting the S7 Edge mainly because I do NOT want Buzby, the text doesn't go all the way to the Edge on the S8 like it does on the 7 and of course, cheaper.

cantenna said:
Some are saying exynos to will be equally locked down ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Source?
I haven't heard that..
Edit:
This?
Quote:
Finally, the Exynos 8895 also includes what Samsung is calling an “enhanced security sub-system with a separate security processing unit” for use with user authentication, mobile payments, and the like. Based on Samsung’s description this sounds a heck of a lot like Apple’s Secure Enclave, which would be a very welcome development, as in Apple’s case it has made their phones a lot harder to break into.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/11149/...-8895-soc-10nm

spent a couple years in iOS land wanting something different, came back to android for the Note 7. I have had every single note series phone except the note 5, lack of expandable storage ruined it for me (iphone at least had 128gb options)
Note 7 would survive me normal using it, from about 7am to 8-9pm at night and still have 20-25% battery left.
The S7E has been a real POS. Battery life sucks, the curved edge is steeper than the note 7 was and I get phantom touches out the ass that make using the phone a pain sometimes. Phones halffway dead for me by 11am, completely done in by 2pm. Have to then get it to a charger. I feel like I have to baby the phone.
I thought it was the fact the note 7 was on 7.0 and the S7E was on 6.X at the time. We have had 7.0 for a bit and surprise, phone still blows monkey chunks. Even after a factory reset.
I've seen some people luck out, but I've also seen a heavy mass of people have battery life issues. Even after a reset and installing 0 apps.
another thing, while I think about it, the Note 7 was just smooth, no matter how much you threw at it, it felt smooth. The S7E is laggy all the time. If I go in and clear out the ram it's alright for a short bit, then next thing I know it's back to total suck fest.
While I've been told the S7E works as intended, the ram for me is always 75-80% used even after being cleared and no apps running in the background. The note 7 when I had it was often at 40-45% and I don't think I ever saw it past 60%. To me, this is a real confusion and a problem and I assume a massive fault from Samsung in software between the S7E and Note 7.
All said, I cannot WAIT to get my S8+. Even if it just fixes some of the downfalls of the S7E, I'll be so much happier.

dumpyloser said:
You would quickly regret getting the s7e IMO. The note 7 spoiled me and the s7e isn't even comparable to it IMO. I'm hoping the s8+ has the same tech (minus exploding batteries) as the note 7.
If you want a s7e bad enough, I will sell you mine on the 21st.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't agree with you more. I went from the S7E to the Note 7... I then went to the iPhone 7+ just for the resale value this month.
johnwayne27 said:
I have never even seen a note 7. To me a stylus would be annoying and slow down using the phone. What were the best things about the note 7? Everyone raves about them hopefully the note 8 is cool
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Stylus really enhances how the phone is used. I loved it!!!

Eddiemc said:
Source?
I haven't heard that..
Edit:
This?
Quote:
Finally, the Exynos 8895 also includes what Samsung is calling an “enhanced security sub-system with a separate security processing unit” for use with user authentication, mobile payments, and the like. Based on Samsung’s description this sounds a heck of a lot like Apple’s Secure Enclave, which would be a very welcome development, as in Apple’s case it has made their phones a lot harder to break into.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/11149/...-8895-soc-10nm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup! Thats what some folks are saying. Google xda s8 bootloader unlock, you'll see i have exhausted myself advocqting for Samsung to keep android, android (lol)
Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

nosympathy said:
spent a couple years in iOS land wanting something different, came back to android for the Note 7. I have had every single note series phone except the note 5, lack of expandable storage ruined it for me (iphone at least had 128gb options)
Note 7 would survive me normal using it, from about 7am to 8-9pm at night and still have 20-25% battery left.
The S7E has been a real POS. Battery life sucks, the curved edge is steeper than the note 7 was and I get phantom touches out the ass that make using the phone a pain sometimes. Phones halffway dead for me by 11am, completely done in by 2pm. Have to then get it to a charger. I feel like I have to baby the phone.
I thought it was the fact the note 7 was on 7.0 and the S7E was on 6.X at the time. We have had 7.0 for a bit and surprise, phone still blows monkey chunks. Even after a factory reset.
I've seen some people luck out, but I've also seen a heavy mass of people have battery life issues. Even after a reset and installing 0 apps.
another thing, while I think about it, the Note 7 was just smooth, no matter how much you threw at it, it felt smooth. The S7E is laggy all the time. If I go in and clear out the ram it's alright for a short bit, then next thing I know it's back to total suck fest.
While I've been told the S7E works as intended, the ram for me is always 75-80% used even after being cleared and no apps running in the background. The note 7 when I had it was often at 40-45% and I don't think I ever saw it past 60%. To me, this is a real confusion and a problem and I assume a massive fault from Samsung in software between the S7E and Note 7.
All said, I cannot WAIT to get my S8+. Even if it just fixes some of the downfalls of the S7E, I'll be so much happier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get occasional ram button lag which is frustrating but battery life has been great! Mind you i have been using a custom rom and kernel since i got it. Anyways, a good example why an unlocked bootloader is a good thing!
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dumpyloser said:
The note 7 was just on a different level as far as smoothness/quickness. I'm not sure if it was the processor or just UI differences, but I never had any lag at all on it. I've now had 2 s7e's and they both lag or hesitate when doing simple stuff like pulling up samsung pay. With the note, all I did was swipe up and pay, and with the s7e I have to swipe up and wait for 1 or 2 seconds before the screen becomes responsive again. Its small things like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do realize that the note 7 has the same processor and memory as the s7e right? And now they have the same UI since s7e is now running 7.0. only real difference between the 2 is a slight ergonomics, screen size by .2" and a spen. Of course with the spen was specific software to run the spen.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

cantenna said:
I get occasional ram button lag which is frustrating but battery life has been great! Mind you i have been using a custom rom and kernel since i got it. Anyways, a good example why an unlocked bootloader is a good thing!View attachment 4110962View attachment 4110963
Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think you might be one of the lucky few. Many many people post of the same issues I have. Seems to be a real hit or miss phone. Reminds me of when HTC would sell phones with 3 different grades of processors. You could check which you had. If you lost the lottery and got a low grade one, you had lag and bad battery life. You wouldn't know until you turned it on and checked though.

nosympathy said:
Think you might be one of the lucky few. Many many people post of the same issues I have. Seems to be a real hit or miss phone. Reminds me of when HTC would sell phones with 3 different grades of processors. You could check which you had. If you lost the lottery and got a low grade one, you had lag and bad battery life. You wouldn't know until you turned it on and checked though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive actualy checked my cpu grade, it is the second best one availble, but this battery life is mainly due to having an unlocked bootloader which lets me run xposed tweaks such as Greenify Beta and Amplify, with amplify I have overide system wakelocks. Additionaly, im also running a custom kernel with governor "smartassv2" and for the little core on the cpu i have reduced it to below what is allowed by stock.
This is the advantave of having an unlocked bootloader phone, if you put the time into it, its worth it!
And if my S8 international exynos arrive with an
Un-lockable bootloader, i will simply pack it back up and send it back to Samsung with reason of return:
"this is poopoo"
Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

Considering moving on from the S9 (G960U1)

I have a Samsung S9 960U1 on AT&T. I purchased it on eBay a few years ago. Its been good for me. I wouldn't be thinking of another phone but I dropped my S9 in a parking lot a few weeks ago and the screen has a chip and crack in it. First time I've broken a screen since I've owned a cell phone, including all the smartphones I've owned since the Motorola i1 I bought in 2010. I used to root every phone I had and would like to again.
My requirements for a new phone are:
1) Memory Card Slot
Would like support for at least 128GB. Higher support is acceptable.
2) 3.5mm audio jack
I like the option of a physical connection with having to use any other adapters.
3) Rootable with ROM support
I have experience with one-click, TWRP, Cyanogen, etc., been rooting since my Epic 4G Touch. Before that, it was setting bits and bytes on Motorola flip-phones like the Razor V3.
4) 64GB or greater device storage
5) Device performance at least on par or similar to the S9 I have now. I don't need a screaming fast phone.
6) Would prefer something with less than or close to a 6" screen but bigger is acceptable to me since everyone else seems to want a tablet for a phone and that's where the market went.
7) Must be compatible with AT&T.
I've been perusing the OnePlus Nord offerings. They're not powerhouses but I like the price. I recently saw a BLU phone at Best Buy. I've looked at Nokia and Motorola phones also. I also know there are some Samsung phones that can be rooted and have ROM available. The other option is to repair my S9, of course. So what phones should I be looking at? Thank you for any advice.

No 3.5mm jack*, no variable rate display or 5G** but the Note 10+ N975U is a proven work horse with maybe the best display for color rendering even today. Excellent form factor, and good SOT (11-12 hours). It will need a good case.
New ones running on Android 10 can be had for $700, used for half that. Problem with used ones are they will be loaded with 11 or 12. This will slow it down ie scoped storage. Supports up to 1tb of expandable storage, a V30 rated Sandisk extreme runs well in them.
After the N10+ Samsung's flagship offerings are more flawed and less well balanced. Android 9 was Android's zenith so far, 10 is ok, 11 is screwed up, 12 is a mess and 13 is fubar... in my opinion.
*use Buds+ (SSC codec) or a LDAC bt set. Wired is a mess to deal with on this device.
**these tradeoffs net you better SOT, and a more accurately calibrated and trouble free display.

I can definitely do without the best display and 5G. I'll turn off 5G for the time being anyway. The Note 10+ is huge! I remember going from the S4 Active to the LG V10. The V10 was nice but just too big for me to keep. About six months later I got the S7 G930U. It was bigger than the S4 by a little bit. It worked fine and then a time zone OTA messed up the radios and I got the S9. The S9 is bigger still but useable for me.
I'd be okay with Android 10 but have no experience with anything after. It brought some features that I like. Another reason I was.looking at root was to completely forego OTAs and to be able choose my own software and ROMs.

josiahg52 said:
I can definitely do without the best display and 5G. I'll turn off 5G for the time being anyway. The Note 10+ is huge! I remember going from the S4 Active to the LG V10. The V10 was nice but just too big for me to keep. About six months later I got the S7 G930U. It was bigger than the S4 by a little bit. It worked fine and then a time zone OTA messed up the radios and I got the S9. The S9 is bigger still but useable for me.
I'd be okay with Android 10 but have no experience with anything after. It brought some features that I like. Another reason I was.looking at root was to completely forego OTAs and to be able choose my own software and ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've written a lot about the N10+, I have two them.
I saw where Samsung and Android were going and decided to give both a long time out when I bought the second new one 9 months ago.
The N10+'s display is sublime. Almost no bezel and square corners. The spen (which you will use) is on the right side, where it belongs. You absolutely need a good case like the Zizo Bolt or this corner hitting, face plant happy phone will be damaged. It's a 2 hand phone, no doubt about it.
I use my bdu cargo pants pocket to stash it, perfect. Pretty much a dual drive PC that's handheld. With 12gb of ram it just keeps going. It's cool running too.
If you insist on rooting there's the SM-N975F/DS variant. I recommend against it in favor of the Snapdragon; better chipset and cooling. The N10+ will run well stock if optimized. A package disabler or adb edits are needed. The current load on my Pie variant is over 2 years old, still fast and stable with minimal maintenance. It will be 3 yo in October, 1 replacement battery is the only repair. It looks and runs like new, no display degradation is observable, buttons still crisp and the c port jack has no wiggle.
That's what these devices are capable of. I'm not even close to be tired of this Note, it's just fun to use and easy to trick out the stock build.
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I would stay on Android 10 if possible. OTA updates is the first thing I disable This phone hasn't had any malware breach it* in over 2 years, it's reasonably secure if set up right and if you don't do stupid things.
*one scripted jpeg I downloaded damaged some files in the download folder, no big deal, deleted. A trojan preloader made it past the Samsung browser but got deleted from the download folder before it got its payload/opened. Both were prior to my current load. This device is heavily used.

Best bang for your buck(no Memory Card Slot though): Redmi Note 11T Pro for under $400. SoC D8100, very bright(easily usable under sunlight) 144Hz LCD. SHOULD be compatible with AT&T(check yourself for band support). Officially unlockable BL(so easily rootable). Maybe not easily get a warranty though if you are in NA.

blackhawk said:
I've written a lot about the N10+, I have two them.
I saw where Samsung and Android were going and decided to give both a long time out when I bought the second new one 9 months ago.
The N10+'s display is sublime. Almost no bezel and square corners. The spen (which you will use) is on the right side, where it belongs. You absolutely need a good case like the Zizo Bolt or this corner hitting, face plant happy phone will be damaged. It's a 2 hand phone, no doubt about it.
I use my bdu cargo pants pocket to stash it, perfect. Pretty much a dual drive PC that's handheld. With 12gb of ram it just keeps going. It's cool running too.
If you insist on rooting there's the SM-N975F/DS variant. I recommend against it in favor of the Snapdragon; better chipset and cooling. The N10+ will run well stock if optimized. A package disabler or adb edits are needed. The current load on my Pie variant is over 2 years old, still fast and stable with minimal maintenance. It will be 3 yo in October, 1 replacement battery is the only repair. It looks and runs like new, no display degradation is observable, buttons still crisp and the c port jack has no wiggle.
That's what these devices are capable of. I'm not even close to be tired of this Note, it's just fun to use and easy to trick out the stock build.
View attachment 5672395View attachment 5672393
I would stay on Android 10 if possible. OTA updates is the first thing I disable This phone hasn't had any malware breach it* in over 2 years, it's reasonably secure if set up right and if you don't do stupid things.
*one scripted jpeg I downloaded damaged some files in the download folder, no big deal, deleted. A trojan preloader made it past the Samsung browser but got deleted from the download folder before it got its payload/opened. Both were prior to my current load. This device is heavily used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On my S9, you can choose to not install an OTA as soon as it's available but I think I waited and eventually it downloaded and installed it over one night. I didn't see a way to turn off updates completely.
I have every desire to stay with Android 10. Having learned that a lot of the things I like about a rooted phone can be done without root and with a package disabler and adb edits is certainly new to me and definitely opens up choices. Are you using an antivirus app on your Note?

iMoc said:
Best bang for your buck(no Memory Card Slot though): Redmi Note 11T Pro for under $400. SoC D8100, very bright(easily usable under sunlight) 144Hz LCD. SHOULD be compatible with AT&T(check yourself for band support). Officially unlockable BL(so easily rootable). Maybe not easily get a warranty though if you are in NA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll consult the official AT&T phone compatibility list before I purchase anything.

josiahg52 said:
On my S9, you can choose to not install an OTA as soon as it's available but I think I waited and eventually it downloaded and installed it over one night. I didn't see a way to turn off updates completely.
View attachment 5672459
I have every desire to stay with Android 10. Having learned that a lot of the things I like about a rooted phone can be done without root and with a package disabler and adb edits is certainly new to me and definitely opens up choices. Are you using an antivirus app on your Note?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can disable with Package Disabler or a adb edit. AT&T can also disable it on their end but I don't trust that!
These two:
Either of the Snapdragon variants are plug and play with AT&T. Put my old N10+ sim card into the new one (N975U1) and everything came straight up on AT&T. No worries.

blackhawk said:
You can disable with Package Disabler or a adb edit. AT&T can also disable it on their end but I don't trust that!
These two:
View attachment 5672483
Either of the Snapdragon variants are plug and play with AT&T. Put my old N10+ sim card into the new one (N975U1) and everything came straight up on AT&T. No worries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you and for the screenshot showing the app you use along with the two services to disable. I guess what I'll do is go to Best Buy or somewhere and look at the S22 in person as it's similarly sized to the Note10.

josiahg52 said:
Thank you and for the screenshot showing the app you use along with the two services to disable. I guess what I'll do is go to Best Buy or somewhere and look at the S22 in person as it's similarly sized to the Note10.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome.
S22; no expandable storage, rounded display corners which I hate so much. Only 8gb of ram.
Android 12 in all its hugeness... and inefficiency.
The N10+ has much better SOT.

blackhawk said:
You're welcome.
S22; no expandable storage, rounded display corners which I hate so much. Only 8gb of ram.
Android 12 in all its hugeness... and inefficiency.
The N10+ has much better SOT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm only using the S22 to judge the size of the Note10+. I'll give it's fair chance, size notwithstanding, but without a 3.5mm jack, I don't know if it's for me. I don't need the best screen, best SOT, or even best performance. I don't use my phone enough or for enough exotic purposes to warrant that. That's why I was even looking at budget phones like those from OnePlus but the S9 still is pretty good having been a flagship back in the day. It's only now I feel I'm seeing a decline in battery performance where I used to routinely go two days without charging, now I'm usually around 55% at the end of the day. I hate the notches and holes and would prefer a screen with a frame but those are exceedingly rare now.

josiahg52 said:
I'm only using the S22 to judge the size of the Note10+. I'll give it's fair chance, size notwithstanding, but without a 3.5mm jack, I don't know if it's for me. I don't need the best screen, best SOT, or even best performance. I don't use my phone enough or for enough exotic purposes to warrant that. That's why I was even looking at budget phones like those from OnePlus but the S9 still is pretty good having been a flagship back in the day. It's only now I feel I'm seeing a decline in battery performance where I used to routinely go two days without charging, now I'm usually around 55% at the end of the day. I hate the notches and holes and would prefer a screen with a frame but those are exceedingly rare now.
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Yeah it was silly to remove the 3.5mm jack but not near as inept as removing expandable storage. That cam also has larger file sizes... and no extra storage

To be clear, I don't want the S22. At all. After the S9, nothing appealed to me. Like I said, I'll look into the Note10+ because it seems like a neat device but the size might be its undoing.

josiahg52 said:
To be clear, I don't want the S22. At all. After the S9, nothing appealed to me. Like I said, I'll look into the Note10+ because it seems like a neat device but the size might be its undoing.
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It's not that big. It's only 9mm thick and 30 gms lighter than the S22U. The larger display makes working with it easier and great for vids and pictures. It color calibration is excellent and the gamma correction falls right in line because of that. The N10+'s bezel ratio is smaller than the S22U... just one big gorgeous display.
The Note 9 is noticeably slower than the N10+, however when opening apps and games the difference between the N10+ and the S22U is slight. Short of high intensity games it holds it own well and even then does good. The 8gb version of the S22's does not do well against the N10+. Once the S22's ram gets filled the N10+ ripps it to shreds even opening apps. It's very apparent.
There are a lot of choices, I don't envy your task.
I got lucky Samsung had their act together with the N10+ and bought it early. Had it been the N9 or the N20U I would have been not as pleased.
Such is Samsung...

Finally got into Best Buy which might be the last place they still let you pick up the phones. I looked at the S22 Ultra 5G which is a 6.8" screen device. I admit I chuckled a bit when I picked it up. It's huge. Not as big as I expected, probably due to the smaller frame. I could or would almost live with it but it lacks a headphone jack.
I know that's an old feature that most consider ancient technology but I use it four or five times a week for seven or more hours. Bluetooth headphones don't last both in the battery department and also physically. After four sets, I'm occasionally using a set of not very expensive JBLs that have at least lasted close to a year but battery life sucks worst than they did new. I know there are USB C to 3.5mm adapters but they suck and it's another thing to carry around when I wouldn't if the phone has a 3.5mm jack. There's not really anything out there in the S9 or Note10+ class with a 3.5mm jack.

josiahg52 said:
Finally got into Best Buy which might be the last place they still let you pick up the phones. I looked at the S22 Ultra 5G which is a 6.8" screen device. I admit I chuckled a bit when I picked it up. It's huge. Not as big as I expected, probably due to the smaller frame. I could or would almost live with it but it lacks a headphone jack.
I know that's an old feature that most consider ancient technology but I use it four or five times a week for seven or more hours. Bluetooth headphones don't last both in the battery department and also physically. After four sets, I'm occasionally using a set of not very expensive JBLs that have at least lasted close to a year but battery life sucks worst than they did new. I know there are USB C to 3.5mm adapters but they suck and it's another thing to carry around when I wouldn't if the phone has a 3.5mm jack. There's not really anything out there in the S9 or Note10+ class with a 3.5mm jack.
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Nothing in the Samsung flagship class. Oddly the 3.5mm jack is present on some of the midrange priced models of that era.
I have a pair of Buds(2.5+ yo) and Buds+(1 yo). Both case charge fast (2 charges per case charge). Both continue to work well.
The Buds+ easily last 8+ hours. It's rare I run them out...
The S9 generation is noticeably slower than the N10+. The N10+'s 12gb of ram (vs 4gb) makes a huge performance difference. The larger ram size impacts battery life very little. The N10+ is a large, powerful device that's design is well balanced... It's just fun to use.

blackhawk said:
Nothing in the Samsung flagship class. Oddly the 3.5mm jack is present on some of the midrange priced models of that era.
I have a pair of Buds(2.5+ yo) and Buds+(1 yo). Both case charge fast (2 charges per case charge). Both continue to work well.
The Buds+ easily last 8+ hours. It's rare I run them out...
The S9 generation is noticeably slower than the N10+. The N10+'s 12gb of ram (vs 4gb) makes a huge performance difference. The larger ram size impacts battery life very little. The N10+ is a large, powerful device that's design is well balanced... It's just fun to use.
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Yeah, I should have said flagship class, as the S9 was years ago. Of course, the Note10+ demolishes the S9. You still have me considering the Note. You've done well making a case for it. There's just nothing close with its hardware.
Stepping down, there is the A71 or A52. I still like the OnePlus Nord N10. All of those are a decided step beneath the S9 on paper and of course, not worth comparing to the Note10+.
I'll look at the Buds.

josiahg52 said:
Yeah, I should have said flagship class, as the S9 was years ago. Of course, the Note10+ demolishes the S9. You still have me considering the Note. You've done well making a case for it. There's just nothing close with its hardware.
Stepping down, there is the A71 or A52. I still like the OnePlus Nord N10. All of those are a decided step beneath the S9 on paper and of course, not worth comparing to the Note10+.
I'll look at the Buds.
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It's a beast, I never run out of ram or storage.
You also have the LDAC option for bt. Sony and Panasonic have a few choices. LDAC may be better than SSC. The pricier Sony ones are probably better for music.
Get the Buds+, the regular Buds aren't as nice but work well for calls. I would recommend using Poweramp as a Player. It's graphic equalizer is how I dial the Buds+ in. My whole 240gb wav file music collection is on the SD card.
I use the spen mostly for Smart Capture (a very useful tool), screen shot writing, as a bt remote shutter release, and magnifier comes in handy at times. I use it once a day sometimes more. That's a sometimes under appreciated Note feature. Lol, for the first couple months I didn't use it

All right, you've convinced me! So where should I buy one from? Best Buy has some available from $450. Say "refurbished" whatever that means to them. Can pick that up locally. I've had decent success on eBay. More recently, I had to return two S8 de-camera'd work phone) and an S9 for not being what they were supposed to be - wrong model numbers - but I returned them successfully. I'm always suspect of eBay "condition" also.