Did anyone else upgrade to the Note 4? - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note5

Hey guys,
I just bought myself a Note 4 from my local T-Mo shop. I kept my Note 5, but will use it as a backup phone. I couldn't handle not having a removable battery, MicroSD slot, and IR Blaster.
Has anyone else made the upgrade from the Note 5 to the Note 4?
Has anyone considered making this upgrade?
The first thing I did when I got home with my new Note 4 was root, install TWRP and than flash TekHD's TEKXodus ROM. He makes amazing ROMs! I didn't even set up the stock ROM.

It's not the end of the world... there's always another way around. Removable battery? There's battery cases, and battery packs... I got a 10,000 mah battery pack along with a 5200 mah fast charge battery pack I got as a gift from samsung...
Microsd card slot? No problem! There's those micro usb storage sticks, (forgot what those were called.) Just plug it in to the charging port and you're good to go. After you've finished using it, attach it with your key chain.
IR blaster? Hm, I don't know any alternatives for that but is it really that big of a deal? You could always use the actual remote...

There is an IR blaster also which uses 3.5mm jack port and easily available for 3-4 bucks.

Sad man but you are entitled to your own opinion. Lets be honest though an upgrade it is not...
You have inspired me to turn in all my old cd's and ask for the cassette tapes.... :good:
Love this place!

I'd hardly call it an upgrade. Those are some features that I don't need.
TW on the note 5 was pretty dang smooth out of the box and I didn't need a custom rom this go around.
Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

The note 5 is a much better device in many ways, but there are definitely still times when I miss my note 4. I still have a buttload of cases and an extended battery for it that I don't know what to do with too. I kinda regret selling it and I'm thinking about picking another one up just as a backup phone.

Buyers remorse? It can make you do funny things like trying to make others believe your choice is right
Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

Note 5. Tek's rom. Skyhigh kernel. There isn't a better phone or I'd have it.
It's nexus time if the note 6 has a locked bl. 6p isn't new enough.
We'll see.
Note 4 is too old, as well. Family member has mine.

Related

Nexus 5 alternative choice

If the N5 doesn't live up to your expectations which phone would you prefer instead even if cost were not a factor?
Is there another carrier flagship phone that you are satisfied would be flexible enough for you to be able to do all of the following?
root, rom;
restore to stock rom if necessary;
return to store after restoring stock rom;
upgrade via carrier upgrade plan after restoring stock rom?
make a potential carrier warranty claim after restoring stock rom?
If the Nexus 5 doesn't list up to my expectations, I will go back to my Galaxy Nexus. It may not be the most state of the art device but with CM ROM's and faux123's kernels, I can't go wrong with it.
jcsww said:
If the Nexus 5 doesn't list up to my expectations, I will go back to my Galaxy Nexus. It may not be the most state of the art device but with CM ROM's and faux123's kernels, I can't go wrong with it.
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That's actually the phone I own also but I've got it pretty heavily loaded over the last 2 years. I really think I need at least another gig of ram to run well and a faster processor wouldn't hurt. The non-removable 2300 battery on the N5 is just a real disappointment. I've only owned nexus devices so far and I'm a bit concerned that a carrier flagship may not be flexible enough.
NCguy said:
That's actually the phone I own also but I've got it pretty heavily loaded over the last 2 years. I really think I need at least another gig of ram to run well and a faster processor wouldn't hurt. The non-removable 2300 battery on the N5 is just a real disappointment. I've only owned nexus devices so far and I'm a bit concerned that a carrier flagship may not be flexible enough.
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A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery. I am not a fan of LG stuff in the first place and I avoided the Nexus 4 for various issues. With T-Mobile not announcing another Sidekick anytime soon, I need to upgrade. I don't like the physical home buttons on phones so that has kept me away from the S4 and other phones. My original Galaxy Nexus actually got damaged due to heavy rain I got caught in and I couldn't get another from my carrier. I ended up getting an S4 to trade my mother for her Galaxy Nexus.
To be honest, nothing beats the Nexus experience to me, and I can't even think of other choices with what I have experienced. When I think of a Nexus Phone I don't really give a huge deal for the hardware internals, because it's not really meant to be a show off with the latest hardware and the largest battery. Samsung soon will hit a 1000 cpu cores into their Exynos bully maybe, and yet their Touchwiz phone LAG and stutter. A properly minimally optimized OS over a good deal of hardware is what Google brings, not to forget the minimal design of the phone, and oh for a damn good price - I wouldn't ask for more.
jcsww said:
A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery. I am not a fan of LG stuff in the first place and I avoided the Nexus 4 for various issues. With T-Mobile not announcing another Sidekick anytime soon, I need to upgrade. I don't like the physical home buttons on phones so that has kept me away from the S4 and other phones. My original Galaxy Nexus actually got damaged due to heavy rain I got caught in and I couldn't get another from my carrier. I ended up getting an S4 to trade my mother for her Galaxy Nexus.
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I played with the LG G2 for over an hour, and decided it was too Samsung 'cheapie' plastic to suit me. The HTC One Max would be my next phone, despite an S600 chipset, based on durability and useability, and those speakers would come in quite handy at times.
prob moto x
If the Nexus is a no-go on Verizon I'll likely wait until the Moto Maker site goes live for VZW and at least get 32 gigs of internal storage. Feels really good in the hand and super smooth
Sent from my VZW SGS3 rockin' Jelly 'Beans' Build 17 using Tapatalk 2
No choice but to keep it if i go n5.. i currently own a note3 and waiting to return for a n5... if i dont like it.. then too bad for me
Sent from my SM-N900T using xda app-developers app
jcsww said:
A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery.
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+1 - love just been able to swap a fully charged battery. Extremely convenient... though from the leaks it looks very unlikely. Though I'm quite over my S4 atm and wanna try something different - the N5 looks like it could be a good choice.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
beaver2233 said:
+1 - love just been able to swap a fully charged battery. Extremely convenient... though from the leaks it looks very unlikely. Though I'm quite over my S4 atm and wanna try something different - the N5 looks like it could be a good choice.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
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That it does. That's why I have been looking forward to it. The camera sticking out a bit also bugs me about the phone also. These two things are bugging me very much. With the time I get out of my Galaxy Nuxus battery on normal use, it might be fine for me for normal daily use. If I need to go out of town though, camping, or some where I just can't get to a charger, I'll have to hold on to my Galaxy Nexus to make sure I've got something I can stretch out for a couple of days.
The wireless recharging for the Nexus 5 is something that really caught my attention as a good thing. Being able to just sit my phone down on my desk when I get in and have it charge is awesome! The screen also looks very nice for slightly under 5 inches. Hopefully the announcement and launch kicks off today.
Who buys carrier branded crap phones with their ugly logos ... Nothing can beat a Nexus in Android world.
kirdroid said:
Who buys carrier branded crap phones with their ugly logos ... Nothing can beat a Nexus in Android world.
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Amen brother! Been on the nexus line since the nexus one. Hell sometimes I still miss the trackball. Lol
jcsww said:
A non-removable battery might be a deal breaker for me. I like to be able to just swap batteries if needed. I sure hope it doesn't end up with a non-removable battery. I am not a fan of LG stuff in the first place and I avoided the Nexus 4 for various issues. With T-Mobile not announcing another Sidekick anytime soon, I need to upgrade. I don't like the physical home buttons on phones so that has kept me away from the S4 and other phones. My original Galaxy Nexus actually got damaged due to heavy rain I got caught in and I couldn't get another from my carrier. I ended up getting an S4 to trade my mother for her Galaxy Nexus.
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yeah me too about the battery thing. I like to have a removable batt so I can buy an extra and swap it if my other one drains. But I think powerbanks are also helpful for non-removable batteries as well. #confusing hahaha
The Nexus has always been a developer only phone. But as it is for the camera that megapixels don't matter, so it is for the battery that the mAh won't matter. We have previously seen that the phones with an extra large capacity battery yet not perform as per the expectations. Atleast Google doesn't stuff their phones with bloatware like Samsung. A Nexus always comes with a minimal OS coupled with a balanced hardware at an unrivalled price. A non-removable battery & no expandable memory have always been the let downs, yet 32GB is enough for me for storage & a battery lasting just over a day is well enough for me. Nexus ftw !
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium
LG G2 Google Play edition.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
beaver2233 said:
+1 - love just been able to swap a fully charged battery. Extremely convenient... though from the leaks it looks very unlikely. Though I'm quite over my S4 atm and wanna try something different - the N5 looks like it could be a good choice.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I'm currently on an OG Note, recently bought a new battery and I have little problems with it. I'm mainly bored with it now and the USB port has some problems (€10 to fix). Minor issues and I'm sure I could use the phone for another year without ever really being bothered by it. I don't play games, so I don't really need all that raw power the new devices have. I have been looking for a new device for some time, just to have a new gadget and all.
I work for HTC indirectly so I have a One lying around here that I can use, but I can't root it so I have no use for it. I can't get used to the new Sense and their strange softkey layout (though that's more the fault of developers that don't keep to the design guidelines of Android, than it is HTC's).
I also had the S4, which I liked overall, but I found it too expensive, it had useless functions which I didn't want to pay for. Especially since you lose a lot of them when you put a stock rom on it. It has an AMOLED screen which, after two years of the Note, I'm not very happy about (uniform colours are a pain, and it degrades too fast). And it looks just like any other Samsung device (and I'm bored now). - I did get hooked on the infrared functionality though. I miss that every day.
Then the Z1 came along, looked refreshing and the waterproof stuff is a giant pro. Useless camera, but the rest was pretty good. Unfortunately the screen dissapoints.
So now I'm waiting for the Nexus 5. Absolutely no useless functions. Just a good and powerfull device that can last for another two years. No screwing around with roms and stuff and a good price.
If it dissapoints, I might go for an S4 as they're now in the pricerange of the Nexus 5 or I'll stick to the Note for another year, to see if something better comes up.
If not the Nexus 5, I'd go for the Oppo N1.
With out of the box CyanogenMod, IPS 5.9 inch display, and top-notch camera optics and dual user-controllable flash.
I have (had) the S4 and sold it today. I was extremely dissapointed with it in just about every way, and with the addition of Knox locked bootloaders being sneaked in by Samdung, that iced the "sell it now" cake for me.
I'm actually back to using the SIII in the meantime, and even with piss-poor driver support, it runs CM very well.
my choise is between Nexus 4 or Nexus 5
lombardo8 said:
LG G2 Google Play edition.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
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Actually, as far as the hardware goes, I am quite impressed with g2. That display seems so much larger than other phones of the same physical dimensions. Battery, processor, storage, etc. no limitations except no wireless charging. (except verizon version)
A play edition would be very tempting. Unfortunately it doesn't seem likely with the N5 being a somewhat close cousin. If the N5 had the exact same g2 hardware it would be a no-brainer for me even at a much higher cost.

Anyone come from the Galaxy Note 3?

Someone has offered me to trade for a Nexus 5 32gb foe my Note 3. I am considering this but want some input from people who made the switch. Do you regret leaving the Note 3? Or no? Also can you still make it a day on the Nexus 5? I charge my phone every night so it just has to last me a day. Thanks.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app
choboii said:
Someone has offered me to trade for a Nexus 5 32gb foe my Note 3. I am considering this but want some input from people who made the switch. Do you regret leaving the Note 3? Or no? Also can you still make it a day on the Nexus 5? I charge my phone every night so it just has to last me a day. Thanks.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app
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I came from note 2, there are a few reasons why. Mainly developers, not that there was not good ones for the note 2 because there was I just thought there would be more for the nexus 5. Also its a little smaller and lighter and easier to handle. I never really used the s-pen that much and the nexus 5 screen is large enough. I also can make it a day on one charge but I bought a spare external battery just in case. So I would say if you like to flash a lot of roms get the nexus if not stick with the note 3 its a great phone from what i read.
i came from the note 3. i used to have a gs3 and the original galaxy and i vowed to never use a samsung pos again because of their horrible software development. i for some reason got the note 3 (mostly boredom and i wanted to try the pen) it was okay, but gps didn't work all that great, too much bloat in touchwiz and it got laggy after a couple weeks.
i love my n5 though, can't beat stock android, a more compact form factor and 100% better build quality.
personally, it comes down to how much you value expandable storage and the spen, i like the pen, but didn't use it all THAT much and i don't really miss it.
also, i personally like the lcd in the n5 a lot more than the samoled in the note. plus with all the white they've added to the UI in 4.4, without modification, it's going to kill the note battery much quicker once the update hits.
my n5 lasts through the day with battery to spare so far, so i'm more than happy with it. ask for some cash though since the note3 is valued higher than an n5. (at LEAST $100)
Isn't the Note 3 a $700 phone? Not sure how that would work out in a trade in your favor. Perhaps a sale?
I think the N5 is a great phone but it's main attribute is surely the $400/350 price point.
bblzd said:
I think the N5 is a great phone but it's main attribute is surely the $400/350 price point.
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Wanna bet?
bblzd said:
Isn't the Note 3 a $700 phone? Not sure how that would work out in a trade in your favor. Perhaps a sale?
I think the N5 is a great phone but it's main attribute is surely the $400/350 price point.
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It's main attribute is it being a aosp supported device, ease to unlock the bootloader, binaries etc actually.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
I still have my note 3 alongside my n5. First of all that trade price wise isn't fair. If you trade that note 3 you should get additional cash along with the n5. As far as battery is concerned there is no comparison. I never even had to think twice about the battery on my note. It's just that good and that big even with Samsung's bloat. I could easily get through the day and night with heavy use. This phone not so much. If I had just got rid of my note and replaces it entirely with an n5 I might have regretted it just because it's a drastic change. If you are used to Samsung's heavy hand on your phone then this phone will take some getting used to. But after spending more time with it I'm starting to really appreciate the simplicity. But do you use the s pen on the note? That really sets that device apart.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
choboii said:
Someone has offered me to trade for a Nexus 5 32gb foe my Note 3. I am considering this but want some input from people who made the switch. Do you regret leaving the Note 3? Or no? Also can you still make it a day on the Nexus 5? I charge my phone every night so it just has to last me a day. Thanks.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app
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No way!! Don't do it. The note three is purely high end and worth much more. Keep it. Trust me
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I think that if you love your Note III you will be dissapointed by the Nexus 5:
- smaller screen
- speaker not as good as the Note
- no s-pen
- bare vanila android instead of some TW with usefull apps (besides the usual bloatware)
- camera isn`t that good (but almost).
These 2 devices are meant for completely different users ultimately.
Don`t swap this phone with a N5, you should get at least 200-300 usd in cash if you want to trade it. And have the seller transfer the warranty to you through Google.
I came from a S800 Note 3, but prior to the note 3 was my galaxy nexus.
I don't enjoy touchwiz much or the features available on the Note 3 but the camera and battery were definitely superior; by a few miles. The screen was by a little less than a few miles to me. Also the Note 3's size was a bit too big for my liking.
From the experience of the N5 so far, I thoroughly enjoy it much more and it seems snappier to me. I haven't been stuck once.
Battery is NOTICEABLY different - of course.
Expandable storage is also a factor. But the cloud is more than enough for me.
It lasts me a day for my use.
But it will JUST make it.
The note 3 at this point would be at around 30% for me.
Bottom line: I don't regret it. I don't miss the note 3 except for maybe the battery
But maybe you should not trade it? Or trade with cash your way?? :good:
I have a AT&T Note 3 that I got on launch day I also had the Note and note 2 when they came out. I like the note 3 but hate the fact it is completely locked down. I purchased a N5 because I have never had a Nexus before. I have to say after a week of using the N5 I have not missed the Note 3 at all. I make it thru everyday on the battery with the N5 but never even worried about it with the Note 3. Needless to say I still have the note 3 on standby for my wife she wants to get her hands on it but I feel the N5 feels better in my hand and pocket.
Decisions Decisions
i don't have a note 3 but used to own a note 2 and currently have both the n5 and s4. initially i made the switch from note 2 to s4 as the note 2 development was really lacking especially for aosp roms. After switching to s4 I realized i made a bad choice as its still samsung with its TW crap. after receiving the n5 last night and just getting a general feel for it, I can say the n5 feels a lot better in my hand then all the previous samsung devices i've used. It's also lightning fast. also i've never owned a nexus device before.
envision said:
I have a AT&T Note 3 that I got on launch day I also had the Note and note 2 when they came out. I like the note 3 but hate the fact it is completely locked down. I purchased a N5 because I have never had a Nexus before. I have to say after a week of using the N5 I have not missed the Note 3 at all. I make it thru everyday on the battery with the N5 but never even worried about it with the Note 3. Needless to say I still have the note 3 on standby for my wife she wants to get her hands on it but I feel the N5 feels better in my hand and pocket.
Decisions Decisions
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Shudder123 said:
i don't have a note 3 but used to own a note 2 and currently have both the n5 and s4. initially i made the switch from note 2 to s4 as the note 2 development was really lacking especially for aosp roms. After switching to s4 I realized i made a bad choice as its still samsung with its TW crap. after receiving the n5 last night and just getting a general feel for it, I can say the n5 feels a lot better in my hand then all the previous samsung devices i've used. It's also lightning fast. also i've never owned a nexus device before.
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Just like to say Welcome to the Nexus family! :victory::good:
And to OP, if you're still deciding, try to get a hands-on experience with the N5.
It's been almost a week for me and it has never let me down. So amazingly fast and the whole experience is overall smoother despite the Antutu being almost 10000 less than the Note 3.
Well I'm on Verizon so no Nexus 5 for me unfortunately. So instead I'll be getting the Note 3 instead. I'll put Nova on it to get rid of the touch wiz launcher and change the icons to the stock Google ones. And make good friends with the disable button.
And I've got a 2013 Nexus 7 for when I want stock.

Looking for honest advice - are you happy with Note 5 over Note 4?

Hi all,
I currently have the Note 2 and ready to pull the trigger on a new Note. The trick is, I honestly can't decide between the 4 or 5. I've read all of the other 4 vs 5 threads and I'm so conflicted about the loss of the SD Card/Battery swap option. - I want to hear from real life experiences!
On other sites, the Pro Note 5 users say that the Note 5 is "just better". So can anyone here tell me why? is it really that much faster - or is it simply a clean phone and will slow down once it gets filled up??
In an effort to not turn this into just another 4 vs 5 thread I ask that you only respond if you have used both phones and your honest 1st hand opinion on the 5.
Thanks!
Richard
It really has more to do with your needs. If you don't need more than 64 GB on the phone and can use cloud for every thing else. And if you are willing to carry a small back up battery for those days when you can't give it a bump charge. I would go for the 5.
Sent from my ZenPad through dial up.
ramiss said:
Hi all,
I currently have the Note 2 and ready to pull the trigger on a new Note. The trick is, I honestly can't decide between the 4 or 5. I've read all of the other 4 vs 5 threads and I'm so conflicted about the loss of the SD Card/Battery swap option. - I want to hear from real life experiences!
On other sites, the Pro Note 5 users say that the Note 5 is "just better". So can anyone here tell me why? is it really that much faster - or is it simply a clean phone and will slow down once it gets filled up??
In an effort to not turn this into just another 4 vs 5 thread I ask that you only respond if you have used both phones and your honest 1st hand opinion on the 5.
Thanks!
Richard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I owned both the Note 4 retail and developer edition and can say I like the Note 5 more hands down. It runs much smoother, has a far better camera, speaker and spen plus you can theme it with the theme app built in. I would rather it not had the glass back but it's well protected with the Otterbox commuter I have. For me the lack of a ExtSD and removable battery isn't issue. I have the 64 gig model and have 32 gigs left without any need for cloud storage. I'm not a power user so the battery lasts me about 4 days on average witch is far more than the Note 4 did. The newest update on the Note 4 is terrible for the battery. My wife still has the Note 4 and thankfully I did a safe upgrade so I could revert to KitKat if needed. Sad to say I had to revert back because of battery issues. Having root wasn't very exciting with the developer edition I had so that's no big loss to me. For ad blocking I'm using Adblock browser that works well. I would have to say it comes down to storage and being able to update without worry between the two. I hope this helps.
I only give dishonest opinions, so I should probably bow out of this... ?
I had both phones. Like both of them. I don't find the note 5 that much better, but I do think it is better. Removable battery and SD card aren't important to me.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
I am, without a doubt, happy with my Note 5. After a few weeks of the new device, I tried my Note 4 again, and it felt ancient and unreliable. It's the first device I've owned where I don't feel the need to hack it due to instability or lag. The screen is fantastic, the performance is great, the S-Pen is keen, it's Android..., and it's just better. Lol. It feels great in the hands, too. I didn't think I was going to like it, and was super pissed off about the lack of a removable battery and making my 128Gb MSD card obsolete, but it was quickly made up for. It also gave me a reason to use some of the 100-some blank discs I've had laying around collecting dust as I've been using Bluetooth with the N4. No regrets.
I really like my Note 5. The thing I miss about the Note 4 are the smart select using the s-pen and the s-pen was easier to take out.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
I have had a note 5 and still have a note 4. The note 4 has sdcard slot and removable battery and ir blaster but the note 5 is better in every way but those things imo. I may buy another note 5 64 gb to try again and see if i can live without sdcard and removable battery!
Thanks to all for the feedback. I'm ordering the Note 5 tonight!
ramiss said:
Thanks to all for the feedback. I'm ordering the Note 5 tonight!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice, I don't think you will have any regrets. It's one of the best phones I've had in a while.
The spen and spen apps felt better and more user friendly on the Note 4. Everything spen related feels stripped and slightly dumbed down on the Note 5. It really just feels like a big phone with a stylus now instead of a "Note". That said, I like it..but I'm not in love with it.
The themes in the theme store are garbage too. Don't be swayed by thay
Never had a Note 4 but I'm happy with the Note 5. It's the first phone I've had that I can't root though. Between the exclusive features TouchWiz has, and discovering non-root alternatives for some of my needs I can live with it.
With that said, once I'm ready to upgrade again I may hold out for something in the big screen market that can be rooted. I really miss the bigger screen and better speakers of the HTC One MAX, but everything else is better on the Note 5.
Does note 5 have the ability to wifi tether?
I believe some users are using an app called Foxfi
Had the note 4 and the note 5 is better imo. Faster, feels more premium, love the bottom speaker. Battery life is fine for me can't remember the note 4 battery life but it's at least the same, 32gb is fine for me so those two are off the table.
Definitely better than the 4 with Verizon. VZW Note 4 was a disaster especially if you upgraded to L.
The only thing I think was crazy was SEC omitting the IR blaster. It's on the S6 and worked extremely well.
The glass back is fragile so you do need to wrap it up with a protective case unless you're the type that never drops anything.
The biggest thing with both the Note 5 and Edge+ is the camera. Manual mode especially. Best camera I've used in any smartphone, period. And I have a G4 and iPhone 6s+. Neither of those can touch the Note 5's camera.
The S pen is also noticeably improved. TBH, I've had every Note since the first and I've never really used the S-pen. On the Note 5 I'm using it a LOT more. I like the functionality of pulling out the pen and being able to draw notation instantly on whatever's on the screen. That's a winner right there if you're into sports like football!
Battery life is great and being it's themeable and ad guard works as good as ad-away I'm dealing OK without root. Even with stock TW this thing is blazing fast. With the hardware, it should be!
Rippley05 said:
The spen and spen apps felt better and more user friendly on the Note 4. Everything spen related feels stripped and slightly dumbed down on the Note 5. It really just feels like a big phone with a stylus now instead of a "Note". That said, I like it..but I'm not in love with it.
The themes in the theme store are garbage too. Don't be swayed by thay
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Click to collapse
i disagree the theme store is sweet. the material dark is awesome and gives the phone a whole new look that you cant do on the note 4. now is the note 5 64 gb gonna be ok for me? IDK time will tell
Edit: Once i loaded my like 30 gb of photos from note 4 to note 5 the 5 didnt feel as fast anymore and neither were benchmarks. might be a better phone but that sdcard slot and removable battery wins again for me! Note 4 FTW
I have had both and I do like the 5 better. I was an early adopter of wireless charging and have struggled to make wireless charging work on phones like the Note 4, the Note 5 wireless charging is excellent. The out of the box battery life seems better with the Note 5, at least from my memory of the note 4. I am OK with 64gb so I found I didn't mind that I couldn't add to it. The overall performance is smoother, the fingerprint scanner is WAY better. I lost the Note 5 stylus on day one which was annoying... I must have tapped it to make it pop out and I never did find it. I think you can't go wrong either way but I was extremely frustrated with the Note 4 fingerprint scanner when I had it so if that is important to you the Note 5 is the way to go.

Too Much Missing

I have had my Verizon Note 5 for 9 days now. I really want to love it. Like a wayward child I want to hold it and tell it everything will be ok. I want to look at its beautiful face and ignore the behavioral issues.
But I just can't.
I have had every note since Note 2 (and Note 2 with unlocked BL is STILL my daily driver.)
But with the note 5 i just cant get over everything that makes it a non note
I have been told that USB-otg works, but I mainly used the Samsung multimedia doc (from note 2) that allowed keyboard and mouse, charging and HDMI out.
The LG v10 seems like a step in the right direction... if only it weren't so blasted ugly!
Those of you who have had the phone longer... help me get out of my funk! cus as of right now this thing is getting returned in 3 days.
If you don't like it, return it. No one here needs to convince you of anything.
The is no right or wrong. To me the stylus makes it a Note, and I'm ok with the features. If you're not, that's ok - return the phone.
It is a lot of money if you aren't happy with it.
For me the V10 was too darn big. But that's me, you might be fine with it.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
The note 5 is a damn good phone. I've had mines since it came out. If u what a unlocked boot loader then return ur note 5 and buy one from Samsung. Yes I would love to have a unlocked boot loader but we all know how vzw is.The s-pen makes it a note not the boot loader being unlocked. The size makes it a note as well. There is to much good that out weigh the bad. Love my note 5 for now.
Sent from my Dope Note 5 using Tapatalk
Telemachus said:
I have had my Verizon Note 5 for 9 days now. I really want to love it. Like a wayward child I want to hold it and tell it everything will be ok. I want to look at its beautiful face and ignore the behavioral issues.
But I just can't.
I have had every note since Note 2 (and Note 2 with unlocked BL is STILL my daily driver.)
But with the note 5 i just cant get over everything that makes it a non note
I have been told that USB-otg works, but I mainly used the Samsung multimedia doc (from note 2) that allowed keyboard and mouse, charging and HDMI out.
The LG v10 seems like a step in the right direction... if only it weren't so blasted ugly!
Those of you who have had the phone longer... help me get out of my funk! cus as of right now this thing is getting returned in 3 days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I have had my Note 5 since launch day and minus a few issues (on Verizon's end, NOT Samsung's), I love it. It does everything I need it to do plus more. I really love the S-Pen and the rapid charging. Battery life is fine with me (if you honestly don't have an external battery charger, wall charger, or car charger then you shouldn't have a high end device). The picture quality is unbelievable, etc. Honestly, to me, the Note 5 is on top of the food chain but this is your preference and your decision. If you're note happy with it, then return it and get another phone that you're happy with (that's the beauty of a 15 day return policy, haha). Don't spend a ton of money and settle for a phone that isn't meeting your needs. There's no right or wrong answer on purchasing a device.
I'm a longtime HTC fanboy (I just dig the aesthetic of Sense and HTC's general skinning) and have always hated TouchWiz. However, now that you can do some base themeing, it's a better experience.
At the end of the day, Samsung Pay is pretty damned awesome. That alone will keep me on the N5 for a long while.
This was my feedback to samsung on the note 5. Not that they'll consider it, but nonetheless, I feel the same way.
I previously had a note 3, and absolutely loved it. It was the perfect phone for a power user. But time passed and it was time to upgrade and I figured I'd try the note 5. I'm regretting that decision more by the day. Honestly, if I could replace the battery, root it, and it had an ir blaster, it would be my new perfect phone. Nevermind it didn't get the spec bump this year - it's fast enough really. The phone is pretty, but a phone is a functional device first and accessory second.
I thought I could handle not having a replaceable battery - I was wrong. I'm on the road a lot and being able to replace the battery is invaluable. 3000 mah isn't cutting it.
I need to be able to modify the software if I want. I don't feel like I own my phone, and I resent it more the longer I think about it. I realize there are other options but, honestly, I really do like samsung phones. And I want to like this one.
I loved being able to control my entire htpc from my phone. I'm probably still a bit of a niche user in this regard, but why remove the ir blaster?
Bottom line, I'm going to have to sell this phone and get a Note 4, and hope you guys get it right next time. This one was a total miss for me. I wanted a newer note - you gave me a blown up S6 with a stylus.
Snow02 said:
This was my feedback to samsung on the note 5. Not that they'll consider it, but nonetheless, I feel the same way.
I previously had a note 3, and absolutely loved it. It was the perfect phone for a power user. But time passed and it was time to upgrade and I figured I'd try the note 5. I'm regretting that decision more by the day. Honestly, if I could replace the battery, root it, and it had an ir blaster, it would be my new perfect phone. Nevermind it didn't get the spec bump this year - it's fast enough really. The phone is pretty, but a phone is a functional device first and accessory second.
I thought I could handle not having a replaceable battery - I was wrong. I'm on the road a lot and being able to replace the battery is invaluable. 3000 mah isn't cutting it.
I need to be able to modify the software if I want. I don't feel like I own my phone, and I resent it more the longer I think about it. I realize there are other options but, honestly, I really do like samsung phones. And I want to like this one.
I loved being able to control my entire htpc from my phone. I'm probably still a bit of a niche user in this regard, but why remove the ir blaster?
Bottom line, I'm going to have to sell this phone and get a Note 4, and hope you guys get it right next time. This one was a total miss for me. I wanted a newer note - you gave me a blown up S6 with a stylus.
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Click to collapse
Thais is exactly how I feel about the Note 5. I've upgraded, heck, pre-ordered two Note 3 and two Note 4, but I didn't upgrade to the Note 5. I just felt so under whelmed, plus the fact that it can't be rooted just sucks. It's a huge let down considering I have a Note 4 Developer Edition.
Ultimately I went with the Nexus 6P. I'm really liking it so far, and the more I use it, the more I can't justify the $200 price premium of the Note 5.
monkeyhandler said:
Thais is exactly how I feel about the Note 5. I've upgraded, heck, pre-ordered two Note 3 and two Note 4, but I didn't upgrade to the Note 5. I just felt so under whelmed, plus the fact that it can't be rooted just sucks. It's a huge let down considering I have a Note 4 Developer Edition.
Ultimately I went with the Nexus 6P. I'm really liking it so far, and the more I use it, the more I can't justify the $200 price premium of the Note 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How attached are you to that note 4 dev edition?
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
I've had many phones over the past year and settled with the Note 5. Although it's locked and unrootable I still chose it because I can do everything I liked to do on a rooted phone and more. No I can't physically remove unwanted system apps but I can hide and disable them with package disabler or the debloat tool. Removing them matters little because you can't make the system partition smaller to use the space anyways. The size is fixed. As for the IR blaster I never used it much and always ended up disabling it. The s-pen works the best out of all the note series I have used going back to the Note 3. If anyone is thinking about purchasing this phone or any other I suggest that you do your research before doing so. I had the S6 before this and loved it but always wished it was a bit larger and had the s-pen. So when the Note 5 came out I jumped on it and have been happy since day one. Yes root and a unlocked bootloader would be nice but I'm not about to switch to a inferior phone or carrier for that. It's just not worth it to me.
My Note 5 performs flawlessly
Just got the hotspot working. Started a VPN connection, then fired up foxfi free edition. Foxfi uses it's own vpn, so it disconnected mine. When foxfi timed out, hotspot stayed up. Not sure why, but it's working through the native tether. No VPN is connected now (full speed connection).
I like it, somewhat. I waited until I could find the right price. $400 on Craigslist. All set up and good to go. I don't like the size, it's too narrow for my hands. It is snappy and responsive. The camera is nice. I do groan a lot, missing things like the IR blaster and removable SD card. It's a nightmare to load everything on here and I dread the impending factory resets. But it's good enough, I guess.
I could have been more impressed though. Samsung set the bar way too high with the Note4 and Edge advancements they made when they released them. They have done no such thing on the Note5 though.
I don't really have complaints, so to speak. But it really could have been more innovative, as past Notes have been. It is still great. I do like it. But my expectations have not been exceeded as they always have been in the past with Samsung.
sbrownla said:
I like it, somewhat. I waited until I could find the right price. $400 on Craigslist. All set up and good to go. I don't like the size, it's too narrow for my hands. It is snappy and responsive. The camera is nice. I do groan a lot, missing things like the IR blaster and removable SD card. It's a nightmare to load everything on here and I dread the impending factory resets. But it's good enough, I guess.
I could have been more impressed though. Samsung set the bar way too high with the Note4 and Edge advancements they made when they released them. They have done no such thing on the Note5 though.
I don't really have complaints, so to speak. But it really could have been more innovative, as past Notes have been. It is still great. I do like it. But my expectations have not been exceeded as they always have been in the past with Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree. If it wasn't for Samsung pay I would've actually ditched this phone and went another route.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Misterxtc said:
I've had many phones over the past year and settled with the Note 5. Although it's locked and unrootable I still chose it because I can do everything I liked to do on a rooted phone and more. No I can't physically remove unwanted system apps but I can hide and disable them with package disabler or the debloat tool. Removing them matters little because you can't make the system partition smaller to use the space anyways. The size is fixed. As for the IR blaster I never used it much and always ended up disabling it. The s-pen works the best out of all the note series I have used going back to the Note 3. If anyone is thinking about purchasing this phone or any other I suggest that you do your research before doing so. I had the S6 before this and loved it but always wished it was a bit larger and had the s-pen. So when the Note 5 came out I jumped on it and have been happy since day one. Yes root and a unlocked bootloader would be nice but I'm not about to switch to a inferior phone or carrier for that. It's just not worth it to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't have said it better. I had the S6 decided to jump to this. Love it!
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
It's been over 2 weeks, and I'm still not fully in love with this phone. But, I'm loving the really nice screen and camera. Cause I vid chat with my girlfriend, play retro snes games and watched alot of HD tv shows from my DVR.
Would be nice if the note had the same curved edges as the edge plus. But then again, I prefer the curved back more because its easier to hold. Im sure they could have pulled off both if they really wanted to. However that would be one less change they can make make for the note 6 next year.
Sent from my VK700 using Tapatalk
toskabab said:
Would be nice if the note had the same curved edges as the edge plus. But then again, I prefer the curved back more because its easier to hold. Im sure they could have pulled off both if they really wanted to. However that would be one less change they can make make for the note 6 next year.
Sent from my VK700 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe a note edge 2 for next year?
godfirst said:
Agree. If it wasn't for Samsung pay I would've actually ditched this phone and went another route.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have Samsung Pay, but haven't used it because I'm a bit paranoid because of the breach with T-Mobile. How has it been for you?
alhadee12 said:
I have Samsung Pay, but haven't used it because I'm a bit paranoid because of the breach with T-Mobile. How has it been for you?
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Click to collapse
Awesome. I barely pull out my wallet. It's just convient. Will see how long it takes for more supported banks, but by first quarter next year I'd things haven't picked up, I'll probably ditch my note.
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godfirst said:
Awesome. I barely pull out my wallet. It's just convient. Will see how long it takes for more supported banks, but by first quarter next year I'd things haven't picked up, I'll probably ditch my note.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why are looking to get rid of your Note?
Sent from my ONE E1005 using Tapatalk

What would you pick to replace your Nexus 5?

The Nexus 5 is an amazing phone, even so far into its life. I've replaced the battery once already, and at one point I built a single working phone from two Nexus 5s that my wife damaged (she's hard on phones). These are not devices that are really meant to be repaired, but so far they've been worth repairing.
I don't want to move on, but eventually I'm going to have to. There are no new batteries being manufactured for this phone, and sooner or later both of these phones will die from something. So, to get a jump on it, I'm starting to shop around.
If you had to replace your N5 tomorrow, what would you buy? My absolute must-haves are wireless charging, unlockability, and a robust development community. Everything else is optional to greater or lesser degree, though a user-replaceable battery and SD storage would be nice things. What say you, community?
dwasifar said:
The Nexus 5 is an amazing phone, even so far into its life. I've replaced the battery once already, and at one point I built a single working phone from two Nexus 5s that my wife damaged (she's hard on phones). These are not devices that are really meant to be repaired, but so far they've been worth repairing.
I don't want to move on, but eventually I'm going to have to. There are no new batteries being manufactured for this phone, and sooner or later both of these phones will die from something. So, to get a jump on it, I'm starting to shop around.
If you had to replace your N5 tomorrow, what would you buy? My absolute must-haves are wireless charging, unlockability, and a robust development community. Everything else is optional to greater or lesser degree, though a user-replaceable battery and SD storage would be nice things. What say you, community?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I just made this decision, and I got rid of an LG G3 (I know, quite old) because the screen was a bit big for me, but it had some of things you wanted like swappable battery / external storage etc., and well, I swapped it for Nexus 5X, despite the flaws you mention! That's not the boring answer you wanted I know. For me, price vs performance is the biggest factor. I will never spend £500 on a phone!
I'd say a Nexus 6. Because I have one, and it fits most of your criteria.
The battery can be replaced - see Youtube videos. Not plug-and-play, but you have to do it only every couple of years.
Expandable storage? See attached photo of 128GB on my little fingertip, plus Stickmount (root) to make it work.
"wireless charging, unlockability, and a robust development community" - yes.
Too big? That's what I thought, but the screen is awesome, perfect for ebook & video. A superb pocketable entertainment centre.
And it's a far more affordable device than when I bought it.
6p
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
rubber guard said:
6p
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When did they add wireless charging to the 6P? I don't see anything anywhere about that.
Its hard to move on from nexus 5...maybe the next Nexus would do
I would probably chose Nexus 5X, because it ticks all the boxes for me (I don't need wireless charging), plus it's dirt cheap at 250 € here in Europe.
i bought a Nextbit Robin to replace my 2years+ N5.
i keep it as 2nd phone running Sailfish.
Upgraded to an S6 Edge last year. Nexus 6P / Galaxy S7 Edge would be the choice if I wanted to upgrade now from Nexus 5.
Still love the N5, the best phone they made.
Google I/O is almost upon us, I'd say wait and see. If you like what you see or don't then I'd suggest the 5x have it to this day and loving it, perfect replacement for the OG Nexus 5...
For a cheap and powerful AOSP replacement I went for the xiaomi redmi note 3 pro with the Qualcomm factory ROM.

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