Database Info

Where Next?

Thought this thread would be useful for users to discuss their next phone as this device is now 2 years old. Also for former users to share their experience with their new device and how it compares to the One S. Or even users looking for a cheap second hand phone and wondering how this compares to the current phones.
I'm currently in two minds whether to get the M8 when it comes out in black or hold on for the M9 and hope that they get rid of that big ugly HTC bar and reduce the size of the phone overall. What is everyone else looking at?

rosswhite said:
Thought this thread would be useful for users to discuss their next phone as this device is now 2 years old. Also for former users to share their experience with their new device and how it compares to the One S. Or even users looking for a cheap second hand phone and wondering how this compares to the current phones.
I'm currently in two minds whether to get the M8 when it comes out in black or hold on for the M9 and hope that they get rid of that big ugly HTC bar and reduce the size of the phone overall. What is everyone else looking at?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends if you are patient enough, personally I like the Gun Metal Grey version of the M8. My HTC One S is pretty much dead with a broken power button, broken micro USB port and a smashed screen. I have applied for the One Plus Smash so if I get selected I will send you an invite if you are interested

I think this thread is a good idea. Many people in the development section talk about moving on to another phone. I can now include myself in this category as I have a Nexus 5 coming in the mail probably Thursday or Friday of this week. After I get it, I'm going to do a clean flash of the latest CM11 nightly on my One S, set it up as normal and keep it as a second device if anything were to happen to my N5. I'm just sick of the constant, little stability issues that this phone seems to have. It'll be nice to have a phone that has a much larger development community. I'm not sure if I'll use a custom ROM on my N5 yet, but if I do I know that I have many official options as opposed to buggy, unofficial ports made by unknown devs.

Get the M8, it's a great phone.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Darknites said:
Get the M8, it's a great phone.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing that has always confused me, if you put the GP software on it, does it make the camera worse without the sense software?

rosswhite said:
One thing that has always confused me, if you put the GP software on it, does it make the camera worse without the sense software?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not tried it, I use insertcoin rom but I believe it only missing some stuff you most likely don't use but the depth camera still works just need to download gallery from the store to play with them type of pictures.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

rosswhite said:
Thought this thread would be useful for users to discuss their next phone as this device is now 2 years old. Also for former users to share their experience with their new device and how it compares to the One S. Or even users looking for a cheap second hand phone and wondering how this compares to the current phones.
I'm currently in two minds whether to get the M8 when it comes out in black or hold on for the M9 and hope that they get rid of that big ugly HTC bar and reduce the size of the phone overall. What is everyone else looking at?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wait for M8 Mini. Want to know the size of Mini (screen is 4.5" but want to know the "total" size). I like HTC One S, size is perfect and the aluminum makes it perfect. I will never buy iPhone or Samsung. So what is left, Jolla or Huawei or Sony.
So I decide to wait for M8 Mini. And keep my ONE S because of good dev's on this site makes ONE S live longer with great modified OS.

jis251 said:
I wait for M8 Mini. Want to know the size of Mini (screen is 4.5" but want to know the "total" size). I like HTC One S, size is perfect and the aluminum makes it perfect. I will never buy iPhone or Samsung. So what is left, Jolla or Huawei or Sony.
So I decide to wait for M8 Mini. And keep my ONE S because of good dev's on this site makes ONE S live longer with great modified OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the M8 Mini will no doubt be a great phone also. Really interested to see what camera they put in it, ultra pixel or hopefully a regular 8/12mp shooter.

Darknites said:
Not tried it, I use insertcoin rom but I believe it only missing some stuff you most likely don't use but the depth camera still works just need to download gallery from the store to play with them type of pictures.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I forgot to ask before, how has your battery life been on the M8? All the reviews I've seen have said its very very good.

rosswhite said:
Sorry, I forgot to ask before, how has your battery life been on the M8? All the reviews I've seen have said its very very good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had 2 days with over 5 hours on screen time.

rosswhite said:
Yeah the M8 Mini will no doubt be a great phone also. Really interested to see what camera they put in it, ultra pixel or hopefully a regular 8/12mp shooter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It looks like M8 mini will come with 13M f/2.2 camera, same with Desire 816. It is very hard to get a phone to replace One S because there is little to none small size flagship nowadays. Only Iphone 5s, One Mini, Sony Z1 Compact and the upcoming Galaxy S5 mini, M8 Mini and Sony Japan A2 SO-04F(Z2 Compact).
http://www.ringhk.com/news2.php?id=8515
Here is the original camera samples from Desire 816. The quality is very good and better than(not to the level of out-performed) One S but still no 4K recording(S4 400 doesn't support it) and 1GB ram. I'll definitely look for M8 mini but really not sure if I will buy it.
Galaxy S5 Mini is also not bad though. With 4.5" 720P AMOLED, S4 400 quadcore, 1.5GB ram, IP67 water resistant. Rumor said the camera remains at 8M but not sure about the quality, no official information yet.
Z2 Campact will upgrade to S801, 3G ram. Yet again we don't know if it supports 4K recording at the moment, if it gets the 4K I'll definitely give it a look.

If you worried about size here the difference in cases, best thing I can come up with since I don't have it any more.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

TheEndHK said:
It looks like M8 mini will come with 13M f/2.2 camera, same with Desire 816. It is very hard to get a phone to replace One S because there is little to none small size flagship nowadays. Only Iphone 5s, One Mini, Sony Z1 Compact and the upcoming Galaxy S5 mini, M8 Mini and Sony Japan A2 SO-04F(Z2 Compact).
http://www.ringhk.com/news2.php?id=8515
Here is the original camera samples from Desire 816. The quality is very good and better than(not to the level of out-performed) One S but still no 4K recording(S4 400 doesn't support it) and 1GB ram. I'll definitely look for M8 mini but really not sure if I will buy it.
Galaxy S5 Mini is also not bad though. With 4.5" 720P AMOLED, S4 400 quadcore, 1.5GB ram, IP67 water resistant. Rumor said the camera remains at 8M but not sure about the quality, no official information yet.
Z2 Campact will upgrade to S801, 3G ram. Yet again we don't know if it supports 4K recording at the moment, if it gets the 4K I'll definitely give it a look.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I found today.
The One Mini 2 is rumored to sport a quad-core Snapdragon 400 chipset, 4.5-inch HD (1280 x 720) display, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, 13 MP rear and 5 MP front cameras, Android 4.4.2 KitKat and Sense 6.0 UI.

I personally thing I gonna wait until the Nexus 6 is released...
And the One S still not too bad today, so why not keeping it few months more. We had great Rom so far!
And the Nexus 6 will rock I guess!
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Darvadouille said:
I personally thing I gonna wait until the Nexus 6 is released...
And the One S still not too bad today, so why not keeping it few months more. We had great Rom so far!
And the Nexus 6 will rock I guess!
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me my contract was up and was a good deal going at the time which made it free for a cheap ish contract.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

jis251 said:
This is what I found today.
The One Mini 2 is rumored to sport a quad-core Snapdragon 400 chipset, 4.5-inch HD (1280 x 720) display, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, 13 MP rear and 5 MP front cameras, Android 4.4.2 KitKat and Sense 6.0 UI.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that now XDA only doing camera mod on Galaxy/Note and LG G2, all mod developer been moved to there. You found zero mod again on HTC M7/M8 or even Sony Z1/Z2.
So, it is possible that we won't have cam mod on One Mini 2. If the camera without quality mod, the quality won't be big over One S with modded, it still performed somewhat better(according to many...actually not many... samples on Internet) but not to a large margin and hence, upgrade may not necessary though the focus speed should be improved because of newer Imagechip. I will still put Mini 2 on my waiting list but not sure if I will get it.
Because now if we all don't have cam mod on Mini2/S5 Mini/Z2c. It turns out to be Sony A2(Japanese model name of Z2 Compact) got the best result but the most expensive one. But in my opinion, it is also believable that Mini 2 won't be too cheap either, remember it is a full metal body, it may ended up only a bit cheaper than A2 which made it doesn't that worth the money(if you very like metal then you are good to go but on a mid-end device, price/performance ratio is more important to me). Pay more to get A2 may actually a more smart decision.

Darvadouille said:
I personally thing I gonna wait until the Nexus 6 is released...
And the One S still not too bad today, so why not keeping it few months more. We had great Rom so far!
And the Nexus 6 will rock I guess!
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as One S still keeping us busy, I think we "still have time" to wait for better phone. Unlike some other phones who totally have been stopped the development, we are not yet in a hurry to force to upgrade.
We now have a workable(not perfect) 4.3 Sense rom as a daily driver and after One Mini 4.4.2 Sense6.0 out next month, we'll have a port from it and enough to give us more busying time in the second half of this year because this is a major upgrade.
So, the development will just continue in this year but I've to admit the life cycle might be finally reached the end in 2015 but it won't be in this year. If One Mini continue to receive updates in the future like 4.5 or even 5.0, we are possible to have some new development again in 2015 if lovely devs still around here.
I'm not sure when will I upgrade my phone. I don't like big phone so that's not many options available to me. At this time, I believe I'll simply just use One S til early 2015. If no more great small android phone out in the market, I may actually switch to Iphone6.
http://86digi.com/2578.html
The newly leaked information revealed the super slim design.

Personaly I think that only downside of One S is update break...phone has thin aluminium unibody,solid camera and display even for now day phones with some lower CPu for this days. My next choice probably will not be HTC couse thay overprice there top phones like samsuns S series...I probably buy some cheaper phone with top specs but with not so good case like G2 or Nexus 5 or just wait G3 to came out if there price will be like G2.
Oh I forgetten new company phone One Plus One...phone with CM11 and top specs like M8 but half price, I think it will be my phone if came to my country.
Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk

I bought the HTC One S two years ago and all I can say is that it is by far the most perfect phone I've owned. I'm using the Xperia Z1 now as I got it through the contract. Comparing these two phone the only thing that the Z1 has over the One S is the 20 MP camera. The display isn't that good although it has a 1080p display but colors are washed out and viewing angles are very poor whereas the One S has very good viewing angles and beautiful colors and the resolution isn't bad at all as the texts are sharp enough. Even the battery life is equl on both phones although the One S has a much smaller 1650mAh unit (two years old) compared to the 3000mAh in the Z1. As for the speed and performance they are both on the same level again. Only when playing graphic intensive games a difference can be seen but running programs and opening apps happens on the One S as fast as on the Z1. So overall I haven't noticed big differences between the two phones and I didn't expect such as the One S already great hardware even in 2014.

crni6 said:
Personaly I think that only downside of One S is update break...phone has thin aluminium unibody,solid camera and display even for now day phones with some lower CPu for this days. My next choice probably will not be HTC couse thay overprice there top phones like samsuns S series...I probably buy some cheaper phone with top specs but with not so good case like G2 or Nexus 5 or just wait G3 to came out if there price will be like G2.
Oh I forgetten new company phone One Plus One...phone with CM11 and top specs like M8 but half price, I think it will be my phone if came to my country.
Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a M8 Ace coming out to solve the HTC over pricing problem. All nearly same hardware with M8(5" 1080P, Duo Camera, S801, 2G ram) but with plastic body this time, no metal. The price is around 3000RMB which equals to US$480.
The mass production of One Plus One is like kidding in China and Hong Kong regional. You hardly to get one since they only produce very small units.
---------- Post added at 10:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 AM ----------
FahmyAbou said:
I bought the HTC One S two years ago and all I can say is that it is by far the most perfect phone I've owned. I'm using the Xperia Z1 now as I got it through the contract. Comparing these two phone the only thing that the Z1 has over the One S is the 20 MP camera. The display isn't that good although it has a 1080p display but colors are washed out and viewing angles are very poor whereas the One S has very good viewing angles and beautiful colors and the resolution isn't bad at all as the texts are sharp enough. Even the battery life is equl on both phones although the One S has a much smaller 1650mAh unit (two years old) compared to the 3000mAh in the Z1. As for the speed and performance they are both on the same level again. Only when playing graphic intensive games a difference can be seen but running programs and opening apps happens on the One S as fast as on the Z1. So overall I haven't noticed big differences between the two phones and I didn't expect such as the One S already great hardware even in 2014.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not surprised because Z1 is more likely an engineering sample, Z2 is much more mature in every very aspects.

i have few question for z3 users

hello mates right now i have a htc one x and i really want to make it retired and leave it to my sister.
in my country iphone 6 is very expensive and with that specs for me its an waste of money, 6+ is very big , 6 is perfect for me but have something like 1800 mah or 1900 mah battery my hox already have 1800 mah and its a pain.
im stuck between z3, g3, and m8. z3 have superior specs than rivals and epic battery life which is very important for me. if you ask why? im using my htc one x nearly 2 years. with this months 21. day it will be complete 2 year. i never used my phone without power saving. getting into clash of clans and collecting the resources drains %10 of my battery.
right now i wanna ask you guys how is the z3? still it didnt released in my country (im from turkey,the land of great taxes) so i dont have any idea about phone. i just saw some pictures, watch reviews and read some specs thats it
my hox have a wifi problem which is a design fault edit: also i send my phone to the guarantee like 4th time because of wifi problem
did z3 have any problems? i heard about glass cracking problem but it only showed up 0.6% of the z3's
my head little bit mixed between this amiral ships.
for the m8 im really scaring about battery which is 2600 mah
but i really love its design. also im really get used to sense ui after sense z3's ui looks bit ugly
anyway if you guys can guide me i will be very happy

bullx said:
hello mates right now i have a htc one x and i really want to make it retired and leave it to my sister.
in my country iphone 6 is very expensive and with that specs for me its an waste of money, 6+ is very big , 6 is perfect for me but have something like 1800 mah or 1900 mah battery my hox already have 1800 mah and its a pain.
im stuck between z3, g3, and m8. z3 have superior specs than rivals and epic battery life which is very important for me. if you ask why? im using my htc one x nearly 2 years. with this months 21. day it will be complete 2 year. i never used my phone without power saving. getting into clash of clans and collecting the resources drains %10 of my battery.
right now i wanna ask you guys how is the z3? still it didnt released in my country (im from turkey,the land of great taxes) so i dont have any idea about phone. i just saw some pictures, watch reviews and read some specs thats it
my hox have a wifi problem which is a design fault edit: also i send my phone to the guarantee like 4th time because of wifi problem
did z3 have any problems? i heard about glass cracking problem but it only showed up 0.6% of the z3's
my head little bit mixed between this amiral ships.
for the m8 im really scaring about battery which is 2600 mah
but i really love its design. also im really get used to sense ui after sense z3's ui looks bit ugly
anyway if you guys can guide me i will be very happy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on what you want really.
One M8 is huge and has a smaller screen than both Z3 and G3.
Z3 and M8 have much better speakers than the G3.
Z3 and M8 are more premium design than G3.
G3 has higher res screen, but there's no point in having 1440p screens on a smartphone.
Z3 has far brighter screen than M8 or G3.
Z3 has far better battery life than M8 or G3.
G3 feels much better in the hand compared to M8 or Z3.
M8 has the better software compared to G3 and Z3. HTC are very good with updates as well.
One thing I will say, all three phones are very easy to drop. Z3 is slippery glass, G3 slippery plastic, M8 slippery metal. G3 and Z3 are much easier to hold though due to them being much smaller than the M8.

I'll try to sum up my personal impression:
The Z3 is a great phone. Playing 3D games, I had like 10% drain in one hour. The screen is very nice, it's slightly cold white balance is only noticable when you have a warm light source nearby and it can easily be corrected with apps or the built-in settings. The speakers are clear and headphone output is great. Performance is awesome too, I haven't noticed any lagging.
If you're interested in technical stuff: Cores 2 and 3 are sleeping most of the time even with the phone in use and all energy saviing disabled, which in my opinion means that low-level CPU control is quite good. Charging speed is 0.5% per minute on the stock 1.5A charger. Call quality is great, though I'm just sending my unit back as people can barely hear me when I use the built-in micropone. On the headset that came with it (Sony MH750, not noise cancelling), sound quality is great.
I like the stock UI, but if you like Sense, it's likely quite a bit different. Unlocking the bootloader means losing a few features at the moment, but if you really want Sense on it, I'm sure there will be a port coming sometime - you're not the only one.
I have had zero problems with WiFi at home and university (eduroam) so far, but there is at least one more thread where someone complains about WiFi-performance, so it's a definitive statement.
I can't say much about fragility. I have never used a phone without a cover / case, though things tend to fall down from my hands. I'll see how the Z3 holds up to that. I also take the phone out of my pocket before I sit down.
Now, about battery size: You seem to worry about the 2600 mAh M8 battery vs. 3100 mAh in the Z3. Let me tell you that the software has a much bigger impact on battery life than the hardware, especially with two devices as similar as the M8 and Z3 (hardware-wise). My old HTC Desire HD drew around 400 mA with the screen on and in use, the Z3 with it's much bigger screen and faster CPU takes around 260 mA. If you can get your hands on an M8, install something like "Battery Monitor" or "3C toolbox" and see if you can get a few readings while using the phone as you would normally (normal brightness etc.). The Sense UI might use more or less power than the Sony one, for example. So while it's true that the M8 has a smaller battery, it doesn't mean that the impact on runtime is the same as the difference in capacity.
I did not compare the Z3 to the M8 before buying it because I don't like Sense since 3.5, and because I really wanted to have a long battery life, so I can't compare it any further, sorry.

istrikerx said:
Depends on what you want really.
One M8 is huge and has a smaller screen than both Z3 and G3.
Z3 and M8 have much better speakers than the G3.
Z3 and M8 are more premium design than G3.
G3 has higher res screen, but there's no point in having 1440p screens on a smartphone.
Z3 has far brighter screen than M8 or G3.
Z3 has far better battery life than M8 or G3.
G3 feels much better in the hand compared to M8 or Z3.
M8 has the better software compared to G3 and Z3. HTC are very good with updates as well.
One thing I will say, all three phones are very easy to drop. Z3 is slippery glass, G3 slippery plastic, M8 slippery metal. G3 and Z3 are much easier to hold though due to them being much smaller than the M8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dragonfet said:
I'll try to sum up my personal impression:
The Z3 is a great phone. Playing 3D games, I had like 10% drain in one hour. The screen is very nice, it's slightly cold white balance is only noticable when you have a warm light source nearby and it can easily be corrected with apps or the built-in settings. The speakers are clear and headphone output is great. Performance is awesome too, I haven't noticed any lagging.
If you're interested in technical stuff: Cores 2 and 3 are sleeping most of the time even with the phone in use and all energy saviing disabled, which in my opinion means that low-level CPU control is quite good. Charging speed is 0.5% per minute on the stock 1.5A charger. Call quality is great, though I'm just sending my unit back as people can barely hear me when I use the built-in micropone. On the headset that came with it (Sony MH750, not noise cancelling), sound quality is great.
I like the stock UI, but if you like Sense, it's likely quite a bit different. Unlocking the bootloader means losing a few features at the moment, but if you really want Sense on it, I'm sure there will be a port coming sometime - you're not the only one.
I have had zero problems with WiFi at home and university (eduroam) so far, but there is at least one more thread where someone complains about WiFi-performance, so it's a definitive statement.
I can't say much about fragility. I have never used a phone without a cover / case, though things tend to fall down from my hands. I'll see how the Z3 holds up to that. I also take the phone out of my pocket before I sit down.
Now, about battery size: You seem to worry about the 2600 mAh M8 battery vs. 3100 mAh in the Z3. Let me tell you that the software has a much bigger impact on battery life than the hardware, especially with two devices as similar as the M8 and Z3 (hardware-wise). My old HTC Desire HD drew around 400 mA with the screen on and in use, the Z3 with it's much bigger screen and faster CPU takes around 260 mA. If you can get your hands on an M8, install something like "Battery Monitor" or "3C toolbox" and see if you can get a few readings while using the phone as you would normally (normal brightness etc.). The Sense UI might use more or less power than the Sony one, for example. So while it's true that the M8 has a smaller battery, it doesn't mean that the impact on runtime is the same as the difference in capacity.
I did not compare the Z3 to the M8 before buying it because I don't like Sense since 3.5, and because I really wanted to have a long battery life, so I can't compare it any further, sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thx for answers. i really liked the m8 i will look for it one more time so its still in list. how is the z3's durability? i always use my phones with case and screen protection.
is z3 and z3c's cpu better than m8, g3 and s5?
and did z3 have heat problem like at the z2?

bullx said:
thx for answers. i really liked the m8 i will look for it one more time so its still in list. how is the z3s durability? i always use my phones with case and screen protection.
is z3 and z3cs cpu better than m8, g3 and s5?
and did z3 have heat problem like at the z2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesnt the M8 only have 2gb if RAM?

jonshipman said:
Doesnt the M8 only have 2gb if RAM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i never notices it have 2gb ram. i just check it you're right m8 have 2gb ram
so z3 have superior ram, camera, battery on m8 but what about cpu?
edit: also did z3 have heat problem like z2 have?

I own 2 G3's (F460S, D850) currently and here's my take:
The G3 has the best camera (OIS and laser for fast auto focusing , faster than any phone I've used)
The 2k screen is noticeably better (I had a Note 3 before this and you can tell the difference in resolution)
The speaker on the G3 is louder/better sounding than the Note 3 and S5 (I haven't tested it against the m8)
The G3 UI is very clean and simple without being too heavy.
The G3 is the size of the Z3 maybe a little smaller with a bigger screen.
I love my G3's but I'll probably get a Z3 as a backup phone however I don't think I'd use it as a primary.

I have had the d850 "ATT Brand" G3 for awhile now. Having had an HTC for my last 3 phones I was hesitant, but I've grown very fond of the G3. It is very simple u.I. great screen and battery life as well. Most features stock on G3 are what people were wanting on an AOSP ROM after rooting. I thought this was awesome! I'm coming from the HTC One and while the Boomsound speakers sounded great at first they deteriorated over time. The G3s speaker is excellent and with good quality tones or music the hi-fi shines and sounds great. Everyone will have different opinions or problems, likes/dislikes with any product. Actually they're all great devices I'd pick the one which best suits you. Good luck!
Is that an iPhone 6 ?......."LMFAO!!!!"… said my G3

I would say go for the M8 or the Z3. Both are excellent.
The M8 handles gaming better on the battery, the speakers on the M8 are far better than the Z3, so is headphone volume.
Screens are comparable, but Z3 is brighter, M8 is better quality (White balance etc) in my opinion.
Can't go far wrong with either. Z3 if you aren't gaming too much, M8 if speaker quality and gaming are important.
Camera is probably a little better on Z3 except with moving targets.

Jonathan-H said:
I would say go for the M8 or the Z3. Both are excellent.
The M8 handles gaming better on the battery, the speakers on the M8 are far better than the Z3, so is headphone volume.
Screens are comparable, but Z3 is brighter, M8 is better quality (White balance etc) in my opinion.
Can't go far wrong with either. Z3 if you aren't gaming too much, M8 if speaker quality and gaming are important.
Camera is probably a little better on Z3 except with moving targets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i didnt get the "m8 handles gaming better on battery" part. i love gaming but m8 have 2600 mah battery, z3 have 3100 mah battery also got 2 power saver modes (stamina, ultra stamina)
i read on websites they said m8 have the worst camera compared to its rivals. z3 have solid 20.7 mp but m8 have 4mp with a ultrapixel sensor.
also i heard boomsound is worse than beats?
anyway its an old smartphone compared to its rivals. first i was waiting for m9 but it will released at 2015 first quarter.its a long time and i cant continue with hox anymore

wolf0491 said:
Got my Z3 on Friday. Been loving it so far. Battery seems very promising. I used to be at work and looking for a charger before I would leave. Now at that same point I have 50% battery....lol
I do play some game and that is what mainly makes my battery time less than most people on here but I still am very impressed by the amount I have left after like 14 hours.
Performance so far has been lag free for me. screens all seem to open and close right when I click.
looks are my favorite. It is just a sexy phone IMO
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the information mate. did you have any heat problem? in gaming or video recording? and how is the speaker
dragonfet said:
I'll try to sum up my personal impression:
The Z3 is a great phone. Playing 3D games, I had like 10% drain in one hour. The screen is very nice, it's slightly cold white balance is only noticable when you have a warm light source nearby and it can easily be corrected with apps or the built-in settings. The speakers are clear and headphone output is great. Performance is awesome too, I haven't noticed any lagging.
If you're interested in technical stuff: Cores 2 and 3 are sleeping most of the time even with the phone in use and all energy saviing disabled, which in my opinion means that low-level CPU control is quite good. Charging speed is 0.5% per minute on the stock 1.5A charger. Call quality is great, though I'm just sending my unit back as people can barely hear me when I use the built-in micropone. On the headset that came with it (Sony MH750, not noise cancelling), sound quality is great.
I like the stock UI, but if you like Sense, it's likely quite a bit different. Unlocking the bootloader means losing a few features at the moment, but if you really want Sense on it, I'm sure there will be a port coming sometime - you're not the only one.
I have had zero problems with WiFi at home and university (eduroam) so far, but there is at least one more thread where someone complains about WiFi-performance, so it's a definitive statement.
I can't say much about fragility. I have never used a phone without a cover / case, though things tend to fall down from my hands. I'll see how the Z3 holds up to that. I also take the phone out of my pocket before I sit down.
Now, about battery size: You seem to worry about the 2600 mAh M8 battery vs. 3100 mAh in the Z3. Let me tell you that the software has a much bigger impact on battery life than the hardware, especially with two devices as similar as the M8 and Z3 (hardware-wise). My old HTC Desire HD drew around 400 mA with the screen on and in use, the Z3 with it's much bigger screen and faster CPU takes around 260 mA. If you can get your hands on an M8, install something like "Battery Monitor" or "3C toolbox" and see if you can get a few readings while using the phone as you would normally (normal brightness etc.). The Sense UI might use more or less power than the Sony one, for example. So while it's true that the M8 has a smaller battery, it doesn't mean that the impact on runtime is the same as the difference in capacity.
I did not compare the Z3 to the M8 before buying it because I don't like Sense since 3.5, and because I really wanted to have a long battery life, so I can't compare it any further, sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well i mosty use whatapp, 3G Mobile Data is nearly always online, and play some games after the htc one x experience im thinking twice for htc
Pilz said:
I own 2 G3's (F460S, D850) currently and here's my take:
The G3 has the best camera (OIS and laser for fast auto focusing , faster than any phone I've used)
The 2k screen is noticeably better (I had a Note 3 before this and you can tell the difference in resolution)
The speaker on the G3 is louder/better sounding than the Note 3 and S5 (I haven't tested it against the m8)
The G3 UI is very clean and simple without being too heavy.
The G3 is the size of the Z3 maybe a little smaller with a bigger screen.
I love my G3's but I'll probably get a Z3 as a backup phone however I don't think I'd use it as a primary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
traesnaidensdad said:
I have had the d850 "ATT Brand" G3 for awhile now. Having had an HTC for my last 3 phones I was hesitant, but I've grown very fond of the G3. It is very simple u.I. great screen and battery life as well. Most features stock on G3 are what people were wanting on an AOSP ROM after rooting. I thought this was awesome! I'm coming from the HTC One and while the Boomsound speakers sounded great at first they deteriorated over time. The G3s speaker is excellent and with good quality tones or music the hi-fi shines and sounds great. Everyone will have different opinions or problems, likes/dislikes with any product. Actually they're all great devices I'd pick the one which best suits you. Good luck!
Is that an iPhone 6 ?......."LMFAO!!!!"… said my G3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well my friend is using a g2. i was recommend it to him when he was a bit confused between samsung and lg and he was a samsung fan.
he just love it, also he says "you must get g3, i test it and after the g2 experience i totally recommend it to you, you must be insane if you not think to buy g3"
also i loved the laser focusing but some users says in turkish forums they having issues with laser focusing.
well in my country these phones are bit expensive. i mean im pretty sure i will use it min 1 year so im just trying to do the right choice for myself.

bullx said:
thanks for the information mate. did you have any heat problem? in gaming or video recording? and how is the speaker
well i mosty use whatapp, 3G Mobile Data is nearly always online, and play some games after the htc one x experience im thinking twice for htc
well my friend is using a g2. i was recommend it to him when he was a bit confused between samsung and lg and he was a samsung fan.
he just love it, also he says "you must get g3, i test it and after the g2 experience i totally recommend it to you, you must be insane if you not think to buy g3"
also i loved the laser focusing but some users says in turkish forums they having issues with laser focusing.
well in my country these phones are bit expensive. i mean im pretty sure i will use it min 1 year so im just trying to do the right choice for myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have never had an issue with the laser focusing and I have had a G3 since it launched in Korea back in late may/early June. The G3 is a good phone I do like the Sony as well but it has too many issues currently for me to buy it.

wolf0491 said:
@bullx compared to xperia Z this phone doesn't seem to get hot while gaming. I do feel some warmth of course but nothing close to my old phone. This may of course be dependent on what games and what length you play at
Sent from my Xperia Z3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the info mate, i think it will be cooler than my hox when gaming
did you try 4k video recording? here is the reason why im asking :
http://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/news/2014/09/sony_xperia_z3_sony_improves_overheating_problems_advises_short_term_recording_only/
did you test 4k video recording yet?
Pilz said:
I have never had an issue with the laser focusing and I have had a G3 since it launched in Korea back in late may/early June. The G3 is a good phone I do like the Sony as well but it has too many issues currently for me to buy it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well im just worried about camera(13mp s5 have 16, z3 have 20.7), battery and if i read correctly there is a little lag at the ui (mainscreen, menu etc) because of the high resolution screen
also issues like what? i only know about glass crack and overheating when recording 4k. i dont wanna buy a phone with issue anymore. my hox still in guarantee because of wifi. this is the 4th time i send them.i requested device change this time
here is the battery test i copy from phonearena.com
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}

bullx said:
thanks for the info mate, i think it will be cooler than my hox when gaming
did you try 4k video recording? here is the reason why im asking :
http://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/news...g_problems_advises_short_term_recording_only/
did you test 4k video recording yet?
well im just worried about camera(13mp s5 have 16, z3 have 20.7), battery and if i read correctly there is a little lag at the ui (mainscreen, menu etc) because of the high resolution screen
also issues like what? i only know about glass crack and overheating when recording 4k. i dont wanna buy a phone with issue anymore. my hox still in guarantee because of wifi. this is the 4th time i send them.i requested device change this time
here is the battery test i copy from phonearena.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have used 4k recording and my phone doesn't get hot. Keep in mind I had the SD805 version of the G3. Also while battery life isn't as good as Sony (I get 5hours SOT on a good day ) I can replace the battery in less than 20 seconds. I have 2 batteries since my phone is the Korean version and it comes with a spare battery and charger. This is why the battery life isn't a big deal. The biggest thing I want is a waterproof phone, I love my G3 and I plan to keep it but the waterproofing is what I like about Sony. My wife has a s5 and I hate the physical home button so I thought Sony would be a good choice.
My phone has 0 lag I uploaded a short video of the onscreen nav of my phone I'll post the link down below. Its very smooth (~48k on antutu is pretty good) and I'm running the stock ROM rooted with no performance mods. If I ran AOSP it would certainly be faster and get better battery life. Each has their own advantage I will eventually get Sony or another as a backup, I just don't want to go through the hassle of getting s lemon.
Here is the video (I use Nova launcher in case you were wondering):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/apmizdhkbx100f8/2014-10-01 23.12.23.mp4?dl=0

[Q] Debating between Z3 and Moto X (2nd ed)

I am REALLY struggling deciding which of these two phones to go for.
I played a bit with a Z3 today and loved it. I have yet to get my hands on a Moto X (2nd ed) as they are no where to be found in the UK (in store).
Both cost more or less the same. The Z3 is a bit more expensive but not by much, maybe £50.
After viewing the phone specs side by side on phonearena they seem very similar. Battery life, camera and additional sd storage were two of the things that stood out.
Thoughts? TIA

texaslittleangel said:
I am REALLY struggling deciding which of these two phones to go for.
I played a bit with a Z3 today and loved it. I have yet to get my hands on a Moto X (2nd ed) as they are no where to be found in the UK (in store).
Both cost more or less the same. The Z3 is a bit more expensive but not by much, maybe £50.
After viewing the phone specs side by side on phonearena they seem very similar. Battery life, camera and additional sd storage were two of the things that stood out.
Thoughts? TIA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I currently have both and I've been using my Z3 more. The battery life is great and I like the screen as well.

texaslittleangel said:
I am REALLY struggling deciding which of these two phones to go for.
I played a bit with a Z3 today and loved it. I have yet to get my hands on a Moto X (2nd ed) as they are no where to be found in the UK (in store).
Both cost more or less the same. The Z3 is a bit more expensive but not by much, maybe £50.
After viewing the phone specs side by side on phonearena they seem very similar. Battery life, camera and additional sd storage were two of the things that stood out.
Thoughts? TIA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was struggling with the same difficulty
Since the screen on my n4 broke, i was looking for an upgrade
The only agvantages of the moto i found out were the amoled screen, close to stock rom and fast updates. Nothing great in hardware section.
The z3 has many advantages over the moto x like the amazing battery life, sd card support till 128gb, better development for now, etc
1) moto doesn't have much development for now while we have a custom kernel for stock Sony rom with OC'ing, UV'ing and an unofficial cm11 build. Most of the development of z2 and z1 can be ported
2)white balance on my z3 is amazingly accurate! My whites are whiter than almost any phone ive conpared to
3) low light imaging on z3 is amazing and noisy on moto x
4) at the end of the day when i am left with 30% charge i feel great (cell recieption is horrible in goa). I've seen the battery thread in moto x section and they have 2-3h SoT with one day of usage (6h i get on my z3)
5) camera on z3 is nothing special unless it's on manual mode
Now I'd suggest you to ask the same question in moto x thread and then decide carefully!

hey TIA,
I was under the same dilemma until a couple of days ago. My post might seem to look like a cliche or would have the same content which you must have read elsewhere, but bear with me on this.
I wanted to get the Nexus 6, couldn't as Google's being a **** by delaying its release. Then I shifted my attention towards Moto X which was almost identical to Nexus 6 (except for screen and camera). There was a flash sale on 29th / 30th October on Motorola UK site. I didn't buy any (still couldn't decide). However, after the sale, the price boosted back up and it was a bit too steep for me. For the same price range I could get a LG G3 or Sony Xperia Z3. I spent countless hours (2 days) to outweigh the features and decide.
The LG G3 has amazing 5.5" large IPS screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 (which is 2K; also called as QHD), a 13MP back camera with 3 axis image stabilization and an Infra-red Laser rangefinder (which would make LG's camera a beast in terms of focusing, perceiving depth and smooth motion recording) and a 2.1MP front camera capable of recoding and shooting 4K pictures. It comes with 2 GB RAM and a Quadcore 2.5GHz Krait CPU all powered by a 3000 mAh battery. Apart from that the G3 has regular flagship standard features like 16 GB ROM, 128 GB microSD card support, FM, LTE+, NFC, IR, WiFi, BT, GPS & GLONASS.
The Sony Xperia Z3, comes with a comparably smaller 5.2" screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 (which is 1080p HD), and a whopping 20.7MP camera which is being considered as one of the best for now. The camera is capable of recording 4K images and videos. On the flip side, it has a 2.2MP camera. It also comes with 3GB RAM and a Quadcore 2.5GHz Krait CPU same as LG G3. However, its being powered by a 3100 mAh battery. The Z3 also has standard flagship features like 16 GB ROM, 128 GB microSD card support, LTE, FM, NFC, WiFi, BT, GPS, Beido. It also supports Quick Charge 2.0 for faster charging.
Finally, the Moto X has a similarly sized screen to that of Xperia Z3, a 5.2" screen from Samsung's AMOLED line with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 (which is 1080p HD) . It sports a 13 MP back camera which takes pictures at 4128 x 3096 ( a bit higher than 4K) and 2MP front camera. The Moto X does not have a microSD card slot nor a FM. It runs on 2GB RAM and same CPU as mentioned above.
These features were too tempting, but spending £450 on a phone which I may replace in a year or so wasnt' ideal for me. so, after working out the pricing, I decided to go for a contract with 3. 3 offers 24 month contract with 600 minutes, unltd texts an 1GB internet (which is enough for me) for £28 a month. so £28 * 24 = £672 and I get a free phone!; If I decided to get a phone on its own and use one off contract, then it would cost me £15 a month * 24 months = £360 + £450 (phone) = £810.
So I went with Xperia Z3 just because of its camera picture quality, 3GB RAM, and Playstation Integration and I went with 3 just because it saves me ~£100 which I can use it for something else.
If you want "Google"-ness on your phone, then go with Moto X, If you want a phone with huge RAM and awesome camera, go with Xperia Z3, if you want a phone to take great 4K videos then go with G3.
There is, how ever a 4th alternative, OnePlus's One. You can get it for ~£200 +/- £50 off Amazon. which is a blend of all three phones (without 4K display) I've heard its a good phone. If you are on a tight budget I would suggest you to get this NOT FROM AMAZON, but from official site.

Use the questions and answer sections for questions that you want answer
Thread moved

emclondon said:
hey TIA,
These features were too tempting, but spending £450 on a phone which I may replace in a year or so wasnt' ideal for me. so, after working out the pricing, I decided to go for a contract with 3. 3 offers 24 month contract with 600 minutes, unltd texts an 1GB internet (which is enough for me) for £28 a month. so £28 * 24 = £672 and I get a free phone!; If I decided to get a phone on its own and use one off contract, then it would cost me £15 a month * 24 months = £360 + £450 (phone) = £810.
So I went with Xperia Z3 just because of its camera picture quality, 3GB RAM, and Playstation Integration and I went with 3 just because it saves me ~£100 which I can use it for something else.
If you want "Google"-ness on your phone, then go with Moto X, If you want a phone with huge RAM and awesome camera, go with Xperia Z3, if you want a phone to take great 4K videos then go with G3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi emclondon,
I was gutted when the rumors of the Nexus 6 being 6" were true. That is a phablet and too big for comfort (and my small girly hands). I was so looking forward to it.
I went on the Nexus 6 forum to ask for alternatives. I was given a few but the top three where:
1) Moto X - Online purchase only. Seems like an amazing phone but it cannot be found anywhere to play with it.
2) Dorid - Not out in the UK yet
3) Z3 - Hands on advantage (Westfield Shepherds Bush has a stand)
Although pure android is important, the camera of the Z3 is hard to beat. I travel quite a bit and I was impressed with the camera features.
I was actually offered a great deal from Carphone Warehouse. 1000 minutes, unlimited txt and 2gb with EE for £30 on a 24 mo contract with no money to pay upfront. I pretty much did the same calculations you so kindly noted.
There are not a whole lot of draw backs on the phone aside from the glass screen WHICH I have on my Nexus 4. Despite the amount of times I have dropped it, thanks to the awesome screen and back protector (and the bumper), it is in great condition. I'll be getting the same brand for my new phone.
OK so, I think I have made my decision. THANK YOU guys for taking the time to contribute and helping me out decide what new toy to get!
:victory: happy dance :victory:

Both are great, but in my opinion Z3 is better because:
1. Much greater battery life
2. LCDs don't burn in like AMOLED, AMOLED also uses more power in web pages (white background)
3. Better speakers
4. Better camera especially if you use manual mode.

np TIA, let me know what you went for

I went with the z3 personally
but not for the camera... (i think the camera is overrated if you ask me!! - originally i had a g3 and i gotta tell you .. having a quick camera with instant focus real makes for a great real world camera... although g3 pictures not as good as z3 in terms of overall quality)
the kicker for me on the z3 is the battery life..
Not just the standard battery life which is about 2 days but also the excellent stamina mode. (which when the battery is low can give you an extra 5 or so hours depending)
I do prefer stock android though so i've tried to make the z3 as stock as possible with the L theme , nova installed, custom keyboard.

Tiger33 said:
I went with the z3 personally
but not for the camera... (i think the camera is overrated if you ask me!! - originally i had a g3 and i gotta tell you .. having a quick camera with instant focus real makes for a great real world camera... although g3 pictures not as good as z3 in terms of overall quality)
the kicker for me on the z3 is the battery life..
Not just the standard battery life which is about 2 days but also the excellent stamina mode. (which when the battery is low can give you an extra 5 or so hours depending)
I do prefer stock android though so i've tried to make the z3 as stock as possible with the L theme , nova installed, custom keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like what I would have to say too. Getting the Z3 to look stock as possible. Z3 is not a good point-and-shoot phone. My Nexus 5 did a whole lot better.

Yeah people really to seem to forget about the speed of the camera and real world usage. (they get blinded by the megapixel count! )

Well, I picked up the Z3 yesterday. I highly dislike all of the Sony crap in there and having to figure out what I ca dissable and or uninstall has not been fun (still at it).
I haven't had time to play with the camera as I've spent most of the time transferring files over and trying to figure out why the msgstore.db.crpt7 file from whatsapp doesn't want to move to the new phone grrrrr.
I am staring to miss the purity of the nexus' sigh!

congrats!
Yeah I agree that some of the bloatware is annoying. I just left it as I'm waiting for stable ASOP or Sony branded lollipop release now.
Why can't you copy the crypt* files? did you try copying the whole whatsapp folder? also you could use smsbackuprestore to transfer all your texts across the phone. Very handy tool.

emclondon said:
Why can't you copy the crypt* files? did you try copying the whole whatsapp folder? also you could use smsbackuprestore to transfer all your texts across the phone. Very handy tool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used smsbackuprestore, I love that app. So easy to use! In regards to WA, It copies all the files except for of the 9 inside of the database folder, one of these being the msgstore.db.crypt7 file. I get an error as posted on the attached pic.
I should be getting the case and screen protector tomorrow. It is fun learning to use the new phone but a bit overwhelming as I want to take full advantage of its features.

texaslittleangel said:
I used smsbackuprestore, I love that app. So easy to use! In regards to WA, It copies all the files except for of the 9 inside of the database folder, one of these being the msgstore.db.crypt7 file. I get an error as posted on the attached pic.
I should be getting the case and screen protector tomorrow. It is fun learning to use the new phone but a bit overwhelming as I want to take full advantage of its features.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried force stopping whatsapp before you do the copy?

se1000 said:
Have you tried force stopping whatsapp before you do the copy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just triend it, didn't work
Everything else copied smoothly

alright, lets do this.
You don't need all the files from that folder. so, go ahead and delete the files from msgstore-2014-10-31.* till msgstore-2014-11-05.* but leave the msgstore.db and msgstore-2014-11-06.* and msgstore-2014-11-07.*
fire up your whatsapp app, go to settings > chat and click 'Backup Conversations'. This will create a new msgstore file with current date in its file name. (lets say if you've clicked it now, you'll find a file named msgstore-2014-11-9.* and will replace msgstore.db's contents (it updated it).
go back to the folder and start deleting all files except msgstore.db and the file you've created just now (msgstore-2014-11-9.*) and try copying them , chances are that they should be copied without any problems.
if it still doesn't work, one another way I can think of is to copy the file onto a SD card; or move it to your google drive/docs. and redownload them on your phone.
hth

I am going for option two, much easier at this time at night lol. If this one fails, then I'll go with your first option. This would involve having to go through the whatsapp verification on my nexus as I have activated my account on the Z3.
So far, uploading the files to the google drive went well. I am now downloading them one by one on to the phone and hopefully it will let me transfer them into the databases folder on whatsapp crossing fingers

emclondon said:
if it still doesn't work, one another way I can think of is to copy the file onto a SD card; or move it to your google drive/docs. and redownload them on your phone.
hth
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, copying the to google drive added [1] to each file and mid way through downloading to device it stopped. So I tried the same but with Box and it worked flawlessly.
Brillian emclondon!! THANK YOU!!! :victory: :good:

No Problem.
I've seen that you've abandoned you're Nexus 4 Logo. Have this:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}

THIS is what the Galaxy S8 should have been - (Design Render)

As much as I like the S8, there are a few minor things that keep it from being great. Here's a quick mock up of what I think would have been the perfect S8:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Better fingerprint sensor location
Power/volume buttons on one side, no bixby
16:9 5.1" screen
Obviously it doesn't matter what any of us think, but imo it would be nice if someone (google) were to make something like this. Anyone agree?

You left off the front facing stereo speakers. See. ZTE Axon 7 for reference.

I actually like the tall screen and the finger print scanner... so no, I dont agree

stan54 said:
As much as I like the S8, there are a few minor things that keep it from being great. Here's a quick mock up of what I think would have been the perfect S8:
Better fingerprint sensor location
Power/volume buttons on one side, no bixby
16:9 5.1" screen
Obviously it doesn't matter what any of us think, but imo it would be nice if someone (google) were to make something like this. Anyone agree?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
right on man!:good:

I like how its been designed. People are reacting a bit over too much over the fingerprint sensor location... it aint all that bad positioning afterall.

nobody seams to understand why the finger print sensor is where it is....... the battery would have to be thinner or shorter... this location maximizes your battery size... so deal with it

I'm ok with the current design... but it's okay to dream...

dmcgrath009 said:
nobody seams to understand why the finger print sensor is where it is....... the battery would have to be thinner or shorter... this location maximizes your battery size... so deal with it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the placement of the finger print sensor was mainly because they failed to achieve what they originally wanted which was a fingerprint sensor on the front display. Rather than delay the launch, they put it in an area that made the most sense without having to redesign. It's not the ideal location, but it's not terrible either.
OP I like the design. Switching from the Nexus 6, the side buttons would be great. As for the aspect ratio, I'm starting to like the S8 being more narrow, makes it feel like the phone isn't quite as big as it is while still having a lot of screen real estate. Well done though, if that was the actual S8 I would definitely have gotten it as well.

Finger print location isn't bad. If you hold your hand out like you are using samsung pay its great positioning.
I think most are complaining because they are In the habit of where the scanner it. Need to accept and use the new location to form new habit.

I'm not so sure decreasing the 18.5:9 to 16:9 would make it go all the way down to a 5.1" screen. Maybe 5.4". But I wholeheartedly agree with all of this
Someone did something similar with the Pixel. I would've bought it if it looked like this.

ChazzMatt said:
You left off the front facing stereo speakers. See. ZTE Axon 7 for reference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every thread you come in with that ZTE Axon 7 and stereo speakers. Let it die already.

STEREO SPEAKERS FOR THE WIN
ChazzMatt said:
You left off the front facing stereo speakers. See. ZTE Axon 7 for reference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rado_vr6 said:
Every thread you come in with that ZTE Axon 7 and stereo speakers. Let it die already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. I will not. In fact reviewers agree with me. One of the complaint reviewers have had about the otherwise mostly excellent S8 is Samsung's puzzling decision for mono speaker. They own Harman Kardon!
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2017/04/22/samsung-galaxy-s8-review/#6425a0d73e5e
Cons: Badly positioned volume controls, idiotically positioned fingerprint sensor, pointless Bixby button and a meek mono speaker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://mashable.com/2017/03/31/samsung-galaxy-s8-specs-compromise/
The phone only has a mono speaker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.iretron.com/blog/posts/samsung-galaxy-s8-my-first-full-day/
I am disappointed that there are no stereo speakers,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And not only a complaint within a review, that's ACTUALLY the TITLE of an article...
http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-stereo-speakers-761093/
Is Samsung ever going to put stereo speakers on a flagship?
Is Samsung ever going to put stereo speakers on a flagship?
But stereo speakers aren’t an under-utilized talisman for the vocal minority. Stereo speakers are the way we should hear audio from our smartphones. Heck, stereo is the way we should hear audio from any source. But Samsung’s continued resistance to putting stereo speakers on a flagship phone seems more ingrained than even the company’s love of bloatware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will continue to bring attention to such a design deficit. It's a great feature that even the Moto Nexus 6 also had. All top tier phones should have stereo speakers, especially if we are paying this much money.
It's just ZTE did it best and for least money, and most recently -- with a BMW-designed frame at that. Other manufacturers should follow that example. Google did it before and should do it AGAIN.

ChazzMatt said:
You left off the front facing stereo speakers. See. ZTE Axon 7 for reference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO a single high quality front facing speaker that handles all the sound output of the phone is the best compromise. Phone speakers will never sound good so two mediocre speakers that take up valuable space won't sound better, just slightly louder - plus that leaves room for more battery capacity - and things like the headphone jack...
snick8467 said:
Finger print location isn't bad. If you hold your hand out like you are using samsung pay its great positioning.
I think most are complaining because they are In the habit of where the scanner it. Need to accept and use the new location to form new habit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most people are coming from older galaxies and iphones so they don't have a habit of using a rear sensor. They are complaining because it's in a horrible place and even with muscle memory you have to strain to reach it and avoid not smudging the camera. You can "accept it" - I'll keep my dignity, thanks.
Syn Ack said:
I'm not so sure decreasing the 18.5:9 to 16:9 would make it go all the way down to a 5.1" screen. Maybe 5.4". But I wholeheartedly agree with all of this
Someone did something similar with the Pixel. I would've bought it if it looked like this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn that's a nice design - I actually like it more than my samsung concept and hope the pixel 2 is half as good. Only thing I don't like is the tall screen. Tall aspect ratios turn one handed phones into two handed ones without the benefits of an actually bigger screen.
I thought about the screen size and 5.1" is doable. The s8 is so tall that it's like an optical illusion making you think it's bigger than it is. In reality the s7 and s8 are the same width so imagine the s7 with the top and bottom bezels cut in half. Kind of like this:
Looks like a 2013 LG G2, doesn't it? That phone really was way ahead of its time...

I don't know why people need such speakers on a phone.
They sound ****ty nevertheless and won't be used for any music consumption unless you are one of those ghetto kids who has his cellphone on blast in public transport.
The speaker is simply there to make "rinring" in case someone calles and even this is disabled my most people because it's too intrusive compared to a vibration feedback.
Speakers need space to work and I can see better usage of that space instead of putting stereo speakers in a cellphone. Really you can't even fit some decent speakers in there because they need so much room. Ever seen a subwoofer? You won't but that thing in a cellphone because it's 95% empty space inside there.
Use some headphones or connect the phone to your living room system for gods sake

First I will agree with you, then I'll disagree with you.
HzMeister said:
Damn that's a nice design - I actually like it more than my samsung concept and hope the pixel 2 is half as good. Only thing I don't like is the tall screen. Tall aspect ratios turn one handed phones into two handed ones without the benefits of an actually bigger screen.
I thought about the screen size and 5.1" is doable. The s8 is so tall that it's like an optical illusion making you think it's bigger than it is. In reality the s7 and s8 are the same width so imagine the s7 with the top and bottom bezels cut in half. Kind of like this:
Looks like a 2013 LG G2, doesn't it? That phone really was way ahead of its time...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the LG G2 was ahead of it's time. And I'll give you specific proof via Motorola laughable efforts during that same time...
The 2013 LG G2 was the first Android with 1080p and rear camera OIS, and why the LG Nexus 5 was based on the LG G2 instead of any Motorola designs that year, even though Google owned Motorola. Whenever I compare phones or critique phones, it's usually based on hardware specs. "Software" is more opinion based. I have my opinions on software, there are things I like, love or hate -- but hardware doesn't lie. At the time, Motorola was NOT a top tier hardware/design manufacturer.
* 2013
Within ONE week of each other Motorola and LG released their 2013 flagship phones (August 1 and August 7). Motorola released the 2013 Moto X and LG released the 2013 LG G2. The 2013 Moto X HARDWARE was an excellent clone of the 2012 LG Optimus G (G1)/LG Nexus 4: 4.7", 720p, 2GB RAM -- with not even Snapdragon 8XXX chipset. Both the 2012 LG and the 2013 Moto X used Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro. Seriously, for HARDWARE SPECS they just copied LG's Nexus phone from the previous year. The 2012 LG actually had 768p resolution and 13MP camera vs. the 2013 Moto X 720p and 10MP camera.
But when you compare the specs of the two 2013 "flagship" phones to each other, the Motorola is clearly a mid-tier design.
2013 LG G2 vs 2013 Motorola Moto X
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/LG-G2,Motorola-Moto-X/phones/7969,7885?ft=2
The 2013 LG G2 was cutting edge specs. 5.2" 1080p, Snapdragon 800, 2GB RAM, rear camera OIS. And the 2013 LG Nexus 5 was based on that design -- just a little smaller (4.95"), so it wouldn't be an exact clone. LG had run into problems with that the previous year, where the LG Nexus 4 was an almost exact copy of the LG Optimus G (G1). Why would people pay $600 or more for the LG Optimus when they could get the LG Nexus 4 for almost half the price through Google? So, for the 2013 LG Nexus 5, they tried to differentiate their flagship from the Nexus phone through display size.
* 2014
Then in 2014, the 2014 Moto X (gen2) was an excellent copy of the 2013 LG G2, but otherwise not exceptional specs. Yeah, Motorola did it again. Just copied LG's previous year flagship phone: 5.2", 1080p, 2GB RAM, only updating it with a slightly newer Snapdragon 801 chipset than LG had used, the Snapdragon 800. OK, it did have stereo speakers to improve on the LG G2...
Whereas, at the same time LG was introducing the 2014 LG G3 -- with 1440p, 3GB RAM, and laser-focused rear camera. LG was again moving to the next level of hardware specs while Motorola was looking to the past.
2014 LG G3 vs 2014 Motorola Moto X (gen2)
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/LG-G3,Motorola-Moto-X-2014/phones/8347,8897?ft=2
But REALLY, you should be comparing the 2014 Moto X to the EXCELLENT 2013 LG G2! Motorola couldn't even make a copy as good as the LG G2! And they had a YEAR to copy and paste. For instance, Motorola put in a puny 2300 mAh battery, while LG had put in a 3000 mAh battery into the 2013 LG G2. Both 5.2", 1080p, 2GB RAM. What, is 3000 mAh too big?
2014 Moto X vs 2013 LG G2
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Motorola-Moto-X-2014,LG-G2/phones/8897,7969?ft=2
* LATE 2014
Only with the late 2014 5.95" Shamu (Moto Nexus 6) and 5.2" Quark (Droid Turbo, Moto Turbo, Moto Maxx) phones did Motorola finally join the ranks of top tier manufacturers like Samsung and LG. 1440p AMOLED, 3GB RAM, 64GB internal memory, turbo charging (Quick Charge 2.0), Qi wireless charging. The larger phone had stereo speakers and rear camera OIS, not sure why Motorola left them off the smaller phone. The smaller 5.2" Quark had 21MP camera and 3900 mAh battery. Yes, the SMALLER phone had a LARGER battery. Because Google always skimped on their Nexus batteries for some strange reason.
(I haven't updated the OS specs below, it's still on the the last versions when I used this comparison, but the hardware specs have not changed on the two phones.)
I bought THREE of the Moto Maxx XT1225 phones. It was basically the 5.2" version of the Moto Nexus 6.
How do you fit a 3900 mAh battery into a 5.2" display phone? Easy. You just put it in. See that's the FALLACY I am going to bash you on in the next point. There's ALWAYS ROOM for what you want to put into a phone. ALWAYS.
And I'll explain in my next point...
HzMeister said:
IMO a single high quality front facing speaker that handles all the sound output of the phone is the best compromise. Phone speakers will never sound good so two mediocre speakers that take up valuable space won't sound better, just slightly louder - plus that leaves room for more battery capacity - and things like the headphone jack...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Then why didn't Samsung put in a a single high quality front facing speaker? Instead they put in a bottom firing speaker. You don't even know the speaker Samsung has on their S8/S8+.
What you think is the "speaker" is the earpiece to listen to phone calls.
2) But, let's pretend Samsung did put in a "a single high quality front facing speaker".
Why would you use "a single high quality front facing speaker" but then inexplicably downgrade to " two mediocre speakers" for stereo? Oh, here's a solution! How about TWO of those " single high quality front facing speaker" -- that way you would have TWO high quality front facing stereo speakers! You already have them on hand, yes? (In your scenario.)
Glad to be of help! Wow, that was VERY hard to figure out.
Oh, and maybe you could buy a STEREO MANUFACTURER with expertise to help out your obviously incompetent engineers who you think would try to put in " two mediocre speakers" . Maybe Samsung should buy Harman Kardon? Oh, they already have! Again, glad to be of help!
Samsung's own press release of the ownership tranfer shows MOBILE as a reason to buy Harmon Kardon:
HzMeister said:
plus that leaves room for more battery capacity - and things like the headphone jack...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MORE ROOM FALLACY
Oh, please. The "more room" fallacy. Let's put this to rest once and for all. It's the equivalent of politicians under investigation who resign to "spend more time with their families". That's not the real reason, it's just the only excuse they can come up with that sounds acceptable to people who don't know any better.
Apple said they ditched the iPhone headphone jack for "more" room. NO, they wanted to sell their massively expensive bluetooth wireless earbuds.
Motorola ditched the headphone jack last year for their 2014 5.5" Moto Z Force phone (June 2016), allegedly for the same reason "more room"...
Yet they included the headphone jack in their 2014 5.5" Moto Z Play (August 2016) released later in the same year. Oh, and GUESS WHAT? The Moto Z Play had a slightly larger battery (3510 mAh) than the Moto Z Force (3500 mAh). That's right -- the phone WITH the headset jack even has a bigger battery.
So, more room for WHAT? The dimensions are almost identical. I see .02 mm and .03mm difference -- that's HUNDREDTH OF MILLIMETERS -- for a larger battery AND a headset jack.
And Motorola now admits they LIED. Apple will never admit that, but Motorola is admitting that... because in the upcoming 2017 Moto Z2 Force -- GUESS WHAT? -- they are ADDING BACK the headset jack. Yes, after ditching the headset jack for their flagship phone in 2016, Motorola is bringing it back.
And I'm pretty sure it will also have the same standard components of most 2nd half 2017 flagship phone -- 1440p, Snapdragon 835, 64/128GB internal memory, 4/6GB RAM, microSD card, blah, blah, blah.
Manufacturers have included headphone jacks, larger batteries, whatever they want in past years. Headphone jacks have NOT grown in size.
Internal electronic components have only shrunk in size. RAM, internal storage, CPU chipsets get SMALLER each year.
If a manufacturer claims they are ditching headset jacks or microSD cards for "more room" they are LYING or their engineers are INCOMPETENT. In Apple's case they are lying.
Now, go back to my 2014 Moto XT1225. 5.2" 1440p AMOLED and a 3900 mAh battery. I own three of these phones. Was released as the Droid Turbo XT1254/Moto Turbo XT1225/Moto Maxx XT1225/Moto Maxx XT1250. All had 3900 mAh battery.
How did Motorola put a 3900 mAh battery into this 5.2" phone? They just did. At the time, they said people were worried about battery life and putting in a bigger battery was addressing that issue. Read that again. People are NOT demanding credit card thin phones. People want bigger batteries. So, it makes the phone a hair thicker. So what. It just makes it easier to hold in your hand!
Here's the difference between a 5.2" phone with a 3900 mAh battery and 5.2" phone with 2300 mAh battery. The only thing wrong with the 3900 mAh battery phone is Motorola should have lost the capacitive buttons on the Quark phones and instead included the front facing stereo speakers they put on the 2014 Moto X. I don't understand why they didn't do that.
5.2" 2014 Moto X with front-facing stereo speakers
When Motorola released the Quark phone end of 2014, especially with the loud PR of the Droid Turbo a lot of people were very ANGRY at Motorola. They had bought the "flagship" 2014 Moto X (which was mostly a copy of the 2013 LG G2, except for the addition of front facing stereo speakers) with only 2,300 mAh battery and then a few months later Motorola unleashes this BEAST?
(By the way, in spite of Verizon's PR LIES, this phone was NOT an exclusive for Verizon, it wasn't even exclusive in the U.S.! The U.S. Moto XT1250 has the same FCC ID, same radio bands as the Droid Turbo and runs on Verizon with a Verizon SIM card, just like a non-Verizon Moto Nexus 6. My Moto XT1225 has LTE bands 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 17 and I run them on AT&T.)
And remember these are 5.2" display phones. When you increase the size to larger displays -- even with current slimmed/zero bezels -- the additional battery thickness would be negligible. Plus, no one is demanding credit card thin phones. A little extra thickness is OK, and with extra thickness comes room for ANYTHING you wish to put in -- stereo speakers, larger battery, etc.
There's always MORE ROOM.
I see PLENTY of room on the Galaxy S8 for a BIGGER battery and HIGH QUALITY front-facing stereo speakers.

So nevermind the design or the engineering that went into the device. With a year design cycle you really think every little detail YOU care about will make it. Instead if complaining, why not use your nonexistent engineering skills to build a better device?

Omg stop with this stereo speaker nonsense. Unless you are a teenager who likes to bug people on public transports or places, or you're trying to party on your phone music, it's useless. If you are an audiophile you would have a- a nice sound system at home be it home cinema or just Sonos like system then you would have either Bose qc35, shure 846 or OPPO PM3 , or any other high end headphones. You just need to have a clear sound when it rings and loud enough for you to hear
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

HzMeister said:
As much as I like the S8, there are a few minor things that keep it from being great. Here's a quick mock up of what I think would have been the perfect S8:
Better fingerprint sensor location
Power/volume buttons on one side, no bixby
16:9 5.1" screen
Obviously it doesn't matter what any of us think, but imo it would be nice if someone (google) were to make something like this. Anyone agree?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That render looks hideous to me. The S8 as it looks now is much better looking
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

barondebxl said:
That render looks hideous to me. The S8 as it looks now is much better looking
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess not everyone likes an easy to reach notifications tab or fingerprint sensor...

HzMeister said:
I guess not everyone likes an easy to reach notifications tab or fingerprint sensor...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You guessed right.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Zenfone 6 vs Pixel 3a XL

Both are about the same price here so not an obvious choice..
i mostly care bout holy trinity of great cam+great batt+updates so one would argue its a no-brainer but still considering asus for some reason..
why did you go for Z6 instead of pixel?

Honestly, between the two the perceived value is the biggest thing for me. The Pixel 3a XL costs £470 vs the Zenfone 6's £500 price tag.
The Pixel has: OLED screen, expected quicker/longer support, great camera.
The Zenfone 6 has: More powerful chipset, more ram, larger screen, FM radio, 128gb vs 64gb (at mentioned prices), expandable storage, better front cam, generally better battery life ( according to GSMArena, only loses in video playback).
If the Pixel 3a XL was priced below £370 instead of £470 I'd probably get it and deal with that tiny storage for the sake of OLED, camera and quick updates. The current price just seems way too high even though 90% of the time I likely won't notice the chipset difference it's nice to have the option for things like emulation or just brute forcing against slowdown over the years.

I'm at the choice between 3a XL @ £450 VS Z6 @ £370 so..
Also "life" drain test like this makes it not an easy choice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a_TvN5Aw6Q

dezz said:
Also "life" drain test like this makes it not an easy choice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a_TvN5Aw6Q
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't take this test so seriously. For example he didn't disabled power hungry Facebook and Facebook services on ZF6.
Better to look here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/zenfone-6-2019/review/screen-time-t3932140

dezz said:
I'm at the choice between 3a XL @ £450 VS Z6 @ £370 so..
Also "life" drain test like this makes it not an easy choice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a_TvN5Aw6Q
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where are you seeing the Z6 at £370?

So do you think gcam app can get as any closer to the pixel quality. It is the only concern I can think off work Z6

dezz said:
Both are about the same price here so not an obvious choice..
i mostly care bout holy trinity of great cam+great batt+updates so one would argue its a no-brainer but still considering asus for some reason..
why did you go for Z6 instead of pixel?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Camera, back cam shall be a bit(small may be) better than Z6 with gcam.
Camera selfie, DxO score for selfie is highest for Z6. If selfie is important, Z6 beat pixels/samsung due to flip cam.
Z6 beat others in battery life too (min 2 days and reach 3+ days for medium usage). Better processor than pixel 3a as u know already. Trust me, you will never be disappointed with Z6. I moved from s10+ to Z6 for better battery and selfie cam and I am happy with it.

So I actually got the Pixel 3a XL despite my original comment because I couldn't keep waiting. The camera is great (rear cam for standard shots seem better than the Z6) but you lose out on wide-angle, so got to think how much you'll miss that. Battery life is pretty good. Probably a lil bit worse than Zen 6 in most real world use but I get 9 hours SoT (mix of reddit, discord, maps, youtube, snapchat, whatsapp). I haven't had any issues with ram or speed like I was concerned, if you don't care about games the 670 will probably feel about the same as the 855 99% of the time.
If I could have the choice to switch to the Zenfone 6 free of charge now... I'm not 100% sure I would take it over the bit better rear camera and guaranteed and fast updates. The Zenfone 6 is definitely the better value + power, but for my casual use I don't think it matters that much to me now I have it. That said, if I owned neither and had both in front of me I'd probably buy the Zen 6 just because of the better value
E: Biggest downside is not being able to keep films and shows on storage because of the measly 64gb :'(

​I ordered Z6 but after handling it for few hours sent it back and waiting for 3a XL to be delivered.
After so many positive reviews on the hinge mechanism I was disappointed how flimsy and rattle it turned out to be.
Another issue that I guess was decisive was the aosmark - I got burned twice with LG promising timely and long term support for their products (even opened dedicated r&d center) Its ok first few months up until new model comes out and support for the previous years one gets slower and disappears completely. Maybe it wont be that way this time but figured I don't have stomach for that.