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Other than the obvious answers such as carrier branding and bloat, are there any disadvantages this time around for getting a carrier S6? I'm specifically talking about the AT&T variant which tends be $80-100 less than the T-Mobile and global variants. Last year, I remember the AT&T S5 had issues with rooting that don't seem to be apparent on the S6 due to the similar hardware among variants. Also, it appears that roms can be flashed to the AT&T S6, quite unlike the S5 at this time last year. So is there really any disadvantage, hardware and software-wise, to not save the money and get the carrier variant this time? All I can really think of is software updates, but I'm considering a few roms at the moment anyway, so that might not matter.
I think the international model will receive more support, the at&t version will get rooted, definitely, but it might not get as custom roms as the international model, or it will not get updates such fast, I dont know why the tmobile version got 5.1.1 before the international but my friend t mobile sgs4 havent recieved lollipop yet, i think they receive updates slower..
Quick background story, I've been using an HTC phone since the M7, and owned all the M Flagships and currently using an AT&T Branded M9. My wife is currently using a AT&T branded Galaxy S5. I really liked how open my HTC phones are, and all 3 of them had been able to be Fully SIM Unlocked, S-OFF, and can run any compatible ROM. The AT&T Branded GS5 of course only can use AT&T Software and its been a pain waiting on AT&T for patches and updates.
We're planning to replace them both with new Galaxy S7s and since we're planning to buy them outright, my question is which one should we buy? From I read it looks like all units have the same hardware, but the TMO variants seems to at least have the bootloader unlocked and should be SIM Unlocked if I bought it outright.
Our basic requirements.
- Sim unlocked(able)
- Bootloader Unlocked(able)
- Able to use Android Pay/Samsung Pay in the USA
- Rooting is nice but not required, and as long as it don't break A.Pay/S.Pay
- Able to work on AT&T with little or no issue (not missing any LTE Bands, etc)
- Open to get the Exynos model if can still support A.Pay/S.Pay in USA and elsewhere.
- Able to flash debloated or custom ROMs if needed
Its been awhile since i did any work on any Samsung Phones, so I don't know if its just as easy to flash ROMs and Recoveries like my HTCs
Thanks for any feedback on the matter.
You want the tmo version.
peachpuff said:
You want the tmo version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It figures as much. How easy or difficult is it to flash non-carrier rom? I know people are just started getting their S7s, did the s6 have any issues with flashing a clean rom and keeping all A.Pay and S.Pay?
There's no development currently on these phones since the sources haven't dropped yet since the phone hasn't technically launched, after mar 11 samsung will release some sources.
If you're looking to remove bloat on non-rooted phones your only options is this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ospolice.packagedisablerpro&hl=en with a rooted rom android/samsung pay wont work.
Last year with the S6 I know for sure the international versions worked just fine with AT&T's LTE network. But last year all models used the same modem (Shanon 333), but this year the international version and the U.S. version are different and both have integrated modem and that throws in an uncertainty. I see no reason why the International versions worked last year with Samsung's modem but not this year, but until someone reports with first-hand experience I would not pull the trigger on the international version (Exynos).
I used SM-G920I (S6) and SM-G928G (S6 Edge+) and both worked flawlessly on AT&T's network.
lopri said:
Last year with the S6 I know for sure the international versions worked just fine with AT&T's LTE network. But last year all models used the same modem (Shanon 333), but this year the international version and the U.S. version are different and both have integrated modem and that throws in an uncertainty. I see no reason why the International versions worked last year with Samsung's modem but not this year, but until someone reports with first-hand experience I would not pull the trigger on the international version (Exynos).
I used SM-G920I (S6) and SM-G928G (S6 Edge+) and both worked flawlessly on AT&T's network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you able to use Android pay or Samsung pay on those International models? Thanks
Goofytek said:
Are you able to use Android pay or Samsung pay on those International models? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
Edit: Oh, wait. Android Pay = Yes, Samsung Pay = No.
lopri said:
No.
Edit: Oh, wait. Android Pay = Yes, Samsung Pay = No.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm, still missing out on Samsung Pay eh, I wonder if there would be a non-carrier version of the phone we can get in the states with full support of all avaliable features and services. :fingers-crossed:
I'd like to bump this old thread for updates now that the S7 has been around for some time. I'm looking to get an S7, and it looks like the G930U variant might be the one to get now- is that right? I have the same requirements as the original poster, but I'll list them anyway:
-Able to work on AT&T with no issue (I read somewhere that some aspects of AT&T LTE are not supported? What impact does this have?)
-root is required (is it true that rooting prevents being able to encrypt the phone?)
-no bloat or bloat is removable (seems this is the main benefit of G930U?)
-SD card slot (seems like all US models have the SD card slot?)
Are there different versions of the G930U? Is this, for example, the right one: http://a.co/6QgYIxA ?
Thanks
Hello
I'm looking at replacing my S4 with an S7. My carrier in the US is AT&T and that won't be changing. I've been looking at different unlocked versions and can't find a solid representation of what the real world differences are. I know they have different processors. Some say a band is missing, but does that matter. I don't use android or samsung pay, but i know there is a difference here too. I found one comment about some kind of samsung 'coverage' plan, but what is that?
Best Buy has US unlocked phones for about $700. B&H Photo has an International phone for about $640. Its a lot of money either way. Is one phone really better or different than that other?
I am planning a trip through Canada and maybe to Europe. I assume either would take a SIM from those areas and I could avoid getting raped by international fees.
Here is a summary of question I can think of:
Does the US unlocked phone from BestBuy have a warranty or insurance or anything like that?
Can the US phone be rooted. I only do this to remove apps I don't use.
Is the hardware one vs the other really better or just different?
Does a dual SIM do anything useful?
Does a band being missing make a real world difference?
Is there a good comparison somewhere to that can decide on a phone to purchase?
It comes with a limited warranty as stated on their site:
"This device is not warrantied through the manufacturer. This device has a limited 1 year warranty provided by CCR Warranty. To obtain technical or warranty assistance, please contact CCR Warranty at 866-579-8436."
What I don't know is how useful/limited that warranty is. I'd like the HTC 10 but the unlocked S7 is my runner up, and the warranty issue is one of the major factors in my hesitation.
I do believe it can be rooted.
As far as I know, through research, the only major difference between the two is battery life.
Hello, I'll just go straight to the answers.
1. I'm going to assume that if you go through a carrier (att, t-mobile etc etc.) they will offer an insurance plan. You will have to go to third party insurance for the international version
2. As far I know, the US version does not have a root option yet. Because of the locked bootloader.
3. Hardware will depend on which version you choose. Both are very good.
4. Dual sim is as the name implies, you'll be able to use 2 separate sim cards with their respective #s. that's the only benefit really.
5. Missing radio bands is something you may have to do some research on depending your location.
6. I'm sure YouTube or some online site will have some reviews/comparison of both.
I just looked at the best buy website again and something is different. The S7 listed for $690 is definitely the international version and not the US version. When I looked last month I was positive that the phone was listed as a US phone ... huh
A little late
a little late to the thread but just wanted to share what I learned while researching the matter.
There is an US unlocked version of the S7 (g930u) and available through a few places (Best Buy, B&H, Ebay). It goes for $679.99 retail and I have not been able to find one that goes for less. Probably because it just came out end of June. The biggest benefit of it is that it has a bunch of bands and CDMA-compatible. Thus, you can get full connection with AT&T and TMobile. Downside is no wifi calling or VOLTE (as those seem to be locked by the carriers to their own phones).
The international versions (930f/930fd) are both available on Ebay/Swappa for about $500. Upside are that they have the Exnyos chip and no bloatware. You can also root and flash them with new ROM. Another thing is that you get updates earlier. I got Marshmallow on my s6 a month or so before AT&T released its update. Downsides are no Samsung Pay or WiFi Calling/VOLTE and the biggie...missing bands. I had a g920i and it was missing support for bands 29 and 30 on AT&T...this led to poor LTE and indoor reception at times. I would have to turn on/off the mobile data switch sometimes to get good connection.
Finally, we have carrier based versions, which loads you down with bloatware and has the Snapdragon chip. But, it does support all features of your carrier. Slower updates also an issue and lack of support of all bands internationally are additional drawbacks. Cost is also about $500.
Personally, I am going with an unlocked 930a. Bloatware sucks but I can delete or disable almost all of them. Snapdragon seems pretty powerful to me. Samsung Pay, Wifi Calling, and Band support are just too important for me. Note, make sure you ask the seller on Ebay/Swappa about whether the phone is unlocked.
Hope that helps.
I did a lot of research into this before buying my S7 but was kind of screwed since I'm on Verizon (CDMA)...
Since you're on AT&T you have more options.
There are two different processors in the two different models, Snapdragon 820 in the US CDMA capable and an Eyxnos in the International GSM ONLY phone.
After doing my research, I personally recommend the Eyxnos, which I couldn't get :/
If for nothing else, better battery life, by far. Do some research into the comparison between the two.
However! When buying from Best Buy be careful!
Last I checked, on their website, the black/onyx S7 was an unlocked US Snapdragon 820 phone.... while strangely enough the other two, gold and silver? were both unlocked US (actually international) Eyxnos phones.
Also, last I checked Samsung themselves only sell the CDMA snapdragon processor model to the US.
Unless Best Buy made a mistake listing the Eyxnos processor, it is the only way to get that model without buying an "internationally sourced" phone on ebay.
Just a few notes:
1) The G930u is fully compatible with all the US Carriers
2) VoLTE works on both T-Mobile and Verizon
3) Wi-Fi Calling works on T-Mobile and potentially Verizon (but I am not positive about Verizon).
The big downside to the G930u is that for whatever reason it is not receiving updates from Samsung when its branded siblings are.
Hello everyone,
T-Mobile's galaxy avant was my first phone, and being a budget phone, it wasn't all that great. However, I did learn the basics on rooting/flashing on it. I naively upgraded to the T-Mobile s7 edge thinking i could continue my custom roming, only to find out the boatloader was unlockable with research. Out of pure frustration, I downgraded to the s6 edge plus which did have the unlocked bootloader. The battery life, however, is very disappointing, even with deodexed/debloated rom.
So now, I want to upgrade to the s8+, but before I do so I would like your expert opinion on which would work best for me. I know the carrier versions of the phone will have the locked bootloader, so those should be out of question. However, I do need it to function properly on T-Mobile's network, and would like the biggest options in custom roms possible. I would assume that would point me towards the SM-G9550, but I saw various devices with the same model number but different processor exynos/snapdragon.
I don't want to make the same mistake I made with the 7, so all help is greatly appreciated!
LEGONIKES said:
Hello everyone,
T-Mobile's galaxy avant was my first phone, and being a budget phone, it wasn't all that great. However, I did learn the basics on rooting/flashing on it. I naively upgraded to the T-Mobile s7 edge thinking i could continue my custom roming, only to find out the boatloader was unlockable with research. Out of pure frustration, I downgraded to the s6 edge plus which did have the unlocked bootloader. The battery life, however, is very disappointing, even with deodexed/debloated rom.
So now, I want to upgrade to the s8+, but before I do so I would like your expert opinion on which would work best for me. I know the carrier versions of the phone will have the locked bootloader, so those should be out of question. However, I do need it to function properly on T-Mobile's network, and would like the biggest options in custom roms possible. I would assume that would point me towards the SM-G9550, but I saw various devices with the same model number but different processor exynos/snapdragon.
I don't want to make the same mistake I made with the 7, so all help is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The G9550 although does have a Snapdragon 835 and an unlockable bootlooader, has 2 issues:
1) Virtually no custom ROMs available for it.
2) Not fully compatible with T-Mobile.
Get yourself the International model, SM-G955F or FD (Dual SIM).
Both are identical in terms of hardware, have the same custom ROMs, and since you'll be rooted anyway, you can flash the T-Mobile CSC to get T-Mobile features working, like VoLTE and WiFi calling.
You can get the phones off a UK based retailer like Clove, or from eBay.
Sent from my SM-G955F
LEGONIKES said:
Hello everyone,
T-Mobile's galaxy avant was my first phone, and being a budget phone, it wasn't all that great. However, I did learn the basics on rooting/flashing on it. I naively upgraded to the T-Mobile s7 edge thinking i could continue my custom roming, only to find out the boatloader was unlockable with research. Out of pure frustration, I downgraded to the s6 edge plus which did have the unlocked bootloader. The battery life, however, is very disappointing, even with deodexed/debloated rom.
So now, I want to upgrade to the s8+, but before I do so I would like your expert opinion on which would work best for me. I know the carrier versions of the phone will have the locked bootloader, so those should be out of question. However, I do need it to function properly on T-Mobile's network, and would like the biggest options in custom roms possible. I would assume that would point me towards the SM-G9550, but I saw various devices with the same model number but different processor exynos/snapdragon.
I don't want to make the same mistake I made with the 7, so all help is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get yourself a OnePlus 5T, if you insist on custom ROMs and all. Yes, it doesn't have as many features like the S8, resizable Multi Windows, Edge, AOD, etc., but when you unlock bootloader and flash it (i.e. you trip Knox), this time around you lose actual features, Secure Folder, Samsung Pay, a few others, essentially you get a cut-down version of the real thing. Battery life should be on par with the S8+, from what I understand.
Moved away from my OnePlus 3 because got bored with it, and screen was too small. Got the Exynos G955F instead, and for the first time I haven't flashed the new phone as soon as I got it because of these reasons I listed above.
murtaza02 said:
The G9550 although does have a Snapdragon 835 and an unlockable bootlooader, has 2 issues:
1) Virtually no custom ROMs available for it.
2) Not fully compatible with T-Mobile.
Get yourself the International model, SM-G955F or FD (Dual SIM).
Both are identical in terms of hardware, have the same custom ROMs, and since you'll be rooted anyway, you can flash the T-Mobile CSC to get T-Mobile features working, like VoLTE and WiFi calling.
You can get the phones off a UK based retailer like Clove, or from eBay.
Sent from my SM-G955F
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed you have the SM-G955F. What are your impressions on the phone?
sirobelec said:
Get yourself a OnePlus 5T, if you insist on custom ROMs and all. Yes, it doesn't have as many features like the S8, resizable Multi Windows, Edge, AOD, etc., but when you unlock bootloader and flash it (i.e. you trip Knox), this time around you lose actual features, Secure Folder, Samsung Pay, a few others, essentially you get a cut-down version of the real thing. Battery life should be on par with the S8+, from what I understand.
Moved away from my OnePlus 3 because got bored with it, and screen was too small. Got the Exynos G955F instead, and for the first time I haven't flashed the new phone as soon as I got it because of these reasons I listed above.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I hear what you're saying about the features cut. I thought I would've had the same issue on my s6, but with this custom rom I flashed (Khongloi's s8 port) samsung pass, health, and secure folder worked perfectly fine! I feel like pay would have worked if I had gotten magisk working right before i uninstalled it, but still. I've done a little research on the forums as to how to fix everything after root, but all I found was a fix for health. If there could be a way to extract whatever the hell that rom had for other roms, I think that would be great.
I was thinking about the OP 5T, but then the cost to feature ratio just didn't make it for me. I know for sure I would've bought the OP 3T when it was new atless than 400 USD.
LEGONIKES said:
I noticed you have the SM-G955F. What are your impressions on the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing bad to say about it. Great display, great battery life, great camera as well. Only thing I want is for Samsung to put a bit more effort into the software updates, but other than that, it's perfect.
Sent from my SM-G955F
Hi Guys,
I have a possibility to buy an Unlocked version of Note 20 Ultra 5G from the US and ask a friend to bring it to the UK with them.
Apart from Snapdragon advantage, it will be even a little cheaper than buying in the UK.
I am, however, a bit worried about 5G support in the UK. I spent many hours torturing different Samsung US Live Chat Agents and BestBuy Live Chat Agents with the same questions and they all advised that the phone is fully unlocked and 5G will work in the UK. They also said there is no Region Lock so I can directly insert a UK sim card to it.
However, I am taking it with a grain of salt as the agents seem to care about sales only. Also, I couldn't find official band specifications for Note 20 Ultra on Samsung's website (correct me, if I am wrong, please).
Does anyone know if the 5G will work in the UK? Will VoLTE work? I know Samsung Pay won't work but I don't care at all - I always use Google Pay instead.
Also, will I get a Samsung firmware if I buy it from BestBuy, for firmware updates?
I really want to import it but don't want to end up getting a phone that will not have 5G or any other significant feature.
Can you please shed some light on this? Thanks.
You need to check the actual 5G bands on the device are compatible with your cellular provider.
ekerbuddyeker said:
You need to check the actual 5G bands on the device are compatible with your cellular provider.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, this is what I was thinking about too but I couldn't find any band specs on Samsung's website apart from generic 5G thing.
Any idea where can I find them? Thanks.
VirtualWaver said:
Thanks, this is what I was thinking about too but I couldn't find any band specs on Samsung's website apart from generic 5G thing.
Any idea where can I find them? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://www.phonearena.com/phones/S...he Note 20 Ultra is,a starting price of $1300.
https://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=6280
Thanks a lot for the info.
Surprisingly, neither Samsung Chat nor their Facebook support do not know the specs, saying they are not published on the website which is strange.
According to the phonescoop site it doesn't support n78 which is the UK spec, but what is really surprising that it doesn't even list all 4G bands that are supported in the UK but I remember people were saying S20 Ultra was working fine with UK 4G... I am trying to call their e-commerce department to get a confirmation from them directly.
Man, the Samsung really messed the things up with their rubbish processor policy. To be honest I was not bothering until the point when then started to sell Snapdragon in their home country which really speaks loud on how good it is in comparison with Exynos.
This is also a dilemma I am facing as well. I can choose between a US Unlock or an International Unlock. The question I am wondering is whether I can get Samsung Pay to work. I currently live in Japan. I had a Note 8 unlocked international , connected to a US vpn, that I was able to register my US credit cards on Samsung Pay and it worked flawless here. I was able to use Samsung Pay out in town with no problems. Yet ever since the Note 9 I have not been able to get it to work again. My thinking was to instead of buying an international unlocked version, was to get a US unlocked version and try to activate/register Samsung Pay via US vpn to see if it would work. Do you guys think that is doable? Or should I just go for the international Note 20 Ultra and call it a day?
cezeff said:
This is also a dilemma I am facing as well. I can choose between a US Unlock or an International Unlock. The question I am wondering is whether I can get Samsung Pay to work. I currently live in Japan. I had a Note 8 unlocked international , connected to a US vpn, that I was able to register my US credit cards on Samsung Pay and it worked flawless here. I was able to use Samsung Pay out in town with no problems. Yet ever since the Note 9 I have not been able to get it to work again. My thinking was to instead of buying an international unlocked version, was to get a US unlocked version and try to activate/register Samsung Pay via US vpn to see if it would work. Do you guys think that is doable? Or should I just go for the international Note 20 Ultra and call it a day?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was reading in many places that Samsung Pay is region locked so it won't work properly. But it might be different in case of Japan.
I personally don't use Samsung Pay at all so can't say but hopefully someone else would advise.
So I spent another 30 minutes on the phone with Samsung and am, honestly, shocked to say the least.
Not only they had not idea about 5G and 4G frequencies of their own product, they were just repeating something like "well it says it support mmwave and we googled and saw the UK also supports mmwave so it should work" which is complete nonsense (the UK doesn't even support mmwave yet, its a US thing!). The UK is using band 78 which is 3..5Ghz so all I wanted from them is to confirm if the US version has 3.5Ghz or not. Another disappointment on Samsung....
So I am currently stuck, this is, really, a gamble, not sure if the risk worth it or not. Something tells me the 5G won't work in the UK and this doesn't' worth it.
How come Samsung doesn't know what frequencies their own product supports? Is it that hard for them to get? Its rubbish!
Us Note 20 doesn't work with 5G band in UK. If you want a working snapdragon 5G note 20 or note 20 ultra you have to by N986N model from South Korea, which is one sim only but it has 256gb internal storage....
manager77 said:
Us Note 20 doesn't work with 5G band in UK. If you want a working snapdragon 5G note 20 or note 20 ultra you have to by N986N model from South Korea, which is one sim only but it has 256gb internal storage....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it seems to. I will try my luck with Wondamobile and order the HK version once available. Don't want to buy the Exynos...
Thanks for your help!
It seems like a lot of hassle just to get a snapdragon version. You may gain performance (that's probably not even noticeable in normal every day tasks) and a possible gain in battery life... but gain hassles with the UK network bands, import duty, warranty issues and resale value.
There are meant to be tweaks on the Exynos 990 in the Note20 version, so why not wait and see a reasonable handful of reviews on this subject first?
.
apprentice said:
It seems like a lot of hassle just to get a snapdragon version. You may gain performance (that's probably not even noticeable in normal every day tasks) and a possible gain in battery life... but gain hassles with the UK network bands, import duty, warranty issues and resale value.
There are meant to be tweaks on the Exynos 990 in the Note20 version, so why not wait and see a reasonable handful of reviews on this subject first?
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is also true, especially the resale value part (Wondamobile covers all import duties, etc so no probs from that side).
I am also waiting for the reviews, even though Ice Universe advised the rumors about tweaked Exynos are not legit. Still, hope dies last
Decisions, decisions
apprentice said:
It seems like a lot of hassle just to get a snapdragon version. You may gain performance (that's probably not even noticeable in normal every day tasks) and a possible gain in battery life... but gain hassles with the UK network bands, import duty, warranty issues and resale value.
There are meant to be tweaks on the Exynos 990 in the Note20 version, so why not wait and see a reasonable handful of reviews on this subject first?
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting...I know you said wait for the reviews, yet if you had the choice which version would you get or which version do you normally get? I'm looking at making a decision between the snapdragon or the exynos... I'm pretty sure I've always had exynos, yet this maybe the last year I'm able to afford upgrading to the latest and greatest... I want to ensure I'm getting the best bang for the buck... I'm thinking the Korean unlocked snapdragon maybe the best bet.
cezeff said:
Interesting...I know you said wait for the reviews, yet if you had the choice which version would you get or which version do you normally get? I'm looking at making a decision between the snapdragon or the exynos... I'm pretty sure I've always had exynos, yet this maybe the last year I'm able to afford upgrading to the latest and greatest... I want to ensure I'm getting the best bang for the buck... I'm thinking the Korean unlocked snapdragon maybe the best bet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depending on where you live though, if in Europe than HK would be a better choice as it has a better network compatibility with European 5g and GSM standards than Korean version. I was also reading that Koren version comes with specific Korean settings and bloatware that cannot be removed, hence, it is cheaper than HK version.
I was reading today that one guy on Twitter apparently tested Note 20 Ultra Exynos and said it is more optimised and faster than the same processor in S20 Ultra, but still not on par with Snapdragon.
I will probably try my luck with Wondamobile once they will have the HK version available.
cezeff said:
Interesting...I know you said wait for the reviews, yet if you had the choice which version would you get or which version do you normally get? I'm looking at making a decision between the snapdragon or the exynos... I'm pretty sure I've always had exynos, yet this maybe the last year I'm able to afford upgrading to the latest and greatest... I want to ensure I'm getting the best bang for the buck... I'm thinking the Korean unlocked snapdragon maybe the best bet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see you are in the US, so you will automatically get the Snapdragon version. This is technically a better chipset for both performance and battery life, but the evidence seems to point to about a 6% performance boost (on the Galaxy S20) and about 1hr more battery power. But these figures are only relevant if you are pushing the phone to absolute limits. As with all benchmarking, results are clinical and most likely aren't noticeable in every day usage and the majority of people really don't care much.
However what we do care about (here in non US markets) is that we are paying the same amount (often more) for something that technically has an inferior chipset. But Samsung seemed to have addressed this with the Exynos version having a bigger (256Gb) base storage.
There are rumours banding about that the Exynos 990 has been much improved/ramped up, also addressing the overheating issues on previous devices. So it remains to be seen if this holds true. But the crux of my input here is that is it really worth the OP going to the trouble of importing a phone from the US or S.Korea to the UK, based on all the above? Especially if something goes wrong you most likely don't have a warranty. At the price of a Note 20 Ultra that's a lot of money to lose if you get a fault.
apprentice said:
I see you are in the US, so you will automatically get the Snapdragon version. This is technically a better chipset for both performance and battery life, but the evidence seems to point to about a 6% performance boost (on the Galaxy S20) and about 1hr more battery power. But these figures are only relevant if you are pushing the phone to absolute limits. As with all benchmarking, results are clinical and most likely aren't noticeable in every day usage and the majority of people really don't care much.
However what we do care about (here in non US markets) is that we are paying the same amount (often more) for something that technically has an inferior chipset. But Samsung seemed to have addressed this with the Exynos version having a bigger (256Gb) base storage.
There are rumours banding about that the Exynos 990 has been much improved/ramped up, also addressing the overheating issues on previous devices. So it remains to be seen if this holds true. But the crux of my input here is that is it really worth the OP going to the trouble of importing a phone from the US or S.Korea to the UK, based on all the above? Especially if something goes wrong you most likely don't have a warranty. At the price of a Note 20 Ultra that's a lot of money to lose if you get a fault.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I live in Japan .. Shipping and importing is not really an issue for me... Even with the improvements to exynos, it still seems the snapdragon is the better chipset (?).. I can source an unlocked 256 snapdragon from Korea, yet now am concerned about the bloatware on the phone... wouldn't the Hong Kong version also include some form of bloatware?
---------- Post added at 06:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:35 PM ----------
VirtualWaver said:
Depending on where you live though, if in Europe than HK would be a better choice as it has a better network compatibility with European 5g and GSM standards than Korean version. I was also reading that Koren version comes with specific Korean settings and bloatware that cannot be removed, hence, it is cheaper than HK version.
I was reading today that one guy on Twitter apparently tested Note 20 Ultra Exynos and said it is more optimised and faster than the same processor in S20 Ultra, but still not on par with Snapdragon.
I will probably try my luck with Wondamobile once they will have the HK version available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't the HK version include bloatware as well?
cezeff said:
Well I live in Japan .. Shipping and importing is not really an issue for me... Even with the improvements to exynos, it still seems the snapdragon is the better chipset (?).. I can source an unlocked 256 snapdragon from Korea, yet now am concerned about the bloatware on the phone... wouldn't the Hong Kong version also include some form of bloatware?
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Ah sorry, I was just going by the country flag on your profile.
I don't know if the HK version will be full of bloatware. However, I think Samsung have toned down their bloatware over the past 2-3 years anyway (certainly in the UK versions), instead opting to provide links to downloads of their apps that might interest you. I actually really like the Samsung Browser for example but it's no longer installed by default, so I had to install it from the Galaxy Store.
apprentice said:
Ah sorry, I was just going by the country flag on your profile.
I don't know if the HK version will be full of bloatware. However, I think Samsung have toned down their bloatware over the past 2-3 years anyway (certainly in the UK versions), instead opting to provide links to downloads of their apps that might interest you. I actually really like the Samsung Browser for example but it's no longer installed by default, so I had to install it from the Galaxy Store.
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I will second the Samsung Browser - absolutely the best and works super fast. My to go browser, in fact.
I am not sure about bloatware content but there was a deal on HotUKDeals website where Wonda was selling S20 from Korea and it was cheaper and people was saying the comments that the reason is that it has many pre-configured Korean bloat that cannot be removed even with package managers.
It looks like (from my research on the web) that HK version doesn't have these.
apprentice said:
Ah sorry, I was just going by the country flag on your profile.
I don't know if the HK version will be full of bloatware. However, I think Samsung have toned down their bloatware over the past 2-3 years anyway (certainly in the UK versions), instead opting to provide links to downloads of their apps that might interest you. I actually really like the Samsung Browser for example but it's no longer installed by default, so I had to install it from the Galaxy Store.
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No problem. I do agree that Samsung has toned it down. I think I'll go ahead and pre-order the Korean snapdragon with 256gb in mystic white... mystic bronze looks great, yet I can't do much with it, even putting on a skin the frame would stick out like a sore thumb... If anything I can disable bloatware via ADB shell without root... One of the reasons I buy unlocked phones is because the bloatware on Japanese locked phones are absolutely crazy... The system is also proprietary, losing much of the customization other regions have, along with super long delayed updates...
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VirtualWaver said:
I will second the Samsung Browser - absolutely the best and works super fast. My to go browser, in fact.
I am not sure about bloatware content but there was a deal on HotUKDeals website where Wonda was selling S20 from Korea and it was cheaper and people was saying the comments that the reason is that it has many pre-configured Korean bloat that cannot be removed even with package managers.
It looks like (from my research on the web) that HK version doesn't have these.
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Click to collapse
I'll roll with the Korean version for now.. If there is any excessive bloated I'll ADB shell it and if anything else maybe flash a universal ROM later down the road... Thanks for you guys input
cezeff said:
No problem. I do agree that Samsung has toned it down. I think I'll go ahead and pre-order the Korean snapdragon with 256gb in mystic white... mystic bronze looks great, yet I can't do much with it, even putting on a skin the frame would stick out like a sore thumb... If anything I can disable bloatware via ADB shell without root... One of the reasons I buy unlocked phones is because the bloatware on Japanese locked phones are absolutely crazy... The system is also proprietary, losing much of the customization other regions have, along with super long delayed updates...
---------- Post added at 07:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:01 PM ----------
I'll roll with the Korean version for now.. If there is any excessive bloated I'll ADB shell it and if anything else maybe flash a universal ROM later down the road... Thanks for you guys input
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Please let us know how once you get it
I will also hold on and wait for Exynos review. Hope it will be available soon.
I am not a gamer at all, but am a power user and do appreciate when the phone heats less and consumes less battery. Also, apparently, Snapdragon's reception is better. So will wait for reviews before getting. For now, I cancelled my Samsung order from the UK.