Still worth getting? - Galaxy S6 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

As title really, is this phone still good?
How is battery life (I know that will differ dependant on loads of factors), but in general, is it ok?
Any annoying quirks or issues with the latest updates?
My wife's Xperia Z is on its last legs and carphone warehouse are selling the S6 on O2 for £29.99 up front, £26.50 per month for 3Gb data and unlimited everything else. It's well within our budget so I think she wants to replace the Z with that. She only uses her phone for the camera to take pics of our daughter and selfies, Facebook, and internet browsing so she doesn't need latest and greatest and the S6 looks to fit the bill.
There's also the option of the S7 for the same upfront cost, but £32.00 p/m on vodafone but as she won't really have much use of the upgraded specs, we might save ourselves a bit of cash and go for the S6.
It's the 32gb version and I know on release, you were getting roughly 23gb of usable storage out the box, what can she expect now after all the system updates etc (EU Unbranded)?

El Presidente81 said:
As title really, is this phone still good?
How is battery life (I know that will differ dependant on loads of factors), but in general, is it ok?
Any annoying quirks or issues with the latest updates?
My wife's Xperia Z is on its last legs and carphone warehouse are selling the S6 on O2 for £29.99 up front, £26.50 per month for 3Gb data and unlimited everything else. It's well within our budget so I think she wants to replace the Z with that. She only uses her phone for the camera to take pics of our daughter and selfies, Facebook, and internet browsing so she doesn't need latest and greatest and the S6 looks to fit the bill.
There's also the option of the S7 for the same upfront cost, but £32.00 p/m on vodafone but as she won't really have much use of the upgraded specs, we might save ourselves a bit of cash and go for the S6.
It's the 32gb version and I know on release, you were getting roughly 23gb of usable storage out the box, what can she expect now after all the system updates etc (EU Unbranded)?
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Click to collapse
Tbh you're better off paying the extra 5.50 and getting the s7. That being said the s6 is still a decent phone, battery life could be better Tbh even with varied usage, but apart from that the rest of the phone is still good, camera is still one of the best, real time performance is very good. With the s7 you're getting expandable storage, longer update cycle, bigger battery too

Thanks!
I've just discovered I get a 20% discount corporate discount on EE contracts via my employer so some of their S7 contracts look pretty appealing now.

Related

Stuck In A Contract?

So, who's still stuck in a contract and when does it end? What are your plans when it does end? Upgrade or leave and go to a prepaid plan?
My contract ends on 12/14/13 and am counting down the days when I can leave Verizon and never look back. It makes me sick to pay $180/month service for two smart phones when I can go with a prepaid service and save $80-$90. So I plan on waiting it out and not even toying with the idea of upgrading and locking myself into a phone that will become obsolete in 6 months and a plan that is overpriced and includes ridiculous fees and charges.
I will be looking to spend around $200-$250 on a phone. I know that I can get a SGS2 or Gnex right now for that but in 9 months I'm thinking that the price of a S3 will come down to where I can afford it. I'm also looking at a RAZR or RAZR Maxx. Used of course. I originally started looking on Craigslist, but am thinking Amazon is the way to go.
I obviously want the most for my money and something unlocked or unlockable and plenty of support available for the phone.
What other options will I have in that price range?
HTC?
Samsung?
Motorola?
Sent from my CM10 Droid X2 using Tapatalk 2
I did the same thing last November. I saw how much Sprint wanted monthly for a smartphone and now I have a smartphone for less than I was paying them for just minutes and texting with no data.
I was looking around to buy a phone and I personally felt it was better to spend a bit more money and get the GS3 (which was about $400 when I got it) so that it would last me longer and not already feel very dated. I put it on a card and I've already paid it off - very minimal interest accrued.
If I were you, I'd get the S4 or something if you're looking to buy at the very end of this year - that way they'll be on the market for a while and you can likely find one used at a decent-enough discount over buying new. I feel like it pays to spend more on something better.
Or you could buy an N4 new if you don't care about removable battery and sd card.
You could also just buy a really cheap phone or flash whatever you have now to a pre-paid service - and save the money you were paying to Verizon and put it aside to buy a better phone.
You have a long time. Ultimately, I wouldn't worry about it yet. See what you can save up between now and then, just wait and see where prices will go by then (The Nexus phones aren't much more to save up for you and I'd bet a new one will be released between now and then - a great value if the hardware is right).
Pennycake said:
I did the same thing last November. I saw how much Sprint wanted monthly for a smartphone and now I have a smartphone for less than I was paying them for just minutes and texting with no data.
I was looking around to buy a phone and I personally felt it was better to spend a bit more money and get the GS3 (which was about $400 when I got it) so that it would last me longer and not already feel very dated. I put it on a card and I've already paid it off - very minimal interest accrued.
If I were you, I'd get the S4 or something if you're looking to buy at the very end of this year - that way they'll be on the market for a while and you can likely find one used at a decent-enough discount over buying new. I feel like it pays to spend more on something better.
Or you could buy an N4 new if you don't care about removable battery and sd card.
You could also just buy a really cheap phone or flash whatever you have now to a pre-paid service - and save the money you were paying to Verizon and put it aside to buy a better phone.
You have a long time. Ultimately, I wouldn't worry about it yet. See what you can save up between now and then, just wait and see where prices will go by then (The Nexus phones aren't much more to save up for you and I'd bet a new one will be released between now and then - a great value if the hardware is right).
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Click to collapse
If you're looking for a phone, you're not going to find much for around $200-250 besides well used S2s right now, and S3s aren't going to come down as dramatically as the GNex did when the N4 was announced. The S3 is still a solid powerhouse that will command at least $300 at minimum for a well used one when all is said and done after the S4 drops. If you're just looking to expand your functionality of your phone, but not have to pay the insane carrier prices/payment schemes for equipment, or worse, MSRP, then you may be in the market for a cheap N7 like myself. I was originally looking for a Note or N7, if I could get the Note, that would be the end of it, but since I found a brand spanking new N7 I've been very happy overall with my pair of Androids. I can still upgrade my phone later, but because I'm not relying on my phone to do anything other than handle my data connection and provide me with a physical handheld to use for calls, I'm not quite as concerned about upgrading it anytime soon. I had already anticipated when I upgraded from a beat up Optimus 3D to the S2 that I would have to stick with whatever I got at $250 (I got super lucky, it was only 2 weeks old) for the better part of at least a year before I could even think about upgrading my phone again. I got that itch shortly after when I found myself semi-limited by the phone as far as certain gaming capability. I then eyed a Note or N7 in order to get my gaming fix. The N7 I ended up getting has since been a VERY handy tool for not just getting my mobile gaming fix, but for remote troubleshooting, home network/pc management when I get calls from my roommates for broken services.
Before you make ANY purchase, ask yourself a couple questions about what you really want. Do you want a device to game on? An accessory/toy? An internet connected tool? A better communications platform? I found that I was already satisfied with my phone and only wanted to get a bigger screen, longer battery life, and better gaming support, which made the Note and N7 perfect options. Note if I chose to drop $400 on a used one and have a phablet, or an N7 for $200 and just never take my phone out of my pocket.
Either way, I would recommend looking into Swappa.com, the Marketplace replacement as this is where I found my N7, and Craigslist (though be VERY CAREFUL here) for the S2.
What I mean by be VERY CAREFUL with transactions on Craigslist is that I've heard of people buying a lightly used phone from somebody for decent money on there, only to find the phone doesn't work anymore and rejects the carrier a month or two down the road. This is typically because the original seller bought the phone on a payment plan and have since either stopped making payments, or have dropped the carrier altogether, and the carrier has responded well within the contract and blacklisted the device on the network. Swappa is a lot more reliable for not dealing in possibly abused/misrepresented items, but you'll pay a premium for this peace of mind. Good luck!
I use my phone now primarily for streaming spotify while at work, email, texting and browsing the web. My WiFi connection at work is sometimes unreliable so I rely heavily on my 3g connection. I'm not as concerned about having the latest tech either. I would probably be fine for a couple of years using a gnex or s3. Although I probably would go for the s3 simply because of the removable battery and SD card slot.
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Cynagen makes some very good points. I am mainly interested in changing carriers and lowering my contract price, and was looking at buying something new and unlocked. Tethering to a full-featured, higher spec tablet makes a lot of sense if the main use case is data. I rarely use my phone for voice, and most times am within wi-fi coverage.
=RV=
redvelociraptor said:
Cynagen makes some very good points. I am mainly interested in changing carriers and lowering my contract price, and was looking at buying something new and unlocked. Tethering to a full-featured, higher spec tablet makes a lot of sense if the main use case is data. I rarely use my phone for voice, and most times am within wi-fi coverage.
=RV=
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Click to collapse
It's an okay idea, but the phone's battery is going to drain FAST if it's constantly tethering. And unless you're paying for tethering, there might not always be a reliable work-around to get it to work anyway.
My S3 lasted about 4 hours of continuous tethering and it was pretty warm. Instead of it being able to manage going to "sleep", you'd have to do that manually - turn your tethering on whenever you want to use your tablet. Which may work depending on patience and usage.
Another idea might be a data-only SIM in a tablet and make calls over VOIP or just keep a spare phone for the minutes if that's what you want.
I have a phone and a tablet and I use my phone more often on a daily basis - it would not be practical to bring my tablet where I most often use my phone - the size difference is big enough to go from "kind of bulky" to "full on leg shield if you can even get it in your pocket".
I'm not knocking the idea, just saying you need to consider the downsides, too. I almost went for it, myself, but with the $30/mo T-Mobile plan I decided just to get the S3. It's a good size for carrying in a pocket, and I have a 10" tablet that's a great size for watching movies, too (bought it from a friend). I'd recommend going to a store and comparing sizes. For me, 7" just didn't fit in - it was too small for what I wanted to use a tablet for and too big to carry around all day - but if you have to carry a bag or something, it might be a better fit.
Pennycake said:
It's an okay idea, but the phone's battery is going to drain FAST if it's constantly tethering. And unless you're paying for tethering, there might not always be a reliable work-around to get it to work anyway.
My S3 lasted about 4 hours of continuous tethering and it was pretty warm. Instead of it being able to manage going to "sleep", you'd have to do that manually - turn your tethering on whenever you want to use your tablet. Which may work depending on patience and usage.
Another idea might be a data-only SIM in a tablet and make calls over VOIP or just keep a spare phone for the minutes if that's what you want.
I have a phone and a tablet and I use my phone more often on a daily basis - it would not be practical to bring my tablet where I most often use my phone - the size difference is big enough to go from "kind of bulky" to "full on leg shield if you can even get it in your pocket".
I'm not knocking the idea, just saying you need to consider the downsides, too. I almost went for it, myself, but with the $30/mo T-Mobile plan I decided just to get the S3. It's a good size for carrying in a pocket, and I have a 10" tablet that's a great size for watching movies, too (bought it from a friend). I'd recommend going to a store and comparing sizes. For me, 7" just didn't fit in - it was too small for what I wanted to use a tablet for and too big to carry around all day - but if you have to carry a bag or something, it might be a better fit.
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Click to collapse
I can confirm that it does drain the battery fast! To address this issue I bought a USB-OTG adapter, and just carry one of my 3 microUSB cables with me at all times. When my phone runs low while I'm on the train or bus or something, I use the USB-OTG cable from the tablet to my phone to keep my phone alive, and while it'll drain the tablet faster, I actually get about a 1.25% charge per 1% drained on the tablet (idle), so it's actually pretty efficient (this surprised me). When I'm in the office, I'll let the phone drain down to warning levels <15% and then use the USB cable to connect it to my desk computer in order to charge up, usually towards the end of the day. The tablet I only really charge at home each night when it's practically dead itself. (I practice stretching the batteries out as far as you can stomach (normally <5%) as you're supposed to with Li-Ion.)
I thought about getting a GSM N7, but when I saw it was an extra $100, plus another $30/mo for a data-only SIM card with unlimited service, when I could tether to my cellphone for free, I chose the $200 one-time & free/mo because T-Mobile just sees Android devices and doesn't care.
Evaluate your end goal, and review all possible avenues towards that goal, I chose the cheapest easiest way for myself, and while you may not have these same avenues available, make sure you do all your research to see if you can get anywhere close.
@Pennycake: I don't know how you only got 4 hours of continuous tethering, I get at least 6 straight on my S2. Check what OTHER processes you have running and see about getting a kernel you can undervolt as well as drop to a super bare minimum speed. (My S2 when WiFi tethering to my N7 sits active @ 192Mhz as that's all that's needed to maintain connection, otherwise it hits deep sleep.)
I don't tether all that often, so it's not a big issue to me (it was on a train ride and I probably won't be travelling again for another year).
Another idea is to use the $30/mo data only and use Google Voice + a VOIP service (like Groove IP) - turning the tablet itself into a phone that way. I read an article about someone who did it and really considered it for a while (in my case, I'm glad I didn't because I don't have the data coverage to make calls everywhere I normally am - sometimes I'm getting only GPRS where I can easily make a call, but not so much over data).
After reading a comparison on S3 compared to One X, it seems as though overall the S3 looks better. Has better battery life, SD card slot, better camera. Now that HTC is out of the picture, I will look into comparing the RAZR phones to the S3. I have heard that Motorola phones have better reception than Samsung. Is this true or just a few people's experience?
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To op. You can talk about early cancelation. Sometimes it doesn't cost as much as you'd think. I did that with at&t thank god for it. That was the worst and so over priced. I'm with Verizon and love it but you sound like you're paying way to much. I pay 99 a month unlimited text and data (my plan started before this family shared data thing) and 500 anytime min but I use Skype anyway.
I think I might switch depending on the shared data thing since there are 2 users on my plan.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
5imp7y said:
To op. You can talk about early cancelation. Sometimes it doesn't cost as much as you'd think. I did that with at&t thank god for it. That was the worst and so over priced. I'm with Verizon and love it but you sound like you're paying way to much. I pay 99 a month unlimited text and data (my plan started before this family shared data thing) and 500 anytime min but I use Skype anyway.
I think I might switch depending on the shared data thing since there are 2 users on my plan.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Early termination would be too much for us. We currently have three lines, two of which have data plans, the third just an extra line that we added almost two years ago to use it for an upgrade. Our two main lines would cost about 200 each and we would then have to buy two phones.
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Looking for a new phone and plan.

So I'm in the process of buying a new phone. I personally don't have a lot of money to spend so the $200 price point is one I'm trying to hit, but I'm not opposed to spending $300 for a vastly superior phone. I would like the phone to be on the smaller side of things, don't approach the phablet territory (~6 or greater inches). I'm not a big phone spec guy, I don't care to have the fastest processor or huge amounts of ram seeing as the most taxing thing I do on my phone is play Clash of Clans. I don't care to have a high resolution screen at all, 720p would be fine. I would like it to have good wifi support and be able to get 4G LTE, now the last and most important part is it NEEDS to have a all day in to tomorrow type battery.
Priorities:
1. Cheap
2. Big battery
3. LTE support
4. Good wifi support
Here are a few phones I'm looking at
Moto X,G,E Nexus 5???, BlackBerry Z10.
I'm really just looking for suggestions here because all of those phones seem to be besides what I'm looking for, let me know if there are any phones that I'm missing.
Thanks,
Beefy
Xiaomi Mi3
http://m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_3-5678.php
ZTE Grand Memo 2 LTE
http://m.gsmarena.com/zte_grand_memo_ii_lte-6154.php
iNew V3
http://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/ab922b5e
Huawei Ascend P7
http://m.gsmarena.com/huawei_ascend_p7-6124.php
Just a few phones around that price range that have better specs.
Moto G is a great phone though I must say.
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Using XDA App
I could hook up with Boost through my account and you and I would get some saving from doing that but I am new to forums and dont want anyone complaining if its against some policy I not aware of. As a side note I been using them for 3 years and they been good to me and I gotten my bill with them by getting discounts every 6 month I paid on time some my monthy bill is $15- a month cheaper than when I started. You can PM if needed. I am now paying $40 a month using a Galaxy S3 and it getting LTE service where I live. I get 2.5 gb of data month before throttled. I never gone other the limit so dont know how fast it is when throttled.

Current large phones trend & regarding batteries

Hello guys!
Do you have the problem like I do that I really would like to buy a fresh, new, fast phone with a new original battery, but looking at the current market I can not find any that suits to me? I am not talking about poor performance or lack of choice, but size... I'm really not interested in those enourmous 6"-6.5" phones because that big size is not comfortable for me, even though I have big hands.
Where is the era of 5"-5.8" phones gone? Do you think the large phones trend will ever stop?
In my situation I'm trying to look at used phones market, but this is also super problematic. If I find a used 5.5" device that suits me, it's battery is pretty much dead. I could buy a new battery and replace it without a problem, but there is no way I can find an original/genuine battery that will have a reasonable and solid life time. This is pathetic I think the dying 2-years batteries is the main trick that corporations use today to force us to change phone every 2-3 years ?
Do you feel me?
Well the way I've decided to combat this is by subscribing to Samsungs access program where I pay like 40 a month and in 9 months I can upgrade to the note 21 or S21 (if I choose to switch). I had the note 9 for 2 years and what I've noticed is I refuse to outright sell my phones for cheap rates after dropping 1200 plus on it. So now I've accumulated phones over the years since Samsung switched up and stopped allowing the early upgrade program with carriers. I got stuck with an s7 plus and 2 note 9s that are just collecting dust. I'm not selling either one for a few hundred dollars. And with insurance from Verizon, if anything happens to my phone I can just get a refurbished one sent to me and then I'll just trade that one back in when I'm ready to upgrade next year. This way I get the fresh new flagships every year and stop accumulating phones. The only downside is the fact that I wanted a phone with dual sim capabilities but Samsung only sells single sim in the US. I guess you can't have it all. Hopefully they eventually fix this issue and provide esim and/or dual sim capable phones in the future.
Now as far as smaller phones, I am not too sure. I believe all the major brands now have been offering smaller variations like the s20 e or fe or whatever its called. The only downside to this is I believe although they are cheaper then the full size flagships, they sadly do have less features and/or tech such as the cameras.
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Worth it in 2021/22?

Looking to get one of these for my daughter. She broke her Nokia 7.1 display and asked for something that takes better pictures if we're replacing her phone anyway. I had Gcam running on that Nokia but I think an actual Pixel would do her better, and just run smoother too.
With the current prices for used/refurbed, I think a P3 XL would be great, even if there are no more updates for it.
What do you guys think? Any versions to avoid or issues to look out for? Someone mentioned that battery life is iffy especially on a used model, but she's not a power user (mostly music, some messages and calls and occasional selfies with friends- no social media or browsing).
Good idea or bad idea?
dishe2 said:
Looking to get one of these for my daughter. She broke her Nokia 7.1 display and asked for something that takes better pictures if we're replacing her phone anyway. I had Gcam running on that Nokia but I think an actual Pixel would do her better, and just run smoother too.
With the current prices for used/refurbed, I think a P3 XL would be great, even if there are no more updates for it.
What do you guys think? Any versions to avoid or issues to look out for? Someone mentioned that battery life is iffy especially on a used model, but she's not a power user (mostly music, some messages and calls and occasional selfies with friends- no social media or browsing).
Good idea or bad idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's a good idea, with some caveats. Excellent for the mentioned needs, but as said, even if it's described as 'Mint', odds are the battery has been cycled hundreds of times.
This is listed on ebay for 219, brand new, unlocked. I've bought from that seller and they are reputable for sure. At least going that route you won't have to worry about the battery.
Yeah no more official updates from google, but Lineage will continue to make builds for this device for (probably) years to come.
Absolutely worth considering.
Things to look out for - a locked bootloader. Verizon and AT&T phones have locked bootloaders. You can't install LOS with a locked bootloader, so no more updates for those phones. Also, when sellers say the phone is unlocked, they mean the SIM is unlocked, not the bootloader.
I'd go with a new, unused phone if you can still find one. Besides battery on a used phone, there is this problem to consider. https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/fix-pixel-3-qusb_bulk_cid-xxxx_sn-xxxxxxxx.4205331/
I just had my Pixel 3 battery replaced at uBreakIfix for $100. The original battery lasted 2 years. I could have nursed it along a few months more, but decided it was time.
Also consider a new Pixel 2, if you can find one. I bought a new Pixel 2 XL a couple of months ago. It was much cheaper than the Pixel 3s were going for.
dishe2 said:
Looking to get one of these for my daughter. She broke her Nokia 7.1 display and asked for something that takes better pictures if we're replacing her phone anyway. I had Gcam running on that Nokia but I think an actual Pixel would do her better, and just run smoother too.
With the current prices for used/refurbed, I think a P3 XL would be great, even if there are no more updates for it.
What do you guys think? Any versions to avoid or issues to look out for? Someone mentioned that battery life is iffy especially on a used model, but she's not a power user (mostly music, some messages and calls and occasional selfies with friends- no social media or browsing).
Good idea or bad idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yikes, the battery bit that hard over 2 years, huh?
I bought a Galaxy S10 used that still has decent battery, and my LG G7 which is around the same generation as the Pixel 3 still can go all day. Is the Pixel battery just more prone to conking out early? She could use my LG but honestly I sold her on the Gcam, dual selfies and unlimited google photo storage (she's been using compressed storage for photos since it was free on all phones, and missed the memo about losing all her storage space earlier this year).
Here's the thing:
If I get it from Swappa, it comes with a 3-month Mint SIM trial prepaid. She's on Google Voice so I tend to swap plans around whenever there's a deal, so that knocks about $45 off the price of the phone since I'd be otherwise paying that $15 a month elsewhere. Still worth getting new over that deal? There are pretty mint ones (9 out of 10 condition) for under $150 there, so total would be ~$100 after service discount.
dishe2 said:
Yikes, the battery bit that hard over 2 years, huh?
I bought a Galaxy S10 used that still has decent battery, and my LG G7 which is around the same generation as the Pixel 3 still can go all day. Is the Pixel battery just more prone to conking out early? She could use my LG but honestly I sold her on the Gcam, dual selfies and unlimited google photo storage (she's been using compressed storage for photos since it was free on all phones, and missed the memo about losing all her storage space earlier this year).
Here's the thing:
If I get it from Swappa, it comes with a 3-month Mint SIM trial prepaid. She's on Google Voice so I tend to swap plans around whenever there's a deal, so that knocks about $45 off the price of the phone since I'd be otherwise paying that $15 a month elsewhere. Still worth getting new over that deal? There are pretty mint ones (9 out of 10 condition) for under $150 there, so total would be ~$100 after service discount.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The battery would still last me all day, but it would discharge very fast once it got under 30%. I figured I'd rather replace it than risk losing the phone at a bad time.
As for price, it all depends on what deals you find. I paid $120 for the new Pixel 2 XL a couple of months ago. I get my service for $10 a month (with 500 Mb of data) from RedPocket. I'm quite satisfied with those numbers.
That's a good deal. Can't find a Pixel 2 right now new. I was paying $10 a month for 1GB of data previously but she's constantly running out from google photos and spotify, so was planning on moving up to $15 for 4GB on Mint anyway. Especially right now, buy 3 months get 3 free. So essentially 7.50 a month for the next 6 months!
However... if I get the free sim from Swappa its probably only 3 months. Either way, a good deal. If I buy new from Ebay (even if I could find it), I'd still have to pay for a Mint sim
dishe2 said:
Yikes, the battery bit that hard over 2 years, huh?
I bought a Galaxy S10 used that still has decent battery, and my LG G7 which is around the same generation as the Pixel 3 still can go all day. Is the Pixel battery just more prone to conking out early? She could use my LG but honestly I sold her on the Gcam, dual selfies and unlimited google photo storage (she's been using compressed storage for photos since it was free on all phones, and missed the memo about losing all her storage space earlier this year).
Here's the thing:
If I get it from Swappa, it comes with a 3-month Mint SIM trial prepaid. She's on Google Voice so I tend to swap plans around whenever there's a deal, so that knocks about $45 off the price of the phone since I'd be otherwise paying that $15 a month elsewhere. Still worth getting new over that deal? There are pretty mint ones (9 out of 10 condition) for under $150 there, so total would be ~$100 after service discount.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently bought a 'Mint' Lg G8 on swappa, and it 'looked' pretty close to mint, very light small scratches on back. But when I modified the rom so I could see the 'svc menu', the battery stat indicated it had been fully cycled about 280 times. Research indicates a battery should last from 300 to 500 cycles. And just like dcarvil, this G8, when it gets to about 30%, it' drops fast. Incredibly fast.
Other phones I've bought on swappa that were 'open box', actually were exactly that, virtually new. Now we see sellers describe it as 'open box'... without the box!!
It's all anecdotal, some good, some bad, we take our chances.
cheers, good luck.
The Pixel 3 XL is still a great phone and should last a while. The processor is about the same as the Pixel 5.
I would recommend looking on Swappa as it is stricter than Ebay on quality and even a Fair Swappa phone is quite good and should describe the defects in the listing.
On swappa, the cheapest verizon and sprint 3 XL are under $100, but the Google or Tmobile version (which can be boot-loader unlocked and rooted are up to $150. Also notice that at $200 and above you can even get the Pixel 4 XL. Also, the 3a XL may be a cheap option, but it has slower processors so not as good, but still better than the old Nokia 7.1.
I definitely recommend one where the boot-loader is unlock-able as it opens up many options. To stay completely stock or unlock and use any OS build she would like.
elkinm said:
The Pixel 3 XL is still a great phone and should last a while. The processor is about the same as the Pixel 5.
I would recommend looking on Swappa as it is stricter than Ebay on quality and even a Fair Swappa phone is quite good and should describe the defects in the listing.
On swappa, the cheapest verizon and sprint 3 XL are under $100, but the Google or Tmobile version (which can be boot-loader unlocked and rooted are up to $150. Also notice that at $200 and above you can even get the Pixel 4 XL. Also, the 3a XL may be a cheap option, but it has slower processors so not as good, but still better than the old Nokia 7.1.
I definitely recommend one where the boot-loader is unlock-able as it opens up many options. To stay completely stock or unlock and use any OS build she would like.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found a swappa 128 gb in good condition for $120, and it's supposed to be the Google version so bootloader unlockable!
Just ordered it. I've heard mixed things about the latest A12 roms, so I like the idea of keeping it unlockable for customs. Are there are any good aftermarket roms that stay close to stock re: network function (VOLTE)?
I've have bad experience with Lineage based roms in the past because networks like Tmobile where I live rely on VOLTE for decent calling support.
dishe2 said:
I found a swappa 128 gb in good condition for $120, and it's supposed to be the Google version so bootloader unlockable!
Just ordered it. I've heard mixed things about the latest A12 roms, so I like the idea of keeping it unlockable for customs. Are there are any good aftermarket roms that stay close to stock re: network function (VOLTE)?
I've have bad experience with Lineage based roms in the past because networks like Tmobile where I live rely on VOLTE for decent calling support.
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bad experience with lineage because u need volte? Volte works perfectly on lineage, sorry but your comment in that regard makes no sense. I had a pix 3 with lineage and volte and vowifi worked perfectly on it.
cheers
Well not on LG or Samsung devices that I've owned. Or Moto.
This is my first pixel, maybe it's different?
dishe2 said:
Well not on LG or Samsung devices that I've owned. Or Moto.
This is my first pixel, maybe it's different?
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Well yes it is different. LG and Sammy for sure have proprietary IMS implementations, I'm not sure about Moto. What that means is that if the proprietary implementation can't be ported, then things like volte will only work on stock.
dishe2 said:
I found a swappa 128 gb in good condition for $120, and it's supposed to be the Google version so bootloader unlockable!
Just ordered it. I've heard mixed things about the latest A12 roms, so I like the idea of keeping it unlockable for customs. Are there are any good aftermarket roms that stay close to stock re: network function (VOLTE)?
I've have bad experience with Lineage based roms in the past because networks like Tmobile where I live rely on VOLTE for decent calling support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
VoLTE works fine on my P3 with LOS 18.1.

Question Upgrading to z flip 4?

Hi guys!
Just wondering what are your thoughts on upgrading to the z flip 4?
All the beans have been spilled on the specs and design already. So we pretty much know what will be offered by Samsung.
So, are you guys excited for it? Upgrade is a must? Or is it just mehhhh.....
On my side, I have no interest in upgrading. I'm still astonished that the cameras will be the same... I find no reason to upgrade. Only positive I find is the little bit bigger battery, nothing else.
So, what's your thoughts??
No, it's not worth it for me, I'd have to pay off my existing contact first (£455) and from what I've been reading there's nothing really ground breaking about it.
Most likely I will go to Fold4 ...
Far away from beeing rich enough lol
No way I'd upgrade, this phone is working great for me. Also once the warranty is up, i'll start to flash GSI's etc.
Just got my Flip 3, and with trade in value, plus $100 pre-registration bonus from Samsung... if the price for the 4 is right, I'll upgrade. I've only had the 3 for a short time, and while I like it, not having dex is actually a bigger deal than I thought it would be. I really do like to use it.
nothing to upgrade for
Beings I'm paying $30 a month for this AT&T Next Up deal where you can get a new phone every year I see no real reason why not to! I dont see anything better coming out in the near future! 12 x $30 = $360 I paid for the Flip 3, I think I got my moneys worth! Only thing sucks is that I'll probally have to buy another case for it but oh well! Might just wait till Black Friday (November) though and see if Sams Club (or Best Buy or somewhere) will offer a $600 in store gift certificate to upgrade like they used to before all the Covid crap started and I'll really come out on top! Free phone for a year plus a little extra cash to go with it wont hurt my feelings!! I used to play that game every year!! LOL!
Well it doesnt look like that AT&T Next Up deal wasnt quite the deal I thought it was after all. Seems you must have to have the phone half paid off as I had to fork out and extra $200 plus $60 in taxes. I've been wanting the Flip 4 and a little better battery life cant hurt so I went ahead and did it and and with the trade in deal their giving me the 256gb model and a free case, I guess that makes it a wee bit better, but $500+ for phone rental per year Im not quite too sure! Sounds like I need to pay cash when buying new and get the big trade in or go back to buying used models on Craiglist like I used to do back in the day! I also bought a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 46mm from Samsung refurfished on Ebay for $209 recently (which turned out to be brand new from the best I can tell) so that makes it a bit better also! Oh well, like my old man used to tell me "you only live once!"!!!
Not worth the upgrade, it hasn't received changes at all, it's almost a copy of the Flip 3, but with a little bit better internals. The upgraded processor? You don't really need it, the 888 is already quite a powerful processor, the battery? Quite an upgrade, I must admit, plus the new adaptive 1-120hz display, it must have a good battery life. The camera? The photos on the Flip 3 are already great, and even better with gcam. Would I pay ~500€ for just a better battery? (Considering I'm trading in my Flip 3)
Absolutely not.
HDCowboy said:
Well it doesnt look like that AT&T Next Up deal wasnt quite the deal I thought it was after all. Seems you must have to have the phone half paid off as I had to fork out and extra $200 plus $60 in taxes. I've been wanting the Flip 4 and a little better battery life cant hurt so I went ahead and did it and and with the trade in deal their giving me the 256gb model and a free case, I guess that makes it a wee bit better, but $500+ for phone rental per year Im not quite too sure! Sounds like I need to pay cash when buying new and get the big trade in or go back to buying used models on Craiglist like I used to do back in the day! I also bought a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 46mm from Samsung refurfished on Ebay for $209 recently (which turned out to be brand new from the best I can tell) so that makes it a bit better also! Oh well, like my old man used to tell me "you only live once!"!!!
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Hi!
When you get the flip 4, give a update here, was the upgrade + cash spent worth it.
Thanks!
BWA80 said:
Hi!
When you get the flip 4, give a update here, was the upgrade + cash spent worth it.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I lost the money I spent on the Flip 3 rental (but taken into account I'm getting the 256gb model for the price of a 128gb and a free case plus just got a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic for basically half off makes it a little better) but regardless I just got a tracking number for the Flip 4, its supposed to be here tomorrow. Oh and BTW, we have a whole section here devoted to the Flip 4, looks like quite a few folks done got thiers...........
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a 6.7" device, with a 1080x2640 foldable display, and a 260x512 external cover display. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, which is paired with 8GB RAM and 128/256/512GB of storage. The primary camera features a 12+12MP, and a 10MP seflie...
forum.xda-developers.com
Another interesting option that might be worth considering.........
I got to play with the Z Flip 4 yesterday at a T-Mobile store. They had it on display even though they're not shipping or in stock yet. Although the phone has been upgraded, performance-wise, I couldn't tell the difference between it and my Z Flip 3. Nothing stuck out about it or grabbed me to make me feel I have to upgrade. The phone is physically a little more streamlined but overall it's probably not worth upgrading from the Z Flip 3 unless you're getting the Z Flip 4 for free or at a drastically reduced price (Samsung and some of the carriers have good trade-in deals right now).
I'm gonna wait to see if the RAZR 2022 ever comes to the US and, if so, if my carrier will offer similar trade-in deals. If so, I'll get the RAZR 2022. I had the RAZR 5G and absolutely loved the external screen. I traded it in for the Z Flip 3 because the Z Flip 3 blew away the RAZR 5G on paper (the specs) and I got the Z Flip 3 for free with the trade-in but I immediately started missing that big external screen on the RAZR 5G. I used the RAZR's external screen just as much or maybe even more than the main screen. Even though there are now 3rd party apps to make the Z Flip 3 external screen more functional, the screen is just too small for me to use a lot - I'm still opening my Z Flip 3 for just about everything. The new RAZR 2022 is a massive upgrade over the RAZR 5G and the specs rival the ZFlip 4 but the bigger and much more functional external screen on the RAZR 2022 is the game changer for me.
crawls69 said:
I got to play with the Z Flip 4 yesterday at a T-Mobile store. They had it on display even though they're not shipping or in stock yet. Although the phone has been upgraded, performance-wise, I couldn't tell the difference between it and my Z Flip 3. Nothing stuck out about it or grabbed me to make me feel I have to upgrade. The phone is physically a little more streamlined but overall it's probably not worth upgrading from the Z Flip 3 unless you're getting the Z Flip 4 for free or at a drastically reduced price (Samsung and some of the carriers have good trade-in deals right now).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I received mine yesterday and felt the same way, loaded up all my old apps and did everything except swaped sim cards and it pretty much felt the same in hand although I'm sure the upgraded battery will make things even better, allthough I'm not a power user and only had problems running down the battery just a relatively few times. Of course I had everything set up to save battery since I had the phone and always had a charger nearby for those just in case days!
Started crunching the numbers again yesterday evening and this morning and thinking about whether it was really going to be worth it, and with the AT&T Next Up deal where I had to have my 256gb Flip 3 half paid off ($1050/2 = $525) and give it back and then start making payments all over again on the Flip 4 (29.17 a month for 3 years =$1050.12) for a total of $1575 and it was absolutely not! I decided to return it to the AT&T store this morning and I'm going to go ahead and pay the Flip 3 off and go with the Samsung deal and trade in my yr old Flip3 plus $200 for the Flip4.
Will that be worth it? I figure with the extra battery life and better processor for $200 plus my old Flip 3 as a trade in it dang sure well ought to be especially if you're one of those who always has the urge for the latest and greatest! I do have to admit that new Razr sure does seem cool, but I've been using Samsung products for so many years and think I'll stick with them! Competition in the market for this new generation of flip phones is always a good thing though!
UPDATE: Boy they are quick, I ordered it a little before lunch this morning (Wednesday) and by this afternoon it was already in the mail and supposed to be here by Friday!
Got mine today. Samsung has a great trade-in program. You get a new 4, and I got $700 for my Flip 3 trade. So a little over $300 for a faster processor, and much larger battery. Easy choice.
I've read all the reviews, but I think the 4's crease is a little less deep than the 3. I feel it less. Otherwise I'm waiting to see how good this battery really is, as that was really my only complaint about the 3.
You can de-bloat it in minutes with ADB AppControl, kudos to those guys - removed or disabled over 140 bloatware apps Samsung installs. Which also works when updates come, the apps - and that stupid bixby and Samsung store/pay/AR crap stays disabled.
If I remember in a month I'll post back up with some further info.
I got my Z Flip 4 (unlocked) yesterday (8/29) from the pre-order deal. I have the Z Flip 3 (unlocked) already but the upgrade deal was too good to pass up. They offered me a $900 trade-in credit for the 3 plus an additional $60 off and a $100 Samsung Store credit. Cash out of pocket for the 4 was just $140 + sales tax. At that price I would have taken a new 3 just for a fresh battery & warranty! It sort of feels like that's what I did anyway. The 4 is virtually identical to the 3 in size and shape - so much so that the Samsung thin carbon fibre case from the 3 fits the 4 and the cutouts fit perfectly. The viewable area of the cover screen still fits in the case cutout.
I know that there a bunch of feature improvements and a bigger battery which I'll come to appreciate as time goes by but for now I'd have to say I'd be disappointed if I'd paid a lot more for the upgrade. Apparently Samsung knew this which is why they made the upgrade dirt cheap. If you don't have a 3 and are thinking about the 4, by all means go for it. It's a terrific phone. I loved the 3 and the 4 is even better.
I have disappointed myself... i went against my thoughts and beliefs.
I upgraded to the z flip 4
But! To make myself feel better, I have convinced myself that I got a good deal (swapped my flip 3 + 150€ to the flip 4).
And I got to say, the flip 4 feels good! Feels better built, the screen is brighter, screen protector feels smoother, snapdragon feels snappier and the closing of the phone feels more satisfying
The biggest upgrade I have felt is the battery. With the flip 3 I barely got through a day, sometimes had to recharge. But, with the flip 4 I go to sleep with 30-40% of battery.
So, my recommendation, if you get a GREAT deal on the flip 4, go for it. If not, flip 3 will get you through the next year to the flip 5, which should be a substantial upgrade.
I don't think it's necessary
Very nice job... Thanks for sharing this amazing Information!

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