Database Info

Look and Feel

What are your impressions of the look and feel of the device so far. I am coming from a Vibrant and in my opinion the device felt cheap because it was so light and plasticy.
The G2x feels well built and feels good in my hand. I also like how the power button is on the top rather than the side like it was on the Vibrant. The device is the same exact colors as my Touch Pro 2 was. T-Mobile sure does love this color design which I like as well. It looks very professional.

I'm coming from a galaxy s series phone as well. This phone has me thinking that the bigger screen on the Sensation might be a good size.
But yeah, this one is cool. Feels like its built much better than the galaxy s series.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

coming from a MT4G and that felt like a solid phone but this feels much better with the large screen and the way its beveled on the sides...

Coming from a NS this phone looks a lot more professional. The NS is still my favorite design hands down, bit this device looks and feels more solid. Love the metal bezel and the curved glass edges. Can't wait to get my pouch from amazon so I could take off this stock screen protector. The placement of the power button takes some getting used to, but it's the most solid device I've ever owned.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

After being a lurker for so long, I finally decided to post hahaha. Anyways, came from Eris to the G2X, and the build quality on the G2X is superb. I particularly like the power and volume buttons; no wiggle, they click very nicely, and seem to be very durable. The phone itself has a perfect weight to it, managing to feel solid while at the same time not bulky. All in all, excellent design from LG.

I went from the Nexus One to the HD7 and that thing was the cheapest feeling plastic phone I ever had...
Now it feels like I have a real solid phone again!
Sent from my LG-P999

I'm coming from the MyTouch 3G Slide which felt terribly plastic and flimsy. If you dropped it the battery door would always pop off and the corners would get gouged. The G2x is a solid feeling phone it feels really good in hand. I am loving the design of this phone it looks professional and its just overall a solid built device.

I am coming from a Vibrant and it felt very plasticy and cheap. Sure it was light but thats cause the whole phone was plastic. Personally I like a little weight to my phones. I had the HD2 prior to the Vibrant and I liked the weight but I thought the screen size was a little too big. So overall I love the feel of the G2X, new fav!

i truly enjoy the look and feel of the back of the phone. This is my 1st phone using the "naked" no case look and the stock back has a rubber like feel to it. I dont see me dropping it accidently unless im just..........actually no i dont think ill be dropping it at all

uploder said:
i truly enjoy the look and feel of the back of the phone. This is my 1st phone using the "naked" no case look and the stock back has a rubber like feel to it. I dont see me dropping it accidently unless im just..........actually no i dont think ill be dropping it at all
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Yeah, the back of the phone is nice. That camera hump was a turn-off initially, but now that I'm using the phone I'm glad it's there. It's not as obtrusive as one would think and it helps re-adjust the phone when in your hand.
I also figured when putting a case on this phone, the cut-out for the camera may "level things out" a bit? I kinda like using it without a case though.

Why do people complain about build quality if there going to use a case?

Is it just me or does it this annoy you to? when people are comparing phones and lets say for example the galaxy s4 to something like the HTC one. They would say the galaxy s4 is made out of plastic and the HTC one medal. They say the HTC ones build i hands down better. Now why does that matter if 4 out of 5 people with each phone will put a otter box case or something else on it.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app

It could potentially impact the durability of the phone I suppose, but I agree, it's largely irrelevant. People will just take any reason they can find to try to prove that their phone of choice is the 'best'.

I got a Lumia 521 for $79 (total cost) which is about the worst in build quality. Got the best case I could find for it and it helped tremendously. So this can work for you also. Hide low build quality with a decent case!

Really, the only concern I have with build quality is how sturdy the phone is. I'm a clumsy guy and I'm prone to drop my phone a bit. I want to know then when I drop the phone, it will stay in one piece. Maybe even be resistant to scratches/dents. The last think I want is for the thing to shatter like brittle glass.
Other than that, a case will hide any shortcomings.

Sewrizer said:
i personally prefer a plastic device with removable barttery and sd card slot than a full metal body with these limitations. it would be best though if samsung replaced the plastic on the next S flagship with aluminum(something like htc sensation). however this would mean to return to square one and redesign everything, therefore making it more expensive. i believe that they don't want to risk their good sales and do something that may leave a scar on their reputation. in addition, i don't know of any samsumng device made of metal, so it would be a huge change for them.
we, as users, would have to take into account some other disadvantages of a metal body. i put an sgs3 in a metal locker and it lost almost all the signal, it even missed a few calls, it caused huge battery drain (when in low signal area devices lose batteruy faster) so the antennas will have to be placed accordingly. plus, scratches and marks are more visible on metal, you can't really put a plastic case on a metal device(in most cases it is really inestethic, imho. but it depends on the case), hard cases can affect connectivity and if dust or sand is caught between the phone and the case it will produce nasty marks on the phone.
so, practically, plastic devices are better. it's just the common opinion that they look and feel cheap. i look forward to reading further replies on this matter.
Sent from Area 51 using my p1000.
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The reason I love my s4 is the removable battery. if I know I'm going to need it I use my 7500 mAh battery if not I use my stock battery. I hate when people say its made of plastic. So then I show them my extended battery and then they become amazed LOL
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app

yea
bcs the sucks ball n too judgemental mayb haha kidding its just their personal preferences n still some tend to use phones/tabs witht tab n they've enjoyed/used to using/holding devices with premium quality thats y they complain it feels like sth missing

case quality
I'm always amazed at how expensive some cases are - £30 for a case is really unreasonable imo. My I9000 was protected really well in a £3 case I bought off eBay!

I think it does not matter, but my Sony Xperia P is constructed of metal, and in my opinion it feels better than plastic:fingers-crossed:

How is it possible to be so much expensive! I pay only US$20 for mine. I use switcheasy colours. nice to touch, but only last 1 year and then cuts appeared in case. had to get new 1. sorry for any bad english.
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Simply because casing adds bulk to the device. If the build is great, there is no need to use any case at all because we are assured that it is fine with heavy duty usage ang rough environment.

It's usually Apple fans that claim Android phones have poor build quality...and then put their delicate iPhones in a protective case.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda app-developers app

Well Iphones are meant to have 'superior build quality' but I think that is debatable
Brand new they look amazing, with a bit of use, not so much. I suppose it all depends on the care taken by the user, but my personal experience with Iphones holding their looks isn't great. My Iphone 4 had numerous scratch marks on the glass. My Iphone 5 was covered with marks on the bezel.
Whilst my samsung phones didn't look as premium, they didn't mark up like the Iphones.
If build quality is based purely on durability, I don't know if a phone being metal makes a difference. If it's based purely on looks, perhaps, but then as I mentioned, the looks of a metal phone don't necessarily hold up.
Also on the subject of 'build quality'. I am definitely in the minority it seems, but I don't like the look of the silver HTC one. Sure it's aluminium, but for whatever reason I just don't think it looks that good? Just thought I would put it out there because everyone goes on and out about how good the HTC one looks

because people in their nature don't like to waste their hard earned $ on something made of chew-able toy plastics, especially far an expensive flagship phones
its like questioning or undermining everything fine in life, why do u pay for that expensive leather or well designed wallet, its just a wallet after all
or why do you pay good money for a good quality car with fancy dashboard, a crash is a crash after all
i am sorry but this makes no sense
justifying lack of taste or quality by the "case" argument is just like hiding your head in the sand
there real question is: Why is the richest Android builder of them all so dead cheap with it's loyal customers?
and the answer is: LEMONS
Alternative answer: it's all wasted on marketing
Stop justifying lemons, currently Samsung is sitting at the rock bottom when it comes to design or quality, you name it, Apple, Sony, HTC, LG, Nokia even Huwai are all building better than your (un)precious Samsung

Personally I couldn't care less what the phone is made of, because at the end of the day the phone is a productivity tool. What matters is what I can *do* with the phone, not what it looks like or feels like. I could understand if metal was more durable than plastic, but that is debatable. My phone is plastic and it's in the same shape as the day I bought it. My iPod touch is metal and has tons of scratches on the back. I've treated them the same.
The problem with phones made of metal is that they typically have a non-removable battery and many of them don't even have a microSD slot! When it comes down to form vs. function, I'm going to choose function every time.

It's about material choice and balance for the money spent.
Plastic is good, like the Nexus 5 but glossy plastic is bad as it is fingerprint magnet and fugly (S4). Aluminium also dents, Check out all the 6 months after of HTC One and iPhone.
Also price matters too, you don't wanna spend a lot of money just to get a cheap looking and feeling plastic.
And most people use cases but it's always good to have a great built quality inside.
A sound phone dwells within a sound built quality, and a sound case.
Sent from my blazing fast Nexus 4

Build quality and using a case are 2 different issues, using a case doesn't mask the build quality....like poor headphone sockets that go wrong, or buttons that get stuck (hard to press).
Personally I always drop my phone - clumsy in nature! So have to have a case. Now i'm looking for one which has a battery built in to double my usage time for the Samsung S4. That chomps up battery like nobody's business. I am a heavy user to be fair. Just my 2 cents

Ergonomics (in-hand feel)

Please, no "that's what she said" jokes. Rate this thread to express how you think the Google Pixel XL feels in-hand. A higher rating indicates that it's comfortable to hold for long periods of time, even in one hand. Resist the urge to say "TWSS" just now. Seriously.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

I almost purchased the 6P when it came out, but it felt a little too big for me even though I have big hands. I think the Pixel XL is the perfect size. Feels only slightly larger than my S6 that I came from.

So the Pixel XL feels very nice in the hand. It has rounded sides that are smooth while holding it. My problem is, it's REALLY smooth when you're holding it. My case doesn't arrive until Sunday and I'm afraid I'm going to drop the thing because it's so slippery. I understand their choice of materials and looks and I'm ok with that. But they really needed to add some sort of texture to the side so I'm not scared of dropping the thing. Not EVERYONE uses a case. They shouldn't make it feel like I'm walking a tight rope if I don't. 3/5 stars.
Actually, I would probably do 5 based on the rounded feel in yours hands is very nice. But it'd give it a 3 because it's slippery! So it'd be a 4 overall. I can't change my vote for this topic, I voted a 3 the first time. I just wanted to clarify my thinking here

Coming from a Note 7, it's feels perfectly fine (size wise) in my hand. I ordered a clear case before the phone arrived and put it in soon after I got the phone b/c I'm notorious for drops. Without a case the XL feels way too slick to go without a case. I've ordered a Rhinoshield bumper - I'm very interested in how it'll feel. I care barely palm a regulation basketball if that helps at all.

feels small and light, compared to my nexus 6

My Note 5 was very similar in size, so this doesn't feel much different - used to holding a phablet, and being left-handed with it (which can mess up a surprising number of things!) So I hold in my right hand and operate with my left. And ergonomically it's the best phone I ever had for the small things; the power button is right under my thumb and the fingerprint button right under my forefinger as I hold it. Much less clumsy for picking up, fingerprinting and finally turning off than my Note 5 is. I wasn't sure about the fingerprint at the back but it's a huge improvement for my hands.

Feels great in the hand, I really love how it feels to use however I gave it 4 stars only because I think the power button is a little too high on the phone.
Maybe they could have put volume on the other side and lowered the power button down so it's in a more natural place.

The bezel.

It's easy to drop because it's so slippery without a case. I use a "kickstand" ring (glue on) that really helps.
With the ring I can just move my left index finger to unlock it without using my right hand. Very handy.
Without the ring I would give it a 3. With the ring it's a 5.

XDA_RealLifeReview said:
Please, no "that's what she said" jokes. Rate this thread to express how you think the Google Pixel XL feels in-hand. A higher rating indicates that it's comfortable to hold for long periods of time, even in one hand. Resist the urge to say "TWSS" just now. Seriously.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
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why isnt the phone bigger? It should be, its ridiculous that phones are still so small. feels like holding a childs phone.

wase4711 said:
feels small and light, compared to my nexus 6
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I know. Im coming from nexus 6 to.tbis feels so small. I had to look and make sure i had the xl lol. I love the way this phone feels in the hand

It feels good in the hand, (it tastes terrible though DO NOT EAT). The front pane of glass is one solid piece so there is no tactile difference between the bezel and screen. I would like a bit more edge on the glass transition between the outer aluminum and glass, though I find myself enjoying the feel of the back glass pane where it borders the aluminum body, and the finger sensor for that matter.
The finger sensor is at exactly the right place for me, the border ring around it melds with the glass well, and has just enough edge so that the transition doesn't feel too smooth, I.E. easy to locate via tactile fumbling, and the sensor itself is fast.

Do you think they will enable a single hand use option, like the s7 edge?

It feels a bit light, but that makes it easier to hold for longer periods of time.
It feels solid and well built.
I am very glad that it has a flat back and will lay flat on a table. The Nexus 6 I just retired had a curved back, which makes typing that way impossible.

Much more comfortable to hold than the 6P for me, mostly due to the rounded edges, I think. Being a little smaller doesn't hurt.

I had to laugh at this title.. ANyways am coming from a N6 I also had to make sure I had a XL. It's alot smaller, but the phone feels waaaaay more solid and premium I bet you all agree one that. The one thing I hated on the N6 was the amount of play in the buttons. Atlease in this phone they fixed the play in the buttons. I'd say I love the new feel of my google iphone.

In short unbalanced and more heavy in top ( PS the guy said no "that's what she said jokes" but inb4 "that's what he said"
No really it feels unbalanced vs the N6 and 6P for their size the N6 was by far the best balanced this Pixel XL feels like it flips over your index finger in one handed mode and for this it's more of a two handed job than even the 6P or 6 but that's just how it feels even in a grippy case it's just top heavy.
It by no means bad but if you come from a thin light balanced device the Pixel XL is a bit hefty up top.
Feels like a nexus 4 but they added some soap suds and silicone grease, after a week now it NEEDs a case it's more slippery that a N6 in water covered oil sliding down a hill.
As for general feel it's top heavy and slippery frankly its a poor ergonomic feel in had after using it for a bit, the 6P and N6 are far far better to hold ( smaller phones are far harder to keep a hold of if slippery )
These stylised chanfered edges are pretty bad on smaller devices and harks back to the old Moto X days with bar of soap designs.
As a die hard N6 guy it's just too small in its XL size it's slightly unweidly due to its Inbertween size 5” far to small 6" slightly to big the 6P was the best if both worlds but the screen jumps down are weird and frankly if your running a 6P it's totally not worth the upgrade in any way ! If your still on a N6 it's worth it for the 64bit / speed bump and faster camera if you have the cash if not the 6Pnis your go to for sure ! Pixel or nexus I'd plump for the cheaper just as capable just as fast 6P for half the price if not less.
Had the Pixel delivered FF speakers / wireless charging / proper always on display / tap2wake / 64gb minimum storage I'd say go for it but it's just under whelming over priced chomp at the apple market and is just slightly lacking hardware and software wise.
If you can put aside these quirks the Pixel is good but it's not all round king reviewers say it is.

stando76 said:
Do you think they will enable a single hand use option, like the s7 edge?
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You could always buy the Pixel :laugh:

It feels ok in the hand. But don't expect awesome handwarmers. They are handwarmers, but not awesome with it, lol.

Closeup pics of the latest Dbrand Prism and Grip

Hi guys, I'm sure you've seen quite a few pictures of those accessories, so I thought I'd post here a few images from very close to some details so you can have a good idea of the finish, etc.
Also a small comparison with an official case (nylon one). I've ordered a skin for it, but it was on preorder and just started shipping today.
Sorry for the lint on some pictures, it does catch it ^^
As for my opinion (one more of those), well the case does feel real good in hand, the phone feels really safe in there. The buttons are real good (miles better than Rhinoshield bumper). Only thing is that the fingerprint scanner is deep and in a small window, so must get a little used to the feeling of really accurately put the finger in there. And is it grippy ? Is fine! a bit better than the official case but not by super much.
Prism is also good, easy to install. Biggest critic is how sharp the edges are (you can see on the pictures). If you don't use a case, you'll feel them and I'd be afraid to lift it by mistake, not sure how securely it sticks. The feeling is like glass, I was using the phone naked previously and no problem with that. Also, it does not affect the screen, I think ; some peops say it makes the screen cloudy, but I do not notice.
Worth the price ? Hmm those things are a rip off no matter what. But they are both good quality products, and the glass screen protector without a black border is a real step up ^^.
There you go!

Thanks for sharing! Would you recommend dropping $$$ on this combo?

silent_freak said:
Thanks for sharing! Would you recommend dropping $$$ on this combo?
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Well, all in all, it is near 60 USD.
The case is good I think, feels good and will protect the phone that's for sure, so if you don't have anything like that, it is a good buy. I also have an official OP cover and the main difference is that the Dbrand case has raised edges.
The glass, while it is good, is not as ground breaking as I imagined (Dbrand's marketing team is good ^^). The plus is that it feels like glass and does not have a black border, is as fingerprints resistant as the bare glass or the official screen protector. The bad is that the glass as you can see on the pictures is really only on the screen and has sharp corners, so you feel it when doing gestures, unless you use a case (because then your finger does not slide from the farther edge of the phone, if you see what I mean).
So out of the two, I would say the actually real good product is the case.

The case looks too bulky to me. I prefer the slimmer ones like the official protective sandstone or the karbon bumper, which are really well made. But I guess it depends on the environment you're working in (etc) which affects the danger your phoneis in, in which case, if it's a place you can easily damage it, this type of case can save you good money on repairs. The prism looks really durable from what I've seen online and I believe you get 2 in the box if I'm not mistaken, so if that's true, that's a big plus over rhinoshield's overpriced 1x black bordered piece of crap that covers at least 1mm of screen on each side, forcing you to just take it off minutes after installation and breaking it in anger.
Anyway, thanks for giving us a look at dbrand's new products. Was really looking forward to seeing someone talk about that.

dragos281993 said:
The case looks too bulky to me. I prefer the slimmer ones like the [...] Was really looking forward to seeing someone talk about that.
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I agree as well, it does add quite a bit of bulk.
I have all in all 3 cases. The simple one from OP (carbon one), their thicker nylon one and this one from dbrand. I don't really need a lot of protection (scratches protection is good enough) so it's mostly to change the look. I go naked as well with just a skin.
The result is that with that dbrand case you do feel very confident that the phone is safe.
Yes you do get two prism in the box, so that's actually quite a sweet deal because those are sturdy and nice to the touch really like glass without the border.
I have not been able to try with the simple case from OP, it's still in my boxes after moving house, but do not underestimate how annoying the edges of the prism are. They really really get in the way.
I think it's important to stress this because for example people were downplaying the terrible buttons of the Rhinoshield bumper for op5 and I got it and it was in actuality very bad.

kipue said:
I agree as well, it does add quite a bit of bulk.
I have all in all 3 cases. The simple one from OP (carbon one), their thicker nylon one and this one from dbrand. I don't really need a lot of protection (scratches protection is good enough) so it's mostly to change the look. I go naked as well with just a skin.
The result is that with that dbrand case you do feel very confident that the phone is safe.
Yes you do get two prism in the box, so that's actually quite a sweet deal because those are sturdy and nice to the touch really like glass without the border.
I have not been able to try with the simple case from OP, it's still in my boxes after moving house, but do not underestimate how annoying the edges of the prism are. They really really get in the way.
I think it's important to stress this because for example people were downplaying the terrible buttons of the Rhinoshield bumper for op5 and I got it and it was in actuality very bad.
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I dropped my OP6 from approximately 2.5meters from the locomotive's door and the phone miraculously survived with the karbon case having one nick in the top right side corner and surprisingly that disappeared after a few days. Very impressive quality. I was also very lucky, I guess, considering the height the phone fell from. THEN I got the bumper case from Rhinoshield along with the garbage black bordered glass. I broke the glass in half after basically donating money to them because that glass was not worth the price, but that was that. I put their bumper on my phone and left it there for a few days. ****ty buttons, poor quality material and slippery too, like a hard plastic you find in those kitchen accessories, but whatever, I liked the alert slider one. Then one day I got in my car and the phone fell from my pocket on concrete (or asphalt) and because it happened right at the edge of the road, one hard little rock managed to touch the edge of the screen at impact and cracked the screen on the middle right side with the crack starting from the bottom and ending in a "C" shape 2 or 3 centimeters above. So it's still ok but the start of the crack can be felt at touch so that's a bummer.
And in the end I could've given the money to the old lady beggar at the corner of the street instead of giving it to Rhinoshield for 2 absolutely rubbish products they made such a big fuss about.
Never again I'll buy from them. Dbrand's products seem a bit different though especially that prism. I might get one and put it on the screen to protect it from getting other cracks if I accidentally drop it, cause the crack is pretty small to make me replace the screen. I don't think it's worth it.

dragos281993 said:
I dropped my OP6 from approximately [...] . I might get one and put it on the screen to protect it from getting other cracks if I accidentally drop it, cause the crack is pretty small to make me replace the screen. I don't think it's worth it.
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Yeah, as usual those things are very often quite a leap of faith. We want to believe that the more expensive it is the better it will be but the truth is that it's probably the same or close to the same with a different packaging :angel:
But need a screen protector at least to maintain the resell value of the devices.
I'll say again, prism is a good one but not perfect (like none of them is).

Can you comment on the alert slider functionality with the case on? I can make it out slightly on one of the pictures and it looks like you can use it with ease?
I'm currently using a Poetic case, I need a solid case with my work conditions. The only issue is the damn alert slider is rendered unusable without a pen or something similar handy.

ahagersr said:
Can you comment on the alert slider functionality with the case on? I can make it out slightly on one of the pictures and it looks like you can use it with ease?
I'm currently using a Poetic case, I need a solid case with my work conditions. The only issue is the damn alert slider is rendered unusable without a pen or something similar handy.
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Hey,
The slider is quite easy to use yes.
You got to get a bit used to it cause its quite nestled in there so you have to make a little effort at first to put the finger the right way.
Same as with the fingerprint reader, a little bit of time to get used to it, because it's deeper so you can't approach it from whatever direction like you would naked or with a different case. It's still easy to use.
All in all out of their two products, I recommand the case with no problem. If you look for safety then for sure go for it.
Will make a few more pics to show you.

kipue said:
Hey,
The slider is quite easy to use yes.
You got to get a bit used to it cause its quite nestled in the so you have to make a little effort at first to put the finger the right way.
Same as with the fingerprint reader, a little bit of time to get used to it, because it's deeper so you can't approach it from whatever direction like you would naked or with a different case. It's still easy to use.
All in all out if their two products, I recommand the case with no problem. If you look for safety then for sure go for it.
Will make a few more pics to show you.
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Thank you very much for your time!

ahagersr said:
Thank you very much for your time!
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Sure, no problem.
So here are a few more. The last one is to show how the phone screen does not touch a flat surface when it is put face down. It's blurry but you'll get the idea.
Also some lint, not fighting that anymore

Anyone upgrading from the original Galaxy Fold?

If anyone currently owns the original Galaxy Fold, I am interested to hear about your experience regarding durability.
Assuming you've owned this device around a year, how did the screen hold up, did you have to be stupidly careful when handling it?
The Fold 2 looks like a much more capable and durable device, so if the original Fold survived well it gives me confidence in buying one and using it like any other smartphone.
.

I'd wander down to the OG section, there are a couple thread that touch on durability, started one of them myself just a month or so before this one launched.

krabman said:
I'd wander down to the OG section, there are a couple thread that touch on durability, started one of them myself just a month or so before this one launched.
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Yeah I did check that out. Seems that the original has turned out more durable (for most) than was originally believed.
I just watched a Youtube video from Flossy Carter, if anyone can prove the Galaxy Fold would take some everyday abuse, it would be him. So good news so far!
.

I've had both
I had an original fold for about 6 months before I upgraded yesterday to the new version. I had zero issues with reliability or durability with the original phone. I was only using a d brand skin, not even a case, for most of the time I had the phone, and I found it to have no problems with the infrequent times when I dropped it. I am not very hard on phones, but I don't baby them either. The only reason I upgraded was because I was using an unlocked Att phone on Verizon and I found it impossible to get android updates. Frankly, I did not even have a problem with the size of the outside screen, as I was usually using it for quick looks at whatever. The new phone feels a little more solid, though the first version was fine as well. The hinge DOES feel more substantial, which I like. Over all it is great, but I thought the same thing about the original. If I had been able to get updates I would not have upgraded.

Just sent my old Fold back to Sammy to get the $800 promo

bogdi1988 said:
Just sent my old Fold back to Sammy to get the $800 promo
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I did the trade in also, but in the UK rather than the US. Did you get shipped additional packaging and shipping label to return the original Fold?
I didn't receive the shipping label with my order, and the tiny box shipped with the Fold 2 doesn't fit the original. The FAQ states that if you can't find the shipping label or lost it, you can reprint from your order, which I can't find anywhere, so have resorted to emailing support to see if the can print another one.
Wanted to know if anyone else that traded in was missing their returns label or just me.

Took a few hours after getting the phone and then I got the label in the email. They never ship a box. I usually just put the phone only (no box or charges) in a generic box, slap the label and ship it out

melby0 said:
I had an original fold for about 6 months before I upgraded yesterday to the new version. I had zero issues with reliability or durability with the original phone. I was only using a d brand skin, not even a case, for most of the time I had the phone, and I found it to have no problems with the infrequent times when I dropped it. I am not very hard on phones, but I don't baby them either. The only reason I upgraded was because I was using an unlocked Att phone on Verizon and I found it impossible to get android updates. Frankly, I did not even have a problem with the size of the outside screen, as I was usually using it for quick looks at whatever. The new phone feels a little more solid, though the first version was fine as well. The hinge DOES feel more substantial, which I like. Over all it is great, but I thought the same thing about the original. If I had been able to get updates I would not have upgraded.
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That's good to know. It's why I originally asked the question because durability is obviously unknown on the Z Fold 2 so we can only go by how good the original one is assuming the Fold 2 is improved.
How do you find the feel of the screen compared to the original? Does it still feel plasticky? Of course there is a screen protector to consider but have read that it now feels less mushy, and not so sensitive to fingernail scratches.
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Scratches.
The inner screen feels mostly the same, as I have left the screen protector on. I never had a problem with how the screen felt on the original. The outer screen I Am enjoying more. The larger outer screen feels better to use for typing particularly. I am typing this on the outer screen using a swype keyboard and it is working perfectly as expected. One difference I have noticed is that my battery life does not seem to be as long. I used the original pretty power heavy and this one I have on optimized, but I don't think I am getting the same battery life as I did before. Not sure why.

melby0 said:
The inner screen feels mostly the same, as I have left the screen protector on. I never had a problem with how the screen felt on the original. The outer screen I Am enjoying more. The larger outer screen feels better to use for typing particularly. I am typing this on the outer screen using a swype keyboard and it is working perfectly as expected. One difference I have noticed is that my battery life does not seem to be as long. I used the original pretty power heavy and this one I have on optimized, but I don't think I am getting the same battery life as I did before. Not sure why.
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Thanks for the heads up! As much as I hate screen protectors I think I should keep the inside one intact (definitely will remove the cover screen one)
Still waiting on my phone to arrive, there's been a shortage of stock and I still don't have a delivery date yet. So excited about this phone and from what I hear I won't be disappointed.
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I just posted some comments in the "how do you clean the screen" thread so won't repeat everything here. The screen protector on the inside display is cheap and foggy. If you look at the front facing camera cutout you can see what's underneath and that looks a lot like the protective layer that everyone thought was a screen protector on the OG Fold and pulled it off and destroyed the display. Assuming what's under the screen protector is the same as the OG Fold then the display will be very durable. I had my OG Fold for eight months and the screen is as perfect today as it was when I got it. There are videos on YouTube of people taking the screen protector off on the Fold 2 and I'll join them soon. The fogginess works my nerves.
I dropped my OG Fold on wooden floors a couple of times and it was none the worse for it. The hinge was always kind of for want of a better word, crunchy. If you squeezed the phone you could feel the play in the hinge. It never affected usability and was no better or worse eight months later. The OG Fold was really a proof of concept rather than a mass production phone and if it held up as well as it did I have high hopes for the Fold 2.
Some comments after moving in the Fold 2 and using it for a few days.
The new hinge is a lot more sturdy and it staying in fixed positions on the way to open or closed allows for Flex Mode which I guess is a good thing. That is if you don't mine putting the cover display or glass back/camera glass of your $2,000 phone down on random foreign objects. It was a lot easier opening and closing the OG Fold because that's what the display was designed to do - be open or be closed. Maybe I'll fall in love with Flex Mode but I'm kind of missing the easier opening/closing.
The 4.6" cover display was really just for reading notifications and brief interactions. Typing on it was maddening. So Samsung has now filled the cover display which is a huge esthetic improvement. Typing is only moderately better because the width, while expanded, is still comically narrow. The height is clown car bizarre in use. Trying to reach the top of the cover display with one hand requires basketball player sized hands. I like the new bigger display better than the old one, even just for the improved looks, but it's still a strange format to get things done on.
I have bronze and the Fold 2 really is a gorgeous phone. It looks like jewelry with the intricate design elements and varying textures. The camera bump is much more pronounced than on the OG Fold which makes carrying it naked all the more nerve racking. The OG Fold was futuristic because it was and there was nothing to compare it to. I guess you could compare it to the Mate X but I'd never buy a foldable that had their vulnerable plastic displays on the outside of the phone. The OG Fold was an odd device and carried it's oddity with pride. The Fold 2 is a really nice phone that folds in half. It's special but not as special as the OG Fold was for its time.
Cases. I have the OEM leather case and Aramid case. Both suck for different reasons. The leather case is like wearing orthopedic shoes with a tuxedo. As balanced as the Fold 2's design is slapping the leather case on it makes it look deformed. It's a chunky case and when it's on it looks incredibly disjointed. Kind of like someone stuck an additional panel (the front display) on top of another phone as an afterthought. It does its job and protects the back of the phone well but it looks God awful. The Aramid case looks better because it's much thinner but half black and half bronze looks weird. And the kickstand bump makes the phone wobbly when you put it down and makes it easy for the phone to slide around. Olixar makes a back panel screen protector as well as a camera protector. I ordered a Dome screen protector for the front display. I think that's the way I'm going to go because I can't see with the Fold 2's design how anyone will be able to make a symmetric front and back case that doesn't look like an appendage.
In using the phone everyday it's a lot like its predecessor. It's obviously faster but s/w wise, outside of Flex Mode, there isn't a great deal of difference between the two. The inside display is much more fluid due to the higher refresh rate but what you're looking at is equal to or worse than the OG Fold because of the $.99 screen protector Samsung applied. I'm happy with the Fold 2 and it makes the OG Fold look and feel older than it is. I think the Fold 2 will wow people more that have never used a folding phone than those of us coming from the OG Fold. It sure is pretty though.

No regrets
apprentice said:
Thanks for the heads up! As much as I hate screen protectors I think I should keep the inside one intact (definitely will remove the cover screen one)
Still waiting on my phone to arrive, there's been a shortage of stock and I still don't have a delivery date yet. So excited about this phone and from what I hear I won't be disappointed.
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Yeah, I have no regrets on the upgrade. I am assuming I am getting poorer battery life is because of the 120h inner screen, but it seems a pretty dramatic drain at this point. I read the news in bed before I get up, and I am often at 90% just from the 10 minutes of reading. I am also having a little trouble with some new Samsung ui features. Particularly, when a message bubble appears on the front screen, I cannot read the message, only the place where I can reply. I have tried resizing, but I end up having to open the app, which defeats the purpose of the bubbles. It might be my fault though because I use the drupe app, and it might just not be sizing itself appropriately for the smaller cover screen. It might just be something I have to deal with, because I would not get rid of drupe. I like the app so much I feel like a cooperate shill for them every time I talk about it.

melby0 said:
Yeah, I have no regrets on the upgrade. I am assuming I am getting poorer battery life is because of the 120h inner screen, but it seems a pretty dramatic drain at this point. I read the news in bed before I get up, and I am often at 90% just from the 10 minutes of reading. I am also having a little trouble with some new Samsung ui features. Particularly, when a message bubble appears on the front screen, I cannot read the message, only the place where I can reply. I have tried resizing, but I end up having to open the app, which defeats the purpose of the bubbles. It might be my fault though because I use the drupe app, and it might just not be sizing itself appropriately for the smaller cover screen. It might just be something I have to deal with, because I would not get rid of drupe. I like the app so much I feel like a cooperate shill for them every time I talk about it.
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Yeah I think you're being brave to use an app like Drupe on such unique aspect ratios! The built in messaging app has a great bubble notification feature which I use on my Note 20, so I am guessing Samsung included the feature on the Fold 2.
Good news is my Z Fold 2 arrives tomorrow, so I am really looking forward to unboxing and trying it out.
Thanks for your input and giving me assurance regarding durability ツ
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