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I currently have a Nexus 6p and have been a fan of everything. Growing tired of the size and considering the pixel, not the XL. Currently I have 64gb but only use 24gb currently. I have VZW UDP so I pretty much stream everything. I'm in love with the pixel. Especially the camera. With the bootloader being unlocked by firewall devs, I'm ok with buying a Verizon version. Couldn't pull the trigger in the store today though. Gonna be another month minimum before a 128 is shipped (but don't feel I need 128gb) but 32 makes me nervous. Even if the VZW version never gets full unlock, I only need tethering, and signal reset is a good enough work around for my needs.
So, I need opinions on whether I should or should pull the trigger and get the 32gb, or just keep my N6 for another year. (still in mint condition)
I came from a Nexus 6 (not 6p) to the Pixel. It feels small at first but I'm liking the one handed use.
It's better across the board; faster, better screen (brightness / color), battery life etc.
The only thing I notice is that the fingerprint sensor gestures would be more usable on the XL. On the 5 inch, it's not as useful since I can reach the whole screen more easily.
why..do what you want..who cares what others think
Sent from my marlin using XDA Labs
318sugarhill said:
I currently have a Nexus 6p and have been a fan of everything. Growing tired of the size
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I have absolutely no complaints about my 6P except the clumsy size. I ordered a Pixel as I usually get a new phone every year.
I am on Project Fi, and usually get good reception in the fringe area I live, except the Golf Course I play. I was expecting the Pixel to be better in this regard but it wasn't. Side by side I was seeing between 3 and 5 dBm less signal... strike one.
I don't listen to movies or music on the phone's speakers, but occasionally podcasts. The speaker on the Pixels is not as loud as my original Moto X's rear firing speakers. In a pocket, in a noisy environment, I would miss notification sounds... strike two.
Finally, it doesn't work on Android Auto with my Pioneer AVH4100NEX... strike three.
Strike three was the deal breaker and if not for that I might have kept it. The screen is noticeably brighter, and the phone is definitely faster (but the 6P is just fine in that regard as well), and I liked the size (although it is still very slippery like the 6P).
If I see that they fix the Android Auto issue with Pioneer, I may order another one... but by then who knows, the Pixel 2 may be on the horizon. I get the feeling Google rushed this phone. The Ron Amadeo articles on Ars Technica are definitely food for thought. Who knows what Pixel 2 will be like given they'll have over a year to get it right.
Just my 2¢... YMMV.
johnandbodhi said:
why..do what you want..who cares what others think
Sent from my marlin using XDA Labs
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This^
Not to be rude, really, but... you're an adult. Lol. Research the phone and if you like it, buy it, if you don't, than, buy yourself a steak.
The 6P is great, if you were going for the Pixel XL (instead of the Pixel); I'd stay this year with the 6P and next year do the switch to 2017 Pixel. (Unless you really care about the Compass in Google Maps. which sux in the 5X/6P, and is one of my 2 issues with the 5X at the moment, the RAM and the compass accuracy).
I'm honestly very fine with the 5X, I'll only switch to the Pixel mainly because of the RAM and to try the new compass (I'm tired of this bosch BMM150 it's a mess, tried it in 3 nexus). I also like the 5" and the smaller width distance. But since this Pixel is made of metal, It will be more slippery than the black 5X, so i'll probably will be using a grip case, and that case will make the pixel bigger, similar to the 5X..
In your case..your only issue is the one-handed usage with the 6P. If you really want to go back to a one handed phone, I'll try the Pixel. But IMO, nothing better than the original/old 2013 Moto X for one handed usage. (This depends on your hand shape and size) Of course it's old, but what I meant is, it'd be nice to have a 3rd smaller 4.7" pixel 720p variant.... (size is not the main factor for one handed usage... For instance, I tried a Z5 Compact 4.6" and had to put a case because it was slippery, I'm much more comfortable with a naked black 5X than a naked Z5 Compact).
thesebastian said:
The 6P is great, if you are going for the Pixel; I'd stay this year with the 6P and next year do the switch to 2017 Pixel. (Unless you really care about the Compass in Google Maps. which sux in the 5X/6P, and is one of my 2 issues with the 5X at the moment, the RAM and the compass accuracy).
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Very true. The compass always needs recalibration on my 6p. I really want to upgrade, so the basic question is, is 32gb worth it? I dont come close to using the 64 I got now, and by the time the 128gb start shipping, depixel8 will probably be patched by VZW. I usually keep the bootloader locked, but it's nice to have that ability if needed...
318sugarhill said:
Very true. The compass always needs recalibration on my 6p. I really want to upgrade, so the basic question is, is 32gb worth it? I dont come close to using the 64 I got now, and by the time the 128gb start shipping, depixel8 will probably be patched by VZW. I usually keep the bootloader locked, but it's nice to have that ability if needed...
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I only know that the compass is different, they still use Bosch sensors, but not anymore for the compass, it was changed for some Japanese brand's e-compass. I don't really know if the Pixel still has compass random issues like the 5X/6P, so be careful of this. I'll get the Pixel as soon as they sell it in Spain, I wan't to buy it in my country of residence in case I need to return it.
32GB are ok to me in the 5X..because I only have google apps + some small apps + Hearthstone. And every time I reach 8GB of photos/videos it move all to my PC. (In the Pixel you'll have the Photos unlimited upload promotion so this would be a more easy task if you end using this feature). For my usage, 16GB is not enough. 32GB is much more than enough.
thesebastian said:
I only know that the compass is different, they still use Bosch sensors, but not anymore for the compass, it was changed for some Japanese brand's e-compass. I don't really know if the Pixel still has compass random issues like the 5X/6P, so be careful of this. I'll get the Pixel as soon as they sell it in Spain, I wan't to buy it in my country of residence in case I need to return it.
32GB are ok to me in the 5X..because I only have google apps + some small apps + Hearthstone. And every time I reach 8GB of photos/videos it move all to my PC. (In the Pixel you'll have the Photos unlimited upload promotion so this would be a more easy task if you end using this feature). For my usage, 16GB is not enough. 32GB is much more than enough.
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Thanks. Very helpful for me. So was the poster about the radio. I've been rather unimpressed with the 6p radio for phone calls and if the pixel is worse it could be a deal breaker. Was hopeful with HTC that the radio would be better. In my house I've gotten the best reception in the past with HTC, and the worst with Samsung until Huawei
Yeah. I was in the same boat as you. I realised I gained a few things and lost a few things in getting the Pixel.
My main praise is that the Pixel is the only viable small flagship in Android land. The smaller factor is a major requirement for me even though I have large hands. So the Pixel really ticks this box. I wish it were smaller even.
The Pixel feels much better in the hand in terms of materials, weight, balance and sheer confidence in its build quality/durability. As compared to my 6P.
The software feels more natural in one handed usage. The Pixel feels faster and more responsive. More coherent and finished.
I found the battery life a little bit more reliable too. But early days.
Now... The camera is the same as that in the 6P in my experience. Just has EIS, which the 6P should be given anyway as it's just software AFAIK.
SO... Ugly design compared to the 6P and the iPhone or the Galaxy line.
Weaker speakers. Less storage. Higher price. Poorer design.
Therefore, the size compelled me. It's therefore a different phone, not a better phone.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
subhani said:
Now... The camera is the same as that in the 6P in my experience. Just has EIS, which the 6P should be given anyway as it's just software AFAIK
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Actually, the 6P has EIS, it just uses a different, less effective method. I have read a lot of conjecture that the 6P might not have the horsepower to keep up with the gyro based EIS employed in the Pixel.
With that said, the Pixel's stabilization is so solid, it makes it impossible to do a slow pan... with the image jumping in huge steps as you pan the camera. If your steady, you can get nice slow pans from the 6P with EIS turned on.
Biting the bullet on a black XL at best buy. After having both in my the XL is far more one handed friendly than the 6P. I'm not sure my 40 year old eyes can go back to the smaller screen of the regular pixel. I had the LG G3 prior to the nexus so I've grown accustomed to the large screen. As much as my pocket likes the smaller device, they don't have it black either. Thanks for the help and opinions.
Well you can always increase the DPI and/or the Text Size if you wanted to use a smaller phone and still be able to see clearly everything from a far distance
Sent from my Nexus 5X
thesebastian said:
Well you can always increase the DPI and/or the Text Size if you wanted to use a smaller phone and still be able to see clearly everything from a far distance
Sent from my Nexus 5X
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Indeed! In fact, this is what I'm doing right now...
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
318sugarhill said:
I currently have a Nexus 6p and have been a fan of everything. Growing tired of the size and considering the pixel, not the XL. Currently I have 64gb but only use 24gb currently. I have VZW UDP so I pretty much stream everything. I'm in love with the pixel. Especially the camera. With the bootloader being unlocked by firewall devs, I'm ok with buying a Verizon version. Couldn't pull the trigger in the store today though. Gonna be another month minimum before a 128 is shipped (but don't feel I need 128gb) but 32 makes me nervous. Even if the VZW version never gets full unlock, I only need tethering, and signal reset is a good enough work around for my needs.
So, I need opinions on whether I should or should pull the trigger and get the 32gb, or just keep my N6 for another year. (still in mint condition)
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Honestly if you like the phone you currently have and this applies to anybody not just Nexus 6p and really don't have thousand dollars to waste on another phone. I'd suggest against buying the pixel and stick to your phone for as long as you can. New devices will come out in another couple months. The pixels camera isn't all that big of a deal, the phone has its features, it's fast, the camera loads fast, the camera is good, the display is fantastic, the size is awesome, nugget 7.1 fantastic, assistant works well. But all in all, not much more than current models like the Nexus 6p and others realeased in this last year.
That's just my opinion. I've been wanting to replace my LG V10 so the pixel XL was a good option, just an expensive one. Mainly for Google support, user base of support, accessories Galore, fantastically beautiful screen comparable to wow any iphone samsumg user, Quick Camera loading, usb c PD Charging and other stuff.. Lol
I like the hype train the bandwagon and the recognition of having a pixel XL. Especially in Smurfy Blue!
---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 AM ----------
318sugarhill said:
Biting the bullet on a black XL at best buy. After having both in my the XL is far more one handed friendly than the 6P. I'm not sure my 40 year old eyes can go back to the smaller screen of the regular pixel. I had the LG G3 prior to the nexus so I've grown accustomed to the large screen. As much as my pocket likes the smaller device, they don't have it black either. Thanks for the help and opinions.
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I too felt the text size a tad bit small, being a 40+ yo, compared to my v10. But theres a setting in display, its default to small, which you can adjust. Then pixel xl screen is just so crisp and clear even with tiny letters and im coming from ips screen.
clockcycle said:
Honestly if you like the phone you currently have and this applies to anybody not just Nexus 6p and really don't have thousand dollars to waste on another phone. I'd suggest against buying the pixel and stick to your phone for as long as you can. New devices will come out in another couple months. The pixels camera isn't all that big of a deal, the phone has its features, it's fast, the camera loads fast, the camera is good, the display is fantastic, the size is awesome, nugget 7.1 fantastic, assistant works well. But all in all, not much more than current models like the Nexus 6p and others realeased in this last year.
That's just my opinion. I've been wanting to replace my LG V10 so the pixel XL was a good option, just an expensive one. Mainly for Google support, user base of support, accessories Galore, fantastically beautiful screen comparable to wow any iphone samsumg user, Quick Camera loading, usb c PD Charging and other stuff.. Lol
I like the hype train the bandwagon and the recognition of having a pixel XL. Especially in Smurfy Blue!
---------- Post added at 09:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 AM ----------
I too felt the text size a tad bit small, being a 40+ yo, compared to my v10. But theres a setting in display, its default to small, which you can adjust. Then pixel xl screen is just so crisp and clear even with tiny letters and im coming from ips screen.
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Yeah I really didn't need to spend more money, but once depixel8 was released, putting it on my vzw bill was a no brainier. I got a $400 offer for my Nexus, I got $100 best buy gift card, and a Chromecast from best buy....I'm really spending a little over 200 more for this device and I get to spread out the payments. I like it better than the Nexus. For sure I'm not getting another phone for 2 years.
318sugarhill said:
Yeah I really didn't need to spend more money, but once depixel8 was released, putting it on my vzw bill was a no brainier. I got a $400 offer for my Nexus, I got $100 best buy gift card, and a Chromecast from best buy....I'm really spending a little over 200 more for this device and I get to spread out the payments. I like it better than the Nexus. For sure I'm not getting another phone for 2 years.
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Bleep yea, if you put it that way, id buy two. No brainer if its costing you almost nothing.
Forgot to mention one important very fundamental reason behind owning a pixel, and that is the XDA community. Autoprime chainfire jcase all the top names own one, just about every green named member has one..
I was the only person to own an lg v10... It was a lonely place..
Anyone have any experience coming from an HTC 10 to a Pixel? I've got both on order and am looking for opinion.
My htc will never run sense and I'll always run whatever stable AOSP ROMs that are available out there.
I feel that I will miss external sd on the pixel and I have a hard time justifying the extra $400 that the pixel will end up costing me.
Not trying to start a flame war here, I'm a lover. Just looking for opinions....
Sent from my HTC One M9 using XDA-Developers mobile app
bacon612 said:
Anyone have any experience coming from an HTC 10 to a Pixel? I've got both on order and am looking for opinion.
My htc will never run sense and I'll always run whatever stable AOSP ROMs that are available out there.
I feel that I will miss external sd on the pixel and I have a hard time justifying the extra $400 that the pixel will end up costing me.
Not trying to start a flame war here, I'm a lover. Just looking for opinions....
Sent from my HTC One M9 using XDA-Developers mobile app
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Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?
bsbuggs said:
Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?
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For what it's worth, I have both phones.
TL;DR:
I bought my wife and I the unlocked HTC 10 at the $500 price to use on Verizon. The next day I became aware of Best Buy's Pixel 32 GB deal for straight $9.99 a month (or $240 buyout like I and others did), and I ordered two. My main reason was because I was coming from a VS985 LG G3 with a Micro SIM and I didn't want to step into a Verizon store to talk them into giving me Nano SIMs to use with my unofficial configuration of using an unlocked HTC 10 on Verizon's network, plus to have to have said Nano SIMs activated via phone since in that case I wouldn't have had an actual Verizon device that was capable of activating the SIMs.
I activated the SIMs in the Pixels and then put them in the HTC 10 and purchased the SunShine license for both phones and jumped through the firmware/ROM hoops I need to in order to have it work right.
First, I'm not on an unlimited data account so to me, using the Pixel with only 32 GB is relatively unrealistic to me. In it's favor, Google Photos only on the Pixel provides free unlimited full resolution not-further-compressed picture and video backups, and also has the feature to automatically clear space on the storage when it's needed by removing backed up photos. This is an amazing feature and would use it even if I had a 128 GB Pixel.
Second, my wife just went without a working smartphone for more than a month, so I sold one of the Pixels and kept the other to play with and to keep as a backup in case one of our HTCs has an unexpected problem anytime over the next couple of years. So far I have only a) unlocked the bootloader with Depixel8 (which might not work now if a Pixel has received the December update before using it) and b) I put the complete 7.1.1 stock ROM image on there.
I likely will not root the phone so that I can take OTAs painlessly. If I were using the Pixel as my daily phone I wouldn't be able to stand it without root and modifications. I'm assuming that most modifications I would want don't even exist yet, and I know that others I currently use don't exist for Nougat yet, like Xposed.
Although I prefer not to have to jump through ANY hoops to use the 10 on Verizon, the fact that there are still little nit-picky preference things that cause me to want to use a stock-based custom ROM over completely stock makes the point moot since I still won't receive OTAs except as provided by the particular ROM(s) I use.
The phone is still a lot easier to deal with than the LG G3 regarding hoops needing to jump through when new OTAs come out, and mix/match firmware caveats/bricks/etc. I could handle the Pixel's 5" screen if I was using it daily but I prefer larger. I really wouldn't want to go smaller than the 10's 5.2" screen.
Both phones feel very well built, the 10 even more so than the Pixel. The Pixel is very...compact. I mean, it's heavy for it's size, but not overly so, and it is solid.
I don't think you'll go wrong overall with either, depending on what your usage will be, what your Verizon plan is like and what your expectations are. I have pretty high requirements as far as convenience so that puts the Pixel out in several ways, but it'll make a great backup phone for my wife and I.
thanks for the insight.. helps alot
I had the HTC 10 briefly before trading for a note 7 which I sent back to Samsung and now I own the pixel.
I really enjoyed my time with the HTC 10 especially the extra screen real estate and the capacitive buttons. The development is pretty solid if your into custom roms, kernels, etc. The max screen brightness is something lacking but the LCD is not a bad looking panel and it's QHD. I'm a huge fan of the capacitive buttons and dedicated home button on front. I use a car mount every day and if I want to wake up my phone without having to remove it to access the fingerprint scanner or reach for power button and put in a pin. Same applies to when phone is on my nightstand and I just want to open a notification/ check time it's convenient on the front plus you get to use all of your screen with capacitive buttons vs on screen. I'm don't take a lot of pictures but the camera seemed sufficient. Also the speakers sounded pretty good for YouTube and the little bit of music I listened to on it. Only con I really had with the 10 was the screen brightness.
I've only owed the pixel for about 5 days so I'll just say what I like and don't like as of now. The stock Android and frequent updates already make me wonder how I ever survived using AT&T Samsung phones for so long. I've got 2 updates since I've purchased the phone and the development is sure to be good into the future. The fingerprint scanner is the fastest I've ever used as well as all the software. I'm still struggling getting used to the 5in display coming from a long line of Samsung products. I still wish I would've held out for the Xl but the small display doesn't disappoint. The AMOLED is still my favorite type of panel and even at 1080p lookes better than the HTC imo.
Overall I'm happy and excited about owning the pixel and would pick it over the HTC again of money wasn't an object. I was lucky enough that Samsung paid me full retail for my Note 7 that I traded an HTC 10 for during the 2nd recall scare, so I had a little to burn. My 128gb quite black came in at $856 at Verizon with tax. You can pick up the 10 with 32gb and grab an SD card for around $550 or less I'm sure. I wouldn't mind going back to my 10 at all.
Things to consider is how long to you plan on owning, if your going to keep the phone for 2+ yrs I would lean twords the Pixel. That's why I went with it at least, I've been getting a new phone annually or sooner for past 3-4yrs and it needs to stop lol. I plan on keeping the pixel at least 18-24 months and I'm garenteed software updates for that long plus some.
Any questions about either ask and I'll try to answer.
AndroiderM said:
I had the HTC 10 briefly before trading for a note 7 which I sent back to Samsung and now I own the pixel.
I really enjoyed my time with the HTC 10 especially the extra screen real estate and the capacitive buttons. The development is pretty solid if your into custom roms, kernels, etc. The max screen brightness is something lacking but the LCD is not a bad looking panel and it's QHD. I'm a huge fan of the capacitive buttons and dedicated home button on front. I use a car mount every day and if I want to wake up my phone without having to remove it to access the fingerprint scanner or reach for power button and put in a pin. Same applies to when phone is on my nightstand and I just want to open a notification/ check time it's convenient on the front plus you get to use all of your screen with capacitive buttons vs on screen. I'm don't take a lot of pictures but the camera seemed sufficient. Also the speakers sounded pretty good for YouTube and the little bit of music I listened to on it. Only con I really had with the 10 was the screen brightness.
I've only owed the pixel for about 5 days so I'll just say what I like and don't like as of now. The stock Android and frequent updates already make me wonder how I ever survived using AT&T Samsung phones for so long. I've got 2 updates since I've purchased the phone and the development is sure to be good into the future. The fingerprint scanner is the fastest I've ever used as well as all the software. I'm still struggling getting used to the 5in display coming from a long line of Samsung products. I still wish I would've held out for the Xl but the small display doesn't disappoint. The AMOLED is still my favorite type of panel and even at 1080p lookes better than the HTC imo.
Overall I'm happy and excited about owning the pixel and would pick it over the HTC again of money wasn't an object. I was lucky enough that Samsung paid me full retail for my Note 7 that I traded an HTC 10 for during the 2nd recall scare, so I had a little to burn. My 128gb quite black came in at $856 at Verizon with tax. You can pick up the 10 with 32gb and grab an SD card for around $550 or less I'm sure. I wouldn't mind going back to my 10 at all.
Things to consider is how long to plan on owning if your going to keep the phone for 2+ yrs I would lean twords the Pixel. That's why I went with it at least, I've been getting a new phone annually or sooner for past 3-4yrs and it needs to stop lol. I plan on keeping the pixel at least 18-24 months and I'm garenteed software updates for that long plus some.
Any questions about either ask and I'll try to answer.
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Appreciate the comparison.. that really my dilemma.. I can GET a good deal on swappa for an HTC 10 for like 350...OR i see a guy locally selling his verizon Pixel for 450... so there is my struggle...
bsbuggs said:
Appreciate the comparison.. that really my dilemma.. I can GET a good deal on swappa for an HTC 10 for like 350...OR i see a guy locally selling his verizon Pixel for 450... so there is my struggle...
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For a $100 difference I'd take the Pixel only of 128gb if not I'd go with HTC. That's just me, even though I do stream alot of media I also have around 30gb of music I have collected over the years. I also use my phone for torrents and then otg to an external drive that plugs Into tv. The extra storage is more important to me than a SD821 and amoled.
bsbuggs said:
Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?
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Hey there. I agree with pretty much what everyone else that has had both phones says. I'm sending my Pixel back tomorrow. Here are my personal pros and cons on the pixel. I got my HTC 10 from HTC direct for $550 tax and 2 day shipping included. Pixel was about $950 for the 128 model plus Pixel care or whatever its called.
Pros
I think the screen is marginally nicer even though its only 1080p
Using the same spigen cases, it felt better in my hands.
The camera is much faster and takes better pictures with no fuss
It felt faster but i think much of it has to do with Nougat and not 820 vs. 821 (My HTC 10 runs cm13 now. Looking like we are really close to cm14.1 now though)
Cons
No external SD. This crushes me. My biggest fear is that if your phone gets damaged, you loose everything thats not backed up rather than just removing the microsd card and moving on. (Nandroids, Pictures etc...)
Its too early for development to be great. There's only one rom so far. I feel that the price of the pixel is keeping developers away too. I couldn't get the pixel to do what I wanted it to in a few ways due to lack of roms + xposed etc... The thing is, this phone will likely have excellent rom support in the future, it will just take time. Might as well wait until it gets cheaper and supports the customization you want.
While my Pros outweigh my cons, there is no way I can justify spending another $400 for any two missing pros. This is how I arrived at my decision to return the Pixel. I might mention that I wouldn't keep either phone more than a year or so as I like to try and upgrade annually. Ordering from HTC direct gets you one year of replacement protection free stateside. Google charges $100 for two years. There was also value in the HTC over the Pixel for this reason. Something to consider as well.
Hope this helps. Having to decide between the two over the last few weeks offset a fair amount of anxiety. (First world problems, i know). I feel pretty good about my decision and am looking past the pixel to see what Snapdragon 835 devices have to offer. Its right around the corner.
I have both the HTC 10 and the Pixel.
Aesthetically, I prefer the HTC 10. I've had more people ask me about what phone I was using when I was using the 10 as my daily driver than any other phone I've ever owned. The chamfered edges have a way of catching light that just draws people's eyes to it. That's not to say that I don't like the Pixel, but the HTC 10 just seems like it's in a world of its own in terms of build design. The only person who commented on my Pixel said to me, "That's the weirdest looking phone I've ever seen. It looks like a weird iPhone."
I also preferred the sound coming out of the headphone jack and dual (top and bottom) firing speakers on the HTC 10 over the Pixel's setup. Blocking the sound coming out of the Pixel's single bottom firing speaker is just insanely easy, and I find myself contorting my hands awkwardly in order not to block it when I'm watching media or playing games.
I also liked the HTC 10's fingerprint scanner location and the off screen buttons better than the Pixel's setup. That's just a personal preference though.
If you're worried about receiving timely updates on either phone, it's a non-issue. The amount of OTA updates on the HTC 10 has also been seriously fantastic. I've never had any phone that has consistently gotten as many updates as the HTC 10. It honestly makes most brands look like a joke, and I'm still waiting for my first update for my 10 while my HTC 10 just received Nougat.
With that said, there are a few things that are far superior on the Pixel.
I prefer the AMOLED screen on the Pixel for outdoor viewing. The higher contrast ratio seems to make viewing and reading a lot easier, and it also feels a bit brighter than HTC's LCD screen, which could be extremely difficult to read in direct bright California sunlight. The Pixel is not the brightest screen I've ever used, but it's certainly a lot brighter than the HTC 10. This always bothered me about the HTC 10 since I spend a few hours a day walking to work or in direct sunlight.
The camera on the Pixel is just amazingly consistent for the most part. The HTC 10 has this weird lense flare issue where if the camera lens is even slightly smudged, it creates the most insane lens flares I've seen, and whatever material is used on lens of the HTC 10 is just absurdly prone to fingerprint smudges. It's also really difficult to wipe it off entirely. I'm not sure if this issue has been remedied with the Nougat update, but there are some posts floating around on the HTC 10 forum indicating that the lens flare has been significantly improved. The Pixel, even without taking into consideration of the HTC 10's lens flare issue, just seems to be an overall better camera.
It's also significantly faster at snapping shots than the HTC 10.
I also generally find my wireless connection better on the Pixel. Battery life on the Pixel also seems slightly better to me.
I bought the 128GB Pixel so storage has been a non issue with me, but thinking back at it, the only time storage might've become an issue on my 32GB HTC 10 would've been when I went to Europe and loaded my phone with media for that 11 hour flight. Otherwise, 32GB with non-expandable storage would still probably be fine for me. I only bought the 128GB since 64GB wasn't available for the Pixel.
I had HTC 10 and actually 2 of them (Unlocked and T-Mobile variant). HTC 10 is a pretty good phone especially at the lower price. My unlocked unit received Android 7 on Nov 25th , so there were no complaints and software was faster than any Samsung phone I had. The build quality was also good, as was the audio experience. Unfortunately I had to return the devices because this phone had/has an issue with mic not working in some situations during normal phone calls. I did many test and found out something interesting. The transition from Band 4 to Band 12 where the signal of Band 12 drops to -101 dBm or more, then people on the other side couldn't hear me. I would be completely satisfied with HTC 10 and wouldn't buy a Pixel(didn't receive it yet, but should get it next week). I am personally kind of concerned about the issue I have described here because Pixel was made by HTC. Does anyone know if there are mic issues(or experienced this) that I have outlined here?
I sold my HTC 10 after using the 5" Pixel for two - weeks hands down smoother and better device. Camera rocks and the wight is hands down a seller. I actually bought a back up Pixel as well.
thanks for the thought.. im still deciding, and swappa has lime 55 of them fopr sale.. just trying to get someone to drop a little more.
I like the screen on the pixel better, and it seems faster (more responsive ui). However the 10's speaker was way better.
The reason I'm asking is that I'm looking to replace my Pixel 2, but it is not urgent. Right now, Google is offering $200 off a Pixel 3, which sounds like a good deal. However, they slyly have the sale ending on May 6, and on May 7 they will be announcing something new, which is of course rumored to be the Pixel 3a. So what to do?
I like all the features that the Pixel 3 has -- similar to my Pixel 2 actually -- but realistically I don't need or use a lot of them. For instance, nothing that I do requires the fastest processor out there; I don't really care what the case is made of since I put a bumper case on it right away; I use the camera mainly when traveling, but take fewer pictures than I used to; and I've taken about a half dozen selfies in my life!
So should I get a discounted 3 knowing that the 3a (IF that's what it is) might have something even better (like a bigger battery), or just forget it all and wait for the Pixel 4? What would you do?
So, I got a free upgrade to the pixel 3 from the pixel 2 in January and honestly, if its not urgent I wouldn't recommend doing it.
Yes the pixel 3 camera is better, but the 2's camera still takes pictures comparable to any flagship, and I can't personally see a difference in the pictures I take day to day.
In terms of UI, I'd actually say the pixel 2 provided a smoother experience, though I've never seen the devices side by side so can't say so for sure. (other people have also suggested this is true)
Major thing for me is that I've experienced worse battery performance, especially when on standby mode, which I think is due to pie, as when upgrading from oreo to pie on my pixel 2 I saw similar results.
And its likely that the pixel 3 will see a price drop once the next gen pixel line is out anyway, so if price is a concern, I don't see why you shouldn't just wait it out either way
rochrunner said:
The reason I'm asking is that I'm looking to replace my Pixel 2, but it is not urgent. Right now, Google is offering $200 off a Pixel 3, which sounds like a good deal....What would you do?
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Click to collapse
Forget it. Wait until the Pixel 4. The P3 has a lot of problems with the display and for $650 with tax it's simply not worth it.
Thanks all for the intelligent, reasonable advice (hard to come by online these days!). I've decided to wait until the P4 is out since I can always fall back to whatever the May 7 product is, or a reduced P3. Price is not really a factor from an absolute standpoint, but I don't want to pay more for something that what it's worth to me. In any case, Fall is a much better time for me to get a new device since I'll be curtailing my summer activities by then and will be looking for something to occupy my time for a while.
No. I mostly love the phone but the lack of proper 60fps on the camera needing me to use 3rd party apps to get usable video kills it for me.
What I would do is buy a pixel 3 @ eBay with large discount and keep it for 4 years ?
I found these sealed, brand new in box Pixel 2 on eBay for incredibly cheap - just £275, claims to have extended 2 years warranty too (item number 293056131709). Want to buy Pixel 2 for my sister's birthday, but listing smells fishy - claims to post from Essex UK, but posting takes 14 days, so clearly the phones are not UK models and come from somewhere else. Previously I had 3 different Sony Z3c and last one wasn't UK model - very, very different quality product...
For my opinion just wait for pixel 4 im using pixel 3 now but so far i like smsung it just everything it better samsung s10 i had so many issue from pixel 3 camera bokeh not copletly good some reason doesn't perfect for 1 camera and software and some photos by google canot be open it was dispointing when you gonna uplod picture to intagram and the picture canot be open how do feel?
Speker does good but when you play music in half volume you will feel vibrant in back and your hand
Pixel 3 its small some time typo for me
Some issue in the screen greeny but mine still look ok but when you open color dark grey yiu will see thats green color show up
If i have change im gonna sell or switch this phone to samsung s10
I replaced a Nexus 6 with a Pixel 3. The wife has an original Pixel, and sees no reason up update to the 3. If I HAD to buy a phone today, I would still get the P3, but I sure would not upgrade from a P2 at this time. I don't think the 3a is going to have anything to offer you - I might look at getting my son one because the Moto X4 is getting long in the tooth, but would only consider it if in the $300 range.
IMO the 50% off deal from Fi last week (making the phone $399) was worth it, but I wouldn't do it for $200 off. The phone is under powered/slow. The 3a is going make a slow phone even slower, so definitely would avoid that like the plague.
mdmogren said:
IMO the 50% off deal from Fi last week (making the phone $399) was worth it, but I wouldn't do it for $200 off. The phone is under powered/slow. The 3a is going make a slow phone even slower, so definitely would avoid that like the plague.
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I got my Pixel 3 during that sale. For $429(tax included) this phone is so worth it at that price.
yes definitely.. can't see around another pretty compact phone as good as p3
Nope. Not at the current price. Average hardware and average form factor, regional software enhancements(call screen, etc great I'd you're n.america but ****.outaide of that), tons of continuing bugs and issues.
I'd wait and get the oneplus 7 where you're at least gonna get more bang for the buck
Xdevillived666 said:
Nope. Not at the current price. Average hardware and average form factor, regional software enhancements(call screen, etc great I'd you're n.america but ****.outaide of that), tons of continuing bugs and issues.
I'd wait and get the oneplus 7 where you're at least gonna get more bang for the buck
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op7 with edged screen? no thanks lol
I'm literally having 0 issues or problems with my p3, but that's maybe due to the fact I'm running custom...? ( i got rid of stock since day 1) dunno..
FcukBloat said:
op7 with edged screen? no thanks lol
I'm literally having 0 issues or problems with my p3, but that's maybe due to the fact I'm running custom...? ( i got rid of stock since day 1) dunno..
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Neither am I so far but lots of users are. It's not very good for Googles rep/the consumer to have as many issues as these phones have been having at such a high price point. They wanna be premium they need to offer it by doing better than what I previously mentioned.
For a good deal yes! I bought the p3 when it was half off. Phone has been very snappy despite having 3x less ram than my previous OnePlus 6t McLaren. But for full retail not worth it for me
Just traded my OP6 8/128 for a Pixel 3. Half the RAM Is the only thing that sometimes bother me on certain situations. But overall is really snappy, and the touch latency Is the best I've ever had on an android device... Camera is spectacular. But, if you have the Pixel 2 i wouldn't bother and wait for the P4.
Compare to S10/S10 Plus, I would say its good deal. So... Why not?
The 3a looks promising as well, maybe that's the more adequate purchase
luckana said:
The 3a looks promising as well, maybe that's the more adequate purchase
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only problem is the front cam.. in regular p3 it is simply wonderful, in 3a it is a clear downgrade.. but if you don't use it that much no problem..
I know many are disappointed with seemingly mediocre specs for a flagship, but I'm very happy with the design choices in the Pixel 5. Here's why:
Aluminum body. I've had enough of the completely impractical "premium" glass bodies that crack when you look at them wrong. Finally a return to something sensible.
Flat OLED. Seems like every flagship has to have curved edges. I haven't seen one phone yet that didn't have imperfections in the curve or drive me crazy with errant touches on the edges. Simple is better.
Return of the fingerprint scanner
NO NOTCH
Reasonable size. It seems like the flagship race always equates "bigger" with "better". I don't subscribe to that theory, and I'm glad to see a more modest size for the Pixel 5.
I do wish it had the Snapdragon 865, Wifi 6, and the telephoto lens, but every other choice was perfect IMO. Even with the CPU, I'm sure that choice was about cost, so it might be the right cost/performance trade-off to go with the 765G. Time will tell, I suppose.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel like this was a step backward or does anyone else feel the same about these design choices?
The form factor is what really sold me. Almost identical to the Essential (RIP)
Coming from the Pixel 4, the Pixel 5 has all of the changes I desire. Making it a no brainer, for me.
Lower power chipset / Less PPI / Larger battery -- All culminating to improved battery life. Probably by a good margin, in daily use.
No Active Edge / No Soli -- I disabled Active Edge and motion sense long ago as I found them more annoying than useful. I imagine not having the Soli chip will help to improve battery life even further.
Rear fingerprint reader -- YES!! These days I'm wearing a mask majority of the time I'm trying to use my phone, rendering face unlock useless. Having the fingerprint reader on the back is VERY welcomed.
Wide Angle Camera -- Another great addition. I don't need improved zoom quality. I need to be able to fit more content into a single picture.
The Pixel 5 is an improvement over the Pixel 4 in every way, in my opinion.
@sn0warmy Side note: your device history is what I wish mine looked like...
flamadiddle said:
@sn0warmy Side note: your device history is what I wish mine looked like...
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It's been a fun journey. I still remember the day I unboxed my Nexus One, right after it was launched. That was a special feeling and it opened the door into the crazy world of rooting/tinkering on Android devices. 10 years later, I'm making significantly more money with a lot more expensive toys and hobbies. Yet, Pixel launch day still gets me excited, every single year. It's the kid in me that will never grow up. :highfive:
All theses features in a 6' phone, it's perfect. I don't enjoy crazy big phones...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using XDA Labs
@sn0warmy from someone that had the 3 XL - I hope this is a huge improvement as that is my current phone. I have pre-ordered it. What are your thoughts, 3 XL vs P5 (obv you can't say too much besides basing it on specs).
I'm going to get the pixel 5. Currently using 4 XL. My dilemma is that if Google will flash the prices by black Friday like last year. So I may wait till Thanksgiving.
Great price for pixel 5 though
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
HamsterHam said:
@sn0warmy from someone that had the 3 XL - I hope this is a huge improvement as that is my current phone. I have pre-ordered it. What are your thoughts, 3 XL vs P5 (obv you can't say too much besides basing it on specs).
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The 3XL was a great phone. But I've come to prefer smaller phones. Which is why I went from the 3XL to the 4 (non-XL). The Pixel 4 is a much better size for daily use, for me. So the Pixel 5 is going to be a great size, as well.
As far as features and specs...
1) The Pixel 5 has 2x the amount of RAM as the 3XL. I've come to learn that more RAM is much more crucial to having a consistently smooth experience over time, rather than having a top of the line processor. So the Snapdragon 765G in the Pixel 5 doesn't concern me in the least bit.
2) The Pixel 5 has a 4000mAh battery, which is nearly an 18% increase in capacity, compared to the 3400mAh battery in the 3XL. the Pixel 5 also has a 6.0" display, vs the 6.3" in the 3XL. But the Pixel 5 is also pushing more total pixels, so that may actually be a hit to battery life, between the two phones. Regardless, the Pixel 5 battery should outlast the 3XL battery by a decent margin.
3) Pictures taken with your Pixel 5 will be better than the 3XL. Will it be a huge improvement? Probably not. But it will be an improvement, nonetheless.
vhl71 said:
I'm going to get the pixel 5. Currently using 4 XL. My dilemma is that if Google will flash the prices by black Friday like last year. So I may wait till Thanksgiving.
Great price for pixel 5 though
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That's actually a really good point, which I failed to consider. Last year Google dropped the price of the Pixel 4 by $200 over Black Friday weekend. It irritated a lot of people.
However, last year Google overestimated demand for the Pixel 4 by almost 30% (SOURCE). They were forced to unload inventory, hence the big price drops over Black Friday weekend and again in January, 2020. This year Google is being much more realistic about the total number of units they expect to sell and have adjusted production accordingly.
I do imagine you'll see some sort of promotion for the Pixel 5 over Black Friday weekend. It's in the best interest of online retailers to offer some sort of promotion when buyers are looking for the best deals. Fun fact: Many big name online retailers will generate upwards of 20% of their total yearly online revenue, just over Black Friday weekend.
With that said, I'll be very surprised if Google drops the price by $200 again. If I were a betting man, I'd wager that over Black Friday weekend you'll be able to snag a Pixel 5 for $75 - $100 off. Worst case, it will likely be a "Gift With Purchase" promotion, in which they give you a new Chromecast ($50 value) when you buy the Pixel 5.
@sn0warmy great. Exactly what I was thinking. Overall should be a better experience than the 3 XL especially due to the RAM increase. Looking forward to getting it.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
I'll be picking up a Pixel 5 a few updates down the road (gotta make sure the bugs and issues are worked out first). The Pixel 4 was a bust. It appears the Pixel 5 fixes all the things that went wrong there. I would get the 4a but it's plastic and not water repellant which is a non-starter.
I don't like bigger phones and coming from a Pixel 2 I think the 5 is just right with more screen real estate. The face unlock feature was just as ridiculous as the notch. So glad they are gone. Looks like I'll be able to pick the phone up and unlock it with the finger print sensor just like before (too easy).
As for the processor, they are so fast these days, they could have told you it was the faster chip and you would never have known. Most people don't do anything so intense that they really need all that extra umph anyway and if it lowers the price of a Google phone, great!
sn0warmy said:
Coming from the Pixel 4, the Pixel 5 has all of the changes I desire. Making it a no brainer, for me.
Lower power chipset / Less PPI / Larger battery -- All culminating to improved battery life. Probably by a good margin, in daily use.
No Active Edge / No Soli -- I disabled Active Edge and motion sense long ago as I found them more annoying than useful. I imagine not having the Soli chip will help to improve battery life even further.
Rear fingerprint reader -- YES!! These days I'm wearing a mask majority of the time I'm trying to use my phone, rendering face unlock useless. Having the fingerprint reader on the back is VERY welcomed.
Wide Angle Camera -- Another great addition. I don't need improved zoom quality. I need to be able to fit more content into a single picture.
The Pixel 5 is an improvement over the Pixel 4 in every way, in my opinion.
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Click to collapse
I'm with you on the bigger battery and lower PPI (really lower resolution) to help with battery life but I wish it had the 865 chip. The processor doesn't even have a big impact on battery life when compared to the screen.
I don't care about Soli but I'm really going to miss the active edge. I don't know why you're happy that's gone when you can disable it anyways. Sometimes I like to use the assistant and make sure it's on my phone even if I have other nearby devices. Without active edge the only way to do that is to swipe diagonally from the corners which doesn't work like 75% of the time.
I'm also with you on the rear fingerprint reader. I didn't own a Pixel 4 but I did spend a day with one and the face unlock was awful.
For the camera I'd much rather have a telephoto than a wide angle. The wide angle basically useless to me. I have very often wish I could get closer to the subject of the photo but I've never wish I could get farther away.
---------- Post added at 08:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:03 AM ----------
flamadiddle said:
I know many are disappointed with seemingly mediocre specs for a flagship, but I'm very happy with the design choices in the Pixel 5. Here's why:
Aluminum body. I've had enough of the completely impractical "premium" glass bodies that crack when you look at them wrong. Finally a return to something sensible.
Flat OLED. Seems like every flagship has to have curved edges. I haven't seen one phone yet that didn't have imperfections in the curve or drive me crazy with errant touches on the edges. Simple is better.
Return of the fingerprint scanner
NO NOTCH
Reasonable size. It seems like the flagship race always equates "bigger" with "better". I don't subscribe to that theory, and I'm glad to see a more modest size for the Pixel 5.
I do wish it had the Snapdragon 865, Wifi 6, and the telephoto lens, but every other choice was perfect IMO. Even with the CPU, I'm sure that choice was about cost, so it might be the right cost/performance trade-off to go with the 765G. Time will tell, I suppose.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel like this was a step backward or does anyone else feel the same about these design choices?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm really happy about the aluminum back.
I actually like the feel of the curved edges on my Pixel 2 XL but I honestly don't really carry either way.
It doesn't have a notch but It does have a hole punch which to me is just as bad as the notch. Obstructed screen content is obstructed screen content either way. In fact after learning that the developer option to hide the cutout that was on the Pixel 3 XL isn't on the Pixel 5 has me considering canceling my pre-order.
You make a good point that the flagship race seems to mean bigger is better. I don't even think the Pixel 5 is a modest size I think it's still way too big. I really miss the days of one-handed use and comfortable pocket ability those days have been gone for years and are unlikely to return.
It would be nice to have an actual fast processor instead of the slow 765 but that I think I could probably deal with. I also really wish they would have kept the telephoto of the Pixel 4 instead of going to the wide angle. Or just have three lenses like other phones even at the same price point.
jimv1983 said:
I don't care about Soli but I'm really going to miss the active edge. I don't know why you're happy that's gone when you can disable it anyways.
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I wouldn't say I'm "happy" it's gone. Rather, I found it to be of little or no use. So removal of the associated hardware, which very well could have negatively impacted the battery, even when disabled, is perfectly fine with me.
sn0warmy said:
I wouldn't say I'm "happy" it's gone. Rather, I found it to be of little or no use. So removal of the associated hardware, which very well could have negatively impacted the battery, even when disabled, is perfectly fine with me.
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Yeah on stock it was really useless. On custom rom you could assign apps of actions to it which was really good. I think I am going to miss it
sn0warmy said:
I wouldn't say I'm "happy" it's gone. Rather, I found it to be of little or no use. So removal of the associated hardware, which very well could have negatively impacted the battery, even when disabled, is perfectly fine with me.
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It was essentially just a physical button. It wouldn't be a drain on the battery anymore than the volume buttons would is. Now there is no reliable way to activate the Google Assistant without voice which would trigger other near by devices too. That really sucks.
jimv1983 said:
It was essentially just a physical button. It wouldn't be a drain on the battery anymore than the volume buttons would is. Now there is no reliable way to activate the Google Assistant without voice which would trigger other near by devices too. That really sucks.
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Most likely due to the aluminum frame. Sad anyway
Benjamin_L said:
Most likely due to the aluminum frame. Sad anyway
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What is mostly due to the aluminum frame?
jimv1983 said:
What is mostly due to the aluminum frame?
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Getting rid of active edge I meant. Maybe I am also imagining it the wrong way.
Benjamin_L said:
Getting rid of active edge I meant. Maybe I am also imagining it the wrong way.
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Having an aluminum frame doesn't have an impact on Active Edge. The Pixel 2 was the first phone to have Active Edge and it's aluminum.
jimv1983 said:
Having an aluminum frame doesn't have an impact on Active Edge. The Pixel 2 was the first phone to have Active Edge and it's aluminum.
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Click to collapse
Hmm too bad they got rid of it then. Do we know yet who builds the P5?
Hello!
I noticed there's a trade-in program at the Google Store for the 6a. I currently have a Pixel 4a. It's working fine, a bit slow and stuttery sometimes (but maybe that's because I'm using a ROM with an overwhelming amount of features), but otherwise it's okay.
I could trade it in for €275 if it was in perfect condition. I have accidentally dropped it once, so there's a tiny crack in the plastic on the top left of the phone. The screen isn't cracked or anything, it's purely aesthetic. Worst case scenario, I can trade it in for €199, which would mean I could buy a 6a for at most €260.
I've heard a lot of bad stuff about the 6a, so I'm very hesitant about this upgrade. Paying 260 euros for a new Pixel sounds like an amazing deal to me.
Is the fingerprint reader really that slow? Is the display truly choppy? Does the phone really constantly overheat even after the first few days of setting it up? Are the connectivity issues a thing for real?
Should I just stick to my 4a for another year or two, and then look at what's on the market?
I've had a great experience with the 6a. A lot of the issues that were out there have been fixed for the most part imo. Hot phone, etc. - have been fixed with the upgrade to 13, and even better with the Quarterly update if you are a beta tester. At this point most people out there say, like me, the experience is pretty damn great - even better if you get the trade in money. I upgraded from the 3a - same story - I had it rom'd out and it ran fine enough, but with the $300 trade in it was a no brainer. For me - taxes, shipping, case and screen protector - I'm out of pocket 189 for a phone that really is worth 450...can't beat that.
I've also rooted, added the MVK kernel - this can't be more snappier. Also keep in mind that development has just started so more options are on the way. GL
Take pictures or video of your old phone from all angles. Google/3rd party WILL try to rip you off any way they can. They will try to say your battery exploded or your perfectly funcioning LCD screen has major LCD damage. Crap like that. So protect yourself beforehand.
My perspective having 2 4a's trading one for a 6a and trading a OnePlus 7t for another 6a.
I have a 6 which is my backup/backup just for camera, it's a little bit larger than I like.
I kept a 4a as emergency backup. Positive stuff; faster, bigger screen will have a long support for updates. Bargain pricing.
You mentioned a different kernel / ROM so let's use the history of 4a vs 4... 4a was not supported by developers in same numbers as 4. Currently the existing resources on 6a vs 6 it looks the same, as you can see. I am hoping that just the sheer numbers of 6a being pushed into market that will change... likely depends on October new phone releases? If you need 5g well it's not a question then.
If you don't need 5g, the biggest disappointment will be battery life...No way will a 6a will compete with a 4a on absolute longevity on one charge cycle. I would guess in my use it's HALF, yes seems impossible but that's after daily use of both in same locations and usage.
I had a 4a (stock with Android 13) and I did the trade-in for a 6a. The trade-in went smoothly for me, and I got the value I was expecting for the 4a ($300). Since I have owned the 6a (stock android 13 w/Sept. update), It has improved. The fingerprint sensor under the screen has gotten better. It still misses every so often. It still isn't quite as good as the rear fingerprint sensor of the 4a. The battery life has improved a lot for me. As of typing this it is 3:34 PM and I am at 80%. I unplugged it at 6:40 AM. It is on Wi-Fi most of the day and it's fairly light usage. The camera processing is loads faster than on the 4a. It is also nice to have a wide-angle lens. The software touches with the 6a are nice, magic eraser is especially fun. The speech to text is especially good and fast. The phone itself feels a lot higher quality especially compared to the 4a. The more and longer I use the 6a, the more I like it.
mmead1143 said:
I've had a great experience with the 6a. A lot of the issues that were out there have been fixed for the most part imo. Hot phone, etc. - have been fixed with the upgrade to 13, and even better with the Quarterly update if you are a beta tester. At this point most people out there say, like me, the experience is pretty damn great - even better if you get the trade in money. I upgraded from the 3a - same story - I had it rom'd out and it ran fine enough, but with the $300 trade in it was a no brainer. For me - taxes, shipping, case and screen protector - I'm out of pocket 189 for a phone that really is worth 450...can't beat that.
I've also rooted, added the MVK kernel - this can't be more snappier. Also keep in mind that development has just started so more options are on the way. GL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
kkjb said:
If you don't need 5g, the biggest disappointment will be battery life...No way will a 6a will compete with a 4a on absolute longevity on one charge cycle. I would guess in my use it's HALF, yes seems impossible but that's after daily use of both in same locations and usage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
aaronzimm75 said:
The battery life has improved a lot for me.
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Click to collapse
How's the battery life for you guys? I guess I get about 2-4 hours of SOT with my 4a. That of course depends on a lot of things. I travel quite frequently nowadays (usually about 2 - 2.5 hours by train/bus), so I usually listen to Spotify or watch some videos on YouTube. I guess the crappy connectivity while traveling by train + music streaming isn't always easy on the battery. Also, I use YouTube Vanced, and it does this weird thing where while watching some certain videos, the phone gets crazy hot (and obviously drains the battery quickly), watching other videos is just fine.
I use ACC, so I only charge the battery to 75%. I was at home this weekend, barely used my phone at all, it drained to like 45%, so standby time is okay, but I really have no idea what my usual daily battery usage (for the lack of a better term) is.
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smokejumper76 said:
Take pictures or video of your old phone from all angles. Google/3rd party WILL try to rip you off any way they can. They will try to say your battery exploded or your perfectly funcioning LCD screen has major LCD damage. Crap like that. So protect yourself beforehand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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aaronzimm75 said:
The fingerprint sensor under the screen has gotten better. It still misses every so often. It still isn't quite as good as the rear fingerprint sensor of the 4a.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How unreliable is it? The 4a's fingerprint reader has never failed on me. Luckily not even when I was out and needed to access something on my phone instantly.
Just by looking up some recent(-ish) videos on YouTube, it seems like the phone needs anywhere from about half a second to a full second to unlock. I guess it's not so much about how long it takes, but how accurate it actually is. Could you guys give me an estimate (of course it doesn't have to be an exact measurement, more just how consistent it feels to you) of how many times the phone fails to correctly read your finger so you have to re-place it on the reader?
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kkjb said:
You mentioned a different kernel / ROM so let's use the history of 4a vs 4... 4a was not supported by developers in same numbers as 4. Currently the existing resources on 6a vs 6 it looks the same, as you can see. I am hoping that just the sheer numbers of 6a being pushed into market that will change... likely depends on October new phone releases?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before my 4a I had a OnePlus 3T, rooted it on day one and soon got really fond of ResurrectionRemix. When I switched to the 4a (almost two years ago, damn, time flies fast), I hadn't tinkered with it for over a year I think. Even now, there are barely any regularly maintained custom ROMs for it. From what I can tell, the modding community is ever-so-slowly dying off. I guess it doesn't help that Google and other OEMs make it more difficult for us to tinker with out devices every year.
That being said, I'm not considering a 6a because of many custom things there are for it. Honestly, if there was a way to limit charging speed, and set a maximum charge level, I probably wouldn't even root. I have gotten to a point in my life where reliability is much more of a priority than endless customization
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One thing I forgot to add to my original post is another reason why I'm hesitant with this upgrade:
Surely, the trade-in option helps a lot, I could essentially get a brand new phone for half its price, which is virtually unbeatable. But if I look past that, and I was about to actually need to buy a new phone, thus look at what my options are, I'm not 100% sure my choice would land on a Pixel. Definitely going to have to look into it (and do it quickly, since the trade-in is only until the 24th).
I traded my 4a in for $300 off and a free pair of Pixel Buds a too during the pre-launch sale, so 'all in' my 6a was only $50 so it'd take a LOT to make me regret the 6a. As stated already, yeah it had it's teething period at first like most new phones. Most have been sorted out tho. I don't mind the FP scanner taking a slightly 'paused' touch/release to unlock...I got used to it pretty quick thus it stopped buggin' me as well. Too help w/batt life and tweaking, I rooted and added my favs plus a batt mod or 2. Above all, besides the $300 + Buds...it knowing I have the same CPU under the hood as the P6 Pro...for less than HALF the price and even less out-of-pocket. My only wish is a 6" 90Hz screen vs. the 6.1" @ 60Hz. Here's to hoping the 90Hz o/c tweak makes it's way into the custom kernel releases sooner than later!
Lada333 said:
How's the battery life for you guys? I guess I get about 2-4 hours of SOT with my 4a. That of course depends on a lot of things. I travel quite frequently nowadays (usually about 2 - 2.5 hours by train/bus), so I usually listen to Spotify or watch some videos on YouTube. I guess the crappy connectivity while traveling by train + music streaming isn't always easy on the battery. Also, I use YouTube Vanced, and it does this weird thing where while watching some certain videos, the phone gets crazy hot (and obviously drains the battery quickly), watching other videos is just fine.
I use ACC, so I only charge the battery to 75%. I was at home this weekend, barely used my phone at all, it drained to like 45%, so standby time is okay, but I really have no idea what my usual daily battery usage (for the lack of a better term) is.
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Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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How unreliable is it? The 4a's fingerprint reader has never failed on me. Luckily not even when I was out and needed to access something on my phone instantly.
Just by looking up some recent(-ish) videos on YouTube, it seems like the phone needs anywhere from about half a second to a full second to unlock. I guess it's not so much about how long it takes, but how accurate it actually is. Could you guys give me an estimate (of course it doesn't have to be an exact measurement, more just how consistent it feels to you) of how many times the phone fails to correctly read your finger so you have to re-place it on the reader?
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Before my 4a I had a OnePlus 3T, rooted it on day one and soon got really fond of ResurrectionRemix. When I switched to the 4a (almost two years ago, damn, time flies fast), I hadn't tinkered with it for over a year I think. Even now, there are barely any regularly maintained custom ROMs for it. From what I can tell, the modding community is ever-so-slowly dying off. I guess it doesn't help that Google and other OEMs make it more difficult for us to tinker with out devices every year.
That being said, I'm not considering a 6a because of many custom things there are for it. Honestly, if there was a way to limit charging speed, and set a maximum charge level, I probably wouldn't even root. I have gotten to a point in my life where reliability is much more of a priority than endless customization
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One thing I forgot to add to my original post is another reason why I'm hesitant with this upgrade:
Surely, the trade-in option helps a lot, I could essentially get a brand new phone for half its price, which is virtually unbeatable. But if I look past that, and I was about to actually need to buy a new phone, thus look at what my options are, I'm not 100% sure my choice would land on a Pixel. Definitely going to have to look into it (and do it quickly, since the trade-in is only until the 24th).
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Battery life - obviously super specific to each individual's usage, preferences etc. So I'll give you a comparison. On my 3a, a 100% full charge beginning most day's, up at 530a, workout - work etc. I'd come home at 5p at about 35-40% left on the battery. Light usage and I have wifi at the office. With the 6a, the same day I come home at about 45-50%. So it's a tich better. I notice NO performance difference with battery saver mode on (not the extreme version) and for fun, I run the phone with the same daily schedule above - I come home at like 70% battery left and honestly, I see no difference in performance. - Keep in mind I'm also rooted and running MVK.
Trade in - was slick as snot for me. I got the full $300 about 10 days after the 6a arrived. I know some people video tape the trade in phone etc - I did none of that and had no issues.
Fingerprint is working 100% with the 13 upgrade. I was on the 13 standards, then went with the Beta 13 - no issues since both upgrades. It is a tich different feel an the 3a. On the 3a the back sensor was automatic. With the 6a, you kind of "press into" the screen. But it works everytime - perfect now. It's very reliable now for me.
Customization - I'm about the same. Stock Android is pretty great these days and there's not much of a reason to rom like there was 10 years ago. I have root simply to update the kernel. I've had MVK running and the phone can't be any more snappy than it is to be honest. Other than that I'm 100% stock and have no complaints.
GL
Zaxx32 said:
I traded my 4a in for $300 off and a free pair of Pixel Buds a too during the pre-launch sale, so 'all in' my 6a was only $50 so it'd take a LOT to make me regret the 6a. As stated already, yeah it had it's teething period at first like most new phones. Most have been sorted out tho. I don't mind the FP scanner taking a slightly 'paused' touch/release to unlock...I got used to it pretty quick thus it stopped buggin' me as well. Too help w/batt life and tweaking, I rooted and added my favs plus a batt mod or 2. Above all, besides the $300 + Buds...it knowing I have the same CPU under the hood as the P6 Pro...for less than HALF the price and even less out-of-pocket. My only wish is a 6" 90Hz screen vs. the 6.1" @ 60Hz. Here's to hoping the 90Hz o/c tweak makes it's way into the custom kernel releases sooner than later!
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I have a high refresh rate monitor at home + I've used phones that have a high refresh rate display. As much as I love them, it's not a dealbreaker for me, luckily. Sure, the animations and scrolling looks a lot smoother, but at the end of the day, it makes no difference when watching videos or reading articles/browsing Reddit.
mmead1143 said:
Battery life - obviously super specific to each individual's usage, preferences etc. So I'll give you a comparison. On my 3a, a 100% full charge beginning most day's, up at 530a, workout - work etc. I'd come home at 5p at about 35-40% left on the battery. Light usage and I have wifi at the office. With the 6a, the same day I come home at about 45-50%. So it's a tich better. I notice NO performance difference with battery saver mode on (not the extreme version) and for fun, I run the phone with the same daily schedule above - I come home at like 70% battery left and honestly, I see no difference in performance. - Keep in mind I'm also rooted and running MVK.
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Notice any difference between Snapdragon and Tensor SOC? IIRC Tensor is basically just a customized Exynos from Samsung, so both performance and root-wise it should be very similar to Snapdragon, right?
mmead1143 said:
Trade in - was slick as snot for me. I got the full $300 about 10 days after the 6a arrived. I know some people video tape the trade in phone etc - I did none of that and had no issues.
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Making photos and recording a video beforehand didn't cross my mind before smokejumper's comment in this thread. I wouldn't assume Google would want to "rip me off," but I guess it never hurts to record some proof - just in case.
6a gets you security updates at least until July 2027. Your 4a, only until August 2023.
As far as trade-in, sounds like you still get a good deal - when I traded in a couple of 3as a month ago, trade-in credit was $300 ($295 with cracked display). Now it's $200/165 for both 3a and 4a, so it sounds like you currently get a better deal than in the US.
Lada333 said:
Notice any difference between Snapdragon and Tensor SOC? IIRC Tensor is basically just a customized Exynos from Samsung, so both performance and root-wise it should be very similar to Snapdragon, right?
Making photos and recording a video beforehand didn't cross my mind before smokejumper's comment in this thread. I wouldn't assume Google would want to "rip me off," but I guess it never hurts to record some proof - just in case.
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I don't notice any differences in the differing CPUs but honestly - I'm the worst person to ask I don't have the technical know-how to see nuanced advances. So no clue on comparison - but this phone is fast as ****. That's my "professional" opinion haha!
Lada333 said:
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Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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It was a first time trade-in to Google for me. The phone I traded in did not boot up correctly (4a5g). It powered on. It factory reset (despite tunefs errors and able to flash it and lock/unlock bootloader) but it would bootloop to fastboot no valid slot to boot. The screen was free of cracks and scratches. It turned on. And factory reset. The back housing had peeling near the camera. The housing had no cracks or scratches. I mailed it off nearly a month ago. And 3.5 weeks or so I got email of stated value. Instead of $300 for a device with no cracks, powers on, and factory reset they gave me $260. They said Display Damage/Major LCD damage.
Now before all this I had read various threads regarding the pixel trade in on reddit and horror stories about other people's experiences. That's where I copied what many people on there had did which was to photograph/video record the phone and its condition prior to shipping it off. I was anticipating Google to screw me over the peeling back housing. But no. They decided to screw me over the Major LCD damage that doesn't exist with blatant video evidence to prove it. So I chatted and emailed them multiple times including pictures and video of the phone. And they come back with "we are unable to alter the amount". "Heres $40 google store credit". Which is useless to me. I'm waiting for another supervisor to get back to me to tell me the same thing and that they will not be able to convert that $40 store credit to back on my CC. Has been such a hassle. Such a scam. It's not the money. It's the principle of the thing. Especially when even Google's own office drones who have seen the video and pictures agreed, otherwise they would not have given me their useless store credit. Yeah I'm bitter.
Coming from a 3a myself, and because your 4a is slightly smaller even than my 3a, the size of the 6a might hit you like it did me. I didn't expect it to make much difference, but the 6a is a 25% weight increase over the 3a & 4a and wearing lighter-weight clothes it still feels like I've got a brick in my pocket. That said, its other features are an improvement. I'm using about 10% more battery per day on average compared to the 3a, but since the 6a's battery is 50% larger it makes a big difference in the time it takes to recharge in the morning (affects my morning routines ). The fingerprint sensor is behaving well now that I've learned how to best use it and I no longer miss the rear sensor.
Overall I'm pleased with it, especially since it cost me a net $150 after the $300 trade-in (which I have yet to see, but that's another thread!).
@smokejumper76 So just to be clear, you sent in a device that didn't boot (display damage possibly, loosely defined) and they gave you $260 for a phone that basically was a door stop. And you are bitter? Now think about the time spent on the phone with tech support and supervisors and email. Do you really think the bitterness is worth your time, principle or not?
And for you and everyone else in this thread having Google issues, next time bring it in to BB and they'll give you credit on the spot. Granted it was $250 not 3 bills but the phone was only $399 not $459. They didn't even charge me and then refund me, it just came right off the purchase price.
bobby janow said:
@smokejumper76 So just to be clear, you sent in a device that didn't boot (display damage possibly, loosely defined) and they gave you $260 for a phone that basically was a door stop. And you are bitter? Now think about the time spent on the phone with tech support and supervisors and email. Do you really think the bitterness is worth your time, principle or not?
And for you and everyone else in this thread having Google issues, next time bring it in to BB and they'll give you credit on the spot. Granted it was $250 not 3 bills but the phone was only $399 not $459. They didn't even charge me and then refund me, it just came right off the purchase price.
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A device not able to boot was not a condition they imposed. A bootable device is completely different from one that powers on. And they went through the trouble to clarify every other aspect of the device including but not limited to the condition of the back housing (no deep scratches or cracks.). They should have had me on the hook for that. Therefore they can't say anything about the housing. Major LCD would constitute something obvious on the display. They said major. Like huge discoloration, smudges, deal pixels,cracks, breaks, something along those lines. And yes it was completely contrary to the device I sent in. So yes, it is worth my time. The world may be damned on what it thinks are important issues (the environment, jobs, if vaginas are owned by the state,etc.), but if we cannot even have honest and fair transactions of the mundane--Russia's nukes are the least of our problems. What can I say. I'm old fashioned. I like to hold people and companies accountable. Even if I "lose" it's a reminder for me, to not trust anyone. What? Am I going to sue them? Of course not. I don't have that right. Maybe if I lauched a car in space or my ancestors owned slaves and I had an estate, maybe. And google knows that--so they can do whatever they F they want. Like most companies. Only if it gets a rich laywer's attention were $$ is involved would anything ever happen. Hell they [companies and banks] run the countries. That's how the world works. Always has. Always will--doesnt matter what color your flag is.
TLTR: It's the whole "catching them in a lie" kind of thing. And not being able to do a damned thing about it. Yeah I know: cry me a river boo hoo.
mike.s said:
6a gets you security updates at least until July 2027. Your 4a, only until August 2023.
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I'm not necessarily concerned about security updates. I'll likely flash a custom ROM waaay before OEM support ceases for the device
rochrunner said:
Coming from a 3a myself, and because your 4a is slightly smaller even than my 3a, the size of the 6a might hit you like it did me. I didn't expect it to make much difference, but the 6a is a 25% weight increase over the 3a & 4a and wearing lighter-weight clothes it still feels like I've got a brick in my pocket. That said, its other features are an improvement. I'm using about 10% more battery per day on average compared to the 3a, but since the 6a's battery is 50% larger it makes a big difference in the time it takes to recharge in the morning (affects my morning routines ). The fingerprint sensor is behaving well now that I've learned how to best use it and I no longer miss the rear sensor.
Overall I'm pleased with it, especially since it cost me a net $150 after the $300 trade-in (which I have yet to see, but that's another thread!).
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I honestly wouldn't mind the extra weight. The 4a is so light, I'm sometimes scared that the wind might blow it out of my hands.
I'm a bit sad to see that the actual device is bigger though. If I hold my 4a in my hand just the right way, I can just about reach across the screen. It truly is a shame that all budget and/or small phones are stupidly huge these days.
Happy to hear that the fingerprint sensor isn't a total flop. That was honestly one of my main concerns.
smokejumper76 said:
It's the whole "catching them in a lie" kind of thing. And not being able to do a damned thing about it.
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I do understand your frustration. I really do.
But would you be okay with receiving $260 instead of $300 if their reasoning for the deduction would've been "The back housing had peeling near the camera"? I assume you would be okay with that, right? It is physical damage. Sure, it is not a crack, by definition, but you can't blame them for not listing every possible means of physical damage that can happen to a phone, can you now?
Lada333 said:
I do understand your frustration. I really do.
But would you be okay with receiving $260 instead of $300 if their reasoning for the deduction would've been "The back housing had peeling near the camera"? I assume you would be okay with that, right? It is physical damage. Sure, it is not a crack, by definition, but you can't blame them for not listing every possible means of physical damage that can happen to a phone, can you now?
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Yes. I would have been ok with that. Granted a $40 reduction is a little harsh for a cheap plastic piece. But if they had actually straight up said that, I feel I would not really have much to say against it. But they did not. Major LCD damage is very broad. They are so specific on their trade-in details page, yet they fail to be specific when it comes to why/what failed the inspection on the traded in device.
Buy a Pixel phone & trade in your old phone for a credit - United States - Google Store Help
When you buy a new Pixel phone, you can get credit when you trade in your old phone through Google Store. Trade-in through Google Store is available in Canada, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and
support.google.com
And the fine print of the trade in makes no mention of anything other than LCD, housing, buttons, powers on, touchscreen, battery (edit see above link), hinges (if applies)...there is a bunch of things the trade in page tells you in detail that must pass inspection (note: nothing about ability to boot into OS is listed as a requirement to pass inspection merely that it powers on, factory reset, and no cracks and display works) and for them to put it under Major LCD damage when there is obviously none. Only air bubble under screen protector which I left on. My situation is exactly what others on various reddit threads about their google trade in experiences. And when I showed the video to google..I mean they would not have given me that store credit if I Iacked any credibility to my accusation. And yes I keep pressing because I know I'm right. And they admitted as such when they said something along lines of "As they found the issue from their end after the inspection"...and issues credit vs CC. And I'm like no. Put it on my card. I'm not buying overpriced/hyped earbuds. So yea. Complete waste of time but dammit I'm right. Otherwise say it was the backing or the LCD had (insert something specific) in the first place and be prepared to prove it. And the video I have which shows a blatent near pristine device (except backing..it had one of those sticky skins which peeled off a small section from back)..no. They are wrong. Does it matter?--No. Whatever right? I'm just laying this all out for others. Take pictures/video of it if you send it in, if you have to fight it out, if one even can.Good luck.
Edit: Technically one could trade in a bricked phone if it powers into rescue/download/EDL/9008 mode since technically it "powers on" and screen not "dark".