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Idol 3 still a decent buy or nah?

For $150 how is this phone really? I am looking to buy it for my mother who of course doesn't care about specs.
Her current phone is an HTC desire 610(Snapdragon 400, 1 gb ram, and 8 GB storage with a 2040 mah battery) and it is really showing its age.
She doesn't care about the latest updates and likely doesn't notice lag.
For her, this phone would be used for
-Photos out with friends
- Social networking(FB, Instagram, etc etc)
-texting and of course calling
Do you recommend it for a mom?
Also **Is the screen really that fragile**

I like the phone and I don't know anyone that has managed to crack the glass or damage the screen.

Gee,
was really hoping to find more thoughts about this phone. I just discovered and was seriously considering picking it up since my Note 4 is DEAD (NO MORE SAMSUNG FOR ME EVER!!! My S3 crapped out and I had to force Samsung to give me another even though my warranty had passed).

I just bought one for me last month to replace a Galaxy S4 that went smashy. I'm happy with it. Coming from an S4 the Idol 3 is clearly an inferior device in every category. But it's still a very strong phone, and for $150 you can't really go wrong. When I compared 'darn good phone for $150' to 'massively impressive phone of the gods for $650' I chose the Idol.
The one drawback on the Idol 3 (And Idol 4 / BalckBerry DTEK 50) is the camera for indoor shots. The camera isn't strong in low light. It's okay. It's not awful. But it's not fantastic. For outdoor shots in daylight, it's a fine camera. So if a great camera is a must, the Idol 3 is going to disappoint. If you need a great camera, you might consider the LG4. It's got a STUPIDLY IMPRESSIVE camera and the price on those is dropping fast. It's still more than the Idol 3, but it's almost worth it for the far superior camera.
As for getting Samsung to replace an S3....really? A 4 year old phone conked out on you and you're shocked and ready to give up on Samsung because of it? Seriously? These things are built with a 2 year life expectancy.

I also had Samsung s4, Samsung Note 2, and Nexus 5. I would not say the Idol 3 is inferior in every way, just some. That being said, the lack of bloatware, MM, and a nice screen make up for a lot of its shortcomings.

I've had the phone for more than year and like it a lot. I paid $200 at prerelease. The screen is excellent and not fragile. Get a good case for it and you will be happy. i have a leather folio type case with a cover that closes and protects the screen. the front dual stereo speakers are loud and great for music. Allcatel has been pretty good about O/S updates. The camera isn't great in low light but very good with both photos and video is bright light. You can't really go wrong for the price.

Izaya Orihara said:
For $150 how is this phone really? I am looking to buy it for my mother who of course doesn't care about specs.
Her current phone is an HTC desire 610(Snapdragon 400, 1 gb ram, and 8 GB storage with a 2040 mah battery) and it is really showing its age.
She doesn't care about the latest updates and likely doesn't notice lag.
For her, this phone would be used for
-Photos out with friends
- Social networking(FB, Instagram, etc etc)
-texting and of course calling
Do you recommend it for a mom?
Also **Is the screen really that fragile**
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would no longer recommend getting an alcatel phone. Period. They have provided 0 support..they in fact have made things even more difficult by taking away features such as fastboot which makes NO sense in a product being sold unlocked with no carrier hooks. The development is minimal and the majority of the devs are working on other devices although they may still provide some idol3 support it won't be a daily thing. Finally the stock rom's for the idol3 have serious deficiencies....you have terrible lag for 5.0.2 and very short screen on time for marshmallow. Additionally occasionally it just flat out has to be rebooted to get things working right or free up memory.
For $150 there are many other options available now...heck I just purchased a refurbished T-mobile LG V10 for $210 and the specs are MUCH better than the idol3. If the $150 price range is important consider the moto g4.

the device is a great buy and no the screen is not fragile(or mine isnt).
my phone survived a heart stopping 6 foot drop not a scratch.
i was harmed more than the phone

Pixel vs HTC10

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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Click to collapse
Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?

bsbuggs said:
Hi
Did you get both phones yet to compare?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.

Should you buy the HTC U Ultra? Video

Fellow members check out my video below, please share it and enjoMod Edit

Thanks for making this video.. but sorry I just dont agree with your opinion on choosing and buying a device based on its SoC, which in turn , basing it on benchmarks.... IMO its a miserable way to buy a phone, the Ultra is a beautiful phone with a lovely big clear screen.. its shipped with Android N in the box.. which means HTC will support it throughout Android N and into O, so your looking atleast 1 year, maybe even 18 months... You should buy a phone based on how the experience is for YOU, if you pick it up in a shop.. and you love it.. Buy it because of what the phone means to you.. not for its SoC.
If you flash custom roms and "cook" kernels... yes ok, the SoC and ram is important but for 90% of the buying public.. they like the asthetics, the cosmetics of a device and if it runs their favorite apps, music and their media life.. then theyll buy it.
The 821 SoC has been shown to be a very efficient and battery friendly chip... Samsung have laid claim to the 835 for the S8, which means they will set the bar for huge prices because its the latest and greatest SoC, so other Devs will charge huge prices for an 835 SoC phone because itsa the latest and most costly chip to date... and, well.... Samsung did it and sold thousands..
Give me an Xperia XA Ultra any day.. because it runs smooth, fast and has a great loudspeaker.. with a great camera and SONYs UI is almost stock yet it only has a Helio P10 Mediatech chip and 3GB ... IMO, people who choose that device purely based on SoC and ram are chasing rainbows and will never ever be happy with anything they buy and are setting them selves up for a life of misery that their friends phone may be faster than theirs after the latest OTA or Custom rom .... with benchmark and constant speed testing all the time.... and who wants that.. Not me.

NightOrchid said:
Thanks for making this video.. but sorry I just dont agree with your opinion on choosing and buying a device based on its SoC, which in turn , basing it on benchmarks.... IMO its a miserable way to buy a phone, the Ultra is a beautiful phone with a lovely big clear screen.. its shipped with Android N in the box.. which means HTC will support it throughout Android N and into O, so your looking atleast 1 year, maybe even 18 months... You should buy a phone based on how the experience is for YOU, if you pick it up in a shop.. and you love it.. Buy it because of what the phone means to you.. not for its SoC.
If you flash custom roms and "cook" kernels... yes ok, the SoC and ram is important but for 90% of the buying public.. they like the asthetics, the cosmetics of a device and if it runs their favorite apps, music and their media life.. then theyll buy it.
The 821 SoC has been shown to be a very efficient and battery friendly chip... Samsung have laid claim to the 835 for the S8, which means they will set the bar for huge prices because its the latest and greatest SoC, so other Devs will charge huge prices for an 835 SoC phone because itsa the latest and most costly chip to date... and, well.... Samsung did it and sold thousands..
Give me an Xperia XA Ultra any day.. because it runs smooth, fast and has a great loudspeaker.. with a great camera and SONYs UI is almost stock yet it only has a Helio P10 Mediatech chip and 3GB ... IMO, people who choose that device purely based on SoC and ram are chasing rainbows and will never ever be happy with anything they buy and are setting them selves up for a life of misery that their friends phone may be faster than theirs after the latest OTA or Custom rom .... with benchmark and constant speed testing all the time.... and who wants that.. Not me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said I LOVE this phone. Came from a Pixel XL and a OnePlus 3T.

joeyac02 said:
Well said I LOVE this phone. Came from a Pixel XL and a OnePlus 3T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah me too.. Ive had my U Ultra for about 4 days now.. and I love it.. just so smooth.. and it looks gorgeous... to be honest, I went into the store to get either a 3T or a Pixel XL with my Upgrade, but I saw the ultra (which was cheaper per month and upfront cost than the XL) tried the new Sense and Android N... . Camera is stunning and after 15 mins of testing.. I was sold.. took my Upgrade there and then, . Im happy it has 64gb of Storage & an SD., although I wouldve bought it if it had 32GB.
My only SMALL gripes are: theres no USB-C > 3.5mm jack converter in the box and also I think the bass (bottom) and tweeter (ear piece), while VERY VERY Loud and sound fantastic.. For me, dont sound as rounded and full and lack just a LITTLE bit of Mid-Range and less bass as the HTC 10 or even M8 speakers do., but thats just me
I am curious though, Why did you swap your XL and 3T for the Ultra?

I've now had my Ultra for a full day and find it to be a most excellent device. HTC continues to marry all the facets of an Android better than all but Google.
My OnePlus 3T is going to my uncle tomorrow, or Swappa Tuesday. I really appreciate what OnePlus does and their relationship with customers but in daily use, for me, the 3T reveals itself to not be a flagship. My number one gripe is poor touch response.
I always maintained that if HTC made and sold a phablet in the US again, I'd buy it. The design and aesthetics are just beautiful. I've always enjoyed HTC's software and it remains stellar.

Charliebill33 said:
I've now had my Ultra for a full day and find it to be a most excellent device. HTC continues to marry all the facets of an Android better than all but Google.
My OnePlus 3T is going to my uncle tomorrow, or Swappa Tuesday. I really appreciate what OnePlus does and their relationship with customers but in daily use, for me, the 3T reveals itself to not be a flagship. My number one gripe is poor touch response.
I always maintained that if HTC made and sold a phablet in the US again, I'd buy it. The design and aesthetics are just beautiful. I've always enjoyed HTC's software and it remains stellar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get bored honestly the 3T was nice but I didn't get that wownfactor and the camera was doodoo to me. Same thing with the pixel just was a meh phone. I also think I have come to figure out that I need/want a bigger device I think 5.7 is a great size maybe even 6.

Loving the ultra but getting used to size even coming from Pixel XL which was big as well. I feel the included case makes it more clumsy to handle and without the case is great to handle. But man I'm scared that I'm going to drop this off I use without a case.

My last HTC was the M7. After, was on a LG G3 and I wanted to buy the LG G6 but when I saw the U Ultra, I jump on it. Have it since a week now. Love it. The screen is beautiful, the camera give me some good shot.
I don't regret my choice buying an HTC u ultra despite of an LG g6.

Just don't buy it.
Wait for better and cheaper phones.

Anybody coming from a samsung device? Curious how the display is conpared to amoled screens? Does the ultra u seem washed out compared to the super amoled screens

recepo1 said:
Anybody coming from a samsung device? Curious how the display is conpared to amoled screens? Does the ultra u seem washed out compared to the super amoled screens
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Click to collapse
Yes it does, I have many devices and the u ultra screen is not bright enough

ramheer said:
Yes it does, I have many devices and the u ultra screen is not bright enough
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Click to collapse
Thanks i am to going to see what else the year has to bring before pulling the trigger on the Ultra

recepo1 said:
Thanks i am to going to see what else the year has to bring before pulling the trigger on the Ultra
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung s8 plus will have a great screen and maybe even the new Sony xz premium coming out in June

ramheer said:
Samsung s8 plus will have a great screen and maybe even the new Sony xz premium coming out in June
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea the s8 im leaning towards

NightOrchid said:
Thanks for making this video.. but sorry I just dont agree with your opinion on choosing and buying a device based on its SoC, which in turn , basing it on benchmarks.... IMO its a miserable way to buy a phone, the Ultra is a beautiful phone with a lovely big clear screen.. its shipped with Android N in the box.. which means HTC will support it throughout Android N and into O, so your looking atleast 1 year, maybe even 18 months... You should buy a phone based on how the experience is for YOU, if you pick it up in a shop.. and you love it.. Buy it because of what the phone means to you.. not for its SoC.
If you flash custom roms and "cook" kernels... yes ok, the SoC and ram is important but for 90% of the buying public.. they like the asthetics, the cosmetics of a device and if it runs their favorite apps, music and their media life.. then theyll buy it.
The 821 SoC has been shown to be a very efficient and battery friendly chip... Samsung have laid claim to the 835 for the S8, which means they will set the bar for huge prices because its the latest and greatest SoC, so other Devs will charge huge prices for an 835 SoC phone because itsa the latest and most costly chip to date... and, well.... Samsung did it and sold thousands..
Give me an Xperia XA Ultra any day.. because it runs smooth, fast and has a great loudspeaker.. with a great camera and SONYs UI is almost stock yet it only has a Helio P10 Mediatech chip and 3GB ... IMO, people who choose that device purely based on SoC and ram are chasing rainbows and will never ever be happy with anything they buy and are setting them selves up for a life of misery that their friends phone may be faster than theirs after the latest OTA or Custom rom .... with benchmark and constant speed testing all the time.... and who wants that.. Not me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just spoke my mind O' wise one! Kudos

Looks like its a "NO".
There is a SD835 phone coming in just a month.

I'm using this phone since 1 month and I'm very satisfy with. Its design, Its body, clear screen, many HTC personal touch and customizations. Very small details that will always make me come back to HTC. After using a One Max for years now and still rocking, I was patiently waiting for HTC to come with another phablet. Meanwhile I used many phone but I always come back to my One Max.
Yes, The Ultra is expensive, but I don't mind as my One Max is still rocking with Android Nougat and still impress me after so many years.
I was a bit afraid about the battery life due to 3000mah and such a large screen but the battery optimization app clear all my doubts, after tweaking it as per my needs, It radically change the battery life. No overheating or whatever.
My cons about Ultra are: no 3.5 jack adapter in the box. The stock earphone is of good quality, the sound clear and sounds very good but not so loud for me. The secondary screen lacks. They should have implement more options and customization. I'm waiting for a good custom ROM to fix some of these.
In general, I love this phone and I don't think anyone could change my mind about it. This phone makes me gain more trust in HTC and If another phablet will be out from them, I'm sure I will go for it even if its expensive.

NightOrchid said:
Thanks for making this video.. but sorry I just dont agree with your opinion on choosing and buying a device based on its SoC, which in turn , basing it on benchmarks.... IMO its a miserable way to buy a phone, the Ultra is a beautiful phone with a lovely big clear screen.. its shipped with Android N in the box.. which means HTC will support it throughout Android N and into O, so your looking atleast 1 year, maybe even 18 months... You should buy a phone based on how the experience is for YOU, if you pick it up in a shop.. and you love it.. Buy it because of what the phone means to you.. not for its SoC.
If you flash custom roms and "cook" kernels... yes ok, the SoC and ram is important but for 90% of the buying public.. they like the asthetics, the cosmetics of a device and if it runs their favorite apps, music and their media life.. then theyll buy it.
The 821 SoC has been shown to be a very efficient and battery friendly chip... Samsung have laid claim to the 835 for the S8, which means they will set the bar for huge prices because its the latest and greatest SoC, so other Devs will charge huge prices for an 835 SoC phone because itsa the latest and most costly chip to date... and, well.... Samsung did it and sold thousands..
Give me an Xperia XA Ultra any day.. because it runs smooth, fast and has a great loudspeaker.. with a great camera and SONYs UI is almost stock yet it only has a Helio P10 Mediatech chip and 3GB ... IMO, people who choose that device purely based on SoC and ram are chasing rainbows and will never ever be happy with anything they buy and are setting them selves up for a life of misery that their friends phone may be faster than theirs after the latest OTA or Custom rom .... with benchmark and constant speed testing all the time.... and who wants that.. Not me.
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Click to collapse
Have to add another "Well said!" post to this thread. I've been using the U Ultra for 5 days now and I'm very happy with this phone. The 821 is indeed a very good at power management, as I've been able to get 36+ hours between charges with 3+ hours screen on time, mostly spent playing games and browsing the web.

This video is the best ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFbixkBiwAw

I love my U Ultra .. but what Im finiding annoying, is that everyone, including reviewers, love bashing HTC at the moment for their "wasted space"... but I ask... did anyone bash Google for the ugly wall brick sized chins on their £800 ($950) Pixel XL .. which has No stereo speakers, Or Apple.. for their wasted chin space on iPhone 6S Plus / 7 Plus.. No, they didnt.. however, I was annoyed that HTC left out the 3.5 mm Adaptor then forced me to pay £10 for one...
And they critisise HTC for "stealing" LG V10/20 2nd'ary screen... but lets take a look here...
HTC were first with Outboard antenna lines for better signal reception..
HTC were first with "real" Stereo speakers
HTC were the first to use 1.55 micron pixels on their camera "Ultra Pixel".. allowing for lower light photography at lower resolutions, opening the way for better mobile photography..
HTC were one of, if not the first dev to make a full all round metal body phone
HTC (and SONY) were one of the only devs to push the boundries with development of the LCD display instead of always falling back to AMOLED
So yeah, sort that one out Apple / Hauwei / Motorola.. and everyone else..
Thing is, HTC make some of the best and most beautiful phones around.. yes theyve made mistakes.. but I dont think they deserve the bashing theyre getting..
Oh and finally.. i was chatting to one of the staff in Carphone Warehouse (UK) and she said theyve sold 100s of U Ultras and U Plays, so good to hear from a support and OTA
updates perspective
I just wish "Sense Companion" worked better here in the UK
Just my thoughts. anyway

Switch from Pixel 2 XL

Hey guys I'm thinking of switching from the Pixel 2 XL to the OnePlus 6.
Some of the reasons I'm thinking of switching is that I miss having the headphone jack. It's gotten quite annoying not having it. I don't take many pictures, so I'm not too concerned with the camera downgrade. Price is definitely a big deal. I can sell my Pixel on Swappa and essentially break even. If I wait til the Pixel 3 and trade mine in, I still have to come up with 300-400 to upgrade. If I switch the the OnePlus 6, I'm getting the latest specs, extra RAM at pretty much no cost.
What do you guys think? Wanna help me decide?

kingmikel said:
Hey guys I'm thinking of switching from the Pixel 2 XL to the OnePlus 6.
Some of the reasons I'm thinking of switching is that I miss having the headphone jack. It's gotten quite annoying not having it. I don't take many pictures, so I'm not too concerned with the camera downgrade. Price is definitely a big deal. I can sell my Pixel on Swappa and essentially break even. If I wait til the Pixel 3 and trade mine in, I still have to come up with 300-400 to upgrade. If I switch the the OnePlus 6, I'm getting the latest specs, extra RAM at pretty much no cost.
What do you guys think? Wanna help me decide?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from the HTC U Ultra, and for me atleast the One Plus turned out to be a really good investment. I also switched in part to the Headphone jack, and extra RAM. I do like he the phone so far, and found the camera to be on par with my HTC phone if not a bit better. The only complaint I have is I find the speaker , and vibration quite weak as compared to my HTC. In the end, the specs are quite good for the price

I've been a 2XL owner since January and I just bought the 6.
The 6 has a much worse vibration motor than the 2XL; to me at least, it is a huge difference and I really dislike the feel of the motor on the 6.
Colours/screen however, looks better to me on the 6, despite having a lower resolution - colours are more vibrant and no screen issues that many users report on the 2XL.
Performance is better on the 6 and that is a bit obvious I know, but I was shocked at the difference - it's actually noticable! Apps launch insanely fast while the 2XL is still stuck on that same app's splash screen.
The camera is not great at all in my opinion (on the 6). I could even go as far as saying it's slightly below average. Maybe it's because the Pixel's camera has spoiled me. You mentioned this isn't an important thing to you so you should be fine in this department.
I have all Bluetooth accessories, including headphones, so a headphone jack isn't necessary for me, but for your needs, it seems like another plus! (No pun intended lol).
Not sure if custom development (ROMs, kernels, etc.) are important, but OnePlus should have a lot more of that than the Pixels.
And finally, the biggest "feature" is the price - OnePlus is the clear winner here as well (especially for what you get in return).
I hope this helps make your decision a bit more clear

I'm using pixel 2 XL as my primary phone and this device as my secondary phone.
I'll never keep one plus 6 as my primary device cos I'm into photography. The only reason I have this for dash charging and dual SIM. Also I'm a digital nomad and I carry multiple devices. I retired my LG G4 which was an excellent shooter and was my back up device, now that's been replaced with one plus 6.
The extra specs and Ram doesn't really scream performance when you pit it against pixel 2 XL. One plus reduces all the animations to make the device faster but it doesn't have a very noticeable performance than my pixel.
I'm not bothered with the notch.
If you have the budget do both and you'll be happy. Else get this device and play around with both and sell what you think doesn't work for you.
My pixel is very dear to me so I would never think of replacing it with any other device. Also with one plus you lose the water proof thinge!!

manasgirdhar said:
I came from the HTC U Ultra, and for me atleast the One Plus turned out to be a really good investment. I also switched in part to the Headphone jack, and extra RAM. I do like he the phone so far, and found the camera to be on par with my HTC phone if not a bit better. The only complaint I have is I find the speaker , and vibration quite weak as compared to my HTC. In the end, the specs are quite good for the price
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can see how the speaker and vibration could be bothersome. I love my Pixel 2 XL speakers, but I don't get to use them much because I'm at work or out a lot, and headphones would definitely come in handy. I have some Bluetooth headphones, but I have a lot more regular headphones that I have in my backpack, laying around at work, etc. It definitely seems worth the price!
rickysidhu_ said:
I've been a 2XL owner since January and I just bought the 6.
The 6 has a much worse vibration motor than the 2XL; to me at least, it is a huge difference and I really dislike the feel of the motor on the 6.
Colours/screen however, looks better to me on the 6, despite having a lower resolution - colours are more vibrant and no screen issues that many users report on the 2XL.
Performance is better on the 6 and that is a bit obvious I know, but I was shocked at the difference - it's actually noticable! Apps launch insanely fast while the 2XL is still stuck on that same app's splash screen.
The camera is not great at all in my opinion (on the 6). I could even go as far as saying it's slightly below average. Maybe it's because the Pixel's camera has spoiled me. You mentioned this isn't an important thing to you so you should be fine in this department.
I have all Bluetooth accessories, including headphones, so a headphone jack isn't necessary for me, but for your needs, it seems like another plus! (No pun intended lol).
Not sure if custom development (ROMs, kernels, etc.) are important, but OnePlus should have a lot more of that than the Pixels.
And finally, the biggest "feature" is the price - OnePlus is the clear winner here as well (especially for what you get in return).
I hope this helps make your decision a bit more clear
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It definitely helps! I've seen plenty of reviews where the reviewers say that the Pixel is faster. I'm not saying mine is slow, but it definitely hangs on some apps and I just have a hard time believing that the newest processor plus more ram isn't going to be faster than last years with less ram.
You've made great points, I hadn't thought about the screen. I definitely could see how the OnePlus 6 has a better screen! Thanks for your input, it's definitely been helpful
venkig said:
I'm using pixel 2 XL as my primary phone and this device as my secondary phone.
I'll never keep one plus 6 as my primary device cos I'm into photography. The only reason I have this for dash charging and dual SIM. Also I'm a digital nomad and I carry multiple devices. I retired my LG G4 which was an excellent shooter and was my back up device, now that's been replaced with one plus 6.
The extra specs and Ram doesn't really scream performance when you pit it against pixel 2 XL. One plus reduces all the animations to make the device faster but it doesn't have a very noticeable performance than my pixel.
I'm not bothered with the notch.
If you have the budget do both and you'll be happy. Else get this device and play around with both and sell what you think doesn't work for you.
My pixel is very dear to me so I would never think of replacing it with any other device. Also with one plus you lose the water proof thinge!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my Pixel, and I think I'll want the Pixel 3 when it comes out. But price wise for now, it's either sticking with the Pixel 2 XL or going to the OnePlus 6 for a wash. But I hadn't thought using both to see which I like better. I guess I could always return it within the 15 days if I don't like it right?

I sold my 2 XL a couple of weeks ago in anticipation of the OnePlus 6. I loved my 2 XL but personally found it just slightly too tall and I just couldn't get used to the screen. Even with "Boosted" and "Saturated" color calibrations the 2 XL screen paled in comparison with my wife's Galaxy S9 and my iPhone X (for work).
As for the camera, the 2 XL notably outshines the iPhone X in almost all conditions. Surprisingly, the pictures from my OnePlus 6 really are not that far off from my 2 XL. The OP6 still outperforms the iPhone X camera with much more clear and color accurate photos.
I loved my 2 XL, overall. But the iPhone X really showed me what a well designed bezel-less phone should be. The OP6 is Android's best alternative to that, IMO. The notch never bothered me on my iPhone and it doesn't bother me on my OP6. I'd make the same switch again in a heartbeat. And the best part is that I sold my 2 XL on Swappa for $710. This allowed me to pickup the OP6 (8GB / 128GB), the Nylon Bumper Case + screen protector and still pocket nearly $100.

venkig said:
I'm using pixel 2 XL as my primary phone and this device as my secondary phone.
I'll never keep one plus 6 as my primary device cos I'm into photography. The only reason I have this for dash charging and dual SIM. Also I'm a digital nomad and I carry multiple devices. I retired my LG G4 which was an excellent shooter and was my back up device, now that's been replaced with one plus 6.
The extra specs and Ram doesn't really scream performance when you pit it against pixel 2 XL. One plus reduces all the animations to make the device faster but it doesn't have a very noticeable performance than my pixel.
I'm not bothered with the notch.
If you have the budget do both and you'll be happy. Else get this device and play around with both and sell what you think doesn't work for you.
My pixel is very dear to me so I would never think of replacing it with any other device. Also with one plus you lose the water proof thinge!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have both and agree with everything you've said. My biggest disappointment with the OnePlus 6 is the speaker. It's awful. I don't know if I'm going to keep the OnePlus 6. It is substantially faster than the Pixel.

Switch. I had the 2 XL, S9+, 5T before this. Camera is good but nowhere near the Pixel (neither are the S9+ or 5T), but if that's not your primary focus you'll be happy with the 6 until the Pixel 3 comes out. You'll probably have better resell value than your 2 XL too.

I am so torn. I have both phones and have about another week to decide if I'm keeping the OnePlus 6. Even though I have cases on both I just saw this guy who did a drop test and completely shattered the OP6.
Sound on Pixel 2 much better. Speed on OnePlus better.
So difficult to choose. Any ideas?

People are down playing how bad the camera is. It's 2x worst vs most of phones listed above. Software hopefully will help it.
Speaker is not great for occasional usage. Few things missing in software.
Luckily OnePlus holds there value. especially next few weeks plus 15 return window to try out.
Phone is very fast and ultimately stock Android. Haven't had any issues with day to day usage. Think it's a decent upgrade till the pixel 3 comes out.

Sold my 2xl an hour's to the money back I paid for this op6 and I already miss it ?

mackentosh said:
Sold my 2xl an hour's to the money back I paid for this op6 and I already miss it ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about it do you miss?

Don't choose the OP6 over the 2XL. It's a big downgrade, from the camera to the screen resolution to the terrible speaker to the vibration motor.

Goronok said:
What about it do you miss?
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Click to collapse
The design, the camera, and the fact that it's pure Android ?
---------- Post added at 01:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ----------
Only thing I haters about both phones is that there is no wireless charging ? but the OnePlus gestures are terrific

Much prefer my OP6 over my pixel 2 xl.

mastibeta said:
Much prefer my OP6 over my pixel 2 xl.
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Click to collapse
Why? I'm still waffling.

I love the screen, the speed is unmatched, and the form factor is more pleasant to hold. Also a big fan of the nav system in Oxygen OS.

intruda119 said:
People are down playing how bad the camera is. It's 2x worst vs most of phones listed above. Software hopefully will help it.
Speaker is not great for occasional usage. Few things missing in software.
Luckily OnePlus holds there value. especially next few weeks plus 15 return window to try out.
Phone is very fast and ultimately stock Android. Haven't had any issues with day to day usage. Think it's a decent upgrade till the pixel 3 comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disagree that it's 2x worst most phones. It's not even 2x worse than most flagships. I've seen several pics where it outshines the iPhone x or s9. The problem, in my eyes, is consistency. I'll take 4 pics and get 4 different results. 3 of them will be over-sharpened so much there is noticeable halos if you zoom in, etc. But it *can* take good pics, which leads me to believe with software (or Gcam!!!), we'll be money.
Also, the video is above average for sure. Once they get the focus hunting dealt with that is.

mastibeta said:
I love the screen, the speed is unmatched, and the form factor is more pleasant to hold. Also a big fan of the nav system in Oxygen OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree with you about the speed and form factor. My biggest hesitation is the speaker and volume.
I've heard conflicting things about whether it can be improved with a software patch or if we're stuck with a hardware problem.

I don't use the phone as a loud speaker, I have Google home devices as well as Bluetooth speakers. That said it's plenty loud enough for me to play games or watch videos.

Question worth the "upgrade"?

I currently have an S9+, and aside from the battery dying much quicker than it used to, it still runs fine. I was looking at trading in for the S21+ since T-Mobile has a decent offer, but I'm having trouble deciding if it's worth it. The specs don't look to be that huge of a leap above what I have now, slightly faster processor and slightly more memory, and the screen resolution is actually a downgrade. Plus, no SD card.
The Ultra looks like it would be, but I don't want to spend quite that much. I'm not seeing enough to convince me on the 21+ Am I missing something or is it really not worth upgrading?

BradHP said:
I currently have an S9+, and aside from the battery dying much quicker than it used to, it still runs fine. I was looking at trading in for the S21+ since T-Mobile has a decent offer, but I'm having trouble deciding if it's worth it. The specs don't look to be that huge of a leap above what I have now, slightly faster processor and slightly more memory, and the screen resolution is actually a downgrade. Plus, no SD card.
The Ultra looks like it would be, but I don't want to spend quite that much. I'm not seeing enough to convince me on the 21+ Am I missing something or is it really not worth upgrading?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jump on the hype train my dude ! Look at funny camera holes, not good 4 trypophobia lul
Spoiler: Me ranting about the design
No seriously, I think the upgrade is more on the look and feel side than anything else, and my personal tastes don't really hate the new design but don't love it either. It's like they tried to be revolutionary, then someone on twitter told them the first design was offensive to the [insert random common point, physical trait, interests and tastes] group of people, so they sanatized it so everyone would not feel it's awful. Well it worked, I don't think it awful but damn that's booooooorrriiiiiiiiiinnng.
in short I think you're fine with what you have, and i may even say try to look elsewhere a little, you might find your true love (in phone of course) in another brand
Have a nice day.

Raiz said:
Jump on the hype train my dude ! Look at funny camera holes, not good 4 trypophobia lul
Spoiler: Me ranting about the design
No seriously, I think the upgrade is more on the look and feel side than anything else, and my personal tastes don't really hate the new design but don't love it either. It's like they tried to be revolutionary, then someone on twitter told them the first design was offensive to the [insert random common point, physical trait, interests and tastes] group of people, so they sanatized it so everyone would not feel it's awful. Well it worked, I don't think it awful but damn that's booooooorrriiiiiiiiiinnng.
in short I think you're fine with what you have, and i may even say try to look elsewhere a little, you might find your true love (in phone of course) in another brand
Have a nice day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I'm already leaning towards not getting the S21. I don't understand how it's barely an upgrade (and in some ways a downgrade) from the phone I've had for 3 years. Looking into the OnePlus 8T right now.

BradHP said:
Thanks, I'm already leaning towards not getting the S21. I don't understand how it's barely an upgrade (and in some ways a downgrade) from the phone I've had for 3 years. Looking into the OnePlus 8T right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a OP8. OnePlus is. A good brand, but if you prefer smaller phones (which I doubt since you had samsung phones lol), check Google Pixels

Yeah, I like the biggest screen I can afford. Watch a lot of Netflix/Prime/Youtube on the go. I already went ahead and ordered that OnePlus 8T after reading more reviews and the forums here. Can't beat the price of free when I trade in the S9.

I decided to upgrade from my Note 9 to the 21+. Why? Because I felt like it and got a great deal from AT&T on my trade in. My Note was running fine, but it is getting a little long in the tooth since It's been 2+ years.
I chose the Plus because I wanted the bigger screen and bigger battery. The glass vs plastic wasn't an issue for me, I'd have been fine with either. I also didn't want to spend the $$$ for the Ultra since I'm not a big photo person, just a casual photographer for personal purposes. The plus was just in that nice sweet spot for me, and I knew this would be the last flagship that I'd get the big $800 credit from AT&T for a trade-in, so I figured I might as well take advantage while I could.

How much the battery on your S9+ last?
With the S21+ you will have twice the battery time. The 1080+ screen actually increases battery time by about 20-30% over the unncecessarily high (IMO) QHD+ resolution
And apart from battery is far better in processor power of course, and an upgrade in genearl in many ways... On screen fingerprint reader, much faster one, far better cameras, better audio, and so on

Definitely worth it. My last phone is exynos s9+ and definitely s21+ (exynos) double performance and double the battery life

I came from a VZW Pixel 3aXl....to a Unlocked phone... seems like an upgrade to me, plus I got 200 bucks tradein

BradHP said:
I currently have an S9+, and aside from the battery dying much quicker than it used to, it still runs fine. I was looking at trading in for the S21+ since T-Mobile has a decent offer, but I'm having trouble deciding if it's worth it. The specs don't look to be that huge of a leap above what I have now, slightly faster processor and slightly more memory, and the screen resolution is actually a downgrade. Plus, no SD card.
The Ultra looks like it would be, but I don't want to spend quite that much. I'm not seeing enough to convince me on the 21+ Am I missing something or is it really not worth upgrading?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The s21 Plus looks great but honestly I went from Samsung to Sony to Huawei to Xiaomi and I find Xiaomi to be the best, decent custom ROM support and good hardware, a lot cheaper than Samsung devices too. Maybe take a look at the Mi 10 Ultra? Not sure about where you are from though, afaik you have to import them into the UK. If you don't mind flashing a new ROM to your phone and tinkering around with it, I'd go for a Xiaomi. Big fan of Sony's though, the hardware is awesome and they're pretty much bloat free out of the box

I moved from S10+ to S21+ and I'm happy with the change because S21's screen is flat, the battery life improved, the camera improved a lot, the fingerprint scanner is way much better than s10+, I like the screen to be setup to 96Khz for example, still it has the crappy amoled with terrible PWM like most of the phones... If you have the S9+ that has much worse battery than s10+, the s21+ could be a good choice in all senses.
Take in consideration that Android 11 is still not very good in general and we need to wait 6 month till we will see an improvement.
I never been interested in the ultra because its curved screen, is not practical.

Like everyone else whether a device is an "upgrade" comes down to preferences, useful features which make a difference. Price is a consideration but not an issue if the device stacks up. Trade-in promotional pricing doesn't motivate me for a number of reasons. First off, I don't want to deal with carrier bloatware. Secondly, I don't care to enter into a muli-year commitment with any Service Provider. Lastly, all US Galaxy variants are bootloader locked.
My daily driver is an SM-G9750, S10 Plus, Hong Kong variant. I would enjoy Snapdragon's latest SoC found on the S21 but that's not saying the S10 Plus is slow, it's not. A larger battery is also appealing but I'm pretty sure I'll still need to charge the battery once a day. The cameras on the S21 Plus are the same as the S20 Plus and the only difference from the S10 Plus is a bit larger appiture. 5G is in it's infancy but at this time many of the useful iOT it will enable aren't yet available. Additionally, many 5G users state it's not much faster if any, than a good 4G pipe but at this time for device manufacturers and service providers 5G is a goldmine, the greatest marketing scheme since light beer. Based on my preferences these are issues I have with the S21 Plus.
1) No MicroSD. Sorry but I have zero faith in Cloud Storage, not only for data security but privacy as well. Samsung has also reduced internal storage capacity. 256 GB isn't enough, I have to close double that amount on my MicroSD already and adding more every week. It also saves time when you need to transfer data to a new device.
2) Camera Housing. The S21 camera module is an improvement over the S20 which is awful. It blends into the frame a bit better but it still doesn't lay flat and will snag coming in and out of pant pockets. It also degrades the device's symmetry. Samsung has like many of their competitors have gone overboard with multiple lenses. I'm certain if you had a photo from an S10 and another from an S21 side by side, you wouldn't be able to tell which device created the snaps. That's the trend in mobile phones but if you want really great photos, use a camera not your phone.
3) 3.5mm Jack. Wired audio is the gold standard, Bluetooth doesn't compare and who wants the hassle with charging buds? Yes, I can buy new earphones with a USB connector if I don't want to use a dongle but then I can't charge my device while listening to audio files, which I do often. Plus I really like my earphones, they sound great!
3) Flat Display. I like the look of Immersive Displays. I do a lot of gaming and watch a ton of movies or videos. A curved display doesn't bother me at all.
4) Size. The s21 Plus and Ultra aren't pocket phones. They're huge, closing in on tablet size, just too big! I prefer a device I can easily slip in and out of my front pocket. If I went with an S21 it would fit well but sacrifice a number of features.
5) Screen Resolution. Not sure in most instances if I could tell the difference between 1080 X 2400 and 1440 X 3040 Pixels but why downgrade on an "upgrade"?
6) No Earphones or Charger. Not my biggest issues but then again isn't the S21 Plus supposed to be an "upgrade" over my current device?

samsung offered me a crazy good deal. traded in my note 20 which sucked anyway. gave me a huge trade in credit. only 199 which they jacked to 260 something with bogus shipping fee and tax. free galaxy buds plus. 200 dollar credit towards accessories. it was a crazy good pre order deal. its always the cheapskates who ask questions like this. of course your old phone battery is ****. thats gonna happen. is it worth it? if the phone has better features [except for losing MST] and costs next to nothing in trade hell yes it is. samsung gives me great offers and has since 2 years ago when I traded my S8+ in for an S10+.

I just bought it and upgraded from S8+
Apart from battery I can barely see any notable improvement so I imagine that from the S9 the improvement is even smaller.
I thought my phone was dead so I bought a new one. I then starting playing with the OS and "Odin"ed the **** out of it and now I have 2 almost identical phones.
Still worth for me as my old S8+ is not working properly with the camera and GPS but if the hardware would have been ok, I probably wouldn't have upgraded.

For me: Worth it 100x over. My previous phone was an lg g7 thinq.
That thing took a beating and was quite the loyal device.
However, it was my carrier that ultimately decided I jump ship and upgrade. After their recent merger, I began to roam in my upstairs office. Started to miss calls and texts. Bad bad bad.
So, as I said I jumped ship; to a carrier affiliated with my internet provider *cough*.
I looked over their offerings, and the S21+ jumped out as being the "best bang for the buck".
Never had a Samsung device before, but so far I'm loving it! My wife got one too, and she feels the same.
Got the 256GB variant, and that gave me some relief, as the lg was starting to act funky as I had to move a lot of apps to an sd card so I wouldn't run out of space.
Again, for me, totally worth it. Feels like I went from a buick to a lamborghini!

Am I late to jump on the bandwagon? Anyway, I just received mine a week ago and here are my thoughts why this should be worth or doesn't worth to be upgrade.
I came from Huawei P20 Pro. IMHO if you're holding last year models such as P40 Pro or Galaxy S20, you shouldn't upgrade to this one unless you're offered with a crazy trade-in deal.
So, if your phone is older than last year models? Like S9, S10, Huawei P20 Pro, or iPhoneX etc, the specs worth an upgrade, but the price is still arguable. You shouldn't get this one on MSRP. Only do it if there is some sweet deals. For example, in Brazil, they added a SF charger for free. That's the least deal you should go for. For me, in SG, I've received Galaxy Buds Pro and a Samsung 10k mAh Wireless Charging Power Bank, and a Samsung Clear Case. That deal is a can't miss one.
Storage-wise, on my previous P20 Pro, which is 128 gb, it barely hit to 80 gb after 2 years of photos and video recording. Have a few gb of songs downloaded but nothing else. I didn't install big-ass games. So, for this one, 256 Gb should last long enough for me. In case if the storage run out, I'll simply backup the large files to my PC and carry on. No big issue on the storage.
No audio jack is a bummer. My P20 Pro also doesn't come with a round hole, but at least, they throw a cheap USB to 3.5mm adapter in the box. Samsung even doesn't bother with it. So unless if you get a pair of Buds Pro like me, you should get some Bluetooth headphones, or if you still prefer your wire earphones, get those kind of adapters that you can plug-in your charger and 3.5mm audio jack at the same time.
For display, I didn't buy any of the previous Galaxy phones because of that waterfall edge display. Didn't fancy a curve edge especially because it's very hard to get a good screen protector. This flat screen is perfect for me. The issue comes where I have to decide between FHD 120Hz and UHD 60Hz display. I used to use UHD display on my LG V20, and if someone said the pixels are not noticeable, I'd surely give him a pair of glasses. They're very noticeable, but 120Hz wins over the 60Hz, so, I have to pick-up the FHD again.
For an Asian, I got a pretty big hands, so size of this phone is not a problem, especially it is even slimmer than some other smaller screen phones. But when your screen is 6.7" and FHD, the pixel density goes below 400 dpi (398 dpi to be exact). If you've got an OCD for this, get an S21, because it has got higher dpi than the S21 Plus.
To wrap things up, the deciding factor for me to choose this phone over other contenders such as OnePlus 8T, Mi 11 etc are as follows.
- Not Chinese Brand (currently, we're boycotting as much Chinese brands as possible)
- Excellent camera setup. (Easy win over OP 8T)
- larger battery
- sweet deals (to receive $300 worth of freebies for a $1000 phone is undeniable).