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After having this for 2 days now I thought I would post this :
As a Person who has owned every Note device as my daily phone, I thought I would write an Abbreviated 1st impressions, thoughts and review of the New Note 5
First impressions, tend to set opinions before fact……. That said, Samsung did a very nice job on the design and build. It is beautiful to look at… it has a luxury feel and interacting with the device is definitely satisfying.
My only concern is the glass back. That seems to pose a potential break hazard .
The non removable battery and no External SD Card……. Yeah I feel ya, I didn’t like that idea either, but TBH I only used the SD Card for archiving files and a few other things, most of what I use only demands about 10 gigs of space, so it is not a big issue. That coupled with the fact I been using the SanDisk 64 gig mini flash (it has both a micro USB and normal USB that slides). That has been much more useful for me.
There are ways to work around the integrated battery, and ways to mimic pulling the battery ….. so this hasn’t been to much a concern either.
Credit to Mocsab for posting the shutdown methods:
1) just hold power until phone turns off - then restart
2) Hold power, home and volume up - Samsung logo appears - continue to hold - Samsung logo goes black and capacitive buttons flash three times - release - phone goes to recovery - then choose option - reboot or whatever
3) Hold power, volume down and home, when screen goes dark, switch to volume up, power and home - wait until Samsung logo appears - continue holding - when screen goes dark or when capacitive buttons at bottom of phone flash three times release - it goes into recovery - then you can reboot -
Only on the Note 1, did I actually buy a 2nd battery. So, unless you are gaming on this device ….. this battery is plenty
Surprises :
This morning started charging right before taking a 10-15min shower and the was @ 27% battery, got out 10-15 min later was @ 67% ……. THAT is Impressive.
The Camera is actually better performing than the S6, (the software), this camera is finally getting good enough to take decent pixs that even a person like myself who has High end camera equipment can really appreciate the quality.
Another Surprise ……. Its physical size is smaller than the note 4, 3 or 2, it is about the same size as a 5.3-5.5 phone (see attached pixs of a Meizu M1 vs. the Note 5). This fits into my pocket where the Note 4 it was super tight to get in and out.
There are so many little tweaks to mention.... that in the past, I would either have to download or modify, Samsung has taken the time to pre-install these so the customization is more native. This is Samsung commandeering the Dev's and Modders improvements (probably from the XDA members- ) and inserting them directly into the stock experience.
Everything else is all similar to the note 4 with Noticeable improvements. This phone finally gets the S-Pen working in such a way that you will use it without hesitation. They REALLY …… made the S-Pen desirable to use, especially with the instant note taking without opening up the phone…… this is Way useful……
My recommendation is this; if you do not have the Note 4 and want a Note, I would Highly Recommend this device. If, you do not think you will ever use the S-Pen, then get the S-6 or the other iterations of that device. But, if you like the features all the previous Note devices had to offer, this is an interaction delight all codified as the new Note 5.
This is the best Business device out there 2nd to none …and possibly the best device period……. Those are my 1st impressions …….. thanks for reading……….
P.S. The Last Pixs is the Vibrant, S6, Meizu M1 and Note 5 side by side ..... Yes, I still have my 1st Galaxy phone ....running Lollipop....:fingers-crossed:
Nice mini review, helpful for those of us that are on the fence... I'm probably going to get one myself. Still debating though, I hate not having spare batteries.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
I agree with your sentiment, I am really missing vanilla android, may stick with nexus 6 after all
That brought nostalgic memories with that Samsung Vibrant... Those days was.... Ahhh... Memories.
Great mini review! Personally, I love the Note 3, and this just makes Note 5 alluring in ways. Alas, you know my work and travels @oka1! There are times I'm out of the network realm that I have to rely on my SDcard for files, music, etc.
So much choices! Not like before, Vibrant/Captivate was the "it"!
Man those Vibrant days were so damn amazing. Still hard to find a phone with such enjoyable development!
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 11:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 PM ----------
OP, on high brightness and a white background, do you notice screen pwm flickering? On all display models I have seen, it was present and sometimes distracting.
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helikido said:
Man those Vibrant days were so damn amazing. Still hard to find a phone with such enjoyable development!
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---------- Post added at 11:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 PM ----------
OP, on high brightness and a white background, do you notice screen pwm flickering? On all display models I have seen, it was present and sometimes distracting.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
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Yes...The Vibrant was my 2nd Android device... I had the Dream 1st ......then the HD2.... then the Vibrant, Wow That launched so many into the Android world Cyanogen, Aokp, and others Got their teeth cut on that phone and the rest is History ........... it was and still is alot fun to dev on.........
No, I did not .....I did notice that there is less light leak than my note 4 showed. Once I have it rooted, I ll be able to adjust the lighting and optimize it so that would not occur. My guess if someone experiences that is, a bit of insufficient grounding when the light is maxing out resulting it to waiver from max demand to some safety default. Just a guess though. Adding a slight blue to the white sometimes will provide a better optical white without that demand, but until we get root, look under the hood, and toy with it ......... no way to know for sure.
Nice short review. I too came from the 4 and as of right now couldn't be happier with a stock device. I just wish they had kept the IR blaster, I thought it was a great feature.
Sent from my SM-N920T using XDA Free mobile app
Solid review @oka1 ! Wife just picked up Tmo variant and I have been messing with it all day. Can second all of your findings, phenomenal upgrade from N4
tommason1968 said:
Nice short review. I too came from the 4 and as of right now couldn't be happier with a stock device. I just wish they had kept the IR blaster, I thought it was a great feature.
Sent from my SM-N920T using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
yup I kinda wanted the IR Blaster but I am guessing there were not a lot of people you used it ...ergo ... it went away.....
Warrior1975 said:
Nice mini review, helpful for those of us that are on the fence... I'm probably going to get one myself. Still debating though, I hate not having spare batteries.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
Whats up warrior[emoji2] i was like you on the fence because of the battery. Ive had a spare battery for every note since note 2 and loved the option of just switching it out opposed to waiting for a charge. A couple months ago i bought the Anker 24,000 since i have 3 kids with Samsung phones that game all day so im covered there and like oka i was shocked at how fast this phone charges. Really amazing. I set it down to charge, ate lunch and it was at 80% from 4. I think youll be fine especially once we get some rom and kernel development.
@sshafranko-Long time no speak bro!! Hope all is well.
I saw your post in the battery thread, you had incredible battery life. I'm definitely leaning more towards getting this device than not. Before I knew what the deal was, I was going to get it... But as I saw the horror stories, no removable battery and SD card gone, I said no.
Have to change with the times though... I don't think those things matter as much as they once did. I really do prefer having spare batteries, have had 3 for each of my last 4 phones...with the super fast charging, it won't matter much.
Last concern will be development. I'm sure it will be super slow with this device. Note 4 is much less developed than the 3...
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Warrior1975 said:
@sshafranko-Long time no speak bro!! Hope all is well.
I saw your post in the battery thread, you had incredible battery life. I'm definitely leaning more towards getting this device than not. Before I knew what the deal was, I was going to get it... But as I saw the horror stories, no removable battery and SD card gone, I said no.
Have to change with the times though... I don't think those things matter as much as they once did. I really do prefer having spare batteries, have had 3 for each of my last 4 phones...with the super fast charging, it won't matter much.
Last concern will be development. I'm sure it will be super slow with this device. Note 4 is much less developed than the 3...
Sent from my SM-N910T using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
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Yea i agree with the dev statement but i think that is because the n3 was such a great phone imo prob the best note i ever owned, and the upgrade to n4 wasnt warranted for most people so they stuck it out with the n3 waiting for the 5. I think a lot of people will be on the fence like you because of the battery and storage situation but as time goes by and you hear all the good things about the phone youll dive right in. Not sure if there will be as much dev as the n3 but i think or at least i hope the most important ones will be here. All im looking for is Lean(Imoseyon) and Tweaked(Dwith). Unbeatable combo...keeping my fingers crossed
Dwith would be great to have for sure. There are a couple of good devs here already...so there is hope. I'm more than likely going to get the Note 5. I'll goto tmobile tomorrow. I'm getting more and more excited.
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2
COMING FROM A GALAXY S6 EDGE, HERE IS MY LITTLE REVIEW NOTE 5 VS GS6 EDGE
Don't want to start an argument just a few things i notice, own both phones.
NOTE 5
much MUCH smoother faster touchwiz no lag/stutter (both factory reset and after same apps installed test)
does not heat up even when gaming. (not even warm)
battery life i get around 5:30-6hr SOT
Screen is about 30-40% brighter, white looks whiter ( i didn't believe until owning both device)
BOTH phone almost same spec but feel like 2 completly different phones. i hate how the edge touchwiz bug down, reload icons and widget, freeze when you are using heavy usage ram apps etc. If you guys can get a hold of the GS6 edge plus rom which is already ported to the edge, try that and see if it fix the issues.
i think the problem is touch wiz (eat so much ram)cause even my note 5 usage at the end of the day is around 87%. (and this is with package disable pro, disabling about 120 background apps which i also used on my edge)
I actually wanted to try the NOTE 5 not for the reason mention above, just that i hate using cases and the Edge is to SHARP to hold for my liking, i was gonna buy the regular GS6 for this reason but since the note 5 was going to be release soon i waited. To my surprise i got much more than what i wanted.
probably will be selling the GS6 edge, right now im using has my daily driver the NOTE 5, love the S-pen make things much easier to screenshot,crop and share which i do often. taken notes when screen is off is so usefull.
Edit: Has of now the built quality has been excellent. No pinkish or color shift screen, no polish scratches in the screen, no lose buttons. The only thing i'm kind of disappointed is that i was expecting a louder speaker, The speaker IS THE SAME has the GS6 edge..... is loud but i would figure with a larger device you would get a larger speaker . I heard the fingerprint scanner is more accurate but i havent try it yet. It seems that ALL NOTE 5 are coming with the SONY LENS CAMERA SENSOR. unlike the GS6 which it was a hit or miss.
Just find out that the IR blaster was stripped therefore can not use the note 5 as a remote control. Samsung and Peel have been working together since the s4, I don't know why in the world that feature too was taken off.
Is there theme store support?
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From what I've read, yes there is.
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chocolatet said:
Is there theme store support?
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using XDA Free mobile app
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Theme support is now part of Toucchwiz...will you use the themes? Thats another story.
For a lady such as myself, I wont mind them...but even I find some of them way too damn cute I just want to gauge my eyes out.
If I ever get a Touchwiz again, I am hopiing there will be better themes out by than
mgbotoe said:
Theme support is now part of Toucchwiz...will you use the themes? Thats another story.
For a lady such as myself, I wont mind them...but even I find some of them way too damn cute I just want to gauge my eyes out.
If I ever get a Touchwiz again, I am hopiing there will be better themes out by than
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Click to collapse
I've been using the themes and I Love it. My Wife is running CM On her S5 and the Tw theme store is set up very similar to the CM theme Store.The main difference that I noticed is on the CM theme set up you can pick what part of the Phone you want themed. For e xample you can theme the icons and not the Keyboard. on the new TW theme setup you can't pick what parts to theme it just themes it all or whatever is included in the theme. Who knows the theme devs may Like this setup and we may have a huge selection to piKK from. Well I hope anyway. ALSO its awesome not to have to flash anything, it takes a few seconds to apply a theme. I've been switching between Material dark and Light. Anyway I personaly Love it . Wrote this post with my spen so sry for the grammar errors. ALSO all this can be done 'without root. I think its delicious Like the ribeye I just ate.[emoji2]
sshafranko said:
I've been using the themes and I Love it. My Wife is running CM On her S5 and the Tw theme store is set up very similar to the CM theme Store.The main difference that I noticed is on the CM theme set up you can pick what part of the Phone you want themed. For e xample you can theme the icons and not the Keyboard. on the new TW theme setup you can't pick what parts to theme it just themes it all or whatever is included in the theme. Who knows the theme devs may Like this setup and we may have a huge selection to piKK from. Well I hope anyway. ALSO its awesome not to have to flash anything, it takes a few seconds to apply a theme. I've been switching between Material dark and Light. Anyway I personaly Love it . Wrote this post with my spen so sry for the grammar errors. ALSO all this can be done 'without root. I think its delicious Like the ribeye I just ate.[emoji2]
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CM theme is one of the view decent ones there lol
95% needs work. I'm patiently waiting out for them to open the theme development to more users who play around on XDA, like the themer of the CM theme.
That way I will have choices that are not so cartoonish or just simply bad.
Hi there,
I am currently using Note 3 (N900A). Want to get a new phone on Tmobile. Since Note 5 doesn't have memory card slot, IR blaster, and removable battery, Note Edge .
Do you think it's too late to own Note Edge now especially if I want to use Kitkat with it ?
i heard that lollipop update on Note Edge worsens the experience , Kitkat is still preferred. But is running Kitkat on it stable enough to use it for the next one year or two?
Also, i will be using it on Tmobile. Can you suggest which Note Edge variant is the best on Tmobile (N915T or other?)
If you can share your view and experience with your Note Edge as your daily device. That will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot.
In my honest opinion: Go with the Note Edge.
I still haven't rooted my phone because I simply did not feel the need to do so. I m running lollipop and don't have any complaints. You can always go back to KitKat if that is what you prefer.
My Note Edge is still running as smoothly as the first month I got it, as long as you take care of it (use ccleaner etc.) you will not be disappointed! The addition of the Edge makes multi window kinda unnecessary but makes the experience of multitasking so much better. Before buying though: Try the Edge yourself! (if possible).
In comparison to newer phones, the Note Edge is still a beast. More than enough processing power, ram, a beautiful display which keeps up with today's standards, a camera which is still one of the best on the markets and battery life which you can't complain about.
As you can see, I still love my phone. And of course everyone has a different taste and preference so that is why you have to try it out yourself, see if you like the edge and it's benefits (hint: it takes a while to get to know all the features).
As to your question "Is it stable enough to use it for the next year or two?". From personal experience (owning the device for almost a year now), it is still very stable. Will it be stable after another year? I simply would not know since the device is still (even though the next generation is already here) quite new.
If you have any questions about the device, usage or whatever, just ask!
I'm running my Edge with a flip case by the way, which does not cover the edge but brings a lot of extra features!!
Thanks for the insight.
One quick question about the lollipop update. I read that lollipop update removes some functionality from the edge screen (e.g. Camera shutter button is moved back to main screen).
What about the Answer Call swipe? Does it still use the Edge Screen to do the Answer/Reject for incoming calls on Lollipop?
Thanks.
klect said:
In my honest opinion: Go with the Note Edge.
I still haven't rooted my phone because I simply did not feel the need to do so. I m running lollipop and don't have any complaints. You can always go back to KitKat if that is what you prefer.
My Note Edge is still running as smoothly as the first month I got it, as long as you take care of it (use ccleaner etc.) you will not be disappointed! The addition of the Edge makes multi window kinda unnecessary but makes the experience of multitasking so much better. Before buying though: Try the Edge yourself! (if possible).
In comparison to newer phones, the Note Edge is still a beast. More than enough processing power, ram, a beautiful display which keeps up with today's standards, a camera which is still one of the best on the markets and battery life which you can't complain about.
As you can see, I still love my phone. And of course everyone has a different taste and preference so that is why you have to try it out yourself, see if you like the edge and it's benefits (hint: it takes a while to get to know all the features).
As to your question "Is it stable enough to use it for the next year or two?". From personal experience (owning the device for almost a year now), it is still very stable. Will it be stable after another year? I simply would not know since the device is still (even though the next generation is already here) quite new.
If you have any questions about the device, usage or whatever, just ask!
I'm running my Edge with a flip case by the way, which does not cover the edge but brings a lot of extra features!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bschai said:
Thanks for the insight.
One quick question about the lollipop update. I read that lollipop update removes some functionality from the edge screen (e.g. Camera shutter button is moved back to main screen).
What about the Answer Call swipe? Does it still use the Edge Screen to do the Answer/Reject for incoming calls on Lollipop?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know, and I'm always using the flip cover, my calls always come in from the edge. I don't know if that is the case when the flip cover is open though.
To be honest, moving the shutter button to the main screen was good for normal pictures, the only moment it would come in handy was with the front facing camera!
Hope this helps!
Answer Call feature are still on the edge with lollipop 5.1. I love Note Edge. I am pretty upset with Samsung because they drop their balls in this incredible phone. And the critics should go to hell because they were bashing this phone too much, which might lead to the point that consumers were afraid of buying Note Edge.
The edge is unique and very useful, it is not gimmick like the lunatics in Engadget/Cnet were complaining about.
Sent from my SM-N915T using XDA Free mobile app
Thanks. So should I go for Lollipop or Kitkat if I am shopping for a Note Edge?
(I am assuming that Lollipop OTA on N915T is not stoppable unless phone is rooted, so most used phones are already loaded with Lollipop?)
Alarmmy said:
Answer Call feature are still on the edge with lollipop 5.1. I love Note Edge. I am pretty upset with Samsung because they drop their balls in this incredible phone. And the critics should go to hell because they were bashing this phone too much, which might lead to the point that consumers were afraid of buying Note Edge.
The edge is unique and very useful, it is not gimmick like the lunatics in Engadget/Cnet were complaining about.
Sent from my SM-N915T using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
bschai said:
Thanks. So should I go for Lollipop or Kitkat if I am shopping for a Note Edge?
(I am assuming that Lollipop OTA on N915T is not stoppable unless phone is rooted, so most used phones are already loaded with Lollipop?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can turn auto-update off in the settings > about phone > software update
I am begining to think either the mass public is just soo dumb (most likely) and or Cnet and other tech review sites are paid off. The Note Edge simply put is the best phone out there. Even if you are not a power user. The Edge screen adds soo much and makes it soo useful. I have a lot of opinions about how great this phone is and how people that disregard it or criticized it are just full of crap. How hard can it be not to see this amazing phone is no gimmick.
Anyways get it. Use Swappa. Phones there are authentic and cheaper than eBay and TMo store. Love my Edge. It came with 5.0.1 but I downgraded it to KitKat and its perfect. I cannot use another phone that doesn't have an Edge screen that actually does stuff like the Note EDge.
Also the criticism that it's hard to hold is simply false. If anything, the edge screen adds more space for you to have a firm grip. I have dropped this phone waaay less than any other phone I ever had. Also get the Flip Case. Oh and the Screen is tough too
edo101 said:
I am begining to think either the mass public is just soo dumb (most likely) and or Cnet and other tech review sites are paid off. The Note Edge simply put is the best phone out there. Even if you are not a power user. The Edge screen adds soo much and makes it soo useful. I have a lot of opinions about how great this phone is and how people that disregard it or criticized it are just full of crap. How hard can it be not to see this amazing phone is no gimmick.
Anyways get it. Use Swappa. Phones there are authentic and cheaper than eBay and TMo store. Love my Edge. It came with 5.0.1 but I downgraded it to KitKat and its perfect. I cannot use another phone that doesn't have an Edge screen that actually does stuff like the Note EDge.
Also the criticism that it's hard to hold is simply false. If anything, the edge screen adds more space for you to have a firm grip. I have dropped this phone waaay less than any other phone I ever had. Also get the Flip Case. Oh and the Screen is tough too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the tech review sites are Apple isheeps. Whatever android features or Samsung phones are mediocre to them. Once Apple copies all of that, those features will be incredible. Now iOS9 has "back button" and "pop up video". Honestly, I want them to go bankrupt.
Sent from my SM-N915T using XDA Free mobile app
---------- Post added at 04:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:27 PM ----------
bschai said:
Thanks. So should I go for Lollipop or Kitkat if I am shopping for a Note Edge?
(I am assuming that Lollipop OTA on N915T is not stoppable unless phone is rooted, so most used phones are already loaded with Lollipop?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no issue with Lollipop, but some others do. To be safe, you may need to stick with kitkat.
Sent from my SM-N915T using XDA Free mobile app
bschai said:
Thanks for the insight.
One quick question about the lollipop update. I read that lollipop update removes some functionality from the edge screen (e.g. Camera shutter button is moved back to main screen).
What about the Answer Call swipe? Does it still use the Edge Screen to do the Answer/Reject for incoming calls on Lollipop?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Answer call swipe is still there on the Edge screen. I am on Lolipop 5.01 (heard there were issues with 5.11 so I haven't moved up to that version yet).
---------- Post added at 07:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:15 AM ----------
edo101 said:
I am begining to think either the mass public is just soo dumb (most likely) and or Cnet and other tech review sites are paid off. The Note Edge simply put is the best phone out there. Even if you are not a power user. The Edge screen adds soo much and makes it soo useful. I have a lot of opinions about how great this phone is and how people that disregard it or criticized it are just full of crap. How hard can it be not to see this amazing phone is no gimmick.
Anyways get it. Use Swappa. Phones there are authentic and cheaper than eBay and TMo store. Love my Edge. It came with 5.0.1 but I downgraded it to KitKat and its perfect. I cannot use another phone that doesn't have an Edge screen that actually does stuff like the Note EDge.
Also the criticism that it's hard to hold is simply false. If anything, the edge screen adds more space for you to have a firm grip. I have dropped this phone waaay less than any other phone I ever had. Also get the Flip Case. Oh and the Screen is tough too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I got my Note Edge, I really thought I was going to have an issue holding the phone because of that edge screen. I thought that my thumb would cause all sort of touch issues with it. Surprisingly, I haven't had any of the issues that I thought I would with the Note Edge. The only complaint on this is that it runs slow, but I think that's all the bloat software Samsung and Sprint (especially Sprint) puts on it. So far, I've been able to get rid of some of the Samsung and Sprint software I don't use, which has helped with speed and responsiveness.
tkirton said:
Answer call swipe is still there on the Edge screen. I am on Lolipop 5.01 (heard there were issues with 5.11 so I haven't moved up to that version yet).
---------- Post added at 07:21 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:15 AM ----------
When I got my Note Edge, I really thought I was going to have an issue holding the phone because of that edge screen. I thought that my thumb would cause all sort of touch issues with it. Surprisingly, I haven't had any of the issues that I thought I would with the Note Edge. The only complaint on this is that it runs slow, but I think that's all the bloat software Samsung and Sprint (especially Sprint) puts on it. So far, I've been able to get rid of some of the Samsung and Sprint software I don't use, which has helped with speed and responsiveness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Note Edge sm-915FY is very fast with 4.4.4 and 5.0.1, I think that's all the bloat software Samsung and Sprin
Alarmmy said:
All the tech review sites are Apple isheeps. Whatever android features or Samsung phones are mediocre to them. Once Apple copies all of that, those features will be incredible. Now iOS9 has "back button" and "pop up video". Honestly, I want them to go bankrupt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good to see that there are other people who feels the sameway I do........ these iSheeps are beyond anything.... making so much fuss about 3D touch (where is 3D in it ?)
chowdarygm said:
good to see that there are other people who feels the sameway I do........ these iSheeps are beyond anything.... making so much fuss about 3D touch (where is 3D in it ?)
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Click to collapse
Yeah its really good to see others like us man. Its just a shame the Note Edge has been neglected even by Samsung. This phone to this day is simply the best phone ever made. I power use the Edge screen like no other and the S Pen
That's good to hear. Hopefully, I will join the Edge owner's club soon.
BTW, it seems that there is no way to disable the android notification on top. So is it annoying to see notification flashing on both top notification bar as well as on the edge screen? Or do most people disable Edge screen notification?
bschai said:
That's good to hear. Hopefully, I will join the Edge owner's club soon.
BTW, it seems that there is no way to disable the android notification on top. So is it annoying to see notification flashing on both top notification bar as well as on the edge screen? Or do most people disable Edge screen notification?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On KitKat which is really the best Android version this phone can be on because like I said Samsung forgot this phone once it launched, the notfications don't pop on top. It just shows up on EDge Screen
The only thing that shows up on top is the notifications but its muted if that makes sense. It doesn't pop up to annoy your view. you only see them when you drag notifications down. Note Edge's TW is intigrated with 4.4.4. Samsung as is their launch and ditch strategy left Google to update its phones. So 5.0.1 and up notifications are treated the same way as other phones. AS we all know, this aint like any other phone.
its really a tragic tale man. The Note EDge would be soo beast on the Note 5's TW which is 5.1 based
I see. So far, all the used Note Edge on the market for sell are already updated with 5.0.1.
Is the downgrading to stock 4.4.4 troublesome/risky? I couldn't find an instruction specifically for the Tmobile version of Edge.
bschai said:
I see. So far, all the used Note Edge on the market for sell are already updated with 5.0.1.
Is the downgrading to stock 4.4.4 troublesome/risky? I couldn't find an instruction specifically for the Tmobile version of Edge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The T Mobile version is the easiest I'd say to downgrade.
If phone is at 5.0.1, and not 5.1 Follow this direction: http://androidsigma.com/how-to-downgrade-samsung-note-edge-from-android-lollipop-to-kitkat/
Except instead of paying to download the stock KitKat ROM, get it from here: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=95832962473396964
Then if your phone is stuck on bootloop. Do what I did. Restart phone on the stock recovery mode. Wipe data, then wipe cache
After that, the phone will reboot. Set it up, then restart again in recovery to wipe cache only this time. This helps with battery life.
It's that easy. I'm staying on 4.4.4 till Samsung decides to stop playing around and make a new Note Edge
Thanks a lot for the info.
Is there any killer edge panel or edge apps you guys would recommend?
bschai said:
Thanks a lot for the info.
Is there any killer edge panel or edge apps you guys would recommend?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FlipBoard for news, Edgeboard to be able to have another favorite apps panel (Kit Kat for Tmo doesn't let you customiz the second fav apps edge panel). Thats all I use. When you get the Edge, you can see what works for you.
Music player to go for is definitely PowerAmp. I am grateful they cared enough to use the Edge Panel. I wish MX video player did the same
Thanks a lot. I think I am getting a bit ahead of myself.
My immediate concern is, is there a safe way to buy a fully paid off used N915T?
Swappa and Tmobile imei check doesn't say if IMEI is fully paid off or not. It only tells you if it's blacklisted or not. When you check the imei at the time of sale, it's all good and then two months later, it will become blacklisted.
I know that many used Tmobile phone sellers sell their phones , and then stop the EIP payment one or two months later.
Any recommendation on where and how to buy a N915T safely? Thanks again.
Well, here's my thoughts. I've been with Samsung exclusively for a while now. Last non Samsung phone I had was the HTC Evo 3d. Loved that phone. I had the Galaxy s3, the note 3, the s6 edge plus, then the note 7.
First, there is no denying that the Samsung is sexier than the v20. There's really no contest there. The all glass/metal construction of the Samsungs is beautiful. When I got the recall notice for the 2nd time my initial plan was to say "never Samsung again". My coworker had a n7 too, and swapped for a S7 Edge. I held the phone and absolutely loved the look and feel of it. I regretfully decided to give Sam one more chance. I called around to every tmo in Charlotte and finally found one that had two s7e in Stock. My wife also had a n7, we pretty much always have the same flagship device.
We drove across town to get it, and the rep informed me that would have to pay 180 down for EACH new device. I protested saying there is no way in hell I'm paying as multiple tmo reps told me I could just come in and swap, but he wouldn't budge. I left furious.
After calming down I decided to call tmo and just order the two s7e. The rep told me I'd have to go the store again, ugh.... I explained the entire story to her and she took mercy on me saying she would just send the phones to me no money down and I could just return the n7s to my local store. Thank God.
Then she tells me the s7e is on backorder until Nov 28th. This wasn't acceptable. Then it hit me: the universe was pushing me towards LG. I asked if we could just pre-order two v20, and she said of course. We even get the cool headphones.
That was Monday. We received the new phones Wednesday (9 days before launch, nice touch tmo!) and immediately opened them up.
Now, I've never had an LG phone before. Maybe before smart phones, but never a smart LG. So being that I was so accustomed to Samsung I'll admit I was a little disappointed when I first held the phone. It just wasn't quite as "sexy" as the note 7 was. Not even close, really.
But, after using it for a day, I've come to a few conclusions. First, the design on the v20 is much more "industrial", and I don't mean that in a bad way. It definitely feels much sturdier than the Samsungs, and though it's a trade off on looks, it's a win on functionality.
The software, I quickly learned, is the undeniably faster than the n7. I had such a hard time admitting to myself when I had the note that a 900 dollar flagship could be laggy, but It really was. I've been using Samsung so long I apparently grew accustomed to the lag. This is NOT the case with the LG. Even with all my apps installed (and I have a lot) it's not laggy in the least bit. Again, you trade off some of the sexiness of TouchWiz, but get more functionality.
A removable battery? What a novel idea. It's been years since I've had one. This means of course that the phone isn't completely sealed, which again trades sexiness for functionality.
The only thing that really disappointed me was the lack of water resistance. That was a feature I was truly excited about on the Sam, because I love taking photos and the prospect of pulling out my cam in the pouring down rain was a cool one. So one strike there.
I thoroughly enjoyed the "always on" display of the note 7. Functionally wise, the second screen for the LG does the same, in fact more. I'm still getting used to it, but I really love being able to access things like flashlight and settings instantly. This is definitely not a gimmick to me.
The screen? Jury's out for me on that one. The note 7 was absolute dropping, but it's not like the LG is a slouch. I mean really guys, 2k on any screen this small is going to look amazing. I do miss those amoled blacks, though. I'll admit that.
What will TRULY make this phone amazing for me though is if we find out the bootloader is unlocked. I regret deeply that I haven't been able to root my last 3 phones because Samsung keeps everything knoxed up so tight. If I can root and start installing custom ROMs, I'll be like a fat little prick in a snickers factory. I'll be quite happy.
Android 7 is exactly what I expected, amazing.
I can't believe I actually considered iPhone after the n7 debacle. I read reviews from lifelong Android users that switched to iPhone and they all said after a month they were begging for their Androids back. I'm so deeply ingrained in Googles ecosystem that it wouldn't have been feasible. Not to mention my entire smart home/entertainment pretty much requires I have android.
I hope this will help someone decide.
Oh, one other thing, I LOVE that LG included a IR blaster on this phone. It's something so simple but I LOVE being able to turn my TV on and off from my phone. Well done LG!
thatisandwas said:
....sexiness of TouchWiz ....
I hope this will help someone decide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But there is something that people either dont know, or dont understand. Touchwiz interface is mainly a launcher with few other things added to the UI. (settings and camera look). But the launcher part, it can be easily fixed. Just download the TouchWiz launcher and you are good to go! you have the launcher in the play store, and it will definitely work on the LG V20
Good point! I'm more of a Nova / Google now launcher guy, depends on how I'm feeling. But an excellent tip for those on the fence!
Well here's my thoughts. I've had the phone for about 6 hours now and I haven't put it down. Its extremely light and fits in my hands perfectly. As stated above its not as sleek as the n7, but ill be throwing this in a case soon so that's not an issue for me.
Pros...its fast. Zero lag. The audio is phenomenal in my opinion. The audio volume is high too, you don't want to turn it all the way up with headphones.
I really like the dual screen. I like to have notices pop up and I like flipping between a ps.
Downside...its not a blazingly crisp screen. Its like the note 4...a step behind the note 5.
Its going to take some getting used to having all your apps on the screens instead of an app drawer. Its a pain to find apps because I don't know how to alphabetically sort them.
That's the worst I can mention
Batter life is ok so far...it is slow to charge though. I've charged it twice about 40% each.
Hoping we are bootloader unlocked. If we get that I'd give this phone 5 stars.
bjhatch said:
... Its going to take some getting used to having all your apps on the screens instead of an app drawer. Its a pain to find apps because I don't know how to alphabetically sort them....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To activate appdrawer, read this: http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-v20-tips-and-tricks-716837/
bjhatch said:
Hoping we are bootloader unlocked. If we get that I'd give this phone 5 stars.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if you happen to have tmobile's variant, then congratulations, you get unlockable bootloader (already confirmed) >>> although not root yet
joseguillen1994 said:
But there is something that people either dont know, or dont understand. Touchwiz interface is mainly a launcher with few other things added to the UI. (settings and camera look). But the launcher part, it can be easily fixed. Just download the TouchWiz launcher and you are good to go! you have the launcher in the play store, and it will definitely work on the LG V20
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hate when people say this. TouchWiz is the entire UI, apps, and framework, the launcher is just one aspect of it. Yes you can replace the launcher but that doesn't make the device not run TouchWiz.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N930A using Tapatalk
Nick281051 said:
I hate when people say this. TouchWiz is the entire UI, apps, and framework, the launcher is just one aspect of it. Yes you can replace the launcher but that doesn't make the device not run TouchWiz.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N930A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol i never said you would get the whole TouchWiz package. I said "Only the launcher part", I know TouchWiz is more than just the launcher , settings and camera interface as i said. However, since the V20 is not a samsung , there is no way you can get the full TouchWiz package, only the launcher. And people will have to adjust to that like it or not. Its either keep the phone or go back to samsung
joseguillen1994 said:
To activate appdrawer, read this: http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-v20-tips-and-tricks-716837/
And if you happen to have tmobile's variant, then congratulations, you get unlockable bootloader (already confirmed) >>> although not root yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that, just figured out how to enable the app drawer...this is 100x better.
joseguillen1994 said:
Lol i never said you would get the whole TouchWiz package. I said "Only the launcher part", I know TouchWiz is more than just the launcher , settings and camera interface as i said. However, since the V20 is not a samsung , there is no way you can get the full TouchWiz package, only the launcher. And people will have to adjust to that like it or not. Its either keep the phone or go back to samsung
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just the way you said it seemed like you were trying to say that it was just a couple of minor changes and not fundamental changes to base stock Android is all but I see what you're saying now
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N930A using Tapatalk
Nick281051 said:
Just the way you said it seemed like you were trying to say that it was just a couple of minor changes and not fundamental changes to base stock Android is all but I see what you're saying now
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N930A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, i figure that part of the post might be misunderstood at some point along the way lol.
joseguillen1994 said:
To activate appdrawer, read this: http://www.androidauthority.com/lg-v20-tips-and-tricks-716837/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you so much for this. this is just what i needed
Exactly what I wanted to hear!
I am coming from a S7E and that phone itself is literally a bad ass electronic device.
The reason I am upgrading is....i dont know really, my addiction to smartphones? I guess it dwells down to wanting to have the latest OS update honestly. And the only two phones that are running it out the box happen to be TWO very awesome devices.
The reason why I went with the V20 over the PIXEL XL are because of availability mostly. But then I started to think, the option to remove the battery and expand storage is a plus! So I am not too concerned with my decision.
Things that I was on the fence about, Camera and screen quality. I guess I can live with having second best in both of those categories. As long as it isnt the worst then I can accept it.
Cant wait to receive this baby, I have two cases waiting already. WOOHOO!
Oh, I also tried the IPhone 7 route. I thought maybe I could finally sway away from Android since Apple has finally made a no compromise phone...wrong. The hardware is fantastic...but Apple doesnt do notifications and other small tasks as well as Android. I returned the device after 12 days of use. The Jet Black paint also scratched in that time frame. Glad I will be back on an Android.
Came from an S7E(also own a HTC 10)and man is it way faster. You mentioned the Note 7 was laggy the S7E was laggy as hell for me and I owned three different ones. Here are some quick observations.
-Battery life is great especially on Standby(thanks in part to Nougat's new doze)
-The Screen is not bad as some people say. It looks great, yes it's not Amoled but Blacks look suprisingly good.
-At night there is light bleed from the second screen that is very noticeable
-Sound is Killer on this, surpasses the HTC 10 which also has great audio
-No waterproof sucks, didn't know I would miss this
-My only quirk with the Software is the settings menu. I reccomend changing the theme to the High Contrast theme and also changing the DPI size
But ya Great Phone, haven't had a chance to test out the rear camera, but from what I can tell the front camera is only meh
Is it just me or is the fingerprint sensor on this wayyyyy better than the Note7? It seems to get my finger every single time (even when it's not on there that well). The Note7 would struggle a lot and say it didn't get it. Like others, I'm not too crazy about the placement of it but I'm sure it'll grow on me with use. Just not used to it yet. Having the option for a "knock code" while the screen is off is really nice and makes up for it. I will agree I liked the amoled screen on the Note better but it's not that big of a deal to me. I feel like I'm in the minority but I actually liked the look of the edge screen and how it made the profile of the phone smaller. Yes, the functionality of it was really gimmicky but it made it look nice. Overall I'm happy with this phone so far though.
@volfan22 @adolfo778 thanks for sharing guys! You have convinced me to at least try out the v20. Put in a pre-order today!
volfan22 said:
Is it just me or is the fingerprint sensor on this wayyyyy better than the Note7? It seems to get my finger every single time (even when it's not on there that well). The Note7 would struggle a lot and say it didn't get it. Like others, I'm not too crazy about the placement of it but I'm sure it'll grow on me with use. Just not used to it yet. Having the option for a "knock code" while the screen is off is really nice and makes up for it. I will agree I liked the amoled screen on the Note better but it's not that big of a deal to me. I feel like I'm in the minority but I actually liked the look of the edge screen and how it made the profile of the phone smaller. Yes, the functionality of it was really gimmicky but it made it look nice. Overall I'm happy with this phone so far though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No the fingerprint reader is as it should be on any phone. Super fast and accurate. The Note7 one was crap and an embarrassment for that phone. The Note 7 had so many little flaws that I am glad it went into flames. Seriously. The fingerprint reader on the Nexus 6P was similar to the V20 one. When I got my note 7 I was so disappointed: It was slow, inaccurate and you physically had to press the key which was just stupid.
mgymnop said:
No the fingerprint reader is as it should be on any phone. Super fast and accurate. The Note7 one was crap and an embarrassment for that phone. The Note 7 had so many little flaws that I am glad it went into flames. Seriously. The fingerprint reader on the Nexus 6P was similar to the V20 one. When I got my note 7 I was so disappointed: It was slow, inaccurate and you physically had to press the key which was just stupid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note7 was the 1st phone I've had with a fingerprint scanner and after getting this phone, it's crazy to see how different they are. You're right, the scanner on the Note blows lol.
Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
Seriously though. This smartphone is getting better and better for me everyday. I have 65 apps (USER APPS ) installed and many of then constantly synch, and the battery could easily last for more than 2 days if i dont use it alot . (I said easily, so it means it could be even more)
I was one of the ones that stitched to an iPhone after being an Android user since the G1. I lasted 6 months before I was back to Android. If Apple opened up the API then I could deal with it but simple tasks I took for granted on Android were hard to accomplish on iOS. That being said, I use an iPad because I think iOS has Android beat on tablets.
Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk
Is the S8+ worth it?
Are folk still enjoying it? What are the annoyances etc? Anything which you'd consider a deal breaker?
I'm due my upgrade on Saturday and for ages, I was certain the s8+ was it. However, I had the opportunity to muck about with the ZX Premium last week and my head was potentially turned. The XZ is also receiving pretty favourable reviews so now I'm not so sure.
The only thing holding me back on the Xperia is that I'll be getting it via my network (EE in the UK) which means it will be SIM locked and won't have an unlockable bootloader.
On that note, there are no similar restrictions on the network locked S8+'s are there? Has anyone flashed this on their EE variant?
nice phone but far from perfect. Seems to be impossible to get one that doesnt have some sort of issue with it... Mine has a slight gradient brightness issue that seems to plague all S8+ models, fortunately it only impacts playing gearvr games that ard too dark.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
I've had my S8+ since day 1 with not one issue with it so far. I read of a lot of issues with wifi, bluetooth and tint and as stated before I've had none of these issues. If I had to do it over, I would purchase it again. Probably going to get the Note 8 when it comes out too.
One thing to keep in mind is, people don't just hop on forums to voice their pleasure with the device, only those with issues create threads, obviously.
With the millions of consumers, this makes the percentage of those with issues pretty minimal.
OT: Mine has had no issues, enjoying the device so far.
Love it. No problems
Love mine, haven't had any issues.
cantenna said:
nice phone but far from perfect. Seems to be impossible to get one that doesnt have some sort of issue with it... Mine has a slight gradient brightness issue that seems to plague all S8+ models, fortunately it only impacts playing gearvr games that ard too dark.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You really like your sweeping generalisations don't you....
You previously said envy's dark theme will ruin everybody's phone when you were the only one to report a problem.
Now "it's impossible to get one... some sort of issue", and "gradient brightness issue...seems to plague all S8+ models".
You seem to have been unlucky. But why you seem to think that your experiences are the same for "all" devices is, frankly, nonsense, and based on nothing whatsoever.
My device is 100% problem free. Lucky me. Unlike you, I don't claim to speak for the millions of other S8+ owners.
B3311 said:
You really like your sweeping generalisations don't you....
You previously said envy's dark theme will ruin everybody's phone when you were the only one to report a problem.
Now "it's impossible to get one... some sort of issue", and "gradient brightness issue...seems to plague all S8+ models".
You seem to have been unlucky. But why you seem to think that your experiences are the same for "all" devices is, frankly, nonsense, and based on nothing whatsoever.
My device is 100% problem free. Lucky me. Unlike you, I don't claim to speak for the millions of other S8+ owners.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, your like my paparazzi or something??
For the record I never said envy's dark theme would ruin everybody's phone, in fact I praised the theme and said I would purchase if it ever landed on the Samsung store. What I criticised was the root method for install that was outlined in the OP instruction, yes those instruction (soft) bricked my phone twice.
Regarding my criticism toward the S8 or S8+, my personal experience with getting a perfect display has been poor with this phone and with my previous S7 Edge (had dead pixels.)
In saying that, the issues I have had with the display, I am only aware of their existence because i'm a gearvr user. The issue I have had are invisible to the naked eye, you need the gearvr lenses to see the imperfections. SO I will say, other than that, a great phone!
Up until now, I was a Sony adherent and was set on getting the XZ Premium. But coming to this S8+ has shown me what I've been missing. A lot of people complain about 'Touchwiz', being over bloated and laggy amongst some of the complaints. This is the first phone in years that I feel no need to root. A lot of reasons for rooting have been negated by the features native to this S8+. No need for 'greenify', 'system cleaners', can shoot 'raw' natively etc. Maybe it's just a 'honeymoon' period I'm going through being new to Samsung devices, but presently loving this phone to the max.
Thanks for the input everyone
Having an S8+ from day one - no problems at all. Came over from Windows 10 Mobile and like Android so far. Yes, it is a mess, IMO, and it is not for everybody and his dog, but this is only my opinion and everybody and their dog do not seem to care All is well.
cantenna said:
LOL, your like my paparazzi or something??
For the record I never said envy's dark theme would ruin everybody's phone, in fact I praised the theme and said I would purchase if it ever landed on the Samsung store. What I criticised was the root method for install that was outlined in the OP instruction, yes those instruction (soft) bricked my phone twice.
Regarding my criticism toward the S8 or S8+, my personal experience with getting a perfect display has been poor with this phone and with my previous S7 Edge (had dead pixels.)
In saying that, the issues I have had with the display, I am only aware of their existence because i'm a gearvr user. The issue I have had are invisible to the naked eye, you need the gearvr lenses to see the imperfections. SO I will say, other than that, a great phone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, I'm your stalker...
You're missing my point. You generalise. You seem to think that your problems equate with everyone else's. Why?
You DID say "installing this theme will softbrick your phone". You edited it afterwards. It never happened to any device but yours.
Today - well I don't need to repeat myself. It should be blindingly clear that YOUR experiences are NOT the same for "all" phones, yet you have said so. Twice. In one post.
Get my point??
I'm on my 3rd phone - the first had a faulty headphone jack, the second had a screen defect. Third time lucky!
I hate the bixby button. Its in the wrong place just like the fingerprint sensor. Ridiculous.
However I am enjoying the phone but can't wait for the Note 8 - heck I'd even take a Note 7 FE when released. Just prefer the slightly wider screen and the pen.
Seriously need to be able to buy a decent screen protector too for these curved edges.
B3311 said:
Nah, I'm your stalker...
You're missing my point. You generalise. You seem to think that your problems equate with everyone else's. Why?
You DID say "installing this theme will softbrick your phone". You edited it afterwards. It never happened to any device but yours.
Today - well I don't need to repeat myself. It should be blindingly clear that YOUR experiences are NOT the same for "all" phones, yet you have said so. Twice. In one post.
Get my point??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you are missing my points too;
-do you have a gearvr? i have read alot of posts these last few days from a number of people who are experiancing the same issue I am when using the phone with gearvr. Do you have a gearvr, are you a user?
-Your are actually acting more like a paparazzi than a stalker... think about your behaviour? its screams Paparazzi!! Im not upset, i dont mind the attention. [emoji9]
-And you are fabricating lies now about my charcter, thats not nice!
[emoji23]
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
I had a Galaxy S6 and while everybody was complaining about it, I got lucky and my device worked for 1 year and a half.
I was excited to get my hands on the Note 7 (I had the note 3 and I loved it!!) but unfortunately you know what happened so I got the S7 Edge.
The biggest MISTAKE ever! After few weeks the device slowed down, battery was gone in half day and the phone was getting so hot that was annoying.
With Nougat things went even worse. After the update the device was getting roasting and stuck at the SAM/////// Logo. I tried some tricks.. Nothing.
I gave up. 2 weeks ago I bought the S8+ due to the similarity with the Note7 and the big display.
Now, this long story just to give you a good idea on my experience with Samsung toys. I'm honest I can't take my hands off this phone. It's stunning and performances are good even for an heavy user like me. I love the IRIS Scanner. Fingerprint is close enough (people complaint it's too high at the back of the device), audio is an OK+ (not stunning but very good). Multitask never fit better than this phone. I do translations for work time by time and I have to say having two apps at the same time always gave me some trouble in reading. Here it's mastered 100%! Perfect.
So far my opinion is absolutely positive.
I hope Samsung won't mess it up with rubbish updates.
I came from a note 4. It was bootloader unlocked and running amazing. Then it just died. My work bought the S8+ and so fast I love it. It was hard to think of not having a rooted phone but so far it's not been an issue. The main reason I rooted was for ad blocker but dns66 app seems to be working fine. This phone feels like a beast and so far with a few adb commands, package disabler and dns66 I'm very happy with your phone. I'll be glad when root comes but right now I'm satisfied.
2 weeks in for me and I'm generally very happy with my device. Like many others my only complaints are the fingerprint scanner location and the Bixby button. I may change my mind about Bixby if they ever get it working properly though.
This phone is great but I'll be replacing it with the Note 8 as soon as it's possible to pre order one. The s pen is a very useful tool for my work. Not a necessity mind you, but just something that makes it that little bit easier.
Coming from nexus 6. So I'm kind of use to big phones but this phone doesn't feel big at all. I have iPhone 7+ but this phone way easy to handle with 1 hand.
Saying that I hate the fingerprint sensor. I don't use it. I use face recognition and pattern way faster to find the bloody sensor.
I'm waiting for pixel 2 it's going to be good.
Except for not being rooted, because of Knox, I am 100% satisfied ... everything works. Great phone.
Had the phone since launch date. I had to exchange the 1st one and the 2nd one, but still wouldn't hesitate to buying this over any other phone. It has its flaws, but the pros outweigh the cons!
I have a Moto Z Play at the moment and as much as I like it, it is still on Oreo and is not up to date security-wise, which is a worry for me.
I was very set on a Pixel 3a which I can get for £299 with a £50 mastercard giftcard as a freebie. I have since seen a few posts on forums saying they get really slow after a few months and lag a lot, which is strange because my Moto Z Play still mostly performs fine, bit for stutter, but for a cheap phone it is fine.
I am wondering if I wait for the 4a to come out and spend maybe £400/£429 (whatever they price it at) for that, or just get the 3a, with the view that if I don't like it, I can return it in the first 2 weeks.
I don't really want to spend £400 on a phone ideally, as I don't really see the point.
Could some users of the 3a for a while give me some idea of how it performs after time?
I use my phone for YouTube, Chrome, Netflix, new apps and emails. Never play games on my phone unless it is a basic casual one that i'll play for 10 minutes and then delete.
(I know the new iPhone SE is out for £419 and will be worlds better than both of the Pixels' but I prefer Android overall and would rather not be locked to iOS.)
I'd appreciate any help, thanks
Edit - Just an insight in my phone history... i did have a OnePlus 6 for a while, but decided I preferred the Moto Z Play, so I sold the OP6. The performance difference didn't bother me and with my usage, didn't seem very noticeable. I just want mostly smooth and reliable.
Hello,
I've had mine for about 10 weeks now and I couldn't be happier with it - came from almost exclusively Samsung S range (3,4,5,7) and a moto x style in there as well.
'pure' android is a delight to behold. Still quick and responsive - boot time is about 2 seconds slower than when it was brand new. I've just checked and I currently have nearly 80 apps installed so that's to be expected.
It's a bit like a car/bike/desktop/whatever in that occasional maintenance is your friend ? I use Ccleaner and Greenify paid version. Rooted, EXKernel Manager, no twrp as on android 10 and it doesn't work on 10 yet. Took a little bit of adjustment to not having twrp as I liked to take a weekly backup but no big deal in the grand scheme of things - I'm still in love with the 'pure' android experience and not having all the extra **** bundled in from Samsung.
Few advisories I'd point out is that: I would have bought a 3XL if I could have afforded one, and the modding scene is pretty quiet but I have gathered 2 main learnings on that. Firstly, that'll probably change when the twrp devs get it up and running on android 10, and B, there is actually very little need to mod as the 'pure' android is just lovely as it is.
I've had no errors, no restarts/bootloops etc and re-rooting after updates is simple. I get a day battery no probs with moderate use, no games and using EXKernel Manager to alternate between Performance and Power saving settings as required. Camera is lovely. Wired headphone volume is a bit quiet but stick Viper4android on it and problem solved.
Happy to answer the odd question or 2 if you have any ?
captain sideways said:
Hello,
I've had mine for about 10 weeks now and I couldn't be happier with it - came from almost exclusively Samsung S range (3,4,5,7) and a moto x style in there as well.
'pure' android is a delight to behold. Still quick and responsive - boot time is about 2 seconds slower than when it was brand new. I've just checked and I currently have nearly 80 apps installed so that's to be expected.
It's a bit like a car/bike/desktop/whatever in that occasional maintenance is your friend I use Ccleaner and Greenify paid version. Rooted, EXKernel Manager, no twrp as on android 10 and it doesn't work on 10 yet. Took a little bit of adjustment to not having twrp as I liked to take a weekly backup but no big deal in the grand scheme of things - I'm still in love with the 'pure' android experience and not having all the extra **** bundled in from Samsung.
Few advisories I'd point out is that: I would have bought a 3XL if I could have afforded one, and the modding scene is pretty quiet but I have gathered 2 main learnings on that. Firstly, that'll probably change when the twrp devs get it up and running on android 10, and B, there is actually very little need to mod as the 'pure' android is just lovely as it is.
I've had no errors, no restarts/bootloops etc and re-rooting after updates is simple. I get a day battery no probs with moderate use, no games and using EXKernel Manager to alternate between Performance and Power saving settings as required. Camera is lovely. Wired headphone volume is a bit quiet but stick Viper4android on it and problem solved.
Happy to answer the odd question or 2 if you have any
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that.
Would you say it has gotten any slower after 2+ months?
Most of the reports I have read have said that it lags on the keyboard a lot and lags a lot in general. I wouldn't expect flagship performance, but I do want something that is mostly smooth and will browse the web without being a stuttery mess all the time.
Nah no lag for me but I use a 3rd party keyboard (SwiftKey) instead of Gboard. I use a lot of voice recognition for typing as well as the on screen keyboard.
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For Internet I mostly use Opera mini and AdAway and my browsing is fine
captain sideways said:
Nah no lag for me but I use a 3rd party keyboard (SwiftKey) instead of Gboard. I use a lot of voice recognition for typing as well as the on screen keyboard.
---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 AM ----------
For Internet I mostly use Opera mini and AdAway and my browsing is fine
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Click to collapse
Decided to just order one. It'll arrive tomorrow. If I don't like it I have 2 weeks to return it.
Best way to decide if it is any good for me is to use it!
Indeed that's what I did as well, let us know how you get on ?
gman88667733 said:
Decided to just order one. It'll arrive tomorrow. If I don't like it I have 2 weeks to return it.
Best way to decide if it is any good for me is to use it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had a 3a since I got rid of the 3 XL in December. I don't notice any slowdowns or performance difference even with games to the 3 XL I had. I take care of my devices though and remove unused apps and keep caches/storage clear as needed. Cloud storage is your friend. Most ppl just install dozens of apps and games and complain their device got slow but don't actually maintain their device. If you maintain your device it will perform well for you. I also get in the habit of factory resetting devices once or twice a year to freshen them up it literally takes 10 minutes if you keep backups of apps and data.
I personally think the 4a will be the better choice in the long run if you intend keeping your phone for a while, that being said the Pixel 3a is still a great phone I got rid of my Samsung S10e couple of weeks ago & picked up another Pixel 3a & i have no regrets at all coming back & downgrading somewhat spec wise, I still may pickup a 4a when the deals are on at some point later this year.
Also the release of the iPhone SE 2020 could be a good thing for future deals on the Pixel 4a.
Got the 3a with me now.
So far, so good! An added bonus is that it has WiFi calling, which I thought it did not.
Display is nice, size is good. Feels nice without a case on, but not sure I'm brave enough to run it without a case!
Speed seems fine, smooth and quick enough for me so far
Similar question...
I'm a Sony fanboy, have nearly all flagships since 2011 here, more or less good maintained with custom fws, i donated devices to devs here at xda, i'm a supporter.
My provider offers me to get a Pixel 3A or a Pixel 4 when i extend my contract for 2 years, the Pixel 3A would cost 11,50 € per month, the Pixel 4 20,00 €, in both cases the the mobile belongs to me after this 24 additional months. I really dunno how to decide, i read and read and read about the pros and cons, the results are all the same - take the 3A, says the tests and suggestions in the www. I'm not a gamer, no facebook, taking not much photos, not involved in social networks, i need pure functionality, navigation, good battery life, playing only CoC, NFS no Limits. The only advantage in the Pixel 4 which i see - it is newer. It's really hard for me to decide - any opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance. At least the fact that i dont really NEED a new phone, my 2 daily drivers are an Xperia Z3 and an S5Neo, both active ( private and business device ) with LOS 16 rock stable, smooth and fast systems. LOS 17.1 is coming for these 2 devices, i think with official status too.
So, that's all, please enlighten me.
_________________________________
Well, whereas I am quite happy with my 3a, my rule for buying (any) tech stuff is to but the best that you can afford at the time. I got my 3a cos it was the best I could afford at the time but if I'd had the money, I would have gotten a 3xl or a 4. Sorry if this isn't helpful, just thought I'd share a bit of my process. I guess the conclusion would be if you can afford the 4, then get the 4
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gman88667733 said:
Got the 3a with me now.
So far, so good! An added bonus is that it has WiFi calling, which I thought it did not.
Display is nice, size is good. Feels nice without a case on, but not sure I'm brave enough to run it without a case!
Speed seems fine, smooth and quick enough for me so far
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you like it, I prefer to have mine in a case as well (clumsy) so I just got a gel tpd case and screen protector on ebay. Screen protector covers the entire front including the bezels. It's done a stellar job so far - I keep lots of stuff in my pockets and there isn't so much as a scuff on my phone if you'd like I might be able to link the screen protector if I can find it in my ebay history ?
Link to screen protector:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143284267215
I have a caseology parralax case and a generic glass screen protector now, feels much safer!
So far the battery life on this is incredible, took it off the charger at 8pm Sunday evening, I still have 45% left at 3 hours of SOT.
That's will very weak/no reception for a lot of that too.
Given how small the battery is, it's really quite impressive
Really impressed with this phone so far.
The only issue I am having with my 3a is that I have always used Messenger lite (Facebook) for my messaging app. For some reason, a lot of the time the notifications don't show up after the phone has been locked for a while, until I go into the phone and it picks it up or sometimes until I go into the app.
I have notifications turned on and see no reason for them not to always come through and be visible on the lockscreen. Is this just the Doze feature being a bit too aggressive?
Ah I can't answer that, sorry. I use greenify to sleep my apps, including
social media apps. I only want to use them when I want to use them, you know?
So mine stay asleep until I open them manually.
That is okay. It doesn't do it all the time, I think it's mostly when the phones been sat idle for a while.
captain sideways said:
Well, whereas I am quite happy with my 3a, my rule for buying (any) tech stuff is to but the best that you can afford at the time. I got my 3a cos it was the best I could afford at the time but if I'd had the money, I would have gotten a 3xl or a 4. Sorry if this isn't helpful, just thought I'd share a bit of my process. I guess the conclusion would be if you can afford the 4, then get the 4
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Click to collapse
Thanks. And believe me, your post IS helpfull.
Greetz,
0LDST4R
_-_-_-_-_
gman88667733 said:
The only issue I am having with my 3a is that I have always used Messenger lite (Facebook) for my messaging app. For some reason, a lot of the time the notifications don't show up after the phone has been locked for a while, until I go into the phone and it picks it up or sometimes until I go into the app.
I have notifications turned on and see no reason for them not to always come through and be visible on the lockscreen. Is this just the Doze feature being a bit too aggressive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can exclude the fb messanger app from doze (battery optimization) in settings, its in apps and notifications -> special app access, in batter optimization choose to ahow all apps.
Maybe that helps. But could also be an fb bug.
Cheers. Glad you like that phone, for ne it's the best phone i ever had, it just works.
For some reason this second charge has started off worse. I suppose it'll take a few days to fully settle and let the adaptive battery feature set up.
gman88667733 said:
Got the 3a with me now.
So far, so good! An added bonus is that it has WiFi calling, which I thought it did not.
Display is nice, size is good. Feels nice without a case on, but not sure I'm brave enough to run it without a case!
Speed seems fine, smooth and quick enough for me so far
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gman88667733 said:
The only issue I am having with my 3a is that I have always used Messenger lite (Facebook) for my messaging app. For some reason, a lot of the time the notifications don't show up after the phone has been locked for a while, until I go into the phone and it picks it up or sometimes until I go into the app.
I have notifications turned on and see no reason for them not to always come through and be visible on the lockscreen. Is this just the Doze feature being a bit too aggressive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gman88667733 said:
For some reason this second charge has started off worse. I suppose it'll take a few days to fully settle and let the adaptive battery feature set up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will settle in a day or 2, youve got to remember that in the first few days of a new toy there's all the setting up/copying data/etc as well but the battery will learn your normal usage. Here's a screen grab from my Better Battery Stats, it's a pretty good %pH.
The annoying thing currently is that I've just changed my bedroom in my house, there is currently no cell or WiFi reception in it, so it dropped 15% last night because it was searching for them all night. Hoping to sort the WiFi in a few days