Database Info

Just received my N9005

I received my Note 3 N9005 (LTE Qualcomm version) this morning and so far it's blown me away. I had an S4 (also Qualcomm LTE quad core) for a few weeks before ditching it and going back to my Note 2 due to the lag and various performance and heat issues, but I'm glad to say they're gone completely on the new Note 3. Under heavy load the back does get warm obviously, it's a fast processor and high-end GPU after all, but it stays cooler than the S4 and takes longer to heat up in general. Everything in the UI is utterly smooth and lag free, launching the camera app and taking a snap is near instant compared to the ~2 second lag on the S4 between pressing the shutter button and an image being captured. [email protected] videos look stunning, I was seriously impressed at the phone's ability to keep up and maintain the frame rate, and when in this mode the screen updates at 60fps as well so you get a good preview. [email protected] is likewise excellent, although just be sure to select 1/4 speed rather than the default 1/8 speed, as this still captures at 120fps (1/4 speed), but encodes and plays it back at 15fps (1/8 speed) which is not smooth at all. The display is absolutely beautiful, coming from the Note 2 the step up in resolution and colour presentation are immediately obvious, and even outdoors it still looks great. This is the nicest phone display I've ever laid eyes upon, and I've had a good look at most of 'em. Gone is the black crush effect, the purple redraw artefacts and the grittiness of the S4's panel, and being sAMOLED contrast is exceptional. In the hand it feels light compared to the Note 2, but at the same time sturdier, better built and there is zero flex or creaking unlike it's predecessor. USB 3.0 file transfers are noticeably quicker than USB 2, except of course if you're writing to the external MicroSD card as it's write speed is the bottleneck there. The faux-leather effect back still feels like plastic, but there's better grip and being matte, no fingerprints.
So far it feels like it justifies the high price (£604.96 from www.unlocked-mobiles.com including shipping), and time will tell on the battery life. Despite the bump in resolution I'm expecting good things there, the more efficient SOC and slightly larger capacity cell should hopefully offset the draw of running all 2,073,600 of those tiny little LEDs. So yeah, so far I love it and can easily recommend the upgrade from the Note 2, and especially the S4. If anyone wants more details, just ask

Nice little review.. what you think about the speakers? any better than the note 2? the note 2 speakers were better than s4 or any other samsung phone previously so maybe this one is a tad bit better? coming from the htc one, I know im going to miss those speakers but hopefully i dont cringe in pain from the experience on the note 3 (speaker wise) lol ..no one seems to do a review of the speakers on youtube and when i get the phone, thats the first thing i will do for people

As far as the speakers are concerned I just want them to be louder. I hate it when it is so quiet you can barely hear anything.
So can you give us an update on the loudness for the speakers please.

Don't worry about the battery life, it's pretty decent. I have posted detailed battery usage on my thread if you're interested. And the charging speed is around 48%/hour so you can topple it up pretty quickly compared to other phones.
stepinmyworld said:
Nice little review.. what you think about the speakers? any better than the note 2? the note 2 speakers were better than s4 or any other samsung phone previously so maybe this one is a tad bit better? coming from the htc one, I know im going to miss those speakers but hopefully i dont cringe in pain from the experience on the note 3 (speaker wise) lol ..no one seems to do a review of the speakers on youtube and when i get the phone, thats the first thing i will do for people
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sound is louder than Note2's I think. I sold my note2 already so can't compare them side by side.
This video shows the audio compared to the new Sony Z1 ... hope it helps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP5Ov4zcJE0

stepinmyworld said:
Nice little review.. what you think about the speakers? any better than the note 2? the note 2 speakers were better than s4 or any other samsung phone previously so maybe this one is a tad bit better? coming from the htc one, I know im going to miss those speakers but hopefully i dont cringe in pain from the experience on the note 3 (speaker wise) lol ..no one seems to do a review of the speakers on youtube and when i get the phone, thats the first thing i will do for people
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The loud speaker is definitely an improvement on the Note 2, and being positioned on the bottom edge doesn't get obscured merely by putting the phone down on a soft surface such as the arm of my sofa. In terms of volume it's clearly louder and has less distortion than the Note 2 and S4, but it won't match the experience of the HTC One with it's dual front-facing speakers. Quality wise, it's still a tiny phone speaker so you won't be doing any serious listening with it, but it's loud and clear enough to be heard in noisy environments within limits, not in a club or near a runway obviously, but it's acceptable in the car and walking around the city. The headphone output however is I think my favourite improvement. Audio output via a decent set of headphones is simply incredible. Not just incredible for a phone, but bona fide excellent. I'm not claiming it'll best a Linn reference set up, but I've heard poorer audio from home setups and dedicated headphone amps costing many times the price of this phone. PowerAmp seems to downsample anything above 48khz, but the stock player renders 192KHz 24-bit flac files beautifully.

MohJee said:
Don't worry about the battery life, it's pretty decent. I have posted detailed battery usage on my thread if you're interested. And the charging speed is around 48%/hour so you can topple it up pretty quickly compared to other phones.
The sound is louder than Note2's I think. I sold my note2 already so can't compare them side by side.
This video shows the audio compared to the new Sony Z1 ... hope it helps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP5Ov4zcJE0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you type the name of the video here? I'm unable to click the link at work lol... but i can search the video via youtube..
---------- Post added at 09:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 AM ----------
MohJee said:
Don't worry about the battery life, it's pretty decent. I have posted detailed battery usage on my thread if you're interested. And the charging speed is around 48%/hour so you can topple it up pretty quickly compared to other phones.
The sound is louder than Note2's I think. I sold my note2 already so can't compare them side by side.
This video shows the audio compared to the new Sony Z1 ... hope it helps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP5Ov4zcJE0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vanButton said:
The loud speaker is definitely an improvement on the Note 2, and being positioned on the bottom edge doesn't get obscured merely by putting the phone down on a soft surface such as the arm of my sofa. In terms of volume it's clearly louder and has less distortion than the Note 2 and S4, but it won't match the experience of the HTC One with it's dual front-facing speakers. Quality wise, it's still a tiny phone speaker so you won't be doing any serious listening with it, but it's loud and clear enough to be heard in noisy environments within limits, not in a club or near a runway obviously, but it's acceptable in the car and walking around the city. The headphone output however is I think my favourite improvement. Audio output via a decent set of headphones is simply incredible. Not just incredible for a phone, but bona fide excellent. I'm not claiming it'll best a Linn reference set up, but I've heard poorer audio from home setups and dedicated headphone amps costing many times the price of this phone. PowerAmp seems to downsample anything above 48khz, but the stock player renders 192KHz 24-bit flac files beautifully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well that sounds promising... from the tones of the notifications, it sounds strong

stepinmyworld said:
can you type the name of the video here? I'm unable to click the link at work lol... but i can search the video via youtube..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ePrice - Xperia Z1 與 Note 3 |擴音喇叭表現比較
It's in chinese The channel name is ePrice HK

MohJee said:
ePrice - Xperia Z1 與 Note 3 |擴音喇叭表現比較
It's in chinese The channel name is ePrice HK
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
o wow! i like how much louder it is than the z1 i hear a tiny bit of base coming through the note 3 lollll
thanks a lot for posting the video name

How does the screen look under direct sun light? Thanks.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 4

Got mine today loving it what a nice phone

testrider said:
How does the screen look under direct sun light? Thanks.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I live in Scotland, I don't know what anything looks like under direct sunlight :laugh: It's fairly bright outside just now but overcast, and the screen remains clearly legible and bright. Indoors under LED bulbs it looks great too, and reflection is not as much of an issue as it was on the Note 2.

Thanks! I'm in SoCal and it's sunny almost everyday of the year so that's a concern
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 4

How come my screen gets very warm quite quickly?
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app

Quick/stupid question. The sticker on the site of the box that states what region sim you can use. Does it state North America and the Caribbean?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Xshinobi said:
Quick/stupid question. The sticker on the site of the box that states what region sim you can use. Does it state North America and the Caribbean?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine's the European version, so it doesn't mention either of them.

vanButton said:
... slightly larger capacity cell should hopefully offset the draw of running all 2,073,600 of those tiny little LEDs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't that be 4,147,200 LEDs?

dscline said:
Shouldn't that be 4,147,200 LEDs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed it should :silly: I realised my mistake after posting. 4,147,204 if you wanna count the notification RGB and the IR blaster

Is there any difference hardware wise between this model and the AT&T version?
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

vince2398 said:
Is there any difference hardware wise between this model and the AT&T version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only difference I can see is the ATT version comes with a slightly different back cover, which features a rather tacky (in my opinion) stylised "Galaxy Note 3" in silver near the bottom.

vanButton said:
The only difference I can see is the ATT version comes with a slightly different back cover, which features a rather tacky (in my opinion) stylised "Galaxy Note 3" in silver near the bottom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And AT&T version comes with the bands to support their LTE.

Considering returning my Note 8 for a galaxy s8 plus

I posted in the note forums i thought i would see what replies i get here as well
I loved my note 7 (nice rounded edges samsung oem screen protector etc) This phone just feels ...well HUGE... in pocket as well as in hand... I am realizing im not using the spen at all really (other than to send sparkly messages to my wife) since i got my ipad pro and pencil for sketching. For some reason this thing feels immense in my front pocket and heavy.I read at night and holding this phone can be cumbersome at best.. I love the screen and playing games on it but for pretty much everything else its not what i expected. I went to best buy and held both phones at the same time and the s8+ feels so much better in hand with only a .1 in screen difference (i cannot even notice) Am i crazy for exchanging it for a S8+?
ps i like the dual camera live focus thing but for me personally its not that important. 99% of my phone pics are point and shoot and share to a friend or social media..
I had a s7 edge up until 2 weeks ago when i picked up the note 8 and it just feel gigantic.. I wanted a bigger screen because i wear reading glasses but the ergos are not nearly as nice as my old s7edge or the newer s8 and s8 plus.

Do you want to trade? Is your phone unlocked and what carrier are you on? My phone is unlocked by T-Mobile due to military status and it is in new condition! Message me I'm serious.

furfmonkey said:
I am realizing im not using the spen at all really
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there's your answer. and you'll get a bit better battery life with the S8+

I'm sure a lot of people will trade their s8+ for your note 8. Just ask them to add some cash for the difference.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

S8+ is the same size, with no SPen and a single camera, and 2 gigs less RAM. The battery is marginally bigger, though. If you want a smaller device with the same basic experience, go with a regular S8.

Just a quick follow up i got my s8 plus and I'm in love!!!! It's so much lighter and more comfortable in hand and pocket.. I'm so glad i switched ?

RazoE said:
S8+ is the same size, with no SPen and a single camera, and 2 gigs less RAM. The battery is marginally bigger, though. If you want a smaller device with the same basic experience, go with a regular S8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not mine ... I have 6gb 128 version. .
I have always since s3 had the notes Note 3 etc... Can't see myself swapping from s8+ this time. Less battery life on the note? Nah - pass.

I agree with your assessment of the two. I did the same Best Buy comparison last week and wound up buying the S8+. However, I will likely trade it in for dual cameras on the S9+. For now, I just wanted the step up from Note 4 and it fits the bill. S9+ will likely be it for a while unless Note reclaims their ergonomics for all. I'm a small person and not going to start carrying a bag around just to tote a phone. Meanwhile S8 was too small and odd feeling compared to Note 4. S8+ is just right.

Personally I hate the aspect ratios they have started using. 16:9 is the ideal ratio and happens to match widescreen video formats exactly. all this 18.5:9 crap just means you have a long skinny screen with less actual space on it. It's amazing how the screen on my old S5 just seems bigger simply because it doesnt have this silly long and skinny aspect ratio. In reality these screens are not actually 6.2" due to this, they are closer to an equivalent 5.5 and really ARE about 5.5 if you want to watch any 16:9 video without cropping it. Using the same logic they have started using for these screen sizes, by continuing to measure diagnonals despite not having a 16:9 ratio, you could make a screen 10" long and 1" wide and call it a 10.5" screen.....but it isn't is it.
That's my only problem with my S8+ (other than the fingerprint scanner placement) and it irritates me constantly. If it was 16:9 (which would also allow a much bigger battery) then it would be perfect. But I haven't exactly seen people commenting on it so i guess nobody else cares.

ewokuk said:
Personally I hate the aspect ratios they have started using. 16:9 is the ideal ratio and happens to match widescreen video formats exactly. all this 18.5:9 crap just means you have a long skinny screen with less actual space on it. It's amazing how the screen on my old S5 just seems bigger simply because it doesnt have this silly long and skinny aspect ratio. In reality these screens are not actually 6.2" due to this, they are closer to an equivalent 5.5 and really ARE about 5.5 if you want to watch any 16:9 video without cropping it. Using the same logic they have started using for these screen sizes, by continuing to measure diagnonals despite not having a 16:9 ratio, you could make a screen 10" long and 1" wide and call it a 10.5" screen.....but it isn't is it.
That's my only problem with my S8+ (other than the fingerprint scanner placement) and it irritates me constantly. If it was 16:9 (which would also allow a much bigger battery) then it would be perfect. But I haven't exactly seen people commenting on it so i guess nobody else cares.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no I agree with you. once i find a 6" phone with a less stretched aspect ratio AND stereo speakers.. i'd gladly trade my S8+. I'm not a fan of playing games/watching videos with a narrower width but longer horizontals. i wish Google would make the Nexus 6 again with modern hardware.

I actually like the new aspect ratio. It simply sees more stuff then 16:9
Had an s7e before s8+ and to me it's like switching from 4:3 monitor to 16:9 wide FHD monitor.
Only thing I don't like is iris not being as fast on daylight unlocking the phone and fingerprint feels useless here.
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

I ended up going back to the note 8 !! Even with a case on the s8 plus i was getting false registers on the sides and corners with my big meaty hands... Is will be here Monday. Also in gaming grip or watching movies there note is far superior.. i feel dumb returning it but hey, it was a learning experience and at least i ended up with the better phone in the end

All those guys who say the Note 8 is heaps bigger than the S8+, I own both. a side by side comparison is about 5mm taller and almost exactly same width...
Battery life is pretty mch comparable with both .
I have the Exynos version of both so that may make a difference.

ultramag69 said:
All those guys who say the Note 8 is heaps bigger than the S8+, I own both. a side by side comparison is about 5mm taller and almost exactly same width...
Battery life is pretty mch comparable with both .
I have the Exynos version of both so that may make a difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I certainly wouldn't call it "heaps" bigger. The angles are simply awkward for some hands and some situations. As for the weight, a hundred pound person may find it heavier versus a 150 to 200 pound person. Note 4 and Note 5 felt very comfortable. 8 is different. Not bad, just different. Without a doubt, the Note is the better phone. Thank goodness for choice.

Do you prefer slimmer bezels or front facing speakers ?

I can't help but feel a little bit jealous after having used the Galaxy s8 , that phone it's barely taller than the pixel but the screen feels considerably bigger , yes I know it's a 2:1 screen and not a 16:9 like the pixel 2 but still the bezels are almost 4 times smaller than the ones on the pixel , Google's excuse for the humongous bezels is the front facing speak , but do you really care ? Don't you listen to music through headphones ? I'm really curious , why do you need such speakers , if you care about quality you wouldn't use phone or laptop speakers , are you one of those incredible rude people who listen to music on the train thought their phone's speakers ? I'm not even saying get rid of the speakers , just use speakers like the ones on the u11+ or the iPhone x , how do you guys feel ?

Front facing speakers ftw!!! Once experienced, it overshadows bezelless designs.
I notice that after 5 minutes of use with a device I don't notice if it does or doesn't have bezels.
When not using front firing speakers, I'm reminded every time during media consumption for having to cup my hands around speaker.

I'd prefer the front facing speakers with the Pixel 2 XL's bezels on the smaller package of the Pixel 2.

I prefer to have the bezels if the pixel 2. Give me more places to hold onto my phone without dropping it out inadvertently touching the display.

I am completely fine with the bezels on the Pixel 2. Like @Tidbits mentioned, it gives the phone a good size to hold on to. I had front facing stereo speakers on my Moto X and going back to a device without them would be hard to do now. I do a good amount of mobile gaming, mostly first person shooters, the stereo speakers on the front are very handy for this.

Kinda wish for both like pixel 2 xl. I can confirm the s8 is about the same size. My old case s8 Fits almost perfectly
---------- Post added at 08:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:25 AM ----------
Obviously because cuts outs are different wouldn't be practical

Once I had a Nexus 6p with stereo frontal speakers it would be hard to accept not having them, one reason I was pretty blasé about the first gen Pixels. I was glad then to see them make a comeback on the Pixel 2 XL and managed to get one about 2 weeks ago. I think the Pixel 2 XL strikes a really good balance in terms of the bezels and speakers so I'm very happy with it -- in that regard at least.

I'd prefer bigger bezels with front facing speakers hands down. And have the others Have said, place to put my thumbs.
Now, take away the speakers; the bezels would bug me a bit.

Bit of both: I like the speakers, and prefer the on-screen buttons not too close to the bottom of the device, so a truly minimal bottom bezel isn't ideal. But I could handle them being a few mm smaller than the current ones.

I loved what Moto did with the Nexus 6. Although a giant phone bezels are really small. Considering it's about the same foot print of the iPhone +, it has a significantly larger screen.

WhaleTuba said:
Why not both? Small minimal bezels with speakers on them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In order to have really minimal bezels you need to get rid of the bottom speaker and move it next to the charging port, and thats make them not front facing anymore

Front Facing speakers 100% After owning the Nexus 6P, I don't ever want to own another mono-speaker phone. It was one of the primary reasons I got rid of my OnePlus 5 for the Pixel 2.
I don't understand the slim bezels craze. It's form over function.

WhaleTuba said:
Well you gotta admit that the bezels on the Pixel 2 (non-XL) are really big, much bigger than they need to be. I'm okay having noticeable bezels for the speakers, but the ones on the Pixel 2 are unnecessarily big for 2017 in my opinion. I'm all for function over form, but I want a phone that looks decent at least.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont have to admit anything! I totally support what you say! the bezels on the pixel 2 are ridiculous I cant help but get mad at google everytime I see the iphone x, its almost the sam size as the pixel 2! its even shorter!!! :crying:

I always wanted front facing speakers and I'm even more impressed with them now that I have them. Perhaps also it's the fact that it's HTC who made these speakers, who after all invented the whole idea to begin with, and who tends to have the best audio in these types of speaker. (I've seen a number of people say the speakers on the Pixel 2 XL are good, but not like on the Pixel 2.)
I listen all the time to podcasts on my phone at home and the experience with the Pixel 2 is so far beyond any phone I've ever heard. It makes it seem like a normal audio experience. It's also the first phone I've ever used where speakerphone calls sound good and don't seem like a compromise. And having the speakers actually pointed at me makes far more sense than having them point downward and other oddball directions. Of course, watching video and getting a read stereo effect is also so much more immersive than with any other kind of phone.
So I'm very happy with the front facing speakers and don't mind the bezels. Sure, I could have a slightly taller screen, but I've played with the Galaxy S8 and Essential Phone, and it really doesn't make much of a functional difference with what I do with my phone. I'm only aware of the difference when the phones are side by side with the Pixel 2. But the front facing speakers I'm constantly aware of how far they are beyond anything else I've ever heard in a phone. If the bigger bezels are the price of having the superior HTC speakers, over the not as good LG speakers in the Pixel 2 XL, then I'm fine with that.
*
I also think the super tall 18:9 screens that have become a sudden fad are ridiculous and not very functional. Everyone is obsessed with getting "full screen" mode for video on their Galaxy S8, iPhone X, Essential Phone, etc., and aren't aware that this is only accomplished either by either stretching the image (i.e. distorting it) or cropping the top and bottom off of the image. For a screen that's supposed to somehow enhance the video experience it is beyond dumb that it's actually distorting and/or cropping the original image, which by any reasonable definition is an inferior experience.
Further, super tall screens aren't that useable for maps or web pages. What I really miss is the 5:3 screen that my old Nexus 4 had. Few people took note of that, but it was a smart move by Google. A more square aspect ratio is much more useable for most web based, text based, and map based things one does on a phone. (Why do people think iPad's have even less wide 4:3 screens?) Also, the 5:3 screen in the Nexus 4 actually had more density independent pixels (what is actually what affects how much information a screen can display) than the 16:9 technically larger and higher resolution screen on the Nexus 5. But few people understand these things and fall for what are often gimmicks passed off as larger (but really only taller) screens.
Also, on a 5:3 screen you only have to very slightly letter box video (at top and bottom) to display 16:9 video without any of the distortions or croping done on 18:9 screens, but you still basically get a full screen effect.
So that's what I'd really like to see on a phone like the Pixel 2. 5:3 screen, 5", dual front facing speakers of the quality that HTC delivers.

The stereo front-facing speakers, without a doubt. I am on my fourth Google phone (after the Nexus 5, Nexus 5X, and the Pixel), and I didn't know what I was missing before.

Video and Sound Comparison reviews

Supersaf says "Google has ignored video quality, iPhone is far better for video... sound from the Pixel is tinny"
https://youtu.be/S9qNHYtNsik
There's definitely yet another Pixel sound problem going on in his video. Question is, is it just near range sound that's the problem (as is evidenced in his video) , or is it all sound?

Here's a direct comparison with the iPhone. The pixel's sound is terrible. How could they ship something this bad?
https://youtu.be/CQZo9SKj1zI

I received my Pixel 3 XL today and I just noticed that the sound is pretty bad while watching videos. I also have the iPhone XS Max, and that phone sounds amazing. On the Pixel 3 XL, the bottom speaker is noticeably louder than the top speaker, so while watching a video in landscape, it just doesn't sound right...it's really bad. I don't know if this will be a deal breaker for me or not, I'll have to try it for a few days and make up my mind. I also have tried the Note 9 and IMO, it sounded about as good as the iPhone XS Max. I have to say, I am a little disappointed in the sound quality of the Pixel 3 XL. Oh yeah, the vibration on the back of the phone is ridiculous also. If you had ear plugs in and felt the back of this phone, you would think that it has a pair of 12" Kickers inside.
Edit...I just tried my iPhone XS Max again, and the sound coming out of the speakers absolutely destroys the Pixel 3 Xl's sound, it's not even close. I wonder if Google can fix this with a software update? Probably not.

lyall29 said:
I received my Pixel 3 XL today and I just noticed that the sound is pretty bad while watching videos. I also have the iPhone XS Max, and that phone sounds amazing. On the Pixel 3 XL, the bottom speaker is noticeably louder than the top speaker, so while watching a video in landscape, it just doesn't sound right...it's really bad. I don't know if this will be a deal breaker for me or not, I'll have to try it for a few days and make up my mind. I also have tried the Note 9 and IMO, it sounded about as good as the iPhone XS Max. I have to say, I am a little disappointed in the sound quality of the Pixel 3 XL. Oh yeah, the vibration on the back of the phone is ridiculous also. If you had ear plugs in and felt the back of this phone, you would think that it has a pair of 12" Kickers inside.
Edit...I just tried my iPhone XS Max again, and the sound coming out of the speakers absolutely destroys the Pixel 3 Xl's sound, it's not even close. I wonder if Google can fix this with a software update? Probably not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my exact experience as well. The iPhone sounds like it’s got Dolby atoms built in its so much better. And yes google should be able to fix it with an update and it requires nothing more than tuning the audio drivers differently (which is software) however will they is an entirely different matter. So yes they can but I doubt it’ll ever change cause they won’t. A shame really
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My experience so far with my pixel 3 xl video quality is 4k is the way to go. I've used 1080p with auto fps and without and when viewing it on my PC the black in the video is somewhat pixelated. That does not happen with my iPhone Xs Max. The pixels video stabilization is awesome though. Stabilization works with 4k also. In 4k there is no pixelation going on in dark areas. Also I'm using h265 option in camera settings so that 4k isn't as big as it would be with h264.

Sony Xperia 1 Unboxed & First Look

Watch the video here:
I made this video and wrote this post to help anyone who is thinking about buying the Xperia 1 so feel free to read my post and watch the video to get some visuals of the Xperia 1 and please ask any questions you may have or anything you want me to test out ?
Today I am Unboxed the Sony Experia 1and thought I would share my experience with all of you, the box is nothing special, very unassuming in its white finish, Opening it up the phone is presented top and centre, underneath we have another box which only houses a start up guide, strangely no warranty booklet. Also present is the Sony fast charging brick to charge the 3330 mah battery, the Usb c to usb c charging cable, a usb c to 3.5mm headphone dongle and strangely enough some earphones with a 3.5mm headphone jack, thankfully all these accessories are in black.
Taking a closer look at the Experia 1 the first thing that’s striking is the form factor, that 4k, HDR, Oled, 6.5in screen has a 21:9 aspect ratio, the same as the films you and I watch in the cinema. Being a premium smartphone the screen and back of the Experia 1 are made from Gorilla Glass 6 which flank the aluminium frame in between them. The Back of the phone houses the triple camera set up which consists of a wide, super wide and telephoto lens, all of which are 12mp. There is a little Sony and Experia branding underneath the camera array but nothing too offensive in my opinion. On the top of the phone you can see the sim card tray which doesn’t need a sim ejection tool to open, and the tray itself can also take a micro sd card to expand the 128gb built in storage if needed. Along the right side is where all the buttons are housed, starting with the volume rocker, fingerprint sensor, power switch and the obligated sony camera button. At the bottom of the Experia 1 there is a usb c charging port and a bottom firing speaker but fear not as the earpiece also acts as the secondary speaker. Next to which is the 8mp selfie camera which has 3D support, all neatly housed in a slim bezel which mirrors the chin at the bottom of the screen.
The whole package is powered by a snapdragon 855 chip with 6GB of RAM and from my experience this is ample for a Sony device as its virtually running stock android with a few extras thrown in for good measure such as an cinema pro, an app that allows you to shoot pro grade videos using different effects and giving you a lot of manual control over those cameras. The compulsory Sony apps are also included such as PS4 Remote Play, PS App, movie creator and a couple of others which I find useful rather than bloatware which can be found on some other phones,
The Experia 1 comes with Android 9.0 out the box so runs extremely fast and fluid, no lag, no hiccups just buttery smoothness as intended. A few notable omissions are number 1 there is no headphone jack which is surprising considering Sony’s acoustic pedigree and number 2 there is no wireless charging which is a shame but the good news is ip68 water and dust resistance is correct and present.
Obviously the screen is the major talking point when it comes to the Xperia 1, I have to say that I love this screen, when watching Netflix the entire screen is fully utilised, no black borders, no notches, no pinching to zoom and no lose of any of the image. On Youtube I can watch content in 4K resolution as opposed to the 2K resolution I have had to settle for in the past. Detail is amazing as is the colour reproduction, this is thanks to Sony Using the all new X1 for mobile image processing engine from the Sony Bravia TV line up.
The feel in hand has surprised me, I was expecting it to feel top heavy and difficult to hold, but in all honesty it feels very comfortable, the weight is just right at 178grams, its very well balanced when I’m using the Experia 1 and I can say that I do use it one handed. Being only 72mm in width its easy to grip and I can reach the top of the screen just about.
Overall my first impressions are very positive, cameras which have been developed in conjunction with Sony’s legendary Alpha division, cinematic dolby atmos sound, that gorgeous screen that I love so much, the latest top end specs all wrapped up in a beautiful premium package for me makes this one of the best smartphones on the market right now. All you need to decide is which colour do you want to go for? Black, Purple, Grey or White?

Thanks for the review. Looking forward to receiving mine to see how I handle it. Length for pockets is my primary concern at this stage.