Re-Review article by Cnet - Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion

I think this is a pretty fair re-review of the Essential. Better than it was when it came out, but still needs a lot of improvement.
https://www.cnet.com/news/essential-phone-camera-improved-new-price/

It's a little bias.

I wasn't impressed with the article.
After having owned every OnePlus up to the 5T I think the essential is a better phone for $500.
So far Essential has better consistency with updates and I really feel that the internal parts are better than what OnePlus uses.
I have better BT range and WiFi range with the PH-1 than any of my OnePlus phones.
The only thing they currently are losing at is the camera performance. Hopefully they get it figured out.

more of a re-review of the camera on the phone than the phone itself no mention of the new accessories that have come out, the fact that Essential has done 3 beta's and is a little more open about the software. The phone is not perfect but in the months since the release Essential has focused on the important things nice that they are fine tuning the product and will be one of the first non pixel devices on 8.1

Having owned both the OP5T and the Essential, I can say that the OP5T is the better phone. Lot less bugs, nicer screen, super think and light... Only reason I don't have the OP5T is because it doesn't support VoLTE on AT&T without a custom ROM.

SquireSCA said:
Having owned both the OP5T and the Essential, I can say that the OP5T is the better phone. Lot less bugs, nicer screen, super think and light... Only reason I don't have the OP5T is because it doesn't support VoLTE on AT&T without a custom ROM.
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I agree. I own both and switch between them every couple days. The 5T is the better phone, but for me the form factor of the PH1 is just so perfect. What kills it though is the terrible reception. In places where I can at least get hspa on the 5T, the PH1 has no signal at all. I guess there is no perfect phone.

Airwolf79 said:
I agree. I own both and switch between them every couple days. The 5T is the better phone, but for me the form factor of the PH1 is just so perfect. What kills it though is the terrible reception. In places where I can at least get hspa on the 5T, the PH1 has no signal at all. I guess there is no perfect phone.
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Agreed, I like the form factor and premium feel of the PH-1. But the OP5T screen is nicer, the screen is larger, the phone is incredibly light and thin, and the reception is better, there are a lot less bugs, the camera is better, etc...
I *only* went back to the Essential due to VoLTE not being supported on the OP5T, but that was more of an AT&T thing than a OnePlus thing... But in the end, it didn't have it, so I couldn't use it.

What would drive me nuts is that OnePlus won't adopt treble on any of their phones until the Op6. And Samsung isn't updating the S8 or S8+ to it either.
That's a nice move by essential I'd say.
Nevermind they're doing a nice job with monthly updates

NaterTots said:
What would drive me nuts is that OnePlus won't adopt treble on any of their phones until the Op6. And Samsung isn't updating the S8 or S8+ to it either.
That's a nice move by essential I'd say.
Nevermind they're doing a nice job with monthly updates
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Yeah, I had the OP3 and they are pretty good with frequent updates, so I don't see Treble as being that big of a deal...

SquireSCA said:
Yeah, I had the OP3 and they are pretty good with frequent updates, so I don't see Treble as being that big of a deal...
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I don't think OnePlus is very good about updates and treble is a really big deal in regards to getting quicker updates.
Essential and Huawei are there only ones that added treble to devices that released with nougat.

NaterTots said:
I don't think OnePlus is very good about updates and treble is a really big deal in regards to getting quicker updates.
Essential and Huawei are there only ones that added treble to devices that released with nougat.
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Well, in my case, by the time that Essential gets official Oreo and is Treble compliant and that actually makes a difference, it will be many months from now and I will be looking for my next phone anyway... haha

Related

Were you waiting for the Pixel announcement to decide?

If so, what do you thing about the announcement today?
It pushed me closer towards the v20 personally, but I wonder what you guys think.
NB
biggnaa20 said:
If so, what do you thing about the announcement today?
It pushed me closer towards the v20 personally, but I wonder what you guys think.
NB
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Nope!
The Pixel is not impressive at all to me. I want more in a phone that just takes a good photo.
bhagiratha said:
Nope!
The Pixel is not impressive at all to me. I want more in a phone that just takes a good photo.
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While I love a good camera on my phone, I agree. I need a lot more to put down that much cash.
My V10 has been taken excellent photos. Can imagine the V20 will not disappoint.
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
No Pixel overpriced and outdated toys for me. Not in the same league as my Nexus6p or the V20!
The V20 is looking better everyday. Definitely not interested in the pixel xl disaster. I'll keep my Nexus 6p first.
Yeah, V20 looks better in almost every way. If Pixel had removable battery, expandable storage, didn't look like an iPhone, and was cheaper by $100 or so, I'd consider it over this phone. As the stands, the V20 is the phone to beat for me.
Pretty funny how the V20 is the first to ship with Android 7.0 and then the Pixel phones ship with 7.1... Sneaky Google.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA-Developers mobile app
PsiPhiDan said:
Pretty funny how the V20 is the first to ship with Android 7.0 and then the Pixel phones ship with 7.1... Sneaky Google.
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Neither one had shipped yet, "first" remains to be seen
Personally, waiting for V20.
I will say that my disappointment of the Pixel drove me to look for an alternative, which led me to this device. The V20 seems to have solid hardware and software, and I'm betting it's going to cost less than the Pixel, which in my book would make it the best flagship of the year. In any case, we'll find out soon enough.
papashex said:
Neither one had shipped yet, "first" remains to be seen
Personally, waiting for V20.
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The V20 started shipping in Korea last month, so it is definitely the first.
Pixel priced me out. I have a 6p from them and it seems it's going to be abandon ware after just over a year in existence. I'm gonna get the v20 and just sit on the 6p as a backup phone or maybe sell it. Feel burned a bit by Google though.
???
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I'm betting there's not gonna be a preorder for the v20 since it's such a niche phone. I'm hoping for end of the month release
Sent from my SM-N930T using Tapatalk
david279 said:
Pixel priced me out. I have a 6p from them and it seems it's going to be abandon ware after just over a year in existence. I'm gonna get the v20 and just sit on the 6p as a backup phone or maybe sell it. Feel burned a bit by Google though.
???
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
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I feel ya,that's messed up that,although the 6P will get the 7.1 update,it's not cool to push the update(s) back,just for the Pixel line to grab top-billing (I'm 1st......)
JMHO,once you get your hands on a V20,it'll make you all but forget about the Nexus &/or Pixel line-up.
Timely updates are nice,but,I'll take the extra features that LG/Samsung/etc...... offer vs timely updates on stock Android.
I am considering the v20 pixel and the lates moto still undicided. One thing for certain has to be bootloader unlocked ....
Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA-Developers mobile app
The critical function for me will be rootability, unlocked bootloader, and free wifi hotspot tethering on Verizon.
I have this on the L3, and that's where I will have to stay until I can move up and keep these.
I'm considering the V20 myself. The Pixel XL just couldn't come close to justifying the $300+ increase over what I paid for my 6P. Plus I'm also considering this for my wife and kids to get them off iPhone's, and with the Pixel that's complicated (as we're on T-Mobile with JUMP). So I will be paying very close attention to this once it is finally available. Though I am seriously considering taking a look at the Axon 7 as well.
Zaphon said:
I'm considering the V20 myself. The Pixel XL just couldn't come close to justifying the $300+ increase over what I paid for my 6P. Plus I'm also considering this for my wife and kids to get them off iPhone's, and with the Pixel that's complicated (as we're on T-Mobile with JUMP). So I will be paying very close attention to this once it is finally available. Though I am seriously considering taking a look at the Axon 7 as well.
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Click to collapse
The Axon 7 is a great device for the most part. The software leaves a bit to be desired, but it may get better... it will get better once the official (from ZTE) CyanogenMod release for it comes out. Do be aware though, the camera is absolutely garbage in mid to low light. Daylight shots are mostly good and highly detailed, except for some bad edge lens softness. Also be aware that T-Mobile WiFi calling is still not released (who knows if it ever will be) and I'm not sure if VoLTE is working either.
Nitemare3219 said:
The Axon 7 is a great device for the most part. The software leaves a bit to be desired, but it may get better... it will get better once the official (from ZTE) CyanogenMod release for it comes out. Do be aware though, the camera is absolutely garbage in mid to low light. Daylight shots are mostly good and highly detailed, except for some bad edge lens softness. Also be aware that T-Mobile WiFi calling is still not released (who knows if it ever will be) and I'm not sure if VoLTE is working either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it looks like an amazing device. I've read about the issues with Signal Strength as well and is one of the reasons why I'm hesitant to do anything with it. Don't care about the Camera/WiFi Calling to be honest, and may/may not care about VoLTE. But definitely a step backwards from my 6P. Will have to wait and see how the V20 does, though I don't know if I can move to it (I'm really hung up on front facing stereo speakers now).
Zaphon said:
Yeah it looks like an amazing device. I've read about the issues with Signal Strength as well and is one of the reasons why I'm hesitant to do anything with it. Don't care about the Camera/WiFi Calling to be honest, and may/may not care about VoLTE. But definitely a step backwards from my 6P. Will have to wait and see how the V20 does, though I don't know if I can move to it (I'm really hung up on front facing stereo speakers now).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally forgot about that issue. Yes, it can be a problem. I did notice it had worse signal, but rarely to the point of impacting my usage negatively. This will vary based on where you live. If you're out in the boonies and rely on 1 bar on service constantly, certainly do not gamble with it until they fix it (if they can)... or buy one from somewhere that you can easily return it if it doesn't work out.
Nitemare3219 said:
Totally forgot about that issue. Yes, it can be a problem. I did notice it had worse signal, but rarely to the point of impacting my usage negatively. This will vary based on where you live. If you're out in the boonies and rely on 1 bar on service constantly, certainly do not gamble with it until they fix it (if they can)... or buy one from somewhere that you can easily return it if it doesn't work out.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, not sure whether or not it will affect me. I live in Los Angeles, and both at work and home I get 60-110Mbit LTE, but I do occasionally visit an area where even my 6P barely works (while my wife's iPhone just keeps ticking along).

Pixel xl vs essential

Anyone make the switch? To be honest, I'm still very happy with my pixel xl. Camera is relevant and the ux/ui performance is still top notch.
I'm thinking this would be a side-grade and not really an upgrade?
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk
I just picked up an Essential to replace an HTC 10. For me, I was looking at used Pixel XL's (128GB) and new Essential Phone since they're around the same pricepoint.
What came down to it for me was the Snapdragon 835, new/fresh battery, and probably less warranty issues with a brand new phone.
I have a Nexus 6p and I bought an Essential phone and I'm selling the Essential because the camera quality was poorer (even with g cam trying optimizing it, pictures have a slight yellow hue and the picture is a little bit less sharp, while the Nexus 6p often have the best colors right off the bat) and the passage from AMOLED back to LCD was meh. Plus you gonna still have the update faster if you stick to the Pixel. But the build quality is fantastic.
cityle said:
Plus you gonna still have the update faster if you stick to the Pixel. But the build quality is fantastic.
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Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.
spotmark said:
Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.
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But there is still no Oreo, while i have it on my Nexus 6p since September (and I need the LDAC support of Oreo)
spotmark said:
Yeah, the Pixel got the November update on Monday. We had to wait until Tuesday.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, I was surprised how quickly essential got that out. But I think he is also referring to os updates. I'm running 8.1 on my pixel. It'll be a while before essential pushes that out.
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk
I sold my pixel for the essential.
The pixel camera app is much quicker and more reliable than essentials. As far as picture quality goes, indoors, when trying to capture more fine details the Pixel camera definitely wins. In good lighting and outdoors I can't tell a difference between the 2.
In terms of everything else the essential is better. Build quality and materials are better. More storage for less money. Performance is better on the essential. The essential is easier to tote around and use one handed because the bezels are smaller. If it wasn't for essential taking so long to improve the camera app then I would say it is the best smartphone experience I have had. And I have had a lot. Like over 20 easily.
Also I went through 6 pixels. The first one had paint chipping issues like nothing I have ever seen. The second one had a faulty speaker. The third one had radio issues. The 4th had fast charge issues. The 5th had issues with overheating to the point where I couldn't hold the device. And I am not a heavy user. And the 6th I sold as soon as it came in.
ryaleon87 said:
I sold my pixel for the essential.
The pixel camera app is much quicker and more reliable than essentials. As far as picture quality goes, indoors, when trying to capture more fine details the Pixel camera definitely wins. In good lighting and outdoors I can't tell a difference between the 2.
In terms of everything else the essential is better. Build quality and materials are better. More storage for less money. Performance is better on the essential. The essential is easier to tote around and use one handed because the bezels are smaller. If it wasn't for essential taking so long to improve the camera app then I would say it is the best smartphone experience I have had. And I have had a lot. Like over 20 easily.
Also I went through 6 pixels. The first one had paint chipping issues like nothing I have ever seen. The second one had a faulty speaker. The third one had radio issues. The 4th had fast charge issues. The 5th had issues with overheating to the point where I couldn't hold the device. And I am not a heavy user. And the 6th I sold as soon as it came in.
Click to expand...
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Which pixel did you have?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Xl
ryaleon87 said:
Xl
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Original or 2nd gen? I had my earpiece speaker blow on my og xl.. had it bl unlocked but it was a Verizon model.. replacement from google had updated bl so i couldnt unlocked and i dumped it.. pre-order 2 xl.. then cancelled a few days before it shipped because of all of the screen issues.....my ph-1 will be here Monday.. cant wait
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
The original. I thought about getting the Pixel 2 but the high price and screen issues keeps me away. If a phone cost nearly $1000 it better be perfect.
I think I ended up with the Essential Phone partly by choice and partly by accident. I'm a Sprint customer. My old Galaxy S5 was broken, I needed a phone that was cheap, as up to date as possible, and available NOW. That was early September. The PH-1 was by far the cheapest option for me to buy through Sprint.
There's a lot to love and a lot to hate. The camera app has gotten better but won't be winning any awards pretty much ever. That said, it's decent. The phone's form factor is small, which means it can fit into a pocket where a Pixel XL won't. As a longtime Samsung owner I love the pure android ability to get rid of bloat, but I'm used to a much more reliable experience and a much better looking screen. I love the huge screen on a tiny phone, but LCD is just so pedestrian at this point. I was always running out of internal space on my Samsung, so it's awesome to have 128GB internal. It's annoying that SD card support and phone jack weren't included. It's probably the best looking phone out there right now, which is kinda cool. Sadly, it's very buggy. It loses connection with my android watch and I've had to completely wipe and reconnect it a few times already. There is no "press the _____ button" to activate Google Assistant" option (as least not that I know of) which is a bit of a downer. Voice recognition is super buggy. The phone says it's listening, but you have to wait of few seconds because it will miss the first few words you say. It also takes about 5 words voice-to-text, then just simply stops taking/writing anymore words. You have to cancel and hit the microphone icon again to get it another 5 words , wash rinse repeat. The touchscreen tends to be unresponsive. It's gotten a bit better since the last patch, but it's still not great. It would have been nice if the fingerprint scanner doubled as a home button like LG does. Finding a case for the Essential Phone was a nightmare, but they're pretty easy to find now. The phone SHOULD BE one of the fastest phones on the market, but instead it's laggy. And one of the biggest reasons to get the Essential Phone -- clip on modules -- is kindof a nothingburger at this point. Honestly, I wish I could have held out for an LG V30+, but it wasn't out yet.
i'm also hesitating...
Just to chime in I got this coming from the pixel, not XL. I really like this phone, especially on the 8.1 beta. Its a great little handset, feels awesome, much better battery than anything Google has, and very snappy. I also had wicked issues flashing anything on my pixel. No trouble so far with the essential for me.
Jank4AU said:
Just to chime in I got this coming from the pixel, not XL. I really like this phone, especially on the 8.1 beta. Its a great little handset, feels awesome, much better battery than anything Google has, and very snappy. I also had wicked issues flashing anything on my pixel. No trouble so far with the essential for me.
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What do you think about the photo and video?
ggh95 said:
What do you think about the photo and video?
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Despite all the negative press, the pictures aren't bad. Their not as good as the pixel, true, but I don't use a phone as my main source for high quality pictures. I know many folks do simply because they always have their phone on them. The bottom line is, no one is going to look at a picture you took with this phone and think, "ew, did your 5-year old draw that?" It works just fine.
I heard about this phone early this year did some research and decided to buy it from Amazon on Jan 24th. I came from a Galaxy S6 and it was a good phone (battery was getting bad) but this phone is head and shoulders better! Especially now that we are running the Oreo B8.1! It is super stable and smooth much more than my old Galaxy S6. I was thinking of trying the Oneplus 5t or maybe the new Huawei Mate 10 pro but I am not sure I will be any happier. Never had the Pixel or 2 If they looked this good I'd buy tomorrow!
ggh95 said:
What do you think about the photo and video?
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with gcam its very good but very bad stabilization for videos
sabi95190 said:
with gcam its very good but very bad stabilization for videos
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What app has good stabilization?
Tech180 said:
What app has good stabilization?
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gcam

Bored of my S9 plus! What phone do I switch too OP6 or P20 Pro

Hey guys, new to all this so go easy on me. Over the past few years I have become a bit of a tech fanatic. I like to get a phone, use for a few months then sell on while it retains value. I'm March I got the S9 Plus coming from a Note 8 and from that coming from an S8 Plus. I love Samsung through heaven and earth but have become slightly bored with their design and UI. I have been strongly considering the Huawei P20 Pro and the OnePlus 6. Can I have your thoughts please? I have read/watch so many reviews on the P20 Pro and it's seems amazing the lag is the main issue as I do now want it. I don't game, I use a phone for emails, text, whatsapp, web browsing, Twitter, Instagram etc. ?
Get both.
nabbed said:
Get both.
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I dont need or want both lol. It's just the lag on the Huawei phones, it's really putting me off at the moment, the old Kirin970 processor too, coming from the Exynos 9810 will feel like a downgrade but then the camera on the P20 will feel like an upgrade. So difficult. The Huawei seems perfect, but the lag and stuttering is a huge dealbreaker for me but I want to know if its as bad as people make our as we all know EMUI isnt the most polished skin.
BBCLukeBetts said:
I dont need or want both lol. It's just the lag on the Huawei phones, it's really putting me off at the moment, the old Kirin970 processor too, coming from the Exynos 9810 will feel like a downgrade but then the camera on the P20 will feel like an upgrade. So difficult. The Huawei seems perfect, but the lag and stuttering is a huge dealbreaker for me but I want to know if its as bad as people make our as we all know EMUI isnt the most polished skin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then why are you posting in OP6 forums about how you don't like Huawei?
Makes no sense.
nabbed said:
Then why are you posting in OP6 forums about how you don't like Huawei?
Makes no sense.
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Click to collapse
It makes a lot of sense. I'm trying to get people's views on bith phones. I'm not saying I don't like Huawei either I have spoken seen a lot of people pull up the lag and unresponsiveness of the Huawei, yet I have just spoken to someone who is not a gamer who has had a P20 for 2 months now, uses his phone for what I use my phone for and has had no lag or stuttering what so ever. So im thinking will I even notice a difference coming from the Exynos 9810 to the Kirin970?
There are major cons woth both phones I'm just trying to get peace of mind with both so I can decide with a balanced view.
Thanks
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S9+ using XDA Labs
BBCLukeBetts said:
It makes a lot of sense. I'm trying to get people's views on bith phones. I'm not saying I don't like Huawei either I have spoken seen a lot of people pull up the lag and unresponsiveness of the Huawei, yet I have just spoken to someone who is not a gamer who has had a P20 for 2 months now, uses his phone for what I use my phone for and has had no lag or stuttering what so ever. So im thinking will I even notice a difference coming from the Exynos 9810 to the Kirin970?
There are major cons woth both phones I'm just trying to get peace of mind with both so I can decide with a balanced view.
Thanks
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S9+ using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brother, S9 is a superior phone to both. I understand that you are bored, and that you have disposable income to switch phones at will. Which is why my original suggestion stands - get both. And stop being a little ... nice person.
EDIT: As a side note, there's nothing prettier than the Silk White OP6. Consider that.
nabbed said:
Brother, S9 is a superior phone to both. I understand that you are bored, and that you have disposable income to switch phones at will. Which is why my original suggestion stands - get both. And stop being a little ... nice person.
EDIT: As a side note, there's nothing prettier than the Silk White OP6. Consider that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont really care if the S9+ is more superior. I want a change and I only want one. I don't have disposable income. I sell to then replace, while the S9+ still has value over £500. I do love the one plus 6. But I want my worries addressed.
Battery: Smaller than S9+ - OP has dash charge so is it really a problem.
Speakers: Dual Speakers in S9+ - I mainly use Beats headphones.
Camera: S9+ a better all rounder - OP releasing camera update to make it a lot lot better
IP rating: S9+ IP68 water and dust - OP doesnt but does it really matter. (Although I have seen a few people with issues with dust in the camera.
Now I love the OnePlus 6 held it, feels good, it's an amazing change from the curved designs on Samsung I need a break from them. Then when you use it, the speed is absolutely unbelievable!!
These are my worries I just want peace of mind.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S9+ using XDA Labs
BBCLukeBetts said:
I dont really care if the S9+ is more superior. I want a change and I only want one. I don't have disposable income. I sell to then replace, while the S9+ still has value over £500. I do love the one plus 6. But I want my worries addressed.
Battery: Smaller than S9+ - OP has dash charge so is it really a problem.
Speakers: Dual Speakers in S9+ - I mainly use Beats headphones.
Camera: S9+ a better all rounder - OP releasing camera update to make it a lot lot better
IP rating: S9+ IP68 water and dust - OP doesnt but does it really matter. (Although I have seen a few people with issues with dust in the camera.
Now I love the OnePlus 6 held it, feels good, it's an amazing change from the curved designs on Samsung I need a break from them. Then when you use it, the speed is absolutely unbelievable!!
These are my worries I just want peace of mind.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S9+ using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life is really good. Less than 1% for 4 minutes of screen time with autobrightness on.
Screen off drain is inferior with my unit compared to Samsung phones, but I have a bad cellular signal (not with Samsung previously, new carrier with this phone) - therefore more power used by the radio, more drain. About 1% per 2 hours.
Speakers are weak. Not bad, but not great either. Piece of advice, get rid of overpriced junk that is Beats and get real audiophile headphones for the same price and 10 times better sound quality.
Camera is good, but not S9 good. Watch out though, so many reports of bad camera that I think it may be the weakest link in this phone - defective cameras are abound.
The phone is mostly water proof, according to JerryRigEverything YT channel, but it didn't pass the IP67 test, so it's vulnerable to submersions. Splashes, rain, occasional dunk should be just fine.
I think I will stick with the Huawei then purely because of the camera issues then! I love OnePlus, I love the brand and the ethic! I'm hoping the 6T will be a game changer!
Thanks for your time
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Did it fail the IP67 test or did they just not pay to have it certified.
I have an S9+ that I gave to someone else in my family as I did not like it. The camera is great but I take very few pictures. For me, I want a rootable device. I also want as close to pure Android as you can get. I had a P10 and sold it within a month. The Huawei OS is horrid. It's like they thought they were making an iPhone.
Sticking it out with my OP6. Clicks all the boxes I want in a phone.
theaxis01 said:
Did it fail the IP67 test or did they just not pay to have it certified.
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Click to collapse
I think it failed the IP67 test
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Mike02z said:
I have an S9+ that I gave to someone else in my family as I did not like it. The camera is great but I take very few pictures. For me, I want a rootable device. I also want as close to pure Android as you can get. I had a P10 and sold it within a month. The Huawei OS is horrid. It's like they thought they were making an iPhone.
Sticking it out with my OP6. Clicks all the boxes I want in a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do love the OnePlus 6 but I take photos, not thousands but enough to merit wanting a decent camera! I love my S9+ but unfortunately my battery has got worse and worse since I got it in march, and like I said in my first post, since last year I have had the S8+ then the Note8 now the S9+ and it's been basically the same design, and im just so bored of it. Funny you mention the P10, when I got the S8+ last year I keep being pushed by Vodafone to get the P10 but I hated itamd wouldnt get it, the new P20 and the new EMUI is amazing and has changed so much since the P10!!
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Read this thread, it's all about choosing between OP6 & P20pro : https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-6/help/p20-pro-to-op6-t3794073
BBCLukeBetts said:
Hey guys, new to all this so go easy on me. Over the past few years I have become a bit of a tech fanatic. I like to get a phone, use for a few months then sell on while it retains value. I'm March I got the S9 Plus coming from a Note 8 and from that coming from an S8 Plus. I love Samsung through heaven and earth but have become slightly bored with their design and UI. I have been strongly considering the Huawei P20 Pro and the OnePlus 6. Can I have your thoughts please? I have read/watch so many reviews on the P20 Pro and it's seems amazing the lag is the main issue as I do now want it. I don't game, I use a phone for emails, text, whatsapp, web browsing, Twitter, Instagram etc. ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Neither. I know that "nearly stock" Android, with very few stutter is a very tempting thing but... You'll get a WAY worse screen (don't let anyone tell you the difference is minimal, it's bull****, the difference is huge), you'll get way worse speakers, you'll get a way worse camera, you'll lose the option to charge wireless, you fully lose the vibration motor (the one in the oneplus 6 is so damn awful, you literally won't believe it until you don't feel it, vibration mode is basically useless unless the phone is in your hand or on a surface like glass). The only advantage the OnePlus 6 has is the software. If you were coming from an older phone, I'd absolutely recommend you the OnePlus 6, it's a great phone. But coming from an S9+? You're giving up more than you realize and you're definitely going to regret it after some time.
I was so tempted for OP 6 but the camera is not up to the mark I am using Note 8!
-Ric- said:
Neither. I know that "nearly stock" Android, with very few stutter is a very tempting thing but... You'll get a WAY worse screen (don't let anyone tell you the difference is minimal, it's bull****, the difference is huge), you'll get way worse speakers, you'll get a way worse camera, you'll lose the option to charge wireless, you fully lose the vibration motor (the one in the oneplus 6 is so damn awful, you literally won't believe it until you don't feel it, vibration mode is basically useless unless the phone is in your hand or on a surface like glass). The only advantage the OnePlus 6 has is the software. If you were coming from an older phone, I'd absolutely recommend you the OnePlus 6, it's a great phone. But coming from an S9+? You're giving up more than you realize and you're definitely going to regret it after some time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for telling me about the OnePlus! What about the Huawei?? Also are their any other phones put there that you could recommend?
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Huawei P20 Pro looks good but I dunno about its software, though its looks good.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 8 SM-N9500 using Tapatalk
-Ric- said:
Neither. I know that "nearly stock" Android, with very few stutter is a very tempting thing but... You'll get a WAY worse screen (don't let anyone tell you the difference is minimal, it's bull****, the difference is huge), you'll get way worse speakers, you'll get a way worse camera, you'll lose the option to charge wireless, you fully lose the vibration motor (the one in the oneplus 6 is so damn awful, you literally won't believe it until you don't feel it, vibration mode is basically useless unless the phone is in your hand or on a surface like glass). The only advantage the OnePlus 6 has is the software. If you were coming from an older phone, I'd absolutely recommend you the OnePlus 6, it's a great phone. But coming from an S9+? You're giving up more than you realize and you're definitely going to regret it after some time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BBCLukeBetts said:
Thanks for telling me about the OnePlus! What about the Huawei?? Also are their any other phones put there that you could recommend?
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That guy is FOS. Do I need to spell it out what that means?
"WAY worse screen"
Not even close. The screen is excellent. I've used Samsung flagship phones up to Note7, and I have had extensive experience with an S9. Aside from the resolution, the screen is nearly perfect. Beautiful colors, great brightness and in-sun visibility. Everything else - color temp, viewing angles, hues, color reproduction etc. are nearly perfect. Made by Samsung too.
"way worse camera"
Some truth to that. S9 camera is with no match. Even P20 Pro in my opinion is worse. But OP6 camera is not WAY WORSE. That's ridiculous. This man is inebriated with his own flatulence.
" you'll lose the option to charge wireless"
True.
" you fully lose the vibration motor (the one in the oneplus 6 is so damn awful, you literally won't believe it until you don't feel it"
That's just false. No more comments needed. The man is plain wrong.
"but coming from an S9+? You're giving up more than you realize and you're definitely going to regret it after some time."
I loved the S9. But OP6 is also good. Very fast.
nabbed said:
That guy is FOS. Do I need to spell it out what that means?
"WAY worse screen"
Not even close. The screen is excellent. I've used Samsung flagship phones up to Note7, and I have had extensive experience with an S9. Aside from the resolution, the screen is nearly perfect. Beautiful colors, great brightness and in-sun visibility. Everything else - color temp, viewing angles, hues, color reproduction etc. are nearly perfect. Made by Samsung too.
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Click to collapse
Lol. The screen on the S9+ is nowhere near the quality of the OnePlus 6's. Did you read me say that the OnePlus 6's is bad or has any issues with viewing angles and so on? No, you did not. My point was that no matter how good the OnePlus 6's screen is, the S9's ****s on it. It's not just resolution, it's everything, even brightness.
nabbed said:
That guy is FOS. Do I need to spell it out what that means?
" you fully lose the vibration motor (the one in the oneplus 6 is so damn awful, you literally won't believe it until you don't feel it"
That's just false. No more comments needed. The man is plain wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The vibration motor on the OnePlus 6 is crap. Absolutely garbage. Coming from a Galaxy s8, the difference is night and day. The motor on the OnePlus 6 is tiny, weak, soft and it even makes an annoying sound when typing with haptic feedback on. Just google it and see how many more people are complaining about the issue. (The 3T and other OnePlus phones also suffered from this issue).
nabbed said:
That guy is FOS. Do I need to spell it out what that means?
"but coming from an S9+? You're giving up more than you realize and you're definitely going to regret it after some time."
I loved the S9. But OP6 is also good. Very fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was exactly my point. The OnePlus 6 has better, faster software. That's all. In everything else, the S9+ is superior.
The guy asked for an opinion, if you wanna be a blind fanboy, that's fine. But when trying to help someone decide where they'll spend 500$+, either give them fair advice or just stay quiet.
Edit: I missed this one.
nabbed said:
"way worse camera"
Some truth to that. S9 camera is with no match. Even P20 Pro in my opinion is worse. But OP6 camera is not WAY WORSE. That's ridiculous. This man is inebriated with his own flatulence.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you ever even looked at raw files produced by both? Have you even done any serious photography with both? I'm not even gonna comment. If you believe the OnePlus 6's camera is anywhere nearly as good as the S9's, you're just delusional.

General Pixel 6 v OP9

What do you guys think of the new Pixel 6 that was (sort of) announced? Anyone planning to switch over when it gets released this fall?
Personally, I've constantly being going back and forth between Pixel and OnePlus devices.
I was thinking of sticking with OnePlus this time around but I've been dealing with poor RAM management on this device as well as feeling like the camera partnership with Hasselblad didn't live up to its hype. Tweaking just the colour science isn't enough for me, and it's unfortunate there's no OIS on the standard OnePlus 9 either.
The enhancements to the camera, particularly video recording on the Pixel 6 seems promising, so I'm pretty excited and I'm most likely going to switch!
I mean, even if the base model has OIS it'll be a vast improvement over the OP9. Hell, even EIS will destroy the OP9.
and it's unfortunate there's no OIS on the standard OnePlus 9 either.
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Click to collapse
im still so amazed how my OP6 has OIS and my "hasslebrand" advert focused 9 does not. it baffles me that call was made.
Ive tried every ROM and many camera apps on each of them, all of them have such terrible camera issues with auto-focus times and whitebalance bleeding. Its hardly noticeable in videos and pictures but try to scan QR codes with it off another screen, if that QR code is a succession of them (say, for secure crypto wallet confirmations on a hardware wallet) it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to do without optimal lighting and YOU moving the phone around until its focus/lighting can play along. its so bad, Ive kept my OP6 instead of selling it.
I have other issues but Id like to end on a positive for OP. My 9 has had 2 issues and both were caused by me flashing ROMs. both times left the phone unable to use MSMToolkit and both times ive sent my phone in, free of charge, and got it back in complete working condition, free of charge. One was even a complete phone replacement. Not the easiest support system to utilize but as a non-warranty user, the 2nd time really shocked me i didnt have to pay a dime. I flashed the phone with MSM right when i got to to assure it worked and sure enough, it does. (and i didnt learn a damn thing because im running crDroid and loving it.) I'm almost certain both times were caused by the unofficial TWRP port for 9/9Pro, so I would avoid that at all costs.
Simply put, I will be making the switch.
Switching. Definitely switching.
I don't really care about phone cameras that much, so for me I'd rather keep the OP9 than go to a phone with a brand new SoC from a company known for very crappy first iterations, bad documentation, and bad support of their own products. These phones are going to be way too expensive for what they are (ugly as hell), when you can get a OP9 for probably half the price of the new Pixel phones.
I'd rather have an iPhone or overspend on a Samsung with a snapdragon than buy the pixel 6
orangekid said:
I don't really care about phone cameras that much, so for me I'd rather keep the OP9 than go to a phone with a brand new SoC from a company known for very crappy first iterations, bad documentation, and bad support of their own products. These phones are going to be way too expensive for what they are (ugly as hell), when you can get a OP9 for probably half the price of the new Pixel phones.
I'd rather have an iPhone or overspend on a Samsung with a snapdragon than buy the pixel 6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can understand that but personally I tried iphone recently for about 2 months and I had to switch back to android. The 12 pro max was just too heavy and had too many things that annoyed me because android did it better lol. I haven't owned Samsung since the note 5 and I'll probably never own another Samsung phone. Their skin and their bloat apps are just not for me. Been with OnePlus a while but the OnePlus 9 really disappointed me. My phone overheats just browsing the internet or using WhatsApp. It's annoying and the battery life is crap especially compared to the 12 pro max I had.
toyanucci said:
I can understand that but personally I tried iphone recently for about 2 months and I had to switch back to android. The 12 pro max was just too heavy and had too many things that annoyed me because android did it better lol. I haven't owned Samsung since the note 5 and I'll probably never own another Samsung phone. Their skin and their bloat apps are just not for me. Been with OnePlus a while but the OnePlus 9 really disappointed me. My phone overheats just browsing the internet or using WhatsApp. It's annoying and the battery life is crap especially compared to the 12 pro max I had.
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Click to collapse
ya my iPhone/Samsung comment was really more joking. My point is that if your OP9 overheats then that's a specific unit problem, like I would just get a different one, or a Oneplus 8 Pro, or even a xiaomi 11 Ultra. I feel like the new Google device is going to have major issues like new google stuff always does. If you think your phone has issues now wait until you play wiht a brand new SoC from the one company notorious for putting out half baked, half finished products that usually get canned.
orangekid said:
I don't really care about phone cameras that much, so for me I'd rather keep the OP9 than go to a phone with a brand new SoC from a company known for very crappy first iterations, bad documentation, and bad support of their own products. These phones are going to be way too expensive for what they are (ugly as hell), when you can get a OP9 for probably half the price of the new Pixel phones.
I'd rather have an iPhone or overspend on a Samsung with a snapdragon than buy the pixel 6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The s21 overheats to bad I sold mind and got OnePlus 9 I don't think I will be going back to Samsung anytime soon I ain't sure if it's just the chip or just the phone but I did notice that OnePlus phone don't get hot like Samsung does
I'm keeping a watch on the Pixel 6 Pro as a possible next device....
Google Pixel 6 Pro
The Google Pixel 6 Pro is a 6.71" phone with a 1440x3120 120Hz display. The Google Tensor chipset is paired with 12GB of RAM and 128/256/512GB of storage. The main camera is 50+48+12MP and the selfie camera is 11.1MP. The battery has a 5003mAh capacity.
forum.xda-developers.com
P6 100% The ride has been good but will be coming to an end.
I love my Oneplus 9 honestly. No bugs or issues, no overheating. Battery life is good. no curved screen (I cannot STAND curved screens). I mean for me it just works. That 120hz screen is awesome. there's not too much bloat and it's easily rooted.
Plus you can get it for a really good price right now. The warp charge it comes with is cool basically a full charge from nothing in 25 minutes or so. And wireless charging. No other frills needed, camera is good enough for me.
I will see what hte Pixel 6 has in store for me, but honestly I think it's going to be overpriced and not much or any better than the current snapdragon 888 offerings. I like competition, and I hope the new tensor SoC will make Qualcomm worry and start pushing their chip designs (like what AMD is doing to Intel).
But for me, I really feel like I am going to ride or die with the OP9 until OP11 or Xiaomi Mi Mix 5/6 or something that is actually really cool. Samsung has a horrible UI, is overpriced, and is a bit boring for me. Pixel phones have been outdated when they are released with older chip hardware and small screens while having a high price tag.
Let's keep a close eye on the Pixel 6, I could always jump ship too if I it blows me away..
orangekid said:
I love my Oneplus 9 honestly. No bugs or issues, no overheating. Battery life is good. no curved screen (I cannot STAND curved screens). I mean for me it just works. That 120hz screen is awesome. there's not too much bloat and it's easily rooted.
Plus you can get it for a really good price right now. The warp charge it comes with is cool basically a full charge from nothing in 25 minutes or so. And wireless charging. No other frills needed, camera is good enough for me.
I will see what hte Pixel 6 has in store for me, but honestly I think it's going to be overpriced and not much or any better than the current snapdragon 888 offerings. I like competition, and I hope the new tensor SoC will make Qualcomm worry and start pushing their chip designs (like what AMD is doing to Intel).
But for me, I really feel like I am going to ride or die with the OP9 until OP11 or Xiaomi Mi Mix 5/6 or something that is actually really cool. Samsung has a horrible UI, is overpriced, and is a bit boring for me. Pixel phones have been outdated when they are released with older chip hardware and small screens while having a high price tag.
Let's keep a close eye on the Pixel 6, I could always jump ship too if I it blows me away..
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Click to collapse
I'm skeptical yet excited at the same time. Really hoping Google blows us all away with a beast of a device!
rickysidhu_ said:
I'm skeptical yet excited at the same time. Really hoping Google blows us all away with a beast of a device!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I loved the Nexus One, which might still be my favorite new phone release to this day, so I guess it's not impossible.
still on cdDroid. love the built in buds control. other roms are reporting bluetooth playback issues, mine isnt.
My pixel dialer features broke for a day but the latest module fixed it https://github.com/Magisk-Modules-Repo/GoogleDialerFramework (just know, i run beta releases of messages, phone and carrier services alone with having the originals disabled.
if you want pixel 6 AI voicscreening, install the modual then clear cache of google play, google services and reboot!
we do not deserve the generosity of /u/audalics
Well Google proved once again they think it's OK to provide old hardware with flagship pricing again, because camera gimmicks.
The Pixel fanboys are hard at work forgiving Google for providing inferior CPU, modem, display, battery charging, fingerprint, aesthetic design, and more for the privilege of being Google's buggy software beta testers.
Android in weird place with OnePlus now settling on everything they once bragged or made fun of others for doing.
I don't think there will be much improvement I switching from OP9 to Pixel, just going from one set of annoyances to another. All I can say for certain is the display modem and CPU are superior on OP9. Will see if A12 improves OP9 experience.
zymphad said:
Well Google proved once again they think it's OK to provide old hardware with flagship pricing again, because camera gimmicks.
The Pixel fanboys are hard at work forgiving Google for providing inferior CPU, modem, display, battery charging, fingerprint, aesthetic design, and more for the privilege of being Google's buggy software beta testers.
Android in weird place with OnePlus now settling on everything they once bragged or made fun of others for doing.
I don't think there will be much improvement I switching from OP9 to Pixel, just going from one set of annoyances to another. All I can say for certain is the display modem and CPU are superior on OP9. Will see if A12 improves OP9 experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixel 6 screen is a blotchy OLED mess, sent my first one back and ordered a second. If the second one is terrible I'm rooting the op9 and getting Google dialer features. The screen is the single most important part of a smartphone.
redeyss said:
Pixel 6 screen is a blotchy OLED mess, sent my first one back and ordered a second. If the second one is terrible I'm rooting the op9 and getting Google dialer features. The screen is the single most important part of a smartphone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man that is crazy.
Waiting to see how your second ones comes in because I was eyeing this phone and ya can't handle a bogus screen.
orangekid said:
Man that is crazy.
Waiting to see how your second ones comes in because I was eyeing this phone and ya can't handle a bogus screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a pixel fanboy for sure but after returning the pixel 6 I tried two pixel 5a phones and both had horrible OLED displays, both returned. I bought a pre owned OnePlus 9 from Amazon and this screen is freaking amazing, uniform and even lighting and smooth as butter. If the second p6 screen isn't great I'll keep the op9 or go back to my pixel 4xl.
My big gripe on the 9 is the reception is terrible and I have BT issues all the time in my Hondas. Works ok with wireless Buds Z.
I was hoping the Pixel 6 would be better. I guess I can always go back to my 7 Pro.

Question Is it worth buying the OP9 for $499 US?

I've been running a rooted OP6 for 3.5 years or more. Currently on stock OOS 11 with some root specific extras. It still behaves OK, but I'm thinking of getting something newer because of occasional issues that may be age related. OP is selling the OP9 for $499 today in the US. For those of you who are familiar with the device, do you think it's worth buying at that price this deep into its existence?
For 499$? Hell no!
I bought almost new one for 399$ and still pissed. Camera is horrible even with Gcam. Chipset gets hot while playing videos sometimes let alone gaming.
Also depend what you are looking for. OP 9rt has everything OP9 has and have better camera and thermal. I'd say go for 9rt than base OP9 if it's available in the price range.
Thanks. I didn't buy it before the sale ended. I figured I'd have other opportunities with some decent phone or another. Seems like a few years ago, more people were happy with their new phones. Now, it seems like a lot of people have problems with the more recent models.
The phone is fine (cameras aren't the best but everything else is great). The software is the problem. If you want it so you can flash a custom ROM on it, it's great. If you want to just use it stock, it's harder to recommend.
That said, I would take a 9 over a Pixel 6 (in fact my initial purchase decision was between these two since the sale on the OP9 at the time was the same price as the 6) or pretty much anything else because of the community support. The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are only just now starting to get decent custom ROMs, Tensor is a mediocre SoC with a weak modem, the display is better on the OnePlus, and the OnePlus has way better battery.
When it comes to devices where I live in the US, the only options for those of us who want root and custom ROMs while maintaining full compatibility with all carriers are OnePlus and Pixel. It's too bad Samsung locks their devices down so much.
I'd have thought the Pixel 6 would have been my best bet until I started reading the myriad complaints about it from users. The glowing commercial site reviews tout the features, but don't mention that those features don't always work as would be expected. The same seems to be the case for the current generation of Samsung phones.
What's the issue with OOS on the OP9? I'm probably running something similar on my OP6, though via root, I've eliminated a lot of the bloat. I'd intended to flash custom ROMs, but I never have on this phone as I've had it set up to my liking most of the time. I'm running Android 11. Maybe that's the issue? 12 has more problems?
People don't like the Oppo-ification that has happened. ColorOS and OxygenOS are on the same codebase now and they're extremely similar. It doesn't help that OnePlus is lagging on updates a lot too. They just started dropping the C.60 update which comes with OOS 12.1 today and ColorOS has been on C.62 since April.
Honestly I got tired of waiting for 12.1 and switched my global LE2115 to ColorOS yesterday and I like it. The bloat is there but it's only an issue if you actually run it. And honestly it cracks me up seeing the Chinese in the universal search lol. *shrug*
One thing I really appreciate about this device is that the MSM Tool is available. This is the low level firmware flash that is meant for manufacturers to use to rapidly restore devices back to working order. Since we have it, it's fairly easy to recover from common bricking scenarios, and I don't know that I would want to go back to a device that doesn't have it (like the Pixel). OnePlus also seems to have excellent warranty service, they don't even void the warranty if you brick the thing, unlike Google who claims they can't even re-flash the firmware and you have to pay for a new motherboard if you brick it.
There are some annoying issues with notifications (which strangely seem to naturally resolve themselves as you use the device) and aggressive battery management in A12 that you have to learn how to work around. It's not perfect but I like OOS12 and COS12 more than I like Pixel-clone ROMs or OneUI.
I wouldn't. Truth be told, if I still had my 6, I'd still be using it. Unfortunately, I left it on top of my car getting gas once, and drove off. Never found it or its pieces.
I ended up with the 7 Pro. It was OK, but I hated the curved screen.
I sent the 8T back as OP screwed early adopters with a water bottle while a few hours later offering a pop up box that was a much better deal for the same price.
Now I have the 9. I'm not crazy about it. It's ok, but I regret paying full price for it. It'd be a hard sale at $499 for me.
Maybe an 8T would be a decent option if you could get a good price on it.
You can get the dual sim version on Amazon it's Chinese version but when I updated it to Android 12 from le2110 it turn into le2115 which is covered by at&t, so far so good, used to have the Pixel 6, I liked it until I got bored with it, I am not a gamer but all this phones depends on who is using it, I don't have any problem with OOS 12, it's stable for me, but I like the customization of the CUSTOM ROMS..
EtherealRemnant said:
People don't like the Oppo-ification that has happened.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen complaints about that. I haven't seen it with my OP6 because they stopped updating the OS before they merged the codebases.
EtherealRemnant said:
One thing I really appreciate about this device is that the MSM Tool is available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point. I've never had to use the MSM tool on my OP6, though I've come close a couple of times. The TWRP discrepancies between OOS versions has played havoc with me here and there. But I was always able to solve it before having to use MSM. Certainly its availability is comforting and valuable.
Superguy said:
Now I have the 9. I'm not crazy about it. It's ok, but I regret paying full price for it. It'd be a hard sale at $499 for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is it that you find disappointing?
imna357 said:
... used to have the Pixel 6, I liked it until I got bored with it, I am not a gamer but all this phones depends on who is using it, I don't have any problem with OOS 12, it's stable for me, but I like the customization of the CUSTOM ROMS..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a gamer, either. I'd possibly use a custom ROM depending on things. I use other than the stock launcher, anyway, so at least if I don't like the look of OOS 12, I'd sidestep that much of it.
Superguy said:
I wouldn't. Truth be told, if I still had my 6, I'd still be using it. Unfortunately, I left it on top of my car getting gas once, and drove off. Never found it or its pieces.
I ended up with the 7 Pro. It was OK, but I hated the curved screen.
I sent the 8T back as OP screwed early adopters with a water bottle while a few hours later offering a pop up box that was a much better deal for the same price.
Now I have the 9. I'm not crazy about it. It's ok, but I regret paying full price for it. It'd be a hard sale at $499 for me.
Maybe an 8T would be a decent option if you could get a good price on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would you pick the 8T over the 9? The only real advantage I see is 12GB vs 8GB (hasn't been an issue for me and I'm a heavy user). The disadvantages: hugely inferior 5G modem (that's external instead of integrated into the SoC like the 888 so even worse battery consumption), slower SoC, slower storage (much slower on random writes), closer to the end of the official software support period, etc...
For $499 you can do a lot worse than the OnePlus 9 but also can't really do better.
maigre said:
I've seen complaints about that. I haven't seen it with my OP6 because they stopped updating the OS before they merged the codebases.
Good point. I've never had to use the MSM tool on my OP6, though I've come close a couple of times. The TWRP discrepancies between OOS versions has played havoc with me here and there. But I was always able to solve it before having to use MSM. Certainly its availability is comforting and valuable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly this is my first OnePlus and I *prefer* ColorOS to OOS. The depth of customization is insane and it doesn't seem to be as buggy (but that could be due to the fact that C.62 is simply newer and that OOS will get there when C.62 finally releases for it in a month or so too, it's hard to say).
I had to use the MSM Tool... Multiple times... If I had to complain about one thing with this device, it's extremely easy to soft brick it. I have been into rooting and customizing my Android phones since 2009 and of the entire list of phones in my signature, I've only ever gotten the OnePlus 9 to the point of no return. When trying to flash to the B slot, sometimes everything that can possibly go wrong does and you end up with an unbootable system. The A/B system was the worst thing Google ever did to those of us who like to customize our devices. That said, the MSM Tool gets you back up and running with no fuss when you do need it, provided that you have a good USB cable and the technique to get the device into EDL. The lack of working TWRP has led to the need to flash a new recovery with every custom ROM and that's even more chances for something to go wrong.
EtherealRemnant said:
Why would you pick the 8T over the 9? The only real advantage I see is 12GB vs 8GB (hasn't been an issue for me and I'm a heavy user). The disadvantages: hugely inferior 5G modem (that's external instead of integrated into the SoC like the 888 so even worse battery consumption), slower SoC, slower storage (much slower on random writes), closer to the end of the official software support period, etc...
For $499 you can do a lot worse than the OnePlus 9 but also can't really do better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't get 5G on AT&T and I can't say I was terribly impressed with it on T-Mo either. Certainly not enough that it wowed me over LTE.
I've had big problems with BT on the 9 as well, especially in my Hondas. Seems to do ok in the Ford. I didn't have those problems in the same cars on either the 6 or the 7 Pro.
For what I do, I can't say I've noticed huge differences in performance. The 9 does transfer to my PC faster than the other 2, but I don't sync it that often. Performance has always been good enough for me.
The games I play I haven't noticed much difference in.
If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't pay $499 for a 9. Let alone the $750 I paid for it new.
Depends on what you value and for you use your phone.
YMMV.
imna357 said:
You can get the dual sim version on Amazon it's Chinese version but when I updated it to Android 12 from le2110 it turn into le2115 which is covered by at&t, so far so good, used to have the Pixel 6, I liked it until I got bored with it, I am not a gamer but all this phones depends on who is using it, I don't have any problem with OOS 12, it's stable for me, but I like the customization of the CUSTOM ROMS..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chinese version's missing a lot of US bands, unless there's a way to enable them.
Superguy said:
Chinese version's missing a lot of US bands, unless there's a way to enable them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the only thing, I don't get no 5G with At&t even setting up the APN, but I get decent speed, even compared to my Pixel 5G which is a back up.
imna357 said:
That's the only thing, I don't get no 5G with At&t even setting up the APN, but I get decent speed, even compared to my Pixel 5G which is a back up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You gotta watch out with AT&T's VoLTE whitelist... They will eventually kick the phone off since it goes by the IMEI and that doesn't change when the software does. The LE2115 is the only one that's approved for AT&T.
https://www.att.com/idpassets/images/support/pdf/Devices-Working-on-ATT-Network.pdf
EtherealRemnant said:
You gotta watch out with AT&T's VoLTE whitelist... They will eventually kick the phone off since it goes by the IMEI and that doesn't change when the software does. The LE2115 is the only one that's approved for AT&T.
https://www.att.com/idpassets/images/support/pdf/Devices-Working-on-ATT-Network.pdf
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, I know, when I'm in OOS 12 Version change to LE2115, not sure if it matters, so far haven't gotten any text from att
Superguy said:
I don't get 5G on AT&T and I can't say I was terribly impressed with it on T-Mo either. Certainly not enough that it wowed me over LTE.
I've had big problems with BT on the 9 as well, especially in my Hondas. Seems to do ok in the Ford. I didn't have those problems in the same cars on either the 6 or the 7 Pro.
For what I do, I can't say I've noticed huge differences in performance. The 9 does transfer to my PC faster than the other 2, but I don't sync it that often. Performance has always been good enough for me.
The games I play I haven't noticed much difference in.
If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't pay $499 for a 9. Let alone the $750 I paid for it new.
Depends on what you value and for you use your phone.
YMMV.
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These are definitely fair points.
When it's working right, 5G is ridiculous on T-Mobile. I have seen over 300Mbps in the middle of the day and over 500Mbps overnight and that's with my cheap little MVNO that's deprioritized too. My point about the modem applies to LTE as well though, not just 5G. An external modem will always use more power doing the same thing than an internal modem would.
I haven't noticed any issues with BT but I don't use it a lot.
The 865 is no slouch, it's just no 888 either.
I go back and forth on whether I think the $600 I paid for this phone is worth it. I have had some definite frustrations with it (notification issues on OOS *AND* COS are maddening!) but I still feel like I would have been miserable if I took the S21 FE or Pixel 6 for the same price...
imna357 said:
Yup, I know, when I'm in OOS 12 Version change to LE2115, not sure if it matters, so far haven't gotten any text from att
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Yeah I have heard this from other people but the OnePlus subreddit is full of people complaining about getting the boot so I would say it's coming, it's just a matter of when they get around to it.
I'm not really sure, my hardware version always changes to 2115 which is approved by at&t, when I do MSM it goes back to 2110 which is Chinese version but upon updating to OOS 12 it converts to 2115 on my hardware version. But if I put on custom ROM it goes back to 2110
i got a 9 i would sell and take trade with the 6. pm me

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