Database Info

from an s7 to ?

hi guys so i have had an s7 currently
i always root a phone for no ads youtube websites etc and install nova launcher
i always root also with a stock android rom like i have with my s7 currently
im wondering should i come across to the pixel 2?
i did want a pixel 2 xl but with the screen issues im thinking maybe just the px2 bcos samsung make that screen and lg do the 2 xl.
in the past ive gone
.iphone..n8 ..s4..s5...oneplus2..s7...??
so what do you guys think should i jump ship
and is the 2 xl really that bad with screen issues?

Hi,
I moved from S7(att&t non root) to Pixel 2 (non XL) and here my 2¢
1. Camera Quality higher than S7, Night shots and Portrait mode really shows you the difference.
2. Faster and smoother than S7 this may due to my S7 is with att&t crap-ware ( I have already disabled most of the apps and installed adhell to get rid of ads in my S7)
3. Google's 3 year software support and dev friendly.
I brought Pixel 2 mostly because of its Camera and I am satisfied.

I moved from an S7 to a Pixel 2 and it's the best decision I made. The camera is great in low light and even better when the lighting is good. The colour reproduction is fantastic in photos and pictures are sharp, clear and vibrant. I always installed Nova Launcher as I did on my S7 but with the Pixel I haven't wanted to. The launcher is very quick and the squeeze function is actually great - I've used assistant more now, than I ever have in the last year and I've only had the phone less than a week.
I have seen a lot of screen burn in issues with the XL but that device was too big for me so I didn't even look at it! The regular Pixel 2 was the right size for me.

Moved from an S7 At&t version that I flashed the unlocked software onto to get rid of the bloat. While that helped the S7 it still had hiccups, slow downs and the dreaded Touch Wiz lag no and then.
With that said the Pixel 2 is almost identical in size with a slightly smaller screen. There is NO COMPARISON on how well the Pixel 2 runs, it's smooth, fingerprint is instant there is such a difference in the overall speed of this phone over the S7. Hardware to software optimization is quite apparent with the Pixel, you will never regret leaving the S7.

I came from an s6 and wow what a difference same screen size but half as thick and so light I love it and everything about it

You guys are making feel really good about choosing the P2 over the S8. My wife and I are coming from the S5, I know it's super old. But I'm feeling really good about the decision to get the P2. I keep saying that I'm not going to worry about Root/Unlocked Boot Loader, but I know about 6 months from now I'll jump in on it. Just hope a lot of Devs get on board with this device.

Former S7 edge owner
I have actually gone from an S7 edge, it was getting noticeably laggy (to me anyway).
With a decent leather flip case (the kind I always put on my phones) size wise it is about the same as the S7 which I found right for my hands and fingers, definitely lighter. The screen is a little smaller due to the bezels but the speakers are far better and it's much snappier. Fingerprint scanner is oceans ahead of the Samsung one.
Software wise I always put Nova on as well and it works as expected, oddly with the squeeze function I find myself actually using the Google assistant and it is pretty useful and versatile.
Bluetooth works well, and battery life is pretty good, better than my S7 but unsure if thats due to the newer battery, fast charge is what I would expect it to be.
I got a 128gb one and its doing well with regards to installed apps and the amount of spotify tunes I tend to load on.
Overall I would say it's a good option to move from an S7 without getting something stupidly large, the reason I didnt go for an XL.

Worth switching from Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version) to Blu Vivo X?

I currently have a Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version) and been thinking of switching to the Blu Vivo X for the 4010+ mah battery, 64gb internal storage, and 4 cameras. Both phone has 4 GB and rams and an Octacore CPU. The Blu Vivo X is currently more than a $100 less than the Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version).
What's your thought on the Blu Vivo X and would it be worth switching to it from a Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version), even though the Blu Vivo X uses a 720p screen, and Blu has been known for having adwares in their phones in the past?
specs info:
- Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version) gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s7-7821.php
- Blu Vivo X gsmarena.com/blu_vivo_x-9072.php

My thoughts (which are only MY thoughts, I'm not pretending to have the absolute truth):
- Blu Vivo X has a mediatek CPU which isn't at the same level as Exynos or Snapdragon CPU, still it will do the job.
- Blu is know for adware but is also known for having malwares installed
- 4010mAh battery, I would be very careful with that number. A high quality manufacturer will announce the capacity of their battery and you can almost be sure that it is true. Now, when you go to less known, less top quality manufacturers, when they say 3000mAh, you test the battery and it's in fact like a 2000mAh. So before making a choice, find concrete tests which tells you how much time you have with a full charge. Don't listen to people on Youtube with no test protocol who say "Yeah, I can last 2 days with it" because you can't know their perception of things, you can't know if they have been paid, you can't know what they do with their phone. If I turn off Wifi, LTE, and keep the screen of on my OnePlus One, I can last 1 week! Now if I use it normally, I last 1 day, 2 days at the most, but real screen on time is like 6 hours. So be careful and don't trust fanboys or people who just throw numbers like this.
About battery capacity, I give you an example I have read some years ago when Xioami released their external battery pack (10.000mAh). When tested, it was almost good but more around 9000mAh. They had compared to unknown brands found on Amazon, and some batteries announced like 10.000mAh, had in fact less than 5000mAh in capacity. So be careful, Blu isn't such a great highly recommended trusty manufacturer, so I would tend to think their numbers are enhanced for the commercial speech, but in real like, will a 4000mAh battery last a lot longer than a 3000mAh from Samsung, I doubt it.
So in the end, what do you think you will do with the Vivo X than you can't do with the Galaxy S7? That's the real question. You want more storage space? The Exynos version of the S7 has a SD card slot. More battery, better buy an external battery pack, it will cost you less.
That's my point of view, I would never trade a flagship from a very well known brand some model from a brand known for cheap phones and who put Mediatek processors in their phones. I highly doubt that the Blu Vivo X will have internal memory that has the same speed as a Galaxy S7, I highly doubt the pictures from the Vivo X would beat the S7, I also highly doubt you will have more "Screen on time" with a Vivo X as Samsung has spent time to optimize their system (you can also debloat it to gain battery life by removing all Samsung crapware). That's only my point of view, but I don't think it's a good idea. You should make your own idea by reading LOT (not just 1 or 2) reviews on the Blu Vivo X, watching videos on Youtube and read between lines, don't trust people that aren't even tech journalists ; )
EDIT: Here are some interesting reviews I've found on Amazon of people not only putting 5 stars and saying "great phone!":
Review 1: "This phone does exactly what the description says. It takes Ok pictures, is thin and comfortable in the hand, and is relatively easy to use. However, the processor speed and user interface, are not up to par with a Snapdragon or Galaxy S. I thought it would be a good idea to upgrade my Galaxy S7 to the VIVO X. I was not impressed. The system response was slower than what I'm used to and the UI just feels "cheap" to me. On a brighter note, the front camera was awesome for using Google Duo to talk to my son while I'm on the road. Its not a bad phone, I just feel like my S7 is a better phone."
Review 2: "I'm pretty conflicted with this phone. I want to adore it, however there are some pretty major setbacks that I'm not sure if I can look past. With that being said, I'd still recommend this for the price.
----------
Pros:
- The screen is big but you don't get a big phone. I've strayed away from 6" because I'm a little person, but I quite like holding this because it's skinny enough that small hands can hold it and also enjoy a "big boy" screen.
- It's smooth. It's definitely faster and more smooth than my last phone (HTC Desire Eye). Installing apps is lightning fast, scrolling through google is a breeze, and having multiple apps in the background doesn't slow it down.
- Sound quality is quite good. It's bass-y, which I like. It picks up the slightest noise though, which could be great or bad depending on the situation I guess. It goes quite loud as well.
- Plenty of storage. You'll be able to fit thousands of photos, songs, and quite a lot of apps onto this phone.
- Fingerprint scanner is awesome. I've never had a phone that did this, so it's kind of fun.
- Messaging notification drop-down is AMAZING. I LOVE this feature. I was pleasantly surprised when someone texted me and I was able to read/reply from the drop-down, all while staying on whatever page.
- You can do split-screen. I think it depends on the app though. In theory, it's great that you can have two pages up at a time.
- Android nougat is so nice. I had Android 5.0 with my last phone. Upgrading to 7 is definitely what I needed, and hoping for an update to Android 8 in the next year, maybe?
- The actual feel of the phone is high-end. It feels like a top-rated phone, but without the pricetag.
- All of Google's apps come already installed. I personally don't use many of Google's features, so luckily it's easy to remove them and add some extra storage to the phone.
- It came with a screen protector already on, an extra screen protector in the box, and a case as well! It also came with the standard charging accessories and some earbuds.
- Fast startup/reboot. The initial startup is a bit slow and worrisome, but it's just the one time as it gets itself ready for you! After that, turning it on is quick.
Cons:
- The camera. So many problems with it. I'll go into detail at the end of this post. This is the biggest obstacle holding me back from possibly sticking with this. My last phone had a superb camera that was clear, could focus on micro surroundings, adjusted perfectly to light... And this camera fails in all those areas.
- The resolution IS as advertised. No you won't be getting the clearest of words on your screen, but it's passable. It's noticeable if you switch from a better resolution phone like I did though.
- The lack of cases is strange, I must admit. Hopefully some more come out soon.
- No theme, at least not that I could tell. I think all of my past Androids of recent years have had an option for different interface themes. This doesn't seem to have this feature.
- I couldn't access ANY ringtones/notification alerts. I had to download a ringtone app.
- 14GB of my 64GB was already taken up. I can't figure out what's taking up so much space. I've gotten rid of any bloatware (luckily wasn't a lot, so great job, BLU), but 14 is still a lot.
----------
I'd love to give it 5 stars, but there's just one thing that's so jarring to me, and I don't understand it at all... When you use your camera (back and front), the window on your screen is crisp and beautiful (back is, front is lackluster). But when you go to look at the image, it's blurry. It's like it goes from the supposed 13MP+, down to maybe an 8MP (at best) once the picture is actually taken. I'm pretty miffed at this. I mean, really, the camera specs are a lie.
To go along with the camera, it also has a hard time focusing on things close to it. For example, selfies are a joke. You get that perma-airbrushed look even without the beauty filter on. I have freckles, but you can't see them in the photos. Some different camera apps make the clarity and focusing a bit better, but you'd more than likely have to deal with obnoxious ads unless you want to pay for a different camera app.
----------
Overall, I'm not exactly happy with it, but I'm not mad either. I really wish the camera was better. I switched from a 2014 phone which excelled in that area, so it's sort of hard to downgrade after spending a couple hundred bucks. I did upgrade in many areas which is nice though. I sort of want to return the item, but I might keep it. Luckily I'm not a huge selfie taker, so I may not care too much about the problem a week from now."
So all in all, I've also read some reviews from tech websites, the Vivo X seems to be a good phone FOR THE PRICE. So if I were you, I wouldn't expect a 250$ phone to have the same quality of components of a 700$ phone. Mediatek processor, Only Gorilla glass 3, LCD screen not Amoled, Camera with only "ok quality". If you extrapolate, that can give you an hint of the quality of the internal memory, of the quality of the RAM used, the quality of the GPS chip (will it fix your position as fast as a S7? Don't know, but I doubt it).
To me, your question is similar as saying "I have a Ford Mustang, is it worth switching to a "add name of any common cheap car" ?" You see what I mean?

No way!!! Why you would do that? It`s more like a downgrade.. If you really want a change, something stock, more storage, more ram, quickly software updates and maybe a better battery backup, you can change the s7 for a OnePlus 5T, or simply you can wait for OnePlus 6 which is launching in june..

cristiandiaconu6 said:
No way!!! Why you would do that? It`s more like a downgrade.. If you really want a change, something stock, more storage, more ram, quickly software updates and maybe a better battery backup, you can change the s7 for a OnePlus 5T, or simply you can wait for OnePlus 6 which is launching in june..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it's true, these are the best alternative to my point of view too, but the only thing is that it's not on the same budget level (250$ for the Blu Vivo X and 500$ or more for the OnePlus phones). Though, you summed up all I said very well, S7 to Vivo X is a downgrade.

S8 to S10e

Hi, I'm currently using a S8 plus. I'm thinking off upgrading to the S10e. Has anyone who currently owns this device confirm if the S10e is a good upgrade from the S8 plus? Is battery much better? Is camera significantly better etc etc?
Any help and feedback is appreciated.
Thanks

smuzza said:
Hi, I'm currently using a S8 plus. I'm thinking off upgrading to the S10e. Has anyone who currently owns this device confirm if the S10e is a good upgrade from the S8 plus? Is battery much better? Is camera significantly better etc etc?
Any help and feedback is appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did exactly that while also having the S9 for a week. S8->S9 is a slight upgrade. Camera is a bit better, speakers and stereo-sound is a nice upgrade and it is slightly snappier. The One UI 2 Upgrade also brings much better RAM Management and Apps in the background close less often and the new Fingerprint location is easier to reach. Battery seemed slightly better but the S8 was also older and so might not have had its full capacity in comparison.
S8/S9->S10e is a much bigger upgrade. Camera is leagues ahead and the extra wide angle gives you so much more room to play with. Snappiness again increased and you absolutely feel the 2GB more RAM throughout the day (No closed Apps in the background). Battery seems the same in my use case to the S9. The speakers feels to be a downgrade from the S9 tho as they start crackling when on (near) full volume while the S9 speaker seemed better tuned. The new fingerprint sensor in the power button is also nice to have as i often want to take a glance while the phone is lying on the table. Missed the function to unlock without having to pick the phone up since i left my S7 behind.
All in all the S10e is a distinct upgrade over the S8. If anyone reading this got an S9, then its mostly the camera and maybe the extra RAM depending on your use case. It won't feel as a big upgrade if your already running One UI 2 and don't have Apps closing on you or want the latest camera tech.
With GCAM (look for Zexynos) the S8 and S9 look the same btw and easily crush the S10(e) in many cases.
All the above is for the Exynos variants. With Snapdragon speed increases could be bigger but battery differences could be lower.

Sorry but my opinion after upgrading from an S8 to S10 is don't do it.
I have found the camera on the 10e to be worse in every way from the S8.
My wife usually takes my old phone each time i upgrade but she has already told me she does not want this one when i change and i may decide to get rid of it early even though i only got it in September 19.
In daylight, the camera is fine but as soon as you move in doors to artificial or low light, it is woeful.
If you zoom in the pictures are full of noise and they look fake, i have pictures where skin has large chunks looking waxy or plastic, way too over processed.
If you look at Samsungs own forum for S10/S10E you will find loads of posts all around the same issues.
What makes it more annoying is the adverts and initial reviews stated the camera was professional quality yet a recent write up i seen about the soon to be released S11 was that it aimed to improve on the S10 camera which was inferior to the Pixel 3.
Other features of phone are decent but the S8 is also a very capable phone.
My own intention for the future is to move away from Samsung despite being with them since the S2 as it is the first time i have felt the new phone is inferior to the previous one.
Good luck with whatever you decide to go with.

Thanks for the replies. In all honesty I'd prefer to get the S10+ but it seems to be quite expensive still. I was thinking towards the S10e instead since it's cheaper but might hold out for something else.

Question S21+ vs Note 10+

Torn between S21+ and Note 10+. Watched Youtube videos and found nearly all the videos and the follow-up comments were one-sided: Note 10+ is better than S21+. Considering Note 10+ was 1.5 years older than S21+, it's hard to believe that note 10+ is really better than S21+. S21+ is now on sale plus the trade-in program with the T-mobile promotion. Which one is worth buying note 10+ or S21+? Thank you for the help!

You can still get a new N975U for $800 running on Q. I have two now, the other is a N975U1 running on Pie. In spite of being almost 2.5 years old my original one looks and runs like new. One battery replacement was the only repair. The display is still perfect. Current load will be 2 years old in June, still fast and stable.
SOT is 7-13%@hr, 7%@hr for Brave browser more for streaming vids.
The deal breaker against the S21+ are:
•No SD card* slot, I use a .5tb V30 Sandisk extreme soon the be upgraded to 1tb.
•The S21 and all variable rate displays have slightly poorer color rendering and numerous display issues of all sorts. The N10+ display has an excellent track record and it's gorgeous with square corners. Perfect for vids.
•The N10+ comes loaded with Q, no forced encryption and scoped storage isn't fully active, older apps run fine on it like WPS Office.
•The N10+ has a native spen for bt remote shutter release and the very useful Smart Capture tool.
•The N10+ is 7mm thick so even when well protected in a Zizo Bolt case it's not very thick and easy to hold and use.
•5G not needed as my cheap unlimited data plan is 4G. 4G uses less battery which is important to me.
•Cams are pretty damn good on the N10+, laser focus be nice but not high on the list. The better color rendering of the N19+ display outweigh the slightly better cams of newer models.
•Build quality of the N10+ is excellent, battle tested. All buttons, the spen still work like new.
Beyond all that the N10+ is a fun, snappy phone to use even after over 2 years. With 12gb of ram you just don't run out, nominal usage is 4.9-5.2gb on Pie.
The new one was $800, I didn't blink at the price as I know what I was getting. Both will likely never be upgraded to 11 or 12, security isn't an issue for Pie and up. Both can be upgraded to 12 if you wish but likely not 13.
The other phone I considered was the N20U but the 10+ won out. I'm having an excellent user experience with the beast, so I got a backup
*I use the SD card as a data drive, all critical data goes there including full backups (within the limits of a stock Android). I can do a full reload with no internet connection or PC, anywhere.
Moreover I carry my entire CD/HDCD collection in my pocket as wav files. A fast dual drive 1+tb PC in your pocket is magnificent.

Thank you Blackhawk! How is the camera on note 10+ compared with S21+? On eBay, I saw "brand new" note 10+ for less than $500.

pzz123 said:
Thank you Blackhawk! How is the camera on note 10+ compared with S21+? On eBay, I saw "brand new" note 10+ for less than $500.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome.
Well I never shot with the S21+ so for all I know it's AF gets lock ons instantly. The 10+'s shutter release could be faster but nothing to compare to except pro cams I shoot with
Still pics, vids are good, action shots not... unless you use burst mode which is easy to do by simply holding the release.
Using the spen as a remote shutter release is great though. Below is one from 10 feet out... not even trying to make it nice.
Be very careful with vendors. Best to talk with them first on the phone. Many are misrepresenting what they are selling. The Snapdragon variant you want is the N975U, it interfaces with AT&T just by putting in the sim card. Assuming you're using AT&T; get the correct variant for your provider. Make sure it has 12gb of ram. Used ones will likely be reflashed to Android 11. You want to keep display brightness at 50% or lower; did the previous owner? AMOLED displays have a finite lifespan; the brightest stars burn out first.
Factory sealed, two day free delivery. I like this seller, not super cheap but top shelf phones, zero issues and he answers his phone. I did a lot of searching...
Personally I think the S21+ is a dog.
In my opinion the Note20U be your next best choice but I dismissed it in part because of potential reliability issues with the display, the display color rendering is less than the 10, and they are shipped with Android 11. The 5G modem will likely eat battery and it's form factor sucks. You may feel differently and as of today it is the last Note. Faster memory/cpu/spen, excellent cam (and hump) and variable refresh rate display. Be very careful if you buy one, a lot of scamming going on with this model worse than what I saw with the N10... it's bad.
Make sure it has 12gb of ram and is the unlocked factory model.
Got a headache yet?

Awesome! Thanks. I am now seriously thinking about getting a note 10+ instead of s21+. Appreciate your help!

pzz123 said:
Awesome! Thanks. I am now seriously thinking about getting a note 10+ instead of s21+. Appreciate your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a tough call between the N10+ and N20U*. On paper the N20U seems to have the edge.
In real life though... results may vary
Note 10+ display review.
Note 20U display review.
*S21+, for me the call is an easy no go

Note 20 Ultra upgrade from Note 4 Call recording needed

Hello fellow Xda members, I'm considering upgrading from my galaxy Note 4 to the Note 20 ultra. I'm resigned to losing the headphone jack and infrared sensor but what I can't live without are three features: call recording (I'm currently using ACR recorder and it's perfect for recording) Root capabilities and the fact that I can install an app (Videocallid) that personalises my contact ringtones with ANY kind of video's (music videos as ringtones are wild . Will I be able to reatin any or all of these features with the Note 20 ultra?

A year ago I was looking at the N10+ and the N20U. Got a second N10+. Samsung started going sideways with the N20U.
Unfortunately the Snapdragon's have the best hardware including heatpipes on the N10+'s. The Snapdragon's are hard or impossible to root. Optimized, stock ones run very well with 12+ hours SOT. I run stock, but still using Android 9 and 10 with no intentions of upgrading.
I can set custom ringtones. Never do call recording. The N10+ is a better balanced Note in my opinion and the zenith point of the Note series. They run like bats out of hell and are very reliable. New ones loaded with 10* can still be had. The Exynos variant is rootable.
*After Android 10 cpu cycle sucking scoped storage is fully active. 11 is so-so and 12 is a mess. I perfer Pie; 10 is slightly less app friendly and has many more Samsung system apps. Pie runs securely without issues; current load on this device is 2.5 years, last update 3 years.

Hey Blackhawk, nice to hear from you again yeah i was thinking also along those lines as i was confronting the note 10 + and the N20U, taking into consideration that the only phone that is nearly identical to the Note 4 is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro, which has inferior ram & storage and terrible sensor proximty problems. surfing on the internet I've seen two ads for a Note 10 + at 350 euros and the N20U at 430 euros. the N20Uhas 512gb of memory while the Note 10 + has 256gb. the Xiaomi costs around 280 euros brand new.

The Weeping Angel said:
Hey Blackhawk, nice to hear from you again yeah i was thinking also along those lines as i was confronting the note 10 + and the N20U, taking into consideration that the only phone that is nearly identical to the Note 4 is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro, which has inferior ram & storage and terrible sensor proximty problems. surfing on the internet I've seen two ads for a Note 10 + at 350 euros and the N20U at 430 euros. the N20Uhas 512gb of memory while the Note 10 + has 256gb. the Xiaomi costs around 280 euros brand new.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey there
You're doing almost exactly what I did a year ago. It gets rather complicated. If I was doing it today I would spurn all the newer Samsung releases and go with another N975U1 No regrets as the N10+ is a joy to use . In terms of color/gamma accuracy/calibration likely exceeds all variable refresh rate displays. This is no small task if you want the best outcome. I recommend buying new if possible as you know exactly what you got, especially true with the bootloader version.
The 2nd new N10+ I bought is 256gb, the first 500gb. Both have 12gb of ram. I'm using V30 rated Sandisk Extremes in them, 500gb and 1tb respectively. They easily stream HD vids. Not a big deal when you have up to 1tb of expandable fast storage. Only the apps, download and dcim folders go on internal and the SD card serves as a data drive. I then redundantly backup the SD card. Everything I need including copies of apps to do a full reload without internet is on the SD card.
If memory serves me correctly there is a 8gb of ram N20U, avoid it. You want 12gb. A year ago there was a lot of scamming going on with the N20U be wary of this. Buy from trusted vendors only and always use a MC or Visa in case you need to do a charge back. There also a 128gb N20U variant too if I recall correctly, avoid it as it's not enough internal memory.
I would avoid the N10+ 5G variant as it's first generation and likely a power hog. I can stream and download movies fine with 4G. In fact 5G has opened up more bandwidth on the 4G band. 5G is perhaps problematic on the 20U as well. It's SOT is less than the N10+, it's cam hump sucks and the spen is on the left side. Any performance increases are offset somewhat by lower SOT, increased weight and bulk. There's a night and day performance difference with the N9 vs the N10+, the N9 is noticeably slower sometimes by seconds. The N10+ vs the S22U that difference is slight as far as opening apps and most daily usage.
Draw your own conclusions about what best will fullfill your mission. Invariably there will be surprises. I went from a S4+ running on Kitkat to the N10+, it was a steep learning curve at first. Pie is a far more capable and secure OS, however the hardware upgrade was just delicious... except for the missing 3.5mm jack. You'll wuv the new spen with bt remote shutter release capabilities. Smart capture is another spen feature I use a lot.
Pick up a pair of the Buds+ as they sound good especially using Poweramp's Eq. They've been discontinued but you may be able to find a new pair.
Use the Zizo Bolt case to protect your new Note. These are heavy phones that wuv to corner hit and face plant when dropped. My N10+'s are always cased. One reason they're still running.
Note: my N10+'s while being stock are optimized extensively. I use Package Disabler, Karma Firewall and a lot of settings changes. All Samsung's should be optimized...

The reason I started considering the N20U was that on local websites here in Italy there is a 80 euros difference between the N20U & the N10+ which i find ridiculous. I really want to keep using the Note series as I've grown attached to it, but the only phone that comes near to the Note 4 in similiarity is the Redmi Note 11 Pro minus the S-Pen, which saddens me to no end as it goes to show that Samsung really doesn't care or feel for it's own customer base.

I always pay through Paypal and they've always come through with their customer support,so no worries about that i really need the call recording app as i use it to take notes during calls. Having a video ringtone app is a bonus, nothing compares with having your favorite music video as your contacts ringtone.

The Weeping Angel said:
The reason I started considering the N20U was that on local websites here in Italy there is a 80 euros difference between the N20U & the N10+ which i find ridiculous. I really want to keep using the Note series as I've grown attached to it, but the only phone that comes near to the Note 4 in similiarity is the Redmi Note 11 Pro minus the S-Pen, which saddens me to no end as it goes to show that Samsung really doesn't care or feel for it's own customer base.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price difference should tell you something.
Play with both if you can. The design and balance of the N10+ is superb. The only repair I done is a replacement battery. It has over 8k hours on it, it's heavily used. I looks, feels and runs like new. Zero detectable display degradation, perfect.
You want the spen. I didn't use it for months at first, now I use it almost every day. I use screen write, smart capture and magnifier a lot. It's a swiss army knife of Android.

The Weeping Angel said:
I always pay through Paypal and they've always come through with their customer support,so no worries about that i really need the call recording app as i use it to take notes during calls. Having a video ringtone app is a bonus, nothing compares with having your favorite music video as your contacts ringtone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Paypal... don't fed the beast. They made the sorry mistake of becoming a political weapon.
They been quit busy in all the wrong ways. Not consumer friendly. I use to have a Paypal account... never again, but they do get a lifetime of free advertising from me. A stone cold pleasure.
MC and Visa have a good track record when it comes to handling charge backs.

blackhawk said:
The price difference should tell you something.
Play with both if you can. The design and balance of the N10+ is superb. The only repair I done is a replacement battery. It has over 8k hours on it, it's heavily used. I looks, feels and runs like new. Zero detectable display degradation, perfect.
You want the spen. I didn't use it for months at first, now I use it almost every day. I use screen write, smart capture and magnifier a lot. It's a swiss army knife of Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

The S-pen is something i will definitely use, which is why I'm sticking with the Note Series-for now. But i really need the call recording option; do you know Blackhawk if there is a sure fire way for both the N10+ & N20U? I've checked the guides but I don't see a clear answer. Unfortunatey there is no way for me to try out either device as both devices are not available anymore in store but i'm sure i couldn't be wrong buying either one. I've only had the chance to see the S22 Ultra and the colors are superb. I really would be disappointed if I have to end up buying the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 pro for simplicity.

The Weeping Angel said:
The S-pen is something i will definitely use, which is why I'm sticking with the Note Series-for now. But i really need the call recording option; do you know Blackhawk if there is a sure fire way for both the N10+ & N20U? I've checked the guides but I don't see a clear answer. Unfortunatey there is no way for me to try out either device as both devices are not available anymore in store but i'm sure i couldn't be wrong buying either one. I've only had the chance to see the S22 Ultra and the colors are superb. I really would be disappointed if I have to end up buying the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 pro for simplicity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It goes by region and Samsung's wims apparently. That's a lame deal breaker. Maybe get a cheap dedicated phone just for that.
Xiaomi is problematic in a number of ways including build quality.
Both Google Android and Samsung are circling the bowl, glad I got two N10+'s before the flush cycle started Android 13 is another wack job.

Uninstalling phone bloatware is something i really love to do; can't stand all the rubbish preinstalled on the Note 4; as a pet project one day I hope to make my own personal rom where I can truly customise the Note 4 as I please as i won't abandon the Note 4 totally. It is lagging abit now in perfomance & the memory & ram limitations are starting to impact day to day use.

blackhawk said:
It goes by region and Samsung's wims apparently. That's a lame deal breaker. Maybe get a cheap dedicated phone just for that.
Xiaomi is problematic in a number of ways including build quality.
Both Google Android and Samsung are circling the bowl, glad I got two N10+'s before the flush cycle started Android 13 is another wack job.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xiaomi is really a poor man's Note 4, but damn the only thing missing are samsung's vivid colors & the S-pen. Samsung really makes it hard on the consumer. eventually I find either terminal i can downgrade them to the pre-installed android version, yes? 5G isn't necessary but the majority of the used devices I'm checking out do come with that feature.

The Weeping Angel said:
Uninstalling phone bloatware is something i really love to do; can't stand all the rubbish preinstalled on the Note 4; as a pet project one day I hope to make my own personal rom where I can truly customise the Note 4 as I please as i won't abandon the Note 4 totally. It is lagging abit now in perfomance & the memory & ram limitations are starting to impact day to day use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no comparison between the N4 and the N10+. Its not just hardware. One UI is a quantum improvement over Touchwiz. Again learning curve ahead. If you go beyond Android 10 though it's going to be a true pain. Pie is still my preferred N10+ platform.
Pre Android 9 versions have glaring security holes that worming rootkits can exploit and worm their way out of the user data partition.

Thank you so much Blackhawk for your input and advice. I took the plunge & bought a Note 20 Ultra for around 605 US dollars with a year left on warranty from ebay. After scouting different websites such as Amazon & Subito.it (something like Craigslist over in the US), I couldn't find a Note 10 Plus in a similiar condition so I told myself what the heck & went with my gut. I can confirm that call recording can be activated and works by Samfw frp tool (thank you Senior Member Chosmile & System Hacks on youtube for the wonderful step by step guides ) for the European model. The battery has only been charged 259 times so I believe it will hold up for a fair bit yet. Thank you again Blackhawk for your really constructive advice and point of view