Related
I have a Note 3 AND an iPhone 5. I've been using an iPhone since the first one was released. When I purchased the Note 3 a little over 2 weeks ago I regarded it as somewhat of an experiment. As a result my iPhone 5 was placed safely in a drawer. 2+ weeks on I still find myself taking the iPhone out to play around with it and asking myself which phone I want to stick with. I still don't have an answer.
Random thoughts after owning the Note 3 for 2+ weeks and the iPhone 5 for a year:
1. The iPhone 5 is undeniably slicker. Everything feels so much more like it is working in harmony and I rarely if ever experience any system slowdowns or crashes. Since using the Note 3 I've experienced crashes with a few apps.
2. The iPhone 5 is also undeniably easier to get in and out of just about any pocket. Sometimes when I take the Note 3 out I have to be conscious of which pants I put on as some pockets just aren't deep enough.
3. The accessory situation with the Note 3 is absolutely putrid! I've scoured my town and found so little it's shocking. Contrasting that with the iPhone 5 is absolutely a joke, there are accessories EVERYWHERE for the iPhone 5.
4. The build quality of the iPhone is sublime. It looks and feels like a fine piece of jewelery. The Note 3 is merely ok. The "chrome" band that wraps around the phone is of embarrassing quality when scrutinized. It looks ok from a distance but look at it closely and it's just not a smoothly finished piece of material. The home button on mine and every other one I have tried is loose. It works ok but I am constantly adjusting it to sit level. These issues do not portray what a $700 device should.
5. I was literally shocked when I took my iPhone out of its safe drawer storage location and a notification came in. It sounded so loud and crisp. In comparison the Note 3 speaker is so underwhelming. I can't understand who decided this was a good decision. My Galaxy Tab 1 speakers (admittedly 2 speakers in stereo) sound infinitely better and at least from the outside looking at them are basically the same size each. Couldn't they use 1 of these in the Note 3 for a dramatically improved sound experience? Money certainly can't be the reason on a flagship phone, bad mistake Samsung. I would have paid $705 instead of the $703 I did to get a decent speaker.
6. On the bright side the Note 3 screen is EPIC. Not only in size but in quality. I'm not stunned when I go back to the iPhone 5 that its screen is poor, hardly. But the size difference is impossible to ignore.
7. How can you ignore the Apple ecosystem? For every app I've tried on the Note 3, the iPhone version was better. It's hard to put a finger on why, but that is my perception.
8. IMO the Note 3 is a great device but it feels very thrown together from so many often unrelated parts. It's like a car made up of Porsche, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes parts, and none of the companies ever talked to each other. The iPhone is exactly the opposite, it feels like a tightly integrated machine. Like a Lamborghini, period.
With all of this said, the Note 3 is outstanding and I can't imagine ever going back to a smaller device.
so your basically saying every negative thing about the note and praising the iphone 5 i would be suprised if this place doesn't turn into a flaming centre and you are saying that you still like it ?? it's like saying my wife is a ***** but i still love her
Blackwolf10 said:
so your basically saying every negative thing about the note and praising the iphone 5 i would be suprised if this place doesn't turn into a flaming centre and you are saying that you still like it ?? it's like saying my wife is a ***** but i still love her
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I still like it, very much in fact. I'm just giving the perspective of someone who owns both. Yes I did point out every negative I have personally observed with the Note 3. But all of these negatives combined don't change the fact that the Note 3 is a terrific device. BTW I'm sorry your wife is a *****. :laugh:
You should consider getting iPhone 5s instead. It's clearly the better device for your needs.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
To OP..clearly u are not belong here..anyway enjoy ur iphn 5..or just upgrade it to iphn 5s..
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is.
Clearly an iphone lover looking to start up a flaming thread....
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is. This is why they cant get enough of European brands and western luxury items.
Samsung have never made a cool phone ever. Never will either..
It's obvious that you purchased a device that you don't need . I don't think that a device sound be made of expensive materials here in Europe I can buy an original samsung back cover for my note 3 spending $3 I also can replace it's broken screen for 150$ try to do that with an iPhone so if can suggest something ...next time you gonna a buy a device just value your needs
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
irzero said:
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you should take a look at the HTC One mate. Best designed phone around I reckon. Truly beautiful.
As for the rest, stick with 5 or 5s. Both great phones and seemingly fit your needs better. Alternately I'd highly recommend the highly acclaimed HTC One if you want a bigger screen than Iphone but want a gorgeous aluninium device rather than the cheaper plastic design of Samsung.
And to all the anti-metal lot... no, not every plastic phone feels cheap. (5c and HTC One X, etc) Samsung are just lax and can't be bothered with design.
I'm 100% with you, iPhone is the best. Android is just another Symbian and/or Java. I buy android phones for 2 reasons, first for the big display and second to test the apps for free before I buy them for my iDevices. I gotta tell you though this is the first time I used a Samsung device and the display is awesome
fade2black101 said:
Maybe you should take a look at the HTC One mate. Best designed phone around I reckon. Truly beautiful.
As for the rest, stick with 5 or 5s. Both great phones and seemingly fit your needs better. Alternately I'd highly recommend the highly acclaimed HTC One if you want a bigger screen than Iphone but want a gorgeous aluninium device rather than the cheaper plastic design of Samsung.
And no, not every plastic phone feels cheap. (5c and HTC One X, etc)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The HTC one is a nightmare. My friend had 5. The build issues are huge. Its a very nice phone and maybe next year if they make a follow up just as good as the one then i might jump. As long as they fix the dead pixels and poorly stuck down aluminium pieces. Slow charging and short battery life.
The Note 3 will have to do till next year. Im hoping things get better next year. Specs are now high enough for me not to care.. i want quality design and build now.
docprego said:
1. The iPhone 5 is undeniably slicker. Everything feels so much more like it is working in harmony and I rarely if ever experience any system slowdowns or crashes. Since using the Note 3 I've experienced crashes with a few apps. Mac OS X runs lovely on a Mac, but you can still do more on a traditional PC, you can take full advantage of the entire provided hardware on the PC rather than on a Mac (overclocking, hotswapping of mods, hardware upgrades).
2. The iPhone 5 is also undeniably easier to get in and out of just about any pocket. Sometimes when I take the Note 3 out I have to be conscious of which pants I put on as some pockets just aren't deep enough. They are two different types of devices, one is a PHABLET, one is a PHONE.
3. The accessory situation with the Note 3 is absolutely putrid! I've scoured my town and found so little it's shocking. Contrasting that with the iPhone 5 is absolutely a joke, there are accessories EVERYWHERE for the iPhone 5. The Note 3 just came out, give it some time. Also the iPhone community is much bigger than the Note 3 community, because the iPhone has a tiny screen and most of the population have small hands and can't take the Note's big screen.
4. The build quality of the iPhone is sublime. It looks and feels like a fine piece of jewelery. The Note 3 is merely ok. The "chrome" band that wraps around the phone is of embarrassing quality when scrutinized. It looks ok from a distance but look at it closely and it's just not a smoothly finished piece of material. The home button on mine and every other one I have tried is loose. It works ok but I am constantly adjusting it to sit level. These issues do not portray what a $700 device should. An iPhone is so girly, in the sense that they live the life of a girl, they would sacrifice everything just to look good. What does the iPhone 5 have? 3GB RAM? Eight-cores/S800 Quad? S-Pen? Big screen? Big battery? LOL should I even continue? The Note 3 is already so good, and packs all this hardware into such a thin form factor.
5. I was literally shocked when I took my iPhone out of its safe drawer storage location and a notification came in. It sounded so loud and crisp. In comparison the Note 3 speaker is so underwhelming. I can't understand who decided this was a good decision. My Galaxy Tab 1 speakers (admittedly 2 speakers in stereo) sound infinitely better and at least from the outside looking at them are basically the same size each. Couldn't they use 1 of these in the Note 3 for a dramatically improved sound experience? Money certainly can't be the reason on a flagship phone, bad mistake Samsung. I would have paid $705 instead of the $703 I did to get a decent speaker. Well Samsung is notorious for speaker complaints, you don't really choose LG for waterproof devices, or Sony for the Nexus line, you know the rep of the phone you're buying, you're in for the problems. If you want a good phone with good speakers, try the HTC One with Beats (last model of phones to release with Beats on HTC).
6. On the bright side the Note 3 screen is EPIC. Not only in size but in quality. I'm not stunned when I go back to the iPhone 5 that its screen is poor, hardly. But the size difference is impossible to ignore. Both different kind of devices, screen size shouldn't matter, you can't compare an iPod Nano to an iPod touch, clearly there is no winner.
7. How can you ignore the Apple ecosystem? For every app I've tried on the Note 3, the iPhone version was better. It's hard to put a finger on why, but that is my perception. The App Store has been here and fully controlled by Apple ever since the 2.0 days. It obviously controls every aspect of every app, which limits developers to what Apple wants them to do. On Android, they could have been made by kids, grandmas or your mom, there's more freedom, but you can't complain because Google encourages more "free" apps to be developed to take advantage of the hardware.
8. IMO the Note 3 is a great device but it feels very thrown together from so many often unrelated parts. It's like a car made up of Porsche, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes parts, and none of the companies ever talked to each other. The iPhone is exactly the opposite, it feels like a tightly integrated machine. Like a Lamborghini, period. An iPhone is like a Macbook, all software built for it's hardware. But an iPhone is so simple, and 'jailed' in a non-sandbox environment/containers that cannot essentially interact with each other nicely. What you get from an iPhone is if you want things to work, stay with the iPhone, you don't get more options than an Android, instead, you are running Touchwiz Home on Easy mode....more integrated machine? Well, as I said, Apple makes the software and hardware. Samsung, skins the original software from Google, creates the hardware, and also develops the drivers for each individual machine. This is why people mod cars, you can buy a closed system like Lamborghini or Porsche, keeping all their stock values and everything, limited from doing anything 'special'. One Android, you can essentially run Samsung/HTC/LG/Motorola specific apps on one device, and you can overclock it to make it faster too. You can't upgrade the graphics card in an iMac, but you can on a PC - means that when a new game comes out, the Android runs it better on a newer device by a different company the next week, rather than limiting down THE GAME to be able to run smoothly on an iPhone. People who think iPhone's are better, they're alright, because they DO NOT LIKE CHANGE, and they do not like to **** up or experiment hands on (no offence but it's true), and jailbreaking is just getting a skin + addons onto the device. On Android, you can run different platforms of OS'es, like Windows 95 (natively in VM) or Ubuntu 13 (as a complete OS install).
With all of this said, the Note 3 is outstanding and I can't imagine ever going back to a smaller device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just my two cents. Not here to flame the Apple-loving crowd roaming around an open source OS development website.
I used an iPhone for 2 weeks last month, I didn't notice this "Apple ecosystem" people are so much talking about. LOL even Play Store is way better than Apple's App Store. Also, of course iPhone accessories will be everywhere because they make so much money from Apple users. When I went to buy a Note 3 they didn't even ask me if I wanted extended warranty or not, somebody was buying an iPhone right beside me and I couldn't believe how they sold extended warranty(not Apple Care), screen protector and a case. If somebody is buying an iPhone, they're probably very naive, so upselling is very easy lol On iOS you have to wait for those annoying animations to finish before the screen recognises your finger. If this is what you call "smooth/fast" no thank you I'm happy with my "laggy" Android
Sent from my SM-N900W8
.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Dreadful thread tbh
In regards to the HTC One, the earlier models may have had issues but from what I've seen the newer ones are fine.
---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:49 PM ----------
Also, someone who can see the benefits of both OS is not an "Apple fan"
I don't own any Apple products and I was using a more productive but horribly laggy windows mobile back when smartphones were not common. By the time the iphone came out you could see that it was aimed at the more casual market and it has since inproved significantly but Android will always be the one for tweaking and customizing. There was no denying though that even from day 1, iPhone was much smoother and a better user experience in comparison to windows mobile.
Some people couldn't care less about that though, and people shouldn't get so defensive if someone wants to compare this phone with the iPhone 5. I don't have a Note 3 and I'm still on 2, and I read this part of the forum for general feedback.
Some people need to get a life and realise its only a phone. People will have different needs! If you really can't bear to see a thread like this and feel is MUST be locked down, then you really need to reevaluate your lives.
fade2black101 said:
Also, someone who can see the benefits of both OS is not an "Apple fan"
I don't own any Apple products and I was using a more productive but horribly laggy windows mobile back when smartphones were not common. By the time the iphone came out you could see that it was aimed at the more casual market and it has since inproved significantly but Android will always be the one for tweaking and customizing. There was no denying though that even from day 1, iPhone was much smoother and a better user experience in comparison to windows mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Were you aiming this at me, calling him an Apple fan?
Well...I never said the word 'fan', but he has a Note 3 and an iPhone, but he's more towards an iPhone, as they are more...an 'iPhone person'.
Back in the day, Apple was the new thing, cool, fast and everything. But that is in the past. Imagine running Symbian on loads of devices today, I'd go no phone forever. Windows Mobile 6.5 and below....were so slow.....so Apple fixed that, but now Android adds upon what Apple does, and Samsung builds on Google, but since Samsung's shares are increasing, Apple sues Samsung for all they got, instead of innovating as what Steve Jobs and past partners would have done.
The OP has a point.
people are missing the big picture.
this is not the tipical apple /android flame thread , because this are not tipical times . The tides are changing
.
the apple fans are here admitting the virtues off iphone but recognizing that note 3 is superior.
that post about asians suck at aesthetics .. oh man is so true! Note 3 wins .. but what is going on with the aesthetics? Its just screen basically. . Hard to miss .. and sometimes they do ( n 2 / s3 phones ugly as sin )
And android with TW is truly bad ! Thats why modding is good and we like . Those ex-apple-fanboys-still-think-they-are , probably run all stock.
Never owned an iphone , to me an iphone since day one, is a girl thing.
irzero said:
This is the problem with Samsung. Its a cheap asian knock off company and their quality is typically asian. Samsung phones are franken phones made up of what ever pieces they can find. They are not put together with care or thought. If it fits it will go in.... Apple designs their phones which is why it takes 24 months for a new design.
If Apple launched a 5 inch iphone id likely go back to Apple. I used to use all the android features and freedom but now i cant be bothered.
To be honest im getting tired of the Android ecosystem of manufacturers. Only Apple and Nokia know how to make a quality made device. Samsung have no idea, Their S3 was ugly and their nature theme was a puke inducing typical asian idea that the west just doesnt get. Now these whole notebook theme is another typical korean theme that they think is "cool" The problem is that Korea and China and the rest of Asia have no idea what "Cool" is or even what good design is. This is why they cant get enough of European brands and western luxury items.
Samsung have never made a cool phone ever. Never will either..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here, watch this video.
http://youtu.be/WxmD2xPBJ2w
You're welcome.
Sent from my SM-N9005
when they introduced the OPO, I dont remember where it was said, but it was noted the support for CM would be for two years. I could install android vanilla but Id rather not tinker with the phone. so wondering about that.
I havent purchased the phone as they are back to the stupid invite after having a free to the public open purchase they had two weeks ago. this isnt exactly such an enticing phone as it was.
I think the phone is becoming a dinasour a bit and no longer the great deal it was as phones are already pushing QHD. im considering waiting a bit more or getting some other Chinese mfr phone for about the same price. not oppo or OPO though.
what chinese phones are alternatives to the OPO with specs and price?
hows the meizu MX4 PRO?
This phone is still a beast, it's still a monster. And only you can decide which device to buy, asking such a question will only lead to multiple conflicting opinions and you'll be left in the same position (having to make the decision yourself).
Transmitted via Bacon
Specs wise, this phone is only a generation behind. Everything else is top notch. QHD is more of a marketing gimmick because in general use, nobody is going to really bother about the extra pixel density (it's barely noticeable to the human eye anyway!) But yeah, you have to decide what you want. CM will continue support.
Sent from my OnePlus One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Defining a phone such OPO a dinosaur is quite an exaggeration IMHO...
That said, if you're are worried about official updates there's only a choice and isn't as affordable as One Plus & co : Nexus.
Meizu Mx4 pro looks good though, but I'm a bit worried about FlymeOS. I've seen it running on mx4 and seemed to me a bit too rough on the edges.
Sent from a baconized lollipop.
If you can wait another half an year, you can buy even oneplus 2 or xiaomi mi5. But right now this moment, I feel oneplus one and mi4 are cost worthy phones with awesome dev support. Other phones like meizu dont have that good dev support ever even if its cheap..
Oneplus and mi4 arent latest tech but is no different from expensive phones like nexus 6. You can do the same work in oneplus too and it's half the price with better quality.
Sent from my OPO
Thoughts on the unveiling of the Blackberry DTEK60. Looks excellent if you ask me: Stockish Android, Front Facing Speakers Small Bezels, finger print scanner on backSnapdragon 820, decent looking battery, and above average camera.
For $500 dollars seems like a great upgrade for Moto X owners looking for a stock android device with front facing speakers.
Thoughts?
Its looks like a amazing device with such potential. But its going to be underestimated and not enough custom roms for it most likely...
thekalby said:
Thoughts on the unveiling of the Blackberry DTEK60. Looks excellent if you ask me: Stockish Android, Front Facing Speakers Small Bezels, finger print scanner on backSnapdragon 820, decent looking battery, and above average camera.
For $500 dollars seems like a great upgrade for Moto X owners looking for a stock android device with front facing speakers.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest I don't know if i would go to that. Not knowing the situation with blackberry and they could go down the tubes any time now, updates may be scarce. Worse than Moto or LG hahahaha. Also for that price the Xiaomi Mi* seems like a good phone, but especially the Mix
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Kir6y said:
Its looks like a amazing device with such potential. But its going to be underestimated and not enough custom roms for it most likely...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will most likely receive no third-party ROMs development. The phone will not be rootable as well. Blackberry won't let you do so, at least easily because it would go against their security prowess.
I just bought my Pure for sub-250$ so such a phone for 500 is a no go. I think something along the line of ZTE or the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Mix would be better (even though these phones are very hard to get our hands on).
For the money I would definitely consider an alternative other than blackberry at the moment..lack of modding or rom's would make it a boring 500+ piece of hardware .
marksedge said:
For the money I would definitely consider an alternative other than blackberry at the moment..lack of modding or rom's would make it a boring 500+ piece of hardware .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I used to be a big custom rom guy back in the day, but Android is so great today I have no reason to root or install a custom rom. Just looking for stock android and I'm happy.
I'm curious, what specific customizations are you and others looking for today that warrants rooting and custom roms?
thekalby said:
Honestly, I used to be a big custom rom guy back in the day, but Android is so great today I have no reason to root or install a custom rom. Just looking for stock android and I'm happy.
I'm curious, what specific customizations are you and others looking for today that warrants rooting and custom roms?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My logic was price wise ,for the same amount of money or less there's alot of options available like Nexus 5x or 6p which by black Friday should be a decent deal and even now and they run stock Andy just as good .if I was to shed out that kind of money it would be for pretty good flagship phone .The blackberrys are intriguing but for the money I would stick with Samsung /HTC /Sony and then Nexus line and as far as modding I'm not too big in it anymore but when the device hit eol and someone makes a stable Cm or paranoid/Aosp rom of current or next Andy build I would jump straight into it .
Sorry, is this post about Blackberry? That Blackberry from Canada? the death company?
500$ ...what???
Enviado desde mi XT1575 mediante Tapatalk
marksedge said:
My logic was price wise ,for the same amount of money or less there's alot of options available like Nexus 5x or 6p which by black Friday should be a decent deal and even now and they run stock Andy just as good .if I was to shed out that kind of money it would be for pretty good flagship phone .The blackberrys are intriguing but for the money I would stick with Samsung /HTC /Sony and then Nexus line and as far as modding I'm not too big in it anymore but when the device hit eol and someone makes a stable Cm or paranoid/Aosp rom of current or next Andy build I would jump straight into it .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the Nexus 6p is an excellent phone, it's just too damn big for me. I can barely handle the Moto X. Looking for a 5.5 inch phone.
thekalby said:
Yeah the Nexus 6p is an excellent phone, it's just too damn big for me. I can barely handle the Moto X. Looking for a 5.5 inch phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the 6p is huge but just feels and looks like a premium device .My brother has it and nephew has 5x running 7.0 just smoothly .I came from a HTC one m9 and had a nexus 5 so I definitely learned my lesson on phones that cost 500+ .If it not a game changer than I wont spend 500+ when three months done the line some other comes with something better .Heck even one plus phones are good for the money.
With phone options out there with comparable specs in the $400 range, just can't justify getting a BB. For a business wanting a secure phone, it would be a good choice but fit most users, I doubt the extra "security" would really matter. For a tinkerer, this phone is a no go.
Honestly, after having the Alcatel Idol 3, that phone looks almost identical to both the Idol 3 and the Idol 4.
I like this phone but I don't know if i like it enough to have it for 2 years. With the iphone 8 and the Samsung s8 or note 8 coming next year makes me want to wait. I don't like how it doesn't have wireless charging and it doesn't have the camera stabilizer for taking pics, also no water protection. So with the people that have this phone please tell me what you think of it. Thabks all.
Wait. You are setting yourself up for a disappointment with all that you see wrong with the device before even buying it. And the price will drive you nuts with those shortcomings you find objectionable.
racer0018 said:
I like this phone but I don't know if i like it enough to have it for 2 years. With the iphone 8 and the Samsung s8 or note 8 coming next year makes me want to wait. I don't like how it doesn't have wireless charging and it doesn't have the camera stabilizer for taking pics, also no water protection. So with the people that have this phone please tell me what you think of it. Thabks all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a suggestion - make up your own mind instead of relying on other people. Not everyone has to like the same things for the same reasons.
Come on guys, I think you're being unfair. All of us who have bought the phone ought to write a review every time somebody is thinking about buying one and can't be bothered to read the comments and reviews already posted here and on youtube.
Realistically every phone is going to have certain shortcomings, and to me the Pixel looks like first-generation hardware with a top-tier asking price. After seeing the Pixel, I decided to buy the iPhone 7. That's when I found out Apple doesn't provide anything like an LED or ambient display to indicate waiting notifications. That one issue is worth the cost of a return for me, but apparently it's also acceptable to the people that bought the billion previous iPhones. The Pixel checks a lot of items off my interest list, and it misses some. Like other phones available today and in the future, there are areas where the Pixel does and does not compare favorably with other options. Ultimately I think it cost me $35 to find out that an LED notification is more personally important than waterproofing, image stabilization, or wireless charging.
I've been with Android since the HTC Droid Eris. Things are advancing so rapidly now, it is worse that trying to buy an up to date PC back in the day...by the time you got home someone had the specs of your brand new toy beat. It seems even worse now with smartphones. I find myself getting ever closer to a phone that tick all my wants. However, when that starts happening, everybody will keep the phone they have for two years instead of getting a new one every year. That won't help the sales plateau smartphones seem to be in. Today you have to be prepared for the phone you buy today to be one tier behind in a very short time. Just the way it is.
I have to say my new Pixel is the best smartphone I have ever used and it is not even close. I retired an LG V10. The V10 is about as far behind the Pixel as the Galaxy S4 was behind the V10. No it is not perfect, but no other top tier phone today is perfect either. If the Pixel is judged to be too expensive, then so are the rest of the top tier brands.
I'd say get it. Be careful with it and return it if you have some issue.
I have read tons or reviews but here is the thing, those reviews are a lot of the time done by people that wrote for a living and not the average person that is going to use this phone. Most of the time they write these reviews because they get all new phones shipped to them for free and not the average person that gets a new phone once every 2 years. I guess in all, I know what the reviews say and the YouTube videos look like but I wanted to know what the average person says about the phone. Not the expert says about the phone. Thabks.
racer0018 said:
I like this phone but I don't know if i like it enough to have it for 2 years. With the iphone 8 and the Samsung s8 or note 8 coming next year makes me want to wait. I don't like how it doesn't have wireless charging and it doesn't have the camera stabilizer for taking pics, also no water protection. So with the people that have this phone please tell me what you think of it. Thabks all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Youre gonna wait every 6 months... Pixel 2 next year..
Personally I hold out until the next phone I buy has significant upgrades..
I went from Nexus 4 to Nexus 6 to LG G4 to LG v10 (I fell for the 2nd screen gimmick, but it wasnt anything more over the G4), skipped LG G5, skipped Nexus 6p, considered One plus 3, but Pixel Xl filled a few of the most important boxes for me.
Hype, bandwagon, fantastic screen that turns iPhone/samsung owner's heads, accessories, accessories, super active community, fast, fast loading camera ready to take a picture, unlimited cloud, build quality, looks and balance.
I'm hoping assistant, gps and navigation will work well as I use them a lot and most phones have worked ok, but fail..
Im still waiting on my preorder....
I am happy with T-Mobile giving a 325 dollar credit for this phone, so it's totally worth it for me.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA-Developers mobile app
Yup it is missing those, but if these bother you then don't buy it because it is an expensive phone and if you are not 100% satisfied with what it is offering then yep wait for the next big thing.
For me currently this is the best phone out there satisfying all my needs and desires, and also it was time to replace my aging Nexus 5. Loving the pixel
I'm in a boat whether to buy this phone or not.. Between pixel, oneplus 3 or xiaomi mi note 2. Not sure how roms will be for the pixel, so will wait and see how that pans out and reviews for the MI note 2
LPHS said:
Yup it is missing those, but if these bother you then don't buy it because it is an expensive phone and if you are not 100% satisfied with what it is offering then yep wait for the next big thing.
For me currently this is the best phone out there satisfying all my needs and desires, and also it was time to replace my aging Nexus 5. Loving the pixel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See that is a worthwhile upgrade. I went to an n5x so the pixel is not worth the cost. It just depends on where you're coming from.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using XDA-Developers mobile app
chrisinsocalif said:
I am happy with T-Mobile giving a 325 dollar credit for this phone, so it's totally worth it for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here! I was going to pass on the Pixel because of the price but with that promo, I ordered two for me and the missus. A Pixel for $325 is an amazing deal!
bobby janow said:
See that is a worthwhile upgrade. I went to an n5x so the pixel is not worth the cost. It just depends on where you're coming from.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what I thought, I almost purchased a 5x but decided to wait for the next nexus, didn't know that time that it was going to be a pixel, but yeah for me it is worth the upgrade. If i had purchased the 5x then I am pretty sure I would be in the same boat as you, lol for me even the freakin fingerprint scanner is an upgrade
To the op and others undecided. I think some have already covered it but I'll put in my $.02
I'm different than most that posted here. I like to buy/sell when new devices come out. There is no perfect phone for anyone. I also am not biased towards android or apple.
I have recently used moto x, moto x 2nd gen, htc m9, sony z3 compact, oneplus3, iphones 5s,6,6s,&7/7+
I'm currently using the oneplus 3, iphone 7, and just got the pixel yesterday.
All these phones have there advantages/disadvantages as previously mentioned.
There will always be something better around the corner. If you keep waiting, you'll be waiting forever. If you need a phone right now, best options in my opinion are the pixel, oneplus3, iphone 6s or 7, but that depends on your needs too. If you don't need a phone right now wait it out till you do.
Phones are somewhat similar to pcs right now. They are not really getting any faster for typical use, just better cameras typically and a few different options in the os.
The oneplus 3 imo is the best 5.5" android phone for the money. It's almost perfect for my needs but comes with some minor bugs and not the best speakers for music. $400, can't be beat by any phone and is the fastest android phone out i believe. It is faster than the pixel.
Pixel is a great phone. Fingerprint sensor location takes some getting used to. Android 7 and pixel launcher are nice but come with some bugs and lack of options. Phone can be laggy at times during normal use. Great deal if you get in on the t-mobile promo. I don't like the big top/bottom bezels but i can live with it. With future updates, this could be my new close to perfect phone.
IPhone 7 is nice but overhyped. Iphone 6s is just as good. Iphone 7 speakers and camera slightly better, maybe slightly faster but nothing like Apple claims.
You need to decide what you really want then pick the phone that best fits for the price you want yo pay.
If you want a cheap avg android phone, go with the oneplus 3. It's a great price and competes with the high end phones extremely well. Otherwise pony up. There are limited choices for a decent priced phone anymore and definitely typically come with drawbacks that I'm not willing to sacrifice.
Best of luck
I currently have the Samsung s7. I'm on Verizon. I ordered a pixel from Google because with the financing you can pay it off early. On Verizon Device payment plan you have to pay monthly or just pay the entire phone off at once.
I've been reading reviews and got impatient and ordered the phone from Verizon. I saw were you could get 20% off with the Save20 code but it didn't work for me because of my corporate discount. However, Verizon is giving trade in value for any phone. If I traded in my S7 I could get $300 but I want to keep it in case I don't like the pixel.
What I did was buy an iPhone 4 from ebay for $30. Verizon gave me a $200 credit for that phone and I ordered the 128gb pixel. So I got that phone for 750-200+30=$580. I think I paid $650 for my Nexus 6P 64gb last year.
Options that Verizon and tmobile offer make it a no brainer to get this phone. I think if Google had released this phone to all carriers or when they do you will have many people buying and loving this phone. That is the problem. Not what the phone is missing it's because people don't want to pull the trigger because of the price.
Sent from my SM-G930V using XDA-Developers mobile app
andyfoster said:
Come on guys, I think you're being unfair. All of us who have bought the phone ought to write a review every time somebody is thinking about buying one and can't be bothered to read the comments and reviews already posted here and on youtube.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL. Thanks mate, you made my day!
I'm am average user but love pure android and had nearly all the Nexus phones and coming from the 6p to the pixel, have to say love it. Great camera, faster better in low light, phone is bonkers quick with excellent battery life and very crisp clear screen. Also easier to handle than my 6p. Very expensive but worth it? Just about.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
Wow the Pixel 3 XL is getting bagged and dogged on left and right as if it's the worst smartphone ever made. Yes it could have been designed better for sure. Try to go the more minimal notch like Essential or something, and no bottom chin, do the stereo speakers like the HTC 10, or and the iPhone XS, and Note 9's, do, etc... to allow a more full screen design. Yes give us 6GB RAM.
Mainly in tech forums I keep reading so much hate for the Pixel 3 XL;
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pixel-3-pixel-3-xl.2106788/page-68#post-26666374
And YouTube channels dogging on the phone big time
But I still wouldn't go iPhone, just not an iOS fan whatsoever. And Samsung Touchwiz not my thing either. So if I hate the iPhone, don't like Galaxy phones and the Pixel 3 is sub par, what's the other options? I wish we had a third option, a Windows Surface phone or something.
Oh well, I still have my White Pixel 3 XL on order, and not changing. Yes the notch is ugly, and more RAM would have been nice, but I still value stock Android, updated directly and quickly from Google, and the smooth fluid vanilla UI, and the amazing camera, and A+ rated display, and IP68 rating, and wireless charging. Maybe I'm a sucker, but that's my choice.
Honestly, I didn't even notice the notch when I was checking out the display phone at Verizon. I love the feel of the phone, very well balanced and light compared to my old Nexus 6. Can't wait to get my phone call on Thursday (I hope) to come and pick up my phone.
I think manly they are charging Flagship prices but not delivering on flagship hardware /specs compared to whats already on the market and instead are betting on software to carry them. Now i love pure android how its meant to be not a fan of all tweaks each manufacture adds to the phone, If Samsung offered a note 9 /S9 pure (ie stock android no mods) i think the pixel would be left in its dust. The Pixel's have always seemed to be a generation behind. I love my pixel 2 xl i know i just wanted something more to go with the great feel of stock android and what not. maybe next year, i have my 3 XL ordered and will use it for a week or two to see if its worth the upgrade over my 2 XL
How would I have like to see Google design the Pixel 3 XL? Well on a realistic manner not some unrealistic futuristic design but a realistic version could have been a cross between like the LG V30 shape and size with the minimal bezels but give it the Essential notch and stretch the screen out on the top and bottom. And then do the stereo speakers like on the Note 9 or iPhone so they don't have to be front-facing, and allow for full display with almost no bezels at like 6.2" or so. And give it 6GB RAM. And a bigger 4,000MaH battery.
At the end of the day, for October 2018, I still think FOR ME, the Pixel 3 XL is the best phone out.
- Stock vanilla Android is my bread and butter OS. I go back to owning the Nexus-One when it was new, then waiting in line for the Nexus-S at launch. I just have a thing for stock Android, all other versions of Android just irritate me, or frustrate me.
- Updates first and quickly
- A+ rated display
- Best camera
- Wireless charging now
- IP68 rating is nice
- Phone can easily be rooted, mainly for the best ad blocking and Substratum themes
No other phone right now interests me. The Note 9 or S9+ ? Not at all, no way, Lagwiz still exists no matter what people say. The LG V40, yeah that's cool, but not a fan of the LG skin, and they suck at updates. iPhone XS Max looks super cool, a very beautifully built device, really liked it a lot, but man I hate iOS, and on the XS Max the OS looks out of place, dated like something from a decade ago. OnePlus 6T, yeah will be a great phone, but they always skimp somehow.
Is the Pixel 3 XL the best phone of 2018 ? NO, not at all. But for me a stock Android nerd, it's really the only option.
Yeah if the Iphone XS Max ran android it would be a dream phone lol IMO ... That said i do think the Note 9 Running stock android with all the software options of the pixel 3 would be a great option as well .
PSA:
Don't read Mac/Apple websites for reviews on Android devices. They are quite happy being locked into their apple ecosystem and will never appreciate the open source model of a pixel device.
No hate here, just wish the display was LARGER......Note9/V40 temp me with their larger displays......but I can't get away from pure google... C'mon google, 6.5 next year!!!
Why the hate? Did you notice that big black malignancy at the top of the screen? What about specs that are less than impressive? My guess is the answer is right there between those two things. Flagship means flagship, you want to charge this kinda money you need some wow factor and the ability to say you're second to none and have that hold water.
These devices don't give me that vibe. Too me they're like the second toughest guy on the block saying "Look, I can juggle!" As to the former enough has been said about it. I personally found my Best Buy experience to fall between what some said. At points when I was busy manipulating the GUI I forgot about it completely. Any time I stepped back from specific tasks the thing jumped out at me, it was like getting mugged with an ugly stick every timei looked at the phone as an object.
Yeah, I'm stupid so I'm still thinking about buying even though I'm not convinced I won't be sorry.
razor237 said:
I think manly they are charging Flagship prices but not delivering on flagship hardware /specs compared to whats already on the market and instead are betting on software to carry them. Now i love pure android how its meant to be not a fan of all tweaks each manufacture adds to the phone, If Samsung offered a note 9 /S9 pure (ie stock android no mods) i think the pixel would be left in its dust. The Pixel's have always seemed to be a generation behind. I love my pixel 2 xl i know i just wanted something more to go with the great feel of stock android and what not. maybe next year, i have my 3 XL ordered and will use it for a week or two to see if its worth the upgrade over my 2 XL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't agree with this at all. The pixel 3 xl has a Samsung screen which looks amazing (and I bet is par or at least close to what you see on a Samsung phone), it has the latest Quallcom processor, the best cameras and software, same day updates, wireless charging, front facing speakers, I mean, what else does it need to be 'flagship specs' to you? What, because it only has 4 GB of RAM? That's literally the ONLY thing I can come up with, and that's only because many OEM's have stuffed more RAM in their phones this year. And honestly, it's not really necessary, at least not for 90% of people who use smartphones. Sheet, iPhones only have 4 GB or RAM. They only had ONE GB or RAM for a looonnnggg time. No one complained about that.
To me, this is a premium flagship, no question. The hate is mostly the RAM and notch. It's superficial. Last year it was the blue shift. Which, I think that plus the terrible quality control was actually warranted. This year, it's not much to hate on. Either you like it, or don't get it. And you can hide the notch. Either way, I'm excited about it coming today. I LOVE 2 xl, but I'm definitely ready for this upgrade, even though I was very on the fence before I checked one out in the store. My point here is, people are going to hate on something every time. Every time. If you don't like something, don't get it. It's really that simple.
My $0.02
gettinwicked said:
I don't agree with this at all. The pixel 3 xl has a Samsung screen which looks amazing (and I bet is par or at least close to what you see on a Samsung phone), it has the latest Quallcom processor, the best cameras and software, same day updates, wireless charging, front facing speakers, I mean, what else does it need to be 'flagship specs' to you? What, because it only has 4 GB of RAM? That's literally the ONLY thing I can come up with, and that's only because many OEM's have stuffed more RAM in their phones this year. And honestly, it's not really necessary, at least not for 90% of people who use smartphones. Sheet, iPhones only have 4 GB or RAM. They only had ONE GB or RAM for a looonnnggg time. No one complained about that.
To me, this is a premium flagship, no question. The hate is mostly the RAM and notch. It's superficial. Last year it was the blue shift. Which, I think that plus the terrible quality control was actually warranted. This year, it's not much to hate on. Either you like it, or don't get it. And you can hide the notch. Either way, I'm excited about it coming today. I LOVE 2 xl, but I'm definitely ready for this upgrade, even though I was very on the fence before I checked one out in the store. My point here is, people are going to hate on something every time. Every time. If you don't like something, don't get it. It's really that simple.
My $0.02
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was simply stating why i think so many people hate the new pixel 3 xl from reading it sure does seem like a lot don't like it.
I agree the screen looks great but it should since they woke up and used a Samsung panel this time yay , my issue with it is its basically the same size as the 2 xl when you look at the usable part of the display and that is kinda disappointing to me i wanted a screen the size of the note 9 / XS max on the pixel 3 xl instead they went with a huge notch that takes away from the phone in stead of adding to it i honestly think they would have been better with out it at all, in person the notch isn't bad at all its big but once you play with it for a bit i didn't notice it as much and i don't mind the bottom chin as people call it since i love front firing speakers always hated cupping the end of the phone to direct the sound lol . They added an extra front camera and notch but no type of face id another missing feature that would have been a great addition to the pixel but we got wireless charging back so i guess its a trade off.
I said nothing about the ram because i think that's a mute point for most for the exact reason you said, apple has had little ram for a long time there is a difference between the two since apple designs the cpu they can help optimize it for the amount of ram they are using but mostly they iOS optimized for how it can handle the ram. google does the same with the pixel, most of the other phones need the extra ram because all the bs they add uses so much of it. for me as of now my daily usage on my 2 XL is 2.4-3.2 or so, 4gb is enough for me in 6 months that may not be the case but i doubt it
everyone has different ideas of what makes a phone flag ship quality or not, so this is just my opinion and you can agree or not for me i feel they could have done better and they came up a bit short compared to other phones only time will tell though and i still cant wait to get mine and use it to see if its worth the upgrade from the 2xl or not for me.
Nah, I don't buy it. Flagship is flagship. Almost flagship if it weren't for one big weakness is not flagship, it's second rate. I'm one of those people that can take advantage of more than 4 gigs of ram, I'm currently using 3.2 at home which is about average for me but usually hit in the upper 4s, lower 5s at work. Go ahead and name the one phone which is claiming flagship status and charging flagship prices but does not have me covered? See where I'm going?
Flagships is flagship, not second best with software optimization that every rooted oneplus will have installed not too far down the road on a phone that costs little more than half the price. Yeah, I'm talking about the camera. Still perhaps best in class overall but more than one reviewer has noted that telephoto shots lag behind other flagships including the fruit devices. They need to up their game here, flagships don't polish turds, they deliver the best hardware and polish that.
One that doesn't bother me in the slightest that I noted is the phones perceived build quality is a step behind Samsung and Apple. I cant point to one particular thing, either of those two just felt a little more expensive. As I said, I don't care because the phone will go into a case and I wont see it again until I give it to one of my kids or grand-kids in the spring.
So yeah, to me it feels like it's not quite up to flagship par except in price. It's all those things combined that give me that impression. And yeah, I'm still thinking about buying it, last night I got as far as putting it in my cart. Pixel has always been more the whole than the sum of its part, they are satisfying to own even if some things about them are underwhelming. The doubletake on the notch has me spooked though, when I was moving around the GUI it faded out of existence but when I just looked at the phone I kept doing this "whoa, what the hell were they thinking" thing. Cant figure out if that's ever going to go away or if it's going to be like a sore tooth. Still, buy in or not I'll never really consider it flagship hardware and every redraw I get will remind me of it should I start to forget.
The flagship price, the poor software utilization of the notch, the smaller battery and 4 GB RAM were the deal breakers.
The Note 9 is every bit as fast as the Pixel 3 XL, has a much better screen, better battery and SPen for the same price. The Pixel 3 XL may very well be a great phone but when priced with the Note 9, it needed SOMETHING to justify the price. Also, one can easily get a great condition LG V35 ThinQ or S9+ with better specs for hundreds less. Once the price drops, then it might be a better competitor.
For me a premium device needs to last me 2 years and be a useful companion for the duration.
The phone needs to be well built to last, have a good screen and the hardware features need to be ergonomic.
In addition to this the phone must have quick, well thought out software that ties in nicely to my favourite services.
For me, my best option is the Pixel 3 XL. I was considering the new Mate 20 pro as it is very similar in price here in the UK but there is now way I'll be putting up with their software and clutterware for two years. I'm also put off by their storage media and awful to uae, curved screen.
The pixel is getting stick for having underwhelming specs but this is a very short-sighted view unless your sole purpose for the device is to run benchmarks. People needs to evaluate what they use their phones for and what they need to achieve that.
I'm running the original Pixel XL 32Gb and it is still fantastic for all of my everyday uses. My wife is in fact selling her Samsung s9 and will be having my Pixel now that I've upgraded to the 3 XL.
Just as a side note, iPhones are brilliant for many as they offer a great experience across their devices and therefore are useful for their duration. This is more important than having a 40MP camera and 8Gb of RAM for the vast majority.
A lot of that was subjective: I find the Apple experience awful, spread it out across more devices and I call that cancer. I have to say however that your concept in general is on the mark in that the experience is what matters rather than the numbers. It's a fair summation.
for the peeps that hate on the notch and the ram .. just go buy the OnePlus 6T and be done with it
It's all just opinion as we have stayed here. The easy to pick on parts of any product is the visual appearance and listed specs. The new pixel XL appears to be poor in this area for a lot of people. Usabilit of the entire package is impossible to judge from online reviews.
If it is anything like the original Pixel, the phone will be great. If it's like my old Samsung phones or my iPhone 7, no thank you.
The phone is what it is. If you don't like it for the way it looks or a feature that it has or doesn't have, don't buy it. If all you have to say is you hate the notch, spare us. There are a lot of phones I don't like. I don't buy them and I don't seek out their communities and complain about them. This forum is here for the people that have the phone, not for those that hate it.
dmb219 said:
The phone is what it is. If you don't like it for the way it looks or a feature that it has or doesn't have, don't buy it. If all you have to say is you hate the notch, spare us. There are a lot of phones I don't like. I don't buy them and I don't seek out their communities and complain about them. This forum is here for the people that have the phone, not for those that hate it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This! Sooo much this! Last year with the pixel 2 xl, there were so many trolls who had zero intention of ever buying the phone who came onto the forum just to talk sheet. One thread went hundreds of pages. It was ridiculous and stupid. If people like that really have that much time on their hands that they have to go troll things that have nothing to do with them, get a hobby or a life. Seriously. I'm surprised there isn't more yet on here. But, people have only begun to start getting their phones, so, I'm not holding my breath that it won't start.
It still looks like a toy next to any Samsung phones.
My note 9 looks like a monster next to my xl3.
I hate the notch. I'm not those people that will get over it.
I never will.
Anyway, display on xl3 looks great to me.
Camera is amazing.
Anything else