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My experience with different Galaxy S models

I want to share some experiences I have with the Galaxy S devices. It's a bit late to post this perhaps, old news even, since Galaxy S is no longer new and is only single core, but there are a few features that give these phones excellent value, especially for those who want to buy a phone out of contract and don't want to pay too much:
-Used ones can go for around $150, less if lucky
-Very easy and cheap to unlock
-Generally good battery life that can last whole day
-AMOLED screen, viewable under sunlight
-Good build quality (Gorilla glass)
-5MP camera takes decent pictures and 720p video with adequate lighting (most variants don't have LED flash)
-Decent graphic card (200 MHz PowerVR SGX 540) can handle all recent 3D games (ie. RipTide & Asphalt 6)
-Easy to root and has great developing community (CyanogenMod supports)
-Support "ODIN", easy flashing factory images in Download mode, making them very difficult to brick
-Used Wolfson DAC which yields great audio quality, which is not featured in the S II and Note
The Galaxy S variants I've owned are: S 4G (T-Mobile), Vibrant (T-Mobile), Captivate (ATT), Nexus S (T-Mobile). I have unlocked, rooted and flash roms on all of them. I also had the Galaxy SII and Note (International).
Overall impressions:
Nexus S: This has to be the most desired of the lot, best screen, best performance, latest OTA update directly from Google and has lots of developers for it. It has LED flash which most of the other variants don't. It also support Near Field Communications. However, it is not my favorite version.
Downfalls:
-no microSD card slot, only 16GB internal
-due to its curved shape, with a case included it can feel bulkier than other Galaxy S variants with flat body
Vibrant: This is my favorite of the lot, simply because it works on both T-Mo and ATT 3G, this is rare for an Android device this cheap. It's not pentaband however (doesn't support ATT 850mhz). It has internal 16GB storage and microSD expansion. Cyanogen support and lots of custom roms.
Downfalls:
-Needs GPS fix patch for custom roms, GPS lock time is a few seconds slower and less precise than other variants.
-(correct me if I'm wrong) It doesn't yet have the official T-Mobile 'WiFi Calling' app that the Galaxy S 4G has, but there is works on a custom version. IMO, you can just use GrooVe IP instead.
-No front face camera (I think there is a rare few Vibrants that does have it)
Captivate (ATT version): This device is the nicest looking Galaxy S I think, due to its slanted design. It feels just a tiny bit slower than the rest to me, I could be wrong, but it just feels that way. Like the Vibrant, it has Cyanogen supports and lots of developers, 16GB internal storage + microSD expansion. No front face camera unlike the Captivate Glide and Sprint's Epic 4G though.
Galaxy S 4G: There is a mix of good and bad for this device. It has good data speed (10Mbps+) as long as you live in a good T-Mobile coverage area, which also results in good tethering experience. It includes the app "WiFi Calling" so you won't use up minutes. Front face camera included.
Downfall:
-Lacks internal storage for users, needs to have microSD card. That also results in apps installed to microSD card by default, this can interfere with functions of some apps. Not sure if stock roms can do this, but you can always manually move the apps to internal storage, sometimes its a must for apps to autostart and for some app's widgets to show up in the widgets selection menu.
-Much less developers available, no CyanogenMod support. Only until now there is some work on porting CM7. With that said, the available Valhalla rom makes this device blazing fast, but also no longer worked on by its original developers.
More info:
Performance:
I'm not basing so much on synthetic benchmarks, but regular usage. The Nexus S seems the quickest and I achieved ~2500points for Quadrant. Aside from that all of devices I've used are on par, they all can play 3D games smoothly. They are all kind of slow with stock rom, but once you put in CyanogenMod7 or 9, they're blazing. In fact, I feel these devices with CM7 are more responsive than stock Galaxy S II and Note (in term of general navigation, of course newer phones are faster overall).
The Vibrant gets low Quadrant score, around 1500, but it seems just as fast as other ones. I feel the Captivate is slowest of the lots, but the difference is so small it doesn't matter. The key here is to flash custom roms.
Data speed:
The Vibrant is the best in term of value, it's not fast, but supports both 1700 and 1900 bands, so can work on both T-Mobile and ATT 3G networks, it does not support the newer ATT 850 band however.
S 4G: theoretical 21Mbps, I've achieved over 10Mbps
Vibrant: can get up to 6Mbps with good signal, generally stays around 2-3Mbps
Nexus S: theoretical 7.2Mbps, about same with Vibrant
Captivate: theoretical 7.2Mbps, but ATT HSPA network is generally slower than T-Mobile imo, it all depends on the area of coverage though
Galaxy S II (T-Mo): theoretical 42Mbps, I've achieved 24Mbps
Also note that with T-Mobile devices, I've been able to tether freely. I know that some people with the $79.99 plans have had text message from T-Mobile that warns tethering is not included with their plan.
GPS location fix:
These devices work pretty well as GPS navigator since their AMOLED screen remains viewable outdoor. They all generally takes around 6-10 secs to get a fix outdoor. The Captivate and Vibrant using custom roms required GPS fix patches. I have the most trouble getting location fix with the Vibrant which can take longer than 10 seconds. I've lost GPS signal on the highway with the S 4G with dark clouds overhead. These devices while does a good job, are not reliable as devices that include both GPS and GLONASS support, such as XPeria variants and the Galaxy Note, these can get really fast location fix and rarely lose signal.
Screen: The Nexus S has best screen quality than the rest of American carrier-locked variants, which all has 'blue tint' to them, although just as crisp details. However, if you have CyanogenMod9 installed, you can change the color temperature of the devices to warmer to match the Nexus S. There are no CM9 for the S 4G currently however.
Final:
If I have a final say about the Galaxy S model, is simply that it has Wolfson DAC, that is a big deal for audiophiles like me. The SII and Note just doesn't sound as good, regardless if they are more powerful devices. With that said, I recently got an XPeria Play which also has some excellent quality too, so XPeria devices might worth looking at if audio fidelity is your concerns.

Good Job.
I think Note is very big.
What Do you think the performance in games with Sony?
Cheers.

The Adreno 205 in the Play vs the SGX540 in the Galaxy are about the same performance, maybe the later edging by a bit. But the Play has a slide out gamepad which is unbeatable for gaming. However it also has terrible screen. And you need to unlock the boot loader to flash custom rom, and its not as easy if you don't have the international version. It is going too get official ICS release soon though.
I'm not sure if PS3 contoller also work with Gingerbread for the Galaxy devices, but the iControlPad can work with all apps just like the Play gamepad (using iCade mode and pairing with Bluez IME).
The Note international is the best device I've own by the time of its release, I think the SIII will take it to another level though. But the Note still has Wacom pen support which is useful.

Best Mid-Tier Chinese Phones

So, after owning an Xperia Z1s for a while, I've decided to sell it and want to buy a mid tier Chinese phone, but I'm debating what to buy.
From what I understand, being on t-mobile, the 1900hz band will get me 3g/4G so most phones will work.
I'm looking specifically for a phone with a 1920X1080 screen that's 5" and fairly light. My budget is about $250 and lower. I've looked around for a while and found one phone that seems to match very well, but there's almost nothing about it:
http://m.aliexpress.com/item/6798361...bilesitedetail
I don't like that it has physical buttons and a 2000mah battery, but everything else is almost perfect, and at that price it's hard to complain.
My question is, does anyone know much about this phone (Nibiru H1)? Are there better options out for the price?
Also, can you but other roms on these phones as the stock ones are fairly ugly.

Coolpad F1, $150, most recommended.

I do not like little-known brands because their mobile have usually failures, Regards
---------- Post added at 12:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 AM ----------
I think it's better to spend a little more and have a mobile phone like note5, LG G3, Samsung galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 etc

garcia.sl said:
I do not like little-known brands because their mobile have usually failures, Regards
---------- Post added at 12:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 AM ----------
I think it's better to spend a little more and have a mobile phone like note5, LG G3, Samsung galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2 etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hongmi Redmi 1S

Your link is truncated, so I can't view it.
I live in Taiwan (ROC) - and we have lots of (Mainland) Chinese phones here. My experience with them has been that they generally do not have US 3G/4G bands - or have a limited subset. The exception would be devices that are specifically targeted at the US market. T-Mobile s 3G does operate on 1900 in SOME re-framed areas in the US, but you often need 1700/AWS. T-Mobile operates a 2G network on 1900, a 3/3.5G network on 1700/AWS and limited 3.5G on 1900. They also operate LTE on band 4 (AWS). However, the 1900mhz re-frame is still new and slowly rolling out.
Chinese phones are so cheap because they use last years chipsets, and are targeted at specific markets with limited band support. It makes chipsets and antenna design substantially cheaper.
One of the best devices - the XiaoMi HongMi line - tend not to have US bands at all. The HongMi 1S does have 1900 on 3G, but you will have relatively poor coverage, and almost no roaming capabilities outside of cities. You will basically only have access to T-mobile's core network, and many places will only have 2G. You will have almost no roaming ability to AT&T's 2 and 3G networks running on 850mhz. (a key component in T-mobiles rural coverage strategy) Additionally, you can forget about 4G LTE. (HongMi 1S specs can be found on GSMArena)
In short, if you want a Chinese phone for use in the states, you're probably better off buying it from a carrier in the US. Otherwise, carefully determine which networks your prospective device supports.
Have you considered the HTC ZenFone series? Most of them have substantially better US band coverage than the Mainland Chinese brands.

[Q] Planning to buy: 3G vs LTE battery life

Hello,
I have a LG G2 which is about to die. Given that I prefer phones not bigger than 5", that battery life is essential to me, and that newer SOCs are not bringing a major performance bump in everyday tasks, my eyes are now on the Mi4 as first candidate to replace the G2. I think it's a good moment to buy, since the 3g version can be seen in some trustable aliexpress shops at almost the same price as the Mi3, and even lower price than the Mi4i, that means that it will probably not get any cheaper even when Mi5 will be introduced.
Now I have to decide between the WCDMA and the FDD version. I don't download much stuff using the phone, and I find that the speed difference is not dramatic for web browsing and using social media apps. However, I am very concerned about battery life in LTE vs 3G modes. I've tried to find some information around, but didn't find either well documented responses or real life experiences; some people say that 3g is more efficient, some other that if you have strong LTE signal it drains battery slower, other people say that it is a device-specific thing (for example, the Galaxy S4 was known for draining battery much faster in LTE mode, however other phones exhibit a different behavior) ... so I don't know who to believe. The price difference between the two versions is around 45eur, not a big deal, but I don't like to waste money either
Does anybody here has direct experience in 3G vs LTE battery life with the Mi4?
Thanks a lot in advance

Note 10 plus vs Note 10 plus 5g comparison, specifically on battery life

Hi all,
I am waffling on the Note 10 plus vs the Note 10 plus 5g vs the S10 5g. I am not seeing much to differentiate them (an FM radio here, headphone there). One of my biggest drivers (now that dex is on all) is on battery life.
My carrier charges the same rate for both the Note 10+ and Note 10+ 5G. As 5G service isn't widely available yet, i more or less discount the 5g-ability. As I expect to hold the phone for 2 years, there is some hope that will change but I don't find it a strong differentiator.
Does anybody know whether I should expect extra battery drain from the 5g chipset? If the battery life will be lower at all on the 5G, i will prefer the 4g only version.
Anyway, happy for anybody's thoughts on whether there is any battery drain expected from the 5g radio (or anything that would make you prefer one or the other of the major samsung phones right now).
Thanks
cornasdf

Would you opt a 4G smartphone now?

Recently, Oppo launched the new Oppo F19 pro with a MediaTek Helio P95 4G chipset. Do you think a 4G smartphone would work at this period?

Why shouldn't it haha. At least in germany 5G is literally slower than 3G in most areas so I would be more concerned if a 5G phone was worth it

You should be good to go with 4G depending on your carrier....

4G is good enough for streaming vids.
Lots of issues with 5G implementation including chipsets eating battery. I have no regrets owning a 4G Note 10+ in fact I prefer it.

All the carriers have built in support for LTE as their "baseline" for the next 10 years at least. So, yeah.

I prefer 4G.
5G is mostly geared towards internet of things (IoT). This is the area where 5G offers greatest improvements over previous generation. But for most people 4G is just fine. I recently bought a new 4G phone. It has a 6.52 inch screen and a large 5.000 mAh battery. I use it for web surfing and a splash of gaming. I also enjoy crystal clear HD voice calls. The standard speed of 4G is 150/50 Mbps which is more than enough for most people. As the 5G evolves we'll need to see some improvements in battery technology, because those things "eat" a lot of energy.

4G is okay if you don't want to keep your phone longer then 1-2 year.
5G technology will take time to come.