Database Info

I'm out. I'm done with Essential

Edit at end of post.
This all goes back to before I even ordered the phone. I wanted the grey one. I emailed twice about it. They kept telling me it will be released soon and to watch their social media accounts to find out when it will be released knowing full well they weren't releasing those. This was months ago and those additional colors are still not out. So that was deceit #1. My last phone was an S6. Its connector was so loose a charging cable wouldn't stay in. Coupled with a diminished battery capacity, I needed a phone and I didn't want another Samsung.
I decided to go ahead and order the black one. As soon as I completed the order, I got a message asking if I wanted to know when the phone is certified by Verizon. Wait, what? At no point was that knowledge made public before my purchase. Android Authority put something out the next day or so. That was deceit #2.
About that time, the bandwagon of bad reviews based solely on what the PH-1 didn't have as well as the crappy camera app hit the media. I don't consider any of those things essential to a phone. I actually thought it was good to omit them and I didn't really care about the camera app. I'll admit, I defended Essential...a lot. I'm eating crow right now.
It arrived and the first thing I noticed was how freaking slippery this thing was. Unless it was on a perfectly horizontal surface, this thing was sliding off.
The second thing was the rough, fine sandpaper like plastic around the screen. I don't like the feel, at all, of that plastic. More importantly, why wasn't the entire side titanium? That's what was advertised. All I heard about is how durable the ceramic and titanium combination was. The drop test animation on their website show there phone hitting at a perfectly perpendicular angle to the surface. That was deceit #3. More on that later.
I put in the Verizon sim from my S6 and saw that my phone now had half the reception of my S6...half. Sitting next to my wife with her S6, she's pulling 4G and in out of 3G and 1X. All the settings were correct according to Verizon. I am in a weak cell area, yes, but never dropped calls. Calling now is virtually impossible without calling over WiFi...which brings me to the next issue. I'm with Verizon, so natively I have no WiFi calling or visual voicemail and whatever other features Verizon has limited me from using. There's even less signal in my area with AT&T so I'm stuck with Verizon. Wonderful. With some help from an XDA member, I was able to get Hangouts set up for WiFi calling but now I'm using two dialers.
Why is the charger USB C? Why not USB to USB C like every charger I've had in the past? Are other companies doing this, too? I have only one cord that works with that charger and that's the one that came with the phone.
After one week, rub marks began to appear on the ceramic back of the phone. I ordered a skin to cover it up.
After 3 weeks, rub marks appeared on the screen! Listen, I am extremely anal about the care of my phones. No keys, no coins. The only thing that goes in my left front pants pocket, ever, is my phone. So, apparently cloth takes it's toll on this phone.
My phone was one of the ones with the cheap paper mesh over the ear speaker (really?). That thing is pretty much non-existent at this point. They wouldn't replace my phone for that like they did for everyone else before me but that's fine, they offered to repair it for free which I declined. I didn't want the hassle of being separated from the phone that long.
My phone freezes occasionally, like completely freezes, unable to even turn off the phone until it restarts itself after about 30 seconds or so.
The screen off wake up or whatever it's called never works when I pull my phone out of my pocket. I have to shake it to see the time - pointless, since, at that point, it's easier to just fingerprint unlock than to shake it.
Many screen touches don't register, this is probably the most annoying thing overall about this phone.
The camera is really laggy, but everybody knows that.
And then the thing happened, I dropped it. From pocket height, I dropped it and it hit on the Achilles heel of the phone, the edge of the screen. Remember that plastic? Well, that thin plastic curves up to the edge of the phone. It gets thinner and thinner towards that top corner of the screen and it doesn't protect anything, especially the weakest part of gorilla glass, the edge. It cracked the corner of the screen. If that edge is not protected that will be a deal breaker on all future phones. That edge was supposed to be covered with titanium, damnit.
It still works but it's an eyesore and every time I look at this phone, I feel taken. I feel like a fool for buying this phone. It is a very aesthetic but poorly designed cheap ass phone sold at a premium price. They literally cut corners on this build. They owe me some titanium and whole slew of accessories, btw, but they can keep it all. I'm not even going to buy another one for $450 which I think is the going price now.
Anyway, thanks for letting me rant. I was thinking maybe the Pixel 2, but it appears they have issues of their own....maybe a flip phone.
Edit 12/28/2017:
In order to get data working after being connected to any WiFi, a restart is required. After a restart, I'm connected to LTE+ or whatever is actually available. This is true every time after being connected to WiFi. Credit to another user in these forums.

The one I just got from best buy about 3 weeks ago is a very noticeable difference. I know what you mean and I also had 3 returns but the latest one after reading the comments on xda really led me to believe there is a bad batch. So before I left the store I inspected it and hand weighed it. Even asked the rep to hand weigh it and there was a difference. right now I have no problems to report and I'm quite happy.
Even the signal issue that is claimed I haven't experienced because it's on par with my m9 and assumably my x pure.
Honestly... I know your stuck with your rant... But give it the final xda try. Inspect it before leaving the store and you will notice the weight and the back is much less slippery.
Also... I recommend worth Ave group insurance. Had them for years, and it's 79 dollars for a year with 800 dollar coverage and 50 dollars deductible which is deducted from the 800 dollar claim

The charger is usb-c cause it uses usb-c power delivery, just like the pixel. That's the correct standard and can handle higher wattage.
The scratches on the back are the oleophobic coating, not the ceramic.
The gorilla glass 5 scratches just the same as other devices with that version of gorilla glass.
If you weren't happy with the device, return within the 15 return period. I did. You can always rebuy.
The reason Essential can't give a date for the other colors is because the manufacturing process for that ceramic is difficult. They're doing each color in batches because you can't make multiple colors of ceramic at once in one furnace. You didn't see Xiaomi making different colors of the mi mix. It was black and many months later the white. That's all, and they're a much larger company with more resources.
The phone has improved since launch. 1st production models seemed to have QC issues (one reason I returned mine)

I received mine on Tuesday from Amazon it took me all of about half and hour to figure its going back 15Dbm difference then my moto z force. Not acceptable.

The workmanship on my white one is stellar. Absolutely zero issues the connectivity is great better than any device I've ever had on Verizon. The cameras responsive works great I'm not a professional photographer, I don't need professional photographer level results, but I get very good pictures. Absolutely love this device and with the Incipio its running naked, no screen protector.
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

Honestly i was excited to get this phone i could get pass all of the small issues but then I noticed the following problems with the screen.
The screen is really slow to respond to touch input My pixel xl did not have this problem.
The display itself is an IPS display but this screen is the worst one i have seen perform on a phone there is a lot of ghosting (image blur on a moving object)
I compared it to a unit that was on display on a store and it had the same slow touch input and ghosting issues.
So the slow touch input affects the phone as to how fast you can type and switch apps etc. The phone does not respond to fast actions very well and sometimes misses touch inputs.
You can drag your finger on top of an app and swipe it left or right and you can see that the app will be way far back where your finger was a second ago. s8, pixel xl, note 5 dont have this problem (I own them) The display on this thing is disappointing and you can also observe horizontal lines on the display.
I think this phone would of been successful if they used an AMOLED display.
I would say that the display has very realistic colors but thats it.
Whats the point of a high end spec'd phone but has an underperforming display....

I'm the sort of person who's not the first in line to get anything. I wait for things to percolate and germinate and then make my move. I also usually wait until cases are available before buying.
Just recently got my PH-1, just over a week old and it's just great. Haven't even bothered with rooting or modding, just fine stock. Got a nice Tudia case from eBay and all's well.
Using it with Sprint, no problems or issues of any kind. Best activation process i've had in all my years with Sprint (considering the horror that i went through with the Nexus 6P).
I'm in. Very in with the PH-1.

So I get a lot of what your saying, I went the other and have learned to love my PH-1. In-Fact I will go as far to say it is my Favorite phone to carry all the way back to OG Moto Droid...
One comment about your rant though:
"Why is the charger USB C? Why not USB to USB C like every charger I've had in the past? Are other companies doing this, too? I have only one cord that works with that charger and that's the one that came with the phone. "
So many phones come C to C now. My desktop and laptop both even have a couple C ports. Spend the $3 on Amazon for a cable if you need one man, this is not a fault of Essential.

Here's what I got for USB to USB C
USB Type C Cable, Snowkids USB C Cable (USB 3.0)(2-PACK 6.6ft) Nylon Braided Fast Charger for Samsung Galaxy Note 8, LG V30 G6 G5 V20,Nintendo Switch,Galaxy S8 Plus,Google Pixel 2,HTC U11 Plus (Grey) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5KL10L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X8MdAb1EMKPS8
---------- Post added at 12:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 AM ----------
LordLugard said:
I'm the sort of person who's not the first in line to get anything. I wait for things to percolate and germinate and then make my move. I also usually wait until cases are available before buying.
Just recently got my PH-1, just over a week old and it's just great. Haven't even bothered with rooting or modding, just fine stock. Got a nice Tudia case from eBay and all's well.
Using it with Sprint, no problems or issues of any kind. Best activation process i've had in all my years with Sprint (considering the horror that i went through with the Nexus 6P).
I'm in. Very in with the PH-1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol we're about the same boat except my first phone didn't activate on sprint

bigmook said:
The workmanship on my white one is stellar. Absolutely zero issues the connectivity is great better than any device I've ever had on Verizon. The cameras responsive works great I'm not a professional photographer, I don't need professional photographer level results, but I get very good pictures. Absolutely love this device and with the Incipio its running naked, no screen protector.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must be going solely based on signal bar icons. If you compared dBm readings, you'll see essential is significantly worse than whatever phone you last came from. Signal is definitely one of the weakest points of this phone.

No sir I am going by real world usage as compared to my Nexus 6p which was totally functional. I don't look settings I just use it if it works it works. And it works very well.
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

in case you did not know, they replace the phone for $200.

I got one from amazon for verizon and i havent had any signal issues. I am on Oreo beta now as well. As for the front screen i do have a slight knock in it as well not sure from what.. I did get the $13 tpu case off amazon and it does help quite a bit.. with handling it.
And I will prob be moving to the LG v30 when it comes available on amazon.. Since i can buy it try and if i dont like it return it with out being hit with stupid fee's
I wanted to pick up a oneplus 5T but people say oneplus doesnt support verizon..

Bye Felicia!

Titanium to the edge of the screen would break the screen if the phone got warm and then cooled down, since metal expands/contracts. So yea, dropping your phone on the edge is going to break the screen, but the alternative you're ranting about would cause the phone to break if you had it in your pocket and pulled it out in cold weather.
umx said:
I got one from amazon for verizon and i havent had any signal issues. I am on Oreo beta now as well. As for the front screen i do have a slight knock in it as well not sure from what.. I did get the $13 tpu case off amazon and it does help quite a bit.. with handling it.
And I will prob be moving to the LG v30 when it comes available on amazon.. Since i can buy it try and if i dont like it return it with out being hit with stupid fee's
I wanted to pick up a oneplus 5T but people say oneplus doesnt support verizon..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen some folk on reddit that dropped their already activated Verizon SIM in the 5 and had it connect to LTE with VoLTE. So long as you don't *need* the CDMA to work, it should work. Just don't ask Verizon for any help.

Seamonkey79 said:
Titanium to the edge of the screen would break the screen if the phone got warm and then cooled down, since metal expands/contracts. So yea, dropping your phone on the edge is going to break the screen, but the alternative you're ranting about would cause the phone to break if you had it in your pocket and pulled it out in cold weather.
I've seen some folk on reddit that dropped their already activated Verizon SIM in the 5 and had it connect to LTE with VoLTE. So long as you don't *need* the CDMA to work, it should work. Just don't ask Verizon for any help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As long as I get LTE and 4g thats all i care about.. verizon isnt of any help anyways lol..

umx said:
As long as I get LTE and 4g thats all i care about.. verizon isnt of any help anyways lol..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most LTE phones should work on Verizon 'out of box', provided they have the antennas necessary. I know the OnePlus 5 was missing a couple of Verizon bands, but the majority of them were there.

Seamonkey79 said:
Most LTE phones should work on Verizon 'out of box', provided they have the antennas necessary. I know the OnePlus 5 was missing a couple of Verizon bands, but the majority of them were there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea ill have to give it a shot.. and see.. worst case ill grab a v30 used or wait to next round of phones.

Ok, the rest of your rant is pretty justified. I feel you. These are valid points. However, you just start bringing up random stuff that doesn't make any sense to a complaint about the phone
bL1X said:
I put in the Verizon sim from my S6 and saw that my phone now had half the reception of my S6...half. Sitting next to my wife with her S6, she's pulling 4G and in out of 3G and 1X. All the settings were correct according to Verizon. I am in a weak cell area, yes, but never dropped calls. Calling now is virtually impossible without calling over WiFi...which brings me to the next issue. I'm with Verizon, so natively I have no WiFi calling or visual voicemail and whatever other features Verizon has limited me from using. There's even less signal in my area with AT&T so I'm stuck with Verizon. Wonderful. With some help from an XDA member, I was able to get Hangouts set up for WiFi calling but now I'm using two dialers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, wifi calling doesn't work because Verizon hasn't properly provisioned it in their system? That is a problem with the phone?
It seems like it is a problem with Verizon, which you should be asking them to fix.
Just leave it at: The signal sucks. I am looking at this phone right now. Signal sucks. I agree.
The whole Verizon thing just seems like a weird complaint
Why is the charger USB C? Why not USB to USB C like every charger I've had in the past? Are other companies doing this, too? I have only one cord that works with that charger and that's the one that came with the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Literally no phone with USB C comes with the type of charger you are discussing. ZERO.
USB C-USB C cables are capable of 3A
USB A-USB C is limited to 2.4A
All phones with USB C come with a USB C-USB C so that the phone will charge faster! Every single one since the Nexus 6p/5X
The screen off wake up or whatever it's called never works when I pull my phone out of my pocket. I have to shake it to see the time - pointless, since, at that point, it's easier to just fingerprint unlock than to shake it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have my old Nexus 5x sitting right here. I decided to run a little experiment.
The Nexus 5x was about as successful as the PH-1 at "wake up". It missed about 25% of the time.
This feature is notoriously iffy.
I mean, I get the rant. You seem upset. I understand.
Those three points just seem arbitrary and don't even reflect legitimate issues with the phone.

The essential phone is Verizon approved... Correct?
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

My impressions/review of the phone, in small episodes

I have been putting out information about U11+ in hamdir's thread for couple of days. I thought may be I should collate all the information and create a thread. So, here it is. Note that I am going to keep adding stuff as I use the phone everyday to point out the good the bad and the ugly. Go ahead and ask questions. If its possible for me, I will try to answer.
Quick update
Very quick update folks....
I got the amazing silver in my hands now. Been fiddling with options etc. for last 30 mins.
It a thing of beauty, let me tell you that first and foremost!! Amazing silver is really a shiny light blue colour. I love it!
Indoors, its brighter than my HTC 10 Tianma display. By how much? I don't know but its uncomfortably high for me at max. I won't use it at anywhere close to max. May be around 50%. Can't compare outdoor in direct sunlight until tomorrow. Will update again.
The weight is not a concern for me, its a little bit more than my 10 but not by much. The screen is gorgeous and much better than 10!!
The FP scanner is a little bit of a problem for me because I am not used to the rear scanner. I am finding it odd to pick the phone to use it. But I knew this going in. So, some mental recalibration is necessary. I can see OCD types hating this aspect, but I am fine with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couple of more quick updates:
1. Speakers are much better than HTC 10. Louder and clearer. You would be very pleased to hear these if you upgrade from HTC 10. Just saw the infinity war trailer on it and listened through Thriller....
2. Lowest screen brightness gets very low. Good for night time, in-dark browsing. Much lower than HTC 10.
3. The screen gets much blacker than HTC10 in "day dream" or "always on" mode in the complete darkness, which may help with battery if you are thinking of keeping AOD on always. The "light bleed" associated with LCD panels is still there through. In fact, its little uneven compared to HTC 10. On HTC 10, you can clearly see that the whole screen is lit up but only the text is brighter. On U11+, the lower left part of the screen is almost complete black whereas the right side shows more light bleed. I don't know if its a defect in my unit or its just something impossible to achieve during LCD panel manufacturing. Not perfection but not a big deal for me.
The default is not AOD but it is turn on the dimly lit display when you pick up the phone.
Double tap to wake works (someone asked earlier). On display button let's you put it to sleep in case you don't want to press power button to lock/put it sleep.
So far, thrilled to get this phone. I hope we work out TWRP really quick, root and I can move to this phone as my daily driver.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GSMArena got the battery life wrong on this phone or they tested a different phone. I have been setting up, installing apps, syncing email accounts and generally fiddling with this phone for past 3-4 hours with 1h40m of SOT (screen brightness at 50% with Auto on, my typical setting for HTC 10) and it has consumed about 16% of battery. Haven't got that kind of battery life from any phone I have used or seen anybody else use in practical terms (I don't believe in artificial benchmarks). I think there is nothing to worry about battery life on this phone. This will last even the big time users through the day (10-12 hour day) easily.
One thing i notice is that its idling very well when turned off. My HTC 10 did not do that very well. So, the wifi chip seems to have been fixed up.
Note that its running 8.0.0 with Oct 1st patch. So, this has to still get the 8.1.1 release, which potentially should improve things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its still morning here in bay area and not afternoon sunny yet. But with the morning sun behind me, I can clearly say that U11+ is better than my HTC10. With HTC camera app, I looked through a chain of balconies shaded by trees, and sun behind me, to see how far each screen shows me. Side by side, I could see more detail and farther in U11+. This is highly unscientific but the brightness in sunlight is an upgrade from HTC10 Tianma to U11+. I will try to get some photos of the two phones' camera app in sunlight later in the day.
I think brightness jump is not huge from HTC 10, but its big enough for me to say I feel more comfortable taking photos/videos outdoors. Note that Camera sensor may also be playing a role in this. HTC 10 has a smaller f/1.8 aperture. So, more testing may be needed on the screen brightness in general. But practically speaking, I browsed around and I had no trouble reading text with sun behind me, falling directly on the phone. That's good for me, 500 nits or not.
I tried with both Auto brightness enabled and disabled, at max brightness. Results are same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone asked about the FP gestures earlier. I did not find any settings for them and moving the finger around on FP in any direction or double tapping it, does not do anything. So, no gestures on FP, yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone had asked for 4G/LTE support in the US. At least in the area I am in (bay area, CA), the coverage is same as what I got in HTC 10 on T Mobile.
Regarding the wifi, its much better than HTC 10. I compared side by side and HTC10 needed to be closer to the router by about 10 feet to be able to do speedtest from the point where I could speedtest on U11+ and still get full 90Mbps download speed. U11+ has an excellent wifi range and throughput. I get around -71dBm (signal strength) from my router at a spot where my HTC10 gives me -83dBm. At that spot, U11+ maxes out the internet traffic, whereas 10 is limited to about 45Mbps. So, anyone with HTC 10 will appreciate the huge jump in performance of wifi.
Also, the idling issue found with HTC 10's wifi is not there in U11+. It does not eat through battery while idling on wifi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couple of more inputs:
1. I went to work with the phone but unfortunately I did not have the other phones with me to click the photos in bright sunlight but I can tell you, the screen has no problems in the sun. It is very bright and very usable for me. Unless you have a defective unit, the brightness of the screen should not be a concern at all. My experience is only HTC 10 vs U11+, and I am loving the brightness upgrade.
2. Usage with my sunglasses. I can not use HTC 10 in portrait mode with my sunglasses on. It goes complete dark. I did not have any issues with U11+ in both portrait and landscape orientations. Am I thrilled to wear my sunglasses in the car again? HELL YEAH!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jmitr said:
Sound wise, nothing so far has beat my M7 for in ear quality. If the U11+ proves a worthy successor in that area as well, my M7 may sit in the desk drawer for the first time in over 4 years!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make your M7 a cosy bed in that drawer because its going in there for sure and for a long time.... U11+ is big upgrade (from M7 and 10, both of which I own) in sound department, both the speakers and the USB-C headphone jack, through the bundled earbuds. I have found the bundled USB-C earbuds to be of very high quality. I usually throw away packaged earbuds because they usually fall off from my ear but these fit in my ear very well. And boy they block the noise!!! I have no complaints about the missing 3.5mm jack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thanks a lot for all these info. Looking forward to receiving my unit as well and start testing! I have high hopes for this one and I believe I will not be disappointed.

Thanks for all very detailed and useful things mentions.
It’s positive that more and more people having the device and the general impression is in very good level at all aspects despite all that crap GSM arena mention with their tragic review.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Did you hook it up to the TV yet? I wonder why nobody does that. It's a very useful feature that not many modern smartphones offer unfortunately.
I wish HTC would advertise this special feature a bit more... It's underrated and underreported.

Thank you for all this info.
I Pre-Ordered one but I was skeptical with THE BAD review that I read.
I was thinking of canceling my order but now I just can't wait to get my hands on it

lebigmac said:
Did you hook it up to the TV yet? I wonder why nobody does that. It's a very useful feature that not many modern smartphones offer unfortunately.
I wish HTC would advertise this special feature a bit more... It's underrated and underreported.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I don't use this feature anymore. In fact, with casting feature working so well (AC wifi) and its so very convenient compared to the wire, casting gets used most of the time. I used to do this but I never bothered to buy the USB-C cable with my HTC 10.
May be I will try this again. Try some gaming on the big TV screen, fun fun fun!!

screen casting with chromecast or similar technologies always has a noticeable lag of 1-2 seconds. With direct cable connection there is no lag.

lebigmac said:
Did you hook it up to the TV yet? I wonder why nobody does that. It's a very useful feature that not many modern smartphones offer unfortunately.
I wish HTC would advertise this special feature a bit more... It's underrated and underreported.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you want to know?? I did it. But is like mirror screen
Not have desktop mode like Mate 10

detritu5 said:
What do you want to know?? I did it. But is like mirror screen
Not have desktop mode like Mate 10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is the video and audio quality? Is it real-time or is there any noticeable lag?
And what cable did you use? Thanks.

So can you please describe us the AOD(always on display)feature how it works with HTC.
Does it have the same customization option as with Samsung or LG(v30)with variety of clock or colors option,image background support,music control(play-pause-forward) and if support notifications from any kind app.
Also when receiving notification and hit it on the screen does it open directly the specific app or not.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

AptX HD and LDAC and display
devsk said:
I have been putting out information about U11+ in hamdir's thread for couple of days. I thought may be I should collate all the information and create a thread. So, here it is. Note that I am going to keep adding stuff as I use the phone everyday to point out the good the bad and the ugly. Go ahead and ask questions. If its possible for me, I will try to answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi, i have two question
first i'd be appreciated if you tell us how is the bluetooth headphone quality on u11+ ? beacuse i know u11+ has AptX HD and LDAC
and my second question is about the display
is the display quality, color range, black colors, ... near amoled display ?

paatha13 said:
So can you please describe us the AOD(always on display)feature how it works with HTC.
Does it have the same customization option as with Samsung or LG(v30)with variety of clock or colors option,image background support,music control(play-pause-forward) and if support notifications from any kind app.
Also when receiving notification and hit it on the screen does it open directly the specific app or not.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AOD on HTC U11+, in my opinion, leaves a lot to be desired. Few observations:
1. It only has two modes: a. show dimly lit clock/lock screen when picked up, b. always on mode, which is fixed 24/7 or on a time schedule. It lacks the mode "show dimly lit clock/lock screen when notifications arrive and repeat every 5 mins until cancelled".
2. Always On mode is a hog. Nearly 2% per hour idling. Not very useful. Its darker than any LCD I have seen before but it still show most of the display in complete darkness.
It does not provide any customization in either mode. You get 4 types of clock and that's about it. It shows apps (including music app) and their notifications with icons on small area and clicking takes to the app after unlock.

e_georgia said:
hi, i have two question
first i'd be appreciated if you tell us how is the bluetooth headphone quality on u11+ ? beacuse i know u11+ has AptX HD and LDAC
and my second question is about the display
is the display quality, color range, black colors, ... near amoled display ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have bluetooth headsets to test this sorry.
But the display is the best LCD I have seen. It can not be equal to amoled in terms of blacks, but its the closest that an LCD has come in terms of blacks. I think the LCD technology does not allow this any better compared to amoled in terms of blacks. The contrast is amazing and the brightness is very very good. The usage in direct sunlight is very comfortable.
Unless you want to knit pick (like always on display has slight light bleed, which is the result of them trying too hard to emulate "black"), you won't have any issues with this display.

lebigmac said:
How is the video and audio quality? Is it real-time or is there any noticeable lag?
And what cable did you use? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I specifically bought the HDMI->USB-C cable from Amazon for $19 (one of the most expensive cables I have bought) and tested it. It works great. No lags in the video (my TV is 1080p). The sound through my sound system sounded great.
The link to cable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075JGM4W8

Idle drain is very minimal
It looks like wifi draining the battery when idling that was seen and documented by me on HTC10, is gone on U11+. I left the sync ON, data and wifi ON overnight. And I lost 2% battery in about 10 hours. This is how it should be.
Very very pleased with the battery and the phone overall. For me, this phone gets almost everything right. It will get better once I get hold of root on it.

devsk said:
I don't have bluetooth headsets to test this sorry.
But the display is the best LCD I have seen. It can not be equal to amoled in terms of blacks, but its the closest that an LCD has come in terms of blacks. I think the LCD technology does not allow this any better compared to amoled in terms of blacks. The contrast is amazing and the brightness is very very good. The usage in direct sunlight is very comfortable.
Unless you want to knit pick (like always on display has slight light bleed, which is the result of them trying too hard to emulate "black"), you won't have any issues with this display.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how about the audio quality of headphones ?

Does the phone get hot with brightness on max? Or during heavy downloading of Apps or charging?
How long does a full charge take?
Are you using a case / cover? Noticed any scratches on the back?
Does YouTube allow you to stretch to full screen?
Thanks!
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

Great feedback on this device. Thanks for doing this @devsk
I am in SF also. I have been seriously torn about buying a international no warranty phone. I jumped to the LG V30, purchased from B & H then cancelled the order a couple days ago.
However, I ordered the U11+ last night from Amazon - NGP Store USA. They get decent reviews but have a really strict return policy. I tried the U11 earlier this year but returned it. The U11+ had all the U11 was missing + more. [emoji3]
-- Who did you buy from and did you entertain buying a warranty? If so, from who.
-- Cases seem to be limited. Do you purchase one?
Thanks.

johninsf said:
Great feedback on this device. Thanks for doing this @devsk
I am in SF also. I have been seriously torn about buying a international no warranty phone. I jumped to the LG V30, purchased from B & H then cancelled the order a couple days ago.
However, I ordered the U11+ last night from Amazon - NGP Store USA. They get decent reviews but have a really strict return policy. I tried the U11 earlier this year but returned it. The U11+ had all the U11 was missing + more. [emoji3]
-- Who did you buy from and did you entertain buying a warranty? If so, from who.
-- Cases seem to be limited. Do you purchase one?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I bought it off of amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077PJXZFK
I did not buy a warranty. I took a chance and its been fine so far. The quality of the device and manufacturing is very very high. I am very pleased with the whole experience. Do not believe anybody who disses this device. It checks pretty much every box I had. Biggest thing is Treble. I expect to run well supported AOSP on this thing.
I am using the bundled transparent case and I am fine with it. Its minimal and it shows off the amazing silver very well.

iad77 said:
Does the phone get hot with brightness on max? Or during heavy downloading of Apps or charging?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This phone does not get hot under any circumstances (brightness or extended play). I have it in the bundled minimal case, and I played racing games for extended periods of time (connected to my TV using a USB-C to HDMI adapter). It drove the TV's 1080p display without any delay and with great sound! It felt warm after an hour of play but I would qualify that a lukewarm. My HTC 10 definitely gets much warmer than U11+. So, its an upgrade for me.
iad77 said:
How long does a full charge take?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never measured this from 0 to 100%. I am not worried about this though. All I can tell you is it charges very fast.
iad77 said:
Are you using a case / cover? Noticed any scratches on the back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using the bundled minimal case. Its transparent and shows off amazing silver well.
iad77 said:
Does YouTube allow you to stretch to full screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on the video's aspect ratio. For example, Inifinity War Trailer filled the screen but apple sway ad did not. It does not stretch in general and I think that's the right thing to do. I would not like videos with a different native aspect ratio than 2:1 to stretch and show all stretched faces etc.

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy S10e, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy S10e is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

It's a good phone, lots of functionality and software options.
It should be a great phone but there are three things that do annoy me that I notice all the time.
The side fingerprint sensor combined with power button isn't nice to use in some circumstances, especially if fingers are slightly damp and it doesn't read the print, refuses to unlock and you're trying to press the power button to PIN unlock instead and it registers too many attempts.
The screen is just a bit too narrow. I miskey on it a lot more than with my Axon 7.
Another screen thing, when attempting to touch a selection on a web page, the accuracy when zoomed out is not as good as my Axon 7 and I have to zoom in first. Sounds trivial but is quite annoying and here I am comparing a 900 dollar phone back to a 400 dollar phone and not finding the cheaper one to be a worse experience.
The whinges out of the way, there is a heck of a lot of good about the S10e to enjoy.

Garbage
Bootloader is locked so that right there makes me give it 1 star. The phone is mine so I should have the ability to root it if I want. C'mon Samsung or anyone affiliated with them, let us unlock the fu**ing bootloader; your warranty is sh*t anyway. Peace!!

I'm pretty happy with the hardware, if you could unlock the bootloader. Inevitably Google changes something that you can only revert with something like Xposed. Or there's OneUI stuff you can't change (like moving or getting rid of the clock on the left of status bar).
A few minor things I miss not being rooted. Battery is a little on the small side. I came from a Droid Turbo, and that thing was a tank so I didn't need a case.
A lot of little things about OneUI I don't care for, and can't change. But my main gripe is notifications on this phone are a nightmare. It took me FOREVER to find and setup an app to give it a notification light, and then get notification reminders to work properly (still isn't perfect). And yet with the chaos of too damn many notification options, it STILL is inadequate and inflexible - if your app doesn't let you set its own notification sound, or OneUI ignores it, you have only the default system or ringtone sounds. You can't otherwise set a different sound for text notifications.
I guess the more I think about it, the lower my rating goes. It's working pretty good for me, now, after DOZENS OF HOURS searching out workarounds for mods that were easily done in a custom rom. And on that basis I have to give it only 3 stars.
I might actually consider trading out for the Pixel 4a, which looks to have a similar footprint. But no wireless charging would be a deal-breaker.

Missing certain features to make me love it 100% but I am pretty happy with it. My first galaxy phone (had the nexus and the epic 4g which were both terrible). Besides that I had an Asus Zenfone 2 and an Axon 7.

This is a really nice device. Good build quality. I\ve had better for the same price or cheaper.

I am very happy with this phone after losing the fight with my Sony phones to get them to work with VoLTE in Australia. the S10e is a good size, (not quite as good as the Xperia compacts), and is responsive to most commands. the battery lasts really well and the screen is very good.The fingerprint sensor drives me nuts and works only randomly. The finger print sensor on the Xperia XZ2 and XZ3 work really well and I miss that. I have a Galaxy tablet and the finger print sensor is no good on that either. All in all, a quality phone that will hopefully last me a few years.

the baz said:
I am very happy with this phone after losing the fight with my Sony phones to get them to work with VoLTE in Australia. the S10e is a good size, (not quite as good as the Xperia compacts), and is responsive to most commands. the battery lasts really well and the screen is very good.The fingerprint sensor drives me nuts and works only randomly. The finger print sensor on the Xperia XZ2 and XZ3 work really well and I miss that. I have a Galaxy tablet and the finger print sensor is no good on that either. All in all, a quality phone that will hopefully last me a few years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you checked the quality of your fingerprints? My mother had the same issue, turns out her fingers have almost no fingerprints. The fingerprint scanner on the S10e is awesome and you should not be having any issue whatsoever.

Derbi75 said:
Have you checked the quality of your fingerprints? My mother had the same issue, turns out her fingers have almost no fingerprints. The fingerprint scanner on the S10e is awesome and you should not be having any issue whatsoever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sure after years of being in trade work my finger prints are compromised, but the Xperia XZ2 and XZ3 worked perfectly with my fingers, where the S10e is hit and miss even for my wife who's hands are not abused like mine. Typically repeatedly get the message "cover the entire fingerprint sensor". Sometimes it work instantly, other times even the facial recognition does not work, but most of the time it does. Love the phone though.

3aXL vs OP7pro? 3A ftw

I was going to get the OP7 pro but decided I'd try the Pixel. The price is great, especially with Best buy's 100.00 gift card they give you. 379.00 essentially. Only been 24 hours but so far it's been smooth and no hiccups. I was concerned about only 4gb of ram but haven't ran into any problems. not a huge multitasker and the games I play are minimal and simple. I'm usually on social media, text, email, and phone calls. I may still bite the bullet on the OP7 pro but I'll wait a while and see reviews and hopefully TMobile will have some demo units. That price and curved screen are making me 2nd guess that decision though. Coming from just having a 6T, I don't notice that I'm using an inferior processor and less ram. At least So far I don't.

This phone is a very good example of commodification, it's coming and I don't see anything that can stop it over the longer term. They fought this tooth and nail with PCs and they held on for quite a while but failed. I think the same will happen here. I was a hardcore phone guy, bought a new one every six months, sometimes more often than that. Always the best because the best was better, I'm talking about the kind of better that made your life a little easier every day. That's largely gone now. I traded my 3 XL for the 6T which came out a week after. I was in the Tmo store comparing them side to side and I simply could not come up with a reason why I should keep the 1k phone over the 6T which was just over half it's price. Sure the XL was better in some respects but it was also worse in some ways. Now here I am with an aXL and I don't see this trend changing.
This is just me, you may see it differently. The 7 Pro will be excellent. I'm looking at it myself but I have the feeling that I've gotten off the flagship treadmill and I'm not sure I want to get back on until something really new like foldables (that don't break before they can be released) are out there.

I agree word by word with you guys.

Oh my, that 7 looks pretty darn spiffy. Lust factor going through the roof... Down boy! DOWN!

I've had nearly every one plus device from the beginning including a 6 most recently and was planning on getting a 7 pro. But I thought about the things they improved: those were not the things that annoyed by about the 1+6. The 3a is a more well rounded phone with incredible software and I'm really enjoying the one I just picked up. Really impressed with the CPU, no studders or lag at all, it's just as fast as my OnePlus 6.

Huh, I don't see that. My 6T should be no better or worse than your 6 but when I hold them side to side and fiddle them it's no question faster. Thankfully if I'm just screwing around with this one by itself it feels fluid and satisfying for the most part, I do get some redraws and there is some hitching up at times doing things like opening the main menu but for all that it's not enough to trigger any dissatisfaction. I've had 3 OnePlus devices, like the Pixel in use they're better than they are on paper.

krabman said:
Huh, I don't see that. My 6T should be no better or worse than your 6 but when I hold them side to side and fiddle them it's no question faster. Thankfully if I'm just screwing around with this one by itself it feels fluid and satisfying for the most part, I do get some redraws and there is some hitching up at times doing things like opening the main menu but for all that it's not enough to trigger any dissatisfaction. I've had 3 OnePlus devices, like the Pixel in use they're better than they are on paper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
App load time is definitely shorter on the OnePlus and it holds way more apps in ram. I really meant that if using the pixel on its own (not side by side), it's not noticeably shower than the OP6. Really digging the software on the pixel, the built in speakers, and the haptic motor at the moment. Missing the flashlight gesture and double tap to wake

I thought 3a XL had double tap to wake, isn't it so?

Giocarro said:
I thought 3a XL had double tap to wake, isn't it so?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does, it works for me, I do have always on display, not sure if this is required to work though. Double tap works great for me.

hugoprh said:
Yes it does, it works for me, I do have always on display, not sure if this is required to work though. Double tap works great for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen has to be on in some way for double tap to wake to work. Either ambient display or always on display. If your screen is totally off, double tap to wake doesn't work.

xxBrun0xx said:
The screen has to be on in some way for double tap to wake to work. Either ambient display or always on display. If your screen is totally off, double tap to wake doesn't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assumed that, that is why I mentioned that I have AOD active, I always use AOD on devices that have that option and having DTW is a plus. On a different note, Google should add a way of turning off AOD at night, like most other manufactures do, I put a piece of paper on top of the proximity sensor to turn off AOD at night to achieve this xD

xxBrun0xx said:
App load time is definitely shorter on the OnePlus and it holds way more apps in ram. I really meant that if using the pixel on its own (not side by side), it's not noticeably shower than the OP6. Really digging the software on the pixel, the built in speakers, and the haptic motor at the moment. Missing the flashlight gesture and double tap to wake
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I got you, I had posted much the same elsewhere.

xxBrun0xx said:
The screen has to be on in some way for double tap to wake to work. Either ambient display or always on display. If your screen is totally off, double tap to wake doesn't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a setting within the Ambient Display to turn in DT2W. It seems to be independent of Ambient Display. For example, I have that box checked, but not AOD, and I can double tap to bring up Ambient Display. I can then double tap again to bring up the normal lock screen. So screen can be off as long as that box is checked.

janusofborg said:
There's a setting within the Ambient Display to turn in DT2W. It seems to be independent of Ambient Display. For example, I have that box checked, but not AOD, and I can double tap to bring up Ambient Display. I can then double tap again to bring up the normal lock screen. So screen can be off as long as that box is checked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right, it's "double tap to check phone". Good call!

So far, for a person who like higher end phones, this one here (considered a budget) phone is the best IMOP. Sure it lacks a few things. One it only has a screen resolution of 1080, as compare to other phones with higher resolutions.. But I asked my self, did I ever utilize those other screen resolutions? Answer No. So that is not a issue for me at all.. Next, Screen display this one has OLED compared to AMOLED, does it affect how I use the phone? Answer NO. This phone on Sprint, came with absolutely no bloat of any kind, which is a big plus for me. Every time I bought a phone, first thing I had to do was remove all that bloat, as I can't stand software on my phone, that I do not use but takes away to much resources.
The camera is excellent, picture are crisp and nice.. No lag in the shutter. When you hit that button, it takes the picture instantly like it should.. I also like the idea of have sound coming from the speaker that you have up against you head, during phone calls, and from the bottom speakers as well. This makes for very good sound.. My wife and daughter already complained it was waaaay to loud LOL. Yes it has less ram, and a slower cpu, but it is butter smooth and very responsive IMOP compared to the G7 ThinQ I still own, and it only cost less than $500.. This is what a phone should cost.
Now the G7 I believe was around $800 had it for about 6 months.. Sprint asked if I was going to trade it in. I asked how much? They said $68 dollars, are you freaking kidding me.. Heck I will get much, much more when I sell it on line and this phone is in mind condition... This is why it is a scam to sell these phone for such high margins, and yet in the end they depreciate I thing worse than a dam computer does..

To each their own - I got the 3a XL to hold me over and start my Verizon account before ordering the OP7 Pro...I'm having pretty long load times, and some apps themselves are just lagging quite a bit. Maybe I got a bad one, but performance wise, I haven't been impressed so far. UI wise, I love the Pixel stuff...though I wish their launcher had a damn import option. Either way, I'll probably keep it as a holdover/backup phone, but I can't wait until the OP gets here on Tuesday. That being said, for $379 I can't complain that much (I do think that's where these devices should sit price wise though). They should make them 299-379 permanently and they would sell insanely well. Still, the camera is amazing as always. Wonder what the Pixel 4 will bring to the table?

hugoprh said:
On a different note, Google should add a way of turning off AOD at night, like most other manufactures do, I put a piece of paper on top of the proximity sensor to turn off AOD at night to achieve this xD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just put my phone down with the screen side down. Of course I am using a glass protector and a case that has a small lip, so the actual screen doesn't contact my table.

I gave my op6 to my wife and got this pixel 3a xl . I've been using it for 3 months now and I'm big time ready to get back to OnePlus. Great camera on the pixel but thats about it. Under powered , not enough ram , and now with the update 10 4g problem I'm over this pixel.

I own both phones..it's really hard to compare these 2 phone models as there so much different. Pixel- I have owned both 1st and 2nd generation pixels prior to my 3a xl. I love the fast software updates and smooth ui even with only 4 gbs of RAM. My OnePlus 7 pro is fast.... really fast and that 90hz screen refresh rate is amazing. I Still really miss my Razer 2 with 120 hz refresh rate minus how boxy it was but all and all this thing is crazy fast. Last thing I might mention is it's heavy and kind of akward to hold not to mention the headache of trying to protect that curved screen though it does look beautiful.
Honestly I'm waiting until wireless charging and 5g are standard before I upgrade my phones again and with the Google updates every month for the next 2 years I think I'll keep my pixel XL 3a as a backup phone with an amazing camera, heck I got it for $350 so why not. My OnePlus 7 pro cost $650 just to compare prices. Hope this helps some people out. Don't hesitate to ask me anything since I own both currently.

kirschdog1 said:
I own both phones..it's really hard to compare these 2 phone models as there so much different. Pixel- I have owned both 1st and 2nd generation pixels prior to my 3a xl. I love the fast software updates and smooth ui even with only 4 gbs of RAM. My OnePlus 7 pro is fast.... really fast and that 90hz screen refresh rate is amazing. I Still really miss my Razer 2 with 120 hz refresh rate minus how boxy it was but all and all this thing is crazy fast. Last thing I might mention is it's heavy and kind of akward to hold not to mention the headache of trying to protect that curved screen though it does look beautiful.
Honestly I'm waiting until wireless charging and 5g are standard before I upgrade my phones again and with the Google updates every month for the next 2 years I think I'll keep my pixel XL 3a as a backup phone with an amazing camera, heck I got it for $350 so why not. My OnePlus 7 pro cost $650 just to compare prices. Hope this helps some people out. Don't hesitate to ask me anything since I own both currently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm running with the same two phones, my OnePlus being my main personal device and my pixel being my business device. Both are great, and occasionally, I switch my sim cards back and forth. But for my apps and games, the OnePlus is, undoubtedly, the superior when it comes to performance. But man, those photos from the Pixel and screen calling are two things I just can't give up! In all honesty, both phones are fantastic and I think anyone who opts in for a Samsung or iPhone are missing out!

Question Backup phone for pixel 7 pro?

Helloz
I haven't been able to make my mind so i decided to see what u guys think.
So now im rocking a 256gb pixel 7 pro.
My old phone was one plus 7 pro which is still in a very good shape. Like my all phones it was rooted.
My wife's old phone is an galaxy note 20 ultra which is in a good shape as well but not rooted.
I have to give out one of them and keep one.
Im really confused.
The OnePlus 7 pro with its no hole punch screen and its huge huge support and mod community. I really like the privacy of having a popup front camera. Note that i had to root my phone to get volte.
On the other the note 20 ultra. Damn this phone is one heck of a piece of hardware. I think the version we have is the oxynos. This phone is supported in my country and many others without any modifications or rooting. So here its advantages are, 5g, volte, esim capabilities.
What do u guys think?

I have oneplus7pro, the best phone so far,
but it is a time to move to the newer one,
and pixel 7 pro has the best software support and the easiest way to get root and other things.
however, that useless hole on the middle of the screen is highly annoying.

I have a OnePlus 7T and have been thinking of going back to it, it fully supports 2-SIM w/Different RingTones. Unfortunately, the last OS update for it was v12/12.1 and was pushed out in Nov/Dec 22. The only thing keeping me from going back is the Cameras on the Pixel 7 Pro. If you're doubting to get a Pixel 7 Pro - get the OnePlus 10 Pro instead.

Samsung note 20 is clearly the better device for multiple reasons.

robbbzilla said:
Samsung note 20 is clearly the better device for multiple reasons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those a cool phones, have a coworker using one of them and the stylus pen appears to work great if you're taking inventory on new equipment.

I have personally used many OnePlus phones including the 7 Pro. I have had several Samsung phones all of which were sent back for various flaws too numerous to discuss here. Every OnePlus phone has been excellent for me! I highly recommend that you stay with the OnePlus phone because they just work! YMMV

x111 said:
however, that useless hole on the middle of the screen is highly annoying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Genuine question here:
Are you deducing that no face unlock would be a win...? Or do you just greatly prefer the sliding front facing camera (so that it's not always visible)?

NippleSauce said:
Genuine question here:
Are you deducing that no face unlock would be a win...? Or do you just greatly prefer the sliding front facing camera (so that it's not always visible)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
never used and I genuinely will not ever use face unlock.
I'm using front camera only for video calls and would prefer low quality under display camera somewhere on the very top corner.
It is highly annoying that manufacturers cannot deliver this simple solution.

x111 said:
never used and I genuinely will not ever use face unlock.
I'm using face camera only for video calls and would prefer low quality under display camera somewhere on the very top corner.
I highly annoying that manufacturer cannot deliver this simple solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha, thanks. Just note that it is *not* a simple solution to put a modern front facing camera at either of the front corners of the display (due to hardware restrictions). The only way to do so in a simple manner would prevent the front facing camera from being utilized properly without holding the phone in landscape mode - which I don't imagine many people would feel comfortable doing =/

x111 said:
never used and I genuinely will not ever use face unlock.
I'm using front camera only for video calls and would prefer low quality under display camera somewhere on the very top corner.
It is highly annoying that manufacturers cannot deliver this simple solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not a simple solution because almost no one has your needs. Most people want Face unlock. And they want it to work. They demand more out of a Front Facing Camera than a low quality video call device

HipKat said:
It's not a simple solution because almost no one has your needs. Most people want Face unlock. And they want it to work. They demand more out of a Front Facing Camera than a low quality video call device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't and will never use a front facing camera for unlocking my device, but I have to agree with you. People want a front-facing camera for that face. Unlock in for high quality video calls with family and friends. Also, putting a camera under the display so you can't see it should not be assumed to be "simple."
We often lose sight of what it took to develop and make these devices that we use from the planning, the development, the gathering of the raw materials, the engineering, etc. Are truly marvelous feats. That can be said for almost everything around us that we take for granted! We are very blessed and lucky to be living in this time!

HipKat said:
Most people want Face unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And from whence did you glean this tidbit?
I never used it, and I have no desire to use it. In fact everyone I know does not use it!
Hmmmm?

jaseman said:
And from whence did you glean this tidbit?
I never used it, and I have no desire to use it. In fact everyone I know does not use it!
Hmmmm?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The huge number of people that demanded it on the Pixel 6 Pro. Then the number that complained about how slow it was at first.
Feel free to go look at that forum.
What YOU want is not what most people want. And BTW, that camera is barely noticeable. I have the Energy ring and I still barely see it.