Keep my S7 or not? - Samsung Galaxy S7 Questions and Answers

Hi, if i didn't post that in the right section feel free to tell me and move it at the right place.
I have a stock S7 (sm-g930w8) for two years and it's time to choose if I replace it or not (if not I get a new phone for my daughter).
I still love my S7 and for what I've found the difference between him and the S9 are not that big. Other phone I could get are the P20 pro, pixel 3 LG G7 and thé Sony Xperia XZ1.
My S7 is in a otterbox symmetry and a glass screen protector and I never managed to break it (i drop it a couple of times a week) and I'm afraid that a newer phone will be less sturdy.
Should I keep it for another two years or replace it?

osotech said:
Hi, if i didn't post that in the right section feel free to tell me and move it at the right place.
I have a stock S7 (sm-g930w8) for two years and it's time to choose if I replace it or not (if not I get a new phone for my daughter).
I still love my S7 and for what I've found the difference between him and the S9 are not that big. Other phone I could get are the P20 pro, pixel 3 LG G7 and thé Sony Xperia XZ1.
My S7 is in a otterbox symmetry and a glass screen protector and I never managed to break it (i drop it a couple of times a week) and I'm afraid that a newer phone will be less sturdy.
Should I keep it for another two years or replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S7 is still a great phone and has a powerful processor in it wich can go upto 2.6 ghz on 2 cores. (Exynos). Bigger phones like the s9 may be more vulnerable to glass damage because of the size. Id prefer to keep it as long its stable

osotech said:
Hi, if i didn't post that in the right section feel free to tell me and move it at the right place.
I have a stock S7 (sm-g930w8) for two years and it's time to choose if I replace it or not (if not I get a new phone for my daughter).
I still love my S7 and for what I've found the difference between him and the S9 are not that big. Other phone I could get are the P20 pro, pixel 3 LG G7 and thé Sony Xperia XZ1.
My S7 is in a otterbox symmetry and a glass screen protector and I never managed to break it (i drop it a couple of times a week) and I'm afraid that a newer phone will be less sturdy.
Should I keep it for another two years or replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is nothing and I mean NOTHING extraordinary about any device after Sammy 6 period! It's just "oh look at me with my new $1000 phone that does everything my old one did".
So keep the S7, I'm waiting for holographic interface that's when I'll upgrade when I can see a hologram of the person I'm speaking to. Now that will be amazing.

Stick with S7. At least 1 year more until the release of s11, a more refined phone. S10 has bugs and downsides here and there.
In the meantime we'll enjoy new pie roms, because Android pie has been released for note 7 Fe, that has the same hardware, therefore a s10 port will soon come out. It's enough to survive one year more until a more satisfactory phone will be released.

user154 said:
Im sorry if this is a little off topic to this thread,
Whats the deal with selling these on after knox is tripped, my partner has an s7 and she would like to try some custom roms but I havent really kept up with samsung development since s6.
I know obviously with a completely stock rom where knox had been tripped certain things wont work (most notably banking apps) obviously can't really sell a phone on that isnt actually fully working. Basically im looking for a way that I can return the phone to one that looks and acts like stock with the exceptions of TWRP still installed and knox showing as tripped in DL mode
I can see there are a few kernels which allow these features to be used on a device where knox is tripped, my questions are as follows:
1: Are any of these kernels stable enough that the device could be sold on with one installed, that would provide an experience close to stock in terms of reliability and stability?
2: Would the device display any warning message on boot about knox being tripped? My s5 for example would have yellow text on boot that said something about the warranty bit being tripped
3: I assume that it would be ok to unpack system.img from stock firmware then repack as a flashable zip (this would be much easier way to return to stock, and still use a custom kernel)
Morally I know this is a bit sketchy. I dont want to con anyone I just dont expect average joe bloggs that buys this device on our local facebook selling page to have any clue about custom roms/kernels/recoveries. Really just want to play with some custom roms, and then be able to sell the phone on, without anyone having any problems using it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your right it's wrong to sell a phone where certain apps will no longer function.
When knox is tripped there's no warning on boot with the S7 only the counter which shows when you boot into download mode so it's not difficult to find out if know is tripped or not. Of course no warranty or service with a know tripped phone from Sammy Sung either.
Samsung pay and lots of banking apps won't run as has been reported on the forum with knox tripped. However some of my banking apps work and some don't, it depends how the banking app makes a secure connection to it's severs.
So aside from them issues there are custom stock firmware where you can flash a custom kernal (Moro kernal really stable with stock) and the phone will look and feel like stock, The Galaxy Project is one such ROM. There are others in the rom section.
In comparison to earlier phone and dependant on Exynos (easy) or Qualcomm (nightmare) hardware, the S7 is no more difficult than the S6,5,4,3,2,1 to mess about with. Straight forward to root and TWRP (Exynos) little bit more difficult on Qualcom. But if you going o sell it i'd list it with knox tripped because they're going for not much anyway, $100 - 150.

user154 said:
Yes I most certainly would not want to sell a device to someone that wasn't 100% functional, this is why I wanted to get some clarification before going ahead and flashing TWRP, not being able to sell the device without feeling I've screwed someone over is a deal breaker (me and my parner use second hand phones and once or twice a year try and sell whatever we have at the higher end of the price range they are going for while simultaneously picking up a newer model at the lower end of the price range so we can upgrade without having to spend too much out)
I dont think I explained very well in my first post, I dont want to hide the fact that knox has been tripped as such. I dont think the fact knox has been tripped is too much of an issue as long as everything works, the phone is well out of warranty and for what samsung would want to repair it wouldnt really be worth sending it to them, especiallybgiven how cheap you can pick up a decent condition 2nd hand one, about £100 here in the uk.
I just think that seeing as whoever buys it will likely not understand anything about custom roms, or even know such a thing exists, a red/yellow warning text on boot that they dont understand would most likely completely put them off buying it. However knox being displayed as void in DL mode probabaly wouldnt be so off putting to someone that doesn't understand this sort of thing and just wants a phone that works.
So is there no custom kernel that will allow knox dependent apps to work? I had a look around the forum and a few claimed to have this feature, maybe I have misunderstood. Usually I would find out about different roms and kernels by flashing them myself and seeing how I got on with them. Sadly in this case dont really have that luxury without knowing that it would be able to be put back to a state where it was completely functional, and useable by someone that has no knowledge of this sort of thing without them running into any stability or performance issues. This is more what I'm trying to find out, whether the device can be put back to this state before I go ahead and flash TWRP. Sorry, I forgot to mention this is the exynos variant I'm talking about
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With an S7 the knox trip is an eMMC so it's hardware trip not software which makes it very difficult to get around. When the S7 boots it looks at a firmware file on the boot image before it does anything else to see the knox status. I've seen people claiming to have got Sam Pay working on a knox tripped device but it's very difficult to understand how they've done it and i'm not convinced it's possible myself.
With regards to flashing back to stock, You can always flash the S7 back to stock no matter what you do to it as long as you have Odin and Oreo firmware, so yeah go ahead and install what you want, mess around with kernals, try everything just make sure FRP lock is turned off before doing anything.

osotech said:
Hi, if i didn't post that in the right section feel free to tell me and move it at the right place.
I have a stock S7 (sm-g930w8) for two years and it's time to choose if I replace it or not (if not I get a new phone for my daughter).
I still love my S7 and for what I've found the difference between him and the S9 are not that big. Other phone I could get are the P20 pro, pixel 3 LG G7 and thé Sony Xperia XZ1.
My S7 is in a otterbox symmetry and a glass screen protector and I never managed to break it (i drop it a couple of times a week) and I'm afraid that a newer phone will be less sturdy.
Should I keep it for another two years or replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in the end, its up to you, but it cannot go without saying that the difference in phone has drastically decreased from the time of the galaxy S5 to the S9 than it was from the S to the S5. The change seems to be picking up speed again, so it may not be the wisest thing to upgrade now. The S7 is still a venerable beast. Hard to give ti up if your battery is still good. I rocked my S5 for almost 4 years, so i dont blame anyone for keeping their current handset if its still doing what they need it to.

user154 said:
Yes I most certainly would not want to sell a device to someone that wasn't 100% functional, this is why I wanted to get some clarification before going ahead and flashing TWRP, not being able to sell the device without feeling I've screwed someone over is a deal breaker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But what is 100% functional depends on your standpoint. I only buy 100% functional phones, but for me that means they must have unlocked bootloader. So I would gladly take any Samsung with Knox tripped or warranty void - because I would never be able to use it anyway and don't care. My safety and privacy has top priority for me - and convenience is up there as well. So if you want to be safe, just mention it in the sale description - the people who understand won't mind the least or not buy. The opposite is true though - if I want a phone and TWRP is/has been on it I can be sure it could work for me and I don't need to do stupid research if it can be unlocked.
For me it's a selling point!!! Don't worry - it's not "wear" on the phone. Bet hardly anyone is using that anyway, so 95% of people would never notice.

Related

[Q] Help Me Choose A Phone (HTC or Samsung) !!

Hi guys
As some of you know I've been having problems with my lg g2 and i think I'm going to give up and buy a new phone.
I've narrowed it down to either a HTC M8 or a Samsung S5.
I know there seems to be an unlimited amount of reviews on the internet but you cant always go by spec alone and to be honest a lot of them seem a bit biased or favour the htc just because its not as popular as a Samsung phone.
I actually went out to a phone shop today to buy the S5 but they had sold out and while i was in there i had a look at the M8 and i was really tempted to go for it.
The pros on both phones for me are (so you can get an idea on what I'm looking for in a phone):
Samsung S5:
1. Camera (this is a big one for me).
2. Reputable brand with a lot of service centres should things go wrong.
3. Parts easy to get.
4. takes a micro sd card.
I'm not too fussed about the gimmicks such as the finger print scanner, heart monitor, water resistance.
Bad points:
1. feels a bit like cheap plastic to hold.
HTC M8
1. Feels nicer to hold.
2. Knock on feature.
3. seems faster than the s5.
4. Takes a micro sd card.
Not too fussed about the boom sound speaker as my phone is on vibrate most of the time and i don't walk down the street playing music out of my phone (why do kids do that...lol)
Bad points:
1. Camera (i use my phones camera a lot).
2. I noticed that the display model in store had a lot of paint chips (it was gunmetal grey) so I'm not sure if this phone will stay looking good.
3. doesn't have a removable battery
Another thing you don't hear about in reviews.......
I always stock root my android phones so what one is the easiest to root and unroot if i need to return it under warranty.
And i remember when i rooted a htc one mini, that there was problems every time htc pushed out an update, is that the same with samsung.
What do you guys think?
Inked_ said:
Hi guys
As some of you know I've been having problems with my lg g2 and i think I'm going to give up and buy a new phone.
I've narrowed it down to either a HTC M8 or a Samsung S5.
I know there seems to be an unlimited amount of reviews on the internet but you cant always go by spec alone and to be honest a lot of them seem a bit biased or favour the htc just because its not as popular as a Samsung phone.
I actually went out to a phone shop today to buy the S5 but they had sold out and while i was in there i had a look at the M8 and i was really tempted to go for it.
The pros on both phones for me are (so you can get an idea on what I'm looking for in a phone):
Samsung S5:
1. Camera (this is a big one for me).
2. Reputable brand with a lot of service centres should things go wrong.
3. Parts easy to get.
4. takes a micro sd card.
I'm not too fussed about the gimmicks such as the finger print scanner, heart monitor, water resistance.
Bad points:
1. feels a bit like cheap plastic to hold.
HTC M8
1. Feels nicer to hold.
2. Knock on feature.
3. seems faster than the s5.
4. Takes a micro sd card.
Not too fussed about the boom sound speaker as my phone is on vibrate most of the time and i don't walk down the street playing music out of my phone (why do kids do that...lol)
Bad points:
1. Camera (i use my phones camera a lot).
2. I noticed that the display model in store had a lot of paint chips (it was gunmetal grey) so I'm not sure if this phone will stay looking good.
3. doesn't have a removable battery
Another thing you don't hear about in reviews.......
I always stock root my android phones so what one is the easiest to root and unroot if i need to return it under warranty.
And i remember when i rooted a htc one mini, that there was problems every time htc pushed out an update, is that the same with samsung.
What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you wanna root, Samsung is a no go because of Knox. But since you require a good camera, you might want to consider Sony (but their boot loader unlocking process might be a little troublesome).
I'm not sure about HTCs as I've never touched one before. The boot loader might trouble you too, as with Sony devices.
My personal recommendation is an Oppo Find 7 or a One Plus One. Their rooting process is quite simple and AFAIK Oppo doesn't void warranty if you root in some countries.
Hope you get a good phone
Sent from a Nameless fellow licking Lollipop.
Singaporean Oppo Find 7a
Click that "Thanks" button if I helped you!
Irwenzhao said:
If you wanna root, Samsung is a no go because of Knox. But since you require a good camera, you might want to consider Sony (but their boot loader unlocking process might be a little troublesome).
I'm not sure about HTCs as I've never touched one before. The boot loader might trouble you too, as with Sony devices.
My personal recommendation is an Oppo Find 7 or a One Plus One. Their rooting process is quite simple and AFAIK Oppo doesn't void warranty if you root in some countries.
Hope you get a good phone
Sent from a Nameless fellow licking Lollipop.
Singaporean Oppo Find 7a
Click that "Thanks" button if I helped you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply
I've not read up on knox yet but I've read a lot of people have rooted their s5 without any problems
Something else I need to consider between the s5 and m8 is heat.
I'm sure the root cause of the problems with my g2 was it heating up while being on it a long time or watching videos.
Do any of these phone have heat issues?
Also what one should get the latest android os for the longest (I think htc guarantee a minimum of 2 years) ?
You should wait for the m9. Samsung is a definite no go if you want to root. Build quality is also very good on the m8 and will most likely improve with the m9.
I would highly suggest waiting g for the m9 as HTC is dumping their ultrapixel technology and the camera will most likely jump ALOT. It is rumored to be announced within the next month, but if not, then it should be announced by, let's say, April or May. If you don't want to wait, try maybe an Lg G3 or even a Nexus 5.
Cheers and happy device hunting!
ANDR01DN00B said:
You should wait for the m9. Samsung is a definite no go if you want to root. Build quality is also very good on the m8 and will most likely improve with the m9.
I would highly suggest waiting g for the m9 as HTC is dumping their ultrapixel technology and the camera will most likely jump ALOT. It is rumored to be announced within the next month, but if not, then it should be announced by, let's say, April or May. If you don't want to wait, try maybe an Lg G3 or even a Nexus 5.
Cheers and happy device hunting!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really cant wait so it needs to be the s5 or m8.
I've lost trust in lg and the nexus doesn't have a sd card slot.
Im actually shocked that your all saying that I shouldn't get the s5 because of root (I thought it would be something like the build quality...lol) as ive read loads of people have rooted their s5's.
I think they use something called towelroot and oden pro to flash the firmware?
I've just read that you can uninstall knox, is this true?
No you cannot uninstall Knox. The issue with the s5 is that when you install a custom recovery, it tells Knox something is wrong and your warranty becomes PERMANENTLY voided. Knox is permanent whether you are running a Touchwiz ROM or a Stock Android ROM.
Trust me if knox was uninstallable I would've bought the s4 over my m7.
The build quality is OK on the s5 but the m8 outplays it by 5,000,000%.
ANDR01DN00B said:
No you cannot uninstall Knox. The issue with the s5 is that when you install a custom recovery, it tells Knox something is wrong and your warranty becomes PERMANENTLY voided. Knox is permanent whether you are running a Touchwiz ROM or a Stock Android ROM.
Trust me if knox was uninstallable I would've bought the s4 over my m7.
The build quality is OK on the s5 but the m8 outplays it by 5,000,000%.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok thanks
The m8 seems a lot easier to root as you can still use htcdev...etc the only thing im not sure about is what to do when htc update thing like sense...etc as I remember there being a problem with update as htc detect the custom recovery.
The things that are holding me back from the M8 are:
1. No removable battery.
2. The camera (4 ultra pixel).
3. htc as a brand compared with the likes of Samsung (devs do more for Samsung and there's more accessories for Samsung).
4. s5 has a LOT more features.
If I could get me head passed all that then I would go for it....lol
I would go for the Htc
I've been using the Htc for the past few years, I've got friends whose got the S5 and the M8.
Sadly my friend with the S5 was pretty disappointed with the phone( I'll get to know more about the trouble when i meet him on monday) But however my friend with the M8 which he had used it for some time now, he never complains about it in fact it runs pretty smooth, but the only problem with the phone is the battery, or otherwise it's a real good phone. On my point of view i trust the Htc since it's made in my country and the service here is excellent.
I hope you made up your mind soon and will be happy with your new phone
Cheers!! (And sorry for the bad English):good:
Inked_ said:
ok thanks The m8 seems a lot easier to root as you can still use htcdev...etc the only thing im not sure about is what to do when htc update thing like sense...etc as I remember there being a problem with update as htc detect the custom recovery.
The things that are holding me back from the M8 are:
1. No removable battery.
2. The camera (4 ultra pixel).
3. htc as a brand compared with the likes of Samsung (devs do more for Samsung and there's more accessories for Samsung).
4. s5 has a LOT more features.
If I could get me head passed all that then I would go for it....lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well yes when you enter the bootloader after installing a custom recovery it will show "TAMPERED" at the top, but unlike knox, this can be reset/removed with S-OFF
1)I dont see the point in a removable battery (the battery is actually really good despite the smaller size)
2)Yeah... it's not the best and definitely could be the worst
3)There are still ALOT of cases for the m8 (even dome dope ones not for the m7 )
4)Those extra features are more gimmic-y really IMO and it does in fact take up more RAM and in turn battery
(yes, I am an HTC fanboy :silly
@SinkRate
Thanks for your input and there's nothing wrong with your english
@ANDR01DNOOB
So do you have the M8 ?
I suppose the battery isn't such a big issue as a lot of phones come without removable batteries now.
I've been using the HTC one mini for the past couple of days ( a loan while i sort out a phone) and I'm not really taking to it very much and I'm thinking that the m8 would just be an upgraded version of this.
How do you go about putting the phone back to stock for warranty?
Also what do you do when htc push out an update to your rooted phone?
I remember htc detecting root (i think it was the custom firmware) and not allowing the phone to install the updates.
No actually I don't have an m8 but I have spent 3+ days with one
A long process, and it requires soff, which some m8s aren't capable of having. If you need soff that bad, Sunshine will probably work with a charge of $25
Usually when an update is pushed out, you can install the stock recovery and flash the ota.
No no you're probably thinking of something else.
ANDR01DN00B said:
No actually I don't have an m8 but I have spent 3+ days with one
A long process, and it requires soff, which some m8s aren't capable of having. If you need soff that bad, Sunshine will probably work with a charge of $25
Usually when an update is pushed out, you can install the stock recovery and flash the ota.
No no you're probably thinking of something else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So really both S5 and M8 can be rooted and both of them have their own problems when it comes to unrooting them for warranty?
That was the problem I had, I looked everywhere for the stock recovery but I couldn't find it anywhere.
All I found was replies saying to put the update on the ignore list....lol
Inked_ said:
So really both S5 and M8 can be rooted and both of them have their own problems when it comes to unrooting them for warranty?
That was the problem I had, I looked everywhere for the stock recovery but I couldn't find it anywhere.
All I found was replies saying to put the update on the ignore list....lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep... No phone is perfect.
Rooting the S5 does not necessarily trip KNOX. Stop that nonsense.
Installing a custom firmware or recovery trips KNOX. Not rooting, at least not all methods. You just need to do it before updating. The older the firmware, the easier it is.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...2nd-method-t2843044/post54719865#post54719865
CF-Autoroot, however, does trigger it.
If you are in the EU KNOX is irrelevant.
Now, as for the rest.
A lot of people prefer HTC just because they have the desire to feel 'different' from the crowd, which they believe they can achieve by hating the largest brand. An ungodly amount of hipsters use HTC for that reason. This greatly affects people's opinions both here and in reviews. Samsung is starting to become what Apple is: hated for being popular.
Both phones will get warm. It's a powerhouse without any form of fan or heatsink. The cover is literally the only heatsink.
The M8 will get warmer because it's made of metal. That's the advantage of plastic. Plastic also dents and scratches a lot less. However, some have reported that the bezel of their S5 is loosing its metallic paint.
Personally I always use an otterbox case so I can't comment on the feel of the devices.
The camera on the S5 is much, much better.
The speaker quality of the M8 is enormously better.
The M8 is bigger and heavier, despite having a smaller screen size.
The S5 has an AMOLED screen. That means infinite contrast ratio, higher colour saturation (can be turned down), much better legible in direct sunlight and more battery efficient. (black=led off).
The M8 has an FM stereo. The S5 does not. If that matters (for many it does), keep that in mind.
The S5 has a lot of features, but nearly all of them can just be turned off with a simple toggle, or uninstalled/disabled even without root. My S5 uses about 800MB RAM without running apps. Not rooted. (did replace Touchwiz with Apex, saved me +-300MB) goes up to about 1.2GB when running Firefox, N7player, Facebook, Whatsapp and Gmail simultaneously.
The water&dust resistance is actually a useful gimmick in rainy countries.
You also need to physically look at the phones. Which one do you feel happier with just looking at it? Because if you truly don't like the look of one, you'll grow to dislike the phone itself eventually, regardless of its performance.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk 2
maybe you can get that HTC, or maybe samsung
from my opinion samsung sometimes got overpriced
about camera issue, maybe it can help with a little retouch with app like photoshop touch (just opinion hehe
I like the HTC M8 but I think you should go for Samsung Galaxy S5. As you said that you use camera a lot, so I think Samsung Galaxy S5 will be the best option for you.
Update.......
Before I start, I want to give a HUGE thanks to everyone that replied in this thread (if I haven't clicked you thanks button then let me know...lol)
I went with the S5 in the end and although its early days I've got to say im loving it so far.
I've put a tempered glass screen protector on it and im getting a case for it tomorrow.
Strange thing is that I've clicked manage apps and I cant see anything related to knox,.
Does this mean that I can safely root it and install custom recovery....etc without voiding the warranty ?
Inked_ said:
Update.......
Before I start, I want to give a HUGE thanks to everyone that replied in this thread (if I haven't clicked you thanks button then let me know...lol)
I went with the S5 in the end and although its early days I've got to say im loving it so far.
I've put a tempered glass screen protector on it and im getting a case for it tomorrow.
Strange thing is that I've clicked manage apps and I cant see anything related to knox,.
Does this mean that I can safely root it and install custom recovery....etc without voiding the warranty ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to download mode and check if there's something like this:
Code:
Knox Warranty Void: 0x0
or something like that.
As @ShadowLea said, rooting won't void warranty but flashing a custom ROM/Kernel/Recovery will.
Inked_ said:
Hi guys
As some of you know I've been having problems with my lg g2 and i think I'm going to give up and buy a new phone.
I've narrowed it down to either a HTC M8 or a Samsung S5.
I know there seems to be an unlimited amount of reviews on the internet but you cant always go by spec alone and to be honest a lot of them seem a bit biased or favour the htc just because its not as popular as a Samsung phone.
I actually went out to a phone shop today to buy the S5 but they had sold out and while i was in there i had a look at the M8 and i was really tempted to go for it.
The pros on both phones for me are (so you can get an idea on what I'm looking for in a phone):
Samsung S5:
1. Camera (this is a big one for me).
2. Reputable brand with a lot of service centres should things go wrong.
3. Parts easy to get.
4. takes a micro sd card.
I'm not too fussed about the gimmicks such as the finger print scanner, heart monitor, water resistance.
Bad points:
1. feels a bit like cheap plastic to hold.
HTC M8
1. Feels nicer to hold.
2. Knock on feature.
3. seems faster than the s5.
4. Takes a micro sd card.
Not too fussed about the boom sound speaker as my phone is on vibrate most of the time and i don't walk down the street playing music out of my phone (why do kids do that...lol)
Bad points:
1. Camera (i use my phones camera a lot).
2. I noticed that the display model in store had a lot of paint chips (it was gunmetal grey) so I'm not sure if this phone will stay looking good.
3. doesn't have a removable battery
Another thing you don't hear about in reviews.......
I always stock root my android phones so what one is the easiest to root and unroot if i need to return it under warranty.
And i remember when i rooted a htc one mini, that there was problems every time htc pushed out an update, is that the same with samsung.
What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s5_vs_htc_one_m8-review-1067.php
Here's a full comparrison.
The HTC One M8 has a pretty bad 4MP Camera Resolution which makes Low-Light photos actually better.
The S5 can take 4k-Videos higher than the M8's Maximum Photo Resolution.
But the M8 has a nice Aluminium Design and very good Stereo-Front Facing Speakers.
It also has blinkfeed, you can like it or not.
The Dual Camera of the M8 makes nice picture effects possible.
The S5 is Water-Resistant and has a slightly better processing power.
The M8 is NOT Water Resistant but maybe survives Toilet Crashes

Note Edge Root Soon?

So, I have Had my AT&T Note edge since around April 2015. When I first Got the phone I was very happy with the new innovation of the edge screen and found it quite useful. Before, I had the Note 2 and I was in love with it, I had many different roms and dev's are still coming out with new roms for it and the only reason I got the new phone is because the screen cracked and I did not want to pay another 150$'s for a phone that was worth less than that on eBay.
Since receiving my note edge I have found nothing but problems with it (obviously after honeymoon period with the edge screen, lol). The battery life is abysmal at best, the screen transitions are slow and tedious at times, sometimes I have to launch the task manager and clean the apps(which that in enough itself is a challenge to get to launch), even if I am only using 20% of my memory. To put a little perspective on this, I have been rooting/jail breaking phones since the first iPhone came out back in 2007 and I have also switched out hardware on phones so I do know what I am doing and I realized when I bought the phone that it may be a while till a decent root/rom came out for the phone but honestly not one root or one rom for the AT&T note edge has come out.
I bought the phone knowing I would have to wait for a root/rom but I did not expect stock to be so terrible. Even after the lollipop update, the phone may have gotten a little worse, to the point where sometimes my screen will stay black when I get a phone call then when the phone almost stops ringing the screen will come on and I can then answer (most of the time). To say I am disappointed in Samsung would be an understatement. Mind you, I fell in love with my note 2 and had it until it was non functioning anymore and more expensive to fix than replace. I have nothing but praise for Samsung but they really let me down with this phone.
I have taken all the steps I can think of to increase performance even to the point of just wiping it clean and starting from scratch and it's still no where close to the performance of my note 2
All this is to ask if anyone out there can give me some suggestions of a phone that A) has the ability to be rooted B) has sufficient roms out there to test out and find a good one. Money is not a problem but I figured that this would be one of the best places to ask because I am sure all you note edge fanboys and girls were looking at other phones before you decided on the note edge and I am sure there are other people like me who probably had too high of expectations for the note edge.
I would also consider staying with the edge if the root/rom would come out soon, but I honestly don't see that happening in the near future.
Also one last thing, I am not opposed to any brand or model I just prefer a 5" screen or bigger. Also, I have checked out the Neptune Suite which looks incredible. unfortunately, I can't post a link but just search it and you'll find it.
You can get root. It's just tough. The recommended way (depending on your variant) is to get CWM and root through recovery then flash whatever recovery you want to use. For me its TWRP. The above method works on my SM-N915G.
One thing I have seen and am a bit butt hurt by is the significant downturn on custom roms for this device, or at least for my variant. The note 4 has had heaps of dev work however this beauty of a phone has been neglected. More than likely die to uptake. I just hope that they bring out an edge 2 this year and that is widely taken up, so we can get some damn customisation. I hate this 5.0.1 touch wiz rom. I have constant lag issues and its just not on. However I digress. It's a beast of a phone. Just don't expect to many roms available seeing as it is hitting end of life i.e. new version coming soon
Flame_Beard said:
You can get root. It's just tough. The recommended way (depending on your variant) is to get CWM and root through recovery then flash whatever recovery you want to use. For me its TWRP. The above method works on my SM-N915G.
One thing I have seen and am a bit butt hurt by is the significant downturn on custom roms for this device, or at least for my variant. The note 4 has had heaps of dev work however this beauty of a phone has been neglected. More than likely die to uptake. I just hope that they bring out an edge 2 this year and that is widely taken up, so we can get some damn customisation. I hate this 5.0.1 touch wiz rom. I have constant lag issues and its just not on. However I digress. It's a beast of a phone. Just don't expect to many roms available seeing as it is hitting end of life i.e. new version coming soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree with you that the note edge is a beast. It has all the features I was looking for in a phone EXCEPT the fact that the rooting is a mission and when you're finally done, there is little to no reward. I would have rooted a while ago but the root seems fishy at best and the temp root... well, its a temp root, lol. I miss my note 2 just for the pure simple fact that they had every single rom you could think of for that thing, hell, I would even switch to the note 4 if it was more heavily supported. Honestly, I am just saddened by AT&T's choice to lock everything and Samsung's horrific TouchWiz UI. We all know its awful. I am a die hard samsung fanboy but man, they are letting the ball drop. like the note 5, possible no removable back? What is this HTC?! I hope AT&T/Samsung realize that locking the bootloader is a pointless exercise. What modder out there ever returns their stuff for warranty?! Enough of the rant. I am most likely going to be switching to T-mobile by the end of this year(for other reasons than the phone) and was wondering if there is a better options than the note edge coming soon?
Flame_Beard said:
You can get root. It's just tough. The recommended way (depending on your variant) is to get CWM and root through recovery then flash whatever recovery you want to use. For me its TWRP. The above method works on my SM-N915G.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
also, from everything I have read, there is no secure root for the SM-N915A. I could be wrong but I don't think so unfortunately
mikeyvalentine said:
also, from everything I have read, there is no secure root for the SM-N915A. I could be wrong but I don't think so unfortunately
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is ROOT, for an SM-N915A but you have to be on kitkat and NOT lollipop. Also root for this device is "TEMP" and not permanent, after a reboot, you loose root.
IceTwig said:
There is ROOT, for an SM-N915A but you have to be on kitkat and NOT lollipop. Also root for this device is "TEMP" and not permanent, after a reboot, you loose root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the problem, If it was a perm root. I wouldn't be so negative about this phone but since its only Temp. I feel like I kind of got cheated with this phone. It's powerful but a hog with its power, its got a great display but mainly because of the edge, and a nice size battery that, again, gets killed by the display(even at low brightness) I might have just got a lemon from the start, its happened before. I just wish that rooting this phone was easier and more satisfying than "oh sweet, I was able to root my phone! Better not restart and better be okay with the non existent roms out for it right now!"
More than likely because when Samsung released this model, they initially said that they were going to drop only 1000 units so as to "test the market waters" for the device. So sad to see because she really is a beaut. I won't be moving to a Note 4, I have a new phone owed to me by my carrier this month, so I will be waiting to see what this years Note/Note Edge offering is and I will make the change then, Fingers crossed they do run with the Note Edge design. Also too, if they follow suit with their Note lines of phone as they have with Their Galaxy S line (no expandable memory, no removable back plate) I will not be buying Samsung again. Other than the lengthy feature set for the Note Edge, the fact that they have expandable memory was the tipping point for me. Failing that I will be going elsewhere from now on. Sad to say it, but Samsung is following in Apples footsteps by telling the consumer what they can and cannot do with a device that they choose to buy.

Are you switching to the Note7?

So I was a bit impressed with the LG V10 when it first debuted so I picked it up especially after seeing the Note 5 specs, I do have to say the LG V10 did blew me away for at least the first 2-3 months plus the free battery and 200GB sd card made it a no-brainer for me, Now 10 months later my phone is having so many issues and especially after the Marshmallow update which caused some many issues with battery life, performance and heating issues (that's just me not sure if anyone had the same issue) with that being said I will be switching to the Note8 since at this point internal battery is no longer important to me and Samsung was really smart about bringing back the SDcard which to me is #1 on my priority list.
So are you switching? If so why?
I won't be switching for awhile. I'm not upgrading to quickly anymore. It's hard for me to justify a new phone that probably only has an upgraded CPU that won't really affect anything I do on my device. Waterproofing and the other updates are nice but I really don't need it. I'm enjoying root(which may get even more difficult on nouget) right now and I'll take a wait and see approach for now.
Sent from my LG-H901 using XDA-Developers mobile app
If I switch to anything it will be the V20 depending on what the specs are.... Waiting for someone to leak something besides the very vague leaks we have so far.
The main thing I like about the note 7 is the waterproofing but I just don't think I can go to non removable battery until it's the absolute only option. I love my zerolemon too much.
Sent from my pretty nifty brand new LG V10
I'm not.
Taking a break from AMOLED screens. Every unit i've had since the Galaxy Nexus, Note 3 and N6 has had burn in within 4-5 months. LGV10 does get em, but they go away since they're less susceptible to them.
I'm also way happy with V10 camera and build. Note 7 did catch my eye with the icon theme feature but have not seen anything that I need to upgrade to. V20 I probably wont but it all depends on looks and if it has a similar build to the V10 (solid)
V20 will be my next purchase. The Note 7 looks amazing, but $900 for a locked device is unacceptable and very Apple (or anti Android) imo.
I do wish LG would use a super AMOLED screen or come up with a alternative tech that is just as vibrant.
Also it would be nice if they moved the lower navigation buttons off the screen and into the black portion that serves no purpose other than making the current v10 bulky and long.
I'm staying with Lg for the double tap to wake device alone.
I might get the V20 depending on price, special offers or specs. Otherwise I'm still very happy with my V10.
Someone mentioned this before, but I am re-stating it. 900 for knox and locked down phone will not be very popular with this community. Samsung is becoming very apple-ish. Samsung is also very slow with their updates. it is shipping with Marshmallow, I think. Without root, and a locked bootloader, you have to wait for Samsung/T-mobile to release Nougat.
Probably will be switching. My V10 has been acting crazy since the MM update. It freezes randomly, feels like its burning my leg when I have it in my pocket, have had the battery drop from 100% to 90% in 15 minutes at times without the screen on, and random apps will crash one day then work fine the next. Never had problems with Lollipop.
Battery drain is ridiculous and there was a time in life I wanted root on all my phones but honestly its not a deal breaker anymore.
Honestly the Note 7 and the V220 both have me worried. I enjoy ad blocking. That in itself is high priority on my list. Im not heavily concerned about open bootloader, but root is a must. Samsung has recently been severely locking down their devices, but I think android 7.0 is gonna be worse with the system checks on boot. They were saying with a locked bootloader you phone "possibly" wont boot if it doesn't pass certain checks. I also remember 7.0 has the capability to uninstall malicious apps, no matter where the source came from. I don't know what they consider malicious, but I'm pretty sure the ad king, would file ad blocking under that category.
agentscuba314 said:
Honestly the Note 7 and the V220 both have me worried. I enjoy ad blocking. That in itself is high priority on my list. Im not heavily concerned about open bootloader, but root is a must. Samsung has recently been severely locking down their devices, but I think android 7.0 is gonna be worse with the system checks on boot. They were saying with a locked bootloader you phone "possibly" wont boot if it doesn't pass certain checks. I also remember 7.0 has the capability to uninstall malicious apps, no matter where the source came from. I don't know what they consider malicious, but I'm pretty sure the ad king, would file ad blocking under that category.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I myself is concerned with the future of handsets after all we buy these and we own them and we should have the right to root, unlock and modify our devices.
maxmotos said:
I myself is concerned with the future of handsets after all we buy these and we own them and we should have the right to root, unlock and modify our devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anything short of leasing a device, we should have the capability of unlocking the bootloader, similar to what HTC/Nexus has for their devices.
The Note 7 looks nice but is way too expensive!
Sent from my LG-H901 using XDA-Developers mobile app

A Journey - From Note 4 to the LG US996

Note 4 Story
Why this thread? Short background - I am building a '61 Chevy Bubbletop, and have a thread in a Chevy fourm that I have been posting pics, etc. Have had a lot of interest and helpful feedback. I thought it would be fun, and maybe helpful to some (maybe even me), so here goes.
I will have the phone in hand Monday. So first, background on my Note 4, and what I'm hoping to experience with the V20.
I have come to the point that I prefer to not install ROMs. I find that typically, no matter how great and stable everyone says a ROM is, it always has some issue of some kind. (Of course even stock ones do to).
So I went a long time w/o rooting or applying a ROM. I finally just had to have root. So I sold my AT&T Note 4 (couldn't root it), and purchased a T-Mobile Note 4 which could be rooted. I rooted it and used like that for quite a while.
I am one that uses a LOT of apps. (The phone is to use, no?) And with that comes more memory use, and lag. The phone got so laggy I just had to try a ROM. I tried 2-3 with varying success. I finally tried Maximum Overdrive's ROM for the Note 4 (he is now working on a ROM for the V20).
It was like a different phone. Fairly fast, not near as much lag. It has allowed me to extend the life of the phone over the past year. In fact, it works well enough that I wonder how smart I am spending several hundred dollars for a new phone.
So why the new phone? I moved to Florida a year and half ago, and AT&T's data here sucks ripe lemons. I'm going to move to Verizon. (My daughter has them, and we have compared speeds etc., and Verizon is much better here).
Choosing the V20
It has been a few months that I have been on the watch for my next phone. I won't bore you with the long story of that...just a few details.
One of my 'must haves' for the next phone was to have 6GB of memory...due to my high application load. Over time my highest priority switch from 6GB of memory to capability to use a phone on both GSM and CDMA (read that AT&T/Verizon) networks. That way I can tergiversate regarding carriers.
So, some of my top phone choices dropped off the list. In fact, pretty much all of them except for the US996.
Concerns
I do have a few concerns about the V20 that I hope will be alleviated quickly:
Battery - I've been reading posts regarding battery and it does not sound good. Since moving to the Max Overdrive ROM on the Note 4, my battery is unbelievable. I'd hate to go downhill with this phone. This may be something that necessiates rooting.
Camera Lens - I'm sure everyone knows why this is a concern
Performance - I read, for the most part, that this phone performs well. But I also read a lot of complaints about LAG. Ugh...my high app use may make this a likely scenario for me
Camera - I see some complaints about low light pics. But I've seen a lot of praise for the camera as well
Initial Plans
Once I get all apps installed, and data imported/restored for those that need it, I plan to use it stock for at least 30 days and see how it goes. Depending on how it goes, especially related to the concerns above, I'll either keep it and move forward, or return it.
I'll start out with it on AT&T. May hold off moving to Verizon until I pass the 30 day return availablility.
Rooting
I would really like to root the phone. But, as that the only way to unlock the bootloader is via the LG site for this phone, I don't know if I will or not...at least this early with the phone. Why does that make a difference? Will lose warranty, as they indicate that on the LG site where you go to get it unlocked.
Apply Rom?
Given that there is a Maximum Overdrive rom for the V20, you'd think I would want to put that on. Actually, this is true...but he is only making one for the 918, as that is the phone he has. So, I will miss out on that honey.
I have read some positive info on a couple others out there, but do see constant issues, even with just rooting. It's not near as smooth as a Samsung (I base that opinion on the issues I see here vs. have experienced with the Samsung). So, I'm skittish about doing anything to it. Given the 996 unlocking flags the phone as out of warranty, I fear that a bricked phone will be a several hundred dollar loss.
Summary
So, looking forward to getting the phone and seeing how it goes, and having fun communicating here about the journey.
ewingr said:
Note 4 Story
Why this thread? Short background - I am building a '61 Chevy Bubbletop, and have a thread in a Chevy fourm that I have been posting pics, etc. Have had a lot of interest and helpful feedback. I thought it would be fun, and maybe helpful to some (maybe even me), so here goes.
I will have the phone in hand Monday. So first, background on my Note 4, and what I'm hoping to experience with the V20.
I have come to the point that I prefer to not install ROMs. I find that typically, no matter how great and stable everyone says a ROM is, it always has some issue of some kind. (Of course even stock ones do to).
So I went a long time w/o rooting or applying a ROM. I finally just had to have root. So I sold my AT&T Note 4 (couldn't root it), and purchased a T-Mobile Note 4 which could be rooted. I rooted it and used like that for quite a while.
I am one that uses a LOT of apps. (The phone is to use, no?) And with that comes more memory use, and lag. The phone got so laggy I just had to try a ROM. I tried 2-3 with varying success. I finally tried Maximum Overdrive's ROM for the Note 4 (he is now working on a ROM for the V20).
It was like a different phone. Fairly fast, not near as much lag. It has allowed me to extend the life of the phone over the past year. In fact, it works well enough that I wonder how smart I am spending several hundred dollars for a new phone.
So why the new phone? I moved to Florida a year and half ago, and AT&T's data here sucks ripe lemons. I'm going to move to Verizon. (My daughter has them, and we have compared speeds etc., and Verizon is much better here).
Choosing the V20
It has been a few months that I have been on the watch for my next phone. I won't bore you with the long story of that...just a few details.
One of my 'must haves' for the next phone was to have 6GB of memory...due to my high application load. Over time my highest priority switch from 6GB of memory to capability to use a phone on both GSM and CDMA (read that AT&T/Verizon) networks. That way I can tergiversate regarding carriers.
So, some of my top phone choices dropped off the list. In fact, pretty much all of them except for the US996.
Concerns
I do have a few concerns about the V20 that I hope will be alleviated quickly:
Battery - I've been reading posts regarding battery and it does not sound good. Since moving to the Max Overdrive ROM on the Note 4, my battery is unbelievable. I'd hate to go downhill with this phone. This may be something that necessiates rooting.
Camera Lens - I'm sure everyone knows why this is a concern
Performance - I read, for the most part, that this phone performs well. But I also read a lot of complaints about LAG. Ugh...my high app use may make this a likely scenario for me
Camera - I see some complaints about low light pics. But I've seen a lot of praise for the camera as well
Initial Plans
Once I get all apps installed, and data imported/restored for those that need it, I plan to use it stock for at least 30 days and see how it goes. Depending on how it goes, especially related to the concerns above, I'll either keep it and move forward, or return it.
I'll start out with it on AT&T. May hold off moving to Verizon until I pass the 30 day return availablility.
Rooting
I would really like to root the phone. But, as that the only way to unlock the bootloader is via the LG site for this phone, I don't know if I will or not...at least this early with the phone. Why does that make a difference? Will lose warranty, as they indicate that on the LG site where you go to get it unlocked.
Apply Rom?
Given that there is a Maximum Overdrive rom for the V20, you'd think I would want to put that on. Actually, this is true...but he is only making one for the 918, as that is the phone he has. So, I will miss out on that honey.
I have read some positive info on a couple others out there, but do see constant issues, even with just rooting. It's not near as smooth as a Samsung (I base that opinion on the issues I see here vs. have experienced with the Samsung). So, I'm skittish about doing anything to it. Given the 996 unlocking flags the phone as out of warranty, I fear that a bricked phone will be a several hundred dollar loss.
Summary
So, looking forward to getting the phone and seeing how it goes, and having fun communicating here about the journey.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just so you know att only has a 14 day return policy
jerrycoffman45 said:
just so you know att only has a 14 day return policy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know. I purchased from B&H Photo. Besides. AT&T doesn't sell the 996, I don't think.
But thanks for the warning. Had I purchase it from them, and expected 30 days, it would have been a pain to learn the hard way that I can't return it if I decide to.
I had the Note 3, 4 then 7 and this phone is larger than all 3. I just recently switched from Sprint and traded in my s7 edge for the V20 and I am happy so far. I purchased a OtterBox Defender case for the phone and with it installed I no longer have any worries of the camera glass, the case is very solid. Plus I left the factory plastic on the camera which people say will help if the phone was to be dropped.
Good luck!
I had been anxiously awaiting the Note 7. At the time 6GB memory was the top of my 'must have' list. So, when it came with 4GB, I was disappointed and decided to watch for a while. Then we know what happened.
I've actually been very interested in chasing some of the better priced competitors, such as Axon 7 or OnePlus 3t. But both the cameras were rated poorly, and then are GSM only.
But, I'm getting tired of these $800 prices. Rumor now is 1K for the Samsung 8.
I ended up purchasing an open box V20 from B&H, has full factory warranty. Got it for 675, no tax, no shipping.
ON the case, I have been using a Bestbuy PLatinum case, which comes with a belt clipped holster, and a kickstand in the case itself. Been great for me. Coming from IT and needing the phone on my at all times, and not wanting to fight the pocket, I used that.
Turns out it is made by Seido, and they have the same for the V20. It arrived from Amazon today. I'll add some pics when I get the phone and get it set up.
This story will continue. Hopefully it will be a pleasant one.
ewingr said:
Note 4 Story
Why this thread? Short background - I am building a '61 Chevy Bubbletop, and have a thread in a Chevy fourm that I have been posting pics, etc. Have had a lot of interest and helpful feedback. I thought it would be fun, and maybe helpful to some (maybe even me), so here goes.
I will have the phone in hand Monday. So first, background on my Note 4, and what I'm hoping to experience with the V20.
I have come to the point that I prefer to not install ROMs. I find that typically, no matter how great and stable everyone says a ROM is, it always has some issue of some kind. (Of course even stock ones do to).
So I went a long time w/o rooting or applying a ROM. I finally just had to have root. So I sold my AT&T Note 4 (couldn't root it), and purchased a T-Mobile Note 4 which could be rooted. I rooted it and used like that for quite a while.
I am one that uses a LOT of apps. (The phone is to use, no?) And with that comes more memory use, and lag. The phone got so laggy I just had to try a ROM. I tried 2-3 with varying success. I finally tried Maximum Overdrive's ROM for the Note 4 (he is now working on a ROM for the V20).
It was like a different phone. Fairly fast, not near as much lag. It has allowed me to extend the life of the phone over the past year. In fact, it works well enough that I wonder how smart I am spending several hundred dollars for a new phone.
So why the new phone? I moved to Florida a year and half ago, and AT&T's data here sucks ripe lemons. I'm going to move to Verizon. (My daughter has them, and we have compared speeds etc., and Verizon is much better here).
Choosing the V20
It has been a few months that I have been on the watch for my next phone. I won't bore you with the long story of that...just a few details.
One of my 'must haves' for the next phone was to have 6GB of memory...due to my high application load. Over time my highest priority switch from 6GB of memory to capability to use a phone on both GSM and CDMA (read that AT&T/Verizon) networks. That way I can tergiversate regarding carriers.
So, some of my top phone choices dropped off the list. In fact, pretty much all of them except for the US996.
Concerns
I do have a few concerns about the V20 that I hope will be alleviated quickly:
Battery - I've been reading posts regarding battery and it does not sound good. Since moving to the Max Overdrive ROM on the Note 4, my battery is unbelievable. I'd hate to go downhill with this phone. This may be something that necessiates rooting.
Camera Lens - I'm sure everyone knows why this is a concern
Performance - I read, for the most part, that this phone performs well. But I also read a lot of complaints about LAG. Ugh...my high app use may make this a likely scenario for me
Camera - I see some complaints about low light pics. But I've seen a lot of praise for the camera as well
Initial Plans
Once I get all apps installed, and data imported/restored for those that need it, I plan to use it stock for at least 30 days and see how it goes. Depending on how it goes, especially related to the concerns above, I'll either keep it and move forward, or return it.
I'll start out with it on AT&T. May hold off moving to Verizon until I pass the 30 day return availablility.
Rooting
I would really like to root the phone. But, as that the only way to unlock the bootloader is via the LG site for this phone, I don't know if I will or not...at least this early with the phone. Why does that make a difference? Will lose warranty, as they indicate that on the LG site where you go to get it unlocked.
Apply Rom?
Given that there is a Maximum Overdrive rom for the V20, you'd think I would want to put that on. Actually, this is true...but he is only making one for the 918, as that is the phone he has. So, I will miss out on that honey.
I have read some positive info on a couple others out there, but do see constant issues, even with just rooting. It's not near as smooth as a Samsung (I base that opinion on the issues I see here vs. have experienced with the Samsung). So, I'm skittish about doing anything to it. Given the 996 unlocking flags the phone as out of warranty, I fear that a bricked phone will be a several hundred dollar loss.
Summary
So, looking forward to getting the phone and seeing how it goes, and having fun communicating here about the journey.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
About Battery>> Remember that a) you will be dealing with a phone with IPS screen instead of AMOLED (this has a huge impact on the battery). b)the amount of apps that you have (specially those that requires to sync in the background are often part of the issue of battery drainage (my v20 used to last up to 7+ or 8+ with screen on with just about 7 user apps and the rest system apps, now i have 85 user apps + the system apps which make my phone last about 5+ hours screen on). On the other hand, The Doze mode of this phone is INSANE!!!! OUTSTANDING! With screen off your phone can easily last a day or even two (if you like to listen to music with pandora or Spotify >>> it will still last a lot with screen off).
About Camera Lens>> This is just an opinion but im starting to believe that the camera lens sensitivity is just to a small percent of the stock. Believe me when i tell you that i have throw my phone so hard to the wall (by accident) and with that kind of pressure (even with the poetic revolution cover) it should have made the glass of the camera crack (not to mention my phone has fell a lot). On the other hand, do not remove the plastic it comes with , just to be safe.
About Performance>> The phone is fast but just like any other phone, regardless of the processor, or the amount of ram, it has its limits. Thus, at the beginning i had a blazing fast LG V20. But put 85 user apps inside any phone and see how this will change lol. IT still fast. But every once in a while i experience a little lag. But that is just when i have only 500+mb left of ram. ( how can i know my ram quickly? OvrDrive Rom has the ram bar)
About Camera>> The camera does become slower when you are at very dark environments. But many report, including me, that using manual mode and adjusting it to your liking will make it very fast. I believe the issue is the automatic mode. Although sometimes for me the automatic mode in the dark works great. Also, some people report their photos looking like water paint (it does happen to me only with the wide angle camera. Not very often, but it does)
Now, if you are looking for developments and all that, this phone seems to be going in the right direction. We pretty much have root for every variant, we have some custom stock roms, and also we have LineageOS, Resurrection Remix, and AOKP among others so far for almost every variants.
Appreciate the input. We'll see how my experience goes.
I have a comment/reply or two in blue down in the quote of your response.
jinkerz9430 said:
About Battery>> Remember that a) you will be dealing with a phone with IPS screen instead of AMOLED (this has a huge impact on the battery). b)the amount of apps that you have (specially those that requires to sync in the background are often part of the issue of battery drainage (my v20 used to last up to 7+ or 8+ with screen on with just about 7 user apps and the rest system apps, now i have 85 user apps + the system apps which make my phone last about 5+ hours screen on). On the other hand, The Doze mode of this phone is INSANE!!!! OUTSTANDING! With screen off your phone can easily last a day or even two (if you like to listen to music with pandora or Spotify >>> it will still last a lot with screen off).
Yup. All understood. My comparison will be to my almost 3 year old Note 4. It has all the apps I will have on the V20, Doze mode (Max Overdrive ROM), etc. This has a just barely smaller battery than the Note 4 (which is disappointing...would prefer a fatter phone with fatter battery). So, I would hope the processer is more efficient, and in the end, at least as good on battery as my Note 4.
About Camera Lens>> This is just an opinion but im starting to believe that the camera lens sensitivity is just to a small percent of the stock. Believe me when i tell you that i have throw my phone so hard to the wall (by accident) and with that kind of pressure (even with the poetic revolution cover) it should have made the glass of the camera crack (not to mention my phone has fell a lot). On the other hand, do not remove the plastic it comes with , just to be safe.
I will definitely have the phone in cases. Hopefully I'll have same experience as you.
About Performance>> The phone is fast but just like any other phone, regardless of the processor, or the amount of ram, it has its limits. Thus, at the beginning i had a blazing fast LG V20. But put 85 user apps inside any phone and see how this will change lol. IT still fast. But every once in a while i experience a little lag. But that is just when i have only 500+mb left of ram. ( how can i know my ram quickly? OvrDrive Rom has the ram bar)
I'm sure it has it's limits. I do abuse them, with lots of apps. MOre than 85, I'm sure. I do have a tendency to freeze apps I don't use often. But of course that requires root. With the Maximum Overdrive ROM on my Note 4, the lags aren't too bad. I'm thinking (hoping) that this phone will shine in comparison to my Note 4 with the better specs.
About Camera>> The camera does become slower when you are at very dark environments. But many report, including me, that using manual mode and adjusting it to your liking will make it very fast. I believe the issue is the automatic mode. Although sometimes for me the automatic mode in the dark works great. Also, some people report their photos looking like water paint (it does happen to me only with the wide angle camera. Not very often, but it does)
I use some modes other than automatic on my Canon. I'm excited to see the capabilities of the camera on this phone. With an understanding of shutter and aperture as an advantage, maybe I'll be very happy with it.
Now, if you are looking for developments and all that, this phone seems to be going in the right direction. We pretty much have root for every variant, we have some custom stock roms, and also we have LineageOS, Resurrection Remix, and AOKP among others so far for almost every variants.
If only Overdrive developed for the 996, I would know what ROM to use. I will likely hold off on ROMS for a while. I still see lots of folks struggling with the ROMS and reporting issues or help needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tomorrow...the journey begins
SHAMELESS PLUG, to remind everyone that not everyone has 800$ to throw at a phone upfront.
I was in your boat. I had my eyes dead set on the US996.
Did my research and ended up on the H918.
Look at the ROM development, it's flooded with H918 support.
Will the US996 pick up traction and have as much support as the H918? Who knows.
I even wanted the dual sim, but that isn't even rooted if my memory serves correctly.
Regardless, this phone is stellar.
WETA rom has an US996 version, which I'd definitely recommend. I have my eyes on Max Overdrive, NATF and Resurrection remix, but after flashing WETA, i wouldn't change a thing.
Best of luck to you, m9.
Thanks for the best luck wishes.
I am seeing more dev for the 996. I am hopeful that I'll be happy with it stock. Although, I really want Root, so I may give in.
One thing for sure, it is confusing having all various models in the same forums, and most folks don't indicate which model they are on.
ewingr said:
Appreciate the input. We'll see how my experience goes.
I have a comment/reply or two in blue down in the quote of your response.
Tomorrow...the journey begins
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i would say that Max ovrdrive and Weta are the 2 most stable ones regarding stock roms. Have you tried to talk with OvrDrive ? The h918 and US996 are pretty much alike in all the aspects except some frequencies added to the us996. Maybe you can be a tester for the us996 version. But yeah, first try the phone for a while without any root until the 14 days or possibly some more days are over. If you decide to keep it, then you can jump into the v20's board lol . By the way, you said that you rather a fatter phone? I have seen some battery replacements from third party brands such as zero lemon (which is usually a great brand that produces great batteries) their batteries have way more mah than the original battery from the v20. But it comes with a cost that you might get along with them. It requires to put a very fat case to the phone. I personally dont like it but if you dont care about how fat it looks then you coupd go for it.
I didn't personally talk to Overdrive, but it was asked in his thread of his ROM would work on the 996, and his reply was he would not be supporting it as he does not have one. I too have noticed that ROMs are working on more than one model.
I'll wait and see how the stock battery works out before I go try a fatter one. I'm hoping to stay in the Seido case and belt clip I had already purchased.
Good news/Bad news
Bad news first...but not that bad
I won't have the phone in hand until late Thursday, instead of today
Now the great news
I'll have a brand new phone instead of open big phone, and will sane $175.
I went to Phandroid a bit ago and they announced a sale of the V20 at B&H for $499.99. I had paid $675 for the open box. I called B&H to see if they would refund the difference. Nope. Buy the sale phone and return the open box phone.
Fine with me ?
ewingr said:
Bad news first...but not that bad
I won't have the phone in hand until late Thursday, instead of today
Now the great news
I'll have a brand new phone instead of open big phone, and will sane $175.
I went to Phandroid a bit ago and they announced a sale of the V20 at B&H for $499.99. I had paid $675 for the open box. I called B&H to see if they would refund the difference. Nope. Buy the sale phone and return the open box phone.
Fine with me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my v20's price was practically speaking $331 dollars Brand new sealed . Because of the promotion of the $200 off and the earphone of $149 plus an extra earphone ($149) sent to me from the defective lg v20 returned. I think im going to finish of paying by the 27 of this month
tl;dr version: If I see a US996 for sale that says it "only works with US Cellular" do I take the seller's word for it, or do I know better that the US996 is unlocked for all carriers if you have the right SIM card?
"I've got time" version:
I too am considering a journey from a Note 4 to a US996.
I'm on Verizon, and I just dropped my Note 4 Dev Edition (not that the DE means anything now that the BL unlock was released), cracking the LCD and rendering the digitizer useless. A new(ish) Note 4 is around $200... so I wouldn't bother replacing the screen on my otherwise well-used phone. PS... The phone was in a case, in a belt holster (Spigen Slim Armor / Seidio respectively) and a tempered glass screen protector. ugh.
If it wasn't obvious from my owning a Developer Edition phone... I like to have an unlocked bootloader and root. I had CM13 installed on the Note 4 because TouchWiz was so far behind in a lot of ways. So, I'm considering a V20. I'd rather spend a little more and get a phone that has a SUPPORTED BL unlock method. The Verizon V20 version can be BL unlocked via a hack with a debug bootloader, but it's irreversible and that may lead to issues with being painted into a corner. Enter the US996.
So, I started researching the V20, making sure that there was stable bootloader unlock method, the dev base for ROMs is strong, the reviews are good, etc... and I came across some sales that say that the phone is ONLY for US Cellular. Is this true? The US996 is the unlocked version, correct?
I tried to navigate LG's and USC's websites to get a model number and some info... but I'm not seeing it. Could US Cellular have somehow SIM-locked the phone so that only USC's SIMs work in it? Or... does the seller just not know any better, or wants to play it safe by saying it will only work with the carrier listed?
Thanks for the help! Also... anyone switching from the Note 4, please let me know what you miss. I use my stylus a lot for drawing or annotating on pictures and screenshots... so I think it will be the hardest thing to give up if I go to a V20 or other stylus-less phone.
DrPhant0m said:
tl;dr version: If I see a US996 for sale that says it "only works with US Cellular" do I take the seller's word for it, or do I know better that the US996 is unlocked for all carriers if you have the right SIM card?
"I've got time" version:
I too am considering a journey from a Note 4 to a US996.
I'm on Verizon, and I just dropped my Note 4 Dev Edition (not that the DE means anything now that the BL unlock was released), cracking the LCD and rendering the digitizer useless. A new(ish) Note 4 is around $200... so I wouldn't bother replacing the screen on my otherwise well-used phone. PS... The phone was in a case, in a belt holster (Spigen Slim Armor / Seidio respectively) and a tempered glass screen protector. ugh.
If it wasn't obvious from my owning a Developer Edition phone... I like to have an unlocked bootloader and root. I had CM13 installed on the Note 4 because TouchWiz was so far behind in a lot of ways. So, I'm considering a V20. I'd rather spend a little more and get a phone that has a SUPPORTED BL unlock method. The Verizon V20 version can be BL unlocked via a hack with a debug bootloader, but it's irreversible and that may lead to issues with being painted into a corner. Enter the US996.
So, I started researching the V20, making sure that there was stable bootloader unlock method, the dev base for ROMs is strong, the reviews are good, etc... and I came across some sales that say that the phone is ONLY for US Cellular. Is this true? The US996 is the unlocked version, correct?
I tried to navigate LG's and USC's websites to get a model number and some info... but I'm not seeing it. Could US Cellular have somehow SIM-locked the phone so that only USC's SIMs work in it? Or... does the seller just not know any better, or wants to play it safe by saying it will only work with the carrier listed?
Thanks for the help! Also... anyone switching from the Note 4, please let me know what you miss. I use my stylus a lot for drawing or annotating on pictures and screenshots... so I think it will be the hardest thing to give up if I go to a V20 or other stylus-less phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what to say. Can you link the one you are looking at? I think by only work with US Cellular, they MAY (I don't know) mean a U.S. Carrier, ie. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile, as opposed to the company US Celluar.
One thing you need to be aware of for the US996...the only way, right now, that it can be bootloader unlocked is by going to a LG site to get an unlock code from them. At that point it will lose warranty. Due to that, I'll be holding off on unlocking for a while. At least, that is my current plan.
Only thing I miss is the stylus going from the note 3 to the v10.
Though I suppose I don't miss the stylus that much since I jumped from the v10 to v20 instead of going back to the note series.
I would love to see lg put some effort into it and make a stylus based top end model instead of putting a stylus version as a middle model. I was hoping the v series would feature a stylus and the g series be a non stylus version but alas it hasn't happened.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
evo4g63t said:
Only thing I miss is the stylus going from the note 3 to the v10.
Though I suppose I don't miss the stylus that much since I jumped from the v10 to v20 instead of going back to the note series.
I would love to see lg put some effort into it and make a stylus based top end model instead of putting a stylus version as a middle model. I was hoping the v series would feature a stylus and the g series be a non stylus version but alas it hasn't happened.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But i think that LG is trying not to copy other brands such as samsung. For this reason they should limit the amount of resemblance between the features of each phone. Thus, there are just a handful of LG's with stylus in comparison to the note series . After all i doubt LG wants to experience the same thing that happened with samsung been sued by apple, and then apple been sued back by samsung (quite a hilarious story though lol) but if i had a company such as LG, i would definitely not want to even put a step in court for a battle that can easily last more than a month of constant interventions and proofs and etc... and could easily cost me 100+ or 200+ millions. In a lg v20 , i believe the stylus is not a necessity (Even for people that would love to have stylus for the v series). On the other hand, one could buy one of this or similars:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1xTouch-Scr...485550?hash=item33c8e075ee:g:0RkAAOSwIgNXmXla
and see if there is an application that resembles what one can do with the note's stylus. you will definitely wont find one that will be exactly the same. But maybe similar and who knows maybe better.
DrPhant0m said:
tl;dr version: If I see a US996 for sale that says it "only works with US Cellular" do I take the seller's word for it, or do I know better that the US996 is unlocked for all carriers if you have the right SIM card?
"I've got time" version:
I too am considering a journey from a Note 4 to a US996.
I'm on Verizon, and I just dropped my Note 4 Dev Edition (not that the DE means anything now that the BL unlock was released), cracking the LCD and rendering the digitizer useless. A new(ish) Note 4 is around $200... so I wouldn't bother replacing the screen on my otherwise well-used phone. PS... The phone was in a case, in a belt holster (Spigen Slim Armor / Seidio respectively) and a tempered glass screen protector. ugh.
If it wasn't obvious from my owning a Developer Edition phone... I like to have an unlocked bootloader and root. I had CM13 installed on the Note 4 because TouchWiz was so far behind in a lot of ways. So, I'm considering a V20. I'd rather spend a little more and get a phone that has a SUPPORTED BL unlock method. The Verizon V20 version can be BL unlocked via a hack with a debug bootloader, but it's irreversible and that may lead to issues with being painted into a corner. Enter the US996.
So, I started researching the V20, making sure that there was stable bootloader unlock method, the dev base for ROMs is strong, the reviews are good, etc... and I came across some sales that say that the phone is ONLY for US Cellular. Is this true? The US996 is the unlocked version, correct?
I tried to navigate LG's and USC's websites to get a model number and some info... but I'm not seeing it. Could US Cellular have somehow SIM-locked the phone so that only USC's SIMs work in it? Or... does the seller just not know any better, or wants to play it safe by saying it will only work with the carrier listed?
Thanks for the help! Also... anyone switching from the Note 4, please let me know what you miss. I use my stylus a lot for drawing or annotating on pictures and screenshots... so I think it will be the hardest thing to give up if I go to a V20 or other stylus-less phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been thinking a bit. I know I saw in a thread somewhere about the US996 being the same model for the Unlocked and for a carrier (don't recall if it was US Cellular). I think the key is 'Unlocked'. Maybe you should put your question in it's own post. May bet more input, from someone who knows for sure.
Thanks for the replies. Take a look at this auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/381960164377
The seller says they are an authorized US Cellular reseller… so it seems they'd know. And I doubt that they'd distort the truth about the phone being unlocked just to keep USC customers. So maybe there are US996s out there that are locked to USC. It doesn't make sense that there'd be a carrier-locked version of the US996 sold by LG… so maybe USC is locking them. Perhaps I'll ask the seller.
I ended up ordering a "like new" note 4 for $200 before I found out that B&H was selling the US996 for $300 off retail, and now I've missed that deal. So hopefully this Note4 really is in new condition and it will serve long enough for me to try out a V20 while the price drops again somewhere else.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Update… this is the response I got from the seller:
Thank you for your question. We are not selling the phone as compatible with other carriers or carrier-unlocked. We can't guarantee that the phone will work with an another carrier. We are only saying the phone will work with the carrier US Cellular. We can only guarantee that it works with US Cellular.*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you all think?
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Help me pull the trigger

Hi guys, I am this close to getting a U11. I will be upgrading from a Galaxy Note 3 (yes, I am still using a phone after five years).
I have only had samsung since my Nokia N900 died and I got a Galaxy S2 as a warranty replacement. I have never had an Android phone I didn't root - mainly for ad blocking (critical for my mental health) and a couple of xposed apps I may or may not need with a newer phone. Plus of course just removing bloat. I have been running custom roms for ages as well, just never quite happy with stock samsung.
I really like a clean, simple but nice looking setup and I need good GPS/navigation, good battery life (web, phone, word documents, email etc... not gaming or video so much).
I simply don't like the look of the current Samsung options, I do not like the curve-around edges of the S8 or S9 screens. I am pretty sure I prefer a physical home button although I guess maybe I could get used to an all-screen phone. It is also getting pretty clear that Samsung does not want you to root, customise etc.
I want to get something I'll still have for a while. Am I going to be able to ad block thoroughly, with or without root? Will I find the screen a bit too dim (some reviews seem to say this)? Did I read something about HTC changing warranty policy on rooted phones? What was that?
Help me out; I am pretty tempted but for me it's a big step to change brands!
anthropoidape said:
Hi guys, I am this close to getting a U11. I will be upgrading from a Galaxy Note 3 (yes, I am still using a phone after).
I have only had samsung since my Nokia N900 died and I got a Galaxy S2 as a warranty replacement. I have never had an Android phone I didn't root - mainly for ad blocking (critical for my mental health) and a couple of xposed apps I may or may not need with a newer phone. Plus of course just removing bloat. I have been running custom roms for ages as well, just never quite happy with stock samsung.
I really like a clean, simple but nice looking setup and I need good GPS/navigation, good battery life (web, phone, word documents, email etc... not gaming or video so much).
I simply don't like the look of the current Samsung options, I do not like the curve-around edges of the S8 or S9 screens. I am pretty sure I prefer a physical home button although I guess maybe I could get used to an all-screen phone. It is also getting pretty clear that Samsung does not want you to root, customise etc.
I want to get something I'll still have for a while. Am I going to be able to ad block thoroughly, with or without root? Will I find the screen a bit too dim (some reviews seem to say this)? Did I read something about HTC changing warranty policy on rooted phones? What was that?
Help me out; I am pretty tempted but for me it's a big step to change brands!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. You can use adblock app without root like adguard, I and with root, I just use adaway with symlinking host filr or install cleanslate kernel
2. Never had an issue with screen too dim when going out
3. When you root, I you lost warranty, i think?
Actually screen of U11 is pretty bright, it is the U11+ that most reviewers call too dim.
I was in South Africa some weeks ago and even there i had no problems in direct sunlight with my U11. Maybe there are some even brighter devices but U11 is completely fine.
My only worries for you would be the glass back if you plan to keep it again for that long time. (and maybe not changeable battery).
But that point(s) i would have to say about almost any device nowadays. They just arent as sturdy as older phones were. Drop them and they break.

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