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whether to sell note 9 and goto mi mix 3 or not. please advise.

i currently own a note 9. yes its power house with features but i hardly use the s-pen. i dont care for it.
its got expandable storage but 128 built in is fine for me and i could care less for expandable. 128 suffice for me.
i am VERY attracted to the full no bezel screen and the slider for the camera is a WOW for me. i love it.
my own only beef at the moment is WHY the battery is 3200mah?
the note 9 has 4000. thats the only thing pissing me off. a con for the mix 3 and a pro for the note 9.
and no i dont want the mi 9 (i dont want notches) so please dont recommend it.
at the current shop its going for $459. which means if i sell my note 9 for lets say $425 i only pay a difference of $34 dollars.
i am a fan of miui interface and its tweaks ...
however, since the battery is minuscule at 3200 you'd think xioami would add dark mode since it has an amoled screen thereby help conserving battery ... yet from what i am reading all over the web the feature is still missing. or is available only on the global beta. and another option would be to use dark themes which may cause issues on some apps.
i also noticed there are pixel aosp based roms with "Smart pixels" feature. is that the same as dark mode? and will installing such rom lose the sliding functionality?
i am not a gamer. i use basic apps. rarely facebook. whatsapp, telegram and the usual chrome and youtube-vanced (which can be themed to dark mode).
i am not gonna ask about rooting and magisk cause i know its doable.
please help me. will the battery disappoint me?
on a side note, i noticed the usb type c in mix 3 is type 2 not 3 while the note 9 is 3.1
also, the addition of the free wireless charger out of the box is very nice. but does it do fast charging?

if the battery that trouble you, watch this video
https://youtu.be/eKyYdMdTfD8?t=456
even with 800mAh difference, Mix 3 only lost for about 30 minutes to Note 9.
edit
charging speed comparison
https://youtu.be/aDcJI7q1TTE
Note 9 lost to Mix 3 about 1 hour :shocked:

cylent said:
i currently own a note 9. yes its power house with features but i hardly use the s-pen. i dont care for it.
its got expandable storage but 128 built in is fine for me and i could care less for expandable. 128 suffice for me.
i am VERY attracted to the full no bezel screen and the slider for the camera is a WOW for me. i love it.
my own only beef at the moment is WHY the battery is 3200mah?
the note 9 has 4000. thats the only thing pissing me off. a con for the mix 3 and a pro for the note 9.
and no i dont want the mi 9 (i dont want notches) so please dont recommend it.
at the current shop its going for $459. which means if i sell my note 9 for lets say $425 i only pay a difference of $34 dollars.
i am a fan of miui interface and its tweaks ...
however, since the battery is minuscule at 3200 you'd think xioami would add dark mode since it has an amoled screen thereby help conserving battery ... yet from what i am reading all over the web the feature is still missing. or is available only on the global beta. and another option would be to use dark themes which may cause issues on some apps.
i also noticed there are pixel aosp based roms with "Smart pixels" feature. is that the same as dark mode? and will installing such rom lose the sliding functionality?
i am not a gamer. i use basic apps. rarely facebook. whatsapp, telegram and the usual chrome and youtube-vanced (which can be themed to dark mode).
i am not gonna ask about rooting and magisk cause i know its doable.
please help me. will the battery disappoint me?
on a side note, i noticed the usb type c in mix 3 is type 2 not 3 while the note 9 is 3.1
also, the addition of the free wireless charger out of the box is very nice. but does it do fast charging?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't sell the note 9 and contribute more for a phone that's half as good

AMZMA said:
if the battery that trouble you, watch this video
https://youtu.be/eKyYdMdTfD8?t=456
even with 800mAh difference, Mix 3 only lost for about 30 minutes to Note 9.
edit
charging speed comparison
https://youtu.be/aDcJI7q1TTE
Note 9 lost to Mix 3 about 1 hour :shocked:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so the first video, battery life, the mix 3 died at 5 hours and 19 minutes. note 9 5 hours and 46 minutes. 27 minutes difference. not a big deal to be honest.
the note 9 and the mix 3 share the same processor, sd 845. yes, samsung has lots of bloatware crap and it may drain faster than the mix 3.
still though, i want to enable dark mode as i have gotten accustomed to it on the note 9 of using it.
furthermore, i have my note 9 set to the lowest resolution at hd+ (1480 x 720). not sure what the default is on the mix 3. (set to dark mode always on)
i plan on rooting and using titanium backup to freeze apps so i will tinker to my hearts desire to save battery!
Anyways, price wise,
i found the phone even cheaper at $445 (mix 3) as opposed to the shop at the mall of $459 which says he gives a year warranty. i dont give a damn about warranties cause i am always in the mood to switch phones. funny thing is its the same company with a branch shop at the mall. i guess they charge more cause of the mall.
i dont know. i may take the bullet and go for it.
the latest offer i got for my note 9 is $425 dollars. so i'd be adding only $20 dollars to purchase the mix 3.
would you do it?

cylent said:
so the first video, battery life, the mix 3 died at 5 hours and 19 minutes. note 9 5 hours and 46 minutes. 27 minutes difference. not a big deal to be honest.
the note 9 and the mix 3 share the same processor, sd 845. yes, samsung has lots of bloatware crap and it may drain faster than the mix 3.
still though, i want to enable dark mode as i have gotten accustomed to it on the note 9 of using it.
furthermore, i have my note 9 set to the lowest resolution at hd+ (1480 x 720). not sure what the default is on the mix 3. (set to dark mode always on)
i plan on rooting and using titanium backup to freeze apps so i will tinker to my hearts desire to save battery!
Anyways, price wise,
i found the phone even cheaper at $445 (mix 3) as opposed to the shop at the mall of $459 which says he gives a year warranty. i dont give a damn about warranties cause i am always in the mood to switch phones. funny thing is its the same company with a branch shop at the mall. i guess they charge more cause of the mall.
i dont know. i may take the bullet and go for it.
the latest offer i got for my note 9 is $425 dollars. so i'd be adding only $20 dollars to purchase the mix 3.
would you do it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't pay to downgrade

Mackay53 said:
Don't pay to downgrade
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
true true. but day after day my note 9 decreases in price so next week i may get a crappier offer.

cylent said:
true true. but day after day my note 9 decreases in price so next week i may get a crappier offer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And it will still be better than the mix 3 which will also drop on price next week.
Only benefit over note 9 is the smaller bezels but they aren't that much smaller

Mackay53 said:
And it will still be better than the mix 3 which will also drop on price next week.
Only benefit over note 9 is the smaller bezels but they aren't that much smaller
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's not much I like in the note 9 that the mix 3 doesn't already have expect for the battery.
I hate the s pen.
I hate the bezelz on the note 9 and they are not small.
I gave the guy who wants my note 9 a final price of 440$. If he accepts ill go for it.
If not, I'll stick to my note 9.
What I do like about the mix 3 is the slider. It's an absurd reason to do the trade. ? Plus as I said it shares all the same hardware expect for the battery.
Furthermore, I tend to like miui more Samsungs one ui crap interface.
On a side note I also considered the honor magic 2 but it lacks wireless charging so that's out of the question.

cylent said:
There's not much I like in the note 9 that the mix 3 doesn't already have expect for the battery.
I hate the s pen.
I hate the bezelz on the note 9 and they are not small.
I gave the guy who wants my note 9 a final price of 440$. If he accepts ill go for it.
If not, I'll stick to my note 9.
What I do like about the mix 3 is the slider. It's an absurd reason to do the trade. ? Plus as I said it shares all the same hardware expect for the battery.
Furthermore, I tend to like miui more Samsungs one ui crap interface.
On a side note I also considered the honor magic 2 but it lacks wireless charging so that's out of the question.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen to body ratio for note 9 is approx 83.4% while mix 3 is 85%, not really much difference. Mix 3 still has bezels.
Will lose IP rating, better build quality, better components, UI that works etc

Mackay53 said:
Screen to body ratio for note 9 is approx 83.4% while mix 3 is 85%, not really much difference. Mix 3 still has bezels.
Will lose IP rating, better build quality, better components, UI that works etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suppose the 83.4 and 85 on paper might not seem big but in the hand and visually it looks better (the mix 3)
IP rating of water resistance you mean?
I don't go diving in swimming pools all day ?
Better components such as what? The build quality on both is on par. I literally compared them both at the store.... Not an issue.
UI that works? I stated I hated one ui which is samsungs ui and prefer miui.
Anywho. I think I am closing the question as I am not in the mood to do the switch and lose $25 for one. Then I have to install a beta version of miui just to get the dark mode feature.
And, my whole attraction to the sliding gimmick I gave to get over. I hardly take selfies so how is the slider benefiting me?
I just saw the phones next to each other and the mix 3 looked so much nicer. That's really it.

cylent said:
I suppose the 83.4 and 85 on paper might not seem big but in the hand and visually it looks better (the mix 3)
IP rating of water resistance you mean?
I don't go diving in swimming pools all day ?
Better components such as what? The build quality on both is on par. I literally compared them both at the store.... Not an issue.
UI that works? I stated I hated one ui which is samsungs ui and prefer miui.
Anywho. I think I am closing the question as I am not in the mood to do the switch and lose $25 for one. Then I have to install a beta version of miui just to get the dark mode feature.
And, my whole attraction to the sliding gimmick I gave to get over. I hardly take selfies so how is the slider benefiting me?
I just saw the phones next to each other and the mix 3 looked so much nicer. That's really it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IP isn't just for water...
Build quality goes beyond looks. The wobble on the mix 3 is an example. Slider will get scratched
No point downgrading for a slider you'll hardly ever use
You don't need to install the beta as the theme store has identical themes to what the dark mode would do, pretty pointless feature to introduce in the system
Miui breaks notifications etc
Mix price is cheap for a reason

Mackay53 said:
IP isn't just for water...
Build quality goes beyond looks. The wobble on the mix 3 is an example. Slider will get scratched
No point downgrading for a slider you'll hardly ever use
You don't need to install the beta as the theme store has identical themes to what the dark mode would do, pretty pointless feature to introduce in the system
Miui breaks notifications etc
Mix price is cheap for a reason
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by the slider will get scratched? The phone comes with a back cover.... Isn't that enough to somewhat protect it?
I don't consider it a downgrade unless you're talking battery capacity. As far as cpu, gpu, ram, internal storage... These are the same. As well as the screen which is also amoled.
Dark mode has made a huge battery difference in my note 9.as you may know amoled screens don't need to spend power to make the pixel white or any other color. If its black then the pixel is turned off thus conserving power. I don't know about the themes cause some use dark grey or near black and not true black. The whole dark mode feature is a true turn off the pixel.
Also, what do you mean by miui breaks notifications? I had a pocophone before and didn't have this issue.

cylent said:
What do you mean by the slider will get scratched? The phone comes with a back cover.... Isn't that enough to somewhat protect it?
I don't consider it a downgrade unless you're talking battery capacity. As far as cpu, gpu, ram, internal storage... These are the same. As well as the screen which is also amoled.
Dark mode has made a huge battery difference in my note 9.as you may know amoled screens don't need to spend power to make the pixel white or any other color. If its black then the pixel is turned off thus conserving power. I don't know about the themes cause some use dark grey or near black and not true black. The whole dark mode feature is a true turn off the pixel.
Also, what do you mean by miui breaks notifications? I had a pocophone before and didn't have this issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll get grit and dirt between the screen and the back and over time when you slide you'll get scratches, potentially on the front cameras.
Screen might be amoled but it's not super amoled like the note 9 which is superior.
Have a look at the threads here where people moan about miui notifications.
If you're going to upgrade just to shave 1 or 2mm off the bezel then in my opinion it's a waste. I'll be going back to bezels with next phone later this month.

If you like the phone, just buy it and enjoy it. It's a good phone.

crabamer said:
If you like the phone, just buy it and enjoy it. It's a good phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so i found the answer.
https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_mix_3_5g-9602.php
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G
guess i'll have to wait.
decided not to sell the note 9. its a power house. literally!

Buying the Mix 3 5G might be the worst of the three options. Which 5G carrier are you planning to use it on??

invisiblewave said:
Buying the Mix 3 5G might be the worst of the three options. Which 5G carrier are you planning to use it on??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why? It has a 3800 mah battery + better features. A better cpu and gpu.
See comparison
https://m.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9378&idPhone2=9602
I am in the middle east and its either 4g or 3.9g. That's not important for me. It's the bigger battery and other improvements

There aren't any improvements. The bigger battery is required to support the beta hardware, with a separate modem and antennas. You also indicated that price was very important to you. You also mentioned you're not a gamer, so I'm curious what you're going to do with all that extra CPU & GPU horsepower. I've yet to find anything, including games, that the 4G version can't handle perfectly already.

invisiblewave said:
There aren't any improvements. The bigger battery is required to support the beta hardware, with a separate modem and antennas. You also indicated that price was very important to you. You also mentioned you're not a gamer, so I'm curious what you're going to do with all that extra CPU & GPU horsepower. I've yet to find anything, including games, that the 4G version can't handle perfectly already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm. I suppose you're right. So is my note 9 with 4000mah battery overkill?
You're making a good argument here. But then comes an important question: what's better at better battery management.... Miui or Samsungs one ui?
In regards to the price sure it's important. Xiaomi can get away with cheaper price and they don't include a few necessities like headphones or a otg adaptor which comes in the box with the note 9. These two accessories are important.

Does the Note 9 come with a 20W wireless charger? And are you telling me you don't already have headphones that will work with the Mix? I think the OTG adapter I bought some time ago was about $5. Also, define "better" when it comes to battery management. MIUI is about the best I've seen for battery management in terms of battery life, but not the best for killing background processes (which is how battery life is extended). The PE rom does a better job of battery management for me, battery life is about the same, but it's not as zealous when it comes to killing background processes. Unless I'm running secure DNS, the battery on my phone doesn't get below 50% by the end of the day.

Op 7 pro vs galaxy s10

I m using galaxy series from galaxy 2 can i shift to oneplus 7 pro or go for latest s10.... need help

Bro get the Op 7

Op7 Pro for the win...

Oneplus 7 Pro will destroy the S10 series.

Michealviens said:
Oneplus 7 Pro will destroy the S10 series.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On some levels Id say OP7 pro is better for sure. Faster internal storage, faster overall user experience, faster updates, no camera hole, 90 hz screen. Its definitely cheaper as well if that matters
But the cameras (front and rear) won't match the S10, no external storage, only 256gb of internal storage compared to 512 and 2tb on S10. No wireless charging, no IP rating (bucket of water hardly counts) lol.
It will certainly not destroy the S10 that's for sure.

Samsung wins in the camera department by far
Now it depends what do you prefer

force70 said:
On some levels Id say OP7 pro is better for sure. Faster internal storage, faster overall user experience, faster updates, no camera hole, 90 hz screen. Its definitely cheaper as well of that matters
But the cameras (front and rear) won't match the S10, no external storage, only 256gb of internal storage compared to 512 and 2tb on S10. No wireless charging, no IP rating (bucket of water hardly counts) lol.
It will certainly not destroy the S10 that's for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I agree, The camera part of the Oneplus is a bit weak compare to the S10 series.

TL;DR: Go for OnePlus 7 Pro. Easy choice.
Personally I think Samsung's flagship devices are a waste of money. Before you read on! I'm not fully updated on all of what I'm going to complain about, so it might've changed!
To me, Samsung has nothing unique to offer, yet their devices are almost as expensive as an iPhone. Which in my opinion is insane. Samsung offers a ****ty version of Android that looks **** (think it actually looks better now than it did before), full of bloat; it doesn't even let you uninstall Instagram. Personally I'm not a huge fan of their self-made apps either. In my opinion, it would be better to spend that money on an iPhone, which at least offers something unique (being iOS).
When it comes to OnePlus. They seem to have a great vision when it comes to how they do things. One of the things I really like with them, is that you're allowed to root the phone, and you won't void warranty. Though, to lots of people, rooting isn't very major. However, their version of Android is very nice. It is close to stock Android, has close to no bloat. The bloat that it has, you can uninstall (with root). Their hardware is very nice, and now more than ever with their new OnePlus 7 Pro (OP7P). Then the price you pay is less than any other phone with same specs.
When it comes to camera, there might be better options. However, OP7P has a very decent camera, and when someone ports the Pixel camera app to work on OP7(P), it will (probably) improve the camera greatly.

I own both the 7 Pro and the S10+
This is coming from someone who hasn't owned a Samsung since the Note 4 and has owned almost every OnePlus device.
While the 7 Pro is a really good phone the S10+ is just better. The only things better on the 7 Pro is the screen scrolling, OnePlus gestures (best Android gestures hands down), UFS 3.0 storage, and screen off gestures.
The fingerprint reader is faster on the 7 Pro but the fingerprint reader on S10+ works when your fingers are wet, and you don't need to wake the screen to use it.
I do like the size of the 7 Pro (I like bigger phones) but in-hand the S10+ feels better, 7 Pro is thicker than the S10+.
Samsung's new One UI is nothing like the old Touchwiz. The S10+ has so many customization option it's not even funny. I have found no reason to want to root the S10+ (coming from someone who has rooted every single phone they have owned).
7 Pro camera is ok but the camera on the S10+ is good if not great (not Pixel great).

I had the s10 and returned it. The finger print sensor on it was not working consistently. Samsung has too much bloatware for me and didn't see a major difference from my pixel 2 xl. Only good thing about Samsung is Samsung pay. Op 7 so far I'm loving it. It depends on what you are looking for. I don't really care for camera and I'm not worried about getting some water on the phone. Also i don't use wireless charging. The specs on op7 are ridiculous for the price. Plus op7 will get the latest updates including Q faster than Samsung phones.

I have a one question.which the op7 display quality compare the s10+?

Andy_1337 said:
I had the s10 and returned it. The finger print sensor on it was not working consistently. Samsung has too much bloatware for me and didn't see a major difference from my pixel 2 xl. Only good thing about Samsung is Samsung pay. Op 7 so far I'm loving it. It depends on what you are looking for. I don't really care for camera and I'm not worried about getting some water on the phone. Also i don't use wireless charging. The specs on op7 are ridiculous for the price. Plus op7 will get the latest updates including Q faster than Samsung phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OP7 is water proof though, they just didn't care to pay for the IP-certification.

I have the ceramic 10+ it is lovely but I will say that the 7 pro looks terrific, Oxygen OS and the fast updates are tempting and I am not expecting Q anywhere near the 10+ until 2020. The camera edge is probably still just with the 10+ and the expandable storage too but other than that the 7 pro is a compelling package for sure, well almost…..
….For me though an always on display and wireless charging are important features, I could probably do without wireless charging but with them marketing it as a pro model it really should have been included IMO. As for the always on display with so many OEMs offering this now that there is no reason for me to consider OP until they do too. I get that some people do not rate this feature but me it has fast become a must-have.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

arsenal74 said:
I have the ceramic 10+ it is lovely but I will say that the 7 pro looks terrific, Oxygen OS and the fast updates are tempting and I am not expecting Q anywhere near the 10+ until 2020. The camera edge is probably still just with the 10+ and the expandable storage too but other than that the 7 pro is a compelling package for sure, well almost…..
….For me though an always on display and wireless charging are important features, I could probably do without wireless charging but with them marketing it as a pro model it really should have been included IMO. As for the always on display with so many OEMs offering this now that there is no reason for me to consider OP until they do too. I get that some people do not rate this feature but me it has fast become a must-have.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How does the 10+ camera compare to your Pixel 2 XL? I've just come from a Pixel 2 XL to the 7 Pro and the difference is huge, there is a lot of hope riding on GCam turning this camera around - i've got a 15 day window to return the 7 Pro and it will be going back if there isn't progress on the camera front (and then possibly going the S10+ route if the camera is any better).

mrlynch said:
How does the 10+ camera compare to your Pixel 2 XL? I've just come from a Pixel 2 XL to the 7 Pro and the difference is huge, there is a lot of hope riding on GCam turning this camera around - i've got a 15 day window to return the 7 Pro and it will be going back if there isn't progress on the camera front (and then possibly going the S10+ route if the camera is any better).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the main sensor is pretty good on the 7 pro, we don't know about the other sensors (wide, tele) though. It might get better in the future, because the main sensor is pretty good and the weakest part seems to be the software for now. Also, you can't film with the wide angle lens on the 7 pro, and we don't know if that will be possible in the future. That's the reason why I will wait 1 more month until I decide which phone I will buy. The worst case: I have to wait until Google releases their pixel 4 because I can't stand the design of the pixel 3 XL.

I have the S10+ and have a OP7 in the box right now, probably switching over.
S10+ still lags if not rebooted every couple of days for me.
Exynos camera is meh and so is standby time.
I like the S10 but it didn't live up to the hype, want a phone I don't have to baby
Snapdragon is a different story from what I've read
The OS and notchless screen are huge selling points for me.
Won't really miss wireless charging too much, don't use the SD slot as I have 2 Sims.

Agree, being shortchanged with the exynos has left a sour taste this year.
I'm just not sure I could lose an AOD, especially as the is no led. I tried before and it bugged the hell out of me. I am though still very tempted!
Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 07:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 AM ----------
mrlynch said:
How does the 10+ camera compare to your Pixel 2 XL? I've just come from a Pixel 2 XL to the 7 Pro and the difference is huge, there is a lot of hope riding on GCam turning this camera around - i've got a 15 day window to return the 7 Pro and it will be going back if there isn't progress on the camera front (and then possibly going the S10+ route if the camera is any better).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S10 is more versatile but the main camera in the 2xl is imo better.
Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

I caved and purchased the OP 7pro so now have both and 2 weeks in and I am conflicted on the OP7 vs the S10+.
The OP is a beast and I have found it more of a burden to carry and use than my S10+, it also makes an iPhone Xs max look small! I have also missed the always on display, wireless charging a little but no big deal. I’d also say that outside the extra brightness of the Samsung makes it easier to see, again no biggy. I prefer pretty much everything else about the OP7 Pro though and one thing I have noticed (and have posted this over on the S10 forum) is how much better the radio performance is on the OP7, I think this may be more down to the S10+ being bad than the OP7 being really good but at my work for example the S10 clings to 1 bar of 4G and often drops to 3G whereas the OP7 is rock solid on 3 or 4 bars of 4G all day. I have also installed Gcam and it works really well.
I won’t comment too much on the FPS, both work ok with the OP being quicker and the S10 being maybe more convenient on account of not having to wake the screen first. I do though still prefer a rear mounted sensor like the Pixel which is IMO just a better, quicker and easier option.
Re the AOD I read that OP have said they are working on this but are still citing battery concerns, given how good and polished oxygen OS is I just do not get why OnePlus are finding it so hard to provide a proper always on display? Lots of other OEM’s have managed it, LG even managed it on an LCD screen. Anyway fingers crossed they are at least on the case now.
So overall it is a seriously good device, I do though wish it was just not quite so big.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Nozemi said:
TL;DR: Go for OnePlus 7 Pro. Easy choice.
Personally I think Samsung's flagship devices are a waste of money. Before you read on! I'm not fully updated on all of what I'm going to complain about, so it might've changed!
To me, Samsung has nothing unique to offer, yet their devices are almost as expensive as an iPhone. Which in my opinion is insane. Samsung offers a ****ty version of Android that looks **** (think it actually looks better now than it did before), full of bloat; it doesn't even let you uninstall Instagram. Personally I'm not a huge fan of their self-made apps either. In my opinion, it would be better to spend that money on an iPhone, which at least offers something unique (being iOS).
When it comes to OnePlus. They seem to have a great vision when it comes to how they do things. One of the things I really like with them, is that you're allowed to root the phone, and you won't void warranty. Though, to lots of people, rooting isn't very major. However, their version of Android is very nice. It is close to stock Android, has close to no bloat. The bloat that it has, you can uninstall (with root). Their hardware is very nice, and now more than ever with their new OnePlus 7 Pro (OP7P). Then the price you pay is less than any other phone with same specs.
When it comes to camera, there might be better options. However, OP7P has a very decent camera, and when someone ports the Pixel camera app to work on OP7(P), it will (probably) improve the camera greatly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why does it have to be unique, I don't care about that? I care about it being a good phone, a well rounded one at that. It's hard to pack a lot of features into a cheaper phone, and often results in some corner cutting and that's what happened. The pop up camera is a DISASTER and all over China one plus has had to offer an apology and a slightly extended warranty, I'd never trust that and it collects a whole lot of dust around the top of the camera port when sitting in your pocket and such, regardless of the waterproof red ring on the top.
One UI is great, I bought the s10+ and never received Instagram, and not much bloatware at all, oneUI has almost no issues besides Bixby, which Samsung even lets you disable. OneUI has been garbage, but its great in this new phone, just look at what most reviewers have to say. The s10+ is way more well rounded then the op7 pro, which has some standout features but some pitfalls top. 90HZ is great but still isn't a huge difference and the battery life is quite poor on the OP 7 pro, I went to t-mobile and didn't notice much of a difference if at all, I did notice a difference with the 120hz razor phone though, maybe if you slow the phone down by 5x the 90 hz will have a big difference.
And you're acting like iPhones are a similar value, the hardware of iPhones in general doesn't even compare to Samsung, they're GARBAGE. Unlocked right now is a s10+ and a XR for around the same price, 880p LCD vs 1440p 4k OLED display, 18 watt vs 5 watt charger, 4100 mah battery vs 3200 mah, wide angle + telephoto lens, no giant notch and a bigger screen, slightly curved edges, headphone Jack, expandable storage, way more ram AND storage. Gtfo saying these phones are close in that regard, apple is only for iOS, why would you rather buy an iPhone. Without nova launcher, Samsung offers LOADS of customization. Also real world pricing is 29$ for a OP 7 pro a month with t-mobile which is the only seller in the US, sprint is 25$ for a s10+ with upgrade plan and all, which makes a lot more sense then spending way more to buy a phone outright vs only paying half price then upgrading to the latest and greatest phone of your choosing, keep in mind most people use carrier plans so this is the more realistic example. Oh and no wireless charging with the OP 7 pro, IP rating, headphone Jack, expandable storage, etc.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

S10Ben said:
Why does it have to be unique, I don't care about that? I care about it being a good phone, a well rounded one at that. It's hard to pack a lot of features into a cheaper phone, and often results in some corner cutting and that's what happened. The pop up camera is a DISASTER and all over China one plus has had to offer an apology and a slightly extended warranty, I'd never trust that and it collects a whole lot of dust around the top of the camera port when sitting in your pocket and such, regardless of the waterproof red ring on the top.
One UI is great, I bought the s10+ and never received Instagram, and not much bloatware at all, oneUI has almost no issues besides Bixby, which Samsung even lets you disable. OneUI has been garbage, but its great in this new phone, just look at what most reviewers have to say. The s10+ is way more well rounded then the op7 pro, which has some standout features but some pitfalls top. 90HZ is great but still isn't a huge difference and the battery life is quite poor on the OP 7 pro, I went to t-mobile and didn't notice much of a difference if at all, I did notice a difference with the 120hz razor phone though, maybe if you slow the phone down by 5x the 90 hz will have a big difference.
And you're acting like iPhones are a similar value, the hardware of iPhones in general doesn't even compare to Samsung, they're GARBAGE. Unlocked right now is a s10+ and a XR for around the same price, 880p LCD vs 1440p 4k OLED display, 18 watt vs 5 watt charger, 4100 mah battery vs 3200 mah, wide angle + telephoto lens, no giant notch and a bigger screen, slightly curved edges, headphone Jack, expandable storage, way more ram AND storage. Gtfo saying these phones are close in that regard, apple is only for iOS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Biased much?

Pixel 5 - Pros, Cons, what's left in between

So, according to the new store page, in comparison to the pixel 4/xl they cut
- Soli
- Faceunlock
- Pixel Neural Core (WHAT?! Why?!)
- Tele-Lens
- Highend Chipset
- Active Edge
- QHD+ Display (from 537 ppi down to 432 ppi )
- ip68 rating (ty u/kelderic, reddit)
And they 'gave' us
+ bigger battery
+ fingerprint (why not both?!)
+ 5G
+ wide (remember Google from last year? "We don't need wide, tele is good")
- Measly +2 GB Ram, still no storage available beyond 128 GB
What do you guys think 'bout that?
Compared to the Pixel 4/xl this just feels like a downgrade, even to the Pixel 3xl it's no real upgrade. Most people who think budget will not turn to this phone and the highend-spenders will not be pleased by this. I don't see googles angle hear, however they haven't shown any good angle recently anyway. And the heck did they remove the neural core? Plus getting a weaker soc.. just madnes.

Apparently neural core made face unlock work quicker so no loss there.
About the only thing I would prefer is higher ppi but I sure don't want to spend $1000 to get it.
My next phone will be 5G so pixel 4/xl aren't an option.
If it's not enough bang for the buck then just wait for black Friday and/or opt for the 4a 5G.
Google phones have never been the best phone for everyone.

Most likely the machine learning Ai stuff is included in the snapdragon 765 so no more dedicated chip is necessary. I would not worry too much

Benjamin_L said:
Most likely the machine learning Ai stuff is included in the snapdragon 765 so no more dedicated chip is necessary. I would not worry too much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it is not included. Where did you get that idea?

darkoroje said:
No it is not included. Where did you get that idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://www.androidauthority.com/qualcomm-snapdragon-765-specs-1059745/
"Finally, Qualcomm’s fifth-gen AI engine is ported over partially intact, with a Hexagon 696 DSP with a dedicated Tensor Accelerator. The setup sports 5.5TOPS of AI compute."
So still I don't know what Google are using but they wouldn't get rid of it if it impacts performance much. So I don't worry

The Samsung S20FE will be competition at the same MSRP, includes Snapdragon 865, 120hz display, 4500mah battery. Appears to be on sale for $599. Of course it isn't a clean google phone.

Benjamin_L said:
https://www.androidauthority.com/qualcomm-snapdragon-765-specs-1059745/
"Finally, Qualcomm’s fifth-gen AI engine is ported over partially intact, with a Hexagon 696 DSP with a dedicated Tensor Accelerator. The setup sports 5.5TOPS of AI compute."
So still I don't know what Google are using but they wouldn't get rid of it if it impacts performance much. So I don't worry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to be the case https://m.gsmarena.com/the_new_pixe...nt_mean_they_lack_the_features-news-45589.php

The pro is the camera will be brilliant and it's running stock android.
Pretty much everything else about the pixel 5 sucks

force70 said:
The pro is the camera will be brilliant and it's running stock android.
Pretty much everything else about the pixel 5 sucks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, good battery life, more than enough processing power for non gamers really sucks

Benjamin_L said:
Yeah, good battery life, more than enough processing power for non gamers really sucks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good battery life remains to be seen.
I stand by my original statement, however I suppose I could have made it more clear...for a mid ranger it's fine.
For a flagship (which it isnt). It sucks.
Better?

Pros:
A pure Google software experience
Fingerprint sensor is back( no more awful face unlock)
1080p screen
4080mAh battery
Aluminum back (well, mostly)
Cons:
That awful hole punch (that has me considering canceling my order)
Ultra wide camera replacing the telephoto
Too big
Slow processor
Active edge is gone
---------- Post added at 09:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 AM ----------
force70 said:
Good battery life remains to be seen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, we technically don't know what the battery life will be but just knowing a little bit about phone hardware and some common sense indicates that the battery life should be pretty good.
The biggest battery drain on any phone is the screen mainly due to the screen resolution. So take the Pixel 4 XL for example. The battery life wasn't too bad but not great either. Now increase the size of the battery 10%, decrease the number of pixels by 42%(that alone is huge), decrease the overall screen area by 11%, add in a slightly more power efficient processor, remove Soli and remove face unlock and you basically have the Pixel 5. The only thing really working against the Pixel 5 in terms of battery life is the 5G which I'm going to turn off anyways. I have no concerns about the battery life of the Pixel 5.

The more interesting comparison is to the 4a. A significant price difference but both are a similar size and real world performance would be similar too.
This just leaves wireless charging, IP and maybe 90hz as the tangible differences you would notice day to day. Maybe it will feel more premium in hand too but that is hard to know right now.
I got the 4a with the intention of giving it to one of my parents with the 5 landed, I am now hesitating though as the 4a is terrific and I am not sure the 5 is £250 better.

great battery life great phone.
I have only had my pixel 5 for a week and i am super impressed with the battery life. I have been getting 3 days out of it . At the moment it has 25 % left and it's used 8 hours and 26 minutes of screen use , that's using google to simply surf the net and as I am a distribution driver i use Google Maps daily, I also make multiple calls daily and use Bluetooth all day for my vans multi media unit and my zenwatch 3 all day I am 61 years old so I have had tons of phones and I have to say i think this phone stacks up with the best including the Asus rog 3

Pros: Battery, form factor/weight, software.
Con: Price for what is being offered. The speakers are just OK. The gap issue from production quality. Luckily I was able to get my P5 for net cost of about 461 including tax after stacking a bunch of promos, etc. Also no gap issue on mine.
I'm not an iPhone fanatic so I have nothing to say about the iPhone 12. The only phone that I currently have and would recommend is the S20FE, but not at MSRP AND if it doesn't have these touch screen issues that people are talking about. Only thing with Samsung phones is that you have to spend additional time to customize to your liking and reducing bloat. I was also pleasantly surprised with the camera qualify after making settings adjustments to reduce saturation and softening in photos.

After using mine for about a week, I am kind of regretting trading in my 4XL for one reason....the ear speaker quality. It is literally the worst sounding earpiece and is extremely quiet relative to my 4XL. I was driving on the highway yesterday and could barely hear my client on the other end. Had to plug in my wired headset. Unacceptable. I will probably send in for a new unit to see if its any better, but everyone seems to have the same comment as I.
I can settle with almost every concession Google took, and I do think the fingerprint is a big welcome back feature. I hate face unlock especially with having to wear masks. Never made sense to me. The hole punch doesnt both me.

As far as Active edge is concerned. I guess, apparently the feature isn't 'official' on the Pixel 5.
Check the apps,mods section here on xda.
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...7&share_fid=3793&share_type=t&link_source=app

toneneuewin said:
Pros: Battery, form factor/weight, software.
Con: Price for what is being offered. The speakers are just OK. The gap issue from production quality. Luckily I was able to get my P5 for net cost of about 461 including tax after stacking a bunch of promos, etc. Also no gap issue on mine.
I'm not an iPhone fanatic so I have nothing to say about the iPhone 12. The only phone that I currently have and would recommend is the S20FE, but not at MSRP AND if it doesn't have these touch screen issues that people are talking about. Only thing with Samsung phones is that you have to spend additional time to customize to your liking and reducing bloat. I was also pleasantly surprised with the camera qualify after making settings adjustments to reduce saturation and softening in photos.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've sold my FE for the Pixel. The screen issues are annoying albeit the last update seems to have sorted it, but I just cannot live with the Samsung nonsense like cannot delete Samsung photos app and playing a dance to get to Google Photos
It's a great phone the FE but not when you are Googled up for home and work and can't be bothered working around 2 of everything
Sent from my SM-G780F using Tapatalk

Davey Dual Sim said:
I've sold my FE for the Pixel. The screen issues are annoying albeit the last update seems to have sorted it, but I just cannot live with the Samsung nonsense like cannot delete Samsung photos app and playing a dance to get to Google Photos
It's a great phone the FE but not when you are Googled up for home and work and can't be bothered working around 2 of everything
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Pixel 5 is great. It just works out of the box. I'm enjoying mine and it has been a couple of weeks. You can debloat Samsung, but obviously that's additional steps. It's not hard, but quite frankly I just don't want to invest time with custom ROMs, adb commands, etc. Those days are long gone lol.

No me neither, I don't even want to root phones anymore can't be bothered
The FE would be a winner of Samsung ran stock Android
Sent from my SM-G780F using Tapatalk

Davey Dual Sim said:
No me neither, I don't even want to root phones anymore can't be bothered
The FE would be a winner of Samsung ran stock Android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A bit true..but this would never happen. Htc had 1 model with 2 versions ...one with htc software and one with google only ...

General Brutally Honest Review of the A52 4G

Hi guys. I bought an A52 4G for myself a few weeks ago and here is my brutally honest review. As you will see, there are some things I wasn't satisfied with but I needed a phone quickly and for my budget and availability, I thought I'd give Samsung a chance.
Pros​
1. Lots of QoL services by Samsung like always on display and apps like Gallery by Samsung can be more useful than Photos by Google. I also mapped the double tap power button to start the flashlight.
2. The 720G chipset along with a 90hz display feels plenty powerful especially for those coming from an older midrange device. However, it's not as fast and instantaneous as stock Android or OxygenOS. Also, you will face lots of stutters and bugs if you enable animation to .5x. At default 1x, animations are too damn slow.
3. Stereo speakers. Sound quality is average though. I don't use it much so I don't care.
4. Water resistance. It's nice of Samsung to bring this feature to a midrange device.
5. The macro camera can be useful for taking pictures of very small items like coins. The selfie camera seems alright.
6. The display, despite having kind of inaccurate colors is actually a lot better looking than most Chinese brand (OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Realme, etc) phone displays. Most Chinese brand displays tend to have a washed out, pale look to them despite having high refresh rates.
7. Battery life is pretty decent. If you don't use it much, it'll last a couple days easily. Of course, battery will degrade over time so a few years later, you might need to change the battery or the phone itself.
Cons​
1. Sound quality output through the 3.5mm jack is very bad. My previous phone (Moto G5s Plus) had a much better built-in DAC. But at least the jack is there so I guess it's better than nothing but I'd suggest you get a good type-c to 3.5mm converter and use that instead if you're looking for decent audio.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very inaccurate and kind of pale. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Also, the amoled screen can be fatiguing to your eyes. Not everyone faces this but personally I have this problem.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. It would be better if Samsung didn't provide this crappy 15 watt charger and made the phone cheaper so I could buy a 25 watt charger myself. I don't see the logic in this. The phone supports 25 watt charging but Samsung includes a 15 watt charger in the box.
4. The lightly colored matte plastic back looks awesome in the beginning but with some mild use, the colors are already starting to fade and become yellowish. So put a case or skin on it if you wanna preserve that awesome color.
5. The colors and details of the main camera are not very good for an upper midrange device in 2021. I saw some reviews on YouTube with review units provided by Samsung that showed much better camera quality than what I'm getting with my retail unit. Especially after you take a picture, if you zoom in on a person's face for example, the details are just not there. Also, the colors are inaccurate and not life like. Hopefully, someone can make a good GCAM for this phone. Otherwise, expect to live with an average camera.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions. EDIT: Luckily, it stopped doing this.
7. If the bezels were a bit narrower especially the sides and top, it would have quite a flagship killer look. Even the A51 has narrower bezels on the side. But I know Samsung did this on purpose so their more expensive S series phones would look more special than the A series.
8. It's a bit on the heavier side if you compare it to the A51. Putting a case and tempered glass on it will only increase the weight further. I find myself having to put the phone down on a table or bed to use it. I can't hold it in the air for long due to its weight.
Bugs​1. "Force dark mode" option in developer settings automatically turns itself off whenever you restart your device.
2. If you set animation to .5x instead of the default 1x, and cycle through your recent apps, there's a weird stutter.
Conclusion​
If you can live with Samsung's annoying OneUI stutters or slow animations, this isn't a bad phone especially if you can get it for around $300 USD. I'd call this a good phone for moms/dads and grandmas/grandpas. If you're a young millennial trying to live on the cutting edge, I'd pass on this one and get something that's a little faster, maybe the new Nord CE (it has a more washed out display than the A52 though).

Well! My phone have just arrived. I'm switching from an S7 edge that I've been using for the last 4 years. So far I find that the screen is pretty good! Better than the S7E. The speed is excellent and of course, the ONE UI 3.1 is superb. I've already uninstalled some unwanted apps. As regards the camera, haven't tested it yet. But obviously, the GCAM will make it better.

LanguageSoez said:
Well! My phone have just arrived. I'm switching from an S7 edge that I've been using for the last 4 years. So far I find that the screen is pretty good! Better than the S7E. The speed is excellent and of course, the ONE UI 3.1 is superb. I've already uninstalled some unwanted apps. As regards the camera, haven't tested it yet. But obviously, the GCAM will make it better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course it'll be better than a 4 year old phone lol. If you think one UI is superb, try using stock android or oxygenos, you will be blown away.

I got A72 and the picture quality coming out from the stabilized Sony IMX 686 sensor with pixel binned 16 MP pictures is superior to Samsung HM2 108 MP giving just 12MP images ... So is A52, I don't believe your "honest review" ....

neoxcool said:
I got A72 and the picture quality coming out from the stabilized Sony IMX 686 sensor with pixel binned 16 MP pictures is superior to Samsung HM2 108 MP giving just 12MP images ... So is A52, I don't believe your "honest review" ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A72 is not A52. Specs are one thing, software is another. You don't have to believe anything. As I said in my review, you should experience the phones in person preferably from friends who bought it and then make a decision.

The OP is obviously a satisfied customer
Griping about it being water resistant is really picking at nits. It adds little cost and help to seal out dust, extending the usable service life of the device.
Charging a phone while using isn't a good idea and it should charge slow whilst using regardless of the wattage capacity of the charger brick being used.

NiceGuyIncel said:
Hi guys. I bought an A52 4G for myself a few weeks ago and here is my brutally honest review. As you will see, there are a lot of things I wasn't satisfied with but for my budget and availability, this was one of the better ones.
Pros:
1. Lots of QoL services by Samsung like always on display and apps like Gallery by Samsung can be more useful than Photos by Google. I also mapped the double tap power button to start the flashlight.
2. The 720G chipset along with a 90hz display feels plenty smooth especially for those coming from an older midrange device. It's not as fast and instantaneous as stock android or oxygenos but this is probably the fastest that Samsung OneUI has ever been.
3. Stereo speakers. Quality is average though. I don't use it much so I don't care.
4. Water resistance. It can be useful if you like to take your phone to the bathroom or live in a rainy area but I feel this feature is more suitable for flagship phones. The 4G version of the A52 really don't need this feature and it would be better if the device was slightly cheaper instead.
Cons:
1. Sound quality output through the 3.5mm jack is very bland. My previous phone (Moto G5s Plus) had a much better built-in DAC. But at least the jack is there so I guess it's better than nothing but I'd suggest you get a good type-c to 3.5mm converter and use that instead if you're looking for quality audio.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very boring and washed out. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Hopefully, the xda community will do something about this, maybe a graphics engine or some app that can tinker with the display settings more finely.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. So I really don't know why Samsung pulled an Apple with the charger.
4. The lightly colored matte plastic back looks awesome in the beginning but with some mild use, the colors are already starting to fade and become yellowish. So put a case or skin on it if you wanna preserve that awesome color.
5. The colors and details of the main camera really sucks for an upper midrange device in 2021. I saw some reviews on YouTube with review units provided by Samsung that showed much better camera quality than what I'm getting with my retail unit. Luckily, some people have already started working on gcam for this device and from what I've heard the results are much better than Samsung's default camera app.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions.
7. If the bezels were a bit narrower especially the sides and top, it would have quite a flagship killer look. But I know Samsung did this on purpose so their more expensive S series phones would look more special than the A series.
8. It's a bit on the heavier side if you compare it to the A51. Putting a case and tempered glass on it will only increase the weight further.
9. The amoled screen can be fatiguing to your eyes. Not everyone faces this but personally I have this problem.
Conclusion: That wraps up my brutally honest review of the A52 4G. I hope you enjoyed the fact that I didn't jump up and down and say this is the best phone ever like most YouTube "reviewers". They say that whenever a new phone comes out. Of course the people who are gonna upgrade from a 5 year old phone will also say this is the best phone they ever used. From their perspective, it makes sense but I believe you should thoroughly research the market and only buy what YOU like the most. I was moving to another country where phones are quite expensive so I just grabbed this cause I was in a hurry. If you have the time, research other phones and try to use them in person. That way you will know for sure what you're getting because specs can be misleading. I'd suggest you look into Poco F3, OnePlus Nord, Moto G100, Moto G60 and other similarly priced devices before going for the A52. Don't assume that just because it's a Samsung, it's gonna be a great phone. Samsung intentionally nerfed this phone so there is more incentive for people to go for the more expensive S series phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate your feedback. I'm certain most of those who are still undecided will as well.
To be frank, this device has received overwhelming amounts of good press, which, as a consumer, is a good thing.
That said, constructive criticism is a key component towards improving upon future A series models and/or polishing the current user experience.

AHE_XDA said:
I appreciate your feedback. I'm certain most of those who are still undecided will as well.
To be frank, this device has received overwhelming amounts of good press, which, as a consumer, is a good thing.
That said, constructive criticism is a key component towards improving upon future A series models and/or polishing the current user experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Paid press is always good press...
The Samsung Fold series always get rave reviews but they're expensive, fragile and limited devices. Worse I'm being kind in my criticism.

6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird, I have never encountered this.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. So I really don't know why Samsung pulled an Apple with the charger
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mind this at all since it's already proven that fast charging does hurt your battery longevity.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very boring and washed out. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Hopefully, the xda community will do something about this, maybe a graphics engine or some app that can tinker with the display settings more finely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this, although I prefer it for the occasional media consumption. For general usage, it might lead to some eye strain for some people which includes me.
The build despite plastic is decent enough considering the trade-offs with its other specs at this price point and an IP6X is always welcome. The camera is nothing spectacular but not bad, given that it's harder to quantify the expected degrees of quality per $ at this price range. Performance is fine for the majority of the time but there are occasional stutters or lag you will encounter. Overall, I'm very satisfied with my purchase. It's also worth noting that warranty and software support tend to get overlooked when looking at the price.
I was considering Poco F3 as an alternative before getting my A52 however, I didn't go through with the Poco F3 because of various issues and concerns that I can't be arsed to list.

This phone is on my list to upgrade from my Essential PH-1. Keeping an eye on ROM development and Gcam development. I can get it for around $354 depending on the COP to USD conversion rate in Colombia. Anyone know better deals out in the wild?

NiceGuyIncel said:
Hi guys. I bought an A52 4G for myself a few weeks ago and here is my brutally honest review. As you will see, there are some things I wasn't satisfied with but I needed a phone quickly and for my budget and availability, I thought I'd give Samsung a chance.
Pros​
1. Lots of QoL services by Samsung like always on display and apps like Gallery by Samsung can be more useful than Photos by Google. I also mapped the double tap power button to start the flashlight.
2. The 720G chipset along with a 90hz display feels plenty powerful especially for those coming from an older midrange device. However, it's not as fast and instantaneous as stock Android or OxygenOS. Also, you will face lots of stutters and bugs if you enable animation to .5x. At default 1x, animations are too damn slow.
3. Stereo speakers. Sound quality is average though. I don't use it much so I don't care.
4. Water resistance. It's nice of Samsung to bring this feature to a midrange device.
5. The macro camera can be useful for taking pictures of very small items like coins. The selfie camera seems alright.
6. The display, despite having kind of inaccurate colors is actually a lot better looking than most Chinese brand (OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Realme, etc) phone displays. Most Chinese brand displays tend to have a washed out, pale look to them despite having high refresh rates.
7. Battery life is pretty decent. If you don't use it much, it'll last a couple days easily. Of course, battery will degrade over time so a few years later, you might need to change the battery or the phone itself.
Cons​
1. Sound quality output through the 3.5mm jack is very bad. My previous phone (Moto G5s Plus) had a much better built-in DAC. But at least the jack is there so I guess it's better than nothing but I'd suggest you get a good type-c to 3.5mm converter and use that instead if you're looking for decent audio.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very inaccurate and kind of pale. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Also, the amoled screen can be fatiguing to your eyes. Not everyone faces this but personally I have this problem.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. It would be better if Samsung didn't provide this crappy 15 watt charger and made the phone cheaper so I could buy a 25 watt charger myself. I don't see the logic in this. The phone supports 25 watt charging but Samsung includes a 15 watt charger in the box.
4. The lightly colored matte plastic back looks awesome in the beginning but with some mild use, the colors are already starting to fade and become yellowish. So put a case or skin on it if you wanna preserve that awesome color.
5. The colors and details of the main camera are not very good for an upper midrange device in 2021. I saw some reviews on YouTube with review units provided by Samsung that showed much better camera quality than what I'm getting with my retail unit. Especially after you take a picture, if you zoom in on a person's face for example, the details are just not there. Also, the colors are inaccurate and not life like. Hopefully, someone can make a good GCAM for this phone. Otherwise, expect to live with an average camera.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions. EDIT: Luckily, it stopped doing this.
7. If the bezels were a bit narrower especially the sides and top, it would have quite a flagship killer look. Even the A51 has narrower bezels on the side. But I know Samsung did this on purpose so their more expensive S series phones would look more special than the A series.
8. It's a bit on the heavier side if you compare it to the A51. Putting a case and tempered glass on it will only increase the weight further. I find myself having to put the phone down on a table or bed to use it. I can't hold it in the air for long due to its weight.
Bugs​1. "Force dark mode" option in developer settings automatically turns itself off whenever you restart your device.
2. If you set animation to .5x instead of the default 1x, and cycle through your recent apps, there's a weird stutter.
Conclusion​
If you can live with Samsung's annoying OneUI stutters or slow animations, this isn't a bad phone especially if you can get it for around $300 USD. I'd call this a good phone for moms/dads and grandmas/grandpas. If you're a young millennial trying to live on the cutting edge, I'd pass on this one and get something that's a little faster, maybe the new Nord CE (it has a more washed out display than the A52 though).
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Well, I will answer this from the perspective of an Indian Millenial coming from Mi A2 (and having only used crappy Micromax and Redmi phones in the past, this is something which I think most Indian youth can relate to). Let's go point by point :
1. UI
Having used stock android and MIUI, I can confidently say that OneUI is definitely a bit clumsy, but it is easy to get used to compared to FuncTouch and MIUI. Also, *there is no Google dialer*, meaning you can safely do call recording. Also OneUI has "Link to Windows" baked right into it, which is a huge boon in my opinion as it kinda compensates for the lack of DeX support, I think this is one of the most underrated feature of Samsung phones.
2. Ads and Bloatware scene
Now this maybe specific to India only. I set the device up using GeekyRanjit's guide on "How to setup Samssung devices" on YT, and so far (1 month later) I have got no ads except wallpaper services message when I swipe from right on lock screen. Also, all bloatware can be either disabled or uninstalled (unlike MIUI and ColourOS), so no problem there. Overall it is much much better than Redmi, Poco and Realme offerings. Though here Oneplus NORD maybe better.
3. Camera
TBH I bought this phone for the camera, and consider the competition it did not let me down, sure there is a bit of over sharpening going on in most images and indoor/low light photos and videos have a ton of noise but considering the competition in 15k-25k INR, it is definitely better. I use Gcam 7.3.018 by Urynx05, and it does improve video stabilisation a lot thanks to OIS (only Oneplus NORD has OIS in this price). For night mode, stock night mode is better than night sight (much brighter and well balanced). Daylight pics, it is a mixed bag, macro camera is good but could have been better,but considering how rarely it is used, it is fine.
4. Display
Most Indian milllenials like me are currently upgrading from LCD to Amoled. I having never used an Amoled, am satisfied with the display. But yeah you are right Amoled displays do cause more eye fatigue than LCD.
5. Availability and Customer support
This is where this phone shines! Here in India, this phone is available like everywhere, in most mobile shop in any market no matter, how small or rural the area, this unfortunately is not the case for OnePlus and Redmi, POCO (infamous for flash sales and black-marketing)etc., thus Galaxy A52's actual competitors are phones from Vivo and Oppo, which are usually more pricey. Also, Samsung customer services is next to Apple.
Set your priorities before buying a phone and you won't be disappointed, my suggestion, if you want good camera hardware and reliable phone go for it, but if you want to do gaming I would suggest you to look elsewhere say iQOO Z3 for 20k INR.

I am trying to get either this phone or s10? I was leaning more towards a52 since it could get up to android 14 opposed to 12 on s10.
Which one should i get?

Note 20 Ultra upgrade from Note 4 Call recording needed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

blackhawk said:
The price difference should tell you something.
Play with both if you can. The design and balance of the N10+ is superb. The only repair I done is a replacement battery. It has over 8k hours on it, it's heavily used. I looks, feels and runs like new. Zero detectable display degradation, perfect.
You want the spen. I didn't use it for months at first, now I use it almost every day. I use screen write, smart capture and magnifier a lot. It's a swiss army knife of Android.
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The S-pen is something i will definitely use, which is why I'm sticking with the Note Series-for now. But i really need the call recording option; do you know Blackhawk if there is a sure fire way for both the N10+ & N20U? I've checked the guides but I don't see a clear answer. Unfortunatey there is no way for me to try out either device as both devices are not available anymore in store but i'm sure i couldn't be wrong buying either one. I've only had the chance to see the S22 Ultra and the colors are superb. I really would be disappointed if I have to end up buying the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 pro for simplicity.

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

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

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

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

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