Related
PURPOSE
So 1st and foremost, the plan here is to give you my experience with these 3 phones. Granted, I have only used the Huawei P9 for about 3 days now and can say I have yet to fully break it in to find everything that may or may not be right / wrong with it. However, this will be a unbiased look and comparison. I'm neither a fanboy or sheep. No brand affiliation. Not a programmer either, just a pro-sumer Senior Member of XDA willing to get trolled, flamed, etc. for sharing a look at these 3 phones. Hopefully, I can give "the everyday guy / gal look" without getting bogged down in stats, variables or benchmarks. Here goes...
MY BACKGROUND
No one special. Just a guy that likes the latest tech... phones being at the top of the list. I am a nerd. No doubt about that. I think anyone that knows about XDA probably is to some extent. No brand loyalty. Recently, I have had the privilege to try out the following phones:
1. Huawei P9
2. LG G5
3. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
4. Huawei Mate 8
5. Huawei Nexus 6P
6. LG Nexus 5X
7. Samsung Note 5
8. Apple iPhone 6s+
And probably some more, but these are the most recent. Does that make me qualified to make a review... Maybe. It does make me an idiot that likes new phones, though. I am always looking for something that meets my needs but also is a good phone. Currently with TMobile but have been with ATT, Verizon & Sprint at some point 20 years of using cell phones.
MY NEEDS
I drive about 40 miles everyday to work (yes, my work week is currently 7 days a week with a few occasional days off). So, with this in mind and where I drive. I need the minimum requirements:
1. Can Stream Music
2. Bluetooth is fully compatible with my 2016 vehicle
3. An equalizer of some sort since I have only switch out my new cars speakers for better ones and don't plan on changing or adding a better sound system.
4. Decent pictures when needed
5. As a nerd, I like to "mesmerize" people with a pay with your phone app like Apple Pay or Android Pay
6. Works with my Huawei Watch
7. Relatively not laggy - will sometimes do some ROM-ing or some customization but since I tend to get rid of the phones quickly I try not to void warranties or make it too non-stock
THE COMPARISON
I am looking at my experience with the Huawei P9, LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge under/around these requirements and some normal stuff like battery, screen, snappiness, heat, speakers, etc. Here goes:
SOUND OVERALL
All 3 phones surprisingly pass my in-car bluetooth test. They flawlessly hook up to my 2016 Honda HR-V. All allow Bass Boost Pro to be installed and used as a system-wide equalizer. I changed the speakers out in my car to Pioneer 4-way Speakers in order to get better sound without drastically altering anything else in the car. The equalizer on the phone helps correct the "tinny" sound (no bass) that would otherwise be produced just from tweaking the stock stereo units equalizer. With the equalizer applied, it does reduce the output volume of the bluetooth from the phone to the unit. With this in mind, the P9 & G5 are still able to produce a loud enough signal for me to still headbang to Slipknot, Mushroomhead, Ghost, Ministry and any other evil-loving band you can think of (Hard Rock Guy... Yep!)... They also let me bounce to the occasional Ice Cube, NWA, 2Pac, Public Enemy and any other REAL Hip-Hop artist that didn't have to rely on auto-tune and catchphrases to spit mad lyrics... enough with my music preferences... back to the review... The S7 also sometimes force closes the Bass Boost Pro app on its own which causes the output to go through the roof and blow out my eardrums and speakers... not cool sammy, not cool. Loud speakers on both the P9 and G5 are super loud and clear... albeit that none of the 3 have stereo speakers... but the S7 has the worst hands down. Samsung I think didn't even try to make them good and I would think its hard when you talk about making a phone water-proof with external speakers. The P9 does annoyingly put a extra overlay at the top of the screen with what is playing when I'm using Google Play Music... I won't however say this is a bad thing as some people may like it and it might just be something I haven't figured out how to turn off. Haven't really used the stock music apps on the phones, and supposedly the LG G5 has DAC. Once again, I can only go off my usage. In a sound to sound comparison, the G5 maybe has a more dynamic range when listening to it vs. the P9 & S7, but this too maybe just my ears. (...which are quite big!!! hahaha)
WINNER: TIE - LG G5 & HUAWEI P9 (Sorry S7 :crying
BATTERY
OK... A lot can be said about batteries on all these phones... but I'm going to break it down as simply I can without turning this into a preference war.
1. LG G5 Battery is definitely smaller and does not last as long as the P9 or S7
2. LG G5 has a removable battery, the others do not.
All have some type of quick charge whether true quick charge or some bastardize version of it, looking at you G5... I say bastardize because most of you have seen articles about how with USB-C & QuickCharge 3.0, that quickcharge basically break compliance to USB-C specs by "forcing" more power than what should go through a USB-C connection. Qualcomm claims this is ok they guess because they say its connector independent... whatevers... Here's the deal. The S7 actually has quickcharge and a compliant connector. The P9 similar if not the same as the Nexus 6p... which it does charge faster than a normal micro-usb phone without quickcharge but definitely not as fast as a quickcharge phone. The P9 Plus reportedly has Huawei's Rapid Charge, which I assume with USB-C would put it into the same boat as the LG G5 as far as compliance to USB-C.
Such a nerd... stop it... they don't care... ta,ta,ta,today Jr.
All things being equal and without compliance getting in the way...
1. P9 has the Longest battery life but slowest charging
2. LG G5 shortest battery life and fastest charging
3. S7 has a decent battery life, compliant fast charging, wireless fast charging
WINNER: S7 by a nose... really it depends on your daily needs and preference here.
HEAT
So, in a previous review of the LG G5 vs. S7, I gave this fight to the S7. The LG G5 does heat up along with the S7. I have already had to exchange out an LG G5 that was faulty that had something to do with overheat + the removable battery system + whatever else... basically it would work, sometimes heat up or heat up when charging, go into a bootloop, need the battery completely removed, disconnected from chin (end cap piece of the G5) and re-inserted to start working again... even with my replacement phone, during its setup, the new phone overheated and had to power cycle in order to continue the setup again (I purposely setup my phones over 4G LTE to tax them a little)... the S7 Edge I had did the same at one point, although I never had to replace it. So, here comes Mr. P9, with its Kirin 955 OctaCore... and says basically, Samsung & LG, you suck... Even with a full metal body and no paint insulation (yep... poking fun at the LG G5) , the P9 dominates by not overheating the device during setup on both Wifi & 4G LTE. I really didn't feel it get hot at all... might just be my experience... I played Clash Royale for an hour too and didn't feel it get hot either... Basically SnapDragon is just that... a Dragon breathing fire onto the outer casing in hopes of burning you to a crisp unless you are the Mother of Dragons... (didn't think I was going to have a review today without making a GoT reference did you?)
WINNER: Hands Down & Not Close... HUAWEI P9
SNAPPINESS
So, First off before I dig deeply into this. Let me just say all 3 phones are fast. Where I draw from is my experience with these phones in my daily usage. Unfortunately, and you can run a thousands benchmarks that will say otherwise, the S7 is laggy because of TouchWiz... that's a fact. From a laggy response to the fingerprint reader to just basic loading of apps... TouchJizz, oops I mean TouchWiz , slows what could be a beast of a phone down to sometimes intolerable levels even when compared to a Apple iPhone 6s. The LG G5 does much better a harnessing the power of the SnapDragon 820. But the question is at what cost? I think some of the heat and crashing issues I see with the LG G5, mind you my 2nd LG G5, maybe due to "unleashing the beast." I did see it stutter while playing Clash Royale, which is surprising since I wouldn't call Clash Royale a "graphics hog..." Now, you can throw whatever AnTuTu-ningOut benchmark and go "higher is better," I'm going to say not in this case. The Kirin 955 in the P9 remains snappy and doesn't seem to do it at the expense of heat or the battery. It hasn't stuttered for me when playing my simple games and the fingerprint reader is super-fast, like light speed. Granted this is my day to day usage, I don't know if you tried to hack the Pentagon while playing Global Thermo Nuclear War in 3D on it if it wouldn't kill the 955 and what is reportedly a inferior GPU. Just sayin' it works for me. Also, I like EMUI... Huawei's interface for Android. I like it almost over extreme customization features... plus for none of the phones do I rely on the stock launcher, opting for the HTC Sense Port that is available here:
http://www.fulmics.com/htc-sense/
And was conceived and hacked by this master here in the xda-forums:
xprit
http://forum.xda-developers.com/member.php?u=5132229
EMUI may not be your cup of tea and not knowing how to do with it (I had a Huawei Mate 8) immediately might turn you off to it. Didn't see any notification issues like the Mate 8 Chinese Version had either, so that's a bonus so far... Lastly, like to point out here that the P9 that I have does not have NFC and it seems only the P9 Plus will. Not a deal breaker here, since I already know that there's no way to have Android Pay on an International or Chinese Market phone... maybe one day, but not at this time (so its not breaking my nerd heart... ) The P9 does take a little experience to setup as well, although you can find a ton of stuff on setting up a Chinese Market phone just by Googling or right here in the XDA forums... basically you need to use Huawei's App Store: HiAPP to download the Play Store then you are off to the races... also you won't be able to use a restore from a previous phone like you normally would either through Google... I actually like that since it makes me rethink what apps I actually need now and eliminate the garbage. The P9 does come with it fair share of Chinese "Here's your pet panda that you just stare at on the screen apps..." and some Huawei Chinese duplicate functionality apps (Messages, Email, etc.). Some of the duplicate apps are useful, most can be uninstalled or disabled. Depending on carriers, you get the same if not more bloat on the S7 & G5 as well... You do get functioning NFC with S7 & G5 with Android Pay
WINNER: HUAWEI P9... HOWEVER, if NFC & ANDROID PAY ARE A "DEALBREAKER" G5 over S7
DISPLAY
Boy, I really hate this section. Honestly, if I said I gave "2 big bags of American BandStand Host/New Year's Rockin' Eve Host" about this section would you get the point??? But people tend to want to know so here goes. All phones unless they are based on 90's tech or are an Apple iPhone (hahahahaha, had to... they are going to fix it with a AMOLED in the iPhone 7 so I will get my pot shot in while I can), has a decent screen that a normal human being that is not a pixel nerd would not even know the differences. Pure stats alone and quality, S7 wins. Looking at functionality for everyday use, the LG G5's always-on display is by far the most functional change a phone manufacturer has made in recent memory. It informs of alerts without having to unlock and open the phone... genius! The S7 tries a half-baked approach to this with their always-on display but it falls short of the way LG deploys it on the G5. The auto brightness for whatever reason works better on the G5 than on the S7 as well. For the P9, there's nothing special. Good Screen, Good auto brightness, no always-on functionality. The P9 does have an extensive color temperature setting change for it, that's really it. No double tap to wake for the P9, not at least any setting I found. The G5 is the only phone that has it built in. It's worth noting that if you wait for the P9 Plus, you get a better screen & force touch, so if you're a screen dork, this might be something to try as a unique feature. The P9 does have some unique gestures for things like screen capture and etc. SO, YOU PICK THIS ONE.....
WINNER: FUNCTIONALITY LG G5... PRETTINESS SAMSUNG S7... COLOR TEMP HUAWEI P9 (I so don't care so it not my call)
PHONE DESIGN
No one can argue that the Samsung S7 Edge is a well-designed phone. Glass back allows for wireless charging which is also a plus in my book as well. :good: The G5 is not the greatest looking phone. NOT UGLY!!! Let's say its handsome... just not beautiful... get the picture. Then the P9 comes out... with a style that can only be described as... if the Xperia Z5 and an iPhone 6s had love child...
A well designed rectangled phone made of metal that is thin and feels good in hand. Now of course all 3 have different colors, some of which, like in the case of the P9, only come in certain colors for certain RAM / Memory configurations. Of course, whether or not they had anything to do with the camera design, the P9 having the LECIA tramp stamp helps it out too and the 2 camera configuration is much easier to swallow then "Day the Earth Stood Still" configuration on the G5. Physical button placement is nice on the P9 and like the G5 it does not have capacitive buttons like the S7 has. The G5 does let you rearrange the configuration of its buttons, the P9 does not (Or at least I haven't found it... probably another P9 Plus Benefit) The Gold color of the P9 is a believable palatable gold color for my 4GB / 64GB version EVA-AL10 as it is the only color available. Unlike the G5, that looks like gold spray paint color... of course the Gold Platinum on a S7 is more baller than either. The P9 also has a "grain" that comes through in the metal that adds to its overall appearance making it look better than its cousin phone the Huawei Mate 8 with it brushed metal exterior. There is a white ceramic version of the P9 as well, so I can't speak to that version but I don't think you can get the 4GB / 64GB combo only in the P9 Plus...
WINNER: TIE... SAMSUNG S7 & HUAWEI P9
CAMERA
As I have pointed out in my other Other Guy's review of the S7 vs. the G5, I do not like talking and "judging" phones cameras because of my "nose-in-the-air" bias I have from being a person that has a both a film & photography degree... I will say it again like I mean it. Physics as of right now, without some major breakthrough, makes it impossible for what inherently needs to be a small camera to take as good as or better pictures than a standard DSLR. Bigger Chips = Greater Surface Area to Absorb Light = Better More Dynamic Pictures... plain and simple. Yes, some flaming troll might disagree but its hard to argue with Science or at least Science to this point. That's not to say, for generally taking snapshots, daily pictures, etc. phone cameras aren't great. In fact, I do think they replace a standard point-and-shoot camera at this point... Now, looking at the 3... each employs it own set of innovations / tricks to make decent photographs. Here's the breakdown:
1. S7 - Best lens F-STOP 1.7 allows most light to hit imaging chip in low light
2. G5 - Dual Lens used to widen field of view producing almost panoramic shots just by zooming out
3. P9 - Using a two lens configuration, one taking a color picture the other taking black and white, images have the best dynamic range (the difference between the lightest light and darkest dark which can be seen in a photo)
So all have their pluses and minuses based on the situation you might use it for. Some may say having a camera that can take better pictures at night is the best and is always the best. I disagree... since its not like its taking fabulous unbelievably great pictures at night... just better snapshots. The P9 & G5 have far superior "Pro Modes" and features that could help you take a great night shot. Not really going to rank camera speed either because unless you had all 3 and were taking pictures at the same time, the same way, would you really notice a fraction of difference, probably not.
WINNER: IT'S A TIE AS I DON'T HAVE A REAL OPINION JUST YET
CONCLUSION
So, what can I conclude? That all 3 phones are awesome... all 3 have plus and minuses. The P9 is an excellent alternative to these 2 more well-known phones. I can say based off what the P9 Plus will have, that it might tip the scale in a few of these categories if you want to wait for the bigger sibling. It looks as though it will be very interesting to through the HTC 10 into this mix as it may just do enough things right to make it the 2016 standout. Of course, it will be added to the mix in a week or so hopefully. As for the P9, it's a solid phone that ultimately might win out because it is the easiest probably to gain root and ROM. Time will tell. I think once the International Variants can be found and are released, this will also help with it usability and popularity. But if your looking for a nice looking phone that no one else has and is unique (unless you live in China then maybe a billion people have it :laugh: ) then its a great pick. No NFC maybe somewhat of a deal breaker although with Android Pay either way, don't really know of a great purpose for NFC. Lastly and as always, this is just Some Guy's Opinion... :good:
As always please comment, thanks again!
I'm interested in getting the P9 so thank you for a great overall review. So refreshing to here a regular person give their opinion on it rather than the "experts" banging on about only the camera.
One request, please can you post a pic of the phone (front and rear) without any cover. Want to get the 4GB/64GB version but where I live they will only release it in Haze Gold. Not a big fan of gold phones. In fact I generally dislike anything shiny or overly blingy. That's the only reason I haven't bought the S7. Not sure I would like the "grain" of the metal compared to annodised or sandblasted metal (or whatever it's called). I think I prefer the Mystic Silver or maybe White but not the ceramic. It's annoying, their choice of colour and material combination have conspired against me :silly:. Will have to see in person.
Many thanks.
szqnl said:
I'm interested in getting the P9 so thank you for a great overall review. So refreshing to here a regular person give their opinion on it rather than the "experts" banging on about only the camera.
One request, please can you post a pic of the phone (front and rear) without any cover. Want to get the 4GB/64GB version but where I live they will only release it in Haze Gold. Not a big fan of gold phones. In fact I generally dislike anything shiny or overly blingy. That's the only reason I haven't bought the S7. Not sure I would like the "grain" of the metal compared to annodised or sandblasted metal (or whatever it's called). I think I prefer the Mystic Silver or maybe White but not the ceramic. It's annoying, their choice of colour and material combination have conspired against me :silly:. Will have to see in person.
Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will do when I get home today and can post a good pic...
mahst68 said:
PURPOSE
The P9 does take a little experience to setup as well, although you can find a ton of stuff on setting up a Chinese Market phone just by Googling or right here in the XDA forums... basically you need to use Huawei's App Store: HiAPP to download the Play Store then you are off to the races...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the extensive and helpful review. I am glad I made the decision to order the P9. Would you mind posting a link to a good guide on setting up a Chinese version? I have done some searching but many involve rooting and installing different ROMs. I would prefer to keep it stock but with all google services working.
scdoyle said:
Thanks for the extensive and helpful review. I am glad I made the decision to order the P9. Would you mind posting a link to a good guide on setting up a Chinese version? I have done some searching but many involve rooting and installing different ROMs. I would prefer to keep it stock but with all google services working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These are both for the Huawei Mate 8 but are the same for the P9 Chinese Version.
Google Play Store:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/mate-8/help/how-to-install-google-services-google-t3295512
I typically just install the Play Store Only through this method... once it's installed, you should use it to install all other stuff... play services should also update automatically
Calendar Sync:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/mate-8/help/google-sync-t3277840
Does require a reboot and make sure in security you allow unknown sources to install as it won't let you otherwise
This should be all you need! :good:
mahst68 said:
So all have their pluses and minuses based on the situation you migh No NFC maybe somewhat of a deal breaker although with Android Pay either way, don't really know of a great purpose for NFC. Lastly and as always, this is just Some Guy's Opinion... :good:
As always please comment, thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Erm, my P9 has NFC.
stoney73 said:
Erm, my P9 has NFC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it the 4GB / 64GB version EVA-AL10?
If so, GREAT! Only makes it better... honestly didn't look for it that hard because i could give 2 REALLY REALLY REALLY Big Bags of Sporting Good Stores Starting with the letter D and ending in Ks if I can't use it with Android Pay... just sayin....
mahst68 said:
Is it the 4GB / 64GB version EVA-AL10?
If so, GREAT! Only makes it better... honestly didn't look for it that hard because i could give 2 REALLY REALLY REALLY Big Bags of Sporting Good Stores Starting with the letter D and ending in Ks if I can't use it with Android Pay... just sayin....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I have the 3gb/32gb P9 given at the launch event. But if you didn't look for it, how can you state it doesn't have it? Smh. #just sayin. Ffs
Great review. If you have time, please take a few pics with a least one other camera and the P9.
Skickat från min HUAWEI NXT-L29 via Tapatalk
szqnl said:
I'm interested in getting the P9 so thank you for a great overall review. So refreshing to here a regular person give their opinion on it rather than the "experts" banging on about only the camera.
One request, please can you post a pic of the phone (front and rear) without any cover. Want to get the 4GB/64GB version but where I live they will only release it in Haze Gold. Not a big fan of gold phones. In fact I generally dislike anything shiny or overly blingy. That's the only reason I haven't bought the S7. Not sure I would like the "grain" of the metal compared to annodised or sandblasted metal (or whatever it's called). I think I prefer the Mystic Silver or maybe White but not the ceramic. It's annoying, their choice of colour and material combination have conspired against me :silly:. Will have to see in person.
Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you go hope this helps
stoney73 said:
No, I have the 3gb/32gb P9 given at the launch event. But if you didn't look for it, how can you state it doesn't have it? Smh. #just sayin. Ffs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm did bra and not only that check the website specs bra. Stop flamin' bra. Just tryin to have a conversation bra. And btw still don't care either way if it had a switch for a monkey that comes out of the phone to pay people money bra. Btw how much have you used the NFC high fiving your other troll friends bra
mahst68 said:
Here you go hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Front
dondavis007 said:
Great review. If you have time, please take a few pics with a least one other camera and the P9.
Skickat från min HUAWEI NXT-L29 via Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's an iPhone 6 pic.
mahst68 said:
Umm did bra and not only that check the website specs bra. Stop flamin' bra. Just tryin to have a conversation bra. And btw still don't care either way if it had a switch for a monkey that comes out of the phone to pay people money bra. Btw how much have you used the NFC high fiving your other troll friends bra
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SMH.
dondavis007 said:
Great review. If you have time, please take a few pics with a least one other camera and the P9.
Skickat från min HUAWEI NXT-L29 via Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same pic (mostly) with P9
stoney73 said:
And that's exactly why you have zero credibility, bra. Not flaming, only correcting. Not my fault you can't read the specifications, and then claim things that aren't correct, and mislead people who come to the xda for facts, not half-assed theories.bra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did read and know what I'm talking about. Like done answering trolls named stoney73. Keep your low level P9. Like I posted before in 2 other posts in the P9 forum, the Chinese 64GB/4GB EVA-AL10 is the same as the EVA-L29 International version
Use this for reference
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66507043&postcount=9
And the attachment from Huawei site
mahst68 said:
Did read and know what I'm talking about. Like done answering trolls named stoney73. Keep your low level P9. Like I posted before in 2 other posts in the P9 forum, the Chinese 64GB/4GB EVA-AL10 is the same as the EVA-L29 International version
Use this for reference
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66507043&postcount=9
And the attachment from Huawei site
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's great, mayhap you should mention it in the OP. Shame about your attitude bra.
mahst68 said:
Same pic (mostly) with P9
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great contrast!
Skickat från min HUAWEI NXT-L29 via Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 05:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:00 AM ----------
stoney73 said:
That's great, mayhap you should mention it in the OP. Shame about your attitude bra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The review is an opinion and great input for us that don't have the phone. Let's move on please.
Skickat från min HUAWEI NXT-L29 via Tapatalk
definitely good contrast... i have to take some pictures but I think this camera might be pretty decent... i know one of the android sites is conducting a quadruple blind picture test to determine the "best" smartphone camera right now... we'll just have to see how the P9 fairs...
http://www.androidauthority.com/flagship-camera-shootout-688406/
I think I know the P9 in the test. Gave to wait until the weekend to see if I'm right
Sent from a mobile gadget
Hello everyone
Since there are no forums for this magnificent phone on xda developers until now, I've decided to open a temporary one until our great developers create a dedicated one.
I think this phone is by far the one with most features until this moment and being the 1st in many things!
- 6" amoled QHD screen made by LG (No notch thank heavens)
- HiSilicon Kirin 970 processor (with a chipset consisting of a layer of 9.7 million PCM microcapsules which absorb, store, and slowly dissipate heat, meaning the phone shouldn’t get too hot).
- 6gb ram and 256/512gb storage (1st phone 512gb)
- DolbyAtmos Stereo speakers
- Front in-display (1st commercial phone) and rear fingerprint sensors (1st to have both)
- Face unlocking which is very quick
- Triple rear cameras (1st phone together with p20 pro) being one of the best among other phones. 40 MP RGB / 20 MP Monochrome / 8 MP Telephoto
- 24 MP front facing camera
- 4000 mah battery with super fast charging
- Wireless charging (1st huawei phone)
- IR blaster (rare in phones these days)
- Knuckle Gestures for commands (very convenient)
- Dual sim
- Desktop mode with just a simple hdmi connector
- Private space (another secured phone mode with a different fingerprint)
- IP67
- VoLTE and wifi calling
What else do you want from a handheld device? It's a smartphone geek's dream come true, isn't it? I definitely admit that it is too overpriced but come on its a signature piece of beauty. At least you will be one of the few people in this world holding a true flagship phone!
To be honest I fell in love with this phone as soon I laid my eyes on it and especially after knowing all the specs on board. It's a dream come true.
I kindly request all the owners of this master piece to please post their thoughts and experiences with this phone to help me and others take a good idea about the phone because there are only few reviews available on youtube.
Until there is a dedicated topic, thanks for showing up here and wishing for your participations!
Sent from my SM-N9500 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
You know you're right man! It is indeed a great device. I saw some reviews on YouTube and I was completely blown away! It looks much better than the original P20 Pro but unfortunately, the price tag is very high. I personally can't afford to get it but for those who can I think you should go out and buy one! You most certainly will not regret it as it truly is a beast with class.
As you say, it's quite overpriced for a device that (like all phones) will be outdated in about 1 years time.
Still, I like the design and the extra features like wireless charging and in-screen fingerprint scanner. Hopefully they'll include these in the upcoming Mate 20.
I got one two days ago. Initial impressions:
- build quality is very nice, but extremely similar in look and feel to S9. The Porsche logo at the front is very discreet and you barely see it in practice. Screen is perhaps more curved at edges and I have had the odd time where my hand triggers screen touches just holding it. Screen quality is very good but some slight colour shifting at an angle. Back gets smudged in fingerprints of course, but overall I like the design. I think the symmetry of the cameras and reader at the back looks smart. Nice weight and perfect overall size for me.
- in-screen reader is the big innovation of course. It shows you where to press when you move the phone which is nice. It also has a cool animation when reading and unlocking. Still a bit picky and does not work all the time but clearly this is going to be standard on all phones soon. I actually find it really useful to unlock the phone when it is lying on my desk.
- the rest I think is standard P20 Pro? It's my first Huawei in a while so getting used to EMUI again. Still struggling getting widgets working.
Overpriced? Absolutely. But it is a very well rounded device overall and of course unique. I switch phones around a lot but for the first time I might actually say I have a phone with no obvious flaws.
scdoyle said:
I got one two days ago. Initial impressions:
- build quality is very nice, but extremely similar in look and feel to S9. The Porsche logo at the front is very discreet and you barely see it in practice. Screen is perhaps more curved at edges and I have had the odd time where my hand triggers screen touches just holding it. Screen quality is very good but some slight colour shifting at an angle. Back gets smudged in fingerprints of course, but overall I like the design. I think the symmetry of the cameras and reader at the back looks smart. Nice weight and perfect overall size for me.
- in-screen reader is the big innovation of course. It shows you where to press when you move the phone which is nice. It also has a cool animation when reading and unlocking. Still a bit picky and does not work all the time but clearly this is going to be standard on all phones soon. I actually find it really useful to unlock the phone when it is lying on my desk.
- the rest I think is standard P20 Pro? It's my first Huawei in a while so getting used to EMUI again. Still struggling getting widgets working.
Overpriced? Absolutely. But it is a very well rounded device overall and of course unique. I switch phones around a lot but for the first time I might actually say I have a phone with no obvious flaws.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Congratulations for the phone and Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this outstanding piece of tech!
I just want you to confirm some doubts please.
Is it a hybrid phone? Meaning it can take 2 sims or 1 sim and SDcard or is it just a regular dual sim?
Is there any issues with the slo-mo mode?
How is the battery life?
Sent from my SM-N9500 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Looks like it's just dual sim. How do I check? I don't really want to shove a card in there. I don't see any SD storage coming up anywhere in storage settings.
Slowmo looks awesome to me but never had this kind of rate in a phone before so have no reference. I know some reviews talked about artifacts but I played with some water droplets and liked the results. You have to time it as it starts recording in normal and then goes slow after a few seconds.
Not had enough time yet to evaluate battery life but initial impressions are good. But I will be using wireless charger during the day anyway so am not concerned.
A few other comments:
Face unlock is incredible. Works instantaneously, even in v low light.
Porsche theming is a bit disappointing. Just a few average wallpapers and a widget which won't work on a different launcher.
Like a lot of reviews say, camera is not as initially impressive as pixel 2 but need more time to play with options.
Hope that helps.
I'm also interested in this overpriced phone but before I buy can you please confirm it has wifi calling?
I'm with EE and unfortunately, at work, I don't have the best of reception so rely on the wifi calling.
I know Huawei P20 Pro has wifi calling feature which this phone is based on so it should be there.
It’s dual sim only. Don’t use a micro Sd card.
gfreek said:
I'm also interested in this overpriced phone but before I buy can you please confirm it has wifi calling?
I'm with EE and unfortunately, at work, I don't have the best of reception so rely on the wifi calling.
I know Huawei P20 Pro has wifi calling feature which this phone is based on so it should be there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not seeing WiFi calling anywhere in the settings but do I have to be enrolled for it to appear? I am not registered for it with my carrier. Where should it show?
scdoyle said:
I am not seeing WiFi calling anywhere in the settings but do I have to be enrolled for it to appear? I am not registered for it with my carrier. Where should it show?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What network are you with? With EE it's active.
It should be under: (Connect your phone to WiFi) then go to > Settings > More (in ‘Wireless & networks’ section) > Wi-Fi calling > Tap the Wi-Fi calling switch to Enable or it could be like this: WiFi calling under "settings" > "wireless & networks" => "call settings"
I’ve asked 2 of my tech friends who had loan units. I’m hoping at least one of them can answer the WiFi calling. I’m on Three and my sim free P20 Pro has WiFi calling, so I’m hoping this version has to. I can’t imagine it won’t.
I don't see WiFi calling anywhere in settings in networks or calling. When I search 'Wi-Fi' in settings nothing with calling comes up.
I am on Rogers in Canada and I just tried to register but the website says my device is not eligible once I enter the code. Would the settings change if the phone recognizes that it is registered?
scdoyle said:
I don't see WiFi calling anywhere in settings in networks or calling. When I search 'Wi-Fi' in settings nothing with calling comes up.
I am on Rogers in Canada and I just tried to register but the website says my device is not eligible once I enter the code. Would the settings change if the phone recognizes that it is registered?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, it could mean wi-fi calling settings will only show if the carrier supports it, so I'm guessing Rogers don't. Thank you for checking. I need to find retailer that will allow me to have a full hands on and insert my EE sim to see if it has wifi calling, I would be surprised if it doesn't as this phone is practically based on Huawei P20 Pro!
---------- Post added at 03:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:17 PM ----------
gavinfabl said:
I’ve asked 2 of my tech friends who had loan units. I’m hoping at least one of them can answer the WiFi calling. I’m on Three and my sim free P20 Pro has WiFi calling, so I’m hoping this version has to. I can’t imagine it won’t.
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Click to collapse
Likewise I hope they can confirm the wifi calling as this feature is a deal breaker for me on getting this phone!
Ok good news can confirm wifi calling is available!?
You will only see the wifi calling settings if your operator/sim support this feature.
gfreek said:
Ok good news can confirm wifi calling is available!
You will only see the wifi calling settings if your operator/sim support this feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool. How did you find this out..
gavinfabl said:
Cool. How did you find this out..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Went to Porsche Design boutique in Brompton Road, Knightsbridge. I asked them if I could put my EE SIM into their display model to confirm Wifi-Calling they were kind enough to oblige. See attached screenshot.
gfreek said:
Went to Porsche Design boutique in Brompton Road, Knightsbridge. I asked them if I could put my EE SIM into their display model to confirm Wifi-Calling they were kind enough to oblige. See attached screenshot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excellent, what was phone like in person, and what price did the PD shop ask for ?
gavinfabl said:
Excellent, what was phone like in person, and what price did the PD shop ask for ?
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Click to collapse
I would describe the phone as a more refined Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, especially the back very symmetrical really feels good in the hand it definitely feels premium. My current handset is an iPhone X (love the hardware hate iOS) so side by side Mate RS holds its own.
My only design criticism would be that it was lazy on Porsche Design part to have copied Samsung Galaxy S9 and just refined it they could have been more original be a little more adventurous etc... but they played it safe! Price was £1475.00 for 256GB they don't have the 512GB in stock yet price for that is estimated to be around £1995.00 - £2099
I appreciate it is Porsche Design so you have to pay a premium but really this phone is overpriced IMHO it should have been more around the £995.00 for £256GB and £1299.00 -£1399 for the 512GB.
That being said I will end up buying this handset I know it's crazy to spend so much on a phone but I like the features this phone has, really this what the P20 Pro should have been. I did have Oneplus 6 on my shortlist but was disappointed to see them embracing the notch when there was no need to implement it.
scdoyle said:
I don't see WiFi calling anywhere in settings in networks or calling. When I search 'Wi-Fi' in settings nothing with calling comes up.
I am on Rogers in Canada and I just tried to register but the website says my device is not eligible once I enter the code. Would the settings change if the phone recognizes that it is registered?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with Rogers too and am interested in the Mate RS. I have the P20 Pro, so am getting used to EMUI and its quirks. Have you gotten any updates for the RS? Given that it is a really small market for this phone, I'm concerned about Huawei pushing any updates to this model. I see some issues with the P20 Pro (i.e. issues with the Wear OS app etc) and if those issues are there on the Mate RS, would like to understand if they get addressed quickly.
Also, what's your experience with the call quality?
rajeshr said:
I'm with Rogers too and am interested in the Mate RS. I have the P20 Pro, so am getting used to EMUI and its quirks. Have you gotten any updates for the RS? Given that it is a really small market for this phone, I'm concerned about Huawei pushing any updates to this model. I see some issues with the P20 Pro (i.e. issues with the Wear OS app etc) and if those issues are there on the Mate RS, would like to understand if they get addressed quickly.
Also, what's your experience with the call quality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not received any updates yet - even on initial boot which was surprising. It is currently on 8.1.0.107 (C721). I agree - I am also concerned that it will not be prioritized for updates given small quantities and likelihood of the buyers not caring that much. The good news is that there are essentially only a few versions made so at least it won't get stuck in the branding/countries delays.
Call quality is excellent, just like my previous Pixel 2. Battery life is not striking me as amazing so far, but I have had the AOD on which does not really add much expect for a nice looking clock!
As mentioned above, it is a unique high-quality device but probably not worth the premium over the P20 Pro. It all depends how much that uniqueness and cutting edge tech is worth to you!
Honor 8 owners; what will your next phone be, and why?
Or if you already have bought a new one, which one was it, and why that phone?
My next one won't be a Huawei one, that's for sure. I'm fed up with their bull****. I'll go OnePlus, Pixel or even Xiaomi depending on my budget.
I appreciated in the end the Oreo update they gave us, but i needed it just to intall RR beta 2 from openkirin and get rid of EMUI. Couldn't be happier about the rom. However, if i'll buy another phone the choice will dipend of the budget i will be able to afford. I'm interested in Xiaomi or Oneplus, as i'm done with Samsung and Honor for now...but maybe i could open again to Honor if they REALLY impresse me with an AMAZING quality/price phone. Unless that day bye bye Honor and Sammy
Poco F1 as of now... im really looking for compact phone like Honor 8 but no one manufactures it or even cares about it.. all they care about is ****ing notch and copying iphone..
I'm really happy with the build quality and aesthetics of the honor 8, but their software support is terrible. Now I am almost certain that the Oreo update is a one-off thing. I think I'll consider switching to one plus seeing their software support and pretty interested in the leaks of 6T. If a company launches lots of phones per year, their software support becomes more limited than the companies launching limited phone models per year, it's just my opinion though.
Gonna try out the iPhone. This was my first and will be my last phone from Huawei.
My next phone won't be Honor/Huawei. After Oreo official update my phone is hanging and randomly restarting. Probably Xiaomi/OnePlus/Asus ..
Honor 8 is my first Honor device, I had a Sony before that, and Samsung before that. I will NEVER go back to Samsung, Sony was good but lagging behind these days. And Honor 8 is impressive I have to say, apart from the chaotic updating protocol that Huawei seems to follow
I tried Xiaomi Mi A2 for a week and I didn’t like it. MIUI was a bit ‘rude’, couldn’t get rid of Google search bar, couldn’t see network speed on my notification bar, couldn’t even change ringtone (UK market, themes and ringtones are not supported due to privacy regulations!). Also LED notification light, it’s there, but only in white! Whether it’s an application notification or charging light! It’s just constantly white! I had to return the device
I like Honor I have to say, excellent build quality, multicolour notification light, network speed on notification bar, clearing memory from the bottom of the screen rather than having to scroll through all apps on top! And when I do clear the memory it tells me how much I’ve been using and how much left! It’s small things like this on daily use that I do appreciate
I will never buy an iPhone or Pixel just because it's against my principals! I also don’t want a ‘flagship’ device that will cost too much money because I know what I’m like, doesn’t matter how good or expensive the phone is, in a year or two I will want to buy another one! So no point paying too much just to let it sit in a drawer in a couple years time!
I did look at OnePlus 6, too expensive for my liking, also lack of MicroSD card could be an issue, I didn’t think it would be till I tried Xiaomi Mi A2 last week.
I used to like Nokia (I’m talking about original Nokia, 5110, 3310, 8250 and 6630!) Looked at 7 Plus but saw too many reviews mentioning charger socket problems and update lag issues, if they manage to rectify that, I might give Nokia a go :good:
Also very tempted to get the Honor Play now, wouldn’t pay launch price for it though as I know it will drop a bit soon/ish! I wouldn’t mind the notch if it’s properly integrated into the operating system, but then again, would I have same problems updating it in a couple months' time?
Asmund said:
Honor 8 owners; what will your next phone be, and why?
Or if you already have bought a new one, which one was it, and why that phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S... It's a nobrainer for me. I was also thinking about OnePlus 6T and Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact, but they are really expensive and the Sony one doesn't have custom ROMs for it. Xiaomi is the perfect golden middle route: It only costs 410 bucks, but it's a flagship designed for my intensive gaming and programming needs and the XDA community for it is pretty active: there are so much custom ROMs for it that I can't choose from lots of MIUI replacements and Xiaomi supports making custom ROMs unlike Huawei.
Thanks to everyone for input and sharing experiences...
After thinking about it for quite a while I might go for OnePlus 6 128 gb
I think i'll try Xiaomi for the first time in my life, Mi 8 SE.
Xiaomi A2, Pixel 3, or Oneplus 6t, depending on availability and pricing. One thing is sure though, heavily modified Android or Huawei, never again.
Its gonna be the LG G7 for me
Probably the OnePlus 6T or Huawei P20/Mate 20
Im currently thinking of Nokia 7 plus... stock android, android one updates, working G-cam, big battery etc...
It kind of bothers me that some apps don't work correctly on huawei phones (i often see the warning "this app might not work correctly on your phone" and i had to try several apps to get the job done)...
No other cam app working on the 8, EMUI not so fresh oh and i need a new battery after one and a half year of not so heavy use...
Phone was good and good price when i bought it, made some good pics, its fast, but when you dig deeper there are flaws now and then....
not to mention the "when is the update coming? " thriller, specially with oreo....
My next phone will most likely either be a Pixel or OnePlus. But if some manufacturer like Huawei makes a phone with the best camera in a phone and it wouldn't cost that much, then I'd consider getting that.
Mate 10 pro should be on sale soon considering the mate 20/pro is coming out. It's around $500 to $550 now depending on the color. Hope to get it for around $400 in a few months.
Xiaomi mi8 explorer
Samsung S9 for me.. i really dont like big phones but the s9 feels just like my honor 8
i need something with SD card support and really hate cloud storage
Its may be the Honor 10 for me...
Good Morning all,
Hopefully ive placed this question in the right location. I`ve been a avid user of the Google Pixel 3 XL for several years now having moved from the Samsung Note 8. I`ve recently had the opportunity to move over to a Samsung Note 10 + Exynos (Australia) and started the Smart Switch copy process as a test before possibly moving over to the device as a daily driver. Upon completing the copy process and testing Samsungs OneUi for a few hours i found myself installing Nova and finding a user created Pixel Nova backup and trying to make the Note10 looks as identical to the Pixel 3 as i could. Previously on i think it was Oreo on the Note8 i just used the device but this Samsung OneUi i dont like at all. I find that the Ui just isnt what up to my personal liking. In saying that when an alternative launcher like Nova is used i lose access to swipe gestures as part of Android10 which ive become accustomed to on my Pixel3. The reason im on the fence is as part of my job im required a times to be onsite at other locations for work consistently on the phone for my 8 -10 hour shift depending on the work where i have noticed the Pixel3 battery just cant cope with my day to day demands without me need to hook up a battery backup to charge the device.
I guess i just am trying to weigh up the pros and cons. From what ive seen the Note10+ has a huge power gain and battery life and performance than the Pixel3 but then Samsung from past experience take quite a long time to release Os and security updates whereas the pixel3 gets them when they are released.
I love that the pixel doesnt come with any bloatware and also prefer the google messages and phone app over Samsungs as i can hook connect message to my work WebGUI while im at my desk which makes it easier to respond to text`s in my work day, Also the Pixel3 camera is amazing and appears to trump the Note10+ for taking photos which i do a lot of for work and personal. Also the Pixel3 fingerprint reader is so much more faster than the ultrasonic in the Note10.
I`ve become so dependent on the google suite of apps referring to Google Phone,Messages,Photos,Calendar,Gmail,Chrome,Assistant,AOD & Home Screen widget to name a few.
As stupid as i sounds i`m trying to find some justifiable reason to move to the Note10 over the Pixel outside of the battery capacity between the 2 as well as the cameras.
Does anyone have any input on how the Note10+ would benefit me over the Pixel3?
Regards
Kornster
kornster said:
Good Morning all,
Hopefully ive placed this question in the right location. I`ve been a avid user of the Google Pixel 3 XL for several years
...
Does anyone have any input on how the Note10+ would benefit me over the Pixel3?
Regards
Kornster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I totally understand you, Google delivers, in my opinion, the best User Experience. Despite its devices not being racecars, we still want to buy them for the UI.
Here are all the pros for the Note 10+:
Better CPU, more RAM ---> Smoother experience
More storage, faster (UFS 3.0) ---> Fast file transfer+ no struggles with pics
Quick Charge ---> Phone Charge faster
In display fingerprint ---> Best thing
Gorilla glass 6 (vs 5 for the Pixel)
Plus you get a freaking stylus man!
So the overall experience will most likely be better, smoother and faster (for charging, gaming, taking photos and storing them)
Also, try to see if you can get a OnePlus phone. It has all the pros mentioned above plus it has almost no bloatware (only uninstallable preinstalled apps like FB or Netflix) and the UI is close to stock. You get also a lot of customization.
But to me, the Pixel UI is above OxygenOS (OnePlus UI)
Have a good day
Hi Raiz,
Well i took the plunge for a month and have moved back to the Pixel 3 XL. The Note 10+ itself is aesthetically pleasing to hold and touch. But there`s just something about the Samsung experience that irks me the wrong way. The biggest issue i had was the under screen fingerprint reader, It was IMO the worst experience, 9 out 10 times not working at all requiring me to use my pin code to unlock the phone. I recorded my fingerprints in all different angles to cover everything but more often that not it just didnt work. Samsung Dex was ok but certainly no where near a usable point. Running Windows 10 i can tie the My Phone app straight into the Pixel/Samsung and it worked well, even with the latest update. I never once used the stylus for what it could be used for, only a few times using it for the wireless photo taking. The camera on the Samsung is ok but no where near where the Pixel camera. The Google default apps are for me a lot more user friendly than the Samsung one. Samsung's OneUI although aesthetically pleasing didn't cut it for me, oversized icons and restrictions in places i thought wouldn't be, it felt like i was using an Apple device at times. I needed to use OneUI due to gestures only working with OneUi and not an alternative launcher like Nova. Having the now playing on the lock screen is something i always used, As someone who loves music hearing something and then just looking at the Pixel and it showing what was playing was always a plus. The AOD on the Pixel was better with calendar entries showing up on AOD. Turning the Pixel over the mute was sorely missed especially when i could be working and avoiding phone distractions and just turn the phone over and not be annoyed. There`s so many more things i could report on and im not bagging out the Note10+. Just come to the conclusion that having a Note8 then Pixel 3 XL and moving to the Note10+ that there`s just too many things on the Pixel that are sorely missed and i had to revert.
The biggest issue on the Pixel is the abysmal battery and how long it lasts and it`s something i`ll just have to deal with.
kornster said:
Hi Raiz,
...
The biggest issue on the Pixel is the abysmal battery and how long it lasts and it`s something i`ll just have to deal with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Nice to hear from you .
I'm sorry that you bought something that didn't pleased you. Some people aren't bothered at all by all the restrictions and all the stuff you said above, but IMO you made the right decision. Samsung are all about making you buy, from the in-OS ads to the short support (which has been a bit lengthened recently). But I think once you get a taste of what Google has to offer with its own OS, you can't get back to the previous experience and don't feel a downgrade.
It's all specs and power now, but I think that if UI, support and features aren't here, your phone won't be good. If I knew that the Pixel 5 would have a battery this large (rumored at 4000 mhA), I would've waited before buying my OP8.
I hope you still enjoy your Pixel 3 tho, and I hope it will last
Have a great day
Has anyone come from the OnePlus 8 Pro? Or any larger sized devices (in terms of display size)?
I'm thinking of getting the Pixel because I miss stock Android, plus OP has moved from their "lightweight" version to a more heavy skinned OS with A11.
The biggest thing holding me back is the smaller display. I'm so used to big screens and I do a lot of typing on my phone, which leaves me curious about the typing experience on a smaller screen as well.
The only other concern is the top speaker as many YouTube reviews mention it's horrible, even for call quality. Call quality is another reason I want to come back to Pixel. My carrier doesn't support OnePlus devices, so VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling don't work properly. There are ways to try to get this to work but I'm not bothered and would rather just have a device that has those things working out of the box.
Any insights would be appreciated! Hoping there is a Boxing Day sale for the device here in Canada as the current price of $800 is quite heavy. Thanks in advance!
I came from a OnePlus 6T, the smaller screen hasn't bothered me one bit. I'm 6 foot with bigger than average hands and I'm more than happy typing on the screen.
I came from the OP7Pro so pretty similar to what you were working with.
I didn't notice it was a little smaller when I first got the P5 but not felt it's too small and very quickly got used to it. I find it to be a much more comfortable phone to hold compared to my OP7Pro and have no regrets moving in this direction!
I came from the OnePlus 6t, much the same as stringy, I'm 6'4 with larger hands and turn 50 this year yet I have no problem with the smaller phone, can see everything just fine and I'll say I actually prefer it. Typing is a little smaller all around but manageable and after a few days I've adjusted well. I can reach top to bottom on the screen with my thumb where my 6t it was a stretch. I actually ordered this and an s20 fe at the same time, the s20 was for my wife and I had to use it to set it all up for her and can say comparing the two, the pixel gets my vote. The s20, even with the 'better specs' was sluggish and after using the pixel for a day before hers arrived I had already adjusted to the pixel and an happy with my choice.
Thanks for the replies!
Seems like the majority of users actually enjoy the smaller form factor even coming from larger devices. It's really the biggest thing stopping me but it seems I should keep an open mind and give it a try.
How about call quality? Is that under-screen earpiece satisfactory?
Came from and went back to oneplus 6t. But mostly for the dual (physical) SIM that I really need and also because after 2 weeks on the pixel I couldn't notice a huge reason to stay with it. It's a great phone with a much better battery than the 6t but after the novelty wore off I could have gone both ways. Photos were important but MJL gcam is a beast so that was another factor. Pixel camera is still better though.
I also missed some of the oneplus software details like brightness slider coming down to thumbs reach as opposed to staying at the way top in the pixel and long pressing an app to uninstall. This was minimal though.
The screen and sound on the pixel I think we're great. Pixel is also noticeably lighter.
While I could still sell the pixel for a reasonable price I thought I would stay with the oneplus for another year.
rickysidhu_ said:
How about call quality? Is that under-screen earpiece satisfactory?
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Click to collapse
Hmm, I thought I referenced call quality in my initial response, but indeed I did not. I can't say it's good, or bad really but rather just different. I have not had an issue with not being able to hear anyone, nor them me. Speaker phone, playing games, videos etc do not sound bad but at full volume I do not care for the sound. It's like I said, just different. Would I prefer a traditional speaker at the top? Yes. But I also appreciate the full display and no cutout for the speaker or a forehead so...ehhh..I guess sound to a degree is a bit of personal preference and with that said, it's not a deal breaker for me.
I came from the OP7 Pro and it was the best move compared to others in the past for me.
I like the weight, the size, the OS and most important: you'll get OS-updates on time every singe month.
So, do it! ✌
ulxerker said:
I came from the OP7 Pro and it was the best move compared to others in the past for me.
I like the weight, the size, the OS and most important: you'll get OS-updates on time every singe month.
So, do it! ✌
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. That's one of the things that bothered me with OnePlus. I had the OnePlus 1, 3t, 6 and 6t. The more phones they come out with, the less the older phones get updated. The 6t I came from was great for 6 months in regards to updates then it started to fall down the list with the 7, 7 pro, 7t, 7t pro, 8, 8 pro, nord and the 8t all piled on in less than 2 years, the 6t has all but been forgotten. Sure, a security patch here and there but really, that's it. I was running lineage when I finally said I'm done. No fault of lineage tho, ran great but the phone started to have gps issues and call drops. I had the original Nexus, Nexus 6P and decided on the pixel 5. At least I know what to expect going forward with updates.
I'm going to head into a Best Buy today to check the device out in person, will give me a better idea of the screen size.
Really appreciate everyone's input!
rickysidhu_ said:
I'm going to head into a Best Buy today to check the device out in person, will give me a better idea of the screen size.
Really appreciate everyone's input!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's really the best thing you could do. I did not check it out in person because I don't often do things like that, you know... logical lol. I'm more spur of the moment but I feel I got it right this time, thankfully. I will say hardware wise the phone should have cost $599. Not saying it's not worth $699 but there's several phones at this price that on paper out spec the pixel. The OnePlus 8t, galaxy s20 fe are two examples where you get more hardware for the cost but the pixel offers a great experience to the end user with less hardware. Would you rather pay for the hardware or the software? I guess it just shows how much better Google's stock version of Android actually is when you have software that's been designed for the hardware vs muscling the software by the hardware. Your call. Be interested in hearing what you decide.
rickysidhu_ said:
Has anyone come from the OnePlus 8 Pro? Or any larger sized devices (in terms of display size)?
I'm thinking of getting the Pixel because I miss stock Android, plus OP has moved from their "lightweight" version to a more heavy skinned OS with A11.
The biggest thing holding me back is the smaller display. I'm so used to big screens and I do a lot of typing on my phone, which leaves me curious about the typing experience on a smaller screen as well.
The only other concern is the top speaker as many YouTube reviews mention it's horrible, even for call quality. Call quality is another reason I want to come back to Pixel. My carrier doesn't support OnePlus devices, so VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling don't work properly. There are ways to try to get this to work but I'm not bothered and would rather just have a device that has those things working out of the box.
Any insights would be appreciated! Hoping there is a Boxing Day sale for the device here in Canada as the current price of $800 is quite heavy. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!
I actually moved from an OP 8T to an OP 8 Pro and now i'm owning an Pixel 5
The main reason for that is the size and weight of the phone, its very nice to have such a "small" phone in my hands...
Before switching i was thinking about a few points. 90/120 Hz Display is a musthave now - so everything is fine. Fingerprint on the back is a bit "oldschool", but works great and i cann afford with it!
The only thing i was missing first time was the customizable OS like Oxygen, but now i didnt miss any option...
So i'm happy about my change, but always rember - its not such a big flagship like OP 8 Pro. Thats fact, even if you will not recognice much difference!
Thanks for the added input. I really appreciate and value everyone's opinions, as it is helping me decide significantly!
So I went into Best Buy yesterday and got some hands on time with the Pixel 5. That screen size is definitely noticeably smaller than my 8 Pro. Had them both side by side and the difference is quite grand. However, I tested typing on the Pixel and it's not so small where my thumbs are hitting one another or something, haha, so I think the screen size is not as big of an issue as I originally thought it would be.
Also tested that earpiece speaker and although it's not very loud, it didn't seem deal-breaker level bad. And that's me saying this while testing in a very loud store.
Didn't have the chance to test call quality but just hearing the speaker by playing a YouTube video, I don't think I'll have any issue.
Performance seemed off, though. They had two Pixel 5s side by side. One took a solid few seconds to open the calculator app whereas the other took just a second or so. Maybe the Pixels being demo models had something to do with performance inconsistency, but it was something noteworthy.
On the contrary, Google Maps opened faster than my 8 Pro which was very surprising, given Maps is a much heavier application vs the calculator app. And it was surprising also because my animation speed is set to .04x on my 8 Pro whereas the Pixel in-store probably had the default 1.0x.
My cousin has the Pixel 4 and I think it also shares the same processor as the P5, and seeing his apps open looked a bit slow, but maybe the software optimization is a bit different on the 5, or maybe other factors were in play, such as number of apps installed, background apps, background services running, and so on.
All these things aside, the most significant thing is Canadian pricing. It's $799 here, a bit steep. The Best Buy rep suggested I wait until Dec 26 (Boxing Day) or simply call my carrier to see if they have any deals or promos they can give me. I think this pricing is going to end up becoming the ultimate deciding factor for me, as opposed to performance and speaker/call quality.
I will keep this thread updated with what ends up happening, and any additional input from anyone is always welcome! Thanks again everyone for taking the time out to share your experiences, it really is a big help!
I came from the Pixel 4 XL, only because I just always like the latest so the phone size/screen size definitely felt smaller especially cuz I'm tall with kinda big hands, the stereo speakers were a little low and not as good but not the worst but I actually made them better installing Viper mod lol other than that battery is great better than previous Pixels and after 2 months I'm actually use to the screen size now and punch hole so not really any complaints but I do still wish they made an XL version and I would have gotten that instead. So I'll say go for it you won't be disappointed and at least you get the latest updates from Google first.
Pulled the trigger and ordered one! Just black, should arrive 25-28. Although I doubt it will come on the 25th lol.
Pretty excited now! Will keep you guys updated on my initial thoughts once I receive it and have some time to play around.
Thank you all for helping me make a decision! It was tough figuring out how I can go from a "flagship" to a "mid-ranger". But your input helped me a lot!
The screen on the P5 is rather washed out in comparison to the 8 pro, while running both at full brightness. The processor speed is noticeably in favor of the 8 pro. Scrolling on the 8 pro is far better experience , even at 60hz, versus the P5 at 90hz, since it skips and snags with fast scrolling at 90hz. The P5 has the FAR better size, hand feel and the flatter screen is a godsend. The P5 battery life is excellent. I also find the P5 signal has better signal in my area over the 8 pro. The P5 should have been released at $500. I think it cuts too many corners for $700. Get a used OnePlus 8 (non pro) for $400 used and that may be a better option.
rickysidhu_ said:
Pulled the trigger and ordered one! Just black, should arrive 25-28. Although I doubt it will come on the 25th lol.
Pretty excited now! Will keep you guys updated on my initial thoughts once I receive it and have some time to play around.
Thank you all for helping me make a decision! It was tough figuring out how I can go from a "flagship" to a "mid-ranger". But your input helped me a lot!
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You're welcome ... you won't regret it if you give yourself some time to get used to it and give the phone some time to settle in.
I just switched from the 8T yesterday, I was on vacation last week and was thoroughly fed up with the terrible camera so I sprung for the 5. It's definitely a lot smaller, I don't think I'll be able to get used to it as others here did, but it's also a pretty great device. I also haven't noticed a difference in the 865 vs 765 in my workload, though others will vary. I'll probably be keeping the P5 until an XL version comes out.
JedixJarf said:
I just switched from the 8T yesterday, I was on vacation last week and was thoroughly fed up with the terrible camera so I sprung for the 5. It's definitely a lot smaller, I don't think I'll be able to get used to it as others here did, but it's also a pretty great device. I also haven't noticed a difference in the 865 vs 765 in my workload, though others will vary. I'll probably be keeping the P5 until an XL version comes out.
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I thought the same in regards to it's size but honestly, it grew on me
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