I have a Moto Z Play at the moment and as much as I like it, it is still on Oreo and is not up to date security-wise, which is a worry for me.
I was very set on a Pixel 3a which I can get for £299 with a £50 mastercard giftcard as a freebie. I have since seen a few posts on forums saying they get really slow after a few months and lag a lot, which is strange because my Moto Z Play still mostly performs fine, bit for stutter, but for a cheap phone it is fine.
I am wondering if I wait for the 4a to come out and spend maybe £400/£429 (whatever they price it at) for that, or just get the 3a, with the view that if I don't like it, I can return it in the first 2 weeks.
I don't really want to spend £400 on a phone ideally, as I don't really see the point.
Could some users of the 3a for a while give me some idea of how it performs after time?
I use my phone for YouTube, Chrome, Netflix, new apps and emails. Never play games on my phone unless it is a basic casual one that i'll play for 10 minutes and then delete.
(I know the new iPhone SE is out for £419 and will be worlds better than both of the Pixels' but I prefer Android overall and would rather not be locked to iOS.)
I'd appreciate any help, thanks
Edit - Just an insight in my phone history... i did have a OnePlus 6 for a while, but decided I preferred the Moto Z Play, so I sold the OP6. The performance difference didn't bother me and with my usage, didn't seem very noticeable. I just want mostly smooth and reliable.
Hello,
I've had mine for about 10 weeks now and I couldn't be happier with it - came from almost exclusively Samsung S range (3,4,5,7) and a moto x style in there as well.
'pure' android is a delight to behold. Still quick and responsive - boot time is about 2 seconds slower than when it was brand new. I've just checked and I currently have nearly 80 apps installed so that's to be expected.
It's a bit like a car/bike/desktop/whatever in that occasional maintenance is your friend ? I use Ccleaner and Greenify paid version. Rooted, EXKernel Manager, no twrp as on android 10 and it doesn't work on 10 yet. Took a little bit of adjustment to not having twrp as I liked to take a weekly backup but no big deal in the grand scheme of things - I'm still in love with the 'pure' android experience and not having all the extra **** bundled in from Samsung.
Few advisories I'd point out is that: I would have bought a 3XL if I could have afforded one, and the modding scene is pretty quiet but I have gathered 2 main learnings on that. Firstly, that'll probably change when the twrp devs get it up and running on android 10, and B, there is actually very little need to mod as the 'pure' android is just lovely as it is.
I've had no errors, no restarts/bootloops etc and re-rooting after updates is simple. I get a day battery no probs with moderate use, no games and using EXKernel Manager to alternate between Performance and Power saving settings as required. Camera is lovely. Wired headphone volume is a bit quiet but stick Viper4android on it and problem solved.
Happy to answer the odd question or 2 if you have any ?
captain sideways said:
Hello,
I've had mine for about 10 weeks now and I couldn't be happier with it - came from almost exclusively Samsung S range (3,4,5,7) and a moto x style in there as well.
'pure' android is a delight to behold. Still quick and responsive - boot time is about 2 seconds slower than when it was brand new. I've just checked and I currently have nearly 80 apps installed so that's to be expected.
It's a bit like a car/bike/desktop/whatever in that occasional maintenance is your friend I use Ccleaner and Greenify paid version. Rooted, EXKernel Manager, no twrp as on android 10 and it doesn't work on 10 yet. Took a little bit of adjustment to not having twrp as I liked to take a weekly backup but no big deal in the grand scheme of things - I'm still in love with the 'pure' android experience and not having all the extra **** bundled in from Samsung.
Few advisories I'd point out is that: I would have bought a 3XL if I could have afforded one, and the modding scene is pretty quiet but I have gathered 2 main learnings on that. Firstly, that'll probably change when the twrp devs get it up and running on android 10, and B, there is actually very little need to mod as the 'pure' android is just lovely as it is.
I've had no errors, no restarts/bootloops etc and re-rooting after updates is simple. I get a day battery no probs with moderate use, no games and using EXKernel Manager to alternate between Performance and Power saving settings as required. Camera is lovely. Wired headphone volume is a bit quiet but stick Viper4android on it and problem solved.
Happy to answer the odd question or 2 if you have any
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that.
Would you say it has gotten any slower after 2+ months?
Most of the reports I have read have said that it lags on the keyboard a lot and lags a lot in general. I wouldn't expect flagship performance, but I do want something that is mostly smooth and will browse the web without being a stuttery mess all the time.
Nah no lag for me but I use a 3rd party keyboard (SwiftKey) instead of Gboard. I use a lot of voice recognition for typing as well as the on screen keyboard.
---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 AM ----------
For Internet I mostly use Opera mini and AdAway and my browsing is fine
captain sideways said:
Nah no lag for me but I use a 3rd party keyboard (SwiftKey) instead of Gboard. I use a lot of voice recognition for typing as well as the on screen keyboard.
---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 AM ----------
For Internet I mostly use Opera mini and AdAway and my browsing is fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Decided to just order one. It'll arrive tomorrow. If I don't like it I have 2 weeks to return it.
Best way to decide if it is any good for me is to use it!
Indeed that's what I did as well, let us know how you get on ?
gman88667733 said:
Decided to just order one. It'll arrive tomorrow. If I don't like it I have 2 weeks to return it.
Best way to decide if it is any good for me is to use it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had a 3a since I got rid of the 3 XL in December. I don't notice any slowdowns or performance difference even with games to the 3 XL I had. I take care of my devices though and remove unused apps and keep caches/storage clear as needed. Cloud storage is your friend. Most ppl just install dozens of apps and games and complain their device got slow but don't actually maintain their device. If you maintain your device it will perform well for you. I also get in the habit of factory resetting devices once or twice a year to freshen them up it literally takes 10 minutes if you keep backups of apps and data.
I personally think the 4a will be the better choice in the long run if you intend keeping your phone for a while, that being said the Pixel 3a is still a great phone I got rid of my Samsung S10e couple of weeks ago & picked up another Pixel 3a & i have no regrets at all coming back & downgrading somewhat spec wise, I still may pickup a 4a when the deals are on at some point later this year.
Also the release of the iPhone SE 2020 could be a good thing for future deals on the Pixel 4a.
Got the 3a with me now.
So far, so good! An added bonus is that it has WiFi calling, which I thought it did not.
Display is nice, size is good. Feels nice without a case on, but not sure I'm brave enough to run it without a case!
Speed seems fine, smooth and quick enough for me so far
Similar question...
I'm a Sony fanboy, have nearly all flagships since 2011 here, more or less good maintained with custom fws, i donated devices to devs here at xda, i'm a supporter.
My provider offers me to get a Pixel 3A or a Pixel 4 when i extend my contract for 2 years, the Pixel 3A would cost 11,50 € per month, the Pixel 4 20,00 €, in both cases the the mobile belongs to me after this 24 additional months. I really dunno how to decide, i read and read and read about the pros and cons, the results are all the same - take the 3A, says the tests and suggestions in the www. I'm not a gamer, no facebook, taking not much photos, not involved in social networks, i need pure functionality, navigation, good battery life, playing only CoC, NFS no Limits. The only advantage in the Pixel 4 which i see - it is newer. It's really hard for me to decide - any opinions are welcome. Thanks in advance. At least the fact that i dont really NEED a new phone, my 2 daily drivers are an Xperia Z3 and an S5Neo, both active ( private and business device ) with LOS 16 rock stable, smooth and fast systems. LOS 17.1 is coming for these 2 devices, i think with official status too.
So, that's all, please enlighten me.
_________________________________
Well, whereas I am quite happy with my 3a, my rule for buying (any) tech stuff is to but the best that you can afford at the time. I got my 3a cos it was the best I could afford at the time but if I'd had the money, I would have gotten a 3xl or a 4. Sorry if this isn't helpful, just thought I'd share a bit of my process. I guess the conclusion would be if you can afford the 4, then get the 4
---------- Post added at 10:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 PM ----------
gman88667733 said:
Got the 3a with me now.
So far, so good! An added bonus is that it has WiFi calling, which I thought it did not.
Display is nice, size is good. Feels nice without a case on, but not sure I'm brave enough to run it without a case!
Speed seems fine, smooth and quick enough for me so far
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you like it, I prefer to have mine in a case as well (clumsy) so I just got a gel tpd case and screen protector on ebay. Screen protector covers the entire front including the bezels. It's done a stellar job so far - I keep lots of stuff in my pockets and there isn't so much as a scuff on my phone if you'd like I might be able to link the screen protector if I can find it in my ebay history ?
Link to screen protector:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143284267215
I have a caseology parralax case and a generic glass screen protector now, feels much safer!
So far the battery life on this is incredible, took it off the charger at 8pm Sunday evening, I still have 45% left at 3 hours of SOT.
That's will very weak/no reception for a lot of that too.
Given how small the battery is, it's really quite impressive
Really impressed with this phone so far.
The only issue I am having with my 3a is that I have always used Messenger lite (Facebook) for my messaging app. For some reason, a lot of the time the notifications don't show up after the phone has been locked for a while, until I go into the phone and it picks it up or sometimes until I go into the app.
I have notifications turned on and see no reason for them not to always come through and be visible on the lockscreen. Is this just the Doze feature being a bit too aggressive?
Ah I can't answer that, sorry. I use greenify to sleep my apps, including
social media apps. I only want to use them when I want to use them, you know?
So mine stay asleep until I open them manually.
That is okay. It doesn't do it all the time, I think it's mostly when the phones been sat idle for a while.
captain sideways said:
Well, whereas I am quite happy with my 3a, my rule for buying (any) tech stuff is to but the best that you can afford at the time. I got my 3a cos it was the best I could afford at the time but if I'd had the money, I would have gotten a 3xl or a 4. Sorry if this isn't helpful, just thought I'd share a bit of my process. I guess the conclusion would be if you can afford the 4, then get the 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. And believe me, your post IS helpfull.
Greetz,
0LDST4R
_-_-_-_-_
gman88667733 said:
The only issue I am having with my 3a is that I have always used Messenger lite (Facebook) for my messaging app. For some reason, a lot of the time the notifications don't show up after the phone has been locked for a while, until I go into the phone and it picks it up or sometimes until I go into the app.
I have notifications turned on and see no reason for them not to always come through and be visible on the lockscreen. Is this just the Doze feature being a bit too aggressive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can exclude the fb messanger app from doze (battery optimization) in settings, its in apps and notifications -> special app access, in batter optimization choose to ahow all apps.
Maybe that helps. But could also be an fb bug.
Cheers. Glad you like that phone, for ne it's the best phone i ever had, it just works.
For some reason this second charge has started off worse. I suppose it'll take a few days to fully settle and let the adaptive battery feature set up.
gman88667733 said:
Got the 3a with me now.
So far, so good! An added bonus is that it has WiFi calling, which I thought it did not.
Display is nice, size is good. Feels nice without a case on, but not sure I'm brave enough to run it without a case!
Speed seems fine, smooth and quick enough for me so far
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gman88667733 said:
The only issue I am having with my 3a is that I have always used Messenger lite (Facebook) for my messaging app. For some reason, a lot of the time the notifications don't show up after the phone has been locked for a while, until I go into the phone and it picks it up or sometimes until I go into the app.
I have notifications turned on and see no reason for them not to always come through and be visible on the lockscreen. Is this just the Doze feature being a bit too aggressive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gman88667733 said:
For some reason this second charge has started off worse. I suppose it'll take a few days to fully settle and let the adaptive battery feature set up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will settle in a day or 2, youve got to remember that in the first few days of a new toy there's all the setting up/copying data/etc as well but the battery will learn your normal usage. Here's a screen grab from my Better Battery Stats, it's a pretty good %pH.
The annoying thing currently is that I've just changed my bedroom in my house, there is currently no cell or WiFi reception in it, so it dropped 15% last night because it was searching for them all night. Hoping to sort the WiFi in a few days
Related
Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy S8, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy S8 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
I can't believe I'm saying this but I love it! Other than that dumb fingerprint scanner :| Ughhh I just use pattern! feels really strange to use pattern thesedays
It also has that good old samsung lag and stutter but it's much more acceptable now. It stutters and it's nowhere near smooth 60fps but not torture either!
IT'S ALSO SOOOO goood in your hands! my s7 edge wasn't very nice to hold without a case
I love love love regular S8 but battery life is a real bummer
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Love it too, wish the snapdragon ver had root with magish
Lots of love on this thread!!
I know Im a bit late to the party, (I always wait about 3 - 6 months before buying a flagship, so the bugs get sorted) but I Just got my regular S8 (Ive used an S8+, but in UK... the + is STILL an extra £10p/month on contract).. and yep... I love it too.. its awesome and Bixby is actually useful and interesting now... Unlike HTC who have done Nothing with Sense Companion at all..
My only gripe with the S8 over the S8+ is the tinney speaker on the S8... the S8+ sounds far better and a bit louder as well... but on the whole... awesome phone.
I did the pre-order via BestBuy and luckily qualified for and recieved the 256gb sd card, AKG headphones along with the VR headset. So in that respect, extremely happy.
The phone itself is very good. The camera & video can be excellent especially in sunlight, night shots are good too.
With 64GB space I can take over 2000 pics and videos before I have to download and erase.
Speaking of space, one thing I have been waiting for, for years is the ability to hold all my mp3s on one device. The 256gb card does it for me. I think there's 40k odd songs on it right now. Of course during all this time of waiting, it's not really that important anymore with all the streaming services available. I have amazon prime/unlimited music so...
Speedwise I can't complain, I just pulled 50Mbps this afternoon on my local tower. The camera is mostly quick to respond though I miss the shake to wake camera app my last Moto had.
Biggest non-love is the screen. Not a fan of the long and skinny aspect ratio. I think the S7 Edge with 5.5" is the better form factor, but I had an S6 and didn't want an immediate upgrade, I usually skip a year. But really other than that I like everything about the S8. Does everything I want it to without complaining. Can't get much better than that!
---------- Post added at 12:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 AM ----------
..oh yeah Bixby. WTF is that stupid thing anyway? What a dumb name. Useless button. I wish they'd just kill it off, give it a graceful death and let the button be assigned in settings. sorry for the neg in the love thread but somebody had to say it
battery life? turn off sync
cricketgirl90 said:
I love love love regular S8 but battery life is a real bummer
(Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? How about turning off Sync and manually syncing only when you need to. I get the word "smart" is placed in front of the word "phone" but the real use of the device is as a PHONE. For any other use, even Samsung sells that "dock" thing where you *can* use the phone as an android desktop-like replacement, but even there, its plugged in while in that use!
Because I'm not constantly checking emails and not using those communications apps that many of your type of person seems to use, I don't need Sync turned on, and would rather have the option to do manual sync on EVERY app, where some fail this (or have in the past) requiring lots of extra steps too get them to sync when you want to ...
Its that constant SYNC of data that you aren't using *right now* that is always draining your battery. Otherwise I'm sure you're not complaining that you use all these apps all the time, and by nature of the fact that using memory and processing capabilities actually USE power from the only source it has (the battery) .. right?
Its not the same argument as the recent Iphone garbage where Apple was caught deliberately slowing down the processing to conserve battery draws to maximize the length of time the "smart" in the smartphone could actually run.. nor is the battery life an issue with regards to the explosive fire causing nature of the previous note gen phone right?
Or do you actually think you should be able to play racing games on your phone for hours at a time, without consequence? or have constant wireless or cellular data in use downloading or just even CHECKING for updates regardless if there are any ..
I don't begrudge your type of user from wanting more battery life, but you have to accept the responsibility for your actions too .. if you wanted longer battery life, you'd need to chose options more accordingly. This phone has no "user replaceable" battery, and in days of old, companies would make extra capacity batteries and would include a new back cover for your phone to allow for the bigger battery bulge..
I don't like the saying .. but its true in this case .. It is what it is. The battery will only last as long as the power draining apps you run can be sustained.
PS/Edit: by the way on my S8 I'm getting nearly 2 days of use, I play 4 games regularly, but none of them that require constant processing power, so the largest use of that power is the screen being on. And with that, I manually lower the brightness so that it is less than what the "auto" setting would use.
and an FYI ... anything that does "location" work ... thats a big energy hog too .. geo location with satellites is yet another battery drain. Social heart-beat apps too how do you think they know where you are or you know where they are? ... close proximity broadcasting and data transmissions .. you either find out through Bluetooth or a combination of that plus Geo-Location sent back to their servers .. data data data and MORE data.. ... read that as battery zapping bits moving about when you don't need them ... wanna know if your friend is close by? how about looking up and away from your phone for a minute?
I did like my s8 UNTILL all the adds started, now its none stop with adds, so as a life timer haven a samsung phone, i now have decided to switch over to a iphone, simply due to iphones are not having the intrusive add issues samsung has going on, so to sum this up you at samsung are going to loose alot of customers because of the adds you think u must put out, so ill say good bye to samsung shortly and start a new chapter with my new iphone, you guys must realize u made the phone we buy the phone it now becomes our phones and if we wanted all the adds we would go online and get them, we dont want all the adds like you have now, get rid of these adds and you will gain back lost customers
ImdaGOonch said:
I did like my s8 UNTILL all the adds started, now its none stop with adds, so as a life timer haven a samsung phone, i now have decided to switch over to a iphone, simply due to iphones are not having the intrusive add issues samsung has going on, so to sum this up you at samsung are going to loose alot of customers because of the adds you think u must put out, so ill say good bye to samsung shortly and start a new chapter with my new iphone, you guys must realize u made the phone we buy the phone it now becomes our phones and if we wanted all the adds we would go online and get them, we dont want all the adds like you have now, get rid of these adds and you will gain back lost customers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ads? What ads were you getting? And when did they start? Which cellular carrier?
The only thing with ads in them are the apps you use. Example Visual Voicemail .. the current version of it you either pay for it, or you get ads, regardless if you're using the full extent of the program or just using the basic version of it. And so in a case like that, the answer is simple really .. don't use that app, I mean like ever.
Other than visual voicemail there hasn't been any samsung included app on mine (under Boostmobile) that generated ads, external to using the app and even with visual voicemail, it won't show you ads unless you're actually using the app. I do have gripes that the basic apps that came with the phone lost some of the features that were in the older (other) generations of the phone but in 60 days of use not one ad ever.
Yes i love the s8 honestly i love this phone so much. roms custom kernels, hacking the samsung them strore doing all the crazy stuff getting 35 hours battery time on single charge listing to 16 hours of music time that display is so cool even that iphone X is suppose to befaster or whatever the S8 is so much better lol the only phone i consider to bay after i had my s8 since is it came out about year ago was the Note8 but it was to big:
I can get 35h off the charger and 7 hours of SOT with mine. I don't have any complaints whatsoever. Root isn't even a necessity for me anymore because there's so many built in features.
I came from multiple iphones (before them I had android devices). I must say this phone is awesome! Only thing I would like to be better is sot. I can only have 3/3,30h...
ImdaGOonch said:
I did like my s8 UNTILL all the adds started, now its none stop with adds, so as a life timer haven a samsung phone, i now have decided to switch over to a iphone, simply due to iphones are not having the intrusive add issues samsung has going on, so to sum this up you at samsung are going to loose alot of customers because of the adds you think u must put out, so ill say good bye to samsung shortly and start a new chapter with my new iphone, you guys must realize u made the phone we buy the phone it now becomes our phones and if we wanted all the adds we would go online and get them, we dont want all the adds like you have now, get rid of these adds and you will gain back lost customers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this dude SERIOUS??
I'm in the first love with my S8 omg the screen and size , performance , sound it has them all!!! I'm running stock 7.0
Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk
verytobyb said:
I'm in the first love with my S8 omg the screen and size , performance , sound it has them all!!! I'm running stock 7.0
Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You gotta update to 9.0. :good:
Settler11 said:
You gotta update to 9.0. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i did!! and i live the New gestures features i dont use navigation bar anymore
This is such an amazing Phone its sad ghat se are not going to receive any more updates
Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk
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
I have had this device since launch in January 2019. I just wanted to see how everyone is finding it long term really.
Personally I have no complaints. It is so good. In pretty much every aspect. Almost the perfect device I would say. Battery life is still a champ almost 2 years later. Performance is top notch. No slowdowns at all. Ram management and multitasking is very good (as long as you turn off the auto app launch management that is). Screen is awesome. Best LCD I have used as far as I can recall.
Android 10 updated. Design is fantastic. It was the OG pinch hole all screen display I remember, which was the reason I picked it up initially at launch.
I am so surprised how well it has held up. I have tried multiple devices since. Huawei mate 20x and pixel 4A, my old iPhone 7 and galaxy s8. All have only reinforced how good the V20 is. I always go back to it.
I just got the pixel 4A this week and using that back and forth with the v20 now. If I had to get rid of one it would be the pixel. But fortunately I don't have to, so will keep both.
Just wanted to give my thoughts on very long term use really. I have used the v20 every single day bar a week or two over the last 22 months. It is so good.
Such a shame this Huawei / Honor trade ban and how it is affecting Google services on their newer devices. Huawei make some incredible devices. Thankfully the v20 is not affected.
Hey man,
I've got the view20 in march/April of 2019 and it has been amazing. I really enjoy the camera and night mode, which has prevented my from buying any new phone. Also the new features that came with magic UI 3 (swipe bottom left to right for app switching) has made it more current. Agreed the punch hole means the phone still looks on top of trend. Unfortunately I don't enjoy the size and weight of the phone as I prefer smaller phones and the 12 mini is tempting but I genuinely picked the view 20 for the long lasting LCD screen.
All around great phone!
Yep it is fantastic device. Cannot overstate in anyway how good it is.
I agree about the size, though it does not bother me as much. It is a big as I would probably go for big phones I've realised.
I'm also leaning more towards smaller devices nowadays. Funny you mention the 12 mini. I've also been looking at it but not too sure on the battery life. Seems a small cell which is the norm for apple. Besides I am enjoying the Pixel 4A quite a bit at the moment. It is a lot of fun using both a small and big phone. You really see the differences and appreciate both for different reasons. Especially when both perform extremely well in almost all areas.
It's the end of an era.... Well maybe not quite as dramatic! I've made the very hard decision to let my V20 go. Decided to go full on with the smaller form factor going forward. iPhone 12 mini and pixel 4a! I can only hope they stand the test of time somewhere close to the v20. They both have a tough act to follow for sure. This had been easily the best all around smartphone I've ever used. Cannot fault it at all. It's just my compulsive need to change smartphones which has lead me to move on. If anyone is considering a v20 going forward, take it from someone who has used the life out of this thing for almost two years, it is a champ! In every department. Stands the test of time unlike any other phone I've used before. Battery and performance still incredible now.
Bought April 2019, in the Middle East. And used in the UK and globally (in the old days when we had flying machines)
To date, I cannot fault the hardware. The 8 GB Ram and 256 storage are more than enough for my needs. Battery lasts for up to 2+day, or 36 hours when I've done an all night shift. Continues to perform well well and fantastic feature set like app twinning and privatr6area. No performance issues and updates are timely
I have reviewed several alternatives primarily keeping an eye on the Samsung Note line. I cannot see any reason to justify the cost of the moving to £1000+ phone ant see any difference.
The critical factor will be suport for Google Apps. If/ when that is lost, then time to move on compatability is critical.
There are rumours Huawei will spin of Honer, which would be great, but not sure the timescales will be favorable to the survival of my phone.
Annoying, as the primary reason for.th Huawei sanctions are commercial, (give US companies a lead. In 5g). But. The knock oon might be a 3rd global player in the mobile OS space. That won't be good for Google, security or quality of apps available to all parties.
Just to let you know, Android 11 support has been added with Magic UI 4.0
So late 2020 seems to be a good year!
Did you get the update already?
modelno1 said:
Did you get the update already?
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Click to collapse
No but I can see it in firmware finder, depends on what region you are in for me it's still not approved
Good to see you guys still enjoying this fantastic device. I'm back again with another Huawei...lol. got the P30. Very similar to the v20 I think. Main difference is just the display is oled. I do really like Huawei / Honor devices. I heard Honor is being sold off. Don't know if that's a good thing or not yet. But for sure the V20 is the business.
Hey what happened with the 12 mini? I've been thinking of getting bit but worried about battery life. The honor is just too big for me but does everything right, so reluctant to change
Fonesrgood said:
Hey what happened with the 12 mini? I've been thinking of getting bit but worried about battery life. The honor is just too big for me but does everything right, so reluctant to change
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still have the 12 mini. It is my main device. Battery for me is very very good. No exaggeration. I don't play any graphically intense games though so bear that in mind.
I easily make it through the day and then some. Over 4 hours screen on time comfortably. I don't know how they are doing it with a 2200 cell really. I also turn off 5G. So only 4G in use. I don't know again how much of a difference that makes. But as long as you are not a big gamer into graphically intense games, I think you will be very happy and pleasantly surprised with the mini's battery.
I also been using the mate 30 as secondary device. Again, very very nice.
Do I miss the V20? In all honesty sometimes yes. It is such a great phone. Just about the only thing I would have added would have been an IP rating perhaps. And that's just nitpicking... Everything else fantastic. But wanted a smaller one handed device for now.
Hi everyone,
I've just bought "by error " this phone ( don't tell my gf I wanted it badly ) and, since I didn't watch any review I have few questions ( I think it will surprise me )
1. Battery: I'm on a Pixel 4 XL now and I had battery drain issues only after updating it to Android 12. The rooted out LOS inside and fixed the problem. It doesn't have 5g and a bigger battery than the flip. Will this phone arrive at the end of the day? Disabling 5G will save me some power? I don't really use the phone more than a normal person but I need it to get me to the end of the day without problems.
2. Screen: looks a bit fragile to me yet saw few cracked screens because of the cold weather. I live in Italy and we don't go under 0 degrees usually ( probably I will sell it first of the next winter ) did anyone had this problem or ar just isolated casualties.
Still on the screen, how many times would it open and close without breaking?
3. Day by day: how do you feel it in a day by day use? Did you get used to the folding system or not? How much ergonomic is it? Is 1 hand usage possible?
I like how it looks but I've never managed to have one in my hand I hope it will surprise me.
Physically play with one before you purchase, this goes for any phone.
What seems insignificant in pictures can be a lot different in real life. When I was considering the S10+ vs the N10+. I was undecided until I had both in front of me. I took a grand total of 5 seconds to go with the N10+. In spite of the similarities the subtle differences of the form factor were striking. After which the differences in the images were crystal clear to me.
Usually I do but not this time. I felt so confident that I've bought it and I don't even need a new phone. Pixel 4xl is in great condition and still does the job pretty well.
Good times when I've used to play games on the phones or rooting those just because are gone. Now I just use the phone as a phone, texting, browsing, socials 1 minutes every 2 days, Google calendar and excel
MySelf_v1 said:
Usually I do but not this time. I felt so confident that I've bought it and I don't even need a new phone. Pixel 4xl is in great condition and still does the job pretty well.
Good times when I've used to play games on the phones or rooting those just because are gone. Now I just use the phone as a phone, texting, browsing, socials 1 minutes every 2 days, Google calendar and excel
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Click to collapse
That might work out fine for you then. It doesn't meet my needs criteria. I'll likely be running my two N10+'s for years.
Enjoy
blackhawk said:
That might work out fine for you then. It doesn't meet my needs criteria. I'll likely be running my two N10+'s for years.
Enjoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will for sure, wanted a phone that fits in my pocket for years. Hopefully this will. Thought to sell my pixel but I think I'll keep it, just in case as I kept my Blackberry KeyOne just in case and all the others just in case ( I'm the proud owner of an HTC Desire and a ChaCha, do you remember those? )
As someone who actually owns the phone, I can tell you the battery life is not great left unchecked. If you don't use 5G, it will save a bit. Disabling any features you don't use will save more. Stock comes with virtually everything enabled. Always on display, edge panels, and 100 different gestures are all running and don't need to be if you don't use them.
The crease is an eye sore that first day. People will tell you that you stop noticing it and I honestly didn't believe it. It is true. You eventually stop noticing it unless you are at just the right angle (almost eye level with it folded open).
It's not as fragile as it seems. If you don't stab it, you should be fine. The protector is decent quality, but most issues you'll see are with rough environments or a peel that started and couldn't be left alone. As for folding and unfolding, it is meant to withstand more than most will do in a week per day.
One thing to keep in mind is that the hinge gets dirty easily and that can be a problem. Wipe it off before you open it. Make sure not to get junk in the screen before you close it.
Take the first 14 days seriously. It's easy to tell someone how it looked on paper or even to try it yourself in a store, but that isn't your day to day life. You can't know how folding and unfolding when a call comes in is like standing in a Best Buy. It is a lot different when you aren't consciously thinking about it. If you still feel awkward after a week, start filling out the return.
MySelf_v1 said:
I will for sure, wanted a phone that fits in my pocket for years. Hopefully this will. Thought to sell my pixel but I think I'll keep it, just in case as I kept my Blackberry KeyOne just in case and all the others just in case ( I'm the proud owner of an HTC Desire and a ChaCha, do you remember those? )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always wanted a HTC for it's audio.
Never saw the ChaCha, that's an interesting critter. Laid out for texting...
Definitely keep a backup as it takes the pressure off you if you need to do repairs. The main reason I have 2 N10+'s now.
twistedumbrella said:
As someone who actually owns the phone, I can tell you the battery life is not great left unchecked. If you don't use 5G, it will save a bit. Disabling any features you don't use will save more. Stock comes with virtually everything enabled. Always on display, edge panels, and 100 different gestures are all running and don't need to be if you don't use them.
The crease is an eye sore that first day. People will tell you that you stop noticing it and I honestly didn't believe it. It is true. You eventually stop noticing it unless you are at just the right angle (almost eye level with it folded open).
It's not as fragile as it seems. If you don't stab it, you should be fine. The protector is decent quality, but most issues you'll see are with rough environments or a peel that started and couldn't be left alone. As for folding and unfolding, it is meant to withstand more than most will do in a week per day.
One thing to keep in mind is that the hinge gets dirty easily and that can be a problem. Wipe it off before you open it. Make sure not to get junk in the screen before you close it.
Take the first 14 days seriously. It's easy to tell someone how it looked on paper or even to try it yourself in a store, but that isn't your day to day life. You can't know how folding and unfolding when a call comes in is like standing in a Best Buy. It is a lot different when you aren't consciously thinking about it. If you still feel awkward after a week, start filling out the return.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you think debloating it or flashing a custom ROM ( even I I would like to keep the samsung-ment experience on this phone ) will save a bit more battery?
Are there useless apps preinstalled ?
MySelf_v1 said:
Do you think debloating it or flashing a custom ROM ( even I I would like to keep the samsung-ment experience on this phone ) will save a bit more battery?
Are there useless apps preinstalled ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I missed if you mentioned getting the unlocked or carrier version. If it's a carrier version, there is any of the carrier stuff you don't want. If it's unlocked, it's mostly third-party apps. Honestly, most of that uninstalls now. Anything that can't be uninstalled or disabled can just as easily be removed with an adb command.
It's things, such as Netflix, that Samsung thinks you wouldn't be able to find easily if they didn't include it for you (although it isn't that ridiculous of a thought anymore). There was very little that actually required any sort of advanced removal, which is one advantage of getting a newer phone. In the last couple years, the extras that used to be system apps are now being preloaded as user apps the same as if you had installed them. You also have the option during setup to opt out of a lot. Google still forces it's garbage on you to complete setup, but that can be uninstalled as soon as that's complete (or you can leave the notice telling you to finish setup running indefinitely).
The biggest task is going through the settings and deciding what you will use and what is running sensors without any real necessity. I also recommend Galaxy Max Hz. It will yield a noticeable increase in battery life, even without much configuration at all.
[App]Galaxy Max Hz (Refresh Rate Mods, Screen-off Mods, QS Tiles, Tasker Support and More)
About this app: Refresh Rate Control: Easily control the max refresh rate (Hz) of android devices with multiple refresh rates (e.g. note20 ultra, s20/S20+/S20Ultra, z fold 2, s21/s21+/s21Ultra, tab S7/S7+, z fold 3, z flip 3). This app can limit...
forum.xda-developers.com
I've had mind since about November and I can say my battery life is decent around a day and a half with 50/50 screen on and off
Thank you for answering, I'll come back with more questions probably in few days ( says it's shipped from Netherlands ).
Btw its an unlocked version, last time I've bought a carrier version of a phone it's sucked badly.
Hello!
I noticed there's a trade-in program at the Google Store for the 6a. I currently have a Pixel 4a. It's working fine, a bit slow and stuttery sometimes (but maybe that's because I'm using a ROM with an overwhelming amount of features), but otherwise it's okay.
I could trade it in for €275 if it was in perfect condition. I have accidentally dropped it once, so there's a tiny crack in the plastic on the top left of the phone. The screen isn't cracked or anything, it's purely aesthetic. Worst case scenario, I can trade it in for €199, which would mean I could buy a 6a for at most €260.
I've heard a lot of bad stuff about the 6a, so I'm very hesitant about this upgrade. Paying 260 euros for a new Pixel sounds like an amazing deal to me.
Is the fingerprint reader really that slow? Is the display truly choppy? Does the phone really constantly overheat even after the first few days of setting it up? Are the connectivity issues a thing for real?
Should I just stick to my 4a for another year or two, and then look at what's on the market?
I've had a great experience with the 6a. A lot of the issues that were out there have been fixed for the most part imo. Hot phone, etc. - have been fixed with the upgrade to 13, and even better with the Quarterly update if you are a beta tester. At this point most people out there say, like me, the experience is pretty damn great - even better if you get the trade in money. I upgraded from the 3a - same story - I had it rom'd out and it ran fine enough, but with the $300 trade in it was a no brainer. For me - taxes, shipping, case and screen protector - I'm out of pocket 189 for a phone that really is worth 450...can't beat that.
I've also rooted, added the MVK kernel - this can't be more snappier. Also keep in mind that development has just started so more options are on the way. GL
Take pictures or video of your old phone from all angles. Google/3rd party WILL try to rip you off any way they can. They will try to say your battery exploded or your perfectly funcioning LCD screen has major LCD damage. Crap like that. So protect yourself beforehand.
My perspective having 2 4a's trading one for a 6a and trading a OnePlus 7t for another 6a.
I have a 6 which is my backup/backup just for camera, it's a little bit larger than I like.
I kept a 4a as emergency backup. Positive stuff; faster, bigger screen will have a long support for updates. Bargain pricing.
You mentioned a different kernel / ROM so let's use the history of 4a vs 4... 4a was not supported by developers in same numbers as 4. Currently the existing resources on 6a vs 6 it looks the same, as you can see. I am hoping that just the sheer numbers of 6a being pushed into market that will change... likely depends on October new phone releases? If you need 5g well it's not a question then.
If you don't need 5g, the biggest disappointment will be battery life...No way will a 6a will compete with a 4a on absolute longevity on one charge cycle. I would guess in my use it's HALF, yes seems impossible but that's after daily use of both in same locations and usage.
I had a 4a (stock with Android 13) and I did the trade-in for a 6a. The trade-in went smoothly for me, and I got the value I was expecting for the 4a ($300). Since I have owned the 6a (stock android 13 w/Sept. update), It has improved. The fingerprint sensor under the screen has gotten better. It still misses every so often. It still isn't quite as good as the rear fingerprint sensor of the 4a. The battery life has improved a lot for me. As of typing this it is 3:34 PM and I am at 80%. I unplugged it at 6:40 AM. It is on Wi-Fi most of the day and it's fairly light usage. The camera processing is loads faster than on the 4a. It is also nice to have a wide-angle lens. The software touches with the 6a are nice, magic eraser is especially fun. The speech to text is especially good and fast. The phone itself feels a lot higher quality especially compared to the 4a. The more and longer I use the 6a, the more I like it.
mmead1143 said:
I've had a great experience with the 6a. A lot of the issues that were out there have been fixed for the most part imo. Hot phone, etc. - have been fixed with the upgrade to 13, and even better with the Quarterly update if you are a beta tester. At this point most people out there say, like me, the experience is pretty damn great - even better if you get the trade in money. I upgraded from the 3a - same story - I had it rom'd out and it ran fine enough, but with the $300 trade in it was a no brainer. For me - taxes, shipping, case and screen protector - I'm out of pocket 189 for a phone that really is worth 450...can't beat that.
I've also rooted, added the MVK kernel - this can't be more snappier. Also keep in mind that development has just started so more options are on the way. GL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
kkjb said:
If you don't need 5g, the biggest disappointment will be battery life...No way will a 6a will compete with a 4a on absolute longevity on one charge cycle. I would guess in my use it's HALF, yes seems impossible but that's after daily use of both in same locations and usage.
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Click to collapse
aaronzimm75 said:
The battery life has improved a lot for me.
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How's the battery life for you guys? I guess I get about 2-4 hours of SOT with my 4a. That of course depends on a lot of things. I travel quite frequently nowadays (usually about 2 - 2.5 hours by train/bus), so I usually listen to Spotify or watch some videos on YouTube. I guess the crappy connectivity while traveling by train + music streaming isn't always easy on the battery. Also, I use YouTube Vanced, and it does this weird thing where while watching some certain videos, the phone gets crazy hot (and obviously drains the battery quickly), watching other videos is just fine.
I use ACC, so I only charge the battery to 75%. I was at home this weekend, barely used my phone at all, it drained to like 45%, so standby time is okay, but I really have no idea what my usual daily battery usage (for the lack of a better term) is.
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smokejumper76 said:
Take pictures or video of your old phone from all angles. Google/3rd party WILL try to rip you off any way they can. They will try to say your battery exploded or your perfectly funcioning LCD screen has major LCD damage. Crap like that. So protect yourself beforehand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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aaronzimm75 said:
The fingerprint sensor under the screen has gotten better. It still misses every so often. It still isn't quite as good as the rear fingerprint sensor of the 4a.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How unreliable is it? The 4a's fingerprint reader has never failed on me. Luckily not even when I was out and needed to access something on my phone instantly.
Just by looking up some recent(-ish) videos on YouTube, it seems like the phone needs anywhere from about half a second to a full second to unlock. I guess it's not so much about how long it takes, but how accurate it actually is. Could you guys give me an estimate (of course it doesn't have to be an exact measurement, more just how consistent it feels to you) of how many times the phone fails to correctly read your finger so you have to re-place it on the reader?
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kkjb said:
You mentioned a different kernel / ROM so let's use the history of 4a vs 4... 4a was not supported by developers in same numbers as 4. Currently the existing resources on 6a vs 6 it looks the same, as you can see. I am hoping that just the sheer numbers of 6a being pushed into market that will change... likely depends on October new phone releases?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before my 4a I had a OnePlus 3T, rooted it on day one and soon got really fond of ResurrectionRemix. When I switched to the 4a (almost two years ago, damn, time flies fast), I hadn't tinkered with it for over a year I think. Even now, there are barely any regularly maintained custom ROMs for it. From what I can tell, the modding community is ever-so-slowly dying off. I guess it doesn't help that Google and other OEMs make it more difficult for us to tinker with out devices every year.
That being said, I'm not considering a 6a because of many custom things there are for it. Honestly, if there was a way to limit charging speed, and set a maximum charge level, I probably wouldn't even root. I have gotten to a point in my life where reliability is much more of a priority than endless customization
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One thing I forgot to add to my original post is another reason why I'm hesitant with this upgrade:
Surely, the trade-in option helps a lot, I could essentially get a brand new phone for half its price, which is virtually unbeatable. But if I look past that, and I was about to actually need to buy a new phone, thus look at what my options are, I'm not 100% sure my choice would land on a Pixel. Definitely going to have to look into it (and do it quickly, since the trade-in is only until the 24th).
I traded my 4a in for $300 off and a free pair of Pixel Buds a too during the pre-launch sale, so 'all in' my 6a was only $50 so it'd take a LOT to make me regret the 6a. As stated already, yeah it had it's teething period at first like most new phones. Most have been sorted out tho. I don't mind the FP scanner taking a slightly 'paused' touch/release to unlock...I got used to it pretty quick thus it stopped buggin' me as well. Too help w/batt life and tweaking, I rooted and added my favs plus a batt mod or 2. Above all, besides the $300 + Buds...it knowing I have the same CPU under the hood as the P6 Pro...for less than HALF the price and even less out-of-pocket. My only wish is a 6" 90Hz screen vs. the 6.1" @ 60Hz. Here's to hoping the 90Hz o/c tweak makes it's way into the custom kernel releases sooner than later!
Lada333 said:
How's the battery life for you guys? I guess I get about 2-4 hours of SOT with my 4a. That of course depends on a lot of things. I travel quite frequently nowadays (usually about 2 - 2.5 hours by train/bus), so I usually listen to Spotify or watch some videos on YouTube. I guess the crappy connectivity while traveling by train + music streaming isn't always easy on the battery. Also, I use YouTube Vanced, and it does this weird thing where while watching some certain videos, the phone gets crazy hot (and obviously drains the battery quickly), watching other videos is just fine.
I use ACC, so I only charge the battery to 75%. I was at home this weekend, barely used my phone at all, it drained to like 45%, so standby time is okay, but I really have no idea what my usual daily battery usage (for the lack of a better term) is.
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Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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How unreliable is it? The 4a's fingerprint reader has never failed on me. Luckily not even when I was out and needed to access something on my phone instantly.
Just by looking up some recent(-ish) videos on YouTube, it seems like the phone needs anywhere from about half a second to a full second to unlock. I guess it's not so much about how long it takes, but how accurate it actually is. Could you guys give me an estimate (of course it doesn't have to be an exact measurement, more just how consistent it feels to you) of how many times the phone fails to correctly read your finger so you have to re-place it on the reader?
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Before my 4a I had a OnePlus 3T, rooted it on day one and soon got really fond of ResurrectionRemix. When I switched to the 4a (almost two years ago, damn, time flies fast), I hadn't tinkered with it for over a year I think. Even now, there are barely any regularly maintained custom ROMs for it. From what I can tell, the modding community is ever-so-slowly dying off. I guess it doesn't help that Google and other OEMs make it more difficult for us to tinker with out devices every year.
That being said, I'm not considering a 6a because of many custom things there are for it. Honestly, if there was a way to limit charging speed, and set a maximum charge level, I probably wouldn't even root. I have gotten to a point in my life where reliability is much more of a priority than endless customization
---
One thing I forgot to add to my original post is another reason why I'm hesitant with this upgrade:
Surely, the trade-in option helps a lot, I could essentially get a brand new phone for half its price, which is virtually unbeatable. But if I look past that, and I was about to actually need to buy a new phone, thus look at what my options are, I'm not 100% sure my choice would land on a Pixel. Definitely going to have to look into it (and do it quickly, since the trade-in is only until the 24th).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life - obviously super specific to each individual's usage, preferences etc. So I'll give you a comparison. On my 3a, a 100% full charge beginning most day's, up at 530a, workout - work etc. I'd come home at 5p at about 35-40% left on the battery. Light usage and I have wifi at the office. With the 6a, the same day I come home at about 45-50%. So it's a tich better. I notice NO performance difference with battery saver mode on (not the extreme version) and for fun, I run the phone with the same daily schedule above - I come home at like 70% battery left and honestly, I see no difference in performance. - Keep in mind I'm also rooted and running MVK.
Trade in - was slick as snot for me. I got the full $300 about 10 days after the 6a arrived. I know some people video tape the trade in phone etc - I did none of that and had no issues.
Fingerprint is working 100% with the 13 upgrade. I was on the 13 standards, then went with the Beta 13 - no issues since both upgrades. It is a tich different feel an the 3a. On the 3a the back sensor was automatic. With the 6a, you kind of "press into" the screen. But it works everytime - perfect now. It's very reliable now for me.
Customization - I'm about the same. Stock Android is pretty great these days and there's not much of a reason to rom like there was 10 years ago. I have root simply to update the kernel. I've had MVK running and the phone can't be any more snappy than it is to be honest. Other than that I'm 100% stock and have no complaints.
GL
Zaxx32 said:
I traded my 4a in for $300 off and a free pair of Pixel Buds a too during the pre-launch sale, so 'all in' my 6a was only $50 so it'd take a LOT to make me regret the 6a. As stated already, yeah it had it's teething period at first like most new phones. Most have been sorted out tho. I don't mind the FP scanner taking a slightly 'paused' touch/release to unlock...I got used to it pretty quick thus it stopped buggin' me as well. Too help w/batt life and tweaking, I rooted and added my favs plus a batt mod or 2. Above all, besides the $300 + Buds...it knowing I have the same CPU under the hood as the P6 Pro...for less than HALF the price and even less out-of-pocket. My only wish is a 6" 90Hz screen vs. the 6.1" @ 60Hz. Here's to hoping the 90Hz o/c tweak makes it's way into the custom kernel releases sooner than later!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a high refresh rate monitor at home + I've used phones that have a high refresh rate display. As much as I love them, it's not a dealbreaker for me, luckily. Sure, the animations and scrolling looks a lot smoother, but at the end of the day, it makes no difference when watching videos or reading articles/browsing Reddit.
mmead1143 said:
Battery life - obviously super specific to each individual's usage, preferences etc. So I'll give you a comparison. On my 3a, a 100% full charge beginning most day's, up at 530a, workout - work etc. I'd come home at 5p at about 35-40% left on the battery. Light usage and I have wifi at the office. With the 6a, the same day I come home at about 45-50%. So it's a tich better. I notice NO performance difference with battery saver mode on (not the extreme version) and for fun, I run the phone with the same daily schedule above - I come home at like 70% battery left and honestly, I see no difference in performance. - Keep in mind I'm also rooted and running MVK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Notice any difference between Snapdragon and Tensor SOC? IIRC Tensor is basically just a customized Exynos from Samsung, so both performance and root-wise it should be very similar to Snapdragon, right?
mmead1143 said:
Trade in - was slick as snot for me. I got the full $300 about 10 days after the 6a arrived. I know some people video tape the trade in phone etc - I did none of that and had no issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Making photos and recording a video beforehand didn't cross my mind before smokejumper's comment in this thread. I wouldn't assume Google would want to "rip me off," but I guess it never hurts to record some proof - just in case.
6a gets you security updates at least until July 2027. Your 4a, only until August 2023.
As far as trade-in, sounds like you still get a good deal - when I traded in a couple of 3as a month ago, trade-in credit was $300 ($295 with cracked display). Now it's $200/165 for both 3a and 4a, so it sounds like you currently get a better deal than in the US.
Lada333 said:
Notice any difference between Snapdragon and Tensor SOC? IIRC Tensor is basically just a customized Exynos from Samsung, so both performance and root-wise it should be very similar to Snapdragon, right?
Making photos and recording a video beforehand didn't cross my mind before smokejumper's comment in this thread. I wouldn't assume Google would want to "rip me off," but I guess it never hurts to record some proof - just in case.
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I don't notice any differences in the differing CPUs but honestly - I'm the worst person to ask I don't have the technical know-how to see nuanced advances. So no clue on comparison - but this phone is fast as ****. That's my "professional" opinion haha!
Lada333 said:
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Have you tried to trade your device in with Google before? Can you tell us a bit more about your experience with them?
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It was a first time trade-in to Google for me. The phone I traded in did not boot up correctly (4a5g). It powered on. It factory reset (despite tunefs errors and able to flash it and lock/unlock bootloader) but it would bootloop to fastboot no valid slot to boot. The screen was free of cracks and scratches. It turned on. And factory reset. The back housing had peeling near the camera. The housing had no cracks or scratches. I mailed it off nearly a month ago. And 3.5 weeks or so I got email of stated value. Instead of $300 for a device with no cracks, powers on, and factory reset they gave me $260. They said Display Damage/Major LCD damage.
Now before all this I had read various threads regarding the pixel trade in on reddit and horror stories about other people's experiences. That's where I copied what many people on there had did which was to photograph/video record the phone and its condition prior to shipping it off. I was anticipating Google to screw me over the peeling back housing. But no. They decided to screw me over the Major LCD damage that doesn't exist with blatant video evidence to prove it. So I chatted and emailed them multiple times including pictures and video of the phone. And they come back with "we are unable to alter the amount". "Heres $40 google store credit". Which is useless to me. I'm waiting for another supervisor to get back to me to tell me the same thing and that they will not be able to convert that $40 store credit to back on my CC. Has been such a hassle. Such a scam. It's not the money. It's the principle of the thing. Especially when even Google's own office drones who have seen the video and pictures agreed, otherwise they would not have given me their useless store credit. Yeah I'm bitter.
Coming from a 3a myself, and because your 4a is slightly smaller even than my 3a, the size of the 6a might hit you like it did me. I didn't expect it to make much difference, but the 6a is a 25% weight increase over the 3a & 4a and wearing lighter-weight clothes it still feels like I've got a brick in my pocket. That said, its other features are an improvement. I'm using about 10% more battery per day on average compared to the 3a, but since the 6a's battery is 50% larger it makes a big difference in the time it takes to recharge in the morning (affects my morning routines ). The fingerprint sensor is behaving well now that I've learned how to best use it and I no longer miss the rear sensor.
Overall I'm pleased with it, especially since it cost me a net $150 after the $300 trade-in (which I have yet to see, but that's another thread!).
@smokejumper76 So just to be clear, you sent in a device that didn't boot (display damage possibly, loosely defined) and they gave you $260 for a phone that basically was a door stop. And you are bitter? Now think about the time spent on the phone with tech support and supervisors and email. Do you really think the bitterness is worth your time, principle or not?
And for you and everyone else in this thread having Google issues, next time bring it in to BB and they'll give you credit on the spot. Granted it was $250 not 3 bills but the phone was only $399 not $459. They didn't even charge me and then refund me, it just came right off the purchase price.
bobby janow said:
@smokejumper76 So just to be clear, you sent in a device that didn't boot (display damage possibly, loosely defined) and they gave you $260 for a phone that basically was a door stop. And you are bitter? Now think about the time spent on the phone with tech support and supervisors and email. Do you really think the bitterness is worth your time, principle or not?
And for you and everyone else in this thread having Google issues, next time bring it in to BB and they'll give you credit on the spot. Granted it was $250 not 3 bills but the phone was only $399 not $459. They didn't even charge me and then refund me, it just came right off the purchase price.
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A device not able to boot was not a condition they imposed. A bootable device is completely different from one that powers on. And they went through the trouble to clarify every other aspect of the device including but not limited to the condition of the back housing (no deep scratches or cracks.). They should have had me on the hook for that. Therefore they can't say anything about the housing. Major LCD would constitute something obvious on the display. They said major. Like huge discoloration, smudges, deal pixels,cracks, breaks, something along those lines. And yes it was completely contrary to the device I sent in. So yes, it is worth my time. The world may be damned on what it thinks are important issues (the environment, jobs, if vaginas are owned by the state,etc.), but if we cannot even have honest and fair transactions of the mundane--Russia's nukes are the least of our problems. What can I say. I'm old fashioned. I like to hold people and companies accountable. Even if I "lose" it's a reminder for me, to not trust anyone. What? Am I going to sue them? Of course not. I don't have that right. Maybe if I lauched a car in space or my ancestors owned slaves and I had an estate, maybe. And google knows that--so they can do whatever they F they want. Like most companies. Only if it gets a rich laywer's attention were $$ is involved would anything ever happen. Hell they [companies and banks] run the countries. That's how the world works. Always has. Always will--doesnt matter what color your flag is.
TLTR: It's the whole "catching them in a lie" kind of thing. And not being able to do a damned thing about it. Yeah I know: cry me a river boo hoo.
mike.s said:
6a gets you security updates at least until July 2027. Your 4a, only until August 2023.
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I'm not necessarily concerned about security updates. I'll likely flash a custom ROM waaay before OEM support ceases for the device
rochrunner said:
Coming from a 3a myself, and because your 4a is slightly smaller even than my 3a, the size of the 6a might hit you like it did me. I didn't expect it to make much difference, but the 6a is a 25% weight increase over the 3a & 4a and wearing lighter-weight clothes it still feels like I've got a brick in my pocket. That said, its other features are an improvement. I'm using about 10% more battery per day on average compared to the 3a, but since the 6a's battery is 50% larger it makes a big difference in the time it takes to recharge in the morning (affects my morning routines ). The fingerprint sensor is behaving well now that I've learned how to best use it and I no longer miss the rear sensor.
Overall I'm pleased with it, especially since it cost me a net $150 after the $300 trade-in (which I have yet to see, but that's another thread!).
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Click to collapse
I honestly wouldn't mind the extra weight. The 4a is so light, I'm sometimes scared that the wind might blow it out of my hands.
I'm a bit sad to see that the actual device is bigger though. If I hold my 4a in my hand just the right way, I can just about reach across the screen. It truly is a shame that all budget and/or small phones are stupidly huge these days.
Happy to hear that the fingerprint sensor isn't a total flop. That was honestly one of my main concerns.
smokejumper76 said:
It's the whole "catching them in a lie" kind of thing. And not being able to do a damned thing about it.
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I do understand your frustration. I really do.
But would you be okay with receiving $260 instead of $300 if their reasoning for the deduction would've been "The back housing had peeling near the camera"? I assume you would be okay with that, right? It is physical damage. Sure, it is not a crack, by definition, but you can't blame them for not listing every possible means of physical damage that can happen to a phone, can you now?
Lada333 said:
I do understand your frustration. I really do.
But would you be okay with receiving $260 instead of $300 if their reasoning for the deduction would've been "The back housing had peeling near the camera"? I assume you would be okay with that, right? It is physical damage. Sure, it is not a crack, by definition, but you can't blame them for not listing every possible means of physical damage that can happen to a phone, can you now?
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Yes. I would have been ok with that. Granted a $40 reduction is a little harsh for a cheap plastic piece. But if they had actually straight up said that, I feel I would not really have much to say against it. But they did not. Major LCD damage is very broad. They are so specific on their trade-in details page, yet they fail to be specific when it comes to why/what failed the inspection on the traded in device.
Buy a Pixel phone & trade in your old phone for a credit - United States - Google Store Help
When you buy a new Pixel phone, you can get credit when you trade in your old phone through Google Store. Trade-in through Google Store is available in Canada, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and
support.google.com
And the fine print of the trade in makes no mention of anything other than LCD, housing, buttons, powers on, touchscreen, battery (edit see above link), hinges (if applies)...there is a bunch of things the trade in page tells you in detail that must pass inspection (note: nothing about ability to boot into OS is listed as a requirement to pass inspection merely that it powers on, factory reset, and no cracks and display works) and for them to put it under Major LCD damage when there is obviously none. Only air bubble under screen protector which I left on. My situation is exactly what others on various reddit threads about their google trade in experiences. And when I showed the video to google..I mean they would not have given me that store credit if I Iacked any credibility to my accusation. And yes I keep pressing because I know I'm right. And they admitted as such when they said something along lines of "As they found the issue from their end after the inspection"...and issues credit vs CC. And I'm like no. Put it on my card. I'm not buying overpriced/hyped earbuds. So yea. Complete waste of time but dammit I'm right. Otherwise say it was the backing or the LCD had (insert something specific) in the first place and be prepared to prove it. And the video I have which shows a blatent near pristine device (except backing..it had one of those sticky skins which peeled off a small section from back)..no. They are wrong. Does it matter?--No. Whatever right? I'm just laying this all out for others. Take pictures/video of it if you send it in, if you have to fight it out, if one even can.Good luck.
Edit: Technically one could trade in a bricked phone if it powers into rescue/download/EDL/9008 mode since technically it "powers on" and screen not "dark".