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'sup folks.
This thread is dedicated to my lovely wife who just couldn't make up her mind between One S ("kinda looks nice"), Galaxy SIII ("oh nice screen"), and iPhone5 ("when is it coming out? my 3GS feels old"). And between all 3 of them, "can i unlock them?" (in Canada, phones are locked to their ISP, so if I buy it from, say, Rogers, I can't just pop another SIM card from, say, Bell.)
So what do u guys think?
Personally, I'm an Android guy through and through. Can't fix it? Find a ROM to restore it. Boot another ROM. Root it on day one. So iPhone is out of the question. But I tend to like the look of One S better than SIII. and i had good experience with HTC phones. and SIII costs $100 more.
But she's been using iPhone3GS, love the simplicity, has no idea what 'rooting' is and why its necessary no matter how many times I explained that it's necessary for TiBackup to work... But she plays around with my Nexus7 and loves to stream Korean drama and check Facebook with it. And last time we went to Costco she saw the SIII on display and goes "oh wow, that's a nice screen. does it work like ur Nexus? I kinda want it." So mainly for her, OneS is the cheaper phone, but SIII's screen looks amazing, and she'll only be using her phone for;
a. take photos
b. facebook
c. browse the latest grocery flyers and baby product review
d. stream korean dramas
e. whatsapp
What do you think she should pick up? Or she should just wait for the next iPhone in a month or two?
Any input?
I think your wife would be better of with the One S. she doesn't really sound like an advanced user that would really care much about the spec difference. the One S is $100 cheaper and can do the things she wants to do just fine.
clubkevin11 said:
I think your wife would be better of with the One S. she doesn't really sound like an advanced user that would really care much about the spec difference. the One S is $100 cheaper and can do the things she wants to do just fine.
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Click to collapse
thanks. that's what i think too.
say, what do u think between OneS's screen vs my RAZR? just for easier comparison for her to see, rather than going down to the local mall and play with one under the watchful eyes of eager salesmen....
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5868/htc-one-s-review-international-and-tmobile/6
R3dbeaver said:
thanks. that's what i think too.
say, what do u think between OneS's screen vs my RAZR? just for easier comparison for her to see, rather than going down to the local mall and play with one under the watchful eyes of eager salesmen....
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Click to collapse
the RAZR and the HOS have the same screen, Pentile AMOLED 960x540. But i have seen many people state that the RAZR can have a yellow tint while the colors are more balanced on the HOS
Terminator19 said:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5868/htc-one-s-review-international-and-tmobile/6
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Click to collapse
nice. thanks!
so for my wife's sake, i can safely say "its like my RAZR, but the color is abit better".
I'd say 1S for your wife. Main reasons would be the superior camera and slim, sleek form factor. Honestly as much as I love my 1S I want to trade and get an S3, my hands are just too big for this thing!:screwy: but I think this is the best android phone for a woman hands down, it's a sexy device that's for sure.
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using xda app-developers app
1S the best for sure...
To be hones I have not realy used the S3 myself... I have had it in my hands and just new it is way to big... I had the One X to start of with but then changed it for a 1S mainly because of the size... Why would I need a "mobile PHONE" with a quadcore anyway...?!
i just traded my tmobile GS3 for a htc one s plus cash. the GS3 camera sucks at night. i can post photos in a few. my buddy has the evo 4g lte which should be the same camera as the one s. u will see a big difference in quality. also the GS3 was pretty big. i thought it would be cool but i didnt like it cause it was hard to use with just one hand. unless u got some big hands u might like it. plus the one s just feels better in the hand and it feels lighter. oh and HTC Sense 4.0 over Touchwiz anyday lol.
1st Pic: GS3
2nd Pic: Evo 4G LTE
3rd Pic: GS3
4th Pic: Evo 4G LTE
Comprehensive breakdown because I feel like doing one to refresh the mind.
CPU/GPU: Known quantity. One S isn't as fast as the GS3 here (international to international) but the reduced resolution of the One S hides the GPU deficit and the CPUs are basically equal. The US GS3 is same for CPU, slightly slower on GPU because they use the same chipset.
Display: One S is MUCH better in terms of calibration. The white point is accurate and gamma stays constant. Brightness is essentially only limited by hard protection, but you should never need to turn it up to that point. Overall, the One S has the better colors, GS3 has the better pixel density. Pick your poison.
Camera: Stock to stock, GS3 might win because the One S has pretty heavy compression on both video and photos. Once you get an HQ camera mod though, even the very best that the GS3 can produce is not as sharp as the One S. The One S doesn't use flash for focusing though, so that's something the GS3 wins on for low light flash photos.
Software: Sense is nice for people who know it, and looks nice too. Touchwiz is more functional but doesn't look as good. Once you get rid of Sense's 3D effects it runs much better on the home screen. Elsewhere is a matter of ROM optimization, and is basically close enough to not be worth discussing
Battery: The One S CAN be much better for battery life than the GS3, but requires much more management to do so, because even small battery drainers can lead to big loss of battery because the One S has a much smaller battery capacity compared to the GS3. GS3 is generally less efficient because of the very blue display, and the fact that it's a HUGE display. Exynos might draw more power too.
Design: Subjective. If you like metal, I guess the One S wins.
Decisive winners: If you care about expandable storage and removable battery enough to swing your decision, GS3 will probably be the one you want.
I agree with most of the above apart from:
CPU/GPU - The CPU in the one S is the better one overall as the performance per core is quite a bit better than the exynos quad in the GS 3 and at this stage currently with android and apps, it is far more important than having an additional 2 cores. Not only is it better for performance, but it is also better for power efficiency and the amount of heat given out
The GPU in the int. GS 3 is far better. Although as you said there isn't much difference in real world use especially as the S has the inferior res. so games etc. won't be as stressful.
Also the One S does beat the GS 3 in quite a few benchmark tests, the GS 3 only really beats it in tests that use/are dependant on the GPU i.e. quadrant (also quadrant gives quad core a better score just due to it having 2 extra cores)
In real world usage though, there isn't a huge amount of difference, I personally found the one S to be more snappy/instant feel and the GS 3 more smoother overall (there should be very little to virtually no difference when JB comes to both phones officially)
Camera - GS 3 100 times over the one S for 1080P video recording quality (however, the one s 100 times over the GS 3 for stereo audio recording ), however, the camera for photos is more or less equal, some shots look better on the GS 3 and likewise for the S, however, the camera UI and features are far better on the S
Battery - The battery life is better on the S overall (personally I didn't do much tweaking to it, just turned stuff like auto brightness off, wifi max performance off etc.
However, with the GS 3 you can have the option to use spares and an extended battery at some point.......due to it being removable
Whilst the GS 3 does have a bigger battery, it needs it due to the bigger and 720P screen as well as a more power hungry CPU
Imagine how long the S would last with one full charge on a 2100mAh battery!
And yup, exactly, the extra storage of the GS 3 and removable battery are 2 of the main deciding factors IMO.
Honestly think your wife will prefer the one S due to size, sense (you really don't need to faff about with rooting and replacing every app with 3rd party ones, sense apps are great and they also look "pretty" )
very informative, guys! thanks!
i think 1S wins for her due to smaller size and (arguably) better/faster camera. she's quite a petite lady. and i dont think she cares about battery replacement or storage. haha, storage... all the years she owns 3G and 3GS, she downloaded a total of probably 10 apps. 7 she removed on the first day. (i know she kept the Economist, Whatsapp, and BBC News....)
but if she does wants the bigger "nicer" (in her own words) screen, then all bets are off... i'll talk to her again tonight
Hello there
I'm interested in the HTC One S and the One X, and I want to buy the suitable phone for me..
Please answer these questions..
1st Question:
When I surfed the web for issues about the One S I came across two major problems, they are the
#1: The paint cracks away because of the MAO
#2: Home button going berserk
Are these issues fixed in new batches of the One S? (I will be buying the phone within 2 months)
2nd Question:
What is the overall battery stats for the phone with normal use? I've read in articles the the HOS has an excellent battery life and excellent speed, I wanna know it from experienced users.
3rd Question:
Is the phone overall good? even-though it packed with a Dual-Core processor can it compete with a quad - core phone (Like the HOX) ?
and also the Camera quality (In low light conditions?) and the video quality.
4th Questions:
Are there any other issues with this phone?
If you guys give me answers for these questions, it would be really helpful..
Thank you!
rockler said:
1st Question:
When I surfed the web for issues about the One S I came across two major problems, they are the
#1: The paint cracks away because of the MAO
#2: Home button going berserk
Are these issues fixed in new batches of the One S? (I will be buying the phone within 2 months)
2nd Question:
What is the overall battery stats for the phone with normal use? I've read in articles the the HOS has an excellent battery life and excellent speed, I wanna know it from experienced users.
3rd Question:
Is the phone overall good? even-though it packed with a Dual-Core processor can it compete with a quad - core phone (Like the HOX) ?
and also the Camera quality (In low light conditions?) and the video quality.
4th Questions:
Are there any other issues with this phone?
If you guys give me answers for these questions, it would be really helpful..
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) The paint problem has already been solved since quite a while.
I don't know about the other problem.
2) Battery life is very good, indeed. When the screen is off power consumption is very very very very low (even with any kind of push notifications). The default autobrightness is set too high, in my opinion, and by using third party apps you can lower it and squeeze more battery life even with screen on. Anyway, you get to the end of the day without problems even at default settings. Better than GS2, in my opinion.
3) Overall the phone is very responsive. The S4 chipset (do you know that part of the new batches ship with S3?) is IMO the best choice up to now when it comes to the cpu part. Because its single thread throughput is much higher than the quad core Exynos and Tegra3 and nowadays single thread performance is the most important. In multithreading it's generally a bit below the quad cores but, again, you should look more at single-thread performance. The user experience is good not only thanks to the powerful S4 chip, but also because sense 4.1 is very well optimized (the best android software at the moment, in my opinion).
I don't take many videos (I know there was a problem with lagging 1080p videos but I don't know how it ended up), but I take photos and to me they appear very good. I think I've read some comparisons which say that in low light conditions it's the best camera on the market. Camera software is also good, when it comes to responsiveness and burst shot.
There's a thread in which people are posting their best shots, if you want to take a look!
4) I think the major problem is the home button issues (if you get a defective unit)... No other big issue that I'm aware of.
Hello there!
I'm looking into buying a new phone and those 2 phones in the title called my attention. I'm coming from a Z Ultra so both of them look great to me.
The LeTV Max seems like the better alternative, but let's run down the specs of both of them (mediapad x2 on the left and letv max on the right)
CPU:
Kirin 930 (4x 2GHz and 4x 1.5GHz) x Snapdragon 810 (4x 2GHz and 4x 1.5GHz)
RAM:
3GB x 4GB
Screen size:
7" x 6,33"
Screen resolution:
1200x1920 x 1440x2560
Back Camera:
13MP x 21MP
Battery:
5000 mAh x 3400 mAh
As expected, the LeTV Max wins most of the categories but do they make that much of a difference? Would the +1GB of RAM be a good addition? The screen resolution bump is also pretty interesting, since the MediaPad x2 is going at a 323 ppi and the LeTV Max is at 464. The monster battery on the MediaPad x2 also gets me happy, and knowing that it's not pushing out as many pixels as the LeTV Max (despise the screen size difference) makes it look like it will last longer. Coming from a Z Ultra, the only thing that I really NEED on a camera is flash (the Z Ultra's camera is ok at best) but I don't really require that much quality since I rarely use it.
What do you guys think? For the people that already got a MediaPad x2, are you happy with it? Would you change to a LeTV Max if you had the chance?
Screen size is everything so I would go for the X2.
Plus you have support from XDA for the X2.
I am actually considering upgrading to an 8.0 inch MediaPad M2!
If you only look at the basic specs, the LeTV Max "looks" better. More memory, higher resolution screen, slightly faster CPU, faster GPU, compacter...
But there is also where it ends. The 810 is a know throttle monster that easily hits its thermal limits ( what most manufactures solve by limiting the SOC ). Its also not exactly friendly on the battery. My X2 even after hours of playing Fallout Shelter ( what is a know battery eater ), was just "warm". Not hot, just warm. I doubt that the same can be said about the 810 in the LeTV.
1440x2560? I do not care... On the X2 7" 1080p, you need to have 21/20 eyesight to see the pixels or have the phone right in front of your eyes. What people forget it, that the higher resolution = less space for light to pass = more / higher back light is needed = more power usage. And my eyesight is 20/20.
4GB Ram ... everybody love more ram. But lets be realistic... on my Sony ZU, i always had a health 500+ MB ( 0.5GB ) free in regards to ram ( comparing Android 5 on both systems ). And that was with a device that had two years worth of programs active. On my X2, i have between 1.7GB and 1.8GB free. So assuming the same program load like the ZU, there will be close to 1.5GB ( X2 had 1GB more ram then the ZU ) still free. That means on the LeTV, your looking at 2.5GB memory free with the same load. Nice ...
Camera ... If you come from a ZU, anything is a massive upgrade *lol*...
And now we come to the real reason to own the X2: 5000 mAh x 3400 mAh ...
Its not just 50% more battery power. The ZU also had a 3050mAh battery. Yet, my own battery results are more then impressive. So far the X2 is hitting 2 a 3 times the battery life consistently against then ( 2 year old ) ZU.
Technology has improved... While the X2 has a bigger screen, it seems to be more power efficient. The SOC is designed around those power efficient cores from bottom to top. Its a monster, not just pure on battery but in regards to battery life.
My best proof are some of the basic usage test i did before.
Screen on ( ZU: 45%, X2: 50% ( brighter then ZU to compensate the battery somewhat )), no activity.
ZU: Lost about 11% in 75 minutes.
X2: Lost about 4% in 75 minutes.
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Click to collapse
And i forgot that i still had the GPS on for the X2. *oeps*. And the GPS like most receivers/transmitters are more battery eaters.
Real life battery:
On 25/08 at 21.30 i charged up the battery to 100%.
We are 28/08 around 22.30 and my battery is ... 68%.
In that time i spend around 20 minutes calling ( 2 * 10 min ), checking wechat, some quick surfing on 4G, doing some basic battery testing ( one day with 4G+Wifi, one day with 2G+Wifi, one day with 2G. And Wifi on at night ) and a bunch of other thing. For this same amount of time, my ZU will hit 15% on the battery left, with only 4G on during the day and Wifi at night.
Its a battery life monster! And thanks to some testing, i found that the best combination is:
Set 2G when your at work and only need to check wechat or other chat messages. 4G drains twice as much. Enable 4G only when you need to surf. For basic text chatting 2G is the same effect as 4G, you do not notice the difference ...
Wifi/basic phone active drains about 3 a 4% in about 12 hours at night/morning.
2G/basic phone active / some times chatting during the day ( at work ), drains about 3 a 4% ( depends on the intensity that you chat/check/etc ) in +- 9 hours.
So with this combination, found that i can survive 24 hours, using maybe 6 a 8%, 10% in extreme for basic thing that i did before with my ZU, that took out maybe 30 a 40% ( yes, its not accurate because the ZU was using 4G all the time during the day ).
But to get back to the basic comparison:
The LeTV has a maybe more powerful CPU, GPU, more memory and higher resolution smaller screen combined with a smaller batter. Do the math? You know that your battery life at best will be "average". If you can live with that, then the LeTV is for you. But if you are like me, fed up with average battery life, then the X2 is way more up your alley.
Frankly, i do not know of any device that offers this size, battery life and still has phone capability... Beyond the X1 but that is running older A9 Cpu cores. The X2 beats the ZU with 25% in Antutu and frankly, i notice no slowdowns or other problems. And regarding faster GPU's. Sorry, but what do you care about the GPU? Those 3d games kill any device its battery, for what? If you want to really game, there are PC's, Console etc, where you can more enjoy the 3D experience. I found devices like this better with games that are more designed for the platform ( hard to explain ).
O and here is other a counter argument:
PRICE! X2 for 3GB/32GB = 399 Euro. The LeTV Max cheapest i found is 620 euro's... And i was lucky and was able to buy my X2 in a auction at 341 euro
I long time learned that specs alone do not make a good device, its the combination of those specs. I am frankly fed up with phone's that has a zillion "look how fast or how big resolution or " ... but they forget to mention that those things in general eat battery life and force people to spend every two or one! day recharging there phone. And the more you recharge, the more your battery capacity goes down. Fun these days with non-replaceable batteries.
Speaking of non-replaceable batteries. How is the LeTV its battery replacement? Also non-removable like most devices these days. I ask because the ZU its a disaster... you need to heatgun the glass to remove the glue, and then deal with a annoying flat cable. The X2 its just popping off some plastic, a few screws and you can simply unplug the power connector. The X2 battery replacement anybody can do.
Benjiro said:
Bunch of useful information!
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Click to collapse
That's exactly what I had in mind. When I was buying the Z Ultra I was able to test and research it better since it was from a known brand. But for the X2 I'm having trouble coming across more specific informations. What you said is what I'm looking for.
The LeTV seems like a pain to repair and it's design looks boring. The specs were buying me but it's pretty much what you said, it's the combination of everything ( and the x2 looks pretty as hell). The only down side for me would be not having a water proof phone like the Ultra but it's something I can get over since it's not a priority for me.
I'll still wait for IFA to see if anything else comes up but the X2 is a strong participant in my choice ( and it's one of the few choices I can actually buy where I live). Thanks for the tips!
Flavio said:
Screen size is everything so I would go for the X2.
Plus you have support from XDA for the X2.
I am actually considering upgrading to an 8.0 inch MediaPad M2!
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Click to collapse
If I were going for that, I would just go with one of those cheap 6" phablets with 720p screens, haha. The M2 is pretty overkill for me ( really pretty but still). I can still fit my Ultra on my pockets nicely so the X2 should be good, as far as size goes.
Khiuli said:
That's exactly what I had in mind. When I was buying the Z Ultra I was able to test and research it better since it was from a known brand. But for the X2 I'm having trouble coming across more specific informations. What you said is what I'm looking for.
The LeTV seems like a pain to repair and it's design looks boring. The specs were buying me but it's pretty much what you said, it's the combination of everything ( and the x2 looks pretty as hell). The only down side for me would be not having a water proof phone like the Ultra but it's something I can get over since it's not a priority for me.
I'll still wait for IFA to see if anything else comes up but the X2 is a strong participant in my choice ( and it's one of the few choices I can actually buy where I live). Thanks for the tips!
If I were going for that, I would just go with one of those cheap 6" phablets with 720p screens, haha. The M2 is pretty overkill for me ( really pretty but still). I can still fit my Ultra on my pockets nicely so the X2 should be good, as far as size goes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked at the LeTv when searching for large phablets. It's smaller screen size and puny battery turned me off. All these spec wars mean nothing. 1080p vs 2k in a small screen means nothing. 3gb vs 4gb in an Android phone mean nothing if I don't see a performance boost. The X2 is without a doubt the best all around large phone/tablet out there right now. Huawei is a more well known brand especially now that they are making the next Nexus phone.
ajsmsg78 said:
I looked at the LeTv when searching for large phablets. It's smaller screen size and puny battery turned me off. All these spec wars mean nothing. 1080p vs 2k in a small screen means nothing. 3gb vs 4gb in an Android phone mean nothing if I don't see a performance boost. The X2 is without a doubt the best all around large phone/tablet out there right now. Huawei is a more well known brand especially now that they are making the next Nexus phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, it's what I thought but when you get almost no reviews and comments about a phone, the specs are the only thing I can use for a guide on this. Huawei is a known brand, just not like Sony. The Z ultra had tons of reviews and feedback when it came out, but I could only find 1 review and many unboxings/ hands on. Thanks for the help!
Khiuli said:
That's exactly what I had in mind. When I was buying the Z Ultra I was able to test and research it better since it was from a known brand. But for the X2 I'm having trouble coming across more specific informations. What you said is what I'm looking for.
The LeTV seems like a pain to repair and it's design looks boring. The specs were buying me but it's pretty much what you said, it's the combination of everything ( and the x2 looks pretty as hell). The only down side for me would be not having a water proof phone like the Ultra but it's something I can get over since it's not a priority for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Water proof is one of those oversold features. Do you use your smartphone in the shower? Do you use your smartphone while swimming ( by the way, Sony does not advice trying out the water proof in anything but clean water because chloor or salt = bad )? Its more of a annoy always opening up that usb cover. In all my life i never lost a phone because of water damage. If it rains, you do not use the phone. Simple as that. Or you use it under a umbrella. A bit of rain on the screen of the X2 or any non-water proof phone, will not destroy it. Its all pressed together. I found the water proof more of a excuse so they do not need to install a removable battery. And having it replaced by the manufacture ... awwwwww... Same reason why i sold my ZU: It will cost more to replace the battery by Sony ( and you STILL lose your water proof protection because even Sony can not guarantee that when they re-glue it, it will be water proof! ).
The X2 feel nice in the hand. I was planning on buying a case but i like the heavy metal feel instead of that glass feel that ZU had. It feels more robust. You do not feel like it will break and you need a protector. Disadvantage is that the metal is also slippery. Frankly, i like to get some plastic protector for the back of the X2, that is "grippy". The funny part being is, the X2 feels more premium with the metal, then the ZU.
I now just use the default protection plastic that was on it ( put it back ) and it gives more grip. But its not clean ( full of explanation text *lol* )
For the rest ... if you come from the ZU, its a bit of adjustment. The X2 is only 1cm thicker on the side, but it gives a massive visual difference. The X2 looks BIG, compared to the ZU. Yet, its only 1 cm difference. Its that optical illusion effect from long & slender.
Worst part is probably the default launcher and DPI. Its set to 400 default and that is crazy. 280 is perfect for this device but it gives some problems with the default software from Huawei ( they still try to render some things in 400 dpi ). But nothing beats having Chrome in 280dpi, with tabs and full desktop rendering and still perfectly readable
O yea, and one thing i miss from my ZU, is that the X2 by default does not turn off its Wifi when you leave the house ( the ZU has a option for that ). You can do it ( there are 3th party programs ) that do it, but you need to root it ( takes a while to get the unlock code from Huawei ).
Khiuli said:
If I were going for that, I would just go with one of those cheap 6" phablets with 720p screens, haha. The M2 is pretty overkill for me ( really pretty but still). I can still fit my Ultra on my pockets nicely so the X2 should be good, as far as size goes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The M2 is overkill. That is more a tablet. Smaller battery, bigger screen, bigger size, no phone capability. Price almost the same.
Khiuli said:
Yea, it's what I thought but when you get almost no reviews and comments about a phone, the specs are the only thing I can use for a guide on this. Huawei is a known brand, just not like Sony. The Z ultra had tons of reviews and feedback when it came out, but I could only find 1 review and many unboxings/ hands on. Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can simply look up the X1 for basic reviews. The X2 is just a upgraded X1 with a better SOC ( CPU/GPU/Memory/Flash ). The basic design & internally is almost identical. There are also a few Russian etc reviews ( google translate ) that go fairly in dept. The biggest complaint in every review ... size. Just like with the ZU. Its a "acquired" taste.
Anyway, its your money but the LE Max, i removed that from the list months ago, because of the almost identical battery size like the ZU. For phone's of this size, its not acceptable that they have batteries inside of only 3000/3400mAh.
Benjiro said:
Water proof is one of those oversold features. Do you use your smartphone in the shower? Do you use your smartphone while swimming ( by the way, Sony does not advice trying out the water proof in anything but clean water because chloor or salt = bad )? Its more of a annoy always opening up that usb cover. In all my life i never lost a phone because of water damage. If it rains, you do not use the phone. Simple as that. Or you use it under a umbrella. A bit of rain on the screen of the X2 or any non-water proof phone, will not destroy it. Its all pressed together. I found the water proof more of a excuse so they do not need to install a removable battery. And having it replaced by the manufacture ... awwwwww... Same reason why i sold my ZU: It will cost more to replace the battery by Sony ( and you STILL lose your water proof protection because even Sony can not guarantee that when they re-glue it, it will be water proof! ).
The X2 feel nice in the hand. I was planning on buying a case but i like the heavy metal feel instead of that glass feel that ZU had. It feels more robust. You do not feel like it will break and you need a protector. Disadvantage is that the metal is also slippery. Frankly, i like to get some plastic protector for the back of the X2, that is "grippy". The funny part being is, the X2 feels more premium with the metal, then the ZU.
I now just use the default protection plastic that was on it ( put it back ) and it gives more grip. But its not clean ( full of explanation text *lol* )
For the rest ... if you come from the ZU, its a bit of adjustment. The X2 is only 1cm thicker on the side, but it gives a massive visual difference. The X2 looks BIG, compared to the ZU. Yet, its only 1 cm difference. Its that optical illusion effect from long & slender.
The
Worst part is probably the default launcher and DPI. Its set to 400 default and that is crazy. 280 is perfect for this device but it gives some problems with the default software from Huawei ( they still try to render some things in 400 dpi ). But nothing beats having Chrome in 280dpi, with tabs and full desktop rendering and still perfectly readable
O yea, and one thing i miss from my ZU, is that the X2 by default does not turn off its Wifi when you leave the house ( the ZU has a option for that ). You can do it ( there are 3th party programs ) that do it, but you need to root it ( takes a while to get the unlock code from Huawei ).
The M2 is overkill. That is more a tablet. Smaller battery, bigger screen, bigger size, no phone capability. Price almost the same.
You can simply look up the X1 for basic reviews. The X2 is just a upgraded X1 with a better SOC ( CPU/GPU/Memory/Flash ). The basic design & internally is almost identical. There are also a few Russian etc reviews ( google translate ) that go fairly in dept. The biggest complaint in every review ... size. Just like with the ZU. Its a "acquired" taste.
Anyway, its your money but the LE Max, i removed that from the list months ago, because of the almost identical battery size like the ZU. For phone's of this size, its not acceptable that they have batteries inside of only 3000/3400mAh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The man is absolutely correct. It WAS cool to be able to answer my Z Ultra in the shower when someone called but opening up the rubber to charge it was a PITA. The Z Ultra was my least favorite phone I've ever owned. Nothing was good about it except for the screen size and waterproofing. (It was super thin but had a puny battery which negated the fact that it was so thin) I'm am so glad when it completely crapped out three weeks after I got it that I was able to return it to the seller for a refund and buy the X2.
Thanks for all the in-depth info, folks... I especially appreciated the information about how batteries are replaced. I have never bought a phone without a replaceable battery. I keep my phones for a long time (compared to as long as you probably do). I still have my Note 2 (in pristine condition - actually even with the first iSmooth screen protector I ever installed still in pristine condition). The only problem I ever had with my Note 2 is that just recently I had to buy a new battery because the old one had degraded to about 3/4 power... I have been researching both the X2 and the P8MAX and dying to buy either but, not being the pros that you are, I have been extremely hesitant to take the plunge because I was worried about repairs once the battery started degrading. So where would you bring the X2 for repairs here in the USA? Seriously, I don't have half the knowledge or experience that you have. I have been avidly reading every forum and website I can find regarding the X2 and the P8MAX to learn a little bit here and there. Thanks so much for your time to try to teach people like me!
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
I currently have a Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version) and been thinking of switching to the Blu Vivo X for the 4010+ mah battery, 64gb internal storage, and 4 cameras. Both phone has 4 GB and rams and an Octacore CPU. The Blu Vivo X is currently more than a $100 less than the Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version).
What's your thought on the Blu Vivo X and would it be worth switching to it from a Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version), even though the Blu Vivo X uses a 720p screen, and Blu has been known for having adwares in their phones in the past?
specs info:
- Samsung Galaxy S7 (Exynos Version) gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s7-7821.php
- Blu Vivo X gsmarena.com/blu_vivo_x-9072.php
My thoughts (which are only MY thoughts, I'm not pretending to have the absolute truth):
- Blu Vivo X has a mediatek CPU which isn't at the same level as Exynos or Snapdragon CPU, still it will do the job.
- Blu is know for adware but is also known for having malwares installed
- 4010mAh battery, I would be very careful with that number. A high quality manufacturer will announce the capacity of their battery and you can almost be sure that it is true. Now, when you go to less known, less top quality manufacturers, when they say 3000mAh, you test the battery and it's in fact like a 2000mAh. So before making a choice, find concrete tests which tells you how much time you have with a full charge. Don't listen to people on Youtube with no test protocol who say "Yeah, I can last 2 days with it" because you can't know their perception of things, you can't know if they have been paid, you can't know what they do with their phone. If I turn off Wifi, LTE, and keep the screen of on my OnePlus One, I can last 1 week! Now if I use it normally, I last 1 day, 2 days at the most, but real screen on time is like 6 hours. So be careful and don't trust fanboys or people who just throw numbers like this.
About battery capacity, I give you an example I have read some years ago when Xioami released their external battery pack (10.000mAh). When tested, it was almost good but more around 9000mAh. They had compared to unknown brands found on Amazon, and some batteries announced like 10.000mAh, had in fact less than 5000mAh in capacity. So be careful, Blu isn't such a great highly recommended trusty manufacturer, so I would tend to think their numbers are enhanced for the commercial speech, but in real like, will a 4000mAh battery last a lot longer than a 3000mAh from Samsung, I doubt it.
So in the end, what do you think you will do with the Vivo X than you can't do with the Galaxy S7? That's the real question. You want more storage space? The Exynos version of the S7 has a SD card slot. More battery, better buy an external battery pack, it will cost you less.
That's my point of view, I would never trade a flagship from a very well known brand some model from a brand known for cheap phones and who put Mediatek processors in their phones. I highly doubt that the Blu Vivo X will have internal memory that has the same speed as a Galaxy S7, I highly doubt the pictures from the Vivo X would beat the S7, I also highly doubt you will have more "Screen on time" with a Vivo X as Samsung has spent time to optimize their system (you can also debloat it to gain battery life by removing all Samsung crapware). That's only my point of view, but I don't think it's a good idea. You should make your own idea by reading LOT (not just 1 or 2) reviews on the Blu Vivo X, watching videos on Youtube and read between lines, don't trust people that aren't even tech journalists ; )
EDIT: Here are some interesting reviews I've found on Amazon of people not only putting 5 stars and saying "great phone!":
Review 1: "This phone does exactly what the description says. It takes Ok pictures, is thin and comfortable in the hand, and is relatively easy to use. However, the processor speed and user interface, are not up to par with a Snapdragon or Galaxy S. I thought it would be a good idea to upgrade my Galaxy S7 to the VIVO X. I was not impressed. The system response was slower than what I'm used to and the UI just feels "cheap" to me. On a brighter note, the front camera was awesome for using Google Duo to talk to my son while I'm on the road. Its not a bad phone, I just feel like my S7 is a better phone."
Review 2: "I'm pretty conflicted with this phone. I want to adore it, however there are some pretty major setbacks that I'm not sure if I can look past. With that being said, I'd still recommend this for the price.
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Pros:
- The screen is big but you don't get a big phone. I've strayed away from 6" because I'm a little person, but I quite like holding this because it's skinny enough that small hands can hold it and also enjoy a "big boy" screen.
- It's smooth. It's definitely faster and more smooth than my last phone (HTC Desire Eye). Installing apps is lightning fast, scrolling through google is a breeze, and having multiple apps in the background doesn't slow it down.
- Sound quality is quite good. It's bass-y, which I like. It picks up the slightest noise though, which could be great or bad depending on the situation I guess. It goes quite loud as well.
- Plenty of storage. You'll be able to fit thousands of photos, songs, and quite a lot of apps onto this phone.
- Fingerprint scanner is awesome. I've never had a phone that did this, so it's kind of fun.
- Messaging notification drop-down is AMAZING. I LOVE this feature. I was pleasantly surprised when someone texted me and I was able to read/reply from the drop-down, all while staying on whatever page.
- You can do split-screen. I think it depends on the app though. In theory, it's great that you can have two pages up at a time.
- Android nougat is so nice. I had Android 5.0 with my last phone. Upgrading to 7 is definitely what I needed, and hoping for an update to Android 8 in the next year, maybe?
- The actual feel of the phone is high-end. It feels like a top-rated phone, but without the pricetag.
- All of Google's apps come already installed. I personally don't use many of Google's features, so luckily it's easy to remove them and add some extra storage to the phone.
- It came with a screen protector already on, an extra screen protector in the box, and a case as well! It also came with the standard charging accessories and some earbuds.
- Fast startup/reboot. The initial startup is a bit slow and worrisome, but it's just the one time as it gets itself ready for you! After that, turning it on is quick.
Cons:
- The camera. So many problems with it. I'll go into detail at the end of this post. This is the biggest obstacle holding me back from possibly sticking with this. My last phone had a superb camera that was clear, could focus on micro surroundings, adjusted perfectly to light... And this camera fails in all those areas.
- The resolution IS as advertised. No you won't be getting the clearest of words on your screen, but it's passable. It's noticeable if you switch from a better resolution phone like I did though.
- The lack of cases is strange, I must admit. Hopefully some more come out soon.
- No theme, at least not that I could tell. I think all of my past Androids of recent years have had an option for different interface themes. This doesn't seem to have this feature.
- I couldn't access ANY ringtones/notification alerts. I had to download a ringtone app.
- 14GB of my 64GB was already taken up. I can't figure out what's taking up so much space. I've gotten rid of any bloatware (luckily wasn't a lot, so great job, BLU), but 14 is still a lot.
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I'd love to give it 5 stars, but there's just one thing that's so jarring to me, and I don't understand it at all... When you use your camera (back and front), the window on your screen is crisp and beautiful (back is, front is lackluster). But when you go to look at the image, it's blurry. It's like it goes from the supposed 13MP+, down to maybe an 8MP (at best) once the picture is actually taken. I'm pretty miffed at this. I mean, really, the camera specs are a lie.
To go along with the camera, it also has a hard time focusing on things close to it. For example, selfies are a joke. You get that perma-airbrushed look even without the beauty filter on. I have freckles, but you can't see them in the photos. Some different camera apps make the clarity and focusing a bit better, but you'd more than likely have to deal with obnoxious ads unless you want to pay for a different camera app.
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Overall, I'm not exactly happy with it, but I'm not mad either. I really wish the camera was better. I switched from a 2014 phone which excelled in that area, so it's sort of hard to downgrade after spending a couple hundred bucks. I did upgrade in many areas which is nice though. I sort of want to return the item, but I might keep it. Luckily I'm not a huge selfie taker, so I may not care too much about the problem a week from now."
So all in all, I've also read some reviews from tech websites, the Vivo X seems to be a good phone FOR THE PRICE. So if I were you, I wouldn't expect a 250$ phone to have the same quality of components of a 700$ phone. Mediatek processor, Only Gorilla glass 3, LCD screen not Amoled, Camera with only "ok quality". If you extrapolate, that can give you an hint of the quality of the internal memory, of the quality of the RAM used, the quality of the GPS chip (will it fix your position as fast as a S7? Don't know, but I doubt it).
To me, your question is similar as saying "I have a Ford Mustang, is it worth switching to a "add name of any common cheap car" ?" You see what I mean?
No way!!! Why you would do that? It`s more like a downgrade.. If you really want a change, something stock, more storage, more ram, quickly software updates and maybe a better battery backup, you can change the s7 for a OnePlus 5T, or simply you can wait for OnePlus 6 which is launching in june..
cristiandiaconu6 said:
No way!!! Why you would do that? It`s more like a downgrade.. If you really want a change, something stock, more storage, more ram, quickly software updates and maybe a better battery backup, you can change the s7 for a OnePlus 5T, or simply you can wait for OnePlus 6 which is launching in june..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it's true, these are the best alternative to my point of view too, but the only thing is that it's not on the same budget level (250$ for the Blu Vivo X and 500$ or more for the OnePlus phones). Though, you summed up all I said very well, S7 to Vivo X is a downgrade.
Hi guys. I bought an A52 4G for myself a few weeks ago and here is my brutally honest review. As you will see, there are some things I wasn't satisfied with but I needed a phone quickly and for my budget and availability, I thought I'd give Samsung a chance.
Pros
1. Lots of QoL services by Samsung like always on display and apps like Gallery by Samsung can be more useful than Photos by Google. I also mapped the double tap power button to start the flashlight.
2. The 720G chipset along with a 90hz display feels plenty powerful especially for those coming from an older midrange device. However, it's not as fast and instantaneous as stock Android or OxygenOS. Also, you will face lots of stutters and bugs if you enable animation to .5x. At default 1x, animations are too damn slow.
3. Stereo speakers. Sound quality is average though. I don't use it much so I don't care.
4. Water resistance. It's nice of Samsung to bring this feature to a midrange device.
5. The macro camera can be useful for taking pictures of very small items like coins. The selfie camera seems alright.
6. The display, despite having kind of inaccurate colors is actually a lot better looking than most Chinese brand (OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Realme, etc) phone displays. Most Chinese brand displays tend to have a washed out, pale look to them despite having high refresh rates.
7. Battery life is pretty decent. If you don't use it much, it'll last a couple days easily. Of course, battery will degrade over time so a few years later, you might need to change the battery or the phone itself.
Cons
1. Sound quality output through the 3.5mm jack is very bad. My previous phone (Moto G5s Plus) had a much better built-in DAC. But at least the jack is there so I guess it's better than nothing but I'd suggest you get a good type-c to 3.5mm converter and use that instead if you're looking for decent audio.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very inaccurate and kind of pale. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Also, the amoled screen can be fatiguing to your eyes. Not everyone faces this but personally I have this problem.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. It would be better if Samsung didn't provide this crappy 15 watt charger and made the phone cheaper so I could buy a 25 watt charger myself. I don't see the logic in this. The phone supports 25 watt charging but Samsung includes a 15 watt charger in the box.
4. The lightly colored matte plastic back looks awesome in the beginning but with some mild use, the colors are already starting to fade and become yellowish. So put a case or skin on it if you wanna preserve that awesome color.
5. The colors and details of the main camera are not very good for an upper midrange device in 2021. I saw some reviews on YouTube with review units provided by Samsung that showed much better camera quality than what I'm getting with my retail unit. Especially after you take a picture, if you zoom in on a person's face for example, the details are just not there. Also, the colors are inaccurate and not life like. Hopefully, someone can make a good GCAM for this phone. Otherwise, expect to live with an average camera.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions. EDIT: Luckily, it stopped doing this.
7. If the bezels were a bit narrower especially the sides and top, it would have quite a flagship killer look. Even the A51 has narrower bezels on the side. But I know Samsung did this on purpose so their more expensive S series phones would look more special than the A series.
8. It's a bit on the heavier side if you compare it to the A51. Putting a case and tempered glass on it will only increase the weight further. I find myself having to put the phone down on a table or bed to use it. I can't hold it in the air for long due to its weight.
Bugs1. "Force dark mode" option in developer settings automatically turns itself off whenever you restart your device.
2. If you set animation to .5x instead of the default 1x, and cycle through your recent apps, there's a weird stutter.
Conclusion
If you can live with Samsung's annoying OneUI stutters or slow animations, this isn't a bad phone especially if you can get it for around $300 USD. I'd call this a good phone for moms/dads and grandmas/grandpas. If you're a young millennial trying to live on the cutting edge, I'd pass on this one and get something that's a little faster, maybe the new Nord CE (it has a more washed out display than the A52 though).
Well! My phone have just arrived. I'm switching from an S7 edge that I've been using for the last 4 years. So far I find that the screen is pretty good! Better than the S7E. The speed is excellent and of course, the ONE UI 3.1 is superb. I've already uninstalled some unwanted apps. As regards the camera, haven't tested it yet. But obviously, the GCAM will make it better.
LanguageSoez said:
Well! My phone have just arrived. I'm switching from an S7 edge that I've been using for the last 4 years. So far I find that the screen is pretty good! Better than the S7E. The speed is excellent and of course, the ONE UI 3.1 is superb. I've already uninstalled some unwanted apps. As regards the camera, haven't tested it yet. But obviously, the GCAM will make it better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course it'll be better than a 4 year old phone lol. If you think one UI is superb, try using stock android or oxygenos, you will be blown away.
I got A72 and the picture quality coming out from the stabilized Sony IMX 686 sensor with pixel binned 16 MP pictures is superior to Samsung HM2 108 MP giving just 12MP images ... So is A52, I don't believe your "honest review" ....
neoxcool said:
I got A72 and the picture quality coming out from the stabilized Sony IMX 686 sensor with pixel binned 16 MP pictures is superior to Samsung HM2 108 MP giving just 12MP images ... So is A52, I don't believe your "honest review" ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A72 is not A52. Specs are one thing, software is another. You don't have to believe anything. As I said in my review, you should experience the phones in person preferably from friends who bought it and then make a decision.
The OP is obviously a satisfied customer
Griping about it being water resistant is really picking at nits. It adds little cost and help to seal out dust, extending the usable service life of the device.
Charging a phone while using isn't a good idea and it should charge slow whilst using regardless of the wattage capacity of the charger brick being used.
NiceGuyIncel said:
Hi guys. I bought an A52 4G for myself a few weeks ago and here is my brutally honest review. As you will see, there are a lot of things I wasn't satisfied with but for my budget and availability, this was one of the better ones.
Pros:
1. Lots of QoL services by Samsung like always on display and apps like Gallery by Samsung can be more useful than Photos by Google. I also mapped the double tap power button to start the flashlight.
2. The 720G chipset along with a 90hz display feels plenty smooth especially for those coming from an older midrange device. It's not as fast and instantaneous as stock android or oxygenos but this is probably the fastest that Samsung OneUI has ever been.
3. Stereo speakers. Quality is average though. I don't use it much so I don't care.
4. Water resistance. It can be useful if you like to take your phone to the bathroom or live in a rainy area but I feel this feature is more suitable for flagship phones. The 4G version of the A52 really don't need this feature and it would be better if the device was slightly cheaper instead.
Cons:
1. Sound quality output through the 3.5mm jack is very bland. My previous phone (Moto G5s Plus) had a much better built-in DAC. But at least the jack is there so I guess it's better than nothing but I'd suggest you get a good type-c to 3.5mm converter and use that instead if you're looking for quality audio.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very boring and washed out. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Hopefully, the xda community will do something about this, maybe a graphics engine or some app that can tinker with the display settings more finely.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. So I really don't know why Samsung pulled an Apple with the charger.
4. The lightly colored matte plastic back looks awesome in the beginning but with some mild use, the colors are already starting to fade and become yellowish. So put a case or skin on it if you wanna preserve that awesome color.
5. The colors and details of the main camera really sucks for an upper midrange device in 2021. I saw some reviews on YouTube with review units provided by Samsung that showed much better camera quality than what I'm getting with my retail unit. Luckily, some people have already started working on gcam for this device and from what I've heard the results are much better than Samsung's default camera app.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions.
7. If the bezels were a bit narrower especially the sides and top, it would have quite a flagship killer look. But I know Samsung did this on purpose so their more expensive S series phones would look more special than the A series.
8. It's a bit on the heavier side if you compare it to the A51. Putting a case and tempered glass on it will only increase the weight further.
9. The amoled screen can be fatiguing to your eyes. Not everyone faces this but personally I have this problem.
Conclusion: That wraps up my brutally honest review of the A52 4G. I hope you enjoyed the fact that I didn't jump up and down and say this is the best phone ever like most YouTube "reviewers". They say that whenever a new phone comes out. Of course the people who are gonna upgrade from a 5 year old phone will also say this is the best phone they ever used. From their perspective, it makes sense but I believe you should thoroughly research the market and only buy what YOU like the most. I was moving to another country where phones are quite expensive so I just grabbed this cause I was in a hurry. If you have the time, research other phones and try to use them in person. That way you will know for sure what you're getting because specs can be misleading. I'd suggest you look into Poco F3, OnePlus Nord, Moto G100, Moto G60 and other similarly priced devices before going for the A52. Don't assume that just because it's a Samsung, it's gonna be a great phone. Samsung intentionally nerfed this phone so there is more incentive for people to go for the more expensive S series phones.
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Click to collapse
I appreciate your feedback. I'm certain most of those who are still undecided will as well.
To be frank, this device has received overwhelming amounts of good press, which, as a consumer, is a good thing.
That said, constructive criticism is a key component towards improving upon future A series models and/or polishing the current user experience.
AHE_XDA said:
I appreciate your feedback. I'm certain most of those who are still undecided will as well.
To be frank, this device has received overwhelming amounts of good press, which, as a consumer, is a good thing.
That said, constructive criticism is a key component towards improving upon future A series models and/or polishing the current user experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Paid press is always good press...
The Samsung Fold series always get rave reviews but they're expensive, fragile and limited devices. Worse I'm being kind in my criticism.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird, I have never encountered this.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. So I really don't know why Samsung pulled an Apple with the charger
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mind this at all since it's already proven that fast charging does hurt your battery longevity.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very boring and washed out. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Hopefully, the xda community will do something about this, maybe a graphics engine or some app that can tinker with the display settings more finely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this, although I prefer it for the occasional media consumption. For general usage, it might lead to some eye strain for some people which includes me.
The build despite plastic is decent enough considering the trade-offs with its other specs at this price point and an IP6X is always welcome. The camera is nothing spectacular but not bad, given that it's harder to quantify the expected degrees of quality per $ at this price range. Performance is fine for the majority of the time but there are occasional stutters or lag you will encounter. Overall, I'm very satisfied with my purchase. It's also worth noting that warranty and software support tend to get overlooked when looking at the price.
I was considering Poco F3 as an alternative before getting my A52 however, I didn't go through with the Poco F3 because of various issues and concerns that I can't be arsed to list.
This phone is on my list to upgrade from my Essential PH-1. Keeping an eye on ROM development and Gcam development. I can get it for around $354 depending on the COP to USD conversion rate in Colombia. Anyone know better deals out in the wild?
NiceGuyIncel said:
Hi guys. I bought an A52 4G for myself a few weeks ago and here is my brutally honest review. As you will see, there are some things I wasn't satisfied with but I needed a phone quickly and for my budget and availability, I thought I'd give Samsung a chance.
Pros
1. Lots of QoL services by Samsung like always on display and apps like Gallery by Samsung can be more useful than Photos by Google. I also mapped the double tap power button to start the flashlight.
2. The 720G chipset along with a 90hz display feels plenty powerful especially for those coming from an older midrange device. However, it's not as fast and instantaneous as stock Android or OxygenOS. Also, you will face lots of stutters and bugs if you enable animation to .5x. At default 1x, animations are too damn slow.
3. Stereo speakers. Sound quality is average though. I don't use it much so I don't care.
4. Water resistance. It's nice of Samsung to bring this feature to a midrange device.
5. The macro camera can be useful for taking pictures of very small items like coins. The selfie camera seems alright.
6. The display, despite having kind of inaccurate colors is actually a lot better looking than most Chinese brand (OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Realme, etc) phone displays. Most Chinese brand displays tend to have a washed out, pale look to them despite having high refresh rates.
7. Battery life is pretty decent. If you don't use it much, it'll last a couple days easily. Of course, battery will degrade over time so a few years later, you might need to change the battery or the phone itself.
Cons
1. Sound quality output through the 3.5mm jack is very bad. My previous phone (Moto G5s Plus) had a much better built-in DAC. But at least the jack is there so I guess it's better than nothing but I'd suggest you get a good type-c to 3.5mm converter and use that instead if you're looking for decent audio.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very inaccurate and kind of pale. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Also, the amoled screen can be fatiguing to your eyes. Not everyone faces this but personally I have this problem.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. It would be better if Samsung didn't provide this crappy 15 watt charger and made the phone cheaper so I could buy a 25 watt charger myself. I don't see the logic in this. The phone supports 25 watt charging but Samsung includes a 15 watt charger in the box.
4. The lightly colored matte plastic back looks awesome in the beginning but with some mild use, the colors are already starting to fade and become yellowish. So put a case or skin on it if you wanna preserve that awesome color.
5. The colors and details of the main camera are not very good for an upper midrange device in 2021. I saw some reviews on YouTube with review units provided by Samsung that showed much better camera quality than what I'm getting with my retail unit. Especially after you take a picture, if you zoom in on a person's face for example, the details are just not there. Also, the colors are inaccurate and not life like. Hopefully, someone can make a good GCAM for this phone. Otherwise, expect to live with an average camera.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions. EDIT: Luckily, it stopped doing this.
7. If the bezels were a bit narrower especially the sides and top, it would have quite a flagship killer look. Even the A51 has narrower bezels on the side. But I know Samsung did this on purpose so their more expensive S series phones would look more special than the A series.
8. It's a bit on the heavier side if you compare it to the A51. Putting a case and tempered glass on it will only increase the weight further. I find myself having to put the phone down on a table or bed to use it. I can't hold it in the air for long due to its weight.
Bugs1. "Force dark mode" option in developer settings automatically turns itself off whenever you restart your device.
2. If you set animation to .5x instead of the default 1x, and cycle through your recent apps, there's a weird stutter.
Conclusion
If you can live with Samsung's annoying OneUI stutters or slow animations, this isn't a bad phone especially if you can get it for around $300 USD. I'd call this a good phone for moms/dads and grandmas/grandpas. If you're a young millennial trying to live on the cutting edge, I'd pass on this one and get something that's a little faster, maybe the new Nord CE (it has a more washed out display than the A52 though).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I will answer this from the perspective of an Indian Millenial coming from Mi A2 (and having only used crappy Micromax and Redmi phones in the past, this is something which I think most Indian youth can relate to). Let's go point by point :
1. UI
Having used stock android and MIUI, I can confidently say that OneUI is definitely a bit clumsy, but it is easy to get used to compared to FuncTouch and MIUI. Also, *there is no Google dialer*, meaning you can safely do call recording. Also OneUI has "Link to Windows" baked right into it, which is a huge boon in my opinion as it kinda compensates for the lack of DeX support, I think this is one of the most underrated feature of Samsung phones.
2. Ads and Bloatware scene
Now this maybe specific to India only. I set the device up using GeekyRanjit's guide on "How to setup Samssung devices" on YT, and so far (1 month later) I have got no ads except wallpaper services message when I swipe from right on lock screen. Also, all bloatware can be either disabled or uninstalled (unlike MIUI and ColourOS), so no problem there. Overall it is much much better than Redmi, Poco and Realme offerings. Though here Oneplus NORD maybe better.
3. Camera
TBH I bought this phone for the camera, and consider the competition it did not let me down, sure there is a bit of over sharpening going on in most images and indoor/low light photos and videos have a ton of noise but considering the competition in 15k-25k INR, it is definitely better. I use Gcam 7.3.018 by Urynx05, and it does improve video stabilisation a lot thanks to OIS (only Oneplus NORD has OIS in this price). For night mode, stock night mode is better than night sight (much brighter and well balanced). Daylight pics, it is a mixed bag, macro camera is good but could have been better,but considering how rarely it is used, it is fine.
4. Display
Most Indian milllenials like me are currently upgrading from LCD to Amoled. I having never used an Amoled, am satisfied with the display. But yeah you are right Amoled displays do cause more eye fatigue than LCD.
5. Availability and Customer support
This is where this phone shines! Here in India, this phone is available like everywhere, in most mobile shop in any market no matter, how small or rural the area, this unfortunately is not the case for OnePlus and Redmi, POCO (infamous for flash sales and black-marketing)etc., thus Galaxy A52's actual competitors are phones from Vivo and Oppo, which are usually more pricey. Also, Samsung customer services is next to Apple.
Set your priorities before buying a phone and you won't be disappointed, my suggestion, if you want good camera hardware and reliable phone go for it, but if you want to do gaming I would suggest you to look elsewhere say iQOO Z3 for 20k INR.
I am trying to get either this phone or s10? I was leaning more towards a52 since it could get up to android 14 opposed to 12 on s10.
Which one should i get?