I was so excited that my Pixel 4a arrived yesterday, been shopping for a new phone for quite some times. My old phone is HTC U11, which I still love a lot, but it's getting a bit unreliable, and the picture quality is a bit lacking compared with phones these days.
So, my first impressions:
1. It is so small, almost too small! It's good and bad. Screen size on paper is bigger than my U11, but Pixel 4a screen is narrower, so it's taking some times to get used to.
2. The screen color is a little warm (yellowish) to my taste... I hope there will be tweaks in the future to fix that. Also, the brightness of the screen is not as strong as my U11. I need to set it to around 75% even indoor...
3. The Android 10 gesture navigation needs some getting used to as well. I run an app called "All in One Gestures" on the U11, it allows me to launch 3 different apps of choice on both edges of the screen, swiping in at different directions. So, I don't want to use the Android 10 gestures which take up the side edges for "back" function. Anyway, "All in One Gestures" keep crashing on Pixel 4a, I think maybe it needs root access, or it just won't run on Android 10... I found another app that is similar in functionalities that seems to work ok for now, it can run 4 apps (2 on each side, depending on short vs long swipe). So, I still prefer the traditional 3 button navigation.
4. I wish they have in screen fingerprint sensor, or power button fingerprint sensor, I usually have my phone lay down on a table and I want to unlock it.
5. I miss the edge sense on U11 - squeeze to launch cam, squeeze again to take pictures. I am ok to work with double-tab power to launch camera, but then there is no convenient way to take picture (like squeeze), have to press the shutter on screen. (Edit: just found out can use power down button to take picture, seems quite convenient...)
So sounds like a lot of negatives, but after setting it up to my taste, I am starting to like it. Every good things you heard from the Internet are true. Night mode cameras are magic. I weighted camera as an important feature and so I am expecting that the good camera would greatly offset the other negatives I listed.
My only complaint is the screen brightness. Anything less than 80% and stuff just starts dissapearing on the screen. At the lower levels you can't even tell the screen is on. Just going to have to turn adaptive off and set it to 100% brightness full time.
hmm... Comin from a op7pro, the screen brightness to me seems totally fine out of the box really. maybe 10 or so percent higher than what I kept the 7pro on, ~60% instead of ~50% but don't need it maxed or anything crazy. High brightness is a bit less than HBM mode on 7pro but it works, I also like how they alter the screen colors to help visibility when in direct sunlight. The OP devices don't do that.
My 4a screen looks pretty well calibrated, doesn't look too warm or cold at all to me. No tint issues at low brightness.
Audio quality is actually pretty good, especially for such an inexpensive device, I was having flashbacks of nexus devices and no, this 4a is better than those.
Not seen any stutter or lag at all really, maybe 3 times for a split second during all of phone setup/installing ~80 apps.
Camera takes pics fast, no lag on snapping to seeing the pic. Haven't tried with HDR+ but regular HDR for sure is quicker than anything else but other pixels. The camera preview is indeed garbage, not so much in good lighting but especially in dark/night shots, the picture you get looks a million times better than what the preview showed before you took it.
I got my 4a on 20th, Aug.
I don't have enough time, I haven't tried much yet.
But it's very smooth and fast. Good for me.
I found a Bug(?), NFC cannot ON/OFF by pressing NFC icon in QS Panel.
(NFC can be turned ON/OFF by following the setting menu)
a few functions I've confirmed:
aptX music playback with Bluetooth Headset (w/ Shure RMCE-BT2)
LTE Carrier aggregation by "4G+" sign
VoLTE (call and receive)
I will try various things from now on.
First evening of using. I agree with points already mentioned. But the one thing bothering me most I'm noticing is the adaptive brightness constantly jumping around. Anyone else with adaptive brightness issues?
More thoughts after 1st full day of use (work from home due to COVID-19):
1. Battery barely lasted my full day at home. I think my phone usage is less while working from home compared to a"normal" day at work. So a little disappointed, probably need to charge mid day.
2. I love the call screen function, it's so useful, can read what the other party on the line has to say.
I think it's too early to decide/discuss battery life.
At this moment, as you say, it feels like "keep one day".
But I don't think it's right for now.
I think that Currently the "Screen On Time" is longer than in normal(usual) use.
my previous phone (Motorola Moto G5 Plus) was kept for about 3 days with one full charge.
I would like to expect the same for my 4a....
About "Adapitive Brightness"
no problems found. my pixel4a looks like working properly.
andyshinn said:
First evening of using. I agree with points already mentioned. But the one thing bothering me most I'm noticing is the adaptive brightness constantly jumping around. Anyone else with adaptive brightness issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! This has been driving me crazy. I can't always reproduce it but it seems to be the worst in a dimly lit room.
I am loving the phone so far. I was previously using a OnePlus 3T so this is my first new phone in 4 years. It's much snappier than the 3T (obviously) and I'm not having any problems with the apps I've migrated over. The only complaint I have is a lack of a pulsing notification light. I've seen a few alternatives that add a ring around the camera but would prefer to wait for an official app made specifically for the 4a.
Quick question,
I have the pixel 3a XL. I am looking for an overall smaller phone, and do not use the phone for gaming, etc. Am an average user at best, really use the phone more as a phone than a multimedia unit, etc.
on paper, the pixel 4a seems to meet my needs and is an upgrade in ram / memory, etc. I enjoy the simplicity of the pixel experience and appreciate the security update schedule.
I did pre-order and still have two / three weeks before they start shipping in Canada so am tracking feedbacks and issues reported. My intention is not to cancel the order with Google, but.....
Based on first impressions - would anyone see an immediate reason to not go ahead with the purchase ?
thanks in advance,
Sent from my coral using Tapatalk
I gave the battery a good test today. Constant Spotify pass through to bluetooth + constant GPS program running and tracking movement for 7.25 hours. The screen was off for most of this time, though screen-on time was ~40 minutes. Battery was at 50% and 18W car charger then charged it at about 1%/minute. My previous phone, a OnePlus 5, with a slightly larger capacity and running at three-years old, exact same setup running A10 except for a custom kernel that underclocks the CPUs and GPU, was giving me about 35% remaining several weeks in a row under the same usage. So, Pixel 4A was draining at 7%/hr and the OP5 was draining at 9% with an underclocked kernel.
HolyAngel said:
hmm... Comin from a op7pro, the screen brightness to me seems totally fine out of the box really. maybe 10 or so percent higher than what I kept the 7pro on, ~60% instead of ~50% but don't need it maxed or anything crazy. High brightness is a bit less than HBM mode on 7pro but it works, I also like how they alter the screen colors to help visibility when in direct sunlight. The OP devices don't do that.
My 4a screen looks pretty well calibrated, doesn't look too warm or cold at all to me. No tint issues at low brightness.
Audio quality is actually pretty good, especially for such an inexpensive device, I was having flashbacks of nexus devices and no, this 4a is better than those.
Not seen any stutter or lag at all really, maybe 3 times for a split second during all of phone setup/installing ~80 apps.
Camera takes pics fast, no lag on snapping to seeing the pic. Haven't tried with HDR+ but regular HDR for sure is quicker than anything else but other pixels. The camera preview is indeed garbage, not so much in good lighting but especially in dark/night shots, the picture you get looks a million times better than what the preview showed before you took it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the 7 pro and thought about getting a 4a. Does the 4a feel more like a side step or an actual upgrade? I can't imagine it's faster than the pro, but Google support would be nice.
This is def an upgrade from my Pixel 3a and I loved that phone! I kinda like the smaller form and the display seems as good as or better than previous iterations. For the price point you really cant beat this phone.
I recently bought a op 7t for 400$ on sale. I really like the specs, os, and performance but prefer the headphone jack an smaller size of the 4a. How do you both devices compare in terms of performance and experience overall? I'm worried that the 4a would lag or whatnot due to its processor. What do you guys think?
nickster1 said:
I have the 7 pro and thought about getting a 4a. Does the 4a feel more like a side step or an actual upgrade? I can't imagine it's faster than the pro, but Google support would be nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Compared to the 7pro, the 4a is a downgrade in every way except for maybe the camera. And if the smaller size is a plus to you or not..
I made the switch for development as I'm tired of OP's crap sources and late af updates, in that regard, this phone is totally fine. But in no way does it feel like a side-grade much less an upgrade. It's a downgrade for sure, but you'll be on latest OS updates.. The phone is definitely worth it for the money though, no argument here.
I got a mi9t but it is too heavy and too big for me. Do you think performance and autonomy will be better with the 4a ? I got 8 hours sot with lineage actually..
andyshinn said:
First evening of using. I agree with points already mentioned. But the one thing bothering me most I'm noticing is the adaptive brightness constantly jumping around. Anyone else with adaptive brightness issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm having the same issue. adaptive brightness seems to be wonky. hopefully they will have a fix for this.
btw, don't use blokada app! it tracks your data and it borks the keyboard (it bugs out the keyboard)
overall i like it. i'm using this as an extra 'just in case' phone if needed for certain trips or need a better phone than the xs max.
comparing xs max and 4a side by side, clearly the display is better on the xs max (less blue tint, more natural colors), and brighter.
photos are much better on the 4a obviously. i like the smaller form factor. its a no frills phone so i'm content with what it can do and okay with the limitations.
Front camera is a big negative on this phone,the selfies are very very soft even with outstretched arm over 16 inches as said by Google experts,don't know why no one is highlighting this issue,this has been going on from pixel 3a ,the lens is set to infinity focus and it's so wide that face will never be in proper focus unless you use a selfie stick to hold it way further
Delete, please
Related
As I posted in another thread earlier today, even though this Pixel 4XL is a huge disappointment in many ways to me, I still will consider buying it to replace my Nexus 6 - which is still doing decent job for me.
Google has never given us bright display, and this XDA article analyzing Pixel 4 displays explains it pretty well -
My question is - anybody with Pixel 4XL -> have you been able to get high-brightness mode for regular [while outdoors] display? Anyone can try?
To me, the state of pretty much every Google-branded phone and display is a step-behind the leaders. Here, we've got Pixel 4XL with a last-generation display that is dimmer and takes more power than Samsung's latest. And then, Google disables the high-brightness (high-battery-drain) mode - so you can't see the display in bright sunlight. So competitors using the same last-generation display have brighter phones (and better battery life). For me, if I can't see the damn display, it doesn't matter what the battery life is - the phone is unusable for lots of things if you can't see the display.
Recommend reading Dylan Raga's entire article, but here my highlight, and just so sad that Google is so bad in this area:
The Pixel devices have historically been unimpressive when it comes to display brightness. This year is no different. While every other major smartphone maker has made their OLEDs significantly brighter, Google has shown little-to-no progress. Google did manage to increase its newest phones’ brightness this year, from about 400 nits up to 450 nits, but it still leaves them as some of the dimmest flagship smartphones in recent years.
Lack of high brightness mode
The reason Google is so far behind is that they are refusing to incorporate a higher-power brightness state for their system brightness. Furthermore, Google is using last-generation display panels that cannot compete in power efficiency or in rated brightness with Samsung’s latest panels. What’s interesting is that Google has had a higher brightness mode within their phones, which they can tap into during HDR playback (or with root). But for reasons likely related to battery, Google does not allow their phones to use this extra brightness for normal use. Higher brightness modes do require significantly more power to drive — an 800-nit peak brightness state drains significantly more power than twice that of a 400-nit brightness state — but if the competition is able to support higher brightness levels and maintain better battery life than the Pixel devices, then Google is severely falling behind in both departments.
When enabling high brightness mode within the Pixel 4s’, their displays approach acceptable levels of brightness. At 600 nits, this ranks the Google Pixel 4 displays competitively with last years’ OLEDs in brightness. But in 2019, 600 nits is about the baseline for every major smartphone company, while the best are pushing 800 nits (100% APL). These are simply the limits of Google’s outdated panels, as the same panels found in the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and the OnePlus 7 Pro push the same brightness levels — except those phones actually push those brightness levels in normal use.
I'm not sure why it's such a huge disappointment for you, but why would you consider getting it if you dislike it so much?
airmaxx23 said:
I'm not sure why it's such a huge disappointment for you, but why would you consider getting it if you dislike it so much?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because there is no phone that has everything I want.
I will not get a phone I can't root - must have unlocked/unlockable bootloader.
I will not get a phone that won't have custom ROM/kernel devs.
So, what's left after those 2 requirements?
I really wanted Asus rog 2 but it's nice not having to front the money pretty happy with the pixel 4xl but hate I have to be vigelent on background processes to keep the battery life
And the screen is a bit dim for direct sunlight but not an issue most of the time
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
relaxable said:
Because there is no phone that has everything I want.
I will not get a phone I can't root - must have unlocked/unlockable bootloader.
I will not get a phone that won't have custom ROM/kernel devs.
So, what's left after those 2 requirements?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Realme x2 pro, xiaomi mi 9t pro, both are flagship phones with 855 and unlockable bootloader's and plenty of development
srimay said:
Realme x2 pro, xiaomi mi 9t pro, both are flagship phones with 855 and unlockable bootloader's and plenty of development
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that reply.
As I live in a location where Google does not charge re-stocking fee (!) I decided to purchase the deals on the Pixel 4XL.
Then, I decided to also purchase a Pixel 3a XL.
The 4XL has arrived and I have been using it for about 24hrs. There's a huge difference in performance compared to the Nexus 6 - and probably will prefer Android 10 over earlier versions, BUT, there are a lot of things I don't like. And quite a bit shocked at how easily the phone breaks! The JerryRig youtube review shows how easily the phone snaps and breaks in four different places :crying:- here's a writeup with the video embedded at bottom of the page.
(I really enjoyed the video - here's Youtube link this guy has such a calming voice and dry witty humor, and makes a lot of good points about how awful a job Google really did - hinting cannabis may have played a part in Google's decisions - but certainly not a piece that's going to make Pixel 4xl owners feel good...)
I took some photos last night and they turned out horrible. In fact it was so bad I thought there might be some protective shipping plastic on the camera hump. But no, not the case. I guess I need to dig a little more to learn how to take a photo with the included camera app....
I did root the phone, but really super disappointed that /system remains mostly untouchable. And more than a bit annoyed that, if you start initial setup with a SIM installed, a bunch of SYSTEM carrier-bloatware apps are installed during the first-time setup! So you get junk (MyVerizon and more in my case) apps that you can't remove even with root! (This is not unique to this phone - it's Android 10 limitation as best I can tell.) I think this can be avoided if you do the initial setup without a SIM, and then disable the system app the enables this forced stuffing of carrier apps on your phone.
So, since I know I wouldn't want to keep this 4XL for >5 years like I did with the Nexus 6, and since I'd probably want to replace it before next year's hopefully better (although Google has consistently disappointed me ever since Nexus 6) Pixel design, I'm hoping that either the Pixel 3a XL will be 'good enough' or perhaps another of the rootable/dev-supported phones....
That said - there are some things I like or am impressed with -> the sound is pretty good considering the tiny holes - when I saw the holes, I thought no way this phone can have decent audio for music, but it's a lot better than I expected.
The screen is brighter than I expected as well - but I haven't tried it yet in direct sunlight.....
Nice thing about Google is they don't care if you root or unlock and warranty is still in tact. That with the advanced replacement option should there by any warranty issues makes this a no brainer for me.
I told a Google rep on chat the other day I was having an issue with the "oem unlocking" switch greyed out and that should not be the case since I ordered directly from the Google store - I told him I got the phone specifically for rooting and he didn't blink an eye
Hello, I have different questions on this device and I would be really thankfull if someone can answer at some of them.
I come from xperia xz2 compact which overall is great but app side looks outdate. No gesture system and sony apps are the same of two years ago.
I know the Pixel is bigger but I don't see any real alternative now. So here come my questions...
It's my first OLED. Is it true that they not last as long as LCD? I hope to use this phone for 2 years at last.
Does this pixel get all the updates and features of newer pixels? All base apps get updated?
Can I disable some of the google apps like I do on other phones?
Can I remove the google search on home or the pixel launcher is not giving me choice?
Does the kernel get higher over time or like other phones it get stuck on the release one?
Is there anything weird about pixel that you don't usually get on other phones?
Yeah I know that the cpu is a downgrade. But maybe I care more to get fresh software.
Thank you so much if you spend time to give me some hint.
xperianotfun said:
Hello, I have different questions on this device and I would be really thankfull if someone can answer at some of them.
I come from xperia xz2 compact which overall is great but app side looks outdate. No gesture system and sony apps are the same of two years ago.
I know the Pixel is bigger but I don't see any real alternative now. So here come my questions...
It's my first OLED. Is it true that they not last as long as LCD? I hope to use this phone for 2 years at last.
Does this pixel get all the updates and features of newer pixels? All base apps get updated?
Can I disable some of the google apps like I do on other phones?
Can I remove the google search on home or the pixel launcher is not giving me choice?
Does the kernel get higher over time or like other phones it get stuck on the release one?
Is there anything weird about pixel that you don't usually get on other phones?
Yeah I know that the cpu is a downgrade. But maybe I care more to get fresh software.
Thank you so much if you spend time to give me some hint.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using this smartphone for 6 months now and my previous one was a Sony Xperia XZ2 , so it's basically the same situation as yours.
I always loved Sony smartphones and I keep doing it, but Pixels are on a totally different level, I would suggest the upgrade.
Anyway, to answer to your questions:
-It's my first OLED too, but I doubt it will last less than 2 years
-Yes it does, unless they are exclusive of newer models (Pixel 4). Since the launch of Pixel 4 they already ported to the 3a Astrophotography, Live Captions, Styles personalizations, etc.. But Google said that they are not going to bring for example other things like the contrast slider for photo shoots, which remains a Pixel 4 exclusive
-Yes
-The google search bar is integrated into the launcher, you should change launcher in order to get rid of it
-I didn't check the version over the updates, but at the moment is 4.9.185
-Nothing weird, IMHO is a powerful device with a great price
marcogiannetta said:
I've been using this smartphone for 6 months now and my previous one was a Sony Xperia XZ2 , so it's basically the same situation as yours.
I always loved Sony smartphones and I keep doing it, but Pixels are on a totally different level, I would suggest the upgrade.
Anyway, to answer to your questions:
-It's my first OLED too, but I doubt it will last less than 2 years
-Yes it does, unless they are exclusive of newer models (Pixel 4). Since the launch of Pixel 4 they already ported to the 3a Astrophotography, Live Captions, Styles personalizations, etc.. But Google said that they are not going to bring for example other things like the contrast slider for photo shoots, which remains a Pixel 4 exclusive
-Yes
-The google search bar is integrated into the launcher, you should change launcher in order to get rid of it
-I didn't check the version over the updates, but at the moment is 4.9.185
-Nothing weird, IMHO is a powerful device with a great price
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for you time. :angel:
That kernel version is the initial android 10 kernel. So they maybe update only on new android big versions.
Would you say that the screen quality is good compared compared to xz2? Can colors be natural? I'm using professional colors on mine.
You basically come from my same device. So it's nice to see that you see the pixel as an upgrade.
xperianotfun said:
Thank you for you time. :angel:
That kernel version is the initial android 10 kernel. So they maybe update only on new android big versions.
Would you say that the screen quality is good compared compared to xz2? Can colors be natural? I'm using professional colors on mine.
You basically come from my same device. So it's nice to see that you see the pixel as an upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, to be honest I consider the two displays almost on the same level, cause the xz2's LCD was way better than any other LCD I've seen around.
The 3a OLED is very good for its price, but under strong sunlight it may struggle to be visible.
xperianotfun said:
Would you say that the screen quality is good compared compared to xz2? Can colors be natural? I'm using professional colors on mine.
You basically come from my same device. So it's nice to see that you see the pixel as an upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the display, it's really is not very bright, but custom kernels (e.g. ElementalX, I think) can provide a high brightness mode for direct sunlight.
If you want a really long in-depth review, xda's Dylan Raga has written a display review, but there's also a quick overview as Pros and Cons.
For other users' opinions, there is always the Real Life Review forum section to check out, it also has a display section.
Personally I also use the Natural profile. It seems bland at first compared to Adaptive (default setting), because it's not slightly oversaturated, but given Natural is more accurate, I'm quite happy without the additional color pop.
marcogiannetta said:
Pixels are on a totally different level, I would suggest the upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May I ask you why you find Pixel so better?
sysuicrash0511 said:
Personally I also use the Natural profile. It seems bland at first compared to Adaptive (default setting), because it's not slightly oversaturated, but given Natural is more accurate, I'm quite happy without the additional color pop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. That article is really intersting. But what is scaring me now about OLED is that often people get headache since the screen flickers.
Based on this review: https://www.notebookcheck.net/PWM-Ranking-Notebooks-Smartphones-and-Tablets-with-PWM.163979.0.html
Over 500 Hz should not be an issue but under 250 Hz it could. This pixel is just 270 Hz...
My phone is 2381 Hz and the phone I had before it had no flickering at all.
xperianotfun said:
May I ask you why you find Pixel so better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Camera (and flash, which was ridiculous on the xperia) and audio are two of the main reasons.
Also battery is a huge improvement to me, cause I use to cover about 5 hours of SOT with the XZ2, now I get up to 7.
The only thing I miss is Dynamic Vibration, it was such a nice feature
xperianotfun said:
Thanks. That article is really intersting. But what is scaring me now about OLED is that often people get headache since the screen flickers.
Based on this review: https://www.notebookcheck.net/PWM-Ranking-Notebooks-Smartphones-and-Tablets-with-PWM.163979.0.html
Over 500 Hz should not be an issue but under 250 Hz it could. This pixel is just 270 Hz...
My phone is 2381 Hz and the phone I had before it had no flickering at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is news to me, so I did some research.
In case it's also news to someone else, these frequencies aren't related to display refresh rate, which flagship nowadays increase above 60hz.
From what I understand (as a layman) it's basically modulating the current or voltage to an average by switching the supply on and off within that frequency, effectively controlling brightness.
I can't say I did experience headaches or eye strain, so I might not be the best person to answer this, but I usually use my phones' display quite dim. Shouldn't the frequency decrease and make flickering more noticeable (more waves and longer intervals being off)? Maybe I'm getting it wrong though.
What also caught my attention in your linked table is how many other popular phones sit around these lower frequencies, and only one iPhone ranks slightly higher than the 3a. There are LCDs as well, maybe it's not limited to OLED. But there surely is someone more knowledgeable than me.
Just a quick review. The screen is not even comparable with the xz2c. It feels cheap. But the worst part is the view angle. If you are not in front of the screen the colors really change a lot. And you tend to see the colors changing while you use the phone. ?
You get used to it though. Is just weird if you compare them.
If the screen is all black there is some fading lighter on some side.
On really low light I notice that as example, the keyboard have a shade color instead of being unique.
Night light is less warm.
I don't get stressed by eyes or mind looking at it.
The pixel launcher doesn't allow me to even disable the "ok google" voice detection. I'm considering to swap it. But not sure what will happen with the app switcher.
(if you don't use google at all you can disable the google app and this will disable voice detection while the search bar will be still there as just a picture doing nothing)
Everything else is fine. The phone feels really great in hand and is lighter. Charging is faster.
I'm noticing how feature that are missing versus pixel 4 are not all relevant to hardward or whatever. And some of them are nonsense. Like live wallpapers. So I'm not sure how much really updated the Pixel will stay in time versus another phone except security patches.
I just got used to the screen. And now looks just fine. Except the angle view but I don't care enough. Also the touch is so responsive.
I think this phone is amzing. Is all around balanced, the experience is fluid and clean. So handy and light. Also doesn't attract dust at all. Fast charge.
I'm enjoing display ambient always on, I never thought that could be a good thing but it's really nice.
I just forgot I'm using this phone, it just doesn't distract me.
I would not say photos are so much better in general but they are just a lot better in not perfect light condition.
Checked my screen for a few minutes. There is indeed a *slight* variation in colors when viewing at an angle, which is noticeable only on white backgrounds (and I am in dark mode
Screen should last much longer than 2 years: especially in the EU where legal warranty is 2y.
jerome.jh said:
Checked my screen for a few minutes. There is indeed a *slight* variation in colors when viewing at an angle, which is noticeable only on white backgrounds (and I am in dark mode
Screen should last much longer than 2 years: especially in the EU where legal warranty is 2y.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it's not that much. It was just the first sight. If you come from lcd for like your life, oled is really weird. But you get used to it really easy and after that it's great.
I hope it last. This phone is perfect for basic use.
I have a Pixel 2 XL, and I'll likely be getting the Pixel 5.
I usually upgrade every two years, but the 4 just didn't call to me. I've been holding out for wireless charging and I didn't want to give up my fingerprint reader. That and I've had a strong preference for the 'stock' Android that the Nexus/Pixel series gives you. So I waited last year. However, my battery is getting pretty poor so it's time to move on and the Pixel 5 seems to fit the bill for me.
However, there are a few drawbacks. It seems most of the gripes about the Pixel 5 seem centered around the CPU being somewhat mid-range. Coming from the 2XL, I don't really have any gripes about performance with what I already have for what I use it for. Why only real concerns are the screen and the speakers. I really like the front-facing speakers of my 2XL and sometimes will set my phone on its kickstand to watch a YouTube video with no headphones. (Not in public, I'm not a monster.) I feel like the 5 won't work as well in this scenario, but it's not a deal breaker.
The other drawback is the lower resolution screen. Honestly, I don't know if this is a big deal or not. How big a deal is the resolution difference? Noticeable to most? Would a higher refresh rate but a lower resolution be a net positive or net negative to most? I can't say I've ever felt like my screen was too laggy due to refresh rate but I honestly don't know if the bump down in resolution will slap me in the face or be a complete non-issue. I don't imagine I'd care or notice with video, but what about reading? Any advice from those with more experience in this area?
As long as you don't block the bottom speaker (lower right), you should be fine. Most of the phone stands I use don't block the speaker on my Pixel 3a XL now, so I don't see you having a problem with the Pixel 5.
If you pixel peep, then you will notice the lose of fidelity. Honestly with a screen this small (smartphone screens in general), it's not a huge deal for me. FHD+ is good enough. From experience, I do notice the loss going from higher density displays down to a 1080+ screen. Keep in mind, a higher resolution = less battery life. Takes more to drive that higher density screen. After a while, you won't notice it.
Thanks. I hadn't considered the battery life aspect of it. That's almost more important to me now, but that might just be because I'm running on a 3+ year old battery now.
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate your feedback. I'm certain most of those who are still undecided will as well.
To be frank, this device has received overwhelming amounts of good press, which, as a consumer, is a good thing.
That said, constructive criticism is a key component towards improving upon future A series models and/or polishing the current user experience.
AHE_XDA said:
I appreciate your feedback. I'm certain most of those who are still undecided will as well.
To be frank, this device has received overwhelming amounts of good press, which, as a consumer, is a good thing.
That said, constructive criticism is a key component towards improving upon future A series models and/or polishing the current user experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Paid press is always good press...
The Samsung Fold series always get rave reviews but they're expensive, fragile and limited devices. Worse I'm being kind in my criticism.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird, I have never encountered this.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. So I really don't know why Samsung pulled an Apple with the charger
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't mind this at all since it's already proven that fast charging does hurt your battery longevity.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very boring and washed out. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Hopefully, the xda community will do something about this, maybe a graphics engine or some app that can tinker with the display settings more finely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this, although I prefer it for the occasional media consumption. For general usage, it might lead to some eye strain for some people which includes me.
The build despite plastic is decent enough considering the trade-offs with its other specs at this price point and an IP6X is always welcome. The camera is nothing spectacular but not bad, given that it's harder to quantify the expected degrees of quality per $ at this price range. Performance is fine for the majority of the time but there are occasional stutters or lag you will encounter. Overall, I'm very satisfied with my purchase. It's also worth noting that warranty and software support tend to get overlooked when looking at the price.
I was considering Poco F3 as an alternative before getting my A52 however, I didn't go through with the Poco F3 because of various issues and concerns that I can't be arsed to list.
This phone is on my list to upgrade from my Essential PH-1. Keeping an eye on ROM development and Gcam development. I can get it for around $354 depending on the COP to USD conversion rate in Colombia. Anyone know better deals out in the wild?
NiceGuyIncel said:
Hi guys. I bought an A52 4G for myself a few weeks ago and here is my brutally honest review. As you will see, there are some things I wasn't satisfied with but I needed a phone quickly and for my budget and availability, I thought I'd give Samsung a chance.
Pros
1. Lots of QoL services by Samsung like always on display and apps like Gallery by Samsung can be more useful than Photos by Google. I also mapped the double tap power button to start the flashlight.
2. The 720G chipset along with a 90hz display feels plenty powerful especially for those coming from an older midrange device. However, it's not as fast and instantaneous as stock Android or OxygenOS. Also, you will face lots of stutters and bugs if you enable animation to .5x. At default 1x, animations are too damn slow.
3. Stereo speakers. Sound quality is average though. I don't use it much so I don't care.
4. Water resistance. It's nice of Samsung to bring this feature to a midrange device.
5. The macro camera can be useful for taking pictures of very small items like coins. The selfie camera seems alright.
6. The display, despite having kind of inaccurate colors is actually a lot better looking than most Chinese brand (OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, Realme, etc) phone displays. Most Chinese brand displays tend to have a washed out, pale look to them despite having high refresh rates.
7. Battery life is pretty decent. If you don't use it much, it'll last a couple days easily. Of course, battery will degrade over time so a few years later, you might need to change the battery or the phone itself.
Cons
1. Sound quality output through the 3.5mm jack is very bad. My previous phone (Moto G5s Plus) had a much better built-in DAC. But at least the jack is there so I guess it's better than nothing but I'd suggest you get a good type-c to 3.5mm converter and use that instead if you're looking for decent audio.
2. The display isn't bad (the 90hz is definitely an upgrade over 60hz) but the color calibration out of the box by Samsung is very inaccurate and kind of pale. You can switch to "vibrant" mode but it over saturates everything. The saturation is so off the charts that you have no choice but to go back to the pale "natural" mode. Also, the amoled screen can be fatiguing to your eyes. Not everyone faces this but personally I have this problem.
3. The charger provided is really weak. Sometimes I like to use my phone while it's charging. Sadly this charger is too weak to do that and can't keep up. I did have a faster charger from my previous budget moto phone and it does a much better job charging the A52. It would be better if Samsung didn't provide this crappy 15 watt charger and made the phone cheaper so I could buy a 25 watt charger myself. I don't see the logic in this. The phone supports 25 watt charging but Samsung includes a 15 watt charger in the box.
4. The lightly colored matte plastic back looks awesome in the beginning but with some mild use, the colors are already starting to fade and become yellowish. So put a case or skin on it if you wanna preserve that awesome color.
5. The colors and details of the main camera are not very good for an upper midrange device in 2021. I saw some reviews on YouTube with review units provided by Samsung that showed much better camera quality than what I'm getting with my retail unit. Especially after you take a picture, if you zoom in on a person's face for example, the details are just not there. Also, the colors are inaccurate and not life like. Hopefully, someone can make a good GCAM for this phone. Otherwise, expect to live with an average camera.
6. Random spammy apps like Dailyhunt get automatically installed every few days. I set all settings to not update anything automatically but it still does that. I even contacted customer care about this and they couldn't provide any solutions. EDIT: Luckily, it stopped doing this.
7. If the bezels were a bit narrower especially the sides and top, it would have quite a flagship killer look. Even the A51 has narrower bezels on the side. But I know Samsung did this on purpose so their more expensive S series phones would look more special than the A series.
8. It's a bit on the heavier side if you compare it to the A51. Putting a case and tempered glass on it will only increase the weight further. I find myself having to put the phone down on a table or bed to use it. I can't hold it in the air for long due to its weight.
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?
Got the S22U snapdragon since last March, while it has no problems it's a boring phone as I can't root it without tripping knox and the touch UI system is not as sleek as the Oneplus I used to have. The pixel 7 pro looks like a good alternative but:
-Battery charging time is way too slow no? I can recharge my S22U from 40% to 100% in 50ish minutes.Any way to make charging time closer to the S22U with the P7P?
-I saw mixed bags about pixel 7 pro battery vs the S22U , some reviews said it's (much) worse while others said it's a tad better lol, what's your end user experience ?
-I didn't root my phones for the last 2 years, how's magisk now? Can it bluff banking and mcdonalds apps?
vegetaleb said:
Got the S22U snapdragon since last March, while it has no problems it's a boring phone as I can't root it without tripping knox and the touch UI system is not as sleek as the Oneplus I used to have. The pixel 7 pro looks like a good alternative but:
-Battery charging time is way too slow no? I can recharge my S22U from 40% to 100% in 50ish minutes.Any way to make charging time closer to the S22U with the P7P?
-I saw mixed bags about pixel 7 pro battery vs the S22U , some reviews said it's (much) worse while others said it's a tad better lol, what's your end user experience ?
-I didn't root my phones for the last 2 years, how's magisk now? Can it bluff banking and mcdonalds apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just switched from s22U (non Snapdragon) to the Pixel 7 Pro
Battery is quite similar I would say.
Yes charging time is much longer that the S22U however, I am mostly charging at night.
I did not root the phone now, as there is no need for me to root is.
What I do appreciate is the UI of this phone
What's the speed of the device compared to the non snap s22u? I'm starting to get bored of mine and I despise Samsung's UI...
tschaad said:
I just switched from s22U (non Snapdragon) to the Pixel 7 Pro
Battery is quite similar I would say.
Yes charging time is much longer that the S22U however, I am mostly charging at night.
I did not root the phone now, as there is no need for me to root is.
What I do appreciate is the UI of this phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello. I changed my S22U for the Pixel 7 Pro and very happy.
The load is somewhat slower, but it is not much more noticeable either. The good thing is that from 0 to 80% it charges quite fast.
The Pixel seems more comfortable in hand by measures and weight.
The cameras are very good.
So I recommend the change.
Best regards.
I have both phones and I switch back and forth. Been using the 7 pro mostly for past month.
headcreepz said:
I have both phones and I switch back and forth. Been using the 7 pro mostly for past month.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm the same as you, I used One for a couple of weeks than I started to missing the other one and switch it, both are great pixel p7 much easier to hold but the s22 u is great on watching videos or movies
I have both and find the S22 Ultra is better in most ways. The S22 Ultra has slightly better reception and data speeds, better screen, slightly better battery life, smoother scrolling in many apps, and more customization without the need for root. The Pixel 7 Pro takes more consistently great photos, has better speakers, and has a cleaner software experience but is otherwise a step behind. I'd wait for the S23 Ultra and see what the SD 8 Gen 2 can deliver with its rumored efficiency gains. Heck the OnePlus 11 might be a winner for those that want the greatest specs and root.
Be careful when considering to buy pixel 7 or pixel 7 pro.
There are incidences of the phone's camera glass shattering/broken no fault of the user.
Here is the link at google support
Google is not providing any warranty. You need to pay $200USD + to get it repaired by yourself.
LimitsX said:
Be careful when considering to buy pixel 7 or pixel 7 pro.
There are incidences of the phone's camera glass shattering/broken no fault of the user.
Here is the link at google support
Google is not providing any warranty. You need to pay $200USD + to get it repaired by yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google specifies the operational range of the phone is only as low as 32F/0C which is why they can get away with this. These people were taking their phone into much lower temperatures.
Your phone is designed to work best in ambient temperatures between 32° and 95° F (0° and 35° C), and should be stored between ambient temperatures of -4° and 113° F (-20° and 45° C).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may notice that it can be stored lower but stored means not used. If usage of the phone heated it up while it was cold (some of these claims were in -20F for more than an hour), this is an unfortunate case of "that's your problem."
Just like people putting their phones in the back pocket and sitting on them, causing them to bend, if you abuse a device, it's going to break, and when it does, it's not the manufacturer at fault.
Switched today and immediately miss dual Facebook and dual messenger that was built into Samsung. Any workaround for it other than using different profiles ?
Thanks all
What about the screen size? Is it obvious the P7P screen is smaller or you get used to it in no time? Last time I had a 6.7" was the Oneplus 7 pro
As many said the S22U screen is very sweet for watching movies or editing photos but the squared corners are not easy on the palm of our hand
I've changed too, but I have to say, that the S22U is much better: brighter display, sharper display, better camera and zoom, battery last longer, quicker charging, better mobile reception. But sure: pure Android is much better than OneUI
bhammler said:
I've changed too, but I have to say, that the S22U is much better: brighter display, sharper display, better camera and zoom, battery last longer, quicker charging, better mobile reception. But sure: pure Android is much better than OneUI
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes if we are talking pure hardware the S22U is a bit better but the 5x zoom of the P7P looks as sharp and nice as the 10x of the S22U no? Talking here image quality not how far the zoom can reach.
And yes 2 things that annoy me with Samsung UI for years, most of all is that I have to double or even triple tap an icon or text to open an app or select a menu, why? Because with Samsung you can't do them unless the scrolling effect is 100% ! Even if it's stoll moving at 0.01mm it won't open an app/setting
The 2nd thing I hate with sammy is that statusbar text won't enlarge even though I change font size or display size
vegetaleb said:
Got the S22U snapdragon since last March, while it has no problems it's a boring phone as I can't root it without tripping knox and the touch UI system is not as sleek as the Oneplus I used to have. The pixel 7 pro looks like a good alternative but:
-Battery charging time is way too slow no? I can recharge my S22U from 40% to 100% in 50ish minutes.Any way to make charging time closer to the S22U with the P7P?
-I saw mixed bags about pixel 7 pro battery vs the S22U , some reviews said it's (much) worse while others said it's a tad better lol, what's your end user experience ?
-I didn't root my phones for the last 2 years, how's magisk now? Can it bluff banking and mcdonalds apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Came from the S22U and I would say battery is almost identical, if not a tad better on the pixel. Charging time is slower, but as someone else said, I charge at night so I dont really care. It hasnt died on me before bed yet, and I would consider myself a power user. In fact, I go to bed with around 50% (that's with about 50 minutes of Android Auto use every day).
I thought about rooting the thing, but it's literally been since the nexus days since rooting a phone for me, so I dont know if I really want to take the chance at this point.
Samsung makes a killer phone, but there are so many gimicky features that I thought were cool, yet never even used. I like the simplicity of the pixel.
I can use banking and McDonalds apps on when I had a rooted S22 Ultra (Hong Kong model SM-S9080) with Magisk + Zygist setup. The big difference I noticed so far with the Pixel 7 Pro is there's not a lot of options for customization and some things are fixed in placed meaning you're stuck with it. For example, there's no quick toggle for the sound to go from mute, vibrate, and sound on.
Samsung thought of everything you could need and included it. Google tried to keep it simple but made it complicated by restricting the options and not giving you what you need. I just bought a Pixel 7 Pro to spoof Pokemon Go on Android 13 on a flagship phone with US bands. I feel like I want to return it because it's not what I'm used to because it's like going from a Ferrari down to a Toyota. I'm in process of rooting it but the guides are lacking information...
I'm torn between the s22u and the p7p. I think the AI and voice recognition is better with the pixel. I love the little things like now playing and how you can just say 'stop'to shut off an alarm. All the in call options are amazing (I talk on the phone a week tho so I don't really get to use many of those features, lol). And I love the minimal bloat. Battery life is much better on the pixel, primarily because of the difference in standby battery drain, but it's still better.
However Samsung has so many things the pixel just doesn't. It multitasks better, I love being able to connect to more than one Bluetooth device at the same time, it plays demanding games better, camera is better to me (quality and versatility), etc. It's a better workhorse.
I'll get the S23u next months then the fold 5 and then the pixel 8. Just a never ending cycle in my quest to find the perfect phone. And who knows, when you can download apps outside of the app store maybe I'll try and iPhone for the first time in 10 years.
What are the customisations you are missing on the Pixel 7 Pro that you had on the S22U ?
Like the missing shortcuts in the lockscreen ?
I think oneplus was the best combining stock Android but with many customisations
Customization options on Samsung devices, but not on Pixel devices:
-Navigation bar: ability to swap back and recent buttons, ability to choose between 2 forms of gesture navigation, ability to customize soft key design, and hide the gesture pill.
-Good Lock modules give incredible customization without root. You can change the placement of the status bar clock and other items. You can build your own themes with icon packs, you can directly modify the quick settings panel, notification style, app switcher styles, volume control panel, etc.
-Always on display can be fully customized and set on a schedule, off while you sleep.
-Using #Hex Installer themes, one can attain the vast majority of the Pixel UI look, or any other style one wants.
-Changing the system font is easy
All of these would require root on a Pixel and likely need to be modded again after major software updates.
Guyinlaca said:
Customization options on Samsung devices, but not on Pixel devices:
-Navigation bar: ability to swap back and recent buttons, ability to choose between 2 forms of gesture navigation, ability to customize soft key design, and hide the gesture pill.
-Good Lock modules give incredible customization without root. You can change the placement of the status bar clock and other items. You can build your own themes with icon packs, you can directly modify the quick settings panel, notification style, app switcher styles, volume control panel, etc.
-Always on display can be fully customized and set on a schedule, off while you sleep.
-Using #Hex Installer themes, one can attain the vast majority of the Pixel UI look, or any other style one wants.
-Changing the system font is easy
All of these would require root on a Pixel and likely need to be modded again after major software updates.
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We have PixelFlasher to make keeping mods and updating easy as could be but it definitely does sound appealing to not have to root to get all of that.
EtherealRemnant said:
We have PixelFlasher to make keeping mods and updating easy as could be but it definitely does sound appealing to not have to root to get all of that.
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Retaining root on the Pixel is easy, however Google periodically changes something in SystemUI, like in the move from 12 to 12L and 12L to 13, that would break a current mod and cause bootloops. For example, I used a mod that restored the old school round QuickSettings icons and 13 broke it.