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Galaxy Note 3 vs HTC One Max

The way I see it, the Note II is the best smartphone available still. The combination of screen size, storage options, S Pen, and most important to me... True BATTERY LIFE!
Ever since I bought my FIRST and current smartphone, the HTC Evo 3D with sprint, I have been GREATLY disappointed with my battery life, screen size, and terrible camera! You guys here made the best choice... I have never seen a phone hold a crown and reign like the Note II has.
My contract is finally up (since April of this year) and I am poised and ready to pull the trigger once again. Although it's early...
Will it be the NOTE III or The HTC One Max for you guys based on the current news? Will the HTC max even peek your interest? Or are you set in your samsung ways?
I need your help because I don't wanna be unhappy for 2 years again.

It depends if Samsung opts for LCD or AMOLED.

I completely agree with your thoughts written in the first half of your message. I have Samsung Galaxy Note 2 since December 2012 and this SUPERPHONE is absolutely amazing. It's like a small computer in your hand with amazing screen, good battery, s-pen. Did not have any problems with this smartphone during these seven month. It's still the best smartphone in the market in term of browsing the Web, working with Office, playing games, reading e-books etc. By the way, I use this additional battery dock: http://www.mobili.lt/lt/aksesuarai/samsung/811205.html which allows me to be completely free and do not be tied to a power cord during the day.
So, I strongly recommend you to choose Samsung Galaxy Note 3 instead of HTC ONE Max because the absence of a removable battery is a big minus to HTC especially if you are a 'hard core' user.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

Btw note 3 will have 2 sd card slot. If htc max miraculously have a 3500mah + removable batt + spen then i might consider getting htc Lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

limitbreak09 said:
Btw note 3 will have 2 sd card slot. If htc max miraculously have a 3500mah + removable batt + spen then i might consider getting htc Lol
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We're talking about two phones that no one has real details on yet. Here's some safe assumptions about the N3:
It'll have a more powerful Octa than the SGS4 or S-800
It'll have a 1080P (most likely) AMOLED display
It'll either be the same size as the N2 with a bigger display but thinner and lighter (à la the SGS4) or the display will increase a lot as will the size of the device
It'll have all the new features of the SGS4 plus some we don't know about yet
It'll most likely have a bigger battery and get better battery life than the N2
It'll have a 13MP camera and may have OIS and optical zoom if the rumors turn out to be correct
It'll most likely continue the current Samsung design language (EG: "evolutionary")
Here's some guesses about the One Max:
It may have expandable storage; the Butterfly S finally does
It won't have a removable battery because it's against HTC's religion and hampers their design creativity
It won't have an inductive display and will use N-trig (like the XZ Ultra) which offers no pen sensitivity and prohibits things like Air View and hover
It may have some inking apps (HTC Scribe 2.0?) but they won't be as comprehensive as S Note because HTC offers very few s/w features that Samsung does even on their flagship devices (they don't even have an Awake Stay equivalent)
It should look and feel great; just like the One does
This same "vs." conversation is going on in the XZ Ultra vs. Note comparison thread. The Note's designed for consumption. Samsung's tagline for it is "Be Creative" and half of the features listed on their website talk about creation. I doubt that other devices will offer that level of creation support. But it's obvious quite a few people don't care and buy the Note for its big-ass display. For those people, devices like the OG Pro, Ultra, Max, and Mega are possible considerations. For productivity users and creators it's hard to see anything coming close to the Note-series. Lovers of giant phones, you have a lot more choices.

artorelis said:
I completely agree with your thoughts written in the first half of your message. I have Samsung Galaxy Note 2 since December 2012 and this SUPERPHONE is absolutely amazing. It's like a small computer in your hand with amazing screen, good battery, s-pen. Did not have any problems with this smartphone during these seven month. It's still the best smartphone in the market in term of browsing the Web, working with Office, playing games, reading e-books etc. By the way, I use this additional battery dock: http://www.mobili.lt/lt/aksesuarai/samsung/811205.html which allows me to be completely free and do not be tied to a power cord during the day.
So, I strongly recommend you to choose Samsung Galaxy Note 3 instead of HTC ONE Max because the absence of a removable battery is a big minus to HTC especially if you are a 'hard core' user.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium
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A couple questions I have regarding the note 2. Many people did a screen time test where they left their screen on "never sleep" and reported up to 10hours battery life!
Does this test include having 4g, bluetooth, and gps on? Honesty we all just want phones that do everything they SAY they can do without dying halfway through the day.
Also when the Note II originally came out on shelves what were the on contract prices for the 16/32/64gb versions. With all the apps and games not going to SD card I would love having a 32 or 64gb version to be safe. But I don't want to break the bank. Don't wanna pay more than 350.
Thanks for the help guys

Etheridge Gray said:
A couple questions I have regarding the note 2. Many people did a screen time test where they left their screen on "never sleep" and reported up to 10hours battery life! Does this test include having 4g, bluetooth, and gps on? Honesty we all just want phones that do everything they SAY they can do without dying halfway through the day.
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Click to collapse
A car rated at 25MPG on the highway can get 35MPG if it's going downhill, with a tailwind, with only the driver in it, with the tires over-inflated, and with the A/C off and windows up. Using the phone "normally" which is screen on auto-brightness and no power-saving tools active I can get 7.5 hours of screen-on time. And that's with some combination of Wi-Fi/HSPA on all the time and I have nine different syncs going constantly. I'm also a heavy BT user and haven't found that to be a big drain (EG: listening to music or making calls where the display is typically off). Based on the SGS3 vs. SGS4 I'd expect the N3 to do at least 25% better than the N2; maybe more.
Also when the Note II originally came out on shelves what were the on contract prices for the 16/32/64gb versions. With all the apps and games not going to SD card I would love having a 32 or 64gb version to be safe. But I don't want to break the bank. Don't wanna pay more than 350.
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Click to collapse
Western markets have matured and high-end smartphone sales are slowing down. I'd highly doubt that the N3 will be any more than the N2 was price-wise at launch. I don't know where you are but the U.S. contract price was $299 for the 16GB and I don't think any of the U.S. carriers offered versions with more storage. It's $199 most of the time now and can be had for $99 during timed promotions. The N2 was €640/£546 off-contract in Europe at launch. The N3 will end up with more s/w on it than the SGS4 because of S Pen. Samsung may make 32GB the starting storage size to avoid the debacle they had with the SGS4.

BarryH_GEG said:
A car rated at 25MPG on the highway can get 35MPG if it's going downhill, with a tailwind, with only the driver in it, with the tires over-inflated, and with the A/C off and windows up. Using the phone "normally" which is screen on auto-brightness and no power-saving tools active I can get 7.5 hours of screen-on time. And that's with some combination of Wi-Fi/HSPA on all the time and I have nine different syncs going constantly. I'm also a heavy BT user and haven't found that to be a big drain (EG: listening to music or making calls where the display is typically off). Based on the SGS3 vs. SGS4 I'd expect the N3 to do at least 25% better than the N2; maybe more.
Western markets have matured and high-end smartphone sales are slowing down. I'd highly doubt that the N3 will be any more than the N2 was price-wise at launch. I don't know where you are but the U.S. contract price was $299 for the 16GB and I don't think any of the U.S. carriers offered versions with more storage. It's $199 most of the time now and can be had for $99 during timed promotions. The N2 was €640/£546 off-contract in Europe at launch. The N3 will end up with more s/w on it than the SGS4 because of S Pen. Samsung may make 32GB the starting storage size to avoid the debacle they had with the SGS4.
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Thanks for your honest and realistic response on the N2s battery life. 7.5 hours of SCREEN ON time is ridiculously good. Honestly I love everything about my current smartphone except for the few things I hate about it.
Battery life
Low internal storage
Terrible camera /camera flash/zoom especially in low light conditions.
I hate sprint where I live. Can't blame phone for that.
Small screen (4.3) only qHD.
I am hoping the N3 on Verizon's awesome network will fix my problems. It should be a upgrade on every front.
What are you guys thoughts on the galaxy s4s camera operating in the night? Do you think N3s camera will outshine the s4s? Camera and video recording will be HUGE for me!

Really appreciate the response guys. Now I know that it's not necessarily needed for those with N2s, but I thought I'd share this with yall.
Portable 12000 mAh battery. We all know it's not the most ground breaking news, but I would love to use this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ZBZ64Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1372698191&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

I'm just not seeing the sense in a comparison thread for 2 devices that don't exist yet.
Nice referral link btw.

I only one thing guys, after watching indeed criticism on s4 design, Samsung will have to do exceptional in note 3 to convince current note 2 users to upgrade. If the satisfaction level of s3 users was 7/10 then note 2 has 9/10 so its difficult to convince all 9 users to update their device. A lot of people are expecting that it will be shaped just like s4, if this is the way, it will a fail for most.

Note 3 IF it comes with SLCD or IPS. No more AMOLED for me, thank you.

I do believe that note 3 is just gonna look like the s4, but wait for S5 tho, i think thats the turning point where samsung will blow us away with a new design.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

sohebq said:
I only one thing guys, after watching indeed criticism on s4 design, Samsung will have to do exceptional in note 3 to convince current note 2 users to upgrade.
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To be launched in the fall, the N3 was probably about half way through development when the SGS4 was launched in the spring. It takes 6-9 months to design a mobile device, identify specs for all the components needed, source all those components, set up assembly lines, and test it all (making adjustments where necessary) to make sure you've got it right. When Samsung evolved the SGS4's design they did so intentionally; following in the footsteps of Apple who evolves their designs too. There was more commentary about "plastic again" then there was about the design itself.
A removable battery requires access to it and Samsung's method is a removable back cover. Said back cover needs to be flexible and durable. Metal and glass are obviously neither. Since they have a removable back cover they also leverage that by putting the SIM cards and expandable storage underneath it eliminating the need for slots on the side of the phone. Those slots with ejection mechanisms cost more, are points of failure, and add weight. I guess they could seal the back and provide a battery door but that would mean relocating all the SIM and SD card slot to the side of the phone. That would require valuable space along the side of the phone which Samsung uses for antennas. Moving to a sealed design with external slots while retaining a removable battery would mean all Samsung's current design methods would have to be discarded. Their subsequent replacement would be no trivial exercise.
No phone ever built has been as thin as the SGS4 with a removable battery. The OG Pro offers a removable battery; the only recently released device to do so. It's 9.4MM thick and weighs 172g. The N2 is the same thickness and 11G heavier. So whatever magic Samsung worked to get the SGS4 thinner (7.9MM), lighter, with a bigger battery, and a larger display will most likely be worked again on the N3. Which also means its design will follow in the SGS4's footsteps. So for those expecting something "revolutionary" I think you'll be disappointed. Personally, I've never been bothered by Samsung's designs or use of plastic. My devices aren't fashion accessories; I view them as tools. The removable battery and the ability to replace the back cover for $20 if I damage it are more important to me than aesthetics. The HTC One isn't selling well and for Q2 HTC will be down 21% YOY in revenue. So while it's truly a beautiful device materials and design wise there's obviously more to sales success than just a pretty face. For those that design is really important to you should probably look at the One Max and XZ Ultra.
limitbreak09 said:
I do believe that note 3 is just gonna look like the s4, but wait for S5 tho, i think thats the turning point where samsung will blow us away with a new design.
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I totally agree. And they've already made a move in that direction. Last month they acquired 50% of SGL Group which is a leader in the use of carbon fiber. I'd expect that to factor in the SGS5's design. But it's way too late to impact the N3.
The South Korean company's materials arm, Samsung Petrochemical, has established the joint venture with carbon manufacturers SGL Group and will own 50 per cent of the joint company, Samsung SGL Carbon Composite Materials. In a joint statement, the two companies said they planned to develop new electronic applications built with carbon composite materials. The deal with SGL group will give Samsung access to an exclusive long-term supply of carbon materials​http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10141157/Carbon-fibre-phones-coming-from-Samsung.html

@barry
I agree with everything you said. Honestly I already felt this way. Who cares if it "FEELS" cheap if it performs top of the line and outperforms what FEELS durable and premium??
Furthermore, ever since I held the Galaxy SIII, I loved how light it was! It's one of the strong selling points for me. People just wanna complain because they are spoiled. Simple as that. Back to the N3..
I reallllly really really am concerned about the camera on the N3! I really want a camera that takes amazing shots in ALL environments! Especially low light to night shots with AND without flash. Camera is definitely something of paramount concern since I am a All-in-one kind of guy. And I know the N3 has the potential... But will it reach it??
I definitely have battery life concerns since we are increasing screen size and resolution, but at the same time trying to make the phone lighter and equal in size to the N2. Where will there be room for the 3500mah?? (that's the battery I'm hoping for!)

Etheridge Gray said:
[MENTION=307506]I reallllly really really am concerned about the camera on the N3! I really want a camera that takes amazing shots in ALL environments! Especially low light to night shots with AND without flash. Camera is definitely something of paramount concern since I am a All-in-one kind of guy. And I know the N3 has the potential... But will it reach it??
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Click to collapse
I'm looking forward to the camera and assuming it'll be the one in the SGS4. There are two sensors used in the SGS4; ExmorRS in Octa and ExmorR in S-600. The latter's an older version of Sony's sensor. My guess is that with the massive quantities of S-600 SGS4's produced (they are 2/3 of those built) they outpaced Sony's ability to supply the newer sensor so Samsung only used it in the i9500. Supply shouldn't be an issue with the N3 because it sells in lower volume than the SGS4.
The N3 should do significantly better in low light than the N2/SGS3; the SGS4 does. It won't do as well as HTC's new camera with its larger photosites. But with HTC's paltry 4MP resolution and just average daylight performance getting truly good low light performance is a trade-off. If the N3's camera has optical image stabilization and optical zoom it'll be a fantastic camera. I've seen some great shots taken with the SGS4. The best daylight shots I've seen from the One lack detail and have an "oil painting" look when viewed at full size. The One can capture shots in low light that the SGS4 can't touch but when all's said and done they aren't very good as most low light shots typically aren't because of focus issues and shutter delay caused by the lack of available lighting. So overall I think people will be happy but to those who low light performance means everything they may be disappointed and should consider the One Max which is using the same camera as the One.
This is what's capable with ExmorRS...
This is a great picture; social size.
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Here's a crop full size. 4MP doesn't give you a lot to work with when it comes to detail.

@barry
Thanks again for a very informative reply. Put my expectations into a realistic view, but it also lets me know that I shouldn't be disappointed either.
Looking back over 2 years ago when I got my android day 1 purchase.. I realize that waiting for a 2 year contract to expire makes alot of sense. If it was only a year we would not see the leap in technology like I soon will
Comparing my EVO 3D to my future Note 3..
4.3inch qHD vs. 5.7-6inch fullHD1080P
5MP Camera vs 13MP Camera
1GB internal storage vs 32GB
3G (no 4g w/sprint my area) vs. 4GLTE
1GB RAM vs. 3GB RAM
720p video vs 1080p at 30fps
Dual Core 1.2 vs up to 2.0 Quad-Core
1730mah battery vs. Maybe 3500mah
Need I mention software??
Truly an INSANE upgrade. I think everyone should wait 2 years. This way you will TRULY be IMPRESSED. No. Matter. What.
Thanks again Barry. You have really helped. I DEFINITELY think the I'll choose the N3 over the One Max. Time will tell for sure

Who knows what these 2 devices are going to be about. All I know is that the note 3 is my next phone A 1000% sure. The Note 2 was a smash hit, still is. Considering things are going to improve ( battery life, display, S pen features), IM SOLD. STFU AND TAKE MY MONEY NOW!
---------- Post added at 07:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:36 PM ----------
sohebq said:
I only one thing guys, after watching indeed criticism on s4 design, Samsung will have to do exceptional in note 3 to convince current note 2 users to upgrade. If the satisfaction level of s3 users was 7/10 then note 2 has 9/10 so its difficult to convince all 9 users to update their device. A lot of people are expecting that it will be shaped just like s4, if this is the way, it will a fail for most.
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Click to collapse
I think that Samsung is facing is biggest challenge yet, even bigger than the S3 to S4 upgrade because the note 2 was such a game changer, I honestly believe that it is one of those devices that are legendary ( like the S2, HD2, nexus one). When the note 2 came out, it impressed EVERYBODY ( reviewers, geeks, general consumers), turned some HTC fanboys into note 2 lovers ect... When I ordered the note 2 from the UK, I didn't expect it to have a flawless performance, didn't expect it to have amazing battery life, didn't know about multi window and all the new S pen features. Now that we know all that, how can Samsung really impress us? Its going to be tough to best the note 2 software wise I believe, especially because the note 3 will also launch with jelly bean, the note 2 had the advantage to launch with a brand new OS version at the time. In terms of specs we can expect an upgrade in pretty much every way but what new features like multi window, pop up browser is Samsung going to introduce? How well will it be implemented? Will it be flawless like the note 2 or with lots of stutter and bugs like the S4? I cant wait to find out.

barondebxl said:
I think that Samsung is facing is biggest challenge yet, even bigger than the S3 to S4 upgrade because the note 2 was such a game changer.
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Click to collapse
Here's what people said about the Note I when it came out. It's amazing how much perception changes with time.
GSMArena - The Galaxy Note is a monster compared to regular phones - but then again, it's not exactly a phone. It's thin (9.7mm), light (you wouldn't guess it weighs 178g) and the rounded edges help ergonomics. But still, one handed use is a problem - your thumb most likely can't reach every point on the screen (certainly not comfortably) and unless you have big hands, you can't easily wrap your fingers around the Note to hold it without fear of dropping. Two-hand thumb typing is absolutely spot on, however. Pocketability is an issue too - you can certainly slip in into your pocket (the thin frame helps a lot here), but a lot of people won't find that solution acceptable. Still, most coat pockets or purses will find enough room for the Galaxy Note, which is worth having around with all that screen real-estate.
Verge - Arriving in a white, smartphone-sized box, the Galaxy Note goes to great efforts to convince you that it really is as portable as a phone. It’s not. The bezel around the display is minimal and the 9.65mm thickness is practically the same as on the latest iPhone, but there’s just no way to shrink that 5.3-inch display. Pocketing the Note is an exercise in either frustration or denial. Oh, it will fit inside your pants pocket, but try walking around with it there and you’ll see that fitting inside a space is only half the battle. You’ll need to either take to wearing blazers every time you go out or accept that you won’t be able to comfortably transport the Note somewhere around your body. Like most smartphones, the Note warms up during a long call, heating half of your face in the process, and there’s the social aspect to consider. Human society has yet to evolve to the point where it can witness a person holding up a massive slate of technology to his ear without attempting to make a bad joke about it.
Engadget - If you were holding out for a device that bridges the gap between smartphone and tablet, you'll want to take Note. It's an absolutely massive Android handset and a high-res pocketable tablet rolled into one. If you have the hands to support it, it may just be the best thing to happen to mobile devices since the capacitive touchscreen. You can take notes, doodle between (or during) meetings and make phone calls. Those calls can be placed using the built-in earpiece and mic, or via a Bluetooth headset, which we would recommend. Holding something this large up to your ear can be rather unpleasant -- and unsightly.

BarryH_GEG said:
Here's what people said about the Note I when it came out. It's amazing how much perception changes with time.
GSMArena - The Galaxy Note is a monster compared to regular phones - but then again, it's not exactly a phone. It's thin (9.7mm), light (you wouldn't guess it weighs 178g) and the rounded edges help ergonomics. But still, one handed use is a problem - your thumb most likely can't reach every point on the screen (certainly not comfortably) and unless you have big hands, you can't easily wrap your fingers around the Note to hold it without fear of dropping. Two-hand thumb typing is absolutely spot on, however. Pocketability is an issue too - you can certainly slip in into your pocket (the thin frame helps a lot here), but a lot of people won't find that solution acceptable. Still, most coat pockets or purses will find enough room for the Galaxy Note, which is worth having around with all that screen real-estate.
Verge - Arriving in a white, smartphone-sized box, the Galaxy Note goes to great efforts to convince you that it really is as portable as a phone. It’s not. The bezel around the display is minimal and the 9.65mm thickness is practically the same as on the latest iPhone, but there’s just no way to shrink that 5.3-inch display. Pocketing the Note is an exercise in either frustration or denial. Oh, it will fit inside your pants pocket, but try walking around with it there and you’ll see that fitting inside a space is only half the battle. You’ll need to either take to wearing blazers every time you go out or accept that you won’t be able to comfortably transport the Note somewhere around your body. Like most smartphones, the Note warms up during a long call, heating half of your face in the process, and there’s the social aspect to consider. Human society has yet to evolve to the point where it can witness a person holding up a massive slate of technology to his ear without attempting to make a bad joke about it.
Engadget - If you were holding out for a device that bridges the gap between smartphone and tablet, you'll want to take Note. It's an absolutely massive Android handset and a high-res pocketable tablet rolled into one. If you have the hands to support it, it may just be the best thing to happen to mobile devices since the capacitive touchscreen. You can take notes, doodle between (or during) meetings and make phone calls. Those calls can be placed using the built-in earpiece and mic, or via a Bluetooth headset, which we would recommend. Holding something this large up to your ear can be rather unpleasant -- and unsightly.
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Click to collapse
Yep. I can understand them though. I remember when one of my co worker got the evo 4g back in 2010 and I had a nexus one with its 3.7 inch display and him with a 4.3 inch display, I held it and thought that it was gigantically ridiculous. Now I look at the evo 4 g as a tiny phone and cant believe that I thought it was a big device. Its just a getting used to thing. Same thing with folks who will use the galaxy mega for a while, going back to a 5.5 inch is going to be painful.

Explain the reasons for buying this phone

Serious, explain your motivations for deciding to purchase the Note 5. Currently, i have the Tmobile note 4. i want to buy a note 5 but no removable battery, no SD card slot, no Samsung pay if you are rooted, who here is not gonna root their phone? to me this is just an iphone with a better everything, tell me how you think. am i the only one who thinks this is the one of the worse Samsung phone releases?

proman505 said:
Serious, explain your motivations for deciding to purchase the Note 5. Currently, i have the Tmobile note 4. i want to buy a note 5 but no removable battery, no SD card slot, no Samsung pay if you are rooted, who here is not gonna root their phone? to me this is just an iphone with a better everything, tell me how you think. am i the only one who thinks this is the one of the worse Samsung phone releases?
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Click to collapse
Your opinion of it being "worse" is subjective, more in favor of it being not true for most users. This is not like a better iPhone, rather an iPhone is trying to be like it. Don't forget who created / invented the phablet category. It's Samsung, not Apple.
Regardless, the Note 5 is from a hardware stand point an upgrade. That's not a perception nor is it minor. You can't argue the CPU. The SnapDragon 805 in the Note 4 isn't a slouch, but it is at the same time no where in the same league as the Exynos Octa Core. Not even in the same conversation. 1GB of extra RAM may not seem like much, but it's still an upgrade. The Note 3 had 3GB and guess what so does the Note 4. Overall build quality is undeniably better. The Note 5 has better hardware period. = It's an upgrade.
There is no need to justify anything hardware wise by choosing to think that they're minor upgrades when they are not. The Exynos Octa Core CPU alone is worthy of praise to call the Note 5 an upgrade just from that alone. Even if it only came with 3GB and same "everything" else. The issue here is obviously the software and for most on here the inability to remove the battery or having a SD card slot is the culprit. Not the core hardware.
The price tag is also subjective, because for some ~$1000 or not, it's not an issue. Most people pay monthly with a JUMP upgrade from TM, not all up front. Zero down. Zero Interest.
What kills the Note 5 for me is purely the software as LP is becoming more and more locked down with each version.
Storage Solution?
128GB would be plenty + Unlimited Cloud. Airplane? Boonies? Micro USB to USB 3.0 OTG cable for about $1.50 with my 256GB Flash stick. I can't justify the idea of not being able to fit all the movies that I could possibly watch on the 128GB for my usual 5.5-6 hour flight? Even if you were flying from L.A. to London, you'd be able to watch only 6-8 movies and I don't think 128GB (less what the system eats up) is too small for that. That goes for music too....ACC, FLAC or not....if it can go on a microSD it can fit on a regular USB. 3.0 Flash Stick. The point is I think we're making it out to be a bigger issue than it really is. Plugging in an OTG adapter is much faster and easier than taking a case off (for those with cases), popping off the cover, and replacing a microSD. For the nit pickers, yes, wear and tear too. (Which I don't even think about....)
Battery?
My 12,000mAh portable battery bank. Although it's 3000mAh, you also have to factor in efficiency. Bigger is not always better. But then again, this all depends on the software.... The whole time I've had my Note 4, I've never had to swap batteries...it's not really an issue, especially if the software allows for it to be more efficient.
Software?
You're SOL. Sorry. You can thank google for that one. The builds are getting worse and worse.

iunlock said:
Your opinion of it being "worse" is subjective, more in favor of it being not true for most users. This is not like a better iPhone, rather an iPhone is trying to be like it. Don't forget who created / invented the phablet category. It's Samsung, not Apple.
Regardless, the Note 5 is from a hardware stand point an upgrade. That's not a perception nor is it minor. You can't argue the CPU. The SnapDragon 805 in the Note 4 isn't a slouch, but it is at the same time no where in the same league as the Exynos Octa Core. Not even in the same conversation. 1GB of extra RAM may not seem like much, but it's still an upgrade. The Note 3 had 3GB and guess what so does the Note 4. Overall build quality is undeniably better. The Note 5 has better hardware period. = It's an upgrade.
There is no need to justify anything hardware wise by choosing to think that they're minor upgrades when they are not. The Exynos Octa Core CPU alone is worthy of praise to call the Note 5 an upgrade just from that alone. Even if it only came with 3GB and same "everything" else. The issue here is obviously the software and for most on here the inability to remove the battery or having a SD card slot is the culprit. Not the core hardware.
The price tag is also subjective, because for some ~$1000 or not, it's not an issue. Most people pay monthly with a JUMP upgrade from TM, not all up front. Zero down. Zero Interest.
What kills the Note 5 for me is purely the software as LP is becoming more and more locked down with each version.
Storage Solution?
128GB would be plenty + Unlimited Cloud. Airplane? Boonies? Micro USB to USB 3.0 OTG cable for about $1.50 with my 256GB Flash stick. I can't justify the idea of not being able to fit all the movies that I could possibly watch on the 128GB for my usual 5.5-6 hour flight? Even if you were flying from L.A. to London, you'd be able to watch only 6-8 movies and I don't think 128GB (less what the system eats up) is too small for that. That goes for music too....ACC, FLAC or not....if it can go on a microSD it can fit on a regular USB. 3.0 Flash Stick. The point is I think we're making it out to be a bigger issue than it really is. Plugging in an OTG adapter is much faster and easier than taking a case off (for those with cases), popping off the cover, and replacing a microSD. For the nit pickers, yes, wear and tear too. (Which I don't even think about....)
Battery?
My 12,000mAh portable battery bank. Although it's 3000mAh, you also have to factor in efficiency. Bigger is not always better. But then again, this all depends on the software.... The whole time I've had my Note 4, I've never had to swap batteries...it's not really an issue, especially if the software allows for it to be more efficient.
Software?
You're SOL. Sorry. You can thank google for that one. The builds are getting worse and worse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
great points, i am not saying that the note 4 is better than the note 5. in my opinion i think the note 4 is better for me, ill wait until i test the note 5 maybe i will change my mind, but to be honest right now from what i seen of the note 5 will not work for me. the battery life is a big problem with my note 4, most people will just look at the smaller battery and say the battery life is worse than the note 4, but thats false because of the new CPU.

proman505 said:
great points, i am not saying that the note 4 is better than the note 5. in my opinion i think the note 4 is better for me, ill wait until i test the note 5 maybe i will change my mind, but to be honest right now from what i seen of the note 5 will not work for me. the battery life is a big problem with my note 4, most people will just look at the smaller battery and say the battery life is worse than the note 4, but thats false because of the new CPU.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed. The Note 5 feels very premium and it is noticeably lighter in the hands. I personally like the ergonomics of it much better with the curved glass back. Some of the things that I've noticed right away from an outside perspective is that the speaker is much better too. It has much more integrity than the Note 4 and seems to be able to handle higher volumes without sounding tinny or metallic.
The screen, although the same resolution as our Note 4, is much crisper and brighter. It has more of a cool tone (kelvin temp) whereas our Note 4 is a lot warmer and is more yellowish. I prefer the Note 5 screen for sure.
We'll have to wait and see for how well the battery holds up! But then again...it's all in the software so LP just might ruin it for what it could due with a much better custom ROM.

Tried to order the 64gb version but T-Mobile somehow screwed up my account. The only thing I could jump to are some cheesy tablets! Hope they fix this soon!

Here are some pics that I've taken with my Note 4 of the Note 5. Notice how strongly they are pushing the hardware LOL.....which is undeniably better, but lets just hope Lollipop doesn't screw it up.
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"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
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jutaejrtouch said:
Tried to order the 64gb version but T-Mobile somehow screwed up my account. The only thing I could jump to are some cheesy tablets! Hope they fix this soon!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange...I've noticed that too...hmmm...

jutaejrtouch said:
Tried to order the 64gb version but T-Mobile somehow screwed up my account. The only thing I could jump to are some cheesy tablets! Hope they fix this soon!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought that I was the only one with that problem. I click upgrade device I get taken to page with tablets, wifi hotspots and the
Gear S (which I already have ironically). Sometimes the upgrade option takes me to a page with phones but if I try to add one the page errors out with "our systems are currently unavailable please try again".

Strange...I've noticed that too...hmmm...[/QUOTE]
nice, lets hope Android M is better. i dont really know much about but seems like that lollipop was all for looks

I agree. M is our only hope. If Google doesn't get their act together, a lot of the phone companies might go elsewhere. Samsung's own OS (Tizen) looks promising. Open source too.

iunlock said:
Indeed. The Note 5 feels very premium and it is noticeably lighter in the hands. I personally like the ergonomics of it much better with the curved glass back. Some of the things that I've noticed right away from an outside perspective is that the speaker is much better too. It has much more integrity than the Note 4 and seems to be able to handle higher volumes without sounding tinny or metallic.
The screen, although the same resolution as our Note 4, is much crisper and brighter. It has more of a cool tone (kelvin temp) whereas our Note 4 is a lot warmer and is more yellowish. I prefer the Note 5 screen for sure.
We'll have to wait and see for how well the battery holds up! But then again...it's all in the software so LP just might ruin it for what it could due with a much better custom ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i cant really use anything but touchwiz because i bought the Gear 2
P.S. not a very good idea. its an amazing watch but i cant use it with CM witch is way better than touchwiz.
P.P.S my S4 has better battery life with the more usage and screen on time. my note 4 doesnt even last till 1 pm, i go to work at 7 am. thats really sad, but you know note 4 has a bigger screen and other stuff that will use more battery but it also has a bigger battery so there is not excuse.

iunlock said:
I agree. M is our only hope. If Google doesn't get their act together, a lot of the phone companies might go elsewhere. Samsung's own OS (Tizen) looks promising. Open source too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tizen is open source? huh i didnt know that, that makes it 10x better in my eyes. i will have to do more research on M but google is very secretive of everything they do

I get 5 hours of screen time on average with my Note 4. It's your software buddy. You should look into the ROM I'm using. PM me if you need help. (See my signature for some info.)
But I hear ya. ..I personally like TW and it works as well if not better than CM with the ROM I'm on.

iunlock said:
I get 5 hours of screen time on average with my Note 4. It's your software buddy. You should look into the ROM I'm using. PM me if you need help. (See my signature for some info.)
But I hear ya. ..I personally like TW and it works as well if not better than CM with the ROM I'm on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'll happily try it because with the battery life im getting right now (like 2-3 hours screen on time) i dont mind going back to kitkat for better battery life.
im having problems with random reboots and bootloops for awhile, even though it worked perfectly fine
i think its the battery, im gonna order a battery from amazon and see ill just use my S4 for now

I have been playing with android M, even though smoother, it is nothing to do jumping jacks for...Android Marshmellow is what Lollipop should have been and should have been the final milestone for lollipop. Lollipop 5.2 maybe?
You will sadly...be disappointed if you are hoping for a big kapow to blow lollipop out of the water.

speedy1979 said:
I thought that I was the only one with that problem. I click upgrade device I get taken to page with tablets, wifi hotspots and the
Gear S (which I already have ironically). Sometimes the upgrade option takes me to a page with phones but if I try to add one the page errors out with "our systems are currently unavailable please try again".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude my coworkers are mad at me because they had to deal with my disappointment lol. Glad to know it wasn't just me.....hang in there I talked to like 3 T-Mobile supervisors and they are working on it. One asked how can we make you a happy T-Mobile customer? My reply, "give it to me free"! Hahahaha!

proman505 said:
Tizen is open source? huh i didnt know that, that makes it 10x better in my eyes. i will have to do more research on M but google is very secretive of everything they do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. There is a very bright future for Tizen. We shall see soon as it might show up as early as next year in selected devices.

I bought it because I'm attracted to shiny objects. I'm pretty happy with my year-old LG G3, but when I saw the Note 5 in the store, the display simply dazzled me! Also wanted a phone with a great fingerprint sensor, because I'm sick of my phone waking up in my pocket and doing sh!t by itself, but I hate having to do some kind of unlock dance.
I'm a bit irked by not being able to replace the battery, but honestly haven't had to use a second battery since my Galaxy Nexus, several phones ago.

I'm getting it because it feels so much better in the hand than the Note 4, and the performance improvements in hardware are nothing to ignore. I've never really cared all that much about a replaceable battery. The MicroSD situation does irk me a bit, but you have to adapt to the times. I think someday there will be no phones with the slot, and I think I'm OK with that. Between the available storage on board (I'm getting 64GB) and the cloud, it's not really as much of an issue as it used to be.
Also, as I age, I find I'm caring less about root. I do less and less with it every year, and now that I don't even really use TiBu anymore, there's really no point. I just want a fast phone that works with my apps. Note5 fits the bill, and it's sexier than my Note4.

Simple Answers ......... I have had Every Samsung Galaxy and Note devices. The Note 4 is a very nice device.
The Note 5 is 20% faster CPU
Better Software
Better Battery life
Better Camera, Same as the S6 .... The S6 Camera is the 1st decent performing camera on a Samsung devices. So, Those are the Plus's
....... I do not use Pay on my phone so I really do not care about that
The "no sd card" is a bit of a drag but I have a external Memory mini flash that I can use so not such an issue
The Closed battery........ Yeah that bothers me more, but the worst is the glass back.......... looks awesome but is way more vulnerable to breaking, that concerns me
Should have released with 64 gig standard and 128 option, then it would be more palatable...... definitely worth getting
But, either way, Getting mine tomorrow night..........

Im a hard user of phablet, been since note 3, now using note 4. To be honest, all the "issues" pointed here are not such a big deal, a friend of mine, who's Apple hard core user, says that Samsung at last are doing what Apple been doing for years, having one memory internally will make the data transfer faster instead of trying to find it on both, internal and external, it will make the phone faster and finally the OS will work with no lag.
Design on note 5 is beautiful, very premium, internal hardware is a big plus with octacore and 4gb of ram, awesome camera, better software.
Since I have been using smart phones, I have never ever replaced the battery, never care, didn't actually thought about it, I have always had the access to charge it and carry my charges wherever I go, now, the note 5 with fast wireless charger, is a big plus, I was in new york a week ago and I saw in all the Starbucks the wireless charger on the tables, I hope they can have it all over the place, Im pretty sure soon all Starbucks will have it.
Honestly, external memory and battery are not big issues for me, I record bunch of videos and I use the phone for tethering, games, videos more than a regular person and note 5 will be a great upgrade. I have a 32gb note 4 and 16gb external, my internal memory is not even half full, external have a couple of movies.
By the way, sorry for english!
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app

Should I buy one now

Hi All,
I was wondering what you guys think of the phone now 8 months down the line. I am getting this at a good price around £650 for a good condition used phone on ebay. I was wondering if you guys think most of its problems have been fixed by now.
Just to give you a background, I currently have a note 9 and frankly I am very happy with this phone but it is old now and I am itching to upgrade to something newer, primarily for the cameras and 120hz refresh rate. I did buy the S21 ultra on pre-order but was really disappointed with the camera performance as I found the images my exynos variant produced to be very soft and noisy and not as sharp/clear as my note 9 and overall the phone felt like a big compromise (no s-pen, no sd card, no headphone jack) after paying £1300, so I sent it back. The camera and screen are the primary reasons for me to upgrade and I expect at least decent battery life (maybe 6-7 hours SOT with youtube abd browsing). I do use the S-Pen every now and then and think it would be a good to have. I know the note 20 ultra doesnt support WQHD+ and 120hz at the same time but at the price im getting it at i think this is a compromise i am willing to make since i mostly use my phone at FHD+ anyway and I can barely tell the difference.
I know there was talk about the exynos variant being bad when compared to the SD 865+ version but frankly I am not a gamer and dont need my phone to be ultra powerful. But what i would like to know from you guys is whether the software updates over the past 8 months have fixed most of the issues with battery life and camera performance. Those of you coming from the s10 range or the note 10+ / Note 9 etc. How would you say the camera is on the Note 20 U? Do you guys think its a good buy now? Or should I just give it a miss and hang on to the note 9 till they stop the security patches? Any advise is appreciated.

I have a mate who upgraded from the Note 9 to the Note 20 Ultra. He was VERY impressed with the differences...
He has the Exynos variant but when there is no other phones to compare but what you already have he's happy...
It all comes down to you, go to a store, play with a demo version and make up your mind.

I've upgraded from S10e Exynos with 4,5 screen on time maximum and terrible idle battery drain to Note 20 Ultra Snapdragon. First week was thinking to give it back because it was too big for me and those rounded edges always made me typos. Then I've get used to it, set the keyboard paddings from edges and finally bought nice case (I never used any cases before) and now I'm totally happy with it. I as far as I've read it's almost impossible to get 7-8 screen on time on Exynos variant. I got around 7 on my Snapdragon version but never tested it with gaming so I can not tell yet how good the battery is. I can tell that Qualcomm modem is much better in sense of keeping good connection and speed and very good keeping battery in idle state. Considering the camera - it's much better that in my old S10e ofcourse but I don't use it often so can't say I care about it much. What I love about my new Note 20 ultra Snapdragon is I've rooted it to tweak some small things here and there and now totally feel it's mine. I've rooted my past phones around 5 years ago last time.
Not sure if anything I said will help you but if you have any questions I would be glad to answer.

Thanks guys really useful. As mentioned I don't really need a new phone as my current phone does pretty much what I need it to. But I am itching to upgrade and I don't want to end up being stuck with something that I feel is not as good as my current phone. I currently average 4-5 hours screen on time on my 2 year old note 9 which I think is good for an old phone so hoping to get more. The S21U was good battery wise I got 7 hours SOT with 10% remaining. But the cameras were a let down for the price. I might just wait a couple of months and pick one used if they fix the camera with software updates as the price difference doesn't seem that much like a barely used S21U is going for around 850 on ebay so might be worth the extra 200 vs the note 20 ultra. Especially because I heard a lot of bad things about the n20u battery in particular.

Hi, @eldrid
I upgraded (downgraded considering the cost/storage, lol) from the Note9 (512GB) to the Note20 Ultra (128GB) with Android 11/One UI 3.1.
Have you considered replacing the battery in your Note9? Maybe have the battery replaced and purchase the N20U?
I don't use the camera much, but hopefully one of the forum members will give you some feedback on the N9 vs N20U cameras.
I can hear the Note20 Ultra camera *rattle* but I think this is normal??
If you purchase the N20, you may not want to update the phone to Android 11 (scoped storage, bugs galore, etc...).
I enjoy using the N9 more than the N20U because of the OS and the apps function without issue.
I detest Android 11, ahem, and think it contributes to my attitude of the N20U. N9 is the Beast!

I haven't had note 9 earlier but for me the note 20 ultra is perfect.
We get 1080p with 120hz (sure only 1080p but battery friendly and do you even notice higher res on regular basis?)
Sdcard slot, perfect for pictures, movies, big files and so on, also very easy to swap. (cloud exist but what about vacation or if u got limited data)
Very good cameras, still one of the best out there.
Very good performance with snapdragon 865+, even the exynos one is good. Recent updates have made it better than release version.
S-pen in a slot, no ugly weird case and all functions works perfectly.
The design is also very modern and future proof, I mean the front is almost all display.
People even speculate that this could be the last note ever, so if I were u, I would really consider note 20u if u liked your note 9 and want something better.

I've had my Note 20 Ultra Exynos version since launch, and it's a lot better now than it was when it first came out in both battery life & performance, I also don't game on phone's so it's been more than fine for me.
The camera has also been on point for me as well I've not been disappointed with any pictures or videos I've taken with it.
For 650 quid i think it's well worth it for what you get.

Thanks a ton guys for the honest advice. I finally picked an almost new one for £650 on ebay. They offer a 30 day return so fingers crossed i hope it works out. I won't be selling my note 9 just yet so I will have some time to compare side by side and see what it's like. I am sure it's an upgrade in many regards. But the three key things for me are 1)screen and I'm sure that's great I don't use wqhd and will be perfectly happy with the adaptive 1080 120hz. 2)The cameras... This is one area I am not sure how it will be... This is a very subjective area but I like my images to be sharp and I noticed on the S21U the images were soft and fuzzy not crisp like on the note 9. And 3) is battery life... I still get around 5 hours from the note 9 which is great so I hope to get at least that much. Will keep you guys posted on how it goes over the next few days. I feel like @650 there won't be much to complain about. I was really upset with the s21 ultra as I had paid full price for it and it (£1300) and it felt like a downgrade. Seems like the more modern Samsung phones while powerful are compromising on the basics and are not what they used to be 2 years ago.

Finally got the note20u and frankly I am quite happy with it. I am getting pretty good SOT and plus i used Bluetooth headphones for at least an hour. Considering that I think the battery life is good. Also the camera software seems to be ironed out and the image sharpness is much better than the current image quality on the S21U 1st pic is from note 20u and 2nd from s21u. Overall I think it was a good buy. I would never recommend anyone buying a Samsung phone at launch as the software is very unpolished and you pay a huge amount for an unfinished product. Comparing the experience i have with this nearly new note 20u for 650 is great compared to the ****ty experience the s21u offers for £1200 plus no sd card support or charger in the box. Very good value overall at £650

I upgraded from my still pristine Note 9 and found it a very worthy successor. From the enhanced Dex and S-pen features to the improved cameras, the Note 20 Ultra has provided me with a great user experience. Given Samsung's quest for becoming more -like and shedding features left and right, the Note 20 Ultra is the closest to what the Note line once was: the no holds barred, everything but the kitchen sink, no compromises, Note. I don't know if there is a Note 21 Ultra in the works and if there is it will probably include less features than the Note 20 Ultra offers.

Medevac1 said:
I upgraded from my still pristine Note 9 and found it a very worthy successor. From the enhanced Dex and S-pen features to the improved cameras, the Note 20 Ultra has provided me with a great user experience. Given Samsung's quest for becoming more -like and shedding features left and right, the Note 20 Ultra is the closest to what the Note line once was: the no holds barred, everything but the kitchen sink, no compromises, Note. I don't know if there is a Note 21 Ultra in the works and if there is it will probably include less features than the Note 20 Ultra offers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely agree. Probably why i was finding it hard to part with my note 9 as well. What a great 0 compromise device. I really hate how Samsung were originally the anti apple and a premium alternative for those that didn't want to chain themselves to apple. But now they're becoming more like apple taking away our choice.
Rumours are that there will be a watered down fan edition only this year and that the s-pen toting phone is going to be the fold from now on. If its true its a poor farewell to the note. I say they should bring back the headphone jack, sd card and pack the box with goodies. Make the whole experience of buying a premium flagship feel premium again.

eldrid said:
Absolutely agree. Probably why i was finding it hard to part with my note 9 as well. What a great 0 compromise device. I really hate how Samsung were originally the anti apple and a premium alternative for those that didn't want to chain themselves to apple. But now they're becoming more like apple taking away our choice.
Rumours are that there will be a watered down fan edition only this year and that the s-pen toting phone is going to be the fold from now on. If its true its a poor farewell to the note. I say they should bring back the headphone jack, sd card and pack the box with goodies. Make the whole experience of buying a premium flagship premium again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 10+ was the last Note before Q. After Q things started going south and 11 is even worse.
Between Android and Samsung's "improvements" it's been a dismal year.
Everything's coming up psuedo Apples... and I mean that in the most derogatory way.
As for the Fold series it has been a self made disaster for Samsung. Overpriced and unreliable.
Samsung, you do know the definition of insanity don't you? Apparently not.

Late to the party here but I'm happy with my N20 Ultra 5G Snapdragon soc I imported from Hong Kong.
I wouldn't of been keen to buy a used phone from ebay due to the amount that get imei locked a few weeks / months after receiving it.

BandOfBrothers1 said:
I wouldn't of been keen to buy a used phone from ebay due to the amount that get imei locked a few weeks / months after receiving it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can you avoid that from happening 100%?
Is it that common?

blackhawk said:
How can you avoid that from happening 100%?
Is it that common?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's something I've come across way too often throughout the years on forums.
A person sells a phone on ebay and then fraudulently claims it lost or stolen.
Auction Sites need to tighten up and introduce even more protection for the buyer as well as the seller.

BandOfBrothers1 said:
It's something I've come across way too often throughout the years on forums.
A person sells a phone on ebay and then fraudulently claims it lost or stolen.
Auction Sites need to tighten up and introduce even more protection for the buyer as well as the seller.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doing that in the USA be incurring multiple federal felonies.

BandOfBrothers1 said:
Late to the party here but I'm happy with my N20 Ultra 5G Snapdragon soc I imported from Hong Kong.
I wouldn't of been keen to buy a used phone from ebay due to the amount that get imei locked a few weeks / months after receiving it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn didn't know that happens. I got mine from a business seller with 100% ratings so looks like hes been at it for a while with no issues. He claims the phones are customer returns from the official Samsung store and would barely have any usage if at all. And everything looked the part it seemed brand spanking new, scratchless and even no signs wear or dust in the usb c port. Also he had a whole batch of 7-8 to sell so everything sounded legit. Let's hope everything works out well.
On a separate note. I thought id use the phone without a screen protector for a few days while the tempered glass one I ordered arrives and so removed the factory one. After a day or so i have already noticed a couple of micro scratches on the screen visible at certain angles. This is with careful use at home. I feel like this whole gorilla glass thing is just market hype.

blackhawk said:
Doing that in the USA be incurring multiple federal felonies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't worry about it too much. The only reason someone would do that is to be malicious and most people are not. I doubt the seller has a personal vendetta against you. He got his money and will move on.
I have had the N20U since release and have no issues and at this point is a good as it gets functionally.

Question Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs S21 Ultra: What's the rumored difference?

A blog post by Britta O'Boyle
Samsung is expected to reveal the Galaxy S22 range at Unpacked on 8 February, with the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra all heavily rumored.
Whilst not yet official, we have heard plenty about the Galaxy S22 Ultra over the last few months. Here is how it is expected to compare to its predecessor - the Galaxy S21 Ultra - based on speculation.
read more on https://www.pocket-lint.com/phones/...y-s22-ultra-vs-s21-ultra-differences-compared

[Info] Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
See: https://www.xda-developers.com/samsung-galaxy-s22/
forum.xda-developers.com

Differences. Just off the top of my head,
- Integrated S-Pen
- Better Screen
- Better CPU/GPU
- Better Camera (Software & Hardware)
- More OS Updates
- Likely Better Battery Life
- Likely Faster Internal Memory
- Much better design with no camera island
- Probably much more updates that I can't think of
With all that said, if I had the S21 Ultra, I would not be upgrading. I have the Note 9 and will be upgrading on launch day. S22 Ultra 512 Baby.

eaoosa said:
Differences. Just off the top of my head,
- Integrated S-Pen
- Better Screen
- Better CPU/GPU
- Better Camera (Software & Hardware)
- More OS Updates
- Likely Better Battery Life
- Likely Faster Internal Memory
- Much better design with no camera island
- Probably much more updates that I can't think of
With all that said, if I had the S21 Ultra, I would not be upgrading. I have the Note 9 and will be upgrading on launch day. S22 Ultra 512 Baby.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rounded display corners, again? YUCK!!!
No SD card slot, right? Overpriced .5tb max storage capacity single drive don't cut it.
Likely more of the same variable rate display color rendering issues.
Different smartphone, many of the same mistakes.
Not seeing anything that make me want to ditch my N10+'s...
I would wait at least 6 months after release rather than risk suffering buyer's remorse with this puppy. Samsung's been on a losing streak with their flagship phones since the N10+.
Playing with the name and rebranding isn't going to help Sammy... nothing innovative to see here.
At least they ditch the hump... but still has the cam hole in a lame rounded corner display. blah!

blackhawk said:
Rounded display corners, again? YUCK!!!
No SD card slot, right? Overpriced .5tb max storage capacity single drive don't cut it.
Likely more of the same variable rate display color rendering issues.
Different smartphone, many of the same mistakes.
Not seeing anything that make me want to ditch my N10+'s...
I would wait at least 6 months after release rather than risk suffering buyer's remorse with this puppy. Samsung's been on a losing streak with their flagship phones since the N10+.
Playing with the name and rebranding isn't going to help Sammy... nothing innovative to see here.
At least they ditch the hump... but still has the cam hole in a lame rounded corner display. blah!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yikes, I'm sorry you feel disappointed with the new model. To be honest, if I had the Note 10+ I would probably wait another year and get the S23 Ultra. I've waited long enough for a new phone and while my Note 9 is just as fast and snappy as the day I bought it (on launch) The cameras are one of the main reason for my upgrade. Considering all my previous Samsung purchases were awesome , other than the the Note 7 which they figured out, ( Galaxy S1, Note 2, Note 4, Note 7, S7E, Note 9), I'll be getting the 512 on launch day.
I currently use the Note 9 128 with my 256GB and I take 4K 60 videos quite a bit and has been fine storage wise so the 512 which is more, should more than suffice. I usually upload to my PC once every two to three months. Cheers!

eaoosa said:
Yikes, I'm sorry you feel disappointed with the new model. To be honest, if I had the Note 10+ I would probably wait another year and get the S23 Ultra. I've waited long enough for a new phone and while my Note 9 is just as fast and snappy as the day I bought it (on launch) The cameras are one of the main reason for my upgrade. Considering all my previous Samsung purchases were awesome , other than the the Note 7 which they figured out, ( Galaxy S1, Note 2, Note 4, Note 7, S7E, Note 9), I'll be getting the 512 on launch day.
I currently use the Note 9 128 with my 256GB and I take 4K 60 videos quite a bit and has been fine storage wise so the 512 which is more, should more than suffice. I usually upload to my PC once every two to three months. Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With a N10+ or a N20U you could have over 1tb and a dual drive at that... at a much reduced price. Those are my two recommendations.
Get a Snapdragon and 12gb of ram. 256gb of internal memory is fine, only apps, the DCIM and Download folders should go there anyway. All critical data goes on the data drive ie SD card; a V30 rated Sandisk works well.
Apparently the S22's cams aren't a big improvement over the S21's. To be blunt the N10+'s cams are very good and it has a display that faithfully reproduces them.
I wish I could say Samsung slam dunked it with the S22, but it appears they didn't. So far they are living up to my dire prediction from a few months ago; 2022 is going to be another bad year for Sammy flagships.
I'm less than pleased with Android 11 and 12; they smell like Vista style road kill to me. Since the introduction of variable rate displays the color rendering index has dropped and there are a lot of outright failures and not just Samsung.
The above are 2 reasons I bought a second N10+ running on Q. I have 2 now.
The older one has held up so well that they are hard to tell apart. Zero display degradation is observable and the only repair has been a replacement battery. They are fast, stable, and just plain fun to use. The display is still the best 60hz displays ever produced for a smartphone exceeding Apple's specs as well. It's drop dead gorgeous... with square corners. A good case and plastic screen protector are mandatory for these phones or they will get messed up.
I like to have the faster memory and spen but 5G isn't needed. The N10+ is snappy even with the slower processor and ram. 12gb of ram go a long way to keeping it fast.
I get 8-12 hr SOT so little to gain there. My ancient freeware WPS office runs ok on Android 9/10 but wouldn't on 11/12. That's impossible to replace for free now and it's a valuable app I use constantly.
On top of all that I have a trusted vendor that had new sealed box N10+'s; there's a lot of shenanigans going on with the N20U sales as well as the price. After almost 2.5 years* with the N10+ I like it even more today... so I got a backup with the intention of bypassing both Samsung and Adroid OS upgrades for 2-3 more years.
That was my solution after a lot of research...
*my current OS load will be 2 yo in June. Still fast, stable with minimal maintenance and no upgrades. It's stability impresses me.
It fulfills its mission. I place a very high value on these qualities.

blackhawk said:
With a N10+ or a N20U you could have over 1tb and a dual drive at that... at a much reduced price. Those are my two recommendations.
Get a Snapdragon and 12gb of ram. 256gb of internal memory is fine, only apps, the DCIM and Download folders should go there anyway. All critical data goes on the data drive ie SD card; a V30 rated Sandisk works well.
Apparently the S22's cams aren't a big improvement over the S21's. To be blunt the N10+'s cams are very good and it has a display that faithfully reproduces them.
I wish I could say Samsung slam dunked it with the S22, but it appears they didn't. So far they are living up to my dire prediction from a few months ago; 2022 is going to be another bad year for Sammy flagships.
I'm less than pleased with Android 11 and 12; they smell like Vista style road kill to me. Since the introduction of variable rate displays the color rendering index has dropped and there are a lot of outright failures and not just Samsung.
The above are 2 reasons I bought a second N10+ running on Q. I have 2 now.
The older one has held up so well that they are hard to tell apart. Zero display degradation is observable and the only repair has been a replacement battery. They are fast, stable, and just plain fun to use. The display is still the best 60hz displays ever produced for a smartphone exceeding Apple's specs as well. It's drop dead gorgeous... with square corners. A good case and plastic screen protector are mandatory for these phones or they will get messed up.
I like to have the faster memory and spen but 5G isn't needed. The N10+ is snappy even with the slower processor and ram. 12gb of ram go a long way to keeping it fast.
I get 8-12 hr SOT so little to gain there. My ancient freeware WPS office runs ok on Android 9/10 but wouldn't on 11/12. That's impossible to replace for free now and it's a valuable app I use constantly.
On top of all that I have a trusted vendor that had new sealed box N10+'s; there's a lot of shenanigans going on with the N20U sales as well as the price. After almost 2.5 years* with the N10+ I like it even more today... so I got a backup with the intention of bypassing both Samsung and Adroid OS upgrades for 2-3 more years.
That was my solution after a lot of research...
*my current OS load will be 2 yo in June. Still fast, stable with minimal maintenance and no upgrades. It's stability impresses me.
It fulfills its mission. I place a very high value on these qualities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do understand your frustration with the SD cards but let's be real here. It's been gone from their top end phones for a while now. Just like the headphone jack, I doubt it's coming back. We need to move on. With that said, I'd love for it to come back as I have a Samsung256GB card I'd like to continue to use. I've used that card for more than 4 years without any issues.
I'm glad you really like your Note 10+ Similar to how I like my Note 9. If I had the Note 10+ I doubt I'd be upgrading either. At least for another year. Reason being, I want a 3 camera setup and the 10+ already has that. The main reason for my upgrade as I've said are for the cameras. I absolutely agree they're not going to be drastically better. But that's okay. It's better and definitely better than my Note 9. At this point, most top end phones take stellar photos and it's hard to come up with technology that drastically improves on it. Baby steps.
For this reason, I don't recommend people upgrade every 2 years, much less every year. Phones are getting so nice that we don't need to upgrade them as much as we used to. I started with the Dream G1 lol, then Galaxy S1 etc as mentioned above. I used to upgrade every two years but with the Note 9, I'm already over 3 years. With the S22 Ultra 512, I should be able to keep it for at least 4 years. Good luck to you my friend. Cheers.

eaoosa said:
I do understand your frustration with the SD cards but let's be real here. It's been gone from their top end phones for a while now. Just like the headphone jack, I doubt it's coming back. We need to move on. With that said, I'd love for it to come back as I have a Samsung256GB card I'd like to continue to use. I've used that card for more than 4 years without any issues.
I'm glad you really like your Note 10+ Similar to how I like my Note 9. If I had the Note 10+ I doubt I'd be upgrading either. At least for another year. Reason being, I want a 3 camera setup and the 10+ already has that. The main reason for my upgrade as I've said are for the cameras. I absolutely agree they're not going to be drastically better. But that's okay. It's better and definitely better than my Note 9. At this point, most top end phones take stellar photos and it's hard to come up with technology that drastically improves on it. Baby steps.
For this reason, I don't recommend people upgrade every 2 years, much less every year. Phones are getting so nice that we don't need to upgrade them as much as we used to. I started with the Dream G1 lol, then Galaxy S1 etc as mentioned above. I used to upgrade every two years but with the Note 9, I'm already over 3 years. With the S22 Ultra 512, I should be able to keep it for at least 4 years. Good luck to you my friend. Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung have been doing this with SD cards on/off since at least 2015. It been a little over a year, give them 2 years to come to their senses.
Samsung bite off more than they could chew with the Fold and there's collateral damage from that effecting their other products.
Samsung never was the most stable corporate creature... but abandoning their power users is a mistake. Too much hype and not enough balls will end badly for them. They are back sliding now on innovation (the Fold was a big mistake). Still the display cam hole and no new high performance batteries that their competitors have been fielding. This will take some time; the rabid box of gerbils has more spacial disorientation than usual

I'm not sure If I'm with you on all that. I think they are doing great as a company and as a side note, they actually won, again, the most innovative company of the year award 2021. Not too surprising as Samsung is a defacto global leader in screen technology, TVs, batteries, and chip design.
I think they're doing a great job leading the field when they debuted the Fold series. I personally would've gotten it if it was employing their ultra level cameras. Another reason I didn't go for it was I'm going to give it some time to thin out.
I dont think you fully understand the size and scope and vision of Samsung when you mention that they are unstable. They are far from being an unstable company. I'd like to reiterate, their phones are fine and doing great. For the most part, they are advancing their phones with each generation. Like a lot of folks, I do wish they kept the SD card, but I'm over that issue. No one really comes close in terms of hardware or software in my humble but accurate opinion.
This post sounds like a paid ad from Samsung lol. But hey, I like to give credit where its due. I like Apple products too but for different reasons.

Xiaomi uses graphene to reduce the battery's internal resistance. Li charging is an endothermic reaction. However the plate and conductors (aluminum & copper) produce a lot of waste heat because of resistance to the high current flow at low voltage. They use even more ingenious methods to decrease charging time.
That's practical innovation.
Xiaomi's 120W Hypercharge is the fastest ever, but is it safe? | Digital Trends
Xiaomi reaches 120W with a combination of revamped charging structure, dual-cell battery, MTW, Mi-FC, and graphene-based battery technology, but is it safe?
www.google.com

blackhawk said:
Xiaomi uses graphene to reduce the battery's internal resistance. Li charging is an endothermic reaction. However the plate and conductors (aluminum & copper) produce a lot of waste heat because of resistance to the high current flow at low voltage. They use even more ingenious methods to decrease charging time.
That's practical innovation.
Xiaomi's 120W Hypercharge is the fastest ever, but is it safe? | Digital Trends
Xiaomi reaches 120W with a combination of revamped charging structure, dual-cell battery, MTW, Mi-FC, and graphene-based battery technology, but is it safe?
www.google.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing is, it has one major issue. The battery degradation is absolutely unacceptable to most people as it will lose around half capacity after a year. Until battery degradation is improved upon, most companies will hold off on it. Samsung has been working on this for as long as I remember and will release it when it's ready. Not saying they stole the technology but sort of reminds me when BOE stole Samsung's folding tech and released Huawei's first foldable. We all know how that went. Besides all of that, I personally do my best to buy electronics designed by US, Korea, Japan. Unfortunately, China is not on that list for obvious reasons.

eaoosa said:
The only thing is, it has one major issue. The battery degradation is absolutely unacceptable to most people as it will lose around half capacity after a year. Until battery degradation is improved upon, most companies will hold off on it. Samsung has been working on this for as long as I remember and will release it when it's ready. Not saying they stole the technology but sort of reminds me when BOE stole Samsung's folding tech and released Huawei's first foldable. We all know how that went. Besides all of that, I personally do my best to buy electronics designed by US, Korea, Japan. Unfortunately, China is not on that list for obvious reasons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's up to the user. You don't have to charge them as fast or full as possible.
On a heavy used phone the battery life for standard Li is about a year or so. That's all I expect on my N10+'s.
The idea the battery will last the life of the phone was tossed out the window from the start.
Of course they would wuv you to buy a new phone every year

blackhawk said:
Rounded display corners, again? YUCK!!!
No SD card slot, right? Overpriced .5tb max storage capacity single drive don't cut it.
Likely more of the same variable rate display color rendering issues.
Different smartphone, many of the same mistakes.
Not seeing anything that make me want to ditch my N10+'s...
I would wait at least 6 months after release rather than risk suffering buyer's remorse with this puppy. Samsung's been on a losing streak with their flagship phones since the N10+.
Playing with the name and rebranding isn't going to help Sammy... nothing innovative to see here.
At least they ditch the hump... but still has the cam hole in a lame rounded corner display. blah!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you are happy with your N10+. Dissing something that hasn't been released yet is silly.

eaoosa said:
Differences. Just off the top of my head,
- Integrated S-Pen
- Better Screen
- Better CPU/GPU
- Better Camera (Software & Hardware)
- More OS Updates
- Likely Better Battery Life
- Likely Faster Internal Memory
- Much better design with no camera island
- Probably much more updates that I can't think of
With all that said, if I had the S21 Ultra, I would not be upgrading. I have the Note 9 and will be upgrading on launch day. S22 Ultra 512 Baby.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sold my S20+ after ordering a Pixel 6 Pro. The S20+ sold in 2 days. I'm still waiting for the 6 Pro that was ordered on Jan 1 and is now looking like a Mar 2-3 delivery.
I think I'll be following you in ordering the S22 Ultra 512 1TB on launch day.

hand-filer said:
Glad you are happy with your N10+. Dissing something that hasn't been released yet is silly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S22U is looking more like raw deal by the week... wait till you see the 512gb price tag
A .5tb V30 card goes for $75.
Will they have a 1tb variant?
Because there will be higher demand for larger storage capacity and no way to supplement it, expect shortages as well.
My second N10+ is 256 vs 512gb but has 12gb of ram. The extra internal storage isn't really needed. I'll likely use a 1tb* SD card with it though. Apps, the DCIM and download folders are the only user items that should be on internal memory. Typically my internal memory usage is around 140gb as such.
*on the PC my data hdd minimum is 2gb

blackhawk said:
The S22U is looking more like raw deal by the week... wait till you see the 512gb price tag
A .5tb V30 card goes for $75.
Will they have a 1tb variant?
Because there will be higher demand for larger storage capacity and no way to supplement it, expect shortages as well.
My second N10+ is 256 vs 512gb but has 12gb of ram. The extra internal storage isn't really needed. I'll likely use a 1tb* SD card with it though. Apps, the DCIM and download folders are the only user items that should be on internal memory. Typically my internal memory usage is around 140gb as such.
*on the PC my data hdd minimum is 2gb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People come here looking for some enthusiastic conversation about a phone they are looking forward to buying. The phone won't be available for another month so what's up with all the gloom and doom? If it isn't for you, don't buy it. Trashing a phone that isn't for sale yet just makes bad vibes here.

blackhawk said:
The S22U is looking more like raw deal by the week... wait till you see the 512gb price tag
A .5tb V30 card goes for $75.
Will they have a 1tb variant?
Because there will be higher demand for larger storage capacity and no way to supplement it, expect shortages as well.
My second N10+ is 256 vs 512gb but has 12gb of ram. The extra internal storage isn't really needed. I'll likely use a 1tb* SD card with it though. Apps, the DCIM and download folders are the only user items that should be on internal memory. Typically my internal memory usage is around 140gb as such.
*on the PC my data hdd minimum is 2gb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We get it. You love your Note 10+ but let's keep things professional my friend. Yes, it's not going to be cheap. But keep in mind there is a market for these devices. A huge market.

dmb219 said:
People come here looking for some enthusiastic conversation about a phone they are looking forward to buying. The phone won't be available for another month so what's up with all the gloom and doom? If it isn't for you, don't buy it. Trashing a phone that isn't for sale yet just makes bad vibes here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Time will tell, but better you than me victim buyer.
I'd wait until September to buy but really I think 2022 will be another lackluster year for Google Adroid and their little Apple sidekick Samsung.
2023-4 might see something worth grabbing.
I was saying that over 4 months ago.
The vibes will be worse if you realize I was correct

eaoosa said:
We get it. You love your Note 10+ but let's keep things professional my friend. Yes, it's not going to be cheap. But keep in mind there is a market for these devices. A huge market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jacking up prices during a global economic downturn may not work out so well.
Huge internal size memories will do what they have in the past, cause shortages, people not getting what they due unavailability and causing even higher prices due to demand.
That silly little SD card slot is an equalizer for the savvy consumer. With it even 128gb internal memory is sufficient if you have 12-16gb of ram.
Without it even 512gb isn't enough... so you're forever watching how you load, download or wasting battery on cloud services. Far less wiggle room with a real big price tag, yeah perfect.

blackhawk said:
Jacking up prices during a global economic downturn may not work out so well.
Huge internal size memories will do what they have in the past, cause shortages, people not getting what they due unavailability and causing even higher prices due to demand.
That silly little SD card slot is an equalizer for the savvy consumer. With it even 128gb internal memory is sufficient if you have 12-16gb of ram.
Without it even 512gb isn't enough... so you're forever watching how you load, download or wasting battery on cloud services. Far less wiggle room with a real big price tag, yeah perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No one is artificially jacking up prices. You said it yourself... its an economic downturn. We're in a pandemic with global shortages. That's what happens to prices. Besides all that, no one even comes close to the incentives Samsung dishes out for their pre-orders.
And get over it with the SD card. No one will listen to your whines. Equalizer for savvy consumers? Lmao. With that mentality no one would've bought an iPhone. If you can't afford the new phone keep your mouth shut and stop spewing bs.
Tried to show some respect but now that it's pretty clear you're trolling, I'll respond accordingly.

Considering moving on from the S9 (G960U1)

I have a Samsung S9 960U1 on AT&T. I purchased it on eBay a few years ago. Its been good for me. I wouldn't be thinking of another phone but I dropped my S9 in a parking lot a few weeks ago and the screen has a chip and crack in it. First time I've broken a screen since I've owned a cell phone, including all the smartphones I've owned since the Motorola i1 I bought in 2010. I used to root every phone I had and would like to again.
My requirements for a new phone are:
1) Memory Card Slot
Would like support for at least 128GB. Higher support is acceptable.
2) 3.5mm audio jack
I like the option of a physical connection with having to use any other adapters.
3) Rootable with ROM support
I have experience with one-click, TWRP, Cyanogen, etc., been rooting since my Epic 4G Touch. Before that, it was setting bits and bytes on Motorola flip-phones like the Razor V3.
4) 64GB or greater device storage
5) Device performance at least on par or similar to the S9 I have now. I don't need a screaming fast phone.
6) Would prefer something with less than or close to a 6" screen but bigger is acceptable to me since everyone else seems to want a tablet for a phone and that's where the market went.
7) Must be compatible with AT&T.
I've been perusing the OnePlus Nord offerings. They're not powerhouses but I like the price. I recently saw a BLU phone at Best Buy. I've looked at Nokia and Motorola phones also. I also know there are some Samsung phones that can be rooted and have ROM available. The other option is to repair my S9, of course. So what phones should I be looking at? Thank you for any advice.

No 3.5mm jack*, no variable rate display or 5G** but the Note 10+ N975U is a proven work horse with maybe the best display for color rendering even today. Excellent form factor, and good SOT (11-12 hours). It will need a good case.
New ones running on Android 10 can be had for $700, used for half that. Problem with used ones are they will be loaded with 11 or 12. This will slow it down ie scoped storage. Supports up to 1tb of expandable storage, a V30 rated Sandisk extreme runs well in them.
After the N10+ Samsung's flagship offerings are more flawed and less well balanced. Android 9 was Android's zenith so far, 10 is ok, 11 is screwed up, 12 is a mess and 13 is fubar... in my opinion.
*use Buds+ (SSC codec) or a LDAC bt set. Wired is a mess to deal with on this device.
**these tradeoffs net you better SOT, and a more accurately calibrated and trouble free display.

I can definitely do without the best display and 5G. I'll turn off 5G for the time being anyway. The Note 10+ is huge! I remember going from the S4 Active to the LG V10. The V10 was nice but just too big for me to keep. About six months later I got the S7 G930U. It was bigger than the S4 by a little bit. It worked fine and then a time zone OTA messed up the radios and I got the S9. The S9 is bigger still but useable for me.
I'd be okay with Android 10 but have no experience with anything after. It brought some features that I like. Another reason I was.looking at root was to completely forego OTAs and to be able choose my own software and ROMs.

josiahg52 said:
I can definitely do without the best display and 5G. I'll turn off 5G for the time being anyway. The Note 10+ is huge! I remember going from the S4 Active to the LG V10. The V10 was nice but just too big for me to keep. About six months later I got the S7 G930U. It was bigger than the S4 by a little bit. It worked fine and then a time zone OTA messed up the radios and I got the S9. The S9 is bigger still but useable for me.
I'd be okay with Android 10 but have no experience with anything after. It brought some features that I like. Another reason I was.looking at root was to completely forego OTAs and to be able choose my own software and ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've written a lot about the N10+, I have two them.
I saw where Samsung and Android were going and decided to give both a long time out when I bought the second new one 9 months ago.
The N10+'s display is sublime. Almost no bezel and square corners. The spen (which you will use) is on the right side, where it belongs. You absolutely need a good case like the Zizo Bolt or this corner hitting, face plant happy phone will be damaged. It's a 2 hand phone, no doubt about it.
I use my bdu cargo pants pocket to stash it, perfect. Pretty much a dual drive PC that's handheld. With 12gb of ram it just keeps going. It's cool running too.
If you insist on rooting there's the SM-N975F/DS variant. I recommend against it in favor of the Snapdragon; better chipset and cooling. The N10+ will run well stock if optimized. A package disabler or adb edits are needed. The current load on my Pie variant is over 2 years old, still fast and stable with minimal maintenance. It will be 3 yo in October, 1 replacement battery is the only repair. It looks and runs like new, no display degradation is observable, buttons still crisp and the c port jack has no wiggle.
That's what these devices are capable of. I'm not even close to be tired of this Note, it's just fun to use and easy to trick out the stock build.
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I would stay on Android 10 if possible. OTA updates is the first thing I disable This phone hasn't had any malware breach it* in over 2 years, it's reasonably secure if set up right and if you don't do stupid things.
*one scripted jpeg I downloaded damaged some files in the download folder, no big deal, deleted. A trojan preloader made it past the Samsung browser but got deleted from the download folder before it got its payload/opened. Both were prior to my current load. This device is heavily used.

Best bang for your buck(no Memory Card Slot though): Redmi Note 11T Pro for under $400. SoC D8100, very bright(easily usable under sunlight) 144Hz LCD. SHOULD be compatible with AT&T(check yourself for band support). Officially unlockable BL(so easily rootable). Maybe not easily get a warranty though if you are in NA.

blackhawk said:
I've written a lot about the N10+, I have two them.
I saw where Samsung and Android were going and decided to give both a long time out when I bought the second new one 9 months ago.
The N10+'s display is sublime. Almost no bezel and square corners. The spen (which you will use) is on the right side, where it belongs. You absolutely need a good case like the Zizo Bolt or this corner hitting, face plant happy phone will be damaged. It's a 2 hand phone, no doubt about it.
I use my bdu cargo pants pocket to stash it, perfect. Pretty much a dual drive PC that's handheld. With 12gb of ram it just keeps going. It's cool running too.
If you insist on rooting there's the SM-N975F/DS variant. I recommend against it in favor of the Snapdragon; better chipset and cooling. The N10+ will run well stock if optimized. A package disabler or adb edits are needed. The current load on my Pie variant is over 2 years old, still fast and stable with minimal maintenance. It will be 3 yo in October, 1 replacement battery is the only repair. It looks and runs like new, no display degradation is observable, buttons still crisp and the c port jack has no wiggle.
That's what these devices are capable of. I'm not even close to be tired of this Note, it's just fun to use and easy to trick out the stock build.
View attachment 5672395View attachment 5672393
I would stay on Android 10 if possible. OTA updates is the first thing I disable This phone hasn't had any malware breach it* in over 2 years, it's reasonably secure if set up right and if you don't do stupid things.
*one scripted jpeg I downloaded damaged some files in the download folder, no big deal, deleted. A trojan preloader made it past the Samsung browser but got deleted from the download folder before it got its payload/opened. Both were prior to my current load. This device is heavily used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On my S9, you can choose to not install an OTA as soon as it's available but I think I waited and eventually it downloaded and installed it over one night. I didn't see a way to turn off updates completely.
I have every desire to stay with Android 10. Having learned that a lot of the things I like about a rooted phone can be done without root and with a package disabler and adb edits is certainly new to me and definitely opens up choices. Are you using an antivirus app on your Note?

iMoc said:
Best bang for your buck(no Memory Card Slot though): Redmi Note 11T Pro for under $400. SoC D8100, very bright(easily usable under sunlight) 144Hz LCD. SHOULD be compatible with AT&T(check yourself for band support). Officially unlockable BL(so easily rootable). Maybe not easily get a warranty though if you are in NA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll consult the official AT&T phone compatibility list before I purchase anything.

josiahg52 said:
On my S9, you can choose to not install an OTA as soon as it's available but I think I waited and eventually it downloaded and installed it over one night. I didn't see a way to turn off updates completely.
View attachment 5672459
I have every desire to stay with Android 10. Having learned that a lot of the things I like about a rooted phone can be done without root and with a package disabler and adb edits is certainly new to me and definitely opens up choices. Are you using an antivirus app on your Note?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can disable with Package Disabler or a adb edit. AT&T can also disable it on their end but I don't trust that!
These two:
Either of the Snapdragon variants are plug and play with AT&T. Put my old N10+ sim card into the new one (N975U1) and everything came straight up on AT&T. No worries.

blackhawk said:
You can disable with Package Disabler or a adb edit. AT&T can also disable it on their end but I don't trust that!
These two:
View attachment 5672483
Either of the Snapdragon variants are plug and play with AT&T. Put my old N10+ sim card into the new one (N975U1) and everything came straight up on AT&T. No worries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you and for the screenshot showing the app you use along with the two services to disable. I guess what I'll do is go to Best Buy or somewhere and look at the S22 in person as it's similarly sized to the Note10.

josiahg52 said:
Thank you and for the screenshot showing the app you use along with the two services to disable. I guess what I'll do is go to Best Buy or somewhere and look at the S22 in person as it's similarly sized to the Note10.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome.
S22; no expandable storage, rounded display corners which I hate so much. Only 8gb of ram.
Android 12 in all its hugeness... and inefficiency.
The N10+ has much better SOT.

blackhawk said:
You're welcome.
S22; no expandable storage, rounded display corners which I hate so much. Only 8gb of ram.
Android 12 in all its hugeness... and inefficiency.
The N10+ has much better SOT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm only using the S22 to judge the size of the Note10+. I'll give it's fair chance, size notwithstanding, but without a 3.5mm jack, I don't know if it's for me. I don't need the best screen, best SOT, or even best performance. I don't use my phone enough or for enough exotic purposes to warrant that. That's why I was even looking at budget phones like those from OnePlus but the S9 still is pretty good having been a flagship back in the day. It's only now I feel I'm seeing a decline in battery performance where I used to routinely go two days without charging, now I'm usually around 55% at the end of the day. I hate the notches and holes and would prefer a screen with a frame but those are exceedingly rare now.

josiahg52 said:
I'm only using the S22 to judge the size of the Note10+. I'll give it's fair chance, size notwithstanding, but without a 3.5mm jack, I don't know if it's for me. I don't need the best screen, best SOT, or even best performance. I don't use my phone enough or for enough exotic purposes to warrant that. That's why I was even looking at budget phones like those from OnePlus but the S9 still is pretty good having been a flagship back in the day. It's only now I feel I'm seeing a decline in battery performance where I used to routinely go two days without charging, now I'm usually around 55% at the end of the day. I hate the notches and holes and would prefer a screen with a frame but those are exceedingly rare now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it was silly to remove the 3.5mm jack but not near as inept as removing expandable storage. That cam also has larger file sizes... and no extra storage

To be clear, I don't want the S22. At all. After the S9, nothing appealed to me. Like I said, I'll look into the Note10+ because it seems like a neat device but the size might be its undoing.

josiahg52 said:
To be clear, I don't want the S22. At all. After the S9, nothing appealed to me. Like I said, I'll look into the Note10+ because it seems like a neat device but the size might be its undoing.
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It's not that big. It's only 9mm thick and 30 gms lighter than the S22U. The larger display makes working with it easier and great for vids and pictures. It color calibration is excellent and the gamma correction falls right in line because of that. The N10+'s bezel ratio is smaller than the S22U... just one big gorgeous display.
The Note 9 is noticeably slower than the N10+, however when opening apps and games the difference between the N10+ and the S22U is slight. Short of high intensity games it holds it own well and even then does good. The 8gb version of the S22's does not do well against the N10+. Once the S22's ram gets filled the N10+ ripps it to shreds even opening apps. It's very apparent.
There are a lot of choices, I don't envy your task.
I got lucky Samsung had their act together with the N10+ and bought it early. Had it been the N9 or the N20U I would have been not as pleased.
Such is Samsung...

Finally got into Best Buy which might be the last place they still let you pick up the phones. I looked at the S22 Ultra 5G which is a 6.8" screen device. I admit I chuckled a bit when I picked it up. It's huge. Not as big as I expected, probably due to the smaller frame. I could or would almost live with it but it lacks a headphone jack.
I know that's an old feature that most consider ancient technology but I use it four or five times a week for seven or more hours. Bluetooth headphones don't last both in the battery department and also physically. After four sets, I'm occasionally using a set of not very expensive JBLs that have at least lasted close to a year but battery life sucks worst than they did new. I know there are USB C to 3.5mm adapters but they suck and it's another thing to carry around when I wouldn't if the phone has a 3.5mm jack. There's not really anything out there in the S9 or Note10+ class with a 3.5mm jack.

josiahg52 said:
Finally got into Best Buy which might be the last place they still let you pick up the phones. I looked at the S22 Ultra 5G which is a 6.8" screen device. I admit I chuckled a bit when I picked it up. It's huge. Not as big as I expected, probably due to the smaller frame. I could or would almost live with it but it lacks a headphone jack.
I know that's an old feature that most consider ancient technology but I use it four or five times a week for seven or more hours. Bluetooth headphones don't last both in the battery department and also physically. After four sets, I'm occasionally using a set of not very expensive JBLs that have at least lasted close to a year but battery life sucks worst than they did new. I know there are USB C to 3.5mm adapters but they suck and it's another thing to carry around when I wouldn't if the phone has a 3.5mm jack. There's not really anything out there in the S9 or Note10+ class with a 3.5mm jack.
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Nothing in the Samsung flagship class. Oddly the 3.5mm jack is present on some of the midrange priced models of that era.
I have a pair of Buds(2.5+ yo) and Buds+(1 yo). Both case charge fast (2 charges per case charge). Both continue to work well.
The Buds+ easily last 8+ hours. It's rare I run them out...
The S9 generation is noticeably slower than the N10+. The N10+'s 12gb of ram (vs 4gb) makes a huge performance difference. The larger ram size impacts battery life very little. The N10+ is a large, powerful device that's design is well balanced... It's just fun to use.

blackhawk said:
Nothing in the Samsung flagship class. Oddly the 3.5mm jack is present on some of the midrange priced models of that era.
I have a pair of Buds(2.5+ yo) and Buds+(1 yo). Both case charge fast (2 charges per case charge). Both continue to work well.
The Buds+ easily last 8+ hours. It's rare I run them out...
The S9 generation is noticeably slower than the N10+. The N10+'s 12gb of ram (vs 4gb) makes a huge performance difference. The larger ram size impacts battery life very little. The N10+ is a large, powerful device that's design is well balanced... It's just fun to use.
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Yeah, I should have said flagship class, as the S9 was years ago. Of course, the Note10+ demolishes the S9. You still have me considering the Note. You've done well making a case for it. There's just nothing close with its hardware.
Stepping down, there is the A71 or A52. I still like the OnePlus Nord N10. All of those are a decided step beneath the S9 on paper and of course, not worth comparing to the Note10+.
I'll look at the Buds.

josiahg52 said:
Yeah, I should have said flagship class, as the S9 was years ago. Of course, the Note10+ demolishes the S9. You still have me considering the Note. You've done well making a case for it. There's just nothing close with its hardware.
Stepping down, there is the A71 or A52. I still like the OnePlus Nord N10. All of those are a decided step beneath the S9 on paper and of course, not worth comparing to the Note10+.
I'll look at the Buds.
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It's a beast, I never run out of ram or storage.
You also have the LDAC option for bt. Sony and Panasonic have a few choices. LDAC may be better than SSC. The pricier Sony ones are probably better for music.
Get the Buds+, the regular Buds aren't as nice but work well for calls. I would recommend using Poweramp as a Player. It's graphic equalizer is how I dial the Buds+ in. My whole 240gb wav file music collection is on the SD card.
I use the spen mostly for Smart Capture (a very useful tool), screen shot writing, as a bt remote shutter release, and magnifier comes in handy at times. I use it once a day sometimes more. That's a sometimes under appreciated Note feature. Lol, for the first couple months I didn't use it

All right, you've convinced me! So where should I buy one from? Best Buy has some available from $450. Say "refurbished" whatever that means to them. Can pick that up locally. I've had decent success on eBay. More recently, I had to return two S8 de-camera'd work phone) and an S9 for not being what they were supposed to be - wrong model numbers - but I returned them successfully. I'm always suspect of eBay "condition" also.