General Just got my pixel 7 pro. Here are my first impressions - Google Pixel 7 Pro

Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
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Nice review details! Kudos

Thanks for sharing, I find myself in a somewhat similar situation. I have an S21U for personal use and an iPhone XR for work that I traded in for the Pixel 7 Pro.
I can definitely relate to the weight difference. I didn't like it at much first but now I've noticed it's a bit easier to hold laying in bed on my back. I'm always dropping the S21U on my face
I've never used an optical fingerprint scanner before so right now the light is oddly amusing /fun for me, but it will probably get old after a while.
So did you keep your iPhone or did you trade it in?

early days here and teething problems I think will be worked out. screen is definitely an improvement over the 6. my main concern tho is the tele lens. so far i'm finding it not as good as the 6p tele lens, which I absolutely love.

Love your review thank you first one I read

does it do usb-c to hdmi output?

Bxperiaz3 said:
Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
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Good info, shared. Thanks.
Could you crank up the brightness to the max, use the phone for some 15 mins like that and share the battery drain experience? Various reports like THIS ONE suggest that under direct sunlight the battery drains abnormally.

Bxperiaz3 said:
Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
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Click to collapse
Hey there. Nice review. I totally agree with you on two points. I managed to fiddle with a 7 pro at a local target store (a day before launch if you can believe that they had the demo station set up).
The hollow feel while typing on it's screen is something I'd never felt before. It made me send back the 6pro last year and keep my OnePlus 8 pro as it felt like a more solid device. The 7 pro felt the same. I wonder why the hollow feel? Is it possible that it's a feature? Maybe the screen has more give so that it's less susceptible to cracking if dropped? Who knows...
Also agree about the speakers. I blared some YouTube music on the demo phone in the store like a weirdo (Motown) and wasn't exactly impressed. Especially when compared to the 14pro (wife's phone).
I want to love the new 7 pro but am shying away. OnePlus isn't exactly wonderful right now and my 8 pro is aging but I feel like I need more to make the jump

For me it was simply time to make a change from my Note 10 Plus. It's a 3 year old phone and it shows, particularly the camera which wasn't the best when the phone was released and is well behind the times now. I fully expect the feel of the 7 Pro to be less premium (one aspect in which the Note 10 Plus shines and still does) but it looks to me like this is the best Android device out there right now, especially for this price. And I hate iPhones.

Bxperiaz3 said:
Hey guys, received my pixel today and thought I'd share some first impressions for those interested or who haven't received theirs yet.
I use a 21ultra as my daily and run a 14 pro max for work so I have a broad spectrum to judge the new pixel against. I'll try and break my impressions into bullet points.
1. New pixels design is nice, feels good in the hand, I went for obsidian, looks good, the rear is a total fingerprint magnet.
2. The haptics are very good, different to the iPhone but not better or worse, which is impressive because iPhone haptics are usually the benchmark of good vibration for me.
3. One thing I don't love is the weight, both the iPhone and the s21 are quite a bit heavier at 229 and 240 and it makes the pixel feel less premium somehow. When you tap the screen on the pixel to type it almost feels and sounds hollow whereas the Samsung for example is much more firm. Its a personal preference but of the three phones the pixel feels the cheapest in the hand.
4. The camera are very good, coming from the exynos s21 where I always hated the video, pixel 7s new video is really impressive. Looking forward to getting to use it a bit more.
5. The speaker is good and loud but it's a little on the tinny side on comparison to the Samsung and the 14 pro. It crackles a little higher up the volume.
6. Looking forward to trying out some of the pixel features that are sprinkled throughout the ui, like the call screening, text to speech etc
Will report back once I use these for a prolonged period.
7. The pixel 7 pros sound and haptic integration is top notch and can be adjusted to your liking on the settings. Each activity that includes a vibration now let's you chose the intensity as well.
8. The screen is less curved which I love as I much prefer flat screens and this feels like a step in the right direction. The edges of the phone and indeed the screen are much less rounded too and makes the Samsung look a bit silly with its super rounded corners.
9. Fingerprint scanner being an optical one is another little disappointment for me, having found the ultrasonic in the Samsung to be unbelievably fast and reliable. Something about the white light under your thumb each time you try to unlock feels cheap and a bit silly when ultrasonic is an option.
10. Which brings me to the last feature I like, face unlock. While not quite as reliable as the iPhone it works well and is much faster than previous android phones I've used. Theres a nice little vibration and animation when it unlocks as well, which makes it feel well thought out and well executed. Hopefully it stays as reliable as its been so far.
Overall I'm pretty impressed. I'm a little disappointed at the over all feel, it's not bad, for me the iPhone still feels like a much more premium phone, and at about 350 quid more it ought to be I suppose. Software wise it looks promising and it has some of the best cameras and haptics of any phone. If anyone who hasn't gotten one yet would like to ask anything about it please feel free.
Bar
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Click to collapse
No.3 I've noticed the same thing. When tapping the screen it makes this hollow sound as if you were tapping a plastic cup (thw white one to be precise). The screen on Galaxy Tab S8 makes the same sound but Galaxy S20 doesn't. Maybe the screen panels on Pixel & Tab S8 are of lower quality?!
No. 9 Fingerprint is really fast and more reliable than on S20 (I always had to try multiple times before it finally worked).
No. 10 Face unlock is very fast, even in dim light.
Here are other things I've noticed:
1. Status bar is extremely thick 0.6 mm and therefore unnecessarily wastes too much space when screen resolution is lowered.
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
3. Sometimes the screen suddenly gets so dim that you can barely see anything but the position of the brightness slider doesn't change at all when it happens. No idea what's causing it.

innit said:
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Pixel 6 Pro did that all the time, its annoying.
One thing i have noticed it my P7P runs much cooler than my P6P did.

galaxys said:
Nice review details! Kudos
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Click to collapse
Thank you!
grangermoch said:
Thanks for sharing, I find myself in a somewhat similar situation. I have an S21U for personal use and an iPhone XR for work that I traded in for the Pixel 7 Pro.
I can definitely relate to the weight difference. I didn't like it at much first but now I've noticed it's a bit easier to hold laying in bed on my back. I'm always dropping the S21U on my face
I've never used an optical fingerprint scanner before so right now the light is oddly amusing /fun for me, but it will probably get old after a while.
So did you keep your iPhone or did you trade it in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to have it on my one plus 7 pro and I loved that but after the speed of the s21 s sensor I'm a bit disenchanted with optical sensors for now. My iPhone is for work so that's staying but the main question is will I be upgrading from my s21 ultra or returning this new pixel. So far I'm not fully sure..
whatsisnametake2 said:
early days here and teething problems I think will be worked out. screen is definitely an improvement over the 6. my main concern tho is the tele lens. so far i'm finding it not as good as the 6p tele lens, which I absolutely love.
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Click to collapse
I must check that out and see what it's like. What are the differences? Was the 6p wider?
liggerz87 said:
Love your review thank you first one I read
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Appreciate that thank you
apoklyps3 said:
does it do usb-c to hdmi output?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me check it out and get back to you
Virgo_Guy said:
Good info, shared. Thanks.
Could you crank up the brightness to the max, use the phone for some 15 mins like that and share the battery drain experience? Various reports like THIS ONE suggest that under direct sunlight the battery drains abnormally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah sure. I'll do that this morning
bacon612 said:
Hey there. Nice review. I totally agree with you on two points. I managed to fiddle with a 7 pro at a local target store (a day before launch if you can believe that they had the demo station set up).
The hollow feel while typing on it's screen is something I'd never felt before. It made me send back the 6pro last year and keep my OnePlus 8 pro as it felt like a more solid device. The 7 pro felt the same. I wonder why the hollow feel? Is it possible that it's a feature? Maybe the screen has more give so that it's less susceptible to cracking if dropped? Who knows...
Also agree about the speakers. I blared some YouTube music on the demo phone in the store like a weirdo (Motown) and wasn't exactly impressed. Especially when compared to the 14pro (wife's phone).
I want to love the new 7 pro but am shying away. OnePlus isn't exactly wonderful right now and my 8 pro is aging but I feel like I need more to make the jump
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you that's a good question, oddly it's something I noticed on the iPhone too, it's like theres an air gap between the sreeen and the actual panel or something so maybe the more give thing is a good call. Either way it's a very small gripe but it's one that's honestly making me consider returning. That along with the weight does not make this feel like a 1k phone to be perfectly honest.
I too want to love it.. But I just don't so far and I don't see any good alternatives left if I send it back
Beefheart said:
For me it was simply time to make a change from my Note 10 Plus. It's a 3 year old phone and it shows, particularly the camera which wasn't the best when the phone was released and is well behind the times now. I fully expect the feel of the 7 Pro to be less premium (one aspect in which the Note 10 Plus shines and still does) but it looks to me like this is the best Android device out there right now, especially for this price. And I hate iPhones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I'm fully with you on that. Part of me wishes I didn't have the s21 ultra to compare as I'd probably be less disappointed. I absolutely hate Samsungs android software, but their phones are better build for sure.
innit said:
No.3 I've noticed the same thing. When tapping the screen it makes this hollow sound as if you were tapping a plastic cup (thw white one to be precise). The screen on Galaxy Tab S8 makes the same sound but Galaxy S20 doesn't. Maybe the screen panels on Pixel & Tab S8 are of lower quality?!
No. 9 Fingerprint is really fast and more reliable than on S20 (I always had to try multiple times before it finally worked).
No. 10 Face unlock is very fast, even in dim light.
Here are other things I've noticed:
1. Status bar is extremely thick 0.6 mm and therefore unnecessarily wastes too much space when screen resolution is lowered.
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
3. Sometimes the screen suddenly gets so dim that you can barely see anything but the position of the brightness slider doesn't change at all when it happens. No idea what's causing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good points! I'll be honest the status bar is also driving me mental. I'm used to full immersive everything on the Samsung so this status bar and tbh the ui in general really vexes me. The little black bar for the pill also does my head in. Why don't we have status bars that have a gradient so we know it's there but it's not a literal banner plastered across the top of the phone. Another point that I'm trying to decide if I can live with. Must check out points 2 and 3 and report back.
MrBelter said:
My Pixel 6 Pro did that all the time, its annoying.
One thing i have noticed it my P7P runs much cooler than my P6P did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a positive at least. I never had a P6P so I appreciate peoples input that ran them last year.
Apologies if it seems like I have a negative bias towards the phone having only had it a day. But the cost of smartphones Is so high these days that I don't expect perfection but there are certain things for me that are absolute deal breakers and unfortunately the pixel ticks quite and amount of those for me. Gonna run it for a few more days and see can I live with the aspects I don't like or is it time to return it and struggle on with the s21

Bxperiaz3 said:
Yeah I'm fully with you on that. Part of me wishes I didn't have the s21 ultra to compare as I'd probably be less disappointed. I absolutely hate Samsungs android software, but their phones are better build for sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had an S21 Ultra but, ironically given the subject at hand, it stopped working after a fairly innocuous drop and Samsung refused to fix it because I'd previously rooted it (despite removing the root and it being back to a factory image). As a result I swore I would never buy another Samsung and I'm sticking to that, the only reason I have the Note 10 Plus is that a friend upgraded to a iPhone 13 late last year just after my S21 broke and he let me have it on a deal that was too good to refuse (£200), especially given that Samsung had just replaced the screen and battery for him so it was effectively brand new. My son is now getting it to replace his crappy old Poco M3 but I'm done with Samsung and their hateful Knox e-fuse.
I've just gotten a notification from the Royal Mail that my 7 Pro is due for delivery today rather than Monday which is a bonus.

innit said:
No.3 I've noticed the same thing. When tapping the screen it makes this hollow sound as if you were tapping a plastic cup (thw white one to be precise). The screen on Galaxy Tab S8 makes the same sound but Galaxy S20 doesn't. Maybe the screen panels on Pixel & Tab S8 are of lower quality?!
No. 9 Fingerprint is really fast and more reliable than on S20 (I always had to try multiple times before it finally worked).
No. 10 Face unlock is very fast, even in dim light.
Here are other things I've noticed:
1. Status bar is extremely thick 0.6 mm and therefore unnecessarily wastes too much space when screen resolution is lowered.
2. When in standby screen often doesn't react to taps or the power button being pressed. Screen just doesn't wake up and you have to try 2-3 more times for it to lit up.
3. Sometimes the screen suddenly gets so dim that you can barely see anything but the position of the brightness slider doesn't change at all when it happens. No idea what's causing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The display on the 6Pro and 7Pro is edge bonded meaning it's attached to the frame underneath around the edge. This makes it easier to replace but it gives it that "hollow" feel. Most phones today, Samsung etc are mid frame bonded,they're bonded to the frame half way up the display as well as around the edge also, so they don't have that air gap underneath and feel more "solid". The edge bonded display despite being easier to replace have the disadvantage of trapping heat in the phone because of the air gap.

I too am coming from a S21U and noticed the give on the screen. At first I thought I left the keyboard clicks on when I was typing and heard the way the screen sounded.
The other thing I have noticed is when I am driving there are areas where the S21 had signal yet the P7P has no signal with the same sim card.
I too am debating keeping the device or not as these are pretty minor complaints but I'm not sure if it is a truly worthy upgrade for the money.

JamesR913 said:
I too am coming from a S21U and noticed the give on the screen. At first I thought I left the keyboard clicks on when I was typing and heard the way the screen sounded.
The other thing I have noticed is when I am driving there are areas where the S21 had signal yet the P7P has no signal with the same sim card.
I too am debating keeping the device or not as these are pretty minor complaints but I'm not sure if it is a truly worthy upgrade for the money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say the Pixel 7 Pro is an upgrade on the S21 Ultra, but not a particularly big one. A better camera (minus the 30x zoom), a little bit faster in terms of SOC speed but overall no spectacular improvements. In short, I'm not sure I'd spend money on a 7 Pro if I had a working S21 Ultra. But for me it's an easier choice, as my S21 Ultra is long gone and the 7 Pro is a massive upgrade on the Note 10 Plus I'm currently using.
Where it wins big is in comparison to the competition here and now. £850 for a phone that easily competes for everyday use with an iPhone 14 Pro Max which starts at £1200 and a Samsung S22 Ultra that starts at £1150. It loses out on a couple of things with both (battery life for the iPhone, S-Pen with the Samsung, and raw benchmarking horse power with both), but it also has advantages in comparison to both. In short it's a bargain for what you get, and the Pixel 7 even more.
I don't understand what appears to have become an acceptance that flagship phones have to cost north of £1000. It's an absolute nonsense deliberately brought into existence by Apple and Samsung for their own ends. It's good to see Google thumb their nose at it.

Beefheart said:
I'd say the Pixel 7 Pro is an upgrade on the S21 Ultra, but not a particularly big one. A better camera (minus the 30x zoom), a little bit faster in terms of SOC speed but overall no spectacular improvements. In short, I'm not sure I'd spend money on a 7 Pro if I had a working S21 Ultra. But for me it's an easier choice, as my S21 Ultra is long gone and the 7 Pro is a massive upgrade on the Note 10 Plus I'm currently using.
Where it wins big is in comparison to the competition here and now. £850 for a phone that easily competes for everyday use with an iPhone 14 Pro Max which starts at £1200 and a Samsung S22 Ultra that starts at £1150. It loses out on a couple of things with both (battery life for the iPhone, S-Pen with the Samsung, and raw benchmarking horse power with both), but it also has advantages in comparison to both. In short it's a bargain for what you get, and the Pixel 7 even more.
I don't understand what appears to have become an acceptance that flagship phones have to cost north of £1000. It's an absolute nonsense deliberately brought into existence by Apple and Samsung for their own ends. It's good to see Google thumb their nose at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not getting truly top hardware with the Pixel though, it's only an LTPO 1.0 display for eg so there's a trade off for price.

Beefheart said:
I had an S21 Ultra but, ironically given the subject at hand, it stopped working after a fairly innocuous drop and Samsung refused to fix it because I'd previously rooted it (despite removing the root and it being back to a factory image). As a result I swore I would never buy another Samsung and I'm sticking to that, the only reason I have the Note 10 Plus is that a friend upgraded to a iPhone 13 late last year just after my S21 broke and he let me have it on a deal that was too good to refuse (£200), especially given that Samsung had just replaced the screen and battery for him so it was effectively brand new. My son is now getting it to replace his crappy old Poco M3 but I'm done with Samsung and their hateful Knox e-fuse.
I've just gotten a notification from the Royal Mail that my 7 Pro is due for delivery today rather than Monday which is a bonus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah even with the better build most new phones can't handle any sort of a drop. Nice, let us know how you find it.
Batfink33 said:
The display on the 6Pro and 7Pro is edge bonded meaning it's attached to the frame underneath around the edge. This makes it easier to replace but it gives it that "hollow" feel. Most phones today, Samsung etc are mid frame bonded,they're bonded to the frame half way up the display as well as around the edge also, so they don't have that air gap underneath and feel more "solid". The edge bonded display despite being easier to replace have the disadvantage of trapping heat in the phone because of the air gap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That makes perfect sense, Thanks for clearing that up. Makes me like the pixel even less now that that's been confirmed
JamesR913 said:
I too am coming from a S21U and noticed the give on the screen. At first I thought I left the keyboard clicks on when I was typing and heard the way the screen sounded.
The other thing I have noticed is when I am driving there are areas where the S21 had signal yet the P7P has no signal with the same sim card.
I too am debating keeping the device or not as these are pretty minor complaints but I'm not sure if it is a truly worthy upgrade for the money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have a sim in mine yet but that would be another deal breaker. Similar to you I only have small complaints so far. But I have more than I was expecting..
Beefheart said:
I'd say the Pixel 7 Pro is an upgrade on the S21 Ultra, but not a particularly big one. A better camera (minus the 30x zoom), a little bit faster in terms of SOC speed but overall no spectacular improvements. In short, I'm not sure I'd spend money on a 7 Pro if I had a working S21 Ultra. But for me it's an easier choice, as my S21 Ultra is long gone and the 7 Pro is a massive upgrade on the Note 10 Plus I'm currently using.
Where it wins big is in comparison to the competition here and now. £850 for a phone that easily competes for everyday use with an iPhone 14 Pro Max which starts at £1200 and a Samsung S22 Ultra that starts at £1150. It loses out on a couple of things with both (battery life for the iPhone, S-Pen with the Samsung, and raw benchmarking horse power with both), but it also has advantages in comparison to both. In short it's a bargain for what you get, and the Pixel 7 even more.
I don't understand what appears to have become an acceptance that flagship phones have to cost north of £1000. It's an absolute nonsense deliberately brought into existence by Apple and Samsung for their own ends. It's good to see Google thumb their nose at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah in a way I agree, phones absolutely shouldn't cost that much. What's a shame though is the phone feels physically cheaper and that's a bit of a deal breaker considering it was still over 1000 euros.. My s21s camera system is so poor it still makes sense to upgrade, plus a few quid back when I sell the old phone and the pixel watch but I have to say I'm still a bit let down. I absolutely despise apple software but there's no denying when I unboxed the 14 pro I was far more impressed with the quality
Batfink33 said:
You're not getting truly top hardware with the Pixel though, it's only an LTPO 1.0 display for eg so there's a trade off for price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah and it sort of shows tbh. If I could have the s21 ultra with the software advantages of the pixel 7p right now that would be the ideal hybrid.

Bxperiaz3 said:
Yeah even with the better build most new phones can't handle any sort of a drop. Nice, let us know how you find it.
That makes perfect sense, Thanks for clearing that up. Makes me like the pixel even less now that that's been confirmed
I don't have a sim in mine yet but that would be another deal breaker. Similar to you I only have small complaints so far. But I have more than I was expecting..
Yeah in a way I agree, phones absolutely shouldn't cost that much. What's a shame though is the phone feels physically cheaper and that's a bit of a deal breaker considering it was still over 1000 euros.. My s21s camera system is so poor it still makes sense to upgrade, plus a few quid back when I sell the old phone and the pixel watch but I have to say I'm still a bit let down. I absolutely despise apple software but there's no denying when I unboxed the 14 pro I was far more impressed with the quality
Yeah and it sort of shows tbh. If I could have the s21 ultra with the software advantages of the pixel 7p right now that would be the ideal hybrid.
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I'd pay the extra for a truly flagship pixel with all the latest hardware. Yes phones are way overpriced but it would be nice to have Pixel software on a phone with the quality build of an iPhone or Samsung. An Sd8+ Gen 1 (or gen 2) Pixel would be amazing.

It's arrived, and it doesn't feel less premium at all. Maybe that's me and, being an engineer, I know weight doesn't equate to more premium. I love the feel of it, solid.
In terms of opinion, I've not got much else at the moment, still setting it up.

Related

how happy are you..

So, i got mine OP6 yesterday, damn it is a nice phone i love it.
But how happy are you with it. And what would you change to the hard-software..
Battery percent in circle.
Proximity sensor to activate ambient display.
Speaker sounds a bit tinny.
That's about it from me
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
I just wish the vibration motor felt more like a Pixel 2XL or iPhone 8/X
Coming from an OPO this is light years in advance. I don't think I could ever go back to a phone with less screen retail and no gestures. Having said that, it is far from perfect:
The glass back is so slippy it makes the phone useless without a case.
The battery life is better than my old phone, but not as good as I was hoping.
There is no thermal paste or cooling on the SOC.
The rounded corners on the screen are annoying and pointless.
Not sure if I should swap my Midnight Black to mitigate #1, but given it is a glass back I'm not sure that is going to help really. On the flip side I do appreciate the improved signal a glass back brings.
lordjan1986 said:
So, i got mine OP6 yesterday, damn it is a nice phone i love it.
But how happy are you with it. And what would you change to the hard-software..
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Got mine yesterday as well. My previous phone was a note 8. I'm very pleased with the OP6 so far. At this point I wouldn't change anything except it is quite slippery. I feel like I'm holding a baby.
I definitely hope to see an improved camera performance in a future update. My OP6 produces smudgy images that seem way too processed. A Google camera port on my old OP3 produces much better quality photos, so there's that.
Otherwise the rounded corners of the screen are a little reminiscent of an old-school TV and I struggle to ignore them.
Performance is beastly AF.
1. An option in settings to have always on display
2. Speaker volume and tone to be improved. When I had the 5t on Oreo beta the speaker was really good for a single speaker, this one just sounds a bit shallow. Enabling the earpiece speaker would be a plus if they could implement it.
3. Bluetooth drop outs. I'm finding it losses connection to devices temporarily (not due to range)
4. Option to have Google now as the left hand page rather than shelf.
5. Was thinking of a 5th for ages however in the main really happy with it and all the above could be fixed in an update. Let's just hope they don't wait too long and forget about us 6 users because they are working on the 6T!
In love the round corners, they are so cool looking, I got the mirror black and I love the way it looks. I think the phone is fantastic.
Pros of oneplus6
1. Snappy Processor for the Price - Snapdragon 845 is one of the fastest processors
2. A Tall and Notch-ed Display - The AMOLED display of the OnePlus 6 produces rich, bright and crisp colors.
3. Taste of Android P - model for which Android P Beta would be available.
4. Headphone jack!
Vinegar Joe said:
Coming from an OPO this is light years in advance. I don't think I could ever go back to a phone with less screen retail and no gestures. Having said that, it is far from perfect:
The glass back is so slippy it makes the phone useless without a case.
The battery life is better than my old phone, but not as good as I was hoping.
There is no thermal paste or cooling on the SOC.
The rounded corners on the screen are annoying and pointless.
Not sure if I should swap my Midnight Black to mitigate #1, but given it is a glass back I'm not sure that is going to help really. On the flip side I do appreciate the improved signal a glass back brings.
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where did u find out it had no thermal paste or cooling?
masri1987 said:
where did u find out it had no thermal paste or cooling?
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Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z47gXtbXjw
Yikes. Throttling will be bad.
montecarlo5 said:
Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z47gXtbXjw
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montecarlo5 said:
Watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z47gXtbXjw
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Yup, that's the one.
Incidentally throttling is not bad right now (I did some quick and dirty tests in another thread), but might be an issue down the line. AFAIK the 5/5T had the same problem. Anyone know how they've held up in the last 6/12 months?
masri1987 said:
where did u find out it had no thermal paste or cooling?
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Probably jerryrigeverything tear down videos.
Am I happy? Yes and no. Didn't care for pixel. Miss my note 8. Nexus 6p is still my favorite device but battery issues kept me away. Personally think Huawei handles battery and speed(with bells and whistles) just as good. But emui.
Op6 is a get what you pay for. I think they can do better at the 530+ price. I probably take a lost but I'm going g to hold out until the next update. If things are not imporved I'll sell it for something else. Probably lose a $1 per day of ownership.
Battery life and maybe speed(not as dramatic as people make it vs others) is where the phone beats everything else. Nice to have unlocked bootloader/root. Feels like Nexus days.
intruda119 said:
Probably jerryrigeverything tear down videos.
Am I happy? Yes and no. Didn't care for pixel. Miss my note 8. Nexus 6p is still my favorite device but battery issues kept me away. Personally think Huawei handles battery and speed(with bells and whistles) just as good. But emui.
Op6 is a get what you pay for. I think they can do better at the 530+ price. I probably take a lost but I'm going g to hold out until the next update. If things are not imporved I'll sell it for something else. Probably lose a $1 per day of ownership.
Battery life and maybe speed(not as dramatic as people make it vs others) is where the phone beats everything else. Nice to have unlocked bootloader/root. Feels like Nexus days.
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i came from Note 8, for me the Note 8 was good but it was a lot of hype too. the camera was amazing but the reason i got the Op6 and sold my Note 8 was for dev purposes... the note 8 dev community is small
Just got mine today and love it so far. Buttery smooth and lightning quick. It has so much customization built in that I don't feel the need to put a custom rom on it. At least for a while.
masri1987 said:
i came from Note 8, for me the Note 8 was good but it was a lot of hype too. the camera was amazing but the reason i got the Op6 and sold my Note 8 was for dev purposes... the note 8 dev community is small
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I was one of the crazy people who actually found bixby useful. Without Tasker and being able to voice command mobile hotspot was great. Battery life was on par. Device community and not very many options out here for old school Nexus type devices.
Not a bad phone just thought by the 6+ device, some of the hardware compromises would finally be on par.
Vinegar Joe said:
Yup, that's the one.
Incidentally throttling is not bad right now (I did some quick and dirty tests in another thread), but might be an issue down the line. AFAIK the 5/5T had the same problem. Anyone know how they've held up in the last 6/12 months?
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I used a OP5 for the last 11 months and to be honest, I didn't noticed some kind of throttling. Maybe there was, but I never noticed fps drops while playing with a Nintendo DS/PSP emulator (which seems like a good indicator).
Looking at the teardown videos they DO have thermal pads (the black slightly shiny things) so it isn't quite as 'bare' as suggested. Probably not as good as thermal paste, but I'm not exactly up on mobile phone cooling. Maybe someone better than me can provide some insight? I wonder how common this is in other phones.
My problems with it are the too small battery (resulting in **** battery life compared to other current phones), the mediocre camera, and no vibration that can be felt/heard whatsoever.
Rest (whatever is left) is ok.
I should probably return it and get full refund and spend money on something more proper.

Pixel 3 worth it, Are any of the known issues a deal breaker.

First off i'm trying to decide on the Pixel 3 or S9 and I know asking here is kinda dumb but I wanna know if some of these issues are as big of a deal as the media plays them out to be? The issues i'm hearing about that bug me most are the speaker issues, will the low volume be fixed or is it a hardware thing? Also the back supposedly can be scratch quite easily, I went to best buy and tried to scratch it with my nail and it left a mark but it rubbed away. or is this more of a thing that coins will scratch it if put in a pocket with them? I had a Pixel 2 and the back never got scratched well I had it. Like I said I went to bestbuy and handled both the Pixel 3 and S9 and its a hard decision to choose. I like the make and build quality of the S9 but I hate it only comes in grey or purple here in Canada. It also has a beautiful screen. But the Pixel reminds me of my Pixel 2 plus it has the better camera. not that the s9 is bad just I don't like that it over exposes. Do you have a Pixel 3 do you recommend it and how's the battery life?
I've owned about 5 other phones before the Pixel 3. It's got the best speakers of any phone I've had. For me the volume is more than loud enough. I use a thin case so can't comment on the back being scratch prone. I haven't tried scratching it. Worst case you could get a skin for the back if you don't use a case and find it shows marks from your use. The screen is very good. If you're very picky about the display quality at low brightness you may not like it, but that's easy to test at a store before you buy it. The camera is excellent, so no worries there. For me the battery is as good or better than any other phone I've owned. After light use I have about 60% left at the end of the day. Of course, your past experience, expectations, preferences, needs and usage will determine whether it's a good phone for you. It what you've listed are your biggest concerns you'll likely be happy.
My general experience with the S9 was good apart from the battery life, the exynos processor version was shocking (i think this is the one you get in Canada too). Not sure if recent updates fixed this but it seemed like a huge complaint at the time, i couldn't get a day with moderate to heavy use.
With regards to the Pixel3 back texture, i have it naked and it's been rattling in my pockets (albeit i never put any phone in a pocket with coins or keys), it's perfectly fine and i would take this textured back over the slippy S9 any day. I have the Pixel2 also and it's a little scruffy on the back but unless you inspect it very closely it's perfectly fine.
Camera on the Pixel is way better in my opinion, you get a usable picture almost every time whereas the S9 i sometimes had to take several shots to get what i wanted.
I've had the Mate 20 Pro and iPhone XS this year also and the Pixel3 trumps all in my opinion.
I do have an outstanding issue open with Google however where the Pixel3's gyroscope sensor isn't calibrated correctly and so it's out by about 2-3 degrees. This means that when taking photos or using apps that use the gyroscope i have to hold the phone slightly off angle to make it think it's level. All that said i still consider it the best !
Is it worth upgrading from Pixel 2 (bought a new one for 350) to Pixel 3 (Pixel 3 would cost me 300€ extra)? I especially want to know, whether the super res zoom and the wide angle selfie camera is worth it - these are the two most outstanding differences between Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 in my opinion. If you know some other differences which are worth the additional 300€ please tell me.
Marcel Eff said:
Is it worth upgrading from Pixel 2 (bought a new one for 350) to Pixel 3 (Pixel 3 would cost me 300€ extra)? I especially want to know, whether the super res zoom and the wide angle selfie camera is worth it - these are the two most outstanding differences between Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 in my opinion. If you know some other differences which are worth the additional 300€ please tell me.
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Wide angle is nicer than I thought although I hate taking selfies ROFL. Super res was a meh compared to dual cam phones but better than nothing.
I'm in the process of upgrading to P3 from P2 (crappy displays, locked bootloaders, RMAs, etc.) and side by side P3 looks so much more modern and if you like modern then it looks so much nicer.
I would be careful with your decision though since this year P3 won the honor to enjoy all the display issues P2XL went through last year, so getting a satisfactory display should be your first priority in my opinion. That said, a good display on P3 seems to be better than the "good" display of P2XL last year, as suggested by others over at P3XL forum and I agree (I ordered both P2 and XL last year and had a brief experience with XL). Anyway, once you get a good display hold on to it!
Other than that, I can't think of buying anything else at this moment mainly because I value stock experience, easiness of modding, and Dev support. Ironically we have the locked bootloader issue right now on both P3 and XL. The dev support was also far behind compared to old Nexus days. If One Plus offered a smaller version of 6T I might have jumped the ship.
P.s. camera is nice as always but being a home guy I use the display 1000x more than the camera so a good camera only means "this" little to me.
cswithxda said:
Ironically we have the locked bootloader issue right now on both P3 and XL. The dev support was also far behind compared to old Nexus days. If One Plus offered a smaller version of 6T I might have jumped the ship.
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What issue are you having with the bootloader?
georgs_town said:
What issue are you having with the bootloader?
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Check out the thread in this Pixel 3 QA and Pixel 3 XL QA section. Newer devices *may* come in with bootloader "un-unlockable" :cyclops: Some people received this *feature* on their new devices and some enjoyed it on the new, RMA devices.
orbital247 said:
My general experience with the S9 was good apart from the battery life, the exynos processor version was shocking (i think this is the one you get in Canada too). Not sure if recent updates fixed this but it seemed like a huge complaint at the time, i couldn't get a day with moderate to heavy use.
With regards to the Pixel3 back texture, i have it naked and it's been rattling in my pockets (albeit i never put any phone in a pocket with coins or keys), it's perfectly fine and i would take this textured back over the slippy S9 any day. I have the Pixel2 also and it's a little scruffy on the back but unless you inspect it very closely it's perfectly fine.
Camera on the Pixel is way better in my opinion, you get a usable picture almost every time whereas the S9 i sometimes had to take several shots to get what i wanted.
I've had the Mate 20 Pro and iPhone XS this year also and the Pixel3 trumps all in my opinion.
I do have an outstanding issue open with Google however where the Pixel3's gyroscope sensor isn't calibrated correctly and so it's out by about 2-3 degrees. This means that when taking photos or using apps that use the gyroscope i have to hold the phone slightly off angle to make it think it's level. All that said i still consider it the best !
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We have the Snap Drangon one here in Canada, I believe Snap Dragon is sold in North America and Exynos is the rest of the world

[Review] Oppo Ace2 and Red Magic 5G Initial Impressions

Thought I'd share my initial impressions on the Oppo Ace2 since it has not gotten much coverage. I also owned the Red Magic 5G for a week before selling it.
I'm coming from a Oneplus 6 and have owned a lot of other Android devices, off the top of my head these include the Nexus 4, OnePlus One, Asus Nexus 7, Samsung Tab Pro 8.4, Galaxy S7 Edge, Huawei Nexus 6P, LG v20, Lenovo ZUK Z2, Mediapad T5, Red Magic 5g etc.
Let's start with the Red Magic 5G. I ordered this a few months ago off tradingshenzhen, it got to me fast enough and the price was fair, but their customer support was not very good (I will not be ordering from them again cause of this https://i.imgur.com/2qd4zPM.jpg). They'll get your phone to you and offer one year warranty but don't expect them to be nice or helpful in the event you dont like your phone or have any issues.
Either way, here my notes on the phone:
Software
I got the Chinese version of the phone. I found the software experience to actually be very good despite this, ignoring the fact that there were some chinese apps that I didnt understand. I'm sure if I removed these few apps I would have had a very good software experience. The software felt very smooth and stable. There were some pretty cool features, but not a ton. Experience felt close to stock android, but lightly skinned with the right theme after some setting up. It didnt come with play store, I just had to install the playstore from apk, chrome and google keyboard then I had an experience not all that different from my OnePlus 6. My red magic 5g got a lot of updates in the time I had it, with big change logs, I'm not sure if global rom users will get that same experience since these types of phones seem to get better support in China.
Display and Body
This is where my mind was blown. That 144hz screen is beautiful and smooth. This was definitely what I loved about the phone most. However, I had my gripes with this screen. For one the, bezels were huge, and the corners were too rounded (meaning less screen). They were so rounded that it was distracting to me, almost as much as having a notch.. This might be a gross exaggeration but I hope it gets my point across. As for the large bezels, it feels like they used the "gaming phone" identity as an excuse to cut corners here with bezel size. It bothered me that there's so much potential screen space being wasted with those large unused bezels. Now the body has very nice comfortable shape, so I don't have anything against that, but it is kind of big, and it is pretty heavy. It felt very premium and nice in hand, but at the same time, it was not comfortable to one hand for long periods of time, it's size and heft also made it a little unwieldy for one handing. This is the main reason I ended up selling this phone. I would often find myself going back to my oneplus 6 instead of using my new phone cause it was just way more comfortable to use with one hand.
Battery and Misc
Microphone was good according to those that I called, speakers sounded fine to me, werent bad at all. They were stereo speakers, one bottom firing and one in the ear piece, which was nice. Battery was meh. For a 4500mah battery phone, it died very fast. Battery felt about the same as my much older oneplus 6 in it's current state.. Around 6-7 hours of screen on time with regular use (not gaming). With gaming I got around a little more than half that. It charged at a decent speed, not slow but not astonishingly fast. My Red magic 5g benchmarked around 595k on Antutu, so it was very fast. The fan was barely audible in it's intelligent mode or whatever it's called. Personally I think the fan is pointless, and that good thermal design makes a much bigger difference. I loved having the shoulder triggers for gaming. playing games like codm, pubg, etc were great experiences. I sunk hours into these games even though I dont tend to really do any smartphone gaming. I don't really like that manufacturers are trying so hard to make phones into "gaming phones" cause they are still just phones at the end of the day. If anything I would like to have a good value flagship (or flagship killer) with shoulder triggers, it doesn't need to be a "gaming phone". For instance, I think the oneplus 8 (or pro) but with a flat screen + shoulder triggers would be the perfect and ideal phone for me.
I also ordered the Realme X2 Pro but the seller (realme's aliexpress store) cancelled this order due to shipping issues. Then I ordered the Poco F2 Pro but GearBest hadn't shipped it out even after 3 weeks so I cancelled the order. Finally I ordered the Ace2 off Giztop and this was a much better experience. Order placed Friday, shipped out Monday, then received next week Monday (today). The Ace2 was discounted to $589.99 and I got a further 4% discount with the GTRE4 code. Shipping was $30 (DHL) and duties/brokerage was $37, so I paid a grand total of around (roughly) $632. Not bad. The shipping, handling, duties and fees all together were still less than Canadian tax (13%). Canadian retailers sell phones like the Poco F2 pro for around $580 (USD), after taxes that's $655, not even including shipping costs. Much better to wait a little for longer shipping and buy from outside of Canada it seems. So let's talk about this phone.
First and foremost, I'd like to note I do get buyer's remorse (like I did with my red magic 5g), but I've never had any issues post-purchase rationalization. If I don't like something, I don't try to justify it, especially where phones are concerned and having owned so many different devices, both good and bad. For example, the LG V20 was my most expensive purchase and easily the phone I hated most out of all the devices I've owned. I had already paid for it, so I stuck with it even though I hated it for at least a year, before finally getting my current oneplus 6. The LG V20 was so bad that I thought my much older nexus 6p was wayyy better, I wanted to go back to it so bad but I had already handed it down to my mom. While I liked the red magic 5g, I didn't like it enough to keep it and ended up selling it at a loss. My point here is, that these are just my opinions, but I do try to be as unbiased as I can be. I bought the Ace2 knowing that I would sell or return it if I didnt like it, like I did with my Red Magic 5g, so I didnt have my hopes high or any plans to keep it if I wasnt happy with it.
Setup
The unboxing experience was very basic, like any other Chinese smartphone so I will skip this part, but it does come with a pre-applied screen protector and a surprisingly nice clear case. I thought it would be a cheap clear case that looked nasty on the phone.
First thing I did was update the phone's firmware, then do a full factory reset. I set it up fresh, uninstalled what chinese bloat I could (there was a lot), installed playstore with the first apk I found, then using that I installed chrome + google keyboard. After turning on the app drawer, and dark mode I felt I had a very usable experience similar to what I had on my oneplus 6. I hate migrating phones, but the experience here wasnt too bad, I downloaded and used oppo's phone clone app from my oneplus 6, it connected the two phones with direct wifi and copied 30 gigs of data over in around 15min. I did not get much control in what gets copied over but it was still a very simple and hassle free process that I could appreciate.
Software
I'm going to start with this phone's biggest weakness. So the software is.. a mixed bag. Say what you will about the design, but ColorOS and oppo launcher are really well optimized. ColorOS has really come a long way from what it used to be. I tested a bunch of different launchers on this phone but I ended up going back to the oppo launcher cause it was just wayyy smoother and responsive. I wish that's all I had to say about the software but there's a lot more to say.. like how bloated this phone comes. Just random chinese apps everywhere. Most of them can be uninstalled off the bat, but the rest need a little more work to get rid of, including ADB and a little research. I actually think I would have liked coloros a bit more than oxygenos had this been a global version and came with less bloat. It's just a big hassle that I'm sure nobody wants to deal with after getting a new phone. The software experience here is great- if you're chinese. If you're not, you have a whole lot of work to do to get it somewhere good. On the other hand, I thought coming from oxygenos I thought this would be a complete downgrade, but much to my surprise there are a lot of things it actually does better. There are way more features, yes I mean useful ones, it feels smoother and more responsive for some reason (the animations are way quicker and smoother). I think ColorOS isn't actually that bloated once you get rid of the apps you don't need (using ADB where you need to). OxygenOS is great and used to be way ahead of it's time, but I feel the other choices available have caught up while OxygenOS hasn't really gone anywhere. My OnePlus 6 barely gets updates and is slow to get them when it ever even gets any. I've noticed that's a common occurrence with OnePlus devices, you get a lot of quick updates when your device is still a new release, but then it gets put on the backburner as new devices come out.
Display
This display is amazing, it's breathtaking. Side by side with my oneplus 6 it looks and feels like an upgrade in every way. The colors are better, and the smoothness is so satisfying, every bit as much as the 144hz display I had on my red magic 5g, which further leads me to believe anything above 90hz isn't really worth the price premium and battery cost. The punch hole was a little distracting at first since I wasnt used to it, but I quickly got used to it and dont even notice anymore. It's a very small punchole and is a nice upgrade from the big notch my oneplus 6 had. I would rather have this punch hole then the huge top bezel (and lost screen space) the red magic 5g had any day. I didn't realize this until I had the red magic 5g in my hand and wish I realized this sooner. The whole point of notches and punch hole I think is to give us more screen where we used to have bezel, and this is something I appreciate a lot more now. One of the biggest things for me here is that the screen is flat. I'm soo glad that I didn't have to compromise with curved edges. After owned an s7 edge, I never want to deal with that again. I know they aren't as bad as they used to be, but I still think it's silly to have to compromise with how the light reflects off of curved edges, the accidental touches or touch rejection, finding screen protectors that work, etc. If flat screens are cheaper I dont see why more manufacturers dont choose to go this route on their budget flagships at least (looking at you mi 10 non pro and oneplus 8 non pro).
Body
This phone is very solid and quality feeling. It doesn't have any super outstanding premium feeling that a higher end flagship might give you, but it does not feel cheap at all. The body is your typical metal frame, gorilla glass 5 sandwhich build. I have to say though, I love this two tone color on the back. It's like a black/navy type color that looks really elegant and sexy in my opinion. I hate oreo shaped camera modules but this is the one phone that I think it actually looks good on because of it's simple minimalist design. My favorite part of this phone is the weight and size. It's almost the same as my oneplus 6, in both weight and size, but has a larger screen. To me, that's amazing, because looking at all the new SD865 phones released this year it felt like I was going to have to give up the light weight and compact size of the oneplus 6 to upgrade to a "better" phone. It's one of the smallest and lightest Snapdragon 865 phones available and it IS the smallest and lightest one available with a flat screen, which exactly what I wanted. It just feels soooo comfortable in hand compared to anything else I've recently used. They really nailed the comfort aspect with this phone. I had no idea this was going to matter so much to me until I used the red magic 5g for a week (which isnt even that big or heavy for a gaming phone, there are worse offenders out there like the black shark 3). I can see why some people really want smaller phones now. For me, I like having a big screen, so it's not smaller phones that I want, but phones that have better screen to body and weight ratios.
Sound
Now here's where I found a nice surprise. Good stereo speakers. Never thought I would ever care about having this. I'm a headphone guy, and phone speakers always suck anyways so why would I care (so I thought). These are by far the best phone speakers I've ever heard, and they somehow blew me away even though I've never cared about how good the speakers on a phone were. They get very loud, and they sound very full. Even at the loudest volume setting where I expected the fidelity to deteriorate, it still had nice clear, smooth, full sounding stereo audio. I saw someone on reddit asking for a phone recommendation with good stereo speakers, apparently it was a must for him, and I didn't get why until now. I no longer feel the need to grab my headphones when I want to watch a youtube video, the stereo experience on this is just much better. There is still a con to be talked about however, no headphone jack. Having a headphone jack would have been nice, and even cooler if the phone came with a nice DAC (pretty much the only thing LG does right in their phones). Not a huge deal for me, I would be using bluetooth or a USB DAC anyways if it didnt come with a good internal DAC but it does make things less convenient in a pinch.
Battery and Performance
Well, it has a snapdragon 865, haven't had a single hiccup yet. Phone is blazing fast as expected. Coloros is well optimized too. Battery is good too, I will report screen on times soon. Much better than my red magic 5g so far from what I can tell. The main star of this show though is that 40w wireless charging and 65w wired charging. Charging cable that it came with is kind of short but the phone charges so fast I don't think it matters. 4000mah might seem small compared to alternatives, but coloros is surprisingly very efficient with it, even with 90hz on and all the chinese bloat it came with. Im surprised they managed to fit a battery this size and a 40w wireless charging coil in such a compact and light phone (relative to similar spec phones).
Closing thoughts
I think this is what the OnePlus 8 should have been, and I hope for others that this is what the Realme X3 pro is going to be if not better. There are a lot of things more expensive oneplus 8 is missing out on here, like the 65w charging, wireless charging, flat screen, etc. The only thing I think it has going for it is that it seems like a nicer build/quality phone with better software. I think the Poco F2 pro on the other hand is a solid contender because it actually comes with global software, has a huge battery + great screen on time, has a decent camera and will have a big developer community. I ultimately ended up passing up on this phone because it doesnt have 90hz, wireless charging, 65w charging, doesnt support very many frequencies, has a slower face unlock and cause its a pretty heavy phone (so not as comfortable), but this phone will make sense as a better choice for many others that have different priorities. Pick what suits you and your needs best. All in all, this is a very underrated phone that doesn't get talked enough about outside of Asia. I think if you're interested in the Ace2, feel it fits what you want well at a price that you think is good that you shouldn't be afraid to buy it. It's a great phone and it's worth it. Just note that you may need to do some extra work to make the software experience good for you because of the chinese bloat (as you would need to with any chinese rom phone anyways). Not to say that the software is bad, it's very good software that's just marred by all the extra chinese stuff it comes with that most of us probably dont want or need.
If there's anything more you guys would like to know about any of the phones that I own or have owned please let me know. I'll try to answer them the best I can. Would love to see some form of an Ace2 community grow but I won't be surprised if it's just me even months later.
Inspiring
I think that based on your detailed review (That I read before on reddit) I’m convinced to purchase this phone, the only android experience I’ve had was an old samsung s7 edge so I’m convinced that the ace 2 will be smooth, so one question: can you guide me on how to debloat the phone once I get it?

Why I'm Thrilled about the Pixel 5

I know many are disappointed with seemingly mediocre specs for a flagship, but I'm very happy with the design choices in the Pixel 5. Here's why:
Aluminum body. I've had enough of the completely impractical "premium" glass bodies that crack when you look at them wrong. Finally a return to something sensible.
Flat OLED. Seems like every flagship has to have curved edges. I haven't seen one phone yet that didn't have imperfections in the curve or drive me crazy with errant touches on the edges. Simple is better.
Return of the fingerprint scanner
NO NOTCH
Reasonable size. It seems like the flagship race always equates "bigger" with "better". I don't subscribe to that theory, and I'm glad to see a more modest size for the Pixel 5.
I do wish it had the Snapdragon 865, Wifi 6, and the telephoto lens, but every other choice was perfect IMO. Even with the CPU, I'm sure that choice was about cost, so it might be the right cost/performance trade-off to go with the 765G. Time will tell, I suppose.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel like this was a step backward or does anyone else feel the same about these design choices?
The form factor is what really sold me. Almost identical to the Essential (RIP)
Coming from the Pixel 4, the Pixel 5 has all of the changes I desire. Making it a no brainer, for me.
Lower power chipset / Less PPI / Larger battery -- All culminating to improved battery life. Probably by a good margin, in daily use.
No Active Edge / No Soli -- I disabled Active Edge and motion sense long ago as I found them more annoying than useful. I imagine not having the Soli chip will help to improve battery life even further.
Rear fingerprint reader -- YES!! These days I'm wearing a mask majority of the time I'm trying to use my phone, rendering face unlock useless. Having the fingerprint reader on the back is VERY welcomed.
Wide Angle Camera -- Another great addition. I don't need improved zoom quality. I need to be able to fit more content into a single picture.
The Pixel 5 is an improvement over the Pixel 4 in every way, in my opinion.
@sn0warmy Side note: your device history is what I wish mine looked like...
flamadiddle said:
@sn0warmy Side note: your device history is what I wish mine looked like...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's been a fun journey. I still remember the day I unboxed my Nexus One, right after it was launched. That was a special feeling and it opened the door into the crazy world of rooting/tinkering on Android devices. 10 years later, I'm making significantly more money with a lot more expensive toys and hobbies. Yet, Pixel launch day still gets me excited, every single year. It's the kid in me that will never grow up. :highfive:
All theses features in a 6' phone, it's perfect. I don't enjoy crazy big phones...
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using XDA Labs
@sn0warmy from someone that had the 3 XL - I hope this is a huge improvement as that is my current phone. I have pre-ordered it. What are your thoughts, 3 XL vs P5 (obv you can't say too much besides basing it on specs).
I'm going to get the pixel 5. Currently using 4 XL. My dilemma is that if Google will flash the prices by black Friday like last year. So I may wait till Thanksgiving.
Great price for pixel 5 though
Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
HamsterHam said:
@sn0warmy from someone that had the 3 XL - I hope this is a huge improvement as that is my current phone. I have pre-ordered it. What are your thoughts, 3 XL vs P5 (obv you can't say too much besides basing it on specs).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 3XL was a great phone. But I've come to prefer smaller phones. Which is why I went from the 3XL to the 4 (non-XL). The Pixel 4 is a much better size for daily use, for me. So the Pixel 5 is going to be a great size, as well.
As far as features and specs...
1) The Pixel 5 has 2x the amount of RAM as the 3XL. I've come to learn that more RAM is much more crucial to having a consistently smooth experience over time, rather than having a top of the line processor. So the Snapdragon 765G in the Pixel 5 doesn't concern me in the least bit.
2) The Pixel 5 has a 4000mAh battery, which is nearly an 18% increase in capacity, compared to the 3400mAh battery in the 3XL. the Pixel 5 also has a 6.0" display, vs the 6.3" in the 3XL. But the Pixel 5 is also pushing more total pixels, so that may actually be a hit to battery life, between the two phones. Regardless, the Pixel 5 battery should outlast the 3XL battery by a decent margin.
3) Pictures taken with your Pixel 5 will be better than the 3XL. Will it be a huge improvement? Probably not. But it will be an improvement, nonetheless.
vhl71 said:
I'm going to get the pixel 5. Currently using 4 XL. My dilemma is that if Google will flash the prices by black Friday like last year. So I may wait till Thanksgiving.
Great price for pixel 5 though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's actually a really good point, which I failed to consider. Last year Google dropped the price of the Pixel 4 by $200 over Black Friday weekend. It irritated a lot of people.
However, last year Google overestimated demand for the Pixel 4 by almost 30% (SOURCE). They were forced to unload inventory, hence the big price drops over Black Friday weekend and again in January, 2020. This year Google is being much more realistic about the total number of units they expect to sell and have adjusted production accordingly.
I do imagine you'll see some sort of promotion for the Pixel 5 over Black Friday weekend. It's in the best interest of online retailers to offer some sort of promotion when buyers are looking for the best deals. Fun fact: Many big name online retailers will generate upwards of 20% of their total yearly online revenue, just over Black Friday weekend.
With that said, I'll be very surprised if Google drops the price by $200 again. If I were a betting man, I'd wager that over Black Friday weekend you'll be able to snag a Pixel 5 for $75 - $100 off. Worst case, it will likely be a "Gift With Purchase" promotion, in which they give you a new Chromecast ($50 value) when you buy the Pixel 5.
@sn0warmy great. Exactly what I was thinking. Overall should be a better experience than the 3 XL especially due to the RAM increase. Looking forward to getting it.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
I'll be picking up a Pixel 5 a few updates down the road (gotta make sure the bugs and issues are worked out first). The Pixel 4 was a bust. It appears the Pixel 5 fixes all the things that went wrong there. I would get the 4a but it's plastic and not water repellant which is a non-starter.
I don't like bigger phones and coming from a Pixel 2 I think the 5 is just right with more screen real estate. The face unlock feature was just as ridiculous as the notch. So glad they are gone. Looks like I'll be able to pick the phone up and unlock it with the finger print sensor just like before (too easy).
As for the processor, they are so fast these days, they could have told you it was the faster chip and you would never have known. Most people don't do anything so intense that they really need all that extra umph anyway and if it lowers the price of a Google phone, great!
sn0warmy said:
Coming from the Pixel 4, the Pixel 5 has all of the changes I desire. Making it a no brainer, for me.
Lower power chipset / Less PPI / Larger battery -- All culminating to improved battery life. Probably by a good margin, in daily use.
No Active Edge / No Soli -- I disabled Active Edge and motion sense long ago as I found them more annoying than useful. I imagine not having the Soli chip will help to improve battery life even further.
Rear fingerprint reader -- YES!! These days I'm wearing a mask majority of the time I'm trying to use my phone, rendering face unlock useless. Having the fingerprint reader on the back is VERY welcomed.
Wide Angle Camera -- Another great addition. I don't need improved zoom quality. I need to be able to fit more content into a single picture.
The Pixel 5 is an improvement over the Pixel 4 in every way, in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with you on the bigger battery and lower PPI (really lower resolution) to help with battery life but I wish it had the 865 chip. The processor doesn't even have a big impact on battery life when compared to the screen.
I don't care about Soli but I'm really going to miss the active edge. I don't know why you're happy that's gone when you can disable it anyways. Sometimes I like to use the assistant and make sure it's on my phone even if I have other nearby devices. Without active edge the only way to do that is to swipe diagonally from the corners which doesn't work like 75% of the time.
I'm also with you on the rear fingerprint reader. I didn't own a Pixel 4 but I did spend a day with one and the face unlock was awful.
For the camera I'd much rather have a telephoto than a wide angle. The wide angle basically useless to me. I have very often wish I could get closer to the subject of the photo but I've never wish I could get farther away.
---------- Post added at 08:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:03 AM ----------
flamadiddle said:
I know many are disappointed with seemingly mediocre specs for a flagship, but I'm very happy with the design choices in the Pixel 5. Here's why:
Aluminum body. I've had enough of the completely impractical "premium" glass bodies that crack when you look at them wrong. Finally a return to something sensible.
Flat OLED. Seems like every flagship has to have curved edges. I haven't seen one phone yet that didn't have imperfections in the curve or drive me crazy with errant touches on the edges. Simple is better.
Return of the fingerprint scanner
NO NOTCH
Reasonable size. It seems like the flagship race always equates "bigger" with "better". I don't subscribe to that theory, and I'm glad to see a more modest size for the Pixel 5.
I do wish it had the Snapdragon 865, Wifi 6, and the telephoto lens, but every other choice was perfect IMO. Even with the CPU, I'm sure that choice was about cost, so it might be the right cost/performance trade-off to go with the 765G. Time will tell, I suppose.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel like this was a step backward or does anyone else feel the same about these design choices?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm really happy about the aluminum back.
I actually like the feel of the curved edges on my Pixel 2 XL but I honestly don't really carry either way.
It doesn't have a notch but It does have a hole punch which to me is just as bad as the notch. Obstructed screen content is obstructed screen content either way. In fact after learning that the developer option to hide the cutout that was on the Pixel 3 XL isn't on the Pixel 5 has me considering canceling my pre-order.
You make a good point that the flagship race seems to mean bigger is better. I don't even think the Pixel 5 is a modest size I think it's still way too big. I really miss the days of one-handed use and comfortable pocket ability those days have been gone for years and are unlikely to return.
It would be nice to have an actual fast processor instead of the slow 765 but that I think I could probably deal with. I also really wish they would have kept the telephoto of the Pixel 4 instead of going to the wide angle. Or just have three lenses like other phones even at the same price point.
jimv1983 said:
I don't care about Soli but I'm really going to miss the active edge. I don't know why you're happy that's gone when you can disable it anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't say I'm "happy" it's gone. Rather, I found it to be of little or no use. So removal of the associated hardware, which very well could have negatively impacted the battery, even when disabled, is perfectly fine with me.
sn0warmy said:
I wouldn't say I'm "happy" it's gone. Rather, I found it to be of little or no use. So removal of the associated hardware, which very well could have negatively impacted the battery, even when disabled, is perfectly fine with me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah on stock it was really useless. On custom rom you could assign apps of actions to it which was really good. I think I am going to miss it
sn0warmy said:
I wouldn't say I'm "happy" it's gone. Rather, I found it to be of little or no use. So removal of the associated hardware, which very well could have negatively impacted the battery, even when disabled, is perfectly fine with me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was essentially just a physical button. It wouldn't be a drain on the battery anymore than the volume buttons would is. Now there is no reliable way to activate the Google Assistant without voice which would trigger other near by devices too. That really sucks.
jimv1983 said:
It was essentially just a physical button. It wouldn't be a drain on the battery anymore than the volume buttons would is. Now there is no reliable way to activate the Google Assistant without voice which would trigger other near by devices too. That really sucks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most likely due to the aluminum frame. Sad anyway
Benjamin_L said:
Most likely due to the aluminum frame. Sad anyway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is mostly due to the aluminum frame?
jimv1983 said:
What is mostly due to the aluminum frame?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Getting rid of active edge I meant. Maybe I am also imagining it the wrong way.
Benjamin_L said:
Getting rid of active edge I meant. Maybe I am also imagining it the wrong way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having an aluminum frame doesn't have an impact on Active Edge. The Pixel 2 was the first phone to have Active Edge and it's aluminum.
jimv1983 said:
Having an aluminum frame doesn't have an impact on Active Edge. The Pixel 2 was the first phone to have Active Edge and it's aluminum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm too bad they got rid of it then. Do we know yet who builds the P5?

Thinking Of Coming From a OP 8 Pro

Has anyone come from the OnePlus 8 Pro? Or any larger sized devices (in terms of display size)?
I'm thinking of getting the Pixel because I miss stock Android, plus OP has moved from their "lightweight" version to a more heavy skinned OS with A11.
The biggest thing holding me back is the smaller display. I'm so used to big screens and I do a lot of typing on my phone, which leaves me curious about the typing experience on a smaller screen as well.
The only other concern is the top speaker as many YouTube reviews mention it's horrible, even for call quality. Call quality is another reason I want to come back to Pixel. My carrier doesn't support OnePlus devices, so VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling don't work properly. There are ways to try to get this to work but I'm not bothered and would rather just have a device that has those things working out of the box.
Any insights would be appreciated! Hoping there is a Boxing Day sale for the device here in Canada as the current price of $800 is quite heavy. Thanks in advance!
I came from a OnePlus 6T, the smaller screen hasn't bothered me one bit. I'm 6 foot with bigger than average hands and I'm more than happy typing on the screen.
I came from the OP7Pro so pretty similar to what you were working with.
I didn't notice it was a little smaller when I first got the P5 but not felt it's too small and very quickly got used to it. I find it to be a much more comfortable phone to hold compared to my OP7Pro and have no regrets moving in this direction!
I came from the OnePlus 6t, much the same as stringy, I'm 6'4 with larger hands and turn 50 this year yet I have no problem with the smaller phone, can see everything just fine and I'll say I actually prefer it. Typing is a little smaller all around but manageable and after a few days I've adjusted well. I can reach top to bottom on the screen with my thumb where my 6t it was a stretch. I actually ordered this and an s20 fe at the same time, the s20 was for my wife and I had to use it to set it all up for her and can say comparing the two, the pixel gets my vote. The s20, even with the 'better specs' was sluggish and after using the pixel for a day before hers arrived I had already adjusted to the pixel and an happy with my choice.
Thanks for the replies!
Seems like the majority of users actually enjoy the smaller form factor even coming from larger devices. It's really the biggest thing stopping me but it seems I should keep an open mind and give it a try.
How about call quality? Is that under-screen earpiece satisfactory?
Came from and went back to oneplus 6t. But mostly for the dual (physical) SIM that I really need and also because after 2 weeks on the pixel I couldn't notice a huge reason to stay with it. It's a great phone with a much better battery than the 6t but after the novelty wore off I could have gone both ways. Photos were important but MJL gcam is a beast so that was another factor. Pixel camera is still better though.
I also missed some of the oneplus software details like brightness slider coming down to thumbs reach as opposed to staying at the way top in the pixel and long pressing an app to uninstall. This was minimal though.
The screen and sound on the pixel I think we're great. Pixel is also noticeably lighter.
While I could still sell the pixel for a reasonable price I thought I would stay with the oneplus for another year.
rickysidhu_ said:
How about call quality? Is that under-screen earpiece satisfactory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, I thought I referenced call quality in my initial response, but indeed I did not. I can't say it's good, or bad really but rather just different. I have not had an issue with not being able to hear anyone, nor them me. Speaker phone, playing games, videos etc do not sound bad but at full volume I do not care for the sound. It's like I said, just different. Would I prefer a traditional speaker at the top? Yes. But I also appreciate the full display and no cutout for the speaker or a forehead so...ehhh..I guess sound to a degree is a bit of personal preference and with that said, it's not a deal breaker for me.
I came from the OP7 Pro and it was the best move compared to others in the past for me.
I like the weight, the size, the OS and most important: you'll get OS-updates on time every singe month.
So, do it! ✌
ulxerker said:
I came from the OP7 Pro and it was the best move compared to others in the past for me.
I like the weight, the size, the OS and most important: you'll get OS-updates on time every singe month.
So, do it! ✌
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. That's one of the things that bothered me with OnePlus. I had the OnePlus 1, 3t, 6 and 6t. The more phones they come out with, the less the older phones get updated. The 6t I came from was great for 6 months in regards to updates then it started to fall down the list with the 7, 7 pro, 7t, 7t pro, 8, 8 pro, nord and the 8t all piled on in less than 2 years, the 6t has all but been forgotten. Sure, a security patch here and there but really, that's it. I was running lineage when I finally said I'm done. No fault of lineage tho, ran great but the phone started to have gps issues and call drops. I had the original Nexus, Nexus 6P and decided on the pixel 5. At least I know what to expect going forward with updates.
I'm going to head into a Best Buy today to check the device out in person, will give me a better idea of the screen size.
Really appreciate everyone's input!
rickysidhu_ said:
I'm going to head into a Best Buy today to check the device out in person, will give me a better idea of the screen size.
Really appreciate everyone's input!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's really the best thing you could do. I did not check it out in person because I don't often do things like that, you know... logical lol. I'm more spur of the moment but I feel I got it right this time, thankfully. I will say hardware wise the phone should have cost $599. Not saying it's not worth $699 but there's several phones at this price that on paper out spec the pixel. The OnePlus 8t, galaxy s20 fe are two examples where you get more hardware for the cost but the pixel offers a great experience to the end user with less hardware. Would you rather pay for the hardware or the software? I guess it just shows how much better Google's stock version of Android actually is when you have software that's been designed for the hardware vs muscling the software by the hardware. Your call. Be interested in hearing what you decide.
rickysidhu_ said:
Has anyone come from the OnePlus 8 Pro? Or any larger sized devices (in terms of display size)?
I'm thinking of getting the Pixel because I miss stock Android, plus OP has moved from their "lightweight" version to a more heavy skinned OS with A11.
The biggest thing holding me back is the smaller display. I'm so used to big screens and I do a lot of typing on my phone, which leaves me curious about the typing experience on a smaller screen as well.
The only other concern is the top speaker as many YouTube reviews mention it's horrible, even for call quality. Call quality is another reason I want to come back to Pixel. My carrier doesn't support OnePlus devices, so VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling don't work properly. There are ways to try to get this to work but I'm not bothered and would rather just have a device that has those things working out of the box.
Any insights would be appreciated! Hoping there is a Boxing Day sale for the device here in Canada as the current price of $800 is quite heavy. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!
I actually moved from an OP 8T to an OP 8 Pro and now i'm owning an Pixel 5
The main reason for that is the size and weight of the phone, its very nice to have such a "small" phone in my hands...
Before switching i was thinking about a few points. 90/120 Hz Display is a musthave now - so everything is fine. Fingerprint on the back is a bit "oldschool", but works great and i cann afford with it!
The only thing i was missing first time was the customizable OS like Oxygen, but now i didnt miss any option...
So i'm happy about my change, but always rember - its not such a big flagship like OP 8 Pro. Thats fact, even if you will not recognice much difference!
Thanks for the added input. I really appreciate and value everyone's opinions, as it is helping me decide significantly!
So I went into Best Buy yesterday and got some hands on time with the Pixel 5. That screen size is definitely noticeably smaller than my 8 Pro. Had them both side by side and the difference is quite grand. However, I tested typing on the Pixel and it's not so small where my thumbs are hitting one another or something, haha, so I think the screen size is not as big of an issue as I originally thought it would be.
Also tested that earpiece speaker and although it's not very loud, it didn't seem deal-breaker level bad. And that's me saying this while testing in a very loud store.
Didn't have the chance to test call quality but just hearing the speaker by playing a YouTube video, I don't think I'll have any issue.
Performance seemed off, though. They had two Pixel 5s side by side. One took a solid few seconds to open the calculator app whereas the other took just a second or so. Maybe the Pixels being demo models had something to do with performance inconsistency, but it was something noteworthy.
On the contrary, Google Maps opened faster than my 8 Pro which was very surprising, given Maps is a much heavier application vs the calculator app. And it was surprising also because my animation speed is set to .04x on my 8 Pro whereas the Pixel in-store probably had the default 1.0x.
My cousin has the Pixel 4 and I think it also shares the same processor as the P5, and seeing his apps open looked a bit slow, but maybe the software optimization is a bit different on the 5, or maybe other factors were in play, such as number of apps installed, background apps, background services running, and so on.
All these things aside, the most significant thing is Canadian pricing. It's $799 here, a bit steep. The Best Buy rep suggested I wait until Dec 26 (Boxing Day) or simply call my carrier to see if they have any deals or promos they can give me. I think this pricing is going to end up becoming the ultimate deciding factor for me, as opposed to performance and speaker/call quality.
I will keep this thread updated with what ends up happening, and any additional input from anyone is always welcome! Thanks again everyone for taking the time out to share your experiences, it really is a big help!
I came from the Pixel 4 XL, only because I just always like the latest so the phone size/screen size definitely felt smaller especially cuz I'm tall with kinda big hands, the stereo speakers were a little low and not as good but not the worst but I actually made them better installing Viper mod lol other than that battery is great better than previous Pixels and after 2 months I'm actually use to the screen size now and punch hole so not really any complaints but I do still wish they made an XL version and I would have gotten that instead. So I'll say go for it you won't be disappointed and at least you get the latest updates from Google first.
Pulled the trigger and ordered one! Just black, should arrive 25-28. Although I doubt it will come on the 25th lol.
Pretty excited now! Will keep you guys updated on my initial thoughts once I receive it and have some time to play around.
Thank you all for helping me make a decision! It was tough figuring out how I can go from a "flagship" to a "mid-ranger". But your input helped me a lot!
The screen on the P5 is rather washed out in comparison to the 8 pro, while running both at full brightness. The processor speed is noticeably in favor of the 8 pro. Scrolling on the 8 pro is far better experience , even at 60hz, versus the P5 at 90hz, since it skips and snags with fast scrolling at 90hz. The P5 has the FAR better size, hand feel and the flatter screen is a godsend. The P5 battery life is excellent. I also find the P5 signal has better signal in my area over the 8 pro. The P5 should have been released at $500. I think it cuts too many corners for $700. Get a used OnePlus 8 (non pro) for $400 used and that may be a better option.
rickysidhu_ said:
Pulled the trigger and ordered one! Just black, should arrive 25-28. Although I doubt it will come on the 25th lol.
Pretty excited now! Will keep you guys updated on my initial thoughts once I receive it and have some time to play around.
Thank you all for helping me make a decision! It was tough figuring out how I can go from a "flagship" to a "mid-ranger". But your input helped me a lot!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome ... you won't regret it if you give yourself some time to get used to it and give the phone some time to settle in.
I just switched from the 8T yesterday, I was on vacation last week and was thoroughly fed up with the terrible camera so I sprung for the 5. It's definitely a lot smaller, I don't think I'll be able to get used to it as others here did, but it's also a pretty great device. I also haven't noticed a difference in the 865 vs 765 in my workload, though others will vary. I'll probably be keeping the P5 until an XL version comes out.
JedixJarf said:
I just switched from the 8T yesterday, I was on vacation last week and was thoroughly fed up with the terrible camera so I sprung for the 5. It's definitely a lot smaller, I don't think I'll be able to get used to it as others here did, but it's also a pretty great device. I also haven't noticed a difference in the 865 vs 765 in my workload, though others will vary. I'll probably be keeping the P5 until an XL version comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the same in regards to it's size but honestly, it grew on me
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