Question Software improvements since release? - Xiaomi Mix Fold 2

Thinking about getting a Mix Fold 2, but having watched reviews, there’s a couple things which make me unsure if I should get it.
Seems like there haven’t been any real changes to the UI since release (hopefully there’ll be some improvements with MIUI 14 official release?), but have there been any patches / improvements to thermal throttling / overheating, and any camera optimization?
Really loving the design, form factor etc. of the Mix Fold 2, but feel like it lacks behind on UI functions, and the general optimization. Or atleast it did in the reviews I’ve seen, but most of them are now 4-5 months old.
Thoughts?

Hello, I have the phone since a few weeks. Started with MIUI13 and have received the update to MIUI14 1 week ago and to be honest, it was a very bad experience. There was really not a since noticable improvement from my opinion. I even worse, there are a few downsides which came along with the update.
I am now disappointed? No. If you really like foldable phones then this one is clearly the best.
The UI is so far okay and you can get around a few things by implementing here and there a workaround

UI is the same as it was at launch and I dont see them changing it any time soon.
I havent had any issues with overheating or throttling to a noticeable point. Its not very hot where I live though...
Camera app has had a few updates iirc so there should be some general improvements but I havent taken comparison images or anything.
As for it lacking behind in features I havent noticed myself missing anything I would want to do. The chinese skin does have a few quirks I dont like though so im just waiting on kernel sources so I can port lineage or something else.
The phone is optimised very well imo. I can easily get 8-9 hours SOT even with all of my changes to run apps in the background and everything runs super smoothly

MrSzyma said:
Thinking about getting a Mix Fold 2, but having watched reviews, there’s a couple things which make me unsure if I should get it.
Seems like there haven’t been any real changes to the UI since release (hopefully there’ll be some improvements with MIUI 14 official release?), but have there been any patches / improvements to thermal throttling / overheating, and any camera optimization?
Really loving the design, form factor etc. of the Mix Fold 2, but feel like it lacks behind on UI functions, and the general optimization. Or atleast it did in the reviews I’ve seen, but most of them are now 4-5 months old.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where are your concern? What do you expect?

Terminator-XX said:
Where are your concern? What do you expect?
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Click to collapse
Hardware wise hands down my favorite foldable. More concerned about software. Seen in a couple reviews that it can get hot enough gaming, for even short amounts of time, to where the app crashes / force quits. Feel like it’s lacking abit camera wise too. Feel like that sensor can do better, just that the software needs optimization, but as Thatsjustlogic says there have been updates, so hopefully it has gotten better since those reviews.
Also feel like pretty much all foldables other than Samsung don’t utilize the foldable functionality that well (lack of horizontal split for example).
Chinese rom worries / worried me too.
Don’t want to spend 1500$ to then have a phone that feels «unfinished» I guess?
Having read through the forums now tho seems like many of my worries can be solved with some modules.

The phone is "finished"
Here and there are "missing" features. For instance I had for years Samsung and Folds as well.
In the Samsung camera app, when you take a selfie, you can raise your hand as a gesture and this will create a screenshot. This is just not there on the Xiaomi phone app.
In general all words pretty stable but yes you will "find" here and there some annoying things but this really depends on your personal behavior. Everybody who have this phone have a small list of this which are not working as expected. And I would say nobody of us a just average phone users, we are power users and we have high expectations. BUT, what is the alternative? Samsung fold 4? For my opinion, this small form factor of the phone is a big boomer. This outer display always fell to narrow and it just does not feel good. So I have unfolded the Samsung for every tiny action I did and this was annoying too.

Related

Should i be regretting buying a nexus 5

I've read alot of the threads and it does seem like alot of mixed reviews about it... i'm coming from a s3 so i'm hoping i'll be impressed besides the screen (sorry i love amoled)
i hope the problems everyone been talking about is gonna be fixed by google updates or what not
you're coming from an S3?
Prepare to have your pants blown off by a pure google experience.
spitefulcheerio said:
you're coming from an S3?
Prepare to have your pants blown off by a pure google experience.
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well i broke my s3 a couple months back and been with the bb9900 but i did vow to buy the next google flagship
ahahah i've been with the google expirience from roms but not from a nexus maybe it'll be a difference
there is a difference. Something you'll learn quickly: pure google developed by thousands of people for a certain device will always be smoother than a port done by a small group of people.
I came from an S3 myself, I ran AOKP on it most of its life. IMO, the N5 easily tops it in all aspects. The screen is ridiculously sharp, and color reproduction is great compared to the S3's pentile display. The camera works SO MUCH better in lower light scenarios that it's not even funny. Actually, it works better in every scenario that I've tried so far. HDR+ is also quite nice and can really make for some great shots. Battery life I can't really comment on since I just got it today, but I've already gotten more screen on time out of it than I ever managed with my S3, and the N5 came out of the box at 80% charged for me.
So, two big things to remember:
1. The people most prone to posting experiences online are going to be those with either an overwhelming positive or negative experience, and based off of my admittedly personal observations, negative reports almost always outweigh positive ones in terms of passion (if not quantity) - regardless of the quality of the product. In other words: one or two frustrated people tend to make infinitely more noise than ten to twenty happy ones; consequently, that doesn't mean the product in question is a dud.
2. This is the inaugural batch of hardware. There are going to be a few minor kinks in this first batch that will be fixed with the next production runs from the factory. Usually this is very minor. Unrefined edges, very slight chassis tweaks, etc. Part and parcel for impatience and immediate gratification is the roll of the dice that you might get a unit that is... a bit alpha
All this being said, the answer to your question is...
Absolutely not.
Mine is going to be delivered tomorrow, but there have been enough variances in the reports and reviews for me to definitely believe that most units are of excellent quality, and any "lemons" out there are well within the bounds of what is to be expected from an initial hardware distribution. Plus, it also helps that almost all gripes seem to be more software related than hardware - and will be fixed by Google in the coming weeks.
if there's something wrong with it, dont be afraid to RMA it immediately. especially on a first batch of hardware. put it throw all the tests you can at it, i bet you could google this and find out a great set of apps to run on it as soon as you get it. i like cpu and gpu benchmark apps as well as a flashing color screen testing apps(to check for bad pixels), plus any testing that you yourself will be doing. like extended periods of gaming or youtube watching or even just browsing, even if you dont plan on every playing a game for 2 hours straight, do it and see if there's any hiccups.
From my experience and research, if you get one with no defects than your in great shape.
If you do get one with a defect like me (speaker defective causing massive distortions in phone calls and most audio) then you had a really bad day.
neok44 said:
From my experience and research, if you get one with no defects than your in great shape.
If you do get one with a defect like me (speaker defective causing massive distortions in phone calls and most audio) then you had a really bad day.
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Click to collapse
bro why not just call google and get a replacement before its to late =D
Im also really unsure with my decision buying the N5.. Im coming from an Xperia Z which is IMO a good Phone, but not really that smooth.. Do you think it will be a big step up?
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Talk me out of getting a G Flex 2

So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are no guarantees but I am happy with my choice. I use the us model which has 3 GB of ram. Never even had one stutter. It also does not get very warm like my nexus 6 did. The only downfall I have is being on at&t I will likely never see an update.
Sent from my LG-H950 using XDA Premium HD app
Well, here it goes..
First of all, I have H955 version ( 16gb/2gb).
A couple of days ago , I read that a 5.1.1 update is starting to roll out, which is pretty great, taking the fact that many MANY other devices are still on 4.4 and 5.0. That said, a user that got the update , said that now we have an option for OEM unlock, which is a step closer for getting custom roms ( at least, I think ). Also, update also brings some under the hood optimizations , such is less buggy home and lower temperature while using the phone.
Now, my opinions with the current 5.0.1 - and you have to believe me on this - I have no lags. At all. Those slow downs are just not there - luncher gets reset sometimes after using chrome, and the phone gets hotter when using it for a long period of time, but other than that.. Phone works awesome, apps open instantly, launcher is not buggy etc..
Next the heating issue - it is only there when I play games, browse in chrome for some time (although, sometimes faster , after 2,3 minutes of browsing - dont know why).
The screen - this is very IMPORTANT . Some users, like me, have yellow spots on display when there is a grey background - only visible on that and maybe some greyish bcgrnds AND with brightness turned to 0%.. A say this is important because it can be annoying from time to time - IF YOU CAN SEE IT! Some users have no such issue (if it is an issue). It is a part of production process etc etc etc.
To summarize - I like my g flex 2 . You can see that from all the above. It is great looking, fast phone with great camera. What else is there not to like? It is a personal preference though. There are many great phones out there, like the upcoming LG G4, SG Note 4, HTC OneM9 and many other phones. If you ask me , I would always choose flex 2, and with the upcoming 5.1 android (I cant wait for it) it is a win. I am aware that many users are reporting lags and issues with the phone but I dont have them.
Take your time. Take in consideration , for example , new LG G4. Talk to someone else who has this phone. But in the end, dont let someone convince you in to buying any phone - you will be using it, and you will have to live with its pros and cons. Big text, I know, live long and prosper.
And I think the same way. Is it possible that the G Flex 2 so bad? I have a G3 with CM based rom and I am very pleased with it. But the design of the G Flex 2 like very much. Weak development support for it worries me and if so I'll probably have to skip it.
dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can, i suggest that you wait 2-3 months. Not only for price drop but to see how the other 810 phones settle down. If you read reviews of other810 phones and check their performance all seem to suffer fron the same problems. For example xiaomi mi note pro, nubia z9,htc m9, even oneplus 2. If you like big dev community oneplus 2 is your choise.
I personally bought flex2 because we had in greece a big discount for only one day 300euro unlocked. If i had missed the discount i would have waited 2-3 months
dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me this is my 6th phone in one year so I can compare pretty good.
I must say it is not a bad phone. Have some lag here and there but it is manageable. It is not that smooth as an oneplus one for instance.
The heating is there, don't expect to play games for long, as the heating eats the battery.
General Battery performance is ok, I have there no complaints.
I also like the camera it is one of the best I used so far.
I think this is a solid phone but the standard price is just to high. If you pay the full price I would not go for the Flex. For that money you are better of with a more standard phone like the G4. It is more reliable and will get more attention during the years.
I got my for 400USD, for that I think it is okay, but still not that good value as an oneplus one.
Sent from my LG-H955 using XDA Forums
I really love mine although I had my problems with it at first. Mine had a tendency to thermal throttle fairly easily but even then it was quite fast and smooth. After adding a copper shim and modifying the thermal configuration file I like it a lot more. Although it wasn't slow before it's now even smoother and faster. I have the AT&T 3GB version which seems to not suffer from the kind of lag the 2GB version initially had. I'm also really impressed at how many apps I can open without them closing in the background. Battery life is about the same as my Galaxy S4 with a 3000mah battery. It really depends on what you do. It has great standby time but if you push it really hard like a complex 3d game it may not be so great. On normal use I get about 4 to 5 hours of on screen time. Mine also came with light yellowish tint that really wasn't very obvious unless I had a white or grey background. I still asked AT&T for a replacement and the new one came with a much even toned display and no more yellow.
dimex said:
So we've all read and watched review after review of the laggy, thermal throttling, flop of a device the G Flex 2 is. Nonetheless, I'm still interested in this device, and I do not know why. Maybe because I enjoy tinkering and using tech that others don't. Maybe because reading some owners' reviews here seem to paint a different picture.
Are you happy with this device and feel a lot of the issues were addressed?
The only thing holding me back is the total lack of a dev community. This seems to be held up by a current un-unlockable bootloader, correct? I really don't like skinned Android, but have honestly never used LG's skin before. If a CM or stock port could be guaranteed I think I'd pull the trigger on this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best thing to do is wait a bit if you can, just to see if development picks up.
Thanks everyone for your feedback. Ya, this phone interested me for some reason.
I'll keep checking back.
My 50 cent's
G3 is a little smaller with same screen size, a lot better resolution (i can see pixels on G Flex2 from close distance) on a nearly half the price, so it is up to You
P.S.
G3 is looking better (but this is personal teist)
P.P.S.
I have G3 and from 2 days is using Flex2
I love the Flex 2. it's a great phone. i am using it since release in Germany and in the first two weeks it gets very fast very hot, but since an update everything is fine. Great battery life, a lot of Power. But if i can change it, i would pick the 3GB RAM model
I dont have the phone either so im in the same boat as you. I would wait for the g4 to come out not just because its going to be an amazing phone. But if lg is using some unlockable bootloader they will probably use it on the g4 as well and if that happens it will get unlocked much faster since its a flag ship. With any luck then that can be applied to the g flex and cm for all.
TheAxiks said:
I love the Flex 2. it's a great phone. i am using it since release in Germany and in the first two weeks it gets very fast very hot, but since an update everything is fine. Great battery life, a lot of Power. But if i can change it, i would pick the 3GB RAM model
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Click to collapse
I also have the 2gb ddr4 version. The 3gb version has ddr3 or ddr4?
kutulu32 said:
I also have the 2gb ddr4 version. The 3gb version has ddr3 or ddr4?
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I didn't think the Snapdragon 810 could use anything but DDR4. Honestly I don't think there's a way to tell but considering how much the 3GB version costs as well I would assume it does have DDR4.
you are probably right! I just couldn't confirm it 100% the reason that the difference doesn't show up in benchmarks maybe be fault in memory controller. lol
I got a really good price for the phone so I'm biased. That being said I did go for the phone because of the design itself and it's not a choice that I regret.
For the first couple of days having the phone I did experience the overheating issue. I tend to back up my devices and reset them often and in this case I found that a full factory restore solved the overheating issue.
As for the lag it's noticeable from time to time if you have multiple things going on at once like playing a game while downloading files while streaming music.
As stated earlier with the g4 right around the corner I was certainly wait and see how that one pans out giving its going to have that much better of a system on the inside, and possibly the ability to use custom roms, which I do miss.
Sent from my LGLS996 using XDA Free mobile app
I had the LS996 (32GB/2GB) version of G Flex 2. It is freakin terrible. If I wasn't so busy this past month, I would've traded it in. It was so bad that I spent a hundred dollars and got a GS5. Even after the ZV5 update and the thermal and hotplug mods I've made, it still over heated, froze, and lagged... I called it quits when I started having to do a force shut down (holding the power button until the phone turns off).
I have the 32GB / 2GB model. In my experience, the screen is a little grainy, but I'm fine with it. With the latest 10d update, the phone is a lot cooler, although it will still thermal throttle after some usage. Performance is a lot better as well, but it still can be improved. It continues to freeze in Chrome, so I use the stock web browser that comes with it. When the phone is hot, browsing through menus becomes sluggish and slow, something I really hope they will fix. Battery life is okay, but when you start playing games, or do any processor intensive stuff, it becomes real bad. (Probably the Snapdragon 810's fault) Camera photos are a little washed out, not as sharp as other phone cameras out there, but it produces very vibrant colours. Focusing is a little slow at times, laser focus not working too well, especially up close to an object. The self-healing back isn't doing a very good job. Just being in my pocket (with nothing else) and placing the phone on some tables, it has collected up many scratches. Screen brightness doesn't go very low, so I use an app called Lux to take care of that.
The Dual Window feature is limited to certain apps, unlike Samsung's Multi-Window, but at least it's there. QSlide is useless for me, and so is Quick Memo. Knockcode, on the other hand, is nice to have, very convenient to unlock the phone with one hand. But if you happen to use face unlock, it might interfere with knock code, and you might end up just locking the phone by using the double tap feature, since the phone unlocks when you are still knocking the code.
It's still running Android 5.0.1, so I hope all of this can change with the 5.1 update or when Android M gets released in the future.
I got this phone, because I wanted to try something new. It's a curved screen that can bend, of course it would catch my eye. Even hearing about all the overheating problems, I decided to invest in this two years journey with this phone. Overall, I regretted, an S6 is a better choice in my opinion, it runs a lot better. But if you are all-in for the curved screen, I suggest you wait a while more to see how this phone performs in future updates.
Kidsnd274 said:
I have the 32GB / 2GB model. In my experience, the screen is a little grainy, but I'm fine with it. With the latest 10d update, the phone is a lot cooler, although it will still thermal throttle after some usage. Performance is a lot better as well, but it still can be improved. It continues to freeze in Chrome, so I use the stock web browser that comes with it. When the phone is hot, browsing through menus becomes sluggish and slow, something I really hope they will fix. Battery life is okay, but when you start playing games, or do any processor intensive stuff, it becomes real bad. (Probably the Snapdragon 810's fault) Camera photos are a little washed out, not as sharp as other phone cameras out there, but it produces very vibrant colours. Focusing is a little slow at times, laser focus not working too well, especially up close to an object. The self-healing back isn't doing a very good job. Just being in my pocket (with nothing else) and placing the phone on some tables, it has collected up many scratches. Screen brightness doesn't go very low, so I use an app called Lux to take care of that.
The Dual Window feature is limited to certain apps, unlike Samsung's Multi-Window, but at least it's there. QSlide is useless for me, and so is Quick Memo. Knockcode, on the other hand, is nice to have, very convenient to unlock the phone with one hand. But if you happen to use face unlock, it might interfere with knock code, and you might end up just locking the phone by using the double tap feature, since the phone unlocks when you are still knocking the code.
It's still running Android 5.0.1, so I hope all of this can change with the 5.1 update or when Android M gets released in the future.
I got this phone, because I wanted to try something new. It's a curved screen that can bend, of course it would catch my eye. Even hearing about all the overheating problems, I decided to invest in this two years journey with this phone. Overall, I regretted, an S6 is a better choice in my opinion, it runs a lot better. But if you are all-in for the curved screen, I suggest you wait a while more to see how this phone performs in future updates.
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For the dual window there is a mod if you check the android developement thread. It needs editing build. prop. It works ok as far as i experienced.
kutulu32 said:
For the dual window there is a mod if you check the android developement thread. It needs editing build. prop. It works ok as far as i experienced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, was using it until the 10d update. There seems to be a problem during the rooting process after the update, so I can't use the mod now.

After a week, I've had a change of heart...

I've either cognitively dissonated myself into loving this phone, or it is really quite good. The official camera fix did some good and leaves open the good possibility that further refining will yield a great result, or I'll stick with the progress being made on the GCam port and use the native app for great monochrome shots (I love the B&W sensor and it is EXCELLENT). That said, no cases... I guess no problem - I ordered some SquareTrade insurance coverage today - if it drops or dies, they'll replace it for a hundred beans - I can handle that kind of coverage...
I'm not seeing the same quality defects others are reporting with their handsets (light bleed, TMOB signal issues, etc.) so either I got a keeper or others are being overly sensitive (nothing personal guys).
I asked for and will likely receive a return package, but I think I'll be sending it back empty. Sorry for the trouble Essential, but you are in my daily carry category now - my S8+ will stay ready for outdoor action as needed (water resistance, etc).
The aesthetics are what has done it for me... Maybe you feel the same? The feeling I get holding and using the Essential do indeed remind me of the first day with the OG iPhone - only ten years better. Hell - I still have some great pics I took with that lousy 2MP, fixed focus, no flash shooter from 2007 on my drive.
Anyway, just one man's changed opinion. If it grew on you too, please post your thoughts. I'm interested to know how many others have now caved.
rootdude said:
I've either cognitively dissonated myself into loving this phone, or it is really quite good. The official camera fix did some good and leaves open the good possibility that further refining will yield a great result, or I'll stick with the progress being made on the GCam port and use the native app for great monochrome shots (I love the B&W sensor and it is EXCELLENT). That said, no cases... I guess no problem - I ordered some SquareTrade insurance coverage today - if it drops or dies, they'll replace it for a hundred beans - I can handle that kind of coverage...
I'm not seeing the same quality defects others are reporting with their handsets (light bleed, TMOB signal issues, etc.) so either I got a keeper or others are being overly sensitive (nothing personal guys).
I asked for and will likely receive a return package, but I think I'll be sending it back empty. Sorry for the trouble Essential, but you are in my daily carry category now - my S8+ will stay ready for outdoor action as needed (water resistance, etc).
The aesthetics are what has done it for me... Maybe you feel the same? The feeling I get holding and using the Essential do indeed remind me of the first day with the OG iPhone - only ten years better. Hell - I still have some great pics I took with that lousy 2MP, fixed focus, no flash shooter from 2007 on my drive.
Anyway, just one man's changed opinion. If it grew on you too, please post your thoughts. I'm interested to know how many others have now caved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really want to like it, I'm trying real hard.
The performance sucks and is not faster than a Moto Z with a Snapdragon 821.
This phone does some really aggressive thermal throttling.
This bothers me.
I really want to like it.
I kind of came to the same conclusion the other day. Software can always be improved with updates, and there's not another phone out there built with better materials. It looks, feels, and is, an upscale phone.
tech_head said:
I really want to like it, I'm trying real hard.
The performance sucks and is not faster than a Moto Z with a Snapdragon 821.
This phone does some really aggressive thermal throttling.
This bothers me.
I really want to like it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm interested to hear what you know about thermal throttling. I'm a power user and I play Royale like an idiot and I haven't even felt it get warm, nor do I see the incredible battery drain I see with other devices I've played on in the past (the Pixel XL was the worst for that power drain). Do you have CPUZ installed on it and can get some screenies of the throttling b/c of overheat conditions?
rootdude said:
I'm interested to hear what you know about thermal throttling. I'm a power user and I play Royale like an idiot and I haven't even felt it get warm, nor do I see the incredible battery drain I see with other devices I've played on in the past (the Pixel XL was the worst for that power drain). Do you have CPUZ installed on it and can get some screenies of the throttling b/c of overheat conditions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see/feel the phone get hot. That's the point, before it even gets hot the CPU gets throttled.
If I artificially cool the device or I'm in a cold environment; I can run Antutu and get close to the Qualcomm numbers for their reference platform in the 178k range. I can do that only in a cold environment. If the device is in a warm room the performance drops to 160k or so. If the room is hot or if I try to run again the performance can drop to 150k. I have seen the results drop to below 120k.
Geek bench scores are somewhat better but not great.
1900 single core and 6000 multicore.
The renderscript score is about 8000. Which puts in 33% behind an iPhone 7.
The software grew on me as more mods and ADB tweaks come out...but every time I decide to keep it and slap a skin of the back I find new scratches. Now I even have a scratch on the finish on the titanium. No clue where any of these came from. I haven't had a scratch on a phone in years... I upgrade every few months and always sell my phones mint on Swappa. I've had this a week and it's already scratched to ****. I love the look and feel and I'm happy with the software now but man..it's getting destroyed.
NeutronBomb said:
The software grew on me as more mods and ADB tweaks come out...but every time I decide to keep it and slap a skin of the back I find new scratches. Now I even have a scratch on the finish on the titanium. No clue where any of these came from. I haven't had a scratch on a phone in years... I upgrade every few months and always sell my phones mint on Swappa. I've had this a week and it's already scratched to ****. I love the look and feel and I'm happy with the software now but man..it's getting destroyed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. Mine still looks like it just came out of the box, and it even took a 4 foot tumble to my bathroom floor the other day.
So I hope the new update improves performance.
Right now if the phone gets to an internal temp of 44C it will throttle to less than half the maximum frequency.
This puts the performance, when warm, behind and LG G4, Samsung Galaxy S6 and my old Nexus 6P.
Not happy.
I'm battling the decision now. I'm still in that 15 day return window, and like others am trying really hard to want to like this device.
Love the display. Don't mind that it's not AMOLED - I still get 5-6 hours SoT with moderate-heavy internet/call/text on wifi w/bt connected. No light bleed issues or lifting of panels for me, everything seems in order there.
There are some problems with the software that make me wonder if the problems I have are hardware or software. The micro-stuttering during scrolling (only while touching the screen during scrolling) could be a hardware problem, could be throttling, or could be OS optimization for this device in general. It's smooth as butter as long as I flick-scroll. Even if I slow finger-scroll vs slow flick-scroll the difference is noticeable, goes from stutter to butter. Finger-on-screen lag is like that of a bloated EVO3D trying to flip homescreens.
Then there are the definite software glitches that are present even after a full wipe of the phone (I really wish you could wipe the cache partition on this thing). This includes the occasional 10 second freeze while scrolling, the microstutters mentioned above, having to press back twice when in a conversation in the default messaging app, random screen presses when not touching the screen, regularly having to tap the screen repeatedly to get response from buttons.
And then there's the support - it takes a very long time to get response. I realize they are busy and trying to be responsive, and I am really trying to support this new company... One of the biggest problems I have is for solely existing as a consumer communications device manufacturer, they have some terrible consumer communication processes happening (or complete lack thereof). All I really want to know is that they are aware of and are working on the specific issues. Maybe I have control issues, but the dark is not a friendly place to be with 700 bucks on the line!!
I'm going to leave myself undecided for a few days and see where things go. If I don't see some kind of a software update addressing many of the issues some of us are experiencing I may have to reconsider... Despite all of the short-comings the new company has had as a baby, it's a beautiful baby. Let's just hope it learns fast I'm really hoping the screen issues I'm having are software related, but without confirmation from the company I can't say that I have high confidence right now. I love the feel and design of the device itself, though! *torn*
I am really trying hard to like this device. In terms of overall feel it's immaculate. They did very well on the design of the the phone. My issues come with software and future development. Right now there's clear software bugs and other optimization that needs to be done. If they can work on some of those things the experience on this phone would improve tenfold. Also once they get the source code and kernel out then we can start seeing more Community Development. We could also get things such as custom recovery and root. I'm hoping that in the coming weeks this phone and the community support will improve. I think I'll keep my device for while to see if that happens if not I may be lookin at a Pixel 2.
theandroidbot said:
I am really trying hard to like this device. In terms of overall feel it's immaculate. They did very well on the design of the the phone. My issues come with software and future development. Right now there's clear software bugs and other optimization that needs to be done. If they can work on some of those things the experience on this phone would improve tenfold. Also once they get the source code and kernel out then we can start seeing more Community Development. We could also get things such as custom recovery and root. I'm hoping that in the coming weeks this phone and the community support will improve. I think I'll keep my device for while to see if that happens if not I may be lookin at a Pixel 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There isn't a massive amount of development on the pixel in relation to other Nexus devices likely due to the A/B partitions so I'm dubious on the pixel 2 at the moment
spotmark said:
Interesting. Mine still looks like it just came out of the box, and it even took a 4 foot tumble to my bathroom floor the other day.
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Click to collapse
Can the QC really be that hit and miss? I have zero scratches as well on front or back.
rootdude said:
Can the QC really be that hit and miss? I have zero scratches as well on front or back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. The one thing I absolutely love is the build quality. It looks exactly as the day it arrived.
Mine looks like the first day. I'm very impressed with the build quality.
Sent from my PH-1 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
No issues with mine fr a build standpoint. Fell a few times and no scratches. I'm using a glass screen protector even though there is a halo. Rather that scratches than the screen. The update that came out today is probably the software the phone should have shipped with initially... but we were all in a rush to get it. I'm keeping this device for sure! I also like confusing the heck out of ppl... I'm running the Arrow Launcher, blackberry keyboard and I use the iPhone sms sound for text notifications..
Sent from my PH-1 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
My only complaint really is I think they went too small. Most smarts phones are a little larger.
hoopsdavis said:
My only complaint really is I think they went too small. Most smarts phones are a little larger.
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Click to collapse
I think it's refreshing. I mean I love big phones, haven't used a small sized phone in years, but after using this phone for several days, I love how reasonably compact it is with this screen size. I should rephrase, I love big screen size, not necessarily big form factor. So to have this screen size packed in a smaller form, I think it's awesome.
hoopsdavis said:
My only complaint really is I think they went too small. Most smarts phones are a little larger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The "small" form factor with big screen is the the biggest reason this phone came into my radar
flakko86 said:
The "small" form factor with big screen is the the biggest reason this phone came into my radar
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same with me and many others. The big screen in compact size is among the major pros for buying this mobile. Besides that, I was also attracted to the clean design/material used and the pin port for 360 camera and other gadgets.
But I'm still waiting (impatiently) for how the Huawei Mate 10 pro turns out to be before I buy the essential phone. Hoping the Mate 10 pro is as compact and well built as well, combined with supposedly beast new Kirin 970 and improved dual camera, and maybe some new features like AI, Graphene battery, 3D Face recognition (all already introduced on Huawei's Honor magic). It would be the only contender to essential phone on my list. If Mate 10 pro disappoints then by that time Essential phone would be ready to ship out with 360 camera and charging dock in one go.
I have really grown to like this device. I have been using as my DD since the update, no significant issues and certainly no scratches or signs of wear. The size of the device is a key factor for me, I love the form factor.

view 20 in late 2020?

I have had this device since launch in January 2019. I just wanted to see how everyone is finding it long term really.
Personally I have no complaints. It is so good. In pretty much every aspect. Almost the perfect device I would say. Battery life is still a champ almost 2 years later. Performance is top notch. No slowdowns at all. Ram management and multitasking is very good (as long as you turn off the auto app launch management that is). Screen is awesome. Best LCD I have used as far as I can recall.
Android 10 updated. Design is fantastic. It was the OG pinch hole all screen display I remember, which was the reason I picked it up initially at launch.
I am so surprised how well it has held up. I have tried multiple devices since. Huawei mate 20x and pixel 4A, my old iPhone 7 and galaxy s8. All have only reinforced how good the V20 is. I always go back to it.
I just got the pixel 4A this week and using that back and forth with the v20 now. If I had to get rid of one it would be the pixel. But fortunately I don't have to, so will keep both.
Just wanted to give my thoughts on very long term use really. I have used the v20 every single day bar a week or two over the last 22 months. It is so good.
Such a shame this Huawei / Honor trade ban and how it is affecting Google services on their newer devices. Huawei make some incredible devices. Thankfully the v20 is not affected.
Hey man,
I've got the view20 in march/April of 2019 and it has been amazing. I really enjoy the camera and night mode, which has prevented my from buying any new phone. Also the new features that came with magic UI 3 (swipe bottom left to right for app switching) has made it more current. Agreed the punch hole means the phone still looks on top of trend. Unfortunately I don't enjoy the size and weight of the phone as I prefer smaller phones and the 12 mini is tempting but I genuinely picked the view 20 for the long lasting LCD screen.
All around great phone!
Yep it is fantastic device. Cannot overstate in anyway how good it is.
I agree about the size, though it does not bother me as much. It is a big as I would probably go for big phones I've realised.
I'm also leaning more towards smaller devices nowadays. Funny you mention the 12 mini. I've also been looking at it but not too sure on the battery life. Seems a small cell which is the norm for apple. Besides I am enjoying the Pixel 4A quite a bit at the moment. It is a lot of fun using both a small and big phone. You really see the differences and appreciate both for different reasons. Especially when both perform extremely well in almost all areas.
It's the end of an era.... Well maybe not quite as dramatic! I've made the very hard decision to let my V20 go. Decided to go full on with the smaller form factor going forward. iPhone 12 mini and pixel 4a! I can only hope they stand the test of time somewhere close to the v20. They both have a tough act to follow for sure. This had been easily the best all around smartphone I've ever used. Cannot fault it at all. It's just my compulsive need to change smartphones which has lead me to move on. If anyone is considering a v20 going forward, take it from someone who has used the life out of this thing for almost two years, it is a champ! In every department. Stands the test of time unlike any other phone I've used before. Battery and performance still incredible now.
Bought April 2019, in the Middle East. And used in the UK and globally (in the old days when we had flying machines)
To date, I cannot fault the hardware. The 8 GB Ram and 256 storage are more than enough for my needs. Battery lasts for up to 2+day, or 36 hours when I've done an all night shift. Continues to perform well well and fantastic feature set like app twinning and privatr6area. No performance issues and updates are timely
I have reviewed several alternatives primarily keeping an eye on the Samsung Note line. I cannot see any reason to justify the cost of the moving to £1000+ phone ant see any difference.
The critical factor will be suport for Google Apps. If/ when that is lost, then time to move on compatability is critical.
There are rumours Huawei will spin of Honer, which would be great, but not sure the timescales will be favorable to the survival of my phone.
Annoying, as the primary reason for.th Huawei sanctions are commercial, (give US companies a lead. In 5g). But. The knock oon might be a 3rd global player in the mobile OS space. That won't be good for Google, security or quality of apps available to all parties.
Just to let you know, Android 11 support has been added with Magic UI 4.0
So late 2020 seems to be a good year!
Did you get the update already?
modelno1 said:
Did you get the update already?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No but I can see it in firmware finder, depends on what region you are in for me it's still not approved
Good to see you guys still enjoying this fantastic device. I'm back again with another Huawei...lol. got the P30. Very similar to the v20 I think. Main difference is just the display is oled. I do really like Huawei / Honor devices. I heard Honor is being sold off. Don't know if that's a good thing or not yet. But for sure the V20 is the business.
Hey what happened with the 12 mini? I've been thinking of getting bit but worried about battery life. The honor is just too big for me but does everything right, so reluctant to change
Fonesrgood said:
Hey what happened with the 12 mini? I've been thinking of getting bit but worried about battery life. The honor is just too big for me but does everything right, so reluctant to change
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still have the 12 mini. It is my main device. Battery for me is very very good. No exaggeration. I don't play any graphically intense games though so bear that in mind.
I easily make it through the day and then some. Over 4 hours screen on time comfortably. I don't know how they are doing it with a 2200 cell really. I also turn off 5G. So only 4G in use. I don't know again how much of a difference that makes. But as long as you are not a big gamer into graphically intense games, I think you will be very happy and pleasantly surprised with the mini's battery.
I also been using the mate 30 as secondary device. Again, very very nice.
Do I miss the V20? In all honesty sometimes yes. It is such a great phone. Just about the only thing I would have added would have been an IP rating perhaps. And that's just nitpicking... Everything else fantastic. But wanted a smaller one handed device for now.

Question Advice on S22 Ultra Upgrade

Hey All, I’m looking at moving from a Fold 3 to an S22 Ultra. I purchased the Fold because of the ability to have a tablet in my pocket and used the hell out of it for media consumption and a little gaming. However, the battery in the Fold I can crush in under a day (not exactly surprising given it’s powering two screens, the outer screen is a major pain to type on, and the pictures I’ve taken on it have been underwhelming.
192.168.0.1 router login 192.168.l.l.link/
Where I could use some help is to get a read on experiences from folks who have had the S22 Ultra for several months. How is it going for you? Are there any issues you’ve run into? How is the phone’s durability - any issues with it being too susceptible to screen cracks? Finally, how is the battery treating you, particularly for U.S. folks with the Qualcomm chipset.
Any feedback is welcome. Thanks!
No Fold 4?
I would consider the above suggestion and wait if I was you.
Qualcomm chipset here, have been using it since April, Snapdragon variant with 12Gb of RAM & 256Gb of Storage.
Camera quality is phenomenal, IMO the best camera on a phone. Especially with the GCam port here in this sub-forum.
Battery life for me has been great, but I do not game with it at all. Rumours are the next chip is much more power efficient running on the 4nm process.
Overall experience has been disappointing. I did not expect basic applications like Reddit and Twitter to be stuttering mess. The scrolling is not perfectly smooth and while that's fine for most people, I personally find it very frustrating that a premium phone like this is unoptimized for extremely popular apps.
The curved display is something I thought I could get used to with time, but months later, and I still hate it with a passion. The discoloration on the sides is very apparent, and some unoptimized apps the writing goes in the curved area of the display and I personally find it horrible with zero real world benefits other than "looks good" in pictures and from a distance. But in practice is horrible.
chriss232 said:
Hey All, I’m looking at moving from a Fold 3 to an S22 Ultra. I purchased the Fold because of the ability to have a tablet in my pocket and used the hell out of it for media consumption and a little gaming. However, the battery in the Fold I can crush in under a day (not exactly surprising given it’s powering two screens, the outer screen is a major pain to type on, and the pictures I’ve taken on it have been underwhelming.
Where I could use some help is to get a read on experiences from folks who have had the S22 Ultra for several months. How is it going for you? Are there any issues you’ve run into? How is the phone’s durability - any issues with it being too susceptible to screen cracks? Finally, how is the battery treating you, particularly for U.S. folks with the Qualcomm chipset.
Any feedback is welcome. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all welcome to the forum! The battery on the Fold3 did not work out for me either so I switched to the S22u in mid April and have never looked back. I get 8+ hrs of SOT with the S22u (Snapdragon version) and are very happy with battery life (but I do not do any gaming). I would consider @Blackfyre suggestion and perhaps hold off *if* the exynos version is the offering in your county.
With the fold3 I was always concerned about the fragility of the big screen however I never encountered any issues with it. The S22u screen has been very durable and actually better to view. I love the near immediate response of the spen and as previously mentioned the camera is fantastic.
So overall I'm very happy and have absolutely no desire to move to the fold4. I have none of the studdering, heat, or battery issues and the recent updates have been excellent in cleaning up many of the issues the phone did have upon release. While its not perfect it's one of the best phones I've had.
The only other thing I would recommend if you do get the S22u is to avoid the 8/128Gig variant as it's a little thin on memory and storage if you want to exploit the great features of the phone (camera, dex, etc).
Blackfyre said:
I would consider the above suggestion and wait if I was you.
Qualcomm chipset here, have been using it since April, Snapdragon variant with 12Gb of RAM & 256Gb of Storage.
Camera quality is phenomenal, IMO the best camera on a phone. Especially with the GCam port here in this sub-forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed the camera is great. I don't use GCam though. Not really interested in it.
Blackfyre said:
Battery life for me has been great, but I do not game with it at all. Rumours are the next chip is much more power efficient running on the 4nm process.
Overall experience has been disappointing. I did not expect basic applications like Reddit and Twitter to be stuttering mess. The scrolling is not perfectly smooth and while that's fine for most people, I personally find it very frustrating that a premium phone like this is unoptimized for extremely popular apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone isn't the problem. Twitter is the problem. It stutters on pretty much every device except maybe iPhone. I get the same stuttering on my Tab S7. Twitter doesn't give a crap about Android, it really only cares about iPhone and iPad. I would also bet that Reddit is the same.
Blackfyre said:
The curved display is something I thought I could get used to with time, but months later, and I still hate it with a passion. The discoloration on the sides is very apparent, and some unoptimized apps the writing goes in the curved area of the display and I personally find it horrible with zero real world benefits other than "looks good" in pictures and from a distance. But in practice is horrible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't had any issues with curved screens, but I have been using curved screen phones since the S8+.
gernerttl said:
Agreed the camera is great. I don't use GCam though. Not really interested in it.
The phone isn't the problem. Twitter is the problem. It stutters on pretty much every device except maybe iPhone. I get the same stuttering on my Tab S7. Twitter doesn't give a crap about Android, it really only cares about iPhone and iPad. I would also bet that Reddit is the same.
I haven't had any issues with curved screens, but I have been using curved screen phones since the S8+.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Little Twitter comment here.
I never even 1 time expired a Twitter crash... Never. Not on my S22 Ultra and not on my Tab7+
BigDisplay said:
Little Twitter comment here.
I never even 1 time expired a Twitter crash... Never. Not on my S22 Ultra and not on my Tab7+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, but who said crash though? We said it's a laggy mess. It stutters when scrolling. There is no crashing. It's just badly optimized, both on Android/Samsung side and on the app developers too. Either way there needs to be better collaboration between Samsung/Google and the top apps to get them optimized or tuned for better performance.
Blackfyre said:
Okay, but who said crash though? We said it's a laggy mess. It stutters when scrolling. There is no crashing. It's just badly optimized, both on Android/Samsung side and on the app developers too. Either way there needs to be better collaboration between Samsung/Google and the top apps to get them optimized or tuned for better performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not Samsung's nor Google's fault that Twitter is not optimized for Android/Samsung devices. That is Twitter's fault. I expect Samsung apps to work well on Samsung devices and Google's apps to work well on Android in general; and they both do.
If more people complain to Twitter and Reddit about the user experience for their apps on Android/Samsung devices, then they may improve them. Complaining to Google or Samsung will get you nowhere since neither of them have very little (if any) control over Twitter's and Reddit's apps.

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