Quality feel (use of materials) - Nextbit Robin

Rate this thread to express how you think the Nextbit Robin feels in terms of quality. A higher rating indicates that it feels premium and high-quality (attention to detail is high, manufacturing defects don't exist, etc).
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

The Nextbit Robin feels light for its size, but is solidly built. It uses a smooth plastic all around, so it can be slippery if you have dry hands. A soft touch rubber coating, seen on phones like the Nexus 5, would have been an improvement. The raised volume buttons are clicky, responsive, and snug. The power button, which also houses the fingerprint sensor, is clicky and is flush with the body.

never thought about how much this would capture fingerprints on the back.. i have cleaned with alcohol wipes daily.

It's too slippery, and mine has a weird bump on the back.

My girl friend and I were backers of the phone through kickstarter.
We just received the devices a week or so ago and take good care of our electronics. We had them in tempered screen protectors and cases since unboxing and with a little over a week the colored portions of the device are deteriorating at an astonishing rate.
My electric has got what seems to be a scratch on the top portion, and my girlfriend's is starting to discolor (while in the bumps case) around the edges and has a random dent on the top.
Incredibly non-durable and disappointing to say the least.
Mint Discoloration & Dents: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bysqx011S6SOR3RieHZ5VVlQMDA/view?usp=sharing
Electric Scratches on Top - 1 Week in Jeans (No Change or keys) : https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bysqx011S6SOZ2ZOOXotREphM2M/view?usp=sharing

It is still holding up. Appears too how the phone is developing stress cracks on the front speakers and by the charging port.
Sent from my Robin using XDA-Developers mobile app

Mine has unfortunately started to peel slightly around the camera and the speaker and a very strange crack has appeared beside the power button.

I don't know what else to say besides it feel really amazing in the hand and very high-quality and premium.

Mixed Reviews
So the Robin feels great, the phone fit perfect in my hand and the texture of the plastic used does feel pretty good. Its lightweight but still pretty solid for the material. Now as for the actual design of the product, paired with the processor and the fact that it seems to get pretty warm pretty quick, I have had some bad luck with the phone. I had the phone for about 4-5 days and used it relatively lightly, with the exception of streaming videos and your basic games. I noticed the phone would get really warm really quick. Upon flipping the phone over to check the back I noticed what seemed to be a scratch, which was odd as I have not taken the phone out of a case or even put it in my pocket with anything before a case was on it. So a couple more days went by and I noticed more "scratches". Now this seemed very weird. Upon looking into it further I noticed a bulge in the lower central part of the phone and the "scratches" were appearing bbetween the cloud logo, where the phone reached its hottest, and the bulge. So I reached out to Nextbit and they advised I get a replacement sent, which I did, however I noticed upon receiving the replacement there seems to be the same odd bulge in the same location as my previous phone. The stress marks kept growing on the old phone, and now it has me worried that the new replacement will be doing the same thing. I have attached some pictures of the stress marks on the phone before I sent it back to have it for documentation.
It's sad as I really enjoy the snappiness of the phone and the design of both the hardware and OS however I just think the phone could have been tested a bit more before being put out to production. Overall its a pretty solid phone and for the price point on amazon ($299) is a plus.

Related

Belkin Surround - Case Review and Drop Test

This is a basic overview of Belkin's Surround (Bumper) Case, along with a short drop test.
First off I would like to let everyone know my needs for a phone case. I needed something fairly lightweight, I wanted to show off the phone itself so a clear or backless case is preferred. I wanted something that would enhance the phones overall look without adding too much bulk.
Demo Phone Drop Test
Case Review
This model came with a light grey polymer material rubber casing, it doesn't attract lint or dust, its very easy to put in, took me about 5-10 seconds to make it perfect, so its very easy to take on and off.
The black outer rim is made of a plastic material, its very lightweight but feels rather strong. It blends beautifully with the back of the phone and gives it a little contrast to make the middle stand out a bit more.
The buttons felt really nice, the volume has a satisfying click and although the power button doesn't click it still turns on fairly easily. This case feels wonderful in hand and actually gives the phone a nice look. All the ports are fully open allowing easy access to the headset and usb ports.
Drop Test
I drop it on its face and on its side, two critical spots for testing the most common accidental phone drops, I dropped it from around waist height if not a bit higher, this isn't my phone or case, it was Best Buy's, so I can't go out and drop their display phone on concrete/pavement without getting the cops called on me.
Overall
I am very pleased with how the device looks with the bumper and how well the case held up during the two tests, further testing needs to be done on pavement/concrete, but I would rather not jeopardize my phone. Someone else take that leap
While I appreciate you taking the time to provide both a written and visual review, it seems a bit trivial considering you used a dummy unit. Obviously it would probably be costly to use an actual working device, but it may have yielded better and more thorough results.
I can understand that point, but from what I gathered the demo unit and my phone were both the same weight and seemed to be the exact same, sans screen digitizer.
I just thought the video would be beneficial for some to see how the case looks on the device and that it seems to be doing its job when it comes to protecting a phone.
Alas, some judged it based solely on the fact that it was a demo phone, I would have probably gotten a more favorable response if I just took pictures of the case on the dummy unit.

Ergonomics (in-hand feel)

Please, no "that's what she said" jokes. Rate this thread to express how you think the Honor 8 feels in-hand. A higher rating indicates that it's comfortable to hold for long periods of time, even in one hand. Resist the urge to say "TWSS" just now. Seriously.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Super smooth feel...everything is rounded and nice. But, it gets dirty fast! So bring a cloth or get a skin/case.
Great feel, great size, smooth and a serious cool visual with the 15 layers of glass on the back.
1) Love the design, looks like an iphone!
2) Love the finger print sensor is on the back
3) The plastic on the back makes it lighter weight.
4) I do not like the power button(s) idea. There should be only one on the back like the LG.
montaes said:
Great feel, great size, smooth and a serious cool visual with the 15 layers of glass. Has far as "dirty" sure it is a fingerprint collector but every phone screen and most backs, are fingerprint magnets, you just wipe the phone off and move on, I would not say "dirty" unless it is sitting in a recently plowed field.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's glass on the back dude
Sent from my FRD-L19 using Tapatalk
Yeah i think considering the material the housing is made of, i think it will have patches of your fingers if your fingers have a alittle sweat or if theyre oily.
Sent from my YU5010 using Tapatalk
Slippery as a wet fish
Fingerprint button is in the perfect place, i can one hand the phone for everything, little bit slippery so needs a tight grip, but i have a case on order so hopefully that will help.
Hello, here at Honor, we want to make sure our customers are happy with their device. We always recommend purchasing one of our many third-party cases to avoid accidental damage that may void the warranty: https://goo.gl/i7xQVe (NS)
yea, glass on back - big mistake. without case you can begin to pray
Pretty snappy and decent SOT
Sent from my SM-N900T using XDA Labs
How much you got on SOT?!
Im not used to big phones (5 inch feels big for me). For me it Is rather uncomfortable to use in one hand.
I just got it. Maybe I just don't know how to hold it properly. I let the bottom rest on my pinky finger, just like I used to do with my much smaller older phones galaxy ace 2 and Sony Xperia Ray. It gets quite heavy after a while holding like this.
Been playing with my unlocked US white one since I bought it last night. Fantastic design, feel and fluid and fast UI. I'd say it's more responsive than my s7 I sold. Very slippery though. Awaiting my case and glass screen protector.
Only thing I really miss is ambient display. Cm roms would be nice but I'm sure in time it will happen.
fix-this! said:
Been playing with my unlocked US white one since I bought it last night. Fantastic design, feel and fluid and fast UI. I'd say it's more responsive than my s7 I sold. Very slippery though. Awaiting my case and glass screen protector.
Only thing I really miss is ambient display. Cm roms would be nice but I'm sure in time it will happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to warn you, the back can be scratched easily, so make sure to put the case all the time
The fingerprintscanner on the back is a big plus for me, the fact that it doubles as a button and even swipepad (new word??) makes the back the perfect place for the scanner. The phone fits in my hand easily (even with a case) so the size is no problem for me.
I'm using a rubberized case because of the glass but it does feel great if you're brave enough. Ergonomically the scanner on the back works well. I've fairly large hands and I can just about reach the top left corner with one hand but that's the price to pay for having a big screen I guess. I've already adjusted to button placement and only had it a few days so all in all - I'm happy!
I have matte screen protectors on both sides, and it feels completely different now. Still slippery a bit, but MUCH better.
easy to hold and use so i wont drop
Fingerprint magnet yet so comfortable in hand

Quality feel (use of materials)

Rate this thread to express how you think the Google Pixel feels in terms of quality. A higher rating indicates that it feels premium and high-quality (attention to detail is high, manufacturing defects don't exist, etc).
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Premium, good weight in the hand, no mismatched edges to catch. Love the texture difference between the volume rocker and power button.
I would say it feels like top quality materials. One may feel that to touch, it resembles the back of the second generation iPhone.
It feels full/dense and no creaking comes from it as it doesn't flex.
The weight is just perfect t for the size. I am thrilled by it.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
My only issue with the feel is how slippery it is I can barely hang out to it
The phone feels great overall. Can be a bit slippery, but after using a nexus 6, not hard to manage.
The rear glass on the other hand is scratched quite a bit after about a week of use and has a small crack near the corner opposite the flash. The phone has not been dropped or used in any harsh elements. Debating sending it back and ordering another as a small crack usually turns into a big one eventually.
This thing is really well built. I have the black pixel and all I have is a screen protector on it. I've dropped and banged this thing against other solid things quite a few times already and this thing doesn't have a scratch on it. I'm actually really shocked.
I find this phone to be solid. The build quality is very good. I had the Samsung S7 prior to this and I felt I could never carry that phone without a case. This phone I feel I can get away without a case but it is slippery so I have it in a case but I may just get a skin in the future.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
it is a useless phone. The materials used were good but that is about it. When it comes to hiring engineers they have a interesting/challenging interview process and when it comes to their products it is like their engineers just sit and fart. What a shame on this pixel phone. But really impressive hardware which has nothing to do with google (it is qualcomm's 820 reference design).
1. The center of gravity is on the upper half of the phone where it has a natural tendency to flip outside the hand
Something like a buttered toast always falls face down. I am not sure why the phone manufacturers do not make it a point to have the center of gravity to the lower-middle side of the phone.
2. There is a lot of bezel. The amount of bezel at the bottom looks ugly
3. The cables that come with the phone are c-type on both ends. They should have been USB on one side and c-type on the other. If that was the case I could have simply used the USB wall sockets I have installed in the house already
4. The adapter takes only c-type.
5. And the phone is very slippery. Try holding it with dry hands and in cold weather. Guaranteed for a drop.
6. They couldn't have made an L-shaped adapter? The adapter when plugged into the wall occupies more space horizontally. So, if the wall plug is behind a night stand or a bed or furniture, forget about plugging it there. The furniture needs to be moved just because of this one adapter.
Good:
1. Only the software and hardware specs are good. But do most of the phones these days come with the same specs
The front is glass, with a lot of space above and below the screen. The spec sheet lists 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 4, but curvature at the edges is extremely slight. The back and sides are a single metal frame except for a large patch of glass on the upper third of the rear.
Very, very premium feel. I love the cold metal feel on the back and the texture on the power button, in particular.
10 out of 10. Most premium feeling phone I've had.
Amazing feel in the hands. Little cold if you pick it up after leaving it on a table for a while because of the materials used, but a cool phone is better than one that overheats.

Is this the worst built phone of all time?

To my surprise when I tried to remove the back glass that was cracked I punctured the battery. Amazingly there is absolutely no protection below the glass to the battery!
I have never seen a phone designed like that before! Quite shocking really as they almost all have a plastic protective layer or a shell on the battery.
Also, fingerprint sensor is near impossible to install on a new back because of the way it is designed you cannot get enough pressure for it to work.
Just major design issues I’ve never seen on a phone before, both of which Samsung for example has perfected with simple tiny attention to detail designs.... I guess sometimes it is what is under the glass that you pay for...
I actually found it very easy to change. Took about 15 to 20 min in all. Watched a YouTube vid a couple times and then attempted it myself. First time replacing a back and no issues. Used a heat gun to loosen up the adhesive then used small blade and plastic pick to remove cracked backing. Used tip of blade to remove fingerprint scanner and camera glass carefully and reinstalled on new back. Just go a bit slower and be a bit more gentle and probably won't be hitting the battery next time. Phone is a good design and surprising to the LG brand phone I'm used to from when I had an LG G3 which was garbage and one of the worst battery issies I've ever had. Have had this phone about 15 months and it blows my Samsung S7 edge battery life out of the water. I do miss the Samsung camera, Samsung pay option and display vibrance but not the screen burn in that samsung is so well known for. Also, the speaker on the G7 Thin Q is amazing. Just my thoughts and my experience with the phone.
Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk
nascar48 said:
To my surprise when I tried to remove the back glass that was cracked I punctured the battery. Amazingly there is absolutely no protection below the glass to the battery!
I have never seen a phone designed like that before! Quite shocking really as they almost all have a plastic protective layer or a shell on the battery.
Also, fingerprint sensor is near impossible to install on a new back because of the way it is designed you cannot get enough pressure for it to work.
Just major design issues I’ve never seen on a phone before, both of which Samsung for example has perfected with simple tiny attention to detail designs.... I guess sometimes it is what is under the glass that you pay for...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This poor quality build that you say is for Boombox sound. IMO is not poor quality. Is has to do with bass reflex and more.
dliontis28 said:
I actually found it very easy to change. Took about 15 to 20 min in all. Watched a YouTube vid a couple times and then attempted it myself. First time replacing a back and no issues. Used a heat gun to loosen up the adhesive then used small blade and plastic pick to remove cracked backing. Used tip of blade to remove fingerprint scanner and camera glass carefully and reinstalled on new back. Just go a bit slower and be a bit more gentle and probably won't be hitting the battery next time. Phone is a good design and surprising to the LG brand phone I'm used to from when I had an LG G3 which was garbage and one of the worst battery issies I've ever had. Have had this phone about 15 months and it blows my Samsung S7 edge battery life out of the water. I do miss the Samsung camera, Samsung pay option and display vibrance but not the screen burn in that samsung is so well known for. Also, the speaker on the G7 Thin Q is amazing. Just my thoughts and my experience with the phone.
Sent from my LG-G710 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Removing it was annoying but actually what is really angering me is replacing it. I’ve went through two back covers off EBay and no luck. There’s just no way to apply enough pressure to get the fingerprint sensor to work, it literally requires 3 pounds of pressure to be applied and nothing has that level of stickiness I have found.

General Going back to a boring candy bar phone after 30 days with the fold3

Unfortunately my time with my fold3 was short lived.
I decided to post my experience with it to help someone on the fence about getting one, my review might seem a lot negative, but I had a really good time with the phone.
I bought it about a month ago, paid 850USD for it new, quite a bargain considering that a z fold4 costs around 2.2kUSD here in brasil. After a long time just jumping from smartphone to smartphone and feeling that they all seemed, worked and felt the same, the zfold3 was just a breath of fresh air, so exciting to open and close it, the different ways to use it, all the productivity that the bigger screen brought, also the joy to use the smaller outer screen whenever I couldn't unfold it.
For this past month I haven't experienced any major bugs, every now and then an app would open on the bigger screen thinking it was on the smaller screen, YouTube would open with two columns often and once in a while with only one column. But again, nothing major.
What was a let down for me was the durability concerns. After a month babing it, the outer screen is scratched around the protective film, the camera rings are really scratched and without the paint. The paint on the bottom is also coming off. I exchange phones every 3 months or so, I never had a phone degrading so fast as this one, at least aesthetically.
Although the phone feels awesome on the pocket, that is only caseless so. With a case it is so bulgy that I just can't put it in and out of my pocket.
Everyday I see someone complaing on reddit that a speck of dust totally broke the inner screen or the hinge, the inner screen protector pelling off and pushing the screen until it is ruined. All adding to my already present anxiety of my phone breaking at any moment.
In addition to durability, another let down was the screen use of space when unfolded. Although the inner screen is great for content consumption, I don't think it uses its size effectively. Websites look ugly, a lot of apps are not optimized for a tablet size screen, the keyboard is a pain to use, you can kinda get used to it on both screens, but it's far from a comfortable keyboard to type on on any of them. Some apps like bank apps just look wrong on the inner screen, I tried changing the dpi to get more content on the big screen, however it always messed up with the outer Screen dpi.
Although my experience seems kinda negative, the phone is quite good in a lot of ways, the battery was actually quite good (coming from a note 20 ultra), performance is top notch, screen quality is great, speakers are awesome, best ones out there for sure. Fingerprint sensor is reliable and fast, cameras are decent if you are not a camera focused user. The split screen on this phone is just the best productivity tool you can find on any phone.
That all said, I still think this phone concept is awesome, I do intend to come back to a fold if I feel that durability is greatly improved and software is better optimized for the bigger display.
For now I'm exchanging it for a s22 ultra, I know I'll miss a lot of functions with the s22, but at least it will bring me some peace of mind related to durability.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Reading from my Fold 4

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