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Alright, alright. I had to create an account after reading several critiques and complaints on this forum. I'm sure a lot of people that are considering buying the phone will be popping in and reading the very same complaints while considering their purchase. The purpose of this thread is to clear up said complaints, from my own personal experience.
First of all, I'd like to ensure you all who haven't bought the phone yet that you absolutely have to buy it and experience it for yourself before making any decision. After all, you usually have 14 days to return it. I say this because, while the phone is not "perfect" as many here on this forum have pointed out, it is probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing phones I've ever laid eyes on, and feels incredibly comfortable in the hand. Pictures DO NOT do this phone justice, and the overflowing screen, combined with the size and weight of the phone, gives an overwhelming feeling of vibrancy when holding/viewing. The colors are phenomenal, the contrast is phenomenal, the screen just pops out at you and is bursting with seamless beauty.
(Cost) The phone is expensive, yes, but there's a reason for that: it's a top tier smartphone. If you haven't gotten used to a hefty price tag yet, then you must not have been in the market for long. If you can't afford it, get a OnePlus 3, but I can guarantee you it wont be as fine an experience. Most cell phone companies offer financing, too. Meaning, you make a small monthly payment for the phone itself over the course of the 1-2 years that you'll be using it anyway, and if you decide to, you simply cancel service and pay the phone off. Most companies will then give you an unlock code, and the phone is then yours to do what you please with it, or bring it to another service provider. Either way, every dime you pay while financing brings you closer to owning it, if you decide not to buy it outright. I personally will probably just pay mine off when the price tag gets down to about $400 dollars.
(Delicacy or Lack Thereof) As I stated in the introduction, the phone is thin, comfortable, feels great in the hand, but the overflowing screen gives it a very large & vibrant appearance even though it doesn't FEEL that large in the hand. Does this mean it feels delicate and fragile? Not at all. Now that's not to say you wouldn't WANT to drop it, but for the most part, it's easy to handle, has the perfect weight to it, and doesn't feel fragile by any means. This phone is NOT going to scratch/break in your pocket, unless you're mashing your legs into the sharp edges of tables or falling onto it, or for whatever reason like to keep sharp objects in the same pocket as your phone. It's NOT going to scratch by simply setting it down on a table, or having it slide in between the seats of your car.
This brings me down to a point I've emphasized before: If you're going to buy a $900 phone? DO... not... drop it! I mean, honestly, lets be real here guys: accidents DO happen. However, it's those of us who are incredibly careful, who are capable of owning phones like these. If you're someone who is very clumsy, careless, active, etc., perhaps NO phone of this design type is meant for you. That is not the fault of the manufacturers. There are many phone manufacturers who build phones designed for DURABILITY. My last Galaxy, which wasn't exactly designed for durability, lasted me 2 FULL YEARS however, and has never been dropped once, nor does it have a single scratch. This phone IS durable though- it's durable for a phone of THIS make, this design, and trust me... this is a stylish designer phone, it simply is not an ACTIVE phone. If you want to turn it INTO an ACTIVE phone? Buy a damn Otterbox Defender. When you're hiking/rock climbing/playing basketball, whatever- you're going to have an ACTIVE Note 7 phone. Then when you're doing some casual driving, sitting at a desk, sitting anywhere at home really, at dinner with friends, or pretty much doing anything that's non-active, pop it out of it's case. You'll then, once again, have the nicest phone that anyone's ever laid eyes on.
To summarize the above, be a responsible phone owner, and you'll be fine. If you can't handle the responsibility of owning such an expensive product that was designed to be durable while keeping a fantastic overall appearance, don't buy it. You can't fault manufacturers for your lack of care.
(Battery Life) I've owned this phone for a little while now, and I've charged it approximately one and a half times (by a half, I mean plugged it in at 40-50% before leaving the house) per day. I keep High Accuracy GPS on, I keep brightness at 85-95%, I keep a multicolor 'Always On' display up, I have the "screen off" time set to 3 minutes, I have HD quality wallpapers for home & lock screens, and I keep WiFi on. I have yet to use any of the battery saver modes or capabilities. During the first few days of owning this phone, I would install back to back programs, take 15+ pictures while playing around with the different camera & video settings, record videos of my screen, experiment with the S pen, experiment with different mobile games, set up setting after setting, security feature after security feature, experiment with high quality video, stream YouTube & Netflix movies, the list goes on and on and I'm sure anyone who's ever owned a new phone knows exactly what I'm talking about.
During these times, my battery would last approximately 9 hours before falling to 20% or below. That's EXTREME HEAVY use, with battery draining functions, brightness, and high resolution screens, and no power saving whatsoever giving me 9 hours of use without even falling into critical battery levels. When I get down to around 20%, I plug it in and it takes about 40-50 minutes to charge back to 100%. If my battery is at 30% or higher, I simply plug it in and it's charged in 30-40 minutes or less. I have ONCE allowed my phone to fall below 10%, and it took no longer than one hour to charge to 100%. So yes, the battery is EXTREMELY good, and it charges extremely fast.
(Fingerprints) This phone will have fingerprints on it within just a few minutes of use, however, they are hardly noticeable unless you're actually looking for them. Once it gets marked up really heavily, which only takes about two hours of use to happen, it becomes a little more noticeable at a glance, but still, you have to be UP CLOSE to the phone to even notice. Now, I have EXTREME OCD, so this should bother me a lot more, right? No, it doesn't. What I do is keep 2 microfiber towels- one on my desk(where I spend a lot of my time) and one in my car. Whenever I pick up my phone after an extended period of non-use, I simply wipe it with the dry towel(takes 15 seconds) and viola- it looks like it JUST came out of the box again... brand new. When going somewhere, I do a quick wipe of the phone before exiting my vehicle- and viola. Brand new looking phone sitting in my pocket wherever I'm going. The gorgeous material of this phone is a worthy sacrifice for some barely noticeable fingerprints that can easily be rectified. Oh, by the way. BECAUSE of the material the phone is made of, it is MUCH EASIER to clean with said microfiber towels than the older plastic models, such as the S4. That one took at lot more scrubbing and hitting specific areas, and would also get smudge marks from the fingerprints being "wiped in" by the cloth, that were almost impossible to get rid of.
(The "oh so" Awful Speaker) This is one of the biggest critiques the phone has received, by both people on this forum, and review videos/articles/websites all across the interwebz. And I? I just don't see it. The speaker, to me, is LOUD. Now, it's not booming, bass boosted music cube quality, however... it is loud enough to where I could easily hear it ringing(depending on the ringtone) from across the house in another room. It's also loud enough to where I could play a video, turn the volume to max, set it about 50 feet away, and still hear it vividly. Also, I love the quality of the sound. It doesn't sound cheap, or poor at all to me. Non-speaker voice sound is crystal clear through this during calls. Sometimes if you hold the phone a certain way, you can block off the speaker since it's on the bottom, muffling the sound. However, muscle memory allowed me to quickly get used to preventing this after the very first time it happened. I never have a problem with the speaker being on the bottom, outside of the fact that I slightly prefer the headphone jack being on the top.
(Performance) Mentions of slow loading, TouchWiz lag, etc on this forum, I have yet to experience once. TouchWiz also has a much better interface now, especially after downloading a free theme that I liked. TouchWiz does not lag at all for me. Nothing on this phone loads "slowly" for me. I did a screen-record video of myself navigating different apps, games, etc on my phone, and literally sh** was opening within milliseconds of each tap, minus games, which, depending on the size/type of game, would take just a few seconds. I see no "slowness" in this phone whatsoever. There's literally not even delays between navigating pages on Facebook, switching from Facebook to YouTube and then from YouTube to Gmail and then from Gmail to a video on my phone. If I were to do all these app switches and loads in order of what I just listed, it would take no more than the time it takes me to open the Edge screen and tap the different apps. Game-play on games such as Mage and Minions is fluid, without noticeable frame drops, and without lag.
(Fingerprint & Iris Scanners) Fingerprint scanner works perfectly if you actually use it right, i.e., gently place your *entire* fingertip over the button. The iris scanner is not perfect, but it works 95% of the time and is FAST... VERY FAST when it does work. If you're looking for a "more secure" method of locking your phone- that's what it's for. It is supposed to be much more secure than the fingerprint scanner, and it's very fast as long as you do it right. Like, I'm talking, sometimes I don't even have time to see the "eye circles" appear on the screen. It just unlocks in a millisecond, as I'm already holding the phone in the correct position upon swiping up. Now, if you wear glasses or contacts, just skip the iris scanner. It is not 100% necessity, by any means, and your phone can be secured with simply the fingerprint scanner or a complex password. Not the end of the world.
(Camera) I'm only very slightly disappointed with the outdoor light(ex: sitting in a carport with an overhead light at night). This causes somewhat of a grainy appearance in the camera. In every other light/dark scenario so far, unless zoomed in too far, these pictures are crystal clear. Near professional. Beautiful. The camera is fast & responsive. The interface is very easy to use and understand.
Now, I do not consider myself to be a "Samsung fanboy," nor a "Galaxy fanboy." I do not dislike Apple Products outside of the fact that I think they're just a tad highly priced in comparison to Samsung(I know, the difference is becoming very slight, but even still). My wife has the 6s Plus, and it's a great phone. I do not work for Samsung, I do not work for any cell phone company at all, I am not paid to write any of the above. This was simply my unbiased response/personal review of the Note 7, that I was inclined to write after seeing so many negative comments on this forum in addition to a lot of misinformation. I WANT others to get the same experience I'm getting with my Note 7, and frankly, not be discouraged by others. So there you go.
i can agree to just about everything that you said, except for my experience with the battery. i haven't had a chance to really test it in optimal conditions because i have little to no service while i'm at work underground in an elevator shaft but we will see. i hear mixed things about screen on time, etc. but most things are a factory reset away if there is any trouble. for the most part this is one of my favorite devices i have ever owned. if you love the note line or never have been in it, this phone (note 7) is the culmination of all of its beauty and brawn.
Ace Ryan said:
After all, you usually have 14 days to return it
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Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
themissionimpossible said:
Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
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Deciding to wait is not a bad idea- however- while you do not know me and vice versa, I promise you that all of what I said above is completely true and honest, with no bias whatsoever. The problem is, people who "review" things for a living need something to REVIEW. They NEED both good AND bad. That leads to nitpicking. I on the other-hand, don't have a reason to nitpick, as I am not a paid reviewer or anything like that. Not only that, but I rely on this phone heavily for work, and I use it almost constantly during down times at work to keep myself entertained & busy. That said, even though I do not have reason to nitpick, I DO have many reasons to NEED an amazing phone.
My phone, as of right now, is far from factory default. I already have about 7 videos, 35+ pictures, I've downloaded every program that I used on my previous Galaxy phone, IN ADDITION to other programs/apps/games.
This is part of why I wrote such an extensive review, because even though I haven't had the phone that long, I've been putting it through the ringer and it's still performing phenomenally. I've been glued to it since the day I got it almost non-stop. While using it heavily for work, I'm texting/calling CONSTANTLY, almost every 10-25 minutes throughout 10 - 14 hour shifts, in addition to taking credit card payments on this phone. That said, I've accumulated close to a thousand text messages or more already and a pretty massive call log.
Also, of course I'm aware that return policies differ, not only from place to place but from carrier to carrier, which is why I said "usually." I do not want anyone to mistake that statement for fact and cause them to buy a phone they cannot return, so I'll add some extra emphasis on that in my OP. Everyone, however, should always do their own research on their sellers return policies and general procedures. This should be common sense.
themissionimpossible said:
Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
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Hi. Respectfully if you believe what is written on forums regarding ANY device you would never make a purchase, not even a pair of shoes.
THE only review that counts should and must be your own.
I have been buying tech stuff since the early 70's and research every single thing I buy prior to purchase. I find this silly habit of mine part of the fun buying experience for me. I have read glowing reports on tech that I have returned the same day and read awful reports on tech that I have kept and used for years.
To cancel the Note 7 based on what you have read either positive or negative is unwise. Take forum posting. How many satisfied owners are going to seek out a forum and write praise? Now, how many are going to write to complain! Its called 'human nature'.
Its totally disproportionate to reality. Sitting on the fence is not the way to live. Buy, test then make your own judgement. You can always return it if not satisfied.
Best of luck, Ryland :good:
The battery takes a lot longer to charge for mine. Does it get hot when charging for anyone else?
Ryland Johnson said:
THE only review that counts should and must be your own.
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Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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How do you know that your wants and needs are the same as whoever's critique you're reading? For some reason this forum has an inordinately large number of OMG!'rs that freak out relatively easily. And most are freaking out at theory as they've never touched a Note7 better yet own one.
No phone is going to be perfect as there are always going to be OEM induced compromises. They are what they are. I came from a Note5 and the Note7 exceeds it in every way including all the categories listed by the OP. Some things are different but none that aren't made up for in other ways.
People should buy what makes them happy and do their homework first. That includes reading reviews and forums but filtering the results to what applies to their specific needs and usage. Some of the OCD posts in this forum make me laugh. No phone built or to be built will ever satisfy some folks here.
BarryH_GEG said:
How do you know that your wants and needs are the same as whoever's critique you're reading? For some reason this forum has an inordinately large number of OMG!'rs that freak out relatively easily. And most are freaking out at theory as they've never touched a Note7 better yet own one.
No phone is going to be perfect as there are always going to be OEM induced compromises. They are what they are. I came from a Note5 and the Note7 exceeds it in every way including all the categories listed by the OP. Some things are different but none that aren't made up for in other ways.
People should buy what makes them happy and do their homework first. That includes reading reviews and forums but filtering the results to what applies to their specific needs and usage. Some of the OCD posts in this forum make me laugh. No phone built or to be built will ever satisfy some folks here.
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At Last a voice of reason. Bravo! :good: :good: :good:
Ryland
---------- Post added at 04:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:44 PM ----------
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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Hi, Thanks for the reply. I like certain fruit and what I enjoy you may not so I may say X fruit is bitter but you may like bitter...It truly is a question of perspective.
You simply can't base what you fear buying on other peoples comments be they positive nor negative. Its all so subjective as pointed out several times, mot of the naysayers here, and there are a few, don't even own the device! You are nervous to purchase in case you don't like it based on this forum. Please Youtube this mobile and read the professional reviews, people who have been testing these devices for years. They all appear to me to write and speak highly of the note 7. BTW that would not change how I felt about my ownership even if they spoke poorly of it as I think its a very good work device. NOT for everyone though, not supposed to be. It is for me with bells on.
I wish you well with what ever you purchase. :highfive:
Ryland
Finally I was abput to create a thread about how we discuss the greatness of the phone. Too many negative ppl complaining if you dont like it pick up said phone and take it back, this community is suppose to be positive supportive not bashing new products or what others enjoy regardless. Refreshing to see positivity I love this phone it's simply amazing and superb. Thank you to the others that are positive in this forum.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA Free mobile app
very true indeed matsuyamakaze
Phones, like cars and pretty much everything else, are a matter of personal choice. For me this is by far the best phone I have ever owned (last two were a SonyZ3 and a Z3+). I would agree that the speaker is pretty soft but only an issue if you want to use it to play music (get a BT speaker). There's nothing more that I want in a feature packed phone. Read the reviews and make your own choice.
the best fone of 2016 till 2019 ,thats y its note 7 and not note 6 , im so pissed off by all this criticism
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The only complaint I have is that they took out the features from the old s note app like link to action. Besides that I live this gorgeous piece of hardware. Oh another complaint I have to cover this beauty with a case. That's about it though. Even with the recalls. I still love it.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Do you feel there are any caveats to the curved screen? I'm considering a Note 7 because the curvature is a lot less noticeable than on the S7 Edge, which was criticized for distorting the image around the curve afaik. I currently have a Oneplus One that I'm quite happy with but would love something just a tiny bit physically smaller and with a fingerprint reader but don't feel the Oneplus 3 is much of an upgrade in other areas.
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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With mutual respect. So what you suggest is we should all read your opinion and purchase one based on your opinion? Opinions are like ears, we all have them and to suggest we buy based on any report is unwise. Taste is a major factor not to mention what we need the device to perform. I need the S-pen so that leaves me zero options.
No one on earth can choose ones hi-fi set up for us, we all have different preferences in sound reproduction that's why we have such a massive choice and stores that will arrange a listening session before ones purchases. 'The best' is simply ones own opinion and personal taste. Same with mobile phones.
With such a purchase you have to see the item and test it yourself. Forum opinions and professional reports can, on times, be a rough guide but that is all they are. True professional in the field of electronics will state that.
Ryland :good:
---------- Post added at 04:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:00 PM ----------
kasakka said:
Do you feel there are any caveats to the curved screen? I'm considering a Note 7 because the curvature is a lot less noticeable than on the S7 Edge, which was criticized for distorting the image around the curve afaik. I currently have a Oneplus One that I'm quite happy with but would love something just a tiny bit physically smaller and with a fingerprint reader but don't feel the Oneplus 3 is much of an upgrade in other areas.
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First thing. Do you NEED the S-pen? If you don't then consider the S7. Great deals can be found on the S7 at present.
Second point. I have been buying the 'edge' editions since they where introduced and have yet to find a half decent screen saver of any type be it skin or armor glass type. Does this matter? Well yes it does as the Note 7 comes with a more drop resistant Gorilla glass BUT the trade off is it appears softer so 'may' scratch more easily than the S7 edge? I have my Note 7 in the Samsung LED flip case and I have left the factory screen saver on until I can find the courage to change it to the Samsung screen saver looking at me in its box!
YOU must decide what you want then what you need from your mobile and purchase accordingly. Its great fun looking and searching for ones next technology fix! :highfive:
Don't be pushed and don't rush. Enjoy the shopping experience.
Ryland
Ryland Johnson said:
First thing. Do you NEED the S-pen? If you don't then consider the S7. Great deals can be found on the S7 at present.
Second point. I have been buying the 'edge' editions since they where introduced and have yet to find a half decent screen saver of any type be it skin or armor glass type. Does this matter? Well yes it does as the Note 7 comes with a more drop resistant Gorilla glass BUT the trade off is it appears softer so 'may' scratch more easily than the S7 edge? I have my Note 7 in the Samsung LED flip case and I have left the factory screen saver on until I can find the courage to change it to the Samsung screen saver looking at me in its box!
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I don't necessarily need it but I would probably like it. The S7 is too small for me, I'm used to a 5.5" display so anything smaller just seems a bit too small now. I find myself doing a lot of reading on my phone now whereas before with a 5" display phone I used a tablet a lot more. I was wondering about the curved Note 7 display mainly if it causes any problems clicking icons that are on the edge of the screen or seeing them if they are right on the curved part.
Screen protectors or cases don't really matter to me as I generally use my phones without any. So far haven't broken or scratched a single display. If anybody makes a Oneplus One "sandstone black" type texture skin or case for a Note 7 I might reconsider as I love how grippy that is.
Ryland Johnson said:
No one on earth can choose ones hi-fi set up for us, we all have different preferences in sound reproduction that's why we have such a massive choice and stores that will arrange a listening session before ones purchases. 'The best' is simply ones own opinion and personal taste. Same with mobile phones.
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I see you probably live in a more favorable country...
I don't know a store here in Italy that let you install and test by yourself with their 3 or 4 demo top smartphones all your main apps and games, and let you play with those phones for a few hours... Usually those demo phones don't even have a valid SIM card inserted and/or Internet wifi access...
And of course I can't just go to USA or to some other country only for such tests.
Conversely, here in Italy a lot of hi-fi stores let you test many different audio or video setups with your own video or music material, so at least in my case your proper suggestion to do the same with smartphones unfortunately is actually not practicable as with hi-fi...
After reading thread after thread about this phone on this forum, I almost get the sense that people don't like it as much as they had hoped they would. The forum seems chock full of complaining (I know, that's normal), defect threads galore, and generally unpleasant comments (camera sucks, freezing in software, etc.). As someone waiting for theirs to arrive, it's not the best feeling to read all this. SO! I was wondering if you all would share your overall feelings on the phone, regardless of how long you've owned it.
Best phone you've ever owned?
Great but still have phone jealousy?
Underwhelming?
Bad experience?
I'm coming from an LG V20 and phone jealousy lead to me purchasing this. I hope I no longer am jealous of anyone's phone.
Well I am using the phone for 8-9 days now and my impression is positive. My gripes are two mainly, one there is no Xposed for 7.1.1, so I can't use Gravity Box and disable the on screen buttons, and secondly the design overall, but I knew that before buying. The huge bezels I could never like, power and volume buttons at same side, which I don't like, the back glass part, no comments about, wish I could break it myself LOL. But that's it. Other than these I love the phone. Of course the best Android I ever owned. The smoothness all over the software is incredible. But yes, yesterday I did notice a very bad stuttering while I was scrolling down my WhatsApp contacts list, something to do with cache I suppose, not sure, but it did happen, and that's not the only place either, I noticed frame drops on other apps too, can't remember though, nothing which has made me think to sell off the phone or anything but definitely there. But the incredible overall smoothness, excellent camera, considering a non-Samsung a very good display, fantastic call quality, very good loudspeaker (yeah its good regardless of what reviews say), I really don't know what more could I have expected, other than a compact design anyway.
Go for it. I am running the phone naked without a case for now and no problem yet, no colour chipping on the frame or anything, no scratches on the back glass part either but about time I put on a case.
I had no intentions of leaving my Nexus 6p with the bigger screen and the dual front facing speakers. After reading reviews on the Pixel XL, and hearing how good the performance and camera were, I decided to make the switch. The screen size difference is minimal, and I like that the XL isn't quite as wide as the 6p. I do miss the Dual speakers, but with WETA volume isn't a problem. The everyday performance of the Pixel is superior to the 6p. Everything runs smoothly and fluidly. The camera is excellent. I've never seen pictures so good from a phone. It seems to me that it's just as good as any point and shoot camera. Now onto development. Granted, there isn't a whole lot yet, but I'm sure the dam is going to burst soon. The dual slots open up a whole new world to us flashaholics, and I'm excited to see where it leads. Overall, I'm glad I got the Pixel, and I look forward for things to come.
spotmark said:
I had no intentions of leaving my Nexus 6p with the bigger screen and the dual front facing speakers. After reading reviews on the Pixel XL, and hearing how good the performance and camera were, I decided to make the switch. The screen size difference is minimal, and I like that the XL isn't quite as wide as the 6p. I do miss the Dual speakers, but with WETA volume isn't a problem. The everyday performance of the Pixel is superior to the 6p. Everything runs smoothly and fluidly. The camera is excellent. I've never seen pictures so good from a phone. It seems to me that it's just as good as any point and shoot camera. Now onto development. Granted, there isn't a whole lot yet, but I'm sure the dam is going to burst soon. The dual slots open up a whole new world to us flashaholics, and I'm excited to see where it leads. Overall, I'm glad I got the Pixel, and I look forward for things to come.
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You said it. This dual slot is a game changer. I just love tinkering with these slots, trying to get the best combination of ROM, kernel, and settings in each slot to make this battery go as far as it can. That's my goal in life, to make a damn cell phone last 2.5 days like my Sony Z3 used to.
ithehappy said:
Well I am using the phone for 8-9 days now and my impression is positive. My gripes are two mainly, one there is no Xposed for 7.1.1, so I can't use Gravity Box and disable the on screen buttons, and secondly the design overall, but I knew that before buying. The huge bezels I could never like, power and volume buttons at same side, which I don't like, the back glass part, no comments about, wish I could break it myself LOL. But that's it. Other than these I love the phone. Of course the best Android I ever owned. The smoothness all over the software is incredible. But yes, yesterday I did notice a very bad stuttering while I was scrolling down my WhatsApp contacts list, something to do with cache I suppose, not sure, but it did happen, and that's not the only place either, I noticed frame drops on other apps too, can't remember though, nothing which has made me think to sell off the phone or anything but definitely there. But the incredible overall smoothness, excellent camera, considering a non-Samsung a very good display, fantastic call quality, very good loudspeaker (yeah its good regardless of what reviews say), I really don't know what more could I have expected, other than a compact design anyway.
Go for it. I am running the phone naked without a case for now and no problem yet, no colour chipping on the frame or anything, no scratches on the back glass part either but about time I put on a case.
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Thanks for the detailed response! I'm really excited to see what this thing can do, in terms of the powerful software. I always long for the smoothest experience, cutting edge software, and best camera I can get. That's what drew me to this phone. Plus I really love Google products, so this seemed ideal. Really happy to hear your point about the speaker - I've heard so many negatives!
spotmark said:
I had no intentions of leaving my Nexus 6p with the bigger screen and the dual front facing speakers. After reading reviews on the Pixel XL, and hearing how good the performance and camera were, I decided to make the switch. The screen size difference is minimal, and I like that the XL isn't quite as wide as the 6p. I do miss the Dual speakers, but with WETA volume isn't a problem. The everyday performance of the Pixel is superior to the 6p. Everything runs smoothly and fluidly. The camera is excellent. I've never seen pictures so good from a phone. It seems to me that it's just as good as any point and shoot camera. Now onto development. Granted, there isn't a whole lot yet, but I'm sure the dam is going to burst soon. The dual slots open up a whole new world to us flashaholics, and I'm excited to see where it leads. Overall, I'm glad I got the Pixel, and I look forward for things to come.
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Do you happen to have moving targets you take photos of? I have two little kids and I cannot get good shots indoors with my LG V20. Really hoping this one is better. My wife's S7 takes much better pictures. I'm hoping this is as good as, or better, than that.
I don't know anything about these dual slots. I'm going to have to look into this! Is there a thread about this so I can read up on it?
PsiPhiDan said:
After reading thread after thread about this phone on this forum, I almost get the sense that people don't like it as much as they had hoped they would. The forum seems chock full of complaining (I know, that's normal), defect threads galore, and generally unpleasant comments (camera sucks, freezing in software, etc.). As someone waiting for theirs to arrive, it's not the best feeling to read all this. SO! I was wondering if you all would share your overall feelings on the phone, regardless of how long you've owned it.
Best phone you've ever owned?
Great but still have phone jealousy?
Underwhelming?
Bad experience?
I'm coming from an LG V20 and phone jealousy lead to me purchasing this. I hope I no longer am jealous of anyone's phone.
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I think part of the problem is the people who are having issues will always be the loudest, even though those people probably reside in the minority of those who've purchased the phone. Speaking for myself and all the people I've run into in person with the device, I have relatively no complaints. The performance is blazing fast and the phone has a great feel due to HTC's top-notch manufacturing. My only complaint has been the camera. I've come to realize that I was expecting a substantial jump in quality over my previous device, which was an iPhone 6+. Wile the quality is great, in reality this is just a smart phone camera. If I want high quality photos, I'm still going to keep my Sony RX100m3 with me if I remotely think I'll want a great shot. In the meantime and if I don't have my Sony, "the best camera is the one you have on you," and it definitely doesn't disappoint, it's just not a big leap for smart phone photography as I thought it would be. Hope my thoughts help, I would be very excited to have the device if I were you. After many Android devices and an iPhone, this is the best smart phone experience I've had.
It's a really good phone. I'm personally going back to the S7 Edge because I'm pretty disappointed in the camera but I knew some people really like the camera.
mjs2011 said:
It's a really good phone. I'm personally going back to the S7 Edge because I'm pretty disappointed in the camera but I knew some people really like the camera.
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Click to collapse
Said no one ever. Lol
zaksimmermon said:
Said no one ever. Lol
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Which part?
mjs2011 said:
It's a really good phone. I'm personally going back to the S7 Edge because I'm pretty disappointed in the camera but I knew some people really like the camera.
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Click to collapse
I do miss my Note 7 camera and all the functionality. People also say this is the fastest shooter but with the most useful shooting mode I have to still wait for the hdr+ affect when trying to view immediately after taking the photo.
pcriz said:
I do miss my Note 7 camera and all the functionality. People also say this is the fastest shooter but with the most useful shooting mode I have to still wait for the hdr+ affect when trying to view immediately after taking the photo.
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Yeah I noticed that in the Verizon store while testing that while you can take several shots consecutively (as reviews have stated) with no lag, there is lag waiting for the shots to be able to be viewed. That'll take some getting used to.
Coming from a Nexus 6P and host of other Android phones in the past, this is by far the best phone EXPERIENCE I've had. I've liked the design on the 6P better along with stereo speakers, and there are other phones with more features and hardware out of the box, but when you put together the Android experience of the Pixel XL along with the performance, camera and battery life, you just can't beat it.
Now, I really do hate the fact that a phone at this price doesn't have the water resistance of the flagship at this price point but that's a minor gripe. The camera (the speed of it is a lifesaver when you have a infant around the house) is better than I expected. My wife just got herself an iphone 7+ and this camera blows it out of the water.
spotmark said:
I had no intentions of leaving my Nexus 6p with the bigger screen and the dual front facing speakers. After reading reviews on the Pixel XL, and hearing how good the performance and camera were, I decided to make the switch. The screen size difference is minimal, and I like that the XL isn't quite as wide as the 6p. I do miss the Dual speakers, but with WETA volume isn't a problem. The everyday performance of the Pixel is superior to the 6p. Everything runs smoothly and fluidly. The camera is excellent. I've never seen pictures so good from a phone. It seems to me that it's just as good as any point and shoot camera. Now onto development. Granted, there isn't a whole lot yet, but I'm sure the dam is going to burst soon. The dual slots open up a whole new world to us flashaholics, and I'm excited to see where it leads. Overall, I'm glad I got the Pixel, and I look forward for things to come.
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Any chance you would be open to parting with the 6p? :laugh:
I have a pixel and I came from an s5. I just love to have new stuff to mess with and I never got to use a nexus device and it would be fun because of how much h development there is for it! Maybe we could figure out a trade for something of mine!
aholeinthewor1d said:
Any chance you would be open to parting with the 6p? :laugh:
I have a pixel and I came from an s5. I just looked e to have new stuff to mess with and I never got to use a nexus device and it would be fun because of how much h development there is for it! Maybe we could figure out a trade for something of mine!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edit - sold
skyo12 said:
Coming from a Nexus 6P and host of other Android phones in the past, this is by far the best phone EXPERIENCE I've had. I've liked the design on the 6P better along with stereo speakers, and there are other phones with more features and hardware out of the box, but when you put together the Android experience of the Pixel XL along with the performance, camera and battery life, you just can't beat it.
Now, I really do hate the fact that a phone at this price doesn't have the water resistance of the flagship at this price point but that's a minor gripe. The camera (the speed of it is a lifesaver when you have a infant around the house) is better than I expected. My wife just got herself an iphone 7+ and this camera blows it out of the water.
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Click to collapse
So happy to hear this - I have two little ones and my LG V20 camera cannot keep up. Hoping this improves with the Pixel XL!
skyo12 said:
Coming from a Nexus 6P and host of other Android phones in the past, this is by far the best phone EXPERIENCE I've had. I've liked the design on the 6P better along with stereo speakers, and there are other phones with more features and hardware out of the box, but when you put together the Android experience of the Pixel XL along with the performance, camera and battery life, you just can't beat it.
Now, I really do hate the fact that a phone at this price doesn't have the water resistance of the flagship at this price point but that's a minor gripe. The camera (the speed of it is a lifesaver when you have a infant around the house) is better than I expected. My wife just got herself an iphone 7+ and this camera blows it out of the water.
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Click to collapse
Couldn't agree more with you. This device is by far the best I ever had. Pure stock was amazing right out of the box but now with MVK kernel it's just unbelievable.
I have every Nexus device, most recently the N6P. The pixel is better in my eyes, alone the battery is around worlds better. Speed of the device it top, processing top, did not regret the purchase.
I love it Ive had it for about two months now. The phone is top notch hardware wise, but it's the software that makes it shine. I can't tell you how awesome Google assistant is, I find myself regularly using it to make my life easier. "Take me home" after it learns your voice the recognition is spot on. The live translation is pretty awesome too. Multitasking is great, the double tap to back is seamless. Battery last all day which is ridiculous considering I use it to play NDS games when I have time to myself. I mean really it's an all around awesome phone. My uncle also bought one and he told me he's never really been to excited about a phone but this one has so many nicities woven throughout the experience that he just fell in love. I'm weary to trust reddit threads and bug threads not just out of Google fan boy love, but for any product. You will find the same discontent threads on the iPhone as well because other entities influence the media to try to tank eachother. I mean reviews are important but there is problems some people are having with the phone, but I can't help wonder if it's not being blown out of proportion
Had the 6p for little while and it would be random reboots even after updating and factory reset. Maybe related to the thermal throttling? Phone never got warm so I don't know. Pixel has been much stabler and using it has been very fluid. My biggest gripe is that my gesture typing doesn't seem as accurate compared to when I used the 6p or the nexus 6. I'm not sure if it's because of the smaller screen. I'm getting better but can't figure out why this is. Would I buy it again? I probably would. The camera is quick and more than adequate.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
mikaole said:
Couldn't agree more with you. This device is by far the best I ever had. Pure stock was amazing right out of the box but now with MVK kernel it's just unbelievable.
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Click to collapse
MVK kernel?
Figured we probably needed a place to put everyone's first impressions.
I'll start with first, this thing is small and light! Coming from a V20 and a Nexus 6 before that, this thing is tiny. Last time I felt like I had a phone this size was the Galaxy Nexus. (Yeah, I know. That one was probably actually smaller than this but still, this thing feels that small in hand to me. I've been using nothing but phablets since that phone.) It feels closer in size to my work iPhone 6s than my V20. That's going to take some getting used to. It's in a case now but still feels small.
Still trying to get used to some app behaviors that seemed to have changed. For instance, Weather Channel app is having all kinds of issues. Shows as a sensitive notification on the lock screen vs my V20 where it isn't, because it isn't. The widget doesn't display information without being cut off. I still need to go log into all my apps and get them set up.
Camera. Haven't really taken any shots with it yet but I did dig through it. First, I'm not happy that it always opens in auto mode. The V20 would open in whatever mode you last had it in. I prefer manual mode and liked that I could just open it, make a quick adjustment to the settings and shoot. Now I have to dive into a menu to get to manual then make adjustments and shoot. It'll slow things down quite a bit. I am happy that Graphy can be shut off. Also, noise reduction can be shut off in manual. It was actually disabled by default. Going to do a lot of test shooting today.
Hoping to hit up the museum I used to work in and always test every camera I own there. Also hitting up an outdoor night event here as well as the jazz club. It's going to get one helluva workout today! Going to take my V20 and Nikon V3 along too. Not sure how much I'll use the V3 outside of the outdoor event. Not going to bother taking my DSLR. (I'm actually in the process of downsizing my photography to smaller cameras. DSLRs have gotten way too clean and clinical for my tastes.)
Nice! I can’t wait to see the pics it takes.
I played with this at Verizon yesterday, and I'm still on the fence. The front facing camera was HORRIBLE. I held my G5 next to it and took a selfie, and the G5 was so much better. The rear camera did seem to take awesome shots, but still slow to take and delay in swiping between front and back cameras, something I really thought they'd have a better handle on by now since I had the same issues in the G4 and G5. I loved it otherwise, I think it's a gorgeous phone, I like the looks a lot more than the Galaxy phones.
I went in wanting the phone, but two separate Verizon reps were adamant in saying I should stay away from LG, that they have nothing but problems, they only sold maybe 2 G6's, they have class action lawsuits against them, and they tell customers to go take a hike when asking for a new phone after having multiple of them die in a row from a known defect. Theyd rather keep sending you defective phones repeatedly under warranty. So idk. I'm reeeally torn between this and the S8+ which has very similar specs and is cheaper at this point, but I don't like having only one rear camera.
Initial results at the museum are looking pretty good. I'm impressed so far for the most part. As for selfie camera issues, I was disappointed at first until I figured out those stupid settings at the bottom of the screen. After you turn off the skin toning and lightning, the images are much better. Then they work well with post processing.
Have you had a chance to play w Bluetooth, GPS, Wifi/Data connection? My G4 had bad bluetooth disconnections and busted gps in the G5. Just curious how the different antennae have been working for you. Good battery life?
ryanpm40 said:
Have you had a chance to play w Bluetooth, GPS, Wifi/Data connection? My G4 had bad bluetooth disconnections and busted gps in the G5. Just curious how the different antennae have been working for you. Good battery life?
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Click to collapse
Haven't played with GPS yet. I can't really speak to how well or not how well it works. I used wifi during set-up. It worked but my wifi is slower than my network connection and I regretted using it. Not a knock on the wifi of this phone, it's just that my carrier network is that much faster than my home wifi. Only BT I've done so far is to connect it to my car. That went much better and smoother than my V20. It took me many attempts over an hour and a half to get my V20 and car paired. The V30 paired the first time. The next test will be to see if I have to restart my phone after a few days to keep the connection from going wonky. (Which is a ritual with my V20 that occurred at least once a week.)
I got mine this past Friday. It is slippery to hold, you will def need a case to keep it from sliding out of your hand. I'm still not sure why designers can make insanely powerful devices but can't figure out that you actually need to hold on to it to use it. I'll probably get a DBrand skin or equiv when they are available. It is super light. Kinda feels flimsy it is so lightweight even though it is not. My last phone was a Nexus 6P, before that an HTC M9, before that an HTC M7. All three of those feel like tanks by comparison. I'm not sure yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
Camera is nice but uses a lot of noise reduction. It has endless options that will take some time getting used to. I'm not sure yet if it is as good as HTC's U11 which as an incredible camera IMO (my GF has a U11). Looks better than my Nexus 6p for sure though. Much faster too. I love the wide angle lens!
Audio from Headphone jack is insane. I'm using the BEATS headphones from my old HTC One, I can only imagine how good it would sound with high end headphones. Phone speaker is ehhh. Nowheres near as good as HTC or Google phones with front facing speakers. Or HTC U11 which seems to have crazy sound magically radiate into space.
As for speed, its as fast as any other 2017 phone I have tried, the hardware is all the same. The screen is amazing. I mean AMAZING! I can't really see a difference between 1080 and 1440 quality or speed wise. I thought at first there was but now think it is more of a placebo effect. I have been keeping it maxed mostly for the bragging rights of it being higher rez than Apple's silly Superduper mega retina display, what ever that means.
It is to early for me to tell if battery life makes a difference with resolution. I have read it is supposed to eat more power with the higher rez. It isn't as near bezelless as I thought it would be. It seems to be a marketing trend for company renders to show super edge to edge displays until you actually get it and there are good sized bezels. Not that I mind, it is just something I noticed. The screens are not any larger, the phone is just shrinking around it making the device seem small and the screen seem smaller than it is. My Nexus 6p dwarfs the V30 in the hand and the display just feels larger on the Nexus even though it is not. Kind of another odd placebo effect.
Speaking of battery, it seems to last well over a day of playing hard with it but is still to early to tell since I keep plugging it in to transfer files. After the newness wears off I think I will be able to get 2 days out of it.
The power button, or lack there of is great I think. Instead of a dedicated button, it is just the fingerprint scanner. You can click it, hold it to open restart options etc. Works great and is non intrusive by comparison to a dedicated button that I usually hit by accident all the time.
The UI is not terrible. It is fast and responsive. For the record I am a fanboy of Sense and Stock. LG's UI has a lot more options for customization over Stock but some things seem like they just changed from stock to say they did. Especially in the Settings menu where they feel extra pages of settings tabs is preferable than a simple list. The worst part is LG's apps that are mostly broken or limited.
Contacts doesn't work right and crashes sometimes when I try and edit a contact. You can not fully disable it. I'm using Google Contacts when it will let me.
Calendar is ok, about the same as Google Calendar. Again you can not fully disable it for some reason.
Camera app is good so far, or at least I like it.
Messaging app sux. It freezes sometimes and when it works you can't insert gifs. Again you can't disable it. I'm using Google's Messenger.
Keyboard is limited, I just use the Google Keyboard.
Gallery is simple and works for on device pix but doesn't allow cloud access. Since most of my pix are on GoogleDrive I just use Google Photos. And again you can't disable it.
Smart Cleaning is a cleaner app. The phone is so fast I can't see any difference after using it.
LG Health I haven't tried yet.
LG Smart World is just some LG app browsing thing. Haven't really played with it other than browsing themes.
So far I love the phone. Out of 2017 phones I have used the HTC U11 and Essential Phone I like the V30 best of those 3. My biggest complaint is I just wish you could at least disable the LG bloatware apps so they can't start up. Maybe there is a special way to do it aside from rooting the device and going that route.
Hope this helps anyone considering the V30
CHH2 said:
Figured we probably needed a place to put everyone's first impressions.
I'll start with first, this thing is small and light! Coming from a V20 and a Nexus 6 before that, this thing is tiny. Last time I felt like I had a phone this size was the Galaxy Nexus. (Yeah, I know. That one was probably actually smaller than this but still, this thing feels that small in hand to me. I've been using nothing but phablets since that phone.) It feels closer in size to my work iPhone 6s than my V20. That's going to take some getting used to. It's in a case now but still feels small.
Still trying to get used to some app behaviors that seemed to have changed. For instance, Weather Channel app is having all kinds of issues. Shows as a sensitive notification on the lock screen vs my V20 where it isn't, because it isn't. The widget doesn't display information without being cut off. I still need to go log into all my apps and get them set up.
Camera. Haven't really taken any shots with it yet but I did dig through it. First, I'm not happy that it always opens in auto mode. The V20 would open in whatever mode you last had it in. I prefer manual mode and liked that I could just open it, make a quick adjustment to the settings and shoot. Now I have to dive into a menu to get to manual then make adjustments and shoot. It'll slow things down quite a bit. I am happy that Graphy can be shut off. Also, noise reduction can be shut off in manual. It was actually disabled by default. Going to do a lot of test shooting today.
Hoping to hit up the museum I used to work in and always test every camera I own there. Also hitting up an outdoor night event here as well as the jazz club. It's going to get one helluva workout today! Going to take my V20 and Nikon V3 along too. Not sure how much I'll use the V3 outside of the outdoor event. Not going to bother taking my DSLR. (I'm actually in the process of downsizing my photography to smaller cameras. DSLRs have gotten way too clean and clinical for my tastes.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Deztroyah said:
My biggest complaint is I just wish you could at least disable the LG bloatware apps so they can't start up. Maybe there is a special way to do it aside from rooting the device and going that route.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. This method works on G6, so it should work on V30 also, be careful on what you disable, you could potentially brick the device.
BTW any display problems? And what variant did you buy?
Thanks! As for the variant, I have the AT&T 64gig one. There are a few AT&T apps, all can be disabled. I actually use a few of them. And no display problems that I have seen. I think the display is one of the best parts of the device.
Deztroyah said:
I got mine this past Friday...
Hope this helps anyone considering the V30
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Click to collapse
Awesome overview :good: Although I already ordered v30 (black, 64gb) from South Korea, it was still nice to read, especially regarding the screen/size. I am not a fan of 18:9 in general since native support is still behind (cropped,zoomed videos), but I like what LG does - basically putting 18:9 screen in a more like 16:9 frame.. this makes it look much better than sausage-style s8/s8+/note8.
Here’s my V30+ first impressions. Will do a deep dive on the camera and audio soon.
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2018/01/0...adphone-jack-with-quad-dac-wireless-charging/
gavinfabl said:
Here’s my V30+ first impressions. Will do a deep dive on the camera and audio soon.
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2018/01/0...adphone-jack-with-quad-dac-wireless-charging/
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Click to collapse
Interesting review. Where did you get your B&O branded V30+ in UK? I thought they only had the V30? Did you get it from Italy or elsewhere?
I watched your full YouTube review and I agree people are selling the camera on this phone short. Interesting that all your friends chose the LG V30+ pictures over the Pixel 2 XL pictures. That's one reason I'm not really going to mess with the Pixel camera port.
ChazzMatt said:
Interesting review. Where did you get your B&O branded V30+ in UK? I thought they only had the V30? Did you get it from Italy or elsewhere?
I watched your full YouTube review and I agree people are selling the camera on this phone short. Interesting that all your friends chose the LG V30+ pictures over the Pixel 2 XL pictures. That's one reason I'm not really going to mess with the Pixel camera port.
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Click to collapse
Thanks. You’re right. UK only gets standard V30. Wondamobile supplied the V30+. The Pixel 2 will take better pics , but like everything it depends on the scene. I was out this morning with my Canon & V30+ and will get a post up next week with the results.
Ok. Audio review now done on the LG V30 covering speaker, Bluetooth, wired and type c. Over a dozen headphones used too.
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2018/01/1...-wired-over-12-different-headphones-compared/
I'm on my second Sprint lg v30 plus. Had to exchange the first one due to digitizer issues. On one side of the screen. It only responded to taps. My luck I guess.. Overall I like the device. It's light, fast and has a nice design. The camera sucks tho compared to my s8+ especially in low light. Not a bad camera but no where near the pixel 2 or Samsung phones. Was going to get the note 8 but I doubt that will ever get twrp. Hopefully this device gets root and twrp
Ok full review is finished now. Includes a camera showcase and 32 reasons why it's the best phone in the world, with the 32nd reason the best one.
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2018/01/28/lg-v30-review-camera-showcase-this-is-the-best-phone-in-2018/
Hi,
My friend is planning to get a 5t along with his note 8. Few questions-
1. How is this phones screen as compared to note 8's screen, comparing them at max settings?
2. How smooth is the OS? He is skeptical about it since he is switching from stock android and touchwiz.
Any other down sides of this phone? I hope the screen is really an infinity display like the s8.
I really like the curved edges of the S8. I prefer the S8 in terms of the display it is curve display which makes the screen to body ratio very low.
In terms of OS. I would prefer the OP5T.
billubakra said:
Hi,
My friend is planning to get a 5t along with his note 8. Few questions-
1. How is this phones screen as compared to note 8's screen, comparing them at max settings?
2. How smooth is the OS? He is skeptical about it since he is switching from stock android and touchwiz.
Any other down sides of this phone? I hope the screen is really an infinity display like the s8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had and regularly use a lot of phones due to my work. One of them being the Note 8.
The Note 8 comes out of the box set at 1080p, but does have the edge in the display department (no pun intended) if you set it to QHD. However unless I'm purposefully staring at it looking for pixels I can't really tell a difference in practical day to day use. The 5T has a gorgeous display and on mine at least, the colors are more accurate. The display is made by Samsung for OnePlus so it's honestly top notch in terms of quality and the "jelly scrolling" issue that was present on the OnePlus 5 for some is gone now with the 5T. So, is the Note 8 better in terms of display? Yes. As it should be, the starting price is about twice that of the 5T. Is it worth twice the asking price? Absolutely not.
The OS kills Samsung's flavor. Touchwiz is a hot mess, and it's even worse when you've had it for a few weeks and Touchwiz starts to really lag. It's much better on the Note 8 than the S8+ due to the RAM upgrade, but it's still there and really irritating. It's been an issue with Samsung phones for years. Oxygen OS is smoother than Touchwiz and frankly, smoother than stock Android on a Pixel in my experience. But that's likely due to the specs of the 5T (I have the 8GB RAM/128GB model). OnePlus changes very little about stock android, they only add a few things that make it a little more convenient and slightly more customizable. It's not a skin as you'd find on a Samsung, LG or Huawei among others. The OnePlus destroys Samsung in terms of smoothness of the OS and multitasking/general use.
One downside people talk about is the camera. Camera is a mixed bag. Honestly that side of marketing with smartphones is ridiculous. The Samsung has the edge, but that's all it is. There's not a smartphone out that can replace a DSLR and there's not a single one out that doesn't have noise or other issues in low light or when pixel peeping. Auto mode for auto mode in the same circumstances there's not enough of a difference to warrant the price hike either. Is it better on the Samsung devices? Yep. But only marginally in the real world. I can't count how many times I've shown people shots taken in identical conditions of identical subjects on all the phones I have and no one can get it right as to which took what shot. There's no clear winner and there's very little difference between them. People tend to just pick a bandwagon and hop on it. The differences come when you really play with pro mode and work to shoot with each phone's strength, but that's not real world use and that's entirely invalid for comparisons or determining which phone to buy. In real life people don't schedule shoots or wait for ideal lighting and conditions for their phone to pull it out and take a photo. That's what professionals do, and professionals don't use smartphones which are the equivalent of drug store disposable point and shoots. People in real life buy a phone they like and they pull it out in a split second on auto mode and snap a shot of the kids, the dogs or what have you.
Down sides depend what you are interested in though. For example yes, the 5T doesn't have an edge display. It also doesn't have the nasty glare or slippery feel that comes with the newer Samsungs. Also if a person relies heavily on the Samsung gimmicks incorporated into Touchwiz, you'll find the 5T very bland and lacking. Personally I never use the "advanced features" on Samsung phones and the only thing I use on my Note 8 is the S pen. And I do love that thing. If you don't like those things and want a more stock experience or a faster phone with at least twice the battery life (my 5T gets 9-10 hours SOT every time I test it, the Note 8 does great to get 3, sometimes almost 4 if I really gimp it for battery life) then the Samsung is the one with the downsides.
Different phones designed for different folks. With the OnePlus 5T you get what you pay for. However they absolutely cannot raise the price again without adding certain things such as a higher resolution display, an IP rating and what have you. With the current $1,000 flagships, you don't get anywhere near what you pay for. They're priced way too god damned high and don't offer enough over phones like the 5T to warrant twice the price. But if you can get them for $600 or less, they're the better buy unless you really care about battery life and specs.
Symphony0fLife said:
I've had and regularly use a lot of phones due to my work. One of them being the Note 8.
The Note 8 comes out of the box set at 1080p, but does have the edge in the display department (no pun intended) if you set it to QHD. However unless I'm purposefully staring at it looking for pixels I can't really tell a difference in practical day to day use. The 5T has a gorgeous display and on mine at least, the colors are more accurate. The display is made by Samsung for OnePlus so it's honestly top notch in terms of quality and the "jelly scrolling" issue that was present on the OnePlus 5 for some is gone now with the 5T. So, is the Note 8 better in terms of display? Yes. As it should be, the starting price is about twice that of the 5T. Is it worth twice the asking price? Absolutely not.
The OS kills Samsung's flavor. Touchwiz is a hot mess, and it's even worse when you've had it for a few weeks and Touchwiz starts to really lag. It's much better on the Note 8 than the S8+ due to the RAM upgrade, but it's still there and really irritating. It's been an issue with Samsung phones for years. Oxygen OS is smoother than Touchwiz and frankly, smoother than stock Android on a Pixel in my experience. But that's likely due to the specs of the 5T (I have the 8GB RAM/128GB model). OnePlus changes very little about stock android, they only add a few things that make it a little more convenient and slightly more customizable. It's not a skin as you'd find on a Samsung, LG or Huawei among others. The OnePlus destroys Samsung in terms of smoothness of the OS and multitasking/general use.
One downside people talk about is the camera. Camera is a mixed bag. Honestly that side of marketing with smartphones is ridiculous. The Samsung has the edge, but that's all it is. There's not a smartphone out that can replace a DSLR and there's not a single one out that doesn't have noise or other issues in low light or when pixel peeping. Auto mode for auto mode in the same circumstances there's not enough of a difference to warrant the price hike either. Is it better on the Samsung devices? Yep. But only marginally in the real world. I can't count how many times I've shown people shots taken in identical conditions of identical subjects on all the phones I have and no one can get it right as to which took what shot. There's no clear winner and there's very little difference between them. People tend to just pick a bandwagon and hop on it. The differences come when you really play with pro mode and work to shoot with each phone's strength, but that's not real world use and that's entirely invalid for comparisons or determining which phone to buy. In real life people don't schedule shoots or wait for ideal lighting and conditions for their phone to pull it out and take a photo. That's what professionals do, and professionals don't use smartphones which are the equivalent of drug store disposable point and shoots. People in real life buy a phone they like and they pull it out in a split second on auto mode and snap a shot of the kids, the dogs or what have you.
Down sides depend what you are interested in though. For example yes, the 5T doesn't have an edge display. It also doesn't have the nasty glare or slippery feel that comes with the newer Samsungs. Also if a person relies heavily on the Samsung gimmicks incorporated into Touchwiz, you'll find the 5T very bland and lacking. Personally I never use the "advanced features" on Samsung phones and the only thing I use on my Note 8 is the S pen. And I do love that thing. If you don't like those things and want a more stock experience or a faster phone with at least twice the battery life (my 5T gets 9-10 hours SOT every time I test it, the Note 8 does great to get 3, sometimes almost 4 if I really gimp it for battery life) then the Samsung is the one with the downsides.
Different phones designed for different folks. With the OnePlus 5T you get what you pay for. However they absolutely cannot raise the price again without adding certain things such as a higher resolution display, an IP rating and what have you. With the current $1,000 flagships, you don't get anywhere near what you pay for. They're priced way too god damned high and don't offer enough over phones like the 5T to warrant twice the price. But if you can get them for $600 or less, they're the better buy unless you really care about battery life and specs.
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Thank you so much for such a detailed review. Is the infinity display on 5T really worth it without the edge display or the side edges/curves? We don't have a opo showroom in our state so can't really check the phone physically. 5T is not water proof, flash is also not good, no vr compatibility, audio speaker is just fine. Any other points that we need to keep in mind? Are they still cheating with benchmark tests?
billubakra said:
Thank you so much for such a detailed review. Is the infinity display on 5T really worth it without the edge display or the side edges/curves? We don't have a opo showroom in our state so can't really check the phone physically. 5T is not water proof, flash is also not good, no vr compatibility, audio speaker is just fine. Any other points that we need to keep in mind? Are they still cheating with benchmark tests?
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Glad to help!
I've never heard OnePlus call it an infinity display. And it's just a term Samsung uses. Yes, on Samsungs you have the display spilling over the edges. Some people like it, others don't. I don't. It has a horrible glare and it alters the picture on screen for the worse, not better. The edge display makes things look really weird on the Samsung phones. So I prefer the flat edges like the 5T has and that Samsung had on the S7 and below, with the Edge display being optional. The bezels on the OnePlus are slightly larger than on the Note 8 and the S8 but not by much and not enough to hinder the experience. It's still a 2:1 ration (or 18:9, however you like to say it). It's not quad HD, so right, no VR, but is the same ratio and looks gorgeous. It's hard to explain. Yes the resolution is lower, but it's not noticeable unless you really pixel peep. Quad HD isn't enabled by default on the S8, S8+ or Note 8 and you don't notice much difference when you enable it to be honest. Most people use their Samsungs on 1080p and don't even realize it. Most aren't tech freaks like us and don't even know you can turn it on.
Flash, I'm not sure what you mean about it not being as good? I already addressed photos above, the flash is fine and not noticeably different in every day use. 5T is not water resistant (even the Samsungs are not water PROOF) but OnePlus has stated it will stand up to splashes just fine. Unless you need to swim or shower with your phone, the 5T should be ok. Audio speaker is mono like the Samsung, but is louder than Samsung and sounds slightly better, though the Samsung has the edge if you use headphones. Headphone sound quality is slightly better with the Samsung. Speaker is better on the 5T.
Benchmarks, I don't know. But they don't mean anything real world either. Like the cameras, it's largely a marketing gimmick. Whatever single or multi core score it gets doesn't mean a thing when translated to actual use. But yeah, it kicks everything else's ass. But it should, being that it has the best specs in the industry for this year. So I don't know if they still fluff numbers, but whether they do or not they still win in the spec pissing contest.
Edit: Simplified, if you can get a 2017 flagship for less money than a 5T costs, or within $100 of the 5T for the Note, the S8+, the V30 or the Pixel 2/2XL, it's worth it to get the flagships. If it costs any more than that, they're not better "enough" to warrant spending the money and I'd go with the 5T. Because the only areas they're better are either gimmicks or they are only marginally better, not several hundred dollars better.
Symphony0fLife said:
Glad to help!
I've never heard OnePlus call it an infinity display. And it's just a term Samsung uses. Yes, on Samsungs you have the display spilling over the edges. Some people like it, others don't. I don't. It has a horrible glare and it alters the picture on screen for the worse, not better. The edge display makes things look really weird on the Samsung phones. So I prefer the flat edges like the 5T has and that Samsung had on the S7 and below, with the Edge display being optional. The bezels on the OnePlus are slightly larger than on the Note 8 and the S8 but not by much and not enough to hinder the experience. It's still a 2:1 ration (or 18:9, however you like to say it). It's not quad HD, so right, no VR, but is the same ratio and looks gorgeous. It's hard to explain. Yes the resolution is lower, but it's not noticeable unless you really pixel peep. Quad HD isn't enabled by default on the S8, S8+ or Note 8 and you don't notice much difference when you enable it to be honest. Most people use their Samsungs on 1080p and don't even realize it. Most aren't tech freaks like us and don't even know you can turn it on.
Flash, I'm not sure what you mean about it not being as good? I already addressed photos above, the flash is fine and not noticeably different in every day use. 5T is not water resistant (even the Samsungs are not water PROOF) but OnePlus has stated it will stand up to splashes just fine. Unless you need to swim or shower with your phone, the 5T should be ok. Audio speaker is mono like the Samsung, but is louder than Samsung and sounds slightly better, though the Samsung has the edge if you use headphones. Headphone sound quality is slightly better with the Samsung. Speaker is better on the 5T.
Benchmarks, I don't know. But they don't mean anything real world either. Like the cameras, it's largely a marketing gimmick. Whatever single or multi core score it gets doesn't mean a thing when translated to actual use. But yeah, it kicks everything else's ass. But it should, being that it has the best specs in the industry for this year. So I don't know if they still fluff numbers, but whether they do or not they still win in the spec pissing contest.
Edit: Simplified, if you can get a 2017 flagship for less money than a 5T costs, or within $100 of the 5T for the Note, the S8+, the V30 or the Pixel 2/2XL, it's worth it to get the flagships. If it costs any more than that, they're not better "enough" to warrant spending the money and I'd go with the 5T. Because the only areas they're better are either gimmicks or they are only marginally better, not several hundred dollars better.
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Once again thank you so much. Last 2 queries can you please post a photo of the edges and a pic which shows all the bezels? I have a S7 and I get your point but it will be hard to explain to him. Second I was talking about the benchmark cheat in which opo was involved in, some senior members made a detailed thread about it, Google one plus one benchmark cheat XDA. Has anyone tested the 5t to find out the real benchmarks?
He just messaged me to ask you this, he will be getting a Gadgetshieldz protector for his 5t which is installed by soaking the protector in water mixed with detergent or some other chemical, since the phone is water resistant will there be any issues with the screen or any other component if the liquid goes inside the phone? Lastly is oneplus one guaranteeing software updates till 2 years?
Hey dude, let me give my 2 cents since I owned the note 8 and the 5T.
1. The 5T display is REALLY good. I'm the type of person that barely notice a difference between QHD and Full HD. As a matter of fact I'm using my note 8 on 1080 p cause I cannot tell the difference. Of course there is one but i barely see it. The point is the 5T display is excellent.
2. The 5T is insanely fast. OnePlus is known to have zippy software and it's very consistent throughout the UI. That is the last thing to worry about on the 5T, performance. It's absolutely stellar and it is amongst the fastest phone out there period. Whether it's an iPhone or pixel or whatever else, the 5T is top 3 hands down.
Now your friend has a note AND is getting a 5T as well? That is the absolute best combo to have besides having the note and an iPhone X. He is gonna love it and will be able to switch back and forth. Tell him to pull the trigger, the 5T is totally worth it.
I forgot to answer your questions about downsides of the phone. Well it doesn't have any IP ratings, it doesn't have wireless charging and the camera isn't the best. It's ok/good but definitely not great. The hardware is there but the software still needs some work (camera).
Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------
billubakra said:
He just messaged me to ask you this, he will be getting a Gadgetshieldz protector for his 5t which is installed by soaking the protector in water mixed with detergent or some other chemical, since the phone is water resistant will there be any issues with the screen or any other component if the liquid goes inside the phone? Lastly is oneplus one guaranteeing software updates till 2 years?
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I wouldn't worry about those screen protectors that you soak in water and apply on phones, it's made to be that way. Of course if you go crazy and purposely pour water in the headphone jack or USB x port then you'll have issues. But splashes here and there will be no issues. As far as updates, who knows. We know for sure Oreo is coming and most likely Android P but beyond that I haven't heard anything personally.
Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
billubakra said:
Once again thank you so much. Last 2 queries can you please post a photo of the edges and a pic which shows all the bezels? I have a S7 and I get your point but it will be hard to explain to him. Second I was talking about the benchmark cheat in which opo was involved in, some senior members made a detailed thread about it, Google one plus one benchmark cheat XDA. Has anyone tested the 5t to find out the real benchmarks?
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The moment I get home and have both phones handy I will post some photos, sure. And again, the benchmark thing doesn't mean anything. It doesn't matter if it scores 15,000 in Geekbench or whatever. What counts is real world use. For example, the iPhone scores spectacularly well in benchmarks and is a train wreck in day to day use. I sold my iPhone X already, but it was a jittery mess. Scores are high, but real world doesn't reflect that. Samsung scores pretty well too but again, real world it's a mess. Stutters and lags abound in Touchwiz. My Sony scored lower than my others and it is the smoothest performance hands down next to the 5T. If you're into benchmarks I'm sure you can find answers on here but I'm telling you, they're just for folks to "nerd out" on. They don't mean anything in the real world. But yes, OnePlus was caught fudging the numbers (why, I don't know since they are the king of specs anyway) but I am not sure if they still do.
As to the screen protector, as long as he doesn't submerge the phone he should be fine. But keep in mind - the Samsung is not water proof. It's water resistant. So water CAN damage it. The OnePlus is not rated as water resistant, but OnePlus says it's fine with things like splashes or rain drops. He's not going to hurt it using a wet application screen protector.
Updates - Who knows. Manufacturers always over promise on updates these days. They claim it'll be updated for a long time and they'll roll them out fast. OnePlus and Essential so far are hands down the best in terms of fast besides Google themselves, but OnePlus has dropped the ball on long term before. The 3 and 3T are getting Oreo, I'd imagine the 5 and 5T will get Oreo and the next major update at a minimum. Beyond that you'd have to ask them. I imagine many don't bother since people tend to upgrade every year or two but if you plan to use it for 2+ years you'd be best served to ask them. Though Samsung definitely won't be updating theirs fast and I doubt they'll get anything beyond what the 5T does either. Manufacturers want to sell phones. Not keep old phones running for years and years. 2 years is the outside for most manufacturers. Where you have a win on the OnePlus is the developer community. The bootloader is unlockable and you can install any ROM you want. With the specs it has the phone will be supported in some way for years and years, just potentially not by OnePlus themselves.
barondebxl said:
Hey dude, let me give my 2 cents since I owned the note 8 and the 5T.
1. The 5T display is REALLY good. I'm the type of person that barely notice a difference between QHD and Full HD. As a matter of fact I'm using my note 8 on 1080 p cause I cannot tell the difference. Of course there is one but i barely see it. The point is the 5T display is excellent.
2. The 5T is insanely fast. OnePlus is known to have zippy software and it's very consistent throughout the UI. That is the last thing to worry about on the 5T, performance. It's absolutely stellar and it is amongst the fastest phone out there period. Whether it's an iPhone or pixel or whatever else, the 5T is top 3 hands down.
Now your friend has a note AND is getting a 5T as well? That is the absolute best combo to have besides having the note and an iPhone X. He is gonna love it and will be able to switch back and forth. Tell him to pull the trigger, the 5T is totally worth it.
I forgot to answer your questions about downsides of the phone. Well it doesn't have any IP ratings, it doesn't have wireless charging and the camera isn't the best. It's ok/good but definitely not great. The hardware is there but the software still needs some work (camera).
Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------
I wouldn't worry about those screen protectors that you soak in water and apply on phones, it's made to be that way. Of course if you go crazy and purposely pour water in the headphone jack or USB x port then you'll have issues. But splashes here and there will be no issues. As far as updates, who knows. We know for sure Oreo is coming and most likely Android P but beyond that I haven't heard anything personally.
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Thank you to you too. Can you please post a photo is the screen sleeting the bezels? Are you using the 8gb variant?
Symphony0fLife said:
The moment I get home and have both phones handy I will post some photos, sure. And again, the benchmark thing doesn't mean anything. It doesn't matter if it scores 15,000 in Geekbench or whatever. What counts is real world use. For example, the iPhone scores spectacularly well in benchmarks and is a train wreck in day to day use. I sold my iPhone X already, but it was a jittery mess. Scores are high, but real world doesn't reflect that. Samsung scores pretty well too but again, real world it's a mess. Stutters and lags abound in Touchwiz. My Sony scored lower than my others and it is the smoothest performance hands down next to the 5T. If you're into benchmarks I'm sure you can find answers on here but I'm telling you, they're just for folks to "nerd out" on. They don't mean anything in the real world. But yes, OnePlus was caught fudging the numbers (why, I don't know since they are the king of specs anyway) but I am not sure if they still do.
As to the screen protector, as long as he doesn't submerge the phone he should be fine. But keep in mind - the Samsung is not water proof. It's water resistant. So water CAN damage it. The OnePlus is not rated as water resistant, but OnePlus says it's fine with things like splashes or rain drops. He's not going to hurt it using a wet application screen protector.
Updates - Who knows. Manufacturers always over promise on updates. The 3 and 3T are getting Oreo, I'd imagine the 5 and 5T will get Oreo and the next major update at a minimum. Beyond that you'd have to ask them.
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Thanks a lot. Will wait for the photos.
billubakra said:
Thank you to you too. Can you please post a photo is the screen sleeting the bezels? Are you using the 8gb variant?
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I no longer have the 5T. Someone offered to trade me a note 8 factory unlocked brand new and I had to do it lol. The resale value is why and ultimately the note is the superior phone.
Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
barondebxl said:
I no longer have the 5T. Someone offered to trade me a note 8 factory unlocked brand new and I had to do it lol. The resale value is why and ultimately the note is the superior phone.
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Lol I would have done the same ...probably sell the note and get another one plus 5t or a a pixel....profit
Any good?
I have heard the One plus is the best phone, is it true? What about a comparison to the Iphone X?
Symphony0fLife said:
The moment I get home and have both phones handy I will post some photos, sure. And again, the benchmark thing doesn't mean anything. It doesn't matter if it scores 15,000 in Geekbench or whatever. What counts is real world use. For example, the iPhone scores spectacularly well in benchmarks and is a train wreck in day to day use. I sold my iPhone X already, but it was a jittery mess. Scores are high, but real world doesn't reflect that. Samsung scores pretty well too but again, real world it's a mess. Stutters and lags abound in Touchwiz. My Sony scored lower than my others and it is the smoothest performance hands down next to the 5T. If you're into benchmarks I'm sure you can find answers on here but I'm telling you, they're just for folks to "nerd out" on. They don't mean anything in the real world. But yes, OnePlus was caught fudging the numbers (why, I don't know since they are the king of specs anyway) but I am not sure if they still do.
As to the screen protector, as long as he doesn't submerge the phone he should be fine. But keep in mind - the Samsung is not water proof. It's water resistant. So water CAN damage it. The OnePlus is not rated as water resistant, but OnePlus says it's fine with things like splashes or rain drops. He's not going to hurt it using a wet application screen protector.
Updates - Who knows. Manufacturers always over promise on updates these days. They claim it'll be updated for a long time and they'll roll them out fast. OnePlus and Essential so far are hands down the best in terms of fast besides Google themselves, but OnePlus has dropped the ball on long term before. The 3 and 3T are getting Oreo, I'd imagine the 5 and 5T will get Oreo and the next major update at a minimum. Beyond that you'd have to ask them. I imagine many don't bother since people tend to upgrade every year or two but if you plan to use it for 2+ years you'd be best served to ask them. Though Samsung definitely won't be updating theirs fast and I doubt they'll get anything beyond what the 5T does either. Manufacturers want to sell phones. Not keep old phones running for years and years. 2 years is the outside for most manufacturers. Where you have a win on the OnePlus is the developer community. The bootloader is unlockable and you can install any ROM you want. With the specs it has the phone will be supported in some way for years and years, just potentially not by OnePlus themselves.
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Waiting for the photos my dear. Is the warranty of opo taken care by oppo's service centers?
Just for a giggle, my last THREE phones cost less than my 5t. I bought all of them direct from China and they all exceeded my expectations. I kept the last one - a Xiaomi Redmi Note 2- for two years (unheard of for me!) and the only reason I've given up on it is because the power button is failing. To my amazement, in a side by side comparison, it holds up to the 5t pretty well, in particular having a screen with much more accurate colour saturation. Compared to that, is a 5t worth £499 Vs the £117 the Redmi Note 2 cost? Heck no! Do I like the 5t? Yep! Would I buy another if I dropped it tomorrow? Nope, I'd buy another cheap phone from China because they offer fantastic value for money
I talked my wife into buying the OnePlus 5T after months of listening to her complain about her Moto X Pure Edition and me having to constantly factory reset it (probably at least once a month to keep her happy). No idea what she was doing to the thing as i didn't have nearly as many problems with my MXPE, but regardless i finally talked her into buying a new phone. I hoped at the very least to alleviate myself from having to constantly listen to complaining about how slow it was, how it couldn't take a good picture to save its life (the pictures i can agree with, they were pretty horrible), and having to spend a couple hours backing up data, factory resetting, and restoring her photos and whatnot every month. She's really picky with phones and had her heart set on a Note 8 (especially after i picked up the GS8+ about a month or so ago for myself) but she was really turned off by the $900 price tag of the Note 8. She thinks that it's completely ridiculous to spend that much on a phone, which i agree with fully.
Thankfully she ended up listening to me and ordering the OP 5T. After she received her OP 5T and got it all set up, she fell in love with it. I i have messed with the phone quite a bit and first thing that hit me was that I immediately enjoyed the user experience. I had previously run custom ROMs on my MXPE and this phone is truly in a whole other league. The speed of it is incredible. It even makes my GS8+ seem like a slug at times. The software experience is really refreshing. Minimal changes to stock Android with the tweaks that are implemented done very seamlessly and with a purpose in mind. The screen, although it's "only" 1080p and not 1440p, is incredibly crisp in my opinion. I had it side by side with my GS8+ and honestly preferred the OP 5T's screen over my S8+'s. I'll also admit i do not like the curved screen on the S8+ at all so that may have something to do with my opinion on the OP 5T's screen quality. The cameras aren't quite on the same level as Samsung phones, or the pixel line for that matter, but they're by no means bad cameras. I've seen numerous reports that the cameras are terrible or that they simply don't take good pictures. I had my wife take a pretty good amount of photos over the last few days so that i could see the quality for myself and they honestly aren't anywhere close to being bad. They blow her previous phone out of the water (not that it's really difficult to do). All in all this phone IMO truly is a flagship caliber phone without the flagship price attached to it.
The only downsides that i have found so far -
1- It doesn't properly/fully support Verizon (i'm on StraightTalk but i use the Verizon towers/4G SIM) which means that i won't be switching to it
2- This is probably more of an Android problem honestly, but SmartLock doesn't work well/consistently on the OP 5T. There's a workaround floating around the internet to disable trusted agents in the fingerprint/security settings and that does work, but only temporarily. After a reboot it just stops working and sometimes even after using the workaround it stops working for seemingly no reason. Pretty frustrating for my wife when my GS8+ utilizes SmartLock perfectly. We're both hoping that this is addressed in a future software update
All in all though, this phone is a no brainer for $500. If you're on a service provider that utilizes GSM you just cant beat the price to performance ratio that this thing has. And that software experience, lawd have mercy is it good.
Symphony0fLife said:
One downside people talk about is the camera. Camera is a mixed bag. Honestly that side of marketing with smartphones is ridiculous. The Samsung has the edge, but that's all it is. There's not a smartphone out that can replace a DSLR and there's not a single one out that doesn't have noise or other issues in low light or when pixel peeping. Auto mode for auto mode in the same circumstances there's not enough of a difference to warrant the price hike either. Is it better on the Samsung devices? Yep. But only marginally in the real world. I can't count how many times I've shown people shots taken in identical conditions of identical subjects on all the phones I have and no one can get it right as to which took what shot. There's no clear winner and there's very little difference between them. People tend to just pick a bandwagon and hop on it. The differences come when you really play with pro mode and work to shoot with each phone's strength, but that's not real world use and that's entirely invalid for comparisons or determining which phone to buy. In real life people don't schedule shoots or wait for ideal lighting and conditions for their phone to pull it out and take a photo. That's what professionals do, and professionals don't use smartphones which are the equivalent of drug store disposable point and shoots. People in real life buy a phone they like and they pull it out in a split second on auto mode and snap a shot of the kids, the dogs or what have you.
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While I don't think any phone on the market claims to have a camera comparable to a DSLR, there is something to be said for having a capable camera and there are pretty significant differences in photo quality between a 5t and phones like the Note 8/Pixel 2/iPhone X when attempting to capture difficult shots, e.g. low-light, moving objects, etc. I was considering a 5t in addition to my Pixel 2 XL to fill my interest in modding, tweaking, flashing, etc since my Pixel 2 XL is locked. I played with my friend's 5t for a bit to specifically test out the camera and found it just can't keep up for my needs, and didn't leave me with a lot of confidence. When a camera performs poorly in specific situations, I'm less likely to use it. If most of my shots were of non-moving objects in broad daylight, the 5t would suffice. However, most of my shots are of my kids, who are very active and often in low light and indoor situations in addition to being outdoors in broad daylight. The best camera is the one you have on you and for capturing moments in my family's life, I wouldn't want that camera to be the one on the 5t.
billubakra said:
Hi,
My friend is planning to get a 5t along with his note 8. Few questions-
1. How is this phones screen as compared to note 8's screen, comparing them at max settings?
2. How smooth is the OS? He is skeptical about it since he is switching from stock android and touchwiz.
Any other down sides of this phone? I hope the screen is really an infinity display like the s8.
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Its worth the price. You can see comparisons on youtube... Its the best phone since they released op 3 period
sh4ne said:
The only downsides that i have found so far -
1- It doesn't properly/fully support Verizon (i'm on StraightTalk but i use the Verizon towers/4G SIM) which means that i won't be switching to it
2- This is probably more of an Android problem honestly, but SmartLock doesn't work well/consistently on the OP 5T. There's a workaround floating around the internet to disable trusted agents in the fingerprint/security settings and that does work, but only temporarily. After a reboot it just stops working and sometimes even after using the workaround it stops working for seemingly no reason. Pretty frustrating for my wife when my GS8+ utilizes SmartLock perfectly. We're both hoping that this is addressed in a future software update
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1. I was so glad to switch off Verizon earlier last year when I got my Pixel XL, to goto T-Mobile. I'm saving money, am on a network with the same speeds, and have the luxury of buying non-carrier phones.
2. I had this issue with SmartLock on OxygenOS as well. it was annoying, and they need to fix it. I switched to 8.1 AOSP firmware and all my problems went away. Oxygen was okay, but AOSP custome firmware always manages to be superior to stock firmwares.
---------- Post added at 09:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 PM ----------
mlin said:
While I don't think any phone on the market claims to have a camera comparable to a DSLR, there is something to be said for having a capable camera and there are pretty significant differences in photo quality between a 5t and phones like the Note 8/Pixel 2/iPhone X when attempting to capture difficult shots, e.g. low-light, moving objects, etc. I was considering a 5t in addition to my Pixel 2 XL to fill my interest in modding, tweaking, flashing, etc since my Pixel 2 XL is locked. I played with my friend's 5t for a bit to specifically test out the camera and found it just can't keep up for my needs, and didn't leave me with a lot of confidence. When a camera performs poorly in specific situations, I'm less likely to use it. If most of my shots were of non-moving objects in broad daylight, the 5t would suffice. However, most of my shots are of my kids, who are very active and often in low light and indoor situations in addition to being outdoors in broad daylight. The best camera is the one you have on you and for capturing moments in my family's life, I wouldn't want that camera to be the one on the 5t.
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I'm the same as you, but with the screen and not the camera. I went to a Pixel 2 XL from a Pixel XL and found that I just couldn't use a phone with a poor screen. I had to dump it in favor of a good screen that wasn't curved and had an unlockable bootloader. The 5T fit the bill nicely and the camera is average, but then again I don't have kids.
I've been using my pixel 6 pro for a week now and I have to say it's great, despite the incomprehensible hate from people. So far I can't complain about anything, at first the battery was running average and now it's great, I don't know how it happened. My former Oneplus 9 is a complete wipeout in almost every category except for the fingerprint reader and faster charging. In my opinion it's also a little better than the iphone 13 which I had for 1.5 weeks, however the iPhone wins in the gaming performance category, because I really can't find a difference in the speed of these phones in normal use. It's true the iPhone is reliable, however a bit handicapped and definitely badly priced compared to the Pixel. This is where my question arises, where is the hate from the media and users coming from as if the Pixel 6 pro is a complete failure?
No one can please everyone. I'm happy with my P6P, especially the 512 GB part. If there was one thing it could have that it doesn't already is a flat screen, but I know there are at least a few people who like the curved screens. Just makes finding tempered glass screen protectors that work with the in-screen optical fingerprint reader rare or non-existent.
yes, i agree with backwards name guy up there....
yes, people will complain, but also, also a lot complaints are valid IMO. Not all.
my list:
curved screen. yes, not so bad it is tolerable, but i hate curved screen period. There is absolutely no benefit to it. I don't understand why NO android phone makes will make non curved flagship phones anymore. Bunch of nonsense. Flat is best, always. you don't see iphone ever going curved right? Also, along these lines, why wont a single android phone be rectangular?? circle is super dumb, curved screen dumb. because its a watch?? its not a watch, its a mini phone. its a display on your hand that does smartphone stuff, rectangle is best, circle is stupid. would you want a circular phone?? no circles, no curves. please for the love of god.
fingerprint sensor. i did kind of like the pixel5 behind phone sensor, esp with smooth pull down tickling (naughty) features. but in screen is more convenient. and yes, it is slightly spazzy, so valid complaint there. no big deal, but valid.
it better be twrp-able soon. this is my complaint.
camera, crazy huge bump on the phone. totally valid complaint. if you dont mind, fine, but lets not act like this is some elegant design, lolll. I always say this, if we are going to have big ol battery bumps, why not just make the entire phone depth bigger, and have room for bigger battery, headphone jack, and whatever else you can shove into that space. but that's just me.
Krasendo said:
I've been using my pixel 6 pro for a week now and I have to say it's great, despite the incomprehensible hate from people. So far I can't complain about anything, at first the battery was running average and now it's great, I don't know how it happened. My former Oneplus 9 is a complete wipeout in almost every category except for the fingerprint reader and faster charging. In my opinion it's also a little better than the iphone 13 which I had for 1.5 weeks, however the iPhone wins in the gaming performance category, because I really can't find a difference in the speed of these phones in normal use. It's true the iPhone is reliable, however a bit handicapped and definitely badly priced compared to the Pixel. This is where my question arises, where is the hate from the media and users coming from as if the Pixel 6 pro is a complete failure?
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Completely agree with you, I had a Note 20 Ultra and this does everything my note did. Always bought the notes for the large screen and not the s pen. Been with Sammy a long time and the curved screen doesn't bother me one little bit. Been up and running for 7-8 days with not a single issue that I haven't been able to remedy with google. Been away from goole phones for so long there was a little learning curve for me. I think a lot of the issue are with android 12 and not necessarily the hardware.
Superxdaer said:
yes, i agree with backwards name guy up there....
yes, people will complain, but also, also a lot complaints are valid IMO. Not all.
my list:
curved screen. yes, not so bad it is tolerable, but i hate curved screen period. There is absolutely no benefit to it. I don't understand why NO android phone makes will make non curved flagship phones anymore. Bunch of nonsense. Flat is best, always. you don't see iphone ever going curved right? Also, along these lines, why wont a single android phone be rectangular?? circle is super dumb, curved screen dumb. because its a watch?? its not a watch, its a mini phone. its a display on your hand that does smartphone stuff, rectangle is best, circle is stupid. would you want a circular phone?? no circles, no curves. please for the love of god.
fingerprint sensor. i did kind of like the pixel5 behind phone sensor, esp with smooth pull down tickling (naughty) features. but in screen is more convenient. and yes, it is slightly spazzy, so valid complaint there. no big deal, but valid.
it better be twrp-able soon. this is my complaint.
camera, crazy huge bump on the phone. totally valid complaint. if you dont mind, fine, but lets not act like this is some elegant design, lolll. I always say this, if we are going to have big ol battery bumps, why not just make the entire phone depth bigger, and have room for bigger battery, headphone jack, and whatever else you can shove into that space. but that's just me.
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The flood gates have been opened
As for the curved screen, it's the perfect nesting place for One Handed Operation plus.
It's a useful and highly customizable app.
blackhawk said:
The flood gates have been opened
As for the curved screen, it's the perfect nesting place for One Handed Operation plus.
It's a useful and highly customizable app.
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Didn't know about the one handed app. Possibly the ONLY useful thing I've seen for curved screen. Not enough! Curved screen sucks.
Personally i think its a great phone. Battery is absolutely fine and easily gets through a day with still anywhere between 20-40% left. Camera is really good. Screen is so smooth and gorgeous to be using. Not had one real issue yet. I said in a previous thread most of the complaints are ridiculous but someone obviously reported me for saying so.
Have to say i dont get anyone complaining about having a curved screen either. Surely people know what was being bought when they paid for it, can hardly have been a surprise.
All in all, its a great phone as pretty much every review ive seen of it agrees with.
Superxdaer said:
Didn't know about the one handed app. Possibly the ONLY useful thing I've seen for curved screen. Not enough! Curved screen sucks.
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I wuv my N10+ but the curved screen takes some getting use to and the right case/screen protector. The case should have slightly raised side edges (higher than the display), and raised higher on the top/bottom.
Flipping the phone from portrait to landscape is helpful when needed.
The hydrocell wet apply TFF screen protectors work well, are cheap, long lived and relatively easy to align/apply.
You can use One Handed Operation plus for navigation among many things from any adjustable zone (up to 6) anywhere on the sides.
A very dependable and well behaved app.
Lol, the curved screen initially added to my curse word vocabulary but I like it now.
skimminstones said:
Personally i think its a great phone. Battery is absolutely fine and easily gets through a day with still anywhere between 20-40% left. Camera is really good. Screen is so smooth and gorgeous to be using. Not had one real issue yet. I said in a previous thread most of the complaints are ridiculous but someone obviously reported me for saying so.
Have to say i dont get anyone complaining about having a curved screen either. Surely people know what was being bought when they paid for it, can hardly have been a surprise.
All in all, its a great phone as pretty much every review ive seen of it agrees with.
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You don;t get the curved screen complaint??? It's not that they are surprised by the curve screen, lolll. It's that the flagship offering is curved screen. We get it begrudgingly because it's the latest pixel phone.
I have no intention of defending billion dollar companies. The phone is fine, ok. But we're allowed to complain!! Frankly, pixel5 was overall better. that thing is beautiful. Flat screen, still fast as hell, good enough cameras. Bad storage, but also cheaper. I think if they just made the pixel5 bigger with the tensor chip and in screen fingerprint, everything else the same (more storage too), even the same p6pro price, and it would have been more perfect than what they did. Pixel5 is beautiful.
Superxdaer said:
You don;t get the curved screen complaint??? It's not that they are surprised by the curve screen, lolll. It's that the flagship offering is curved screen. We get it begrudgingly because it's the latest pixel phone.
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No i dont. if you dont want a curved screen, dont buy a phone that was clearly advertised as a curved screen then moan that, you know,... it has a curved screen.
Buy something else. The standard pixel 6 for example which doesnt have one.
Youre entitled to complain about things just as im entitled to call the complaints ridiculous if they are.
skimminstones said:
Personally i think its a great phone. Battery is absolutely fine and easily gets through a day with still anywhere between 20-40% left. Camera is really good. Screen is so smooth and gorgeous to be using. Not had one real issue yet. I said in a previous thread most of the complaints are ridiculous but someone obviously reported me for saying so.
Have to say i dont get anyone complaining about having a curved screen either. Surely people know what was being bought when they paid for it, can hardly have been a surprise.
All in all, its a great phone as pretty much every review ive seen of it agrees with.
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Nope...wasn't a surprise. Many here are truly limited to what phone brands we want to buy for unlocking BL and root etc. So for me, it's Google or OnePlus. I don't buy OnePlus cuz I hate the physical button layout and the extra alert slider nonsense. That's the bummer for me with the curved screen. No where else to go unless I go with the regular pixel 6. I agree with Super....curved sucks.
I think we first have to differentiate a bit.
1. There are people here flaming or being negative, without ever having owned the device in the first place. Simply for the sake of being negative. The reasons for that... are multiple. Maybe they dont like the Pixels having good press, maybe they are lonely, maybe they are bored, maybe they are just as*h*les by nature. I do not know. Those criticisms you can ignore.
2. Then there are people that have certain fixed expectations from other phones that are of no significance in nature, take the guys as an example that flame the Pixel for having the power button on "the wrong side" - for them, it's a dealbreaker. But it is not. It's a design decision by a manufacturer and neither good or bad, it just "is". Personally for me, it's a) a good place, because it helps me shoot photos an b) doesn't bother me. So there are very subjective reasons that are void of reasoning or "depth" to the argument/flame, it's "muh don't like, because don't like". Those you can also ignore.
3. Then there are people who make application errors/ manual errors, like people that do not understand what adaptive charging means, or that have AOD enabled all day long and wonder that 10% of battery is lost overnight; or have a terrible 5G connection at the edge of town and do not understand that their phone is constantly trying to make connection, burning through the battery; or that have ****ty providers that do not enable 5G deactivation - that's not on Google, that's their carrier. Making the phone responsible because your contract partner is sh*t, is just, well, another point you can ignore.
4. Then there are people who compare apples to bananas - like the ones coming over from Samsung and OnePlus, expecting the exact same battery life - even though their phones are notorious app killers (https://dontkillmyapp.com/), and those phones don't run good 24/7 background stuff, like Now Playing - with a negliable battery drain. If the Pixel only has 5% less battery time, for those people, that's a massive "muh will send phone back" - those you can also ignore, because their expectations are simply unrealistic.
5. Then there are people that actually know their sh*t and try to compare features and problems of a phone on a balanced, reasonable basis - they try to compare things that can be compared with, try to find a middle ground amongst expectations, without sounding unreasonable - they try to balance their feedback by differentiating between personal/subjective "likings" and objective/ defacto pros'n'cons, those you should heed. The problem is: Those people are in the minority. So for you as a "bystander" you first have to sift through a hundred comments, until you can find the 10 or 15 decent ones that are actually helpful.
Complainers complain, there is always something to nitpick. Didn`t used to be on XDA but some people changed. They are over entitled (Karens and Kenns) and have less to no boundries anymore.
I don't think it's very fair to go into a thread about complaints and then get mad at people who are posting complaints.
Superxdaer said:
I don't think it's very fair to go into a thread about complaints and then get mad at people who are posting complaints.
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That's not the case here. Everyone has the right to complain.
It is a choice however, how you complain, in which words, whether or not your complaint is purely subjective/personal in nature, or if there is an actual/de facto problem at hand that can be easily reproduced by other community members. An example: If it is a personal feeling - like "I don't like curved glass" - that doesn't mean the phone is bad, it just means that that person doesn't like curved displays. It's wrong to demean a product, if it has a clear design choice that everyone knew beforehand. If that person doesn't like that, he/she/is shouldn't have bought it in the first place. There are enough stores out there to test and see if a curved display fitsthe individuals needs or not.
A right to complain does not mean "muh bad muh **** muh no like" - that's not criticism or a complaint, that's just the mental equivalent of a fart, it simply has no meaning. It's important to differentiate, illustrate, compare and balance out expectations and therefore "complaints" - otherwise they lose significance and meaning.
Superxdaer said:
I don't think it's very fair to go into a thread about complaints and then get mad at people who are posting complaints.
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I`am not mad. People know all the details of the device and if they don`t like it they shouldnt buy it. But what is the benefit of complaining if you can`t change a thing about it!
You have a good breakdown of complainers up there, lolll. I'm hoping I'm in category #5.
It's just a phone at the end of the day. I've no love for any global giant company so no time for brand loyalty. It'll die down in due course, it's always the same when a new popular phone is released.
Love it! phone works great! Rooted. ads blocked. happy fricken life.
wulfgarfang said:
Love it! phone works great! Rooted. ads blocked. happy fricken life.
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Nice. I'm thinking of rooting any minute now. So no negative consequences? I know we're all waiting for TWRP, but googly pay, etc. (all the things we're not supposed to mention in the root thread) all that stuff is working?