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So I finally broke my Galaxy S4 last night, and I'm thinking about buying an LG G4 to replace it. However, the LG UI "improvements" look awful, and I bet I would be changing the firmware pretty soon if I get it. So with that in mind, I'm wondering if I should be buying the phone. Is CM13 or other roms stable enough that replacing the stock rom a good idea on a new phone?
I'm also considering any any other phone in the same price range, including the Moto X Style (Pure).
Unless you're looking to get the T-Mobile (811) or the International EU (815) version, there is no way to install custom roms. Those are the only two unlockable variants.
The other versions are rootable if you stay on 5.1.1 LP, but if you want 6.0 MM, you'll be stuck with the T-Mobile or EU Int version. There is no way to root all the other variants on 6.0
Luckily, I would be getting the 815 version.
As far as I can tell the ROMs based on stock are very stable. You won't even notice the difference. CM and CM based ROMs are the usual. Stable but have a few annoying bugs. I haven't really tried any AOSP so I won't speak for those
Heres my opinion.i have a tmobile version and if i flasha custom rom it seems to drop the bands as i cannot get signal in places where i can on stock based custom roms or pure stock rom.it does not switch between towers properly and i lose the ability to make or recieve calls.when i check phone info on aosp or cm based roms it shows it uses only 4 of the 12 bands i have.
Overlord Yuri said:
So I finally broke my Galaxy S4 last night, and I'm thinking about buying an LG G4 to replace it. However, the LG UI "improvements" look awful, and I bet I would be changing the firmware pretty soon if I get it. So with that in mind, I'm wondering if I should be buying the phone. Is CM13 or other roms stable enough that replacing the stock rom a good idea on a new phone?
I'm also considering any any other phone in the same price range, including the Moto X Style (Pure).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I made the same transition; from Galaxy S4 to Lg G4.
I'm running stock with Xposed. The G4 Tweaksbox app has a themes option and I've got a stock android one applied. It's really stable (I always expect themes to go crazy). The only other thing is the settings. You can get a stock settings mod but I don't really see the point. It works well enough for me and settings isn't really something you'd aim to be going on everyday anyway.
The clip tray is annoying but can be disabled. Add nova launcher and Google keyboard and it's all good. This is a much better solution than a custom ROM. You'll never get this kind of stability. Not forgetting that your camera app and fm radio and others will also be gone.
EDIT:
When buying, make sure the serial number starts with 601 or 602 603... These phones were manufactured this year so hopefully won't have the bootloop bug. If buying 2nd hand, ask the seller for the serial. If they can't provide it, ask for the IMEI and look up the serial number using https://imeidata.net/warranty/lg
There are too many references for 6XX bootloop issues, so I wouldn't recommend LG G4 at all , for custom theming,roms etc. Even after replacing motherboards of 5xx to 6xx, the bootloops are something more common than I used to believe...
personally am very happy with g4(601). best combo for me is Genisys Rom 4.2 + SimpleGX KERNEL (then Tweaksbox, xposed & nova launcher). very stable, no lags, speedy, good battery, amazing camera/lg app. downsides are unlocking bootloader voids warranty & the body corner feels painfully sharp after a while in the hand.
I am happy with the G4 too, 601 as well , but unfortunately that doesn't change the fact that there are many issues with the phone! I hope the OP can enjoy and proceed at his own risk of course!
Thanks for the replies guys! At the moment I think I'm leaning towards the Moto X Style, and will probably order it (at pretty much the same price as the G4) tomorrow unless someone talks me out of it.
Overlord Yuri said:
Thanks for the replies guys! At the moment I think I'm leaning towards the Moto X Style, and will probably order it (at pretty much the same price as the G4) tomorrow unless someone talks me out of it.
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I'll be honest with you.....my mom has this phone and has massive battery drain issues, where as I have none. If your going for good battery and fast updates than Motorola will be your best bud, but if you don't mind mediocre battery but a kick ass camera then the G4 will be your best bud. PS it's as good as point and shoot this is coming from someone that does photography for a living.
Sent from my LG-H812 using XDA Free mobile app
I also have little to no faith in LG anymore. Moving on to bigger better things but will ride it out until my upgrade is eligible.
Going back to Samsung, Motorola, Huawei or HTC.
Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk
Going to repeat this over and over again, i don't understand those people who after unboxing immediately install custom ROM (What!? you know what you're buying, you support OEM in this case LG, you support their firmware, skin and now you throwing out your money for something else in many cases worse, facepalm) if you want pure Android you buy Nexus, Motorola maybe, that's it, as Google says "Be together not the same". Installing custom ROM's it's like putting BMW rims on Toyota's car... beside that, G4 don't need a custom ROM, just imagine what your going to deal with custom ROM, awful camera, sound issue, lost functionalities, bugs, strange battery drains, degradation in overall battery life and everything for stock Android look? for latest security patches? themes? it's not worth it atleast now, IMO custom ROM's comes in handy when OEM stop's supporting your device with the latest firmware so if i done calculations right you should look for CM for LG G4 when Android 8-9 comes out. All you need is a root and good kernel then comes a good stuff, long story short, CM is a cancer for latest devices, flagships, believe me and don't think i'm condemning CM.
Frant1c said:
Going to repeat this over and over again, i don't understand those people who after unboxing immediately install custom ROM (What!? you know what you're buying, you support OEM in this case LG, you support their firmware, skin and now you throwing out your money for something else in many cases worse, facepalm) if you want pure Android you buy Nexus, Motorola maybe, that's it, as Google says "Be together not the same". Installing custom ROM's it's like putting BMW rims on Toyota's car... beside that, G4 don't need a custom ROM, just imagine what your going to deal with custom ROM, awful camera, sound issue, lost functionalities, bugs, strange battery drains, degradation in overall battery life and everything for stock Android look? for latest security patches? themes? it's not worth it atleast now, IMO custom ROM's comes in handy when OEM stop's supporting your device with the latest firmware so if i done calculations right you should look for CM for LG G4 when Android 8-9 comes out. All you need is a root and good kernel then comes a good stuff, long story short, CM is a cancer for latest devices, flagships, believe me and don't think i'm condemning CM.
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Click to collapse
+1
I used to be one of those who buys a flagship device, then immediately look for bootloader unlock, root and flash. But after having LG G4 for 3 weeks now, stock MM latest, installed with my needed apps and games, I lost the feel of flashing custom ROMs.
G4 is great as it is, although optimizations can be done, a little upgrade here and there. As long as LG supports G4 with updates and with their accessories, then I'll stay with LG as manufacturer. Of they abandon us (like what they did with G PRO), then I'll switch devices.
LG has been my favorite since 2013.
Overlord Yuri said:
Luckily, I would be getting the 815 version.
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Click to collapse
Be extremely cautious where you get your 815 from. I bought one from Value basket that was advertised as a European Variant for the express purpose of developing a CFW- When it came it wasn't and they refused to exchange it. I've got an email trail as long as your arm trying to get the thing exchanged but they're just con-merchants.
But it's still an awesome phone....
Frant1c said:
if you want pure Android you buy Nexus, Motorola maybe, that's it, as Google says "Be together not the same". Installing custom ROM's it's like putting BMW rims on Toyota's car... beside that, G4 don't need a custom ROM, just imagine what your going to deal with custom ROM, awful camera, sound issue, lost functionalities, bugs, strange battery drains, degradation in overall battery life and everything for stock Android look?
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Click to collapse
I do get your point. Buying the G4 would have been a compromise to get some good hardware for a low price, and I hoped to to sweeten that deal even more by customizing the firmware to my liking. However, I ended up getting a second-hand Nexus 6P instead. :victory:
Overlord Yuri said:
I do get your point. Buying the G4 would have been a compromise to get some good hardware for a low price, and I hoped to to sweeten that deal even more by customizing the firmware to my liking. However, I ended up getting a second-hand Nexus 6P instead. :victory:
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Click to collapse
Smartest move you could have ever made. LG has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. Ever since I got my phone back with a new circuit board it feels like a ticking time bomb and I don't use it for anything other than texting, phone use and browsing. How pathetic is that.
Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk
Hello.
I'm looking for a new phone, my budget is around 340 USD and therefore Lenovo P2 has really caught my eye. I'd like to ask a couple questions.
1. How is the bootloader unlock procedure? Is it known to be problematic or causing any issues with ultimately not being able to unlock the bootloader? Coming from an LG device, I want to be extra careful regarding this.
2. I plan to have this device for a longer period of time, around 3-4 years. Is Lenovo P2 a viable choice in this regard? Will it be able to hold off for that long, in terms of ROM support and general performance/usage?
3. How do custom ROM development prospects look right now for the device? Can I expect good custom ROM support from this device in the coming years?
4. How satisfied are you with your phone? Would you recommend it to me? Is there anything you don't like about the phone?
Thanks in advance.
1) submit unlock request through the phone and the bootloader should be unlocked 14 days later.
2) original ROM support - highly unlikely. Custom ROM - depends on how well received the phone is by the community. Might be too early to tell still. Performance etc, I don't think any high-end phone from 3-4 years ago can compete with mid range phone's today. So I can only imagine P2 being as sluggish as entry level phones today in 3-4 years.
3) can't comment. If you want custom ROM support, flagship Samsung and Nexus might be a better option?
4) battery life is exceptional, but I really wish it was smaller. The camera is not excellent either.
Sent from my Lenovo P2a42 using Tapatalk
Are you planning to use this phone in the USA? If yes, don't purchase it. The us networks are not supported.
ken218 said:
1) submit unlock request through the phone and the bootloader should be unlocked 14 days later.
2) original ROM support - highly unlikely. Custom ROM - depends on how well received the phone is by the community. Might be too early to tell still. Performance etc, I don't think any high-end phone from 3-4 years ago can compete with mid range phone's today. So I can only imagine P2 being as sluggish as entry level phones today in 3-4 years.
3) can't comment. If you want custom ROM support, flagship Samsung and Nexus might be a better option?
4) battery life is exceptional, but I really wish it was smaller. The camera is not excellent either.
Sent from my Lenovo P2a42 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the answer, very much appreciated.
I'm aware that it probably won't get official ROM support, but I hope that custom ROMs will be usable, i.e. that all the issues like the fingerprint scanner and notification LED will be fixed.
Most of the Nexus options are overpriced where I live, but maybe Nexus 6 could be an option(?).
Rom Support and reception seems to be starting well 2 months from this conversation... don't you think ?
(that's what made me buy it + full french 4G support)...
Fobos531 said:
Thank you for the answer, very much appreciated.
I'm aware that it probably won't get official ROM support, but I hope that custom ROMs will be usable, i.e. that all the issues like the fingerprint scanner and notification LED will be fixed.
.
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Click to collapse
Let me put it this way: I still use my old Note 3 as remote control for Xiaomi Smart Home. It runs on last official Android 5.1. All those custom ROMs are crap. Nothing just headache.
Its a great budget phone
Disclaimer: This is rant, a civilized one, if you disagree with me, you are welcome to illustrate me but offenses are not appreciated.
This phone is great, but it refuses to be acceptable as a daily driver.
Developers are the best people in the world, they do what they do with no return at all sometimes, but the software (the lack of a good kernel base) makes it really hard to enjoy. I could never get more than 4.5 hours of SOT on any ROM, whereas stock would give me at least 5.5; however stock software is a bad joke for the Android base and the camera output is nerve wracking...
The CDLA headphones are a must, no one likes the dongle and it seems that (due to broken kernel) no dev was able to figure out this one (clarifying again that I don't blame them). So my options are to get used to carry the dongle or to the crack and pop from the CDLA ones... hmmmmmm......
I see the exact same story as with the Amazon phone, on its time, the Amazon phone had a really good thing going here in XDA, but the bootloader was never unlocked and the momentum was lost. I had to let go on my Fire phone....
For the LePro3, many great options are at hand at the same price, I'm looking heavily right now at the LG G5 from the $200 custom rom on eBay, WAY BETTER camera (like 10X times better), about the same battery life if you compare custom ROM of LePro3 vs stock of LG G5, and I have to admit that although I dislike LG's interface, it is tolerable.
Also, the LeEco servers (including the one that supports OTAs) has been down for at least 3 days (that I have tried myself), like seriously, we know the company is nearly in bankruptcy although still having customer support working, but the fact that security updates have halted and servers are down, tells me that there is something wrong going on.
At $200 dlls that I got the phone for, it is still not worth it for *me*.
My Moto Z play was $450 with a hasselblad camera mod that I was able to sell to get $100 in return, so for $350, I would still take yet another Moto Z Play at the current price, with way lower specifications, than taking a LePro3 for $200.
Help yourself and download these apps
Power Toggles
ACDisplay
Simple Control
Fingerprint Quick Action
Pixel Launcher
Modify the DPI to 300 via ADB
Download Google Camera (2.7) , Phone, Contacts etc from APKMirror
I am enjoying all the benefits from stock ROM plus emulated stock Android experience. =D
I bought this phone at what I thought was a steal for the hardware I was getting. I knew the company was unknown in the US and would likely not support the phone for long (if at all). I've flashed many Roms and played with this phone more than any other than perhaps my Nexus 6. Its a great phone overall with pretty decent developer support. I regret nothing.
Jose-MXL said:
Disclaimer: This is rant, a civilized one, if you disagree with me, you are welcome to illustrate me but offenses are not appreciated.
This phone is great, but it refuses to be acceptable as a daily driver.
Developers are the best people in the world, they do what they do with no return at all sometimes, but the software (the lack of a good kernel base) makes it really hard to enjoy. I could never get more than 4.5 hours of SOT on any ROM, whereas stock would give me at least 5.5; however stock software is a bad joke for the Android base and the camera output is nerve wracking...
The CDLA headphones are a must, no one likes the dongle and it seems that (due to broken kernel) no dev was able to figure out this one (clarifying again that I don't blame them). So my options are to get used to carry the dongle or to the crack and pop from the CDLA ones... hmmmmmm......
I see the exact same story as with the Amazon phone, on its time, the Amazon phone had a really good thing going here in XDA, but the bootloader was never unlocked and the momentum was lost. I had to let go on my Fire phone....
For the LePro3, many great options are at hand at the same price, I'm looking heavily right now at the LG G5 from the $200 custom rom on eBay, WAY BETTER camera (like 10X times better), about the same battery life if you compare custom ROM of LePro3 vs stock of LG G5, and I have to admit that although I dislike LG's interface, it is tolerable.
Also, the LeEco servers (including the one that supports OTAs) has been down for at least 3 days (that I have tried myself), like seriously, we know the company is nearly in bankruptcy although still having customer support working, but the fact that security updates have halted and servers are down, tells me that there is something wrong going on.
At $200 dlls that I got the phone for, it is still not worth it for *me*.
My Moto Z play was $450 with a hasselblad camera mod that I was able to sell to get $100 in return, so for $350, I would still take yet another Moto Z Play at the current price, with way lower specifications, than taking a LePro3 for $200.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rivethead23 said:
I bought this phone at what I thought was a steal for the hardware I was getting. I knew the company was unknown in the US and would likely not support the phone for long (if at all). I've flashed many Roms and played with this phone more than any other than perhaps my Nexus 6. Its a great phone overall with pretty decent developer support. I regret nothing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree with rivethead23 I got the Pro 3 and immediately flashed the Turbo Destroyer rom on it and have never had any regrets
I also bought an LG G6 and I found it was no upgrade to the Pro 3 and ended up returning it.
My advice is to Flash the Turbo EUI 21S v20 rom and Nova launcher with Nova Google companion and you get the best experience from this device
rivethead23 said:
I bought this phone at what I thought was a steal for the hardware I was getting. I knew the company was unknown in the US and would likely not support the phone for long (if at all). I've flashed many Roms and played with this phone more than any other than perhaps my Nexus 6. Its a great phone overall with pretty decent developer support. I regret nothing.
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Click to collapse
Pretty much this.
I'm using the phone on stock 26s, pretty heavily customized though: Magisk, Xposed, Viper, GravityBox, Tasker, stock android/Google apps like Dialer Contact Messages Calendar Keep Hangout Gmail etc., Nova Launcher with companion, PlayerPro and VLC, Brave browser... I removed all Chinese bloatware, and stock apps I don't need anymore like Contact, Message, Music, Video, Browser, Launcher, LIVE, lots of LeEco apps, etc. Disabled all stock extra memory optimizations to let Android deal with memory. Splash and bootanim without Chinese. Etc.
It works really great, battery is still really good (I often have 5 or 5.5 hours SoT at the end of the day), I customized a lot of things to make it exactly how I wanted it. So far, the best device I owned, and one of the cheapest...
ZeblodS said:
Pretty much this.
I'm using the phone on stock 26s, pretty heavily customized though: Magisk, Xposed, Viper, GravityBox, Tasker, stock android/Google apps like Dialer Contact Messages Calendar Keep Hangout Gmail etc., Nova Launcher with companion, PlayerPro and VLC, Brave browser... I removed all Chinese bloatware, and stock apps I don't need anymore like Contact, Message, Music, Video, Browser, Launcher, LIVE, lots of LeEco apps, etc. Disabled all stock extra memory optimizations to let Android deal with memory. Splash and bootanim without Chinese. Etc.
It works really great, battery is still really good (I often have 5 or 5.5 hours SoT at the end of the day), I customized a lot of things to make it exactly how I wanted it. So far, the best device I owned, and one of the cheapest...
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Click to collapse
Is 26s an official update? I've only received 21s ota on my x727
darkmuck said:
Is 26s an official update? I've only received 21s ota on my x727
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the latest Chinese stock ROM for x720.
ALSO RANT:
Well the issue is with android itself, there is no real AOSP phone, i don't get why manufaturers just don't put AOSP on phone and be done with it, i guess target for android phones are geeks, at least this kind of android phones. I wanted dual sim phone, but now i think i will manage some woraround and go ios, as bad as it is, OS is much more polished and unified.
Even Moto with almost stock android still does not get direct google updates, it is just bad design.
BTW i use pro3 as daily, i get 8 + hours SOT with stock firmare, i managed to get ACR to work quite good, DND to work quite good, but still, default apps, like browser does not work, google integration is crap, even with launcher 3, missing pulldown is a joke and google services crash quite often so ... meh, but still better then my gs4 with new battery and lineage
Oh and also the ambient light sensors sets screen too dim for me at night, until now I had opposite problem with all the other phones i had.
I also have galaxy s7 at hand to use and in my opinion samsung android is even worse.
The main issue is there is really no Android OS, no phone with AOSP, which is only real Android OS, only ****ton of phones with more or less molested OS.
BTW my budget was 1100usd for a phone, i still chose pro3 and I still think, despite it's flaws, for me, it is best choice, which is sad, but it is reality, we can't change it, reality is reality. I will try z2 force with battery pack if they sell it officially in Czech, but I don't expect much.
Oh my I thought I was the only one with the headphone issue
Hmm my Le Pro 3 is coming soon... But I'm more likely to just sell It while it's new and make some $$$ of it. Seeing this rants and all... AOSP/lineage is a must for me, same as Oreo.
Just gonna buy OP5 to replace my Bacon. Maybe that jelly pentile so not exactly FHD, POS display won't be so bad...
FunkyRasta said:
Hmm my Le Pro 3 is coming soon... But I'm more likely to just sell It while it's new and make some $$$ of it. Seeing this rants and all... AOSP/lineage is a must for me, same as Oreo.
Just gonna buy OP5 to replace my Bacon. Maybe that jelly pentile so not exactly FHD, POS display won't be so bad...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These rants are about things that we would like to have on the device and are inevitable, like the fact that we knew that there was no headphone jack and that the CDLA headphones are not perfect on custom software, we knew it and still took the chance, not the phone or dev's fault.
Other than that, the phone is amazing, you should give it a go, I don't think you can get too much money out of it, this is the wrong phone to re-sell for higher.
Also, you have a very specific example from other people in this thread, which is, you might like stock software which gives you the best battery life for the device.
Jose-MXL said:
These rants are about things that we would like to have on the device and are inevitable, like the fact that we knew that there was no headphone jack and that the CDLA headphones are not perfect on custom software, we knew it and still took the chance, not the phone or dev's fault.
Other than that, the phone is amazing, you should give it a go, I don't think you can get too much money out of it, this is the wrong phone to re-sell for higher.
Also, you have a very specific example from other people in this thread, which is, you might like stock software which gives you the best battery life for the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I pretty OK with using adapter, no problem with me. I ordered it from China so when it gets to Europe it is worth more. I certainly would not lose money on it.
The only things that worry me are uncertain future of Oreo on this device and overall stability. I currently manage over 4 hours SOT with my OnePlus One.... Why this thing with 4070 Mah (thousand f-ing more) does 4.5 H or slightly more ? With newer SoC, screen etc. Stock software is a no-go for me. Android 6.0 is a no-go for me. So I rely on custom ROMs and dev support. At least dev support here is great!
Coming from Nexus and Nexus 5x, I was used to having so many roms and kernels. Getting LP3 was a big big jump and I did not like it in early days when no roms were available.
Now with more than enough roms and solid kernels, I do not miss anything. Omni Rom gives me 9 hrs of screen on time for my usage. It does not feel/act different than roms I used before.
The only problem was the camera performance. But with Google Camera port, that is no longer a problem now.
Hey there
A bit late to the party here. I am looking to get a A3 to replace my current phone. I have a POCO M2 PRO as my current phone, however i am VERY dissatisfied with it. Look into the A3 cuz its the only small phone i was able to find. Lemma know if this is a good idea. Oh and if you know about any small/compact/comfortable phone that doesn't break the bank, let me know in the comments.
peace✌
If you are going to flash a rom on it right away then go ahead, using this phone stock is like alpha testing.
Berserker_boi said:
Hey there
A bit late to the party here. I am looking to get a A3 to replace my current phone. I have a POCO M2 PRO as my current phone, however i am VERY dissatisfied with it. Look into the A3 cuz its the only small phone i was able to find. Lemma know if this is a good idea. Oh and if you know about any small/compact/comfortable phone that doesn't break the bank, let me know in the comments.
peace✌
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also bought this phone in 2021 based on the very same reasons as yours. This is the only phone I could find with decent dev support (easy to unlock, root, custom roms to choose etc.), size (I was using an Xperia X Compact, so size is still an issue for me but there wasn't any smaller with comparable features.) and specs. I unlocked and flashed los with microg even before putting my sim card. (And the sad story is this is the second one I bought bucause I lost the first one second day )
Using stock since fall 2019, works great until today, would buy again.
Go with another one.
In my experience, a11 stock is very good. 2 days without full charge and 8-9 hours of SOT. Smooth and fast. The secret is optmize the app configuration. Remove useless app. But first... Don't use official Facebook app. Obviously it's my opinion and my experience. But i'm quite sure that the user with bad experience. Are user with bad use of your device. And my phone stats can confirm what i say
Berserker_boi said:
Hey there
A bit late to the party here. I am looking to get a A3 to replace my current phone. I have a POCO M2 PRO as my current phone, however i am VERY dissatisfied with it. Look into the A3 cuz its the only small phone i was able to find. Lemma know if this is a good idea. Oh and if you know about any small/compact/comfortable phone that doesn't break the bank, let me know in the comments.
peace✌
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, if I had to change my Mi A3 now, I'd go with a Motorola Moto G 5G Plus, which has more or less the same A3 stuff, with a better display, 5g, better battery but it's also slightly bigger and heavier.
The only thing I don't know is about the software, on the xda page there are very few threads and nobody's talking about major problems with software, I might give it a try if I get sick with Xiaomeme software updates
Phil_gloves said:
In my opinion, if I had to change my Mi A3 now, I'd go with a Motorola Moto G 5G Plus, which has more or less the same A3 stuff, with a better display, 5g, better battery but it's also slightly bigger and heavier.
The only thing I don't know is about the software, on the xda page there are very few threads and nobody's talking about major problems with software, I might give it a try if I get sick with Xiaomeme software updates
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That motorola has an IPS screen with SD765, so not really comparable
But I think this 720p AMOLED screen is crappy (EVEN if it makes this phone faster), but you cannot find a decent 1080p at the smallish 70-72mm width that's not costing an arm and a leg (Sony Xperia 5).
Wait 7 days for the new Poco.
I think that mi a3 is one of the best mid range phone... So i will change it... Only for an high range phone... Probably a pixel... Or a top xiaomi... Also oppo seems very good phones...
wetito said:
In my experience, a11 stock is very good. 2 days without full charge and 8-9 hours of SOT. Smooth and fast. The secret is optmize the app configuration. Remove useless app. But first... Don't use official Facebook app. Obviously it's my opinion and my experience. But i'm quite sure that the user with bad experience. Are user with bad use of your device. And my phone stats can confirm what i say
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Click to collapse
How were you able to get good battery life on stock Android 11? Please help me. The battery life sucks on Android 11 on this phone.
Sometimes the ota updates are not successful. So an hard reset can solve much problems. I don't use fingerprint and always on display because drain a lot of battery... I have disabled much of Google apps that are not indispensable for my use... I have limited the background use for some apps... With this optimization i'm very satisfied. But are specific s for my use (social+music streaming... And sometimes YouTube vanced). I hope my post can help you (i'm italian so my English is not perfect)
Best buy of the week! I'm seriusly considering to sell my mia3 at this prince to buy it! Is's an old model... But not the hardware
I'm contemplating purchasing the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact in 2023, but I have some concerns about its outdated Android 9 OS and the inability to install custom ROMs on the DOCOMO SO-02K VARIANT due to the locked bootloader. I would greatly appreciate your insights and advice on whether this device is still worth considering. Here are a few factors I'm considering:
Performance: Despite being released a few years ago, the Xperia XZ1 Compact boasts a powerful Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB of RAM. Can it still handle everyday tasks smoothly, or does it struggle with more demanding apps and games?
Software Support: Android 9 seems outdated, especially with newer versions available. Is it still receiving security updates, and is there any indication of an official update to a more recent Android version? Additionally, are there any reliable custom ROMs that can breathe new life into this device, despite the locked bootloader?
Camera Quality: The Xperia XZ1 Compact's 19 MP rear camera was highly praised at its release. However, with the rapid advancements in smartphone photography, does it still hold up? Are there any notable limitations or issues I should be aware of?
Battery Life: How does the battery hold up in 2023? Does it still provide a decent day of usage, or does it drain quickly?
Alternative Options: Considering the limitations of the Xperia XZ1 Compact, are there any other compact-sized smartphones with better software support and customization options that you would recommend?
I understand that technology moves quickly, and the Xperia XZ1 Compact may not be the latest and greatest. However, I'm particularly drawn to its compact size, robust build, and Sony's reputation for durability. I value the opinions and experiences of the XDA community, so any insights you can provide would be immensely helpful.
Thanks in advance for your input, and I look forward to your responses!
Best regards.
Hi and welcome! That's a lot of questions - and a lot of very subjective information. I'll try my best to answer where I can. For context, I still use mine as my daily driver.
Performance: That all depends on what you want to do. Can it handle the most demanding modern games? Probably not, but what do you really want to play? It's a compact phone that's 5 years old. It wasn't the strongest for games at the time. Can it run most apps just fine? Yes. I've not run into much that have a problem, but I'm also not doing anything too intense, and I know that. Of course, phone processors have largely been commoditized by now, despite what manufacturers would like you to believe.
Battery: Again, it's all about what you do with it. What are you running? It of course won't last the whole day playing video with the screen on full brightness. But no phone will. Battery is more tied to screen size than anything else. Your particular mileage may vary depending on whether your device is used, and how well the previous owner treated it in terms of charge cycles and limiting. Mine easily lasts a day, but I don't tend to use it super heavily. Draining quickly is usually a sign of greedy apps or a busted battery.
Camera: I don't personally have strong opinions on cameras, so can't really comment on whether you like the quality - people have very different requirements. It's perfectly adequate for my needs. Will it be as good as modern phone cameras? Certainly not. Most modern phones have multiple sensors with different kinds of lenses - which drastically changes what's possible. Do you care about that? Only you can answer.
Stock Software. I can say with 99.999% certainty that Sony is never going to release an official update. Don't hold your breath. It's 5 years old, and very outdated. I don't believe there are any more security updates, and again do not expect any.
Custom Software: Let's be 100% clear. There's a locked bootloader, that you have the ability to unlock - but not re-lock. If you don't unlock it, you cannot install a custom rom. Full stop. That's the case for every phone. If you unlock it ... then you can do whatever you want. There are many custom roms available (check out that subforum here), including to the most recent version of Android 13 (via Lineage OS 20). But you'll have to do a little bit of work. If you do unlock it, I recommend doing the pre-work to back up your TA partition, since it will help a little with the camera should you decide to go back to stock.
Alternatives: Again, lots of opinion here. What do you define as "compact"? I'd argue that there are no comparable modern phones that are anywhere near this size, other than the iPhone mini ... and I don't like Apple/iOS. Maybe you don't mind that. Maybe you're willing to go up an inch in screen size, and that's still small enough for you. It also depends on what other features you need/want - like a SD card slot, headphone jack, 5G, etc. To me, there's nothing better, which is why I still use my XZ1c. I know other people that swear by some of the Pixels, Zenphones, or even a few of the smaller Samsung phones.
Finally, you mention the DOCOMO SO-02K version. I don't know where you live, but it runs different firmware (Japanese) and a different set of apps. I think the OS version is even older, and has fewer updates. It's missing NFC (and I think some other sensor), and some of the wireless bands. And as you say cannot be unlocked - though I vaguely recall a post of someone saying they were able to.
Unless you know what you're doing, I would not advise getting that version. The standard G8441 version is a better and more flexible buy unless you live in Japan (and are OK with the lock) or know what you're doing. If you're serious about the phone, it's worth paying a little extra to be sure about what you're getting.
I hope that helps! And remember that this is all just the opinion of one member, but I've at least tired to be as impartial as I can.
tonsofquestions said:
Hi and welcome! That's a lot of questions - and a lot of very subjective information. I'll try my best to answer where I can. For context, I still use mine as my daily driver.
Performance: That all depends on what you want to do. Can it handle the most demanding modern games? Probably not, but what do you really want to play? It's a compact phone that's 5 years old. It wasn't the strongest for games at the time. Can it run most apps just fine? Yes. I've not run into much that have a problem, but I'm also not doing anything too intense, and I know that. Of course, phone processors have largely been commoditized by now, despite what manufacturers would like you to believe.
Battery: Again, it's all about what you do with it. What are you running? It of course won't last the whole day playing video with the screen on full brightness. But no phone will. Battery is more tied to screen size than anything else. Your particular mileage may vary depending on whether your device is used, and how well the previous owner treated it in terms of charge cycles and limiting. Mine easily lasts a day, but I don't tend to use it super heavily. Draining quickly is usually a sign of greedy apps or a busted battery.
Camera: I don't personally have strong opinions on cameras, so can't really comment on whether you like the quality - people have very different requirements. It's perfectly adequate for my needs. Will it be as good as modern phone cameras? Certainly not. Most modern phones have multiple sensors with different kinds of lenses - which drastically changes what's possible. Do you care about that? Only you can answer.
Stock Software. I can say with 99.999% certainty that Sony is never going to release an official update. Don't hold your breath. It's 5 years old, and very outdated. I don't believe there are any more security updates, and again do not expect any.
Custom Software: Let's be 100% clear. There's a locked bootloader, that you have the ability to unlock - but not re-lock. If you don't unlock it, you cannot install a custom rom. Full stop. That's the case for every phone. If you unlock it ... then you can do whatever you want. There are many custom roms available (check out that subforum here), including to the most recent version of Android 13 (via Lineage OS 20). But you'll have to do a little bit of work. If you do unlock it, I recommend doing the pre-work to back up your TA partition, since it will help a little with the camera should you decide to go back to stock.
Alternatives: Again, lots of opinion here. What do you define as "compact"? I'd argue that there are no comparable modern phones that are anywhere near this size, other than the iPhone mini ... and I don't like Apple/iOS. Maybe you don't mind that. Maybe you're willing to go up an inch in screen size, and that's still small enough for you. It also depends on what other features you need/want - like a SD card slot, headphone jack, 5G, etc. To me, there's nothing better, which is why I still use my XZ1c. I know other people that swear by some of the Pixels, Zenphones, or even a few of the smaller Samsung phones.
Finally, you mention the DOCOMO SO-02K version. I don't know where you live, but it runs different firmware (Japanese) and a different set of apps. I think the OS version is even older, and has fewer updates. It's missing NFC (and I think some other sensor), and some of the wireless bands. And as you say cannot be unlocked - though I vaguely recall a post of someone saying they were able to.
Unless you know what you're doing, I would not advise getting that version. The standard G8441 version is a better and more flexible buy unless you live in Japan (and are OK with the lock) or know what you're doing. If you're serious about the phone, it's worth paying a little extra to be sure about what you're getting.
I hope that helps! And remember that this is all just the opinion of one member, but I've at least tired to be as impartial as I can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am in India and only the Japanese Docomo version is available here, the XZ1 Compact was never officially launched here but now many refurbished phone sellers are selling the Japanese imported variant.
As I said, the answer is different based on where you are and what's available.
I don't know the quality of the refurbishers there, which means (in particular) the battery life of the phones is less certain.
I'm sure it's possible to order from places online, but I can't tell you the difference in price, or whether that's worth the extra expense to you.
The Docomo version has slightly different hardware and cell bands. I don't know if you care about the NFC chip, and you're on your own to figure out if it will work with your local service providers.
A quick search on XDA shows that it's possible to still unlock the SO-02k model:
Can XZ1 Compact SO-02K run Custom ROMs?
I have successfully unlocked the bootloader for my SO-02K. Can I flash Lineage OS on it or are those only meant for G8441? Are there Custom ROMs for SO-02K? Thank you in advance.
forum.xda-developers.com
Xz1 compact Docomo unlock status
I have an xz1 compact Docomo. The bootloader status is No. however I can use my operator's sim. Is there any way to change bootloader status to YES? Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
forum.xda-developers.com
Guide to "using" Docomo XZ1C?
I have a Japanese/SO-02K XZ1C, What is the process to get TWRP/custom ROM/root onto here? Is it worthwhile? (I understand it will lose NFC, will the battery still be usable?) Or should I just use ADB to debloat the phone and be content with...
forum.xda-developers.com
But you will have to pay extra in order to do it - probably around 2000 INR (give or take). Is that worth it over another phone? Again, I cannot make that decision for you. Only you can decide how "compact" is compact enough for you.
And this thread about battery drain might be worth keeping in mind in case you run into it:
[SOLVED] Battery drain on custom ROMs running on SO-02K(Japanese docomo model)
I'm using Xperia XZ1 Compact SO-02K (Japanese docomo model) unlocked bootloader via qUnlockTool. I installed some custom ROMs like LineageOS 18.1, Havoc OS 4.8, 3.11. Any ROMs doesn't go to deep sleep so the battery drain is so bad. I installed...
forum.xda-developers.com
tonsofquestions said:
As I said, the answer is different based on where you are and what's available.
I don't know the quality of the refurbishers there, which means (in particular) the battery life of the phones is less certain.
I'm sure it's possible to order from places online, but I can't tell you the difference in price, or whether that's worth the extra expense to you.
The Docomo version has slightly different hardware and cell bands. I don't know if you care about the NFC chip, and you're on your own to figure out if it will work with your local service providers.
A quick search on XDA shows that it's possible to still unlock the SO-02k model:
Can XZ1 Compact SO-02K run Custom ROMs?
I have successfully unlocked the bootloader for my SO-02K. Can I flash Lineage OS on it or are those only meant for G8441? Are there Custom ROMs for SO-02K? Thank you in advance.
forum.xda-developers.com
Xz1 compact Docomo unlock status
I have an xz1 compact Docomo. The bootloader status is No. however I can use my operator's sim. Is there any way to change bootloader status to YES? Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
forum.xda-developers.com
Guide to "using" Docomo XZ1C?
I have a Japanese/SO-02K XZ1C, What is the process to get TWRP/custom ROM/root onto here? Is it worthwhile? (I understand it will lose NFC, will the battery still be usable?) Or should I just use ADB to debloat the phone and be content with...
forum.xda-developers.com
But you will have to pay extra in order to do it - probably around 2000 INR (give or take). Is that worth it over another phone? Again, I cannot make that decision for you. Only you can decide how "compact" is compact enough for you.
And this thread about battery drain might be worth keeping in mind in case you run into it:
[SOLVED] Battery drain on custom ROMs running on SO-02K(Japanese docomo model)
I'm using Xperia XZ1 Compact SO-02K (Japanese docomo model) unlocked bootloader via qUnlockTool. I installed some custom ROMs like LineageOS 18.1, Havoc OS 4.8, 3.11. Any ROMs doesn't go to deep sleep so the battery drain is so bad. I installed...
forum.xda-developers.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I don't think it's worth spending an extra 2000 rupees just to unlock the bootloader of a now 6-year-old phone, to be honest. I believe it would be better for me to get a phone like the Redmi Note 9, which is 3 years old, to use as a secondary device. It's easier to unlock the bootloader and install custom ROMs on it, which was my initial motive that led me to consider the XZ1C. Of course, I won't have the small form factor or the premium metallic build of the XZ1C, but it seems like there's simply no other alternative in this price range.
It's possible I did the currency conversion wrong. I don't know how much the phone would cost refurbished - I would have guessed somewhere around 10,000 rupees, if not more.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding the price range for you.
How important is the compact to you? I would happily pay a 10-15% premium for that if it were an option.
But price might be more important factor for you than size, and there's no shame in that.
Or you could try the Stock version and re-sell it if you don't like it. I know it has a bunch of bloatware you can disable via ADB, but I'm not sure if the camera software is as good as the Sony one - which also impacts part of your question.
As I said in my first post, there just simply any other alternatives at this size anymore, and you're going to have to compromise somewhere. You either have to go Apple - and iOS, the XZ1c - with it's older hardware and potentially higher price, or a different Android phone - and compromise on the size. Only you can decide which option is the right one for you.
tonsofquestions said:
It's possible I did the currency conversion wrong. I don't know how much the phone would cost refurbished - I would have guessed somewhere around 10,000 rupees, if not more.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding the price range for you.
How important is the compact to you? I would happily pay a 10-15% premium for that if it were an option.
But price might be more important factor for you than size, and there's no shame in that.
Or you could try the Stock version and re-sell it if you don't like it. I know it has a bunch of bloatware you can disable via ADB, but I'm not sure if the camera software is as good as the Sony one - which also impacts part of your question.
As I said in my first post, there just simply any other alternatives at this size anymore, and you're going to have to compromise somewhere. You either have to go Apple - and iOS, the XZ1c - with it's older hardware and potentially higher price, or a different Android phone - and compromise on the size. Only you can decide which option is the right one for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't afford to spend more than 8000 rupees; yeah, you guessed it right. For me, price is greater than size in this context. The XZ1C Docomo variant is going for 6000-7900 here right now.
Well, at 6000, plus an unlock for 2000, you're just inside your budget. But I realize that's pushing it.
But you should do some looking around and price-checking yourself. I only followed the first link in one of the threads. There might be cheaper options, and you could see if they'd give a discount to you in another country, or for a significantly older phone. It never hurts to ask.
Or maybe you can find a refurbished one that's already unlocked - though that's probably not too likely.
If it's just a secondary device, then perhaps the compact-ness is less crucial to you. But the Redmi Note 9 is a good cm wider, not to mention a lot taller and more than 25% heavier. But I have heard good things.
I suspect once they're unlocked, they're equally easy to install custom ROMs on.