Related
I am going to change my Nexus 5X this month and I was wondering what it the best option for me; my main interest is the camera; Pixel 2 shows an amazing camera, S8 too, and it include manual controls from scratch (thats a plus).
By the other hand the S8 has more Ram, SD slot and a very interesting display, plus, in my country the S8 is cheaper than the Pixel 2 (5" 64gb)
The Pixel 2 has a classic 16:9 display, more bezel, that is not a problem for me, but Im not fan of the black navbar in amoled (oled in this case) displays, the S8 has a white navbar and I guess that it helps to avoid burn in; Im sure that the Pixel 2 will be super fast and I love the stock android experience (I have been using Nexus since Galaxy Nexus, so, stock Android is basically the UI that I love haha))
This is a hard choise for me, I could go for more "flexible" and maybe interesting technology (S8) or I could go for an amazing user experience in a really nice design with and amazing camera and more simple options.
Whats your opinion? Pixel 2 XL should be perfect but it is way more expensive here and for that money I could just go for the S8 plus.
For me:
S8: *more atractive display design
*white navbar that helps prevent burn in
*more ram
*Sd slot
*really nice design, compact and accessories easy to find everywhere
*manual camera built in
Pixel 2: *amazing camera
*stock UI
*(maybe) faster in terms of usage
cons: - less screen-to-body ratio than my actual 5X
- no SD
- no manual controls
- black navbar
- no wider display
- less ram (and more expensive device)
Get S8! Vendors will give you almost all the features of stock android plus additional features that only they can provide. Pixel2 camera must be good, but S8 camera is not less than any other smartphone camera. Water resistance, infinity display, iris scanner, headphone jack and wireless charging are some of the features that you won't get in pixel2.
RAM is 4GB for both
iris scanner, and all that stuff it is cool to show off but after a week all go back to finger print
manual controls only drain battery
SD card is cool, can't argue with it
UPDATES - pixel will get updates for a couple of years, s8 will get updates until s9 is released
pixel is not that good looking but if you are happy with a nexus 5x I don't see a reason why you can't get used to pixel 2
Thank you guys and thanks for clarify the ram info.
Yes, both phones are amazing, Pixel 2 doesnt have a really long life (I know it cuz Im a Nexus user since 2013); a plus for the S8 is that in my country it costs 100 less than the Pixel 2 (5")
Manual camera is a feature that I really like (I have the upside down problem with the N5X with third party camera apps haha, kinda annoying and long exposure almost always fails and force close the app)
I love my Nexus 5X but I had a problem with it and the guarranty gave me back a 16Gb version WHEN I bought the 32gb version, and well, sometimes when I take pictures in HDR the camera doesnt respond that fast and sometimes HDR pictures doesnt save (Im sure that is due to ram memory) Im absolutly sure that with S8 or Pixel 2 the camera will always works like a charm; but anyways is a hard decition, I have a few day to decide, maybe i could check some reviews of the Pixel 2 first before decide, I tried the S8 and I had a really nice experience, but I want to know how it will works with a lot of apps, my N5X work flawless all time, the little problem with the camera is not always, just sometimes when I use ZSL HDR.
I'm all for a vanilla experience. When I used HTC and Samsung's phones before I would install close to stock ROMs all the time. However, if you can get the S8 for same or less than the Pixel 2 then yeah it's a better deal. Personally, I went with the Pixel 2 XL.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
for the beginning you will love the s8 and the Samsung features but it does not take long time and you will miss the pure Android and the possibilities of developers. after a few months, you do not feel like the hundreds of Samsung apps that monitor everything and run in the background.
you can install pure Android on the s8 too
but for that you do not need the s8.
for me would be the pixel 2 the favorite phone [emoji6]
In my book, the S8 beats Pixel 2 because for one, the S8 proves that you can have have an incredibly thin, light, bezel-free, waterproof phone with a headphone jack. S8 proves that the arguments presented by Apple and Pixel apologists are false. You can have it all, and a headphone jack. On the other hand, I am not a fan of S8's screen because its curves on the edges. So we have a phone that has a high native resolution resulting in such dpi that the human eye won't discern against either QHD or FHD, and yet we have to put up with the incredibly bad and clearly visible distortion at the edges of the screen? Where is the logic?
So I'd personally get myself a Oneplus 5 or the original Pixel, specially if Google offers good deals on it, now that they need to clear the space for Pixel 2.
Im still waiting for a full review of the Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL and a real usage camera review.
Right now I would like to buy the Pixel 2, but seems that the S8 is a better option and at least in my country, way cheaper
I would definitely choose pixel 2. I love the google experience!
I've got both at the moment. But one has to go.
So I'm a bit torn between which is the better option, what do you guys think?
On the one hand, the Pixel:
- No LED
- No Wifi calling (certainly not for Three UK)
- 'Pixel' navigation (I'm just not used to it, I know traditional can be re-enabled via ADB - but can you just use a new launcher?)
- No facial recognition (This feature is particularly good on the Mate 20 Pro)
- Smaller battery
- Single camera (but I'm not sure this is an issue)
- No Pro camera options
- Bigger notch than the Mate 20 pro
However:
- Clean Android
- gets quickest updates
- No stupid background killing processes - this in particular is annoying and takes some configuration to get things working right on the Mate 20 Pro
- Excellent night camera
- Good fingerprint sensor. It's crap on the Mate 20 Pro.
- It doesn't have the curved edges like the Mate 20 Pro - but I'm not sure I even like them.
SD845 vs Kirin 980.
Anything else I'm missing? Any thoughts or opinions?
white43 said:
I've got both at the moment. But one has to go.
So I'm a bit torn between which is the better option, what do you guys think?
On the one hand, the Pixel:
- No LED
- No Wifi calling (certainly not for Three UK)
- 'Pixel' navigation (I'm just not used to it, I know traditional can be re-enabled via ADB - but can you just use a new launcher?)
- No facial recognition (This feature is particularly good on the Mate 20 Pro)
- Smaller battery
- Single camera (but I'm not sure this is an issue)
- No Pro camera options
- Bigger notch than the Mate 20 pro
However:
- Clean Android
- gets quickest updates
- No stupid background killing processes - this in particular is annoying and takes some configuration to get things working right on the Mate 20 Pro
- Excellent night camera
- Good fingerprint sensor. It's crap on the Mate 20 Pro.
- It doesn't have the curved edges like the Mate 20 Pro - but I'm not sure I even like them.
SD845 vs Kirin 980.
Anything else I'm missing? Any thoughts or opinions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi mate, i had both as well, and i tell the true, pixel 3 xl is the best smartphone, notch no is a problem, you can hide it, best camera front and rear, except in the zoom, flat screen, best audio speakers than mate 20 pro..
yeah, mate 20pro have bigger battery but no is a problem for me, i dont like the pics of the mate 20pro, dont like the make up in the procesing, speakers are nasty.....so the pixel is the winner in my opinion...sorry my english
I had both myself and chose the Pixel 3 XL.
My reasons were I had 2 replacements for the mate 20 pro as units had the green tint issue. EMUI was very buggy for me and I can't stand firms releasing updates so slowly! Finally the speakers were very poor.
The pixel however you get updates every month without fail, if there's an issue you know Google will fix it eventually.
Secondly the camera is just something else, as far as point and shoot goes nothing comes close.
I get a whole working day on my phone with heavy use so battery isn't an issue.
Minor things I picked up on were the AOD for the Huawei is nowhere near as good, it doesn't show any 3rd party app notifications. Also you can't double swipe on notifications on the lockscreen.
On the pixel however, software is clean and fluid and I'm yet to have any slowdown.
People always praise Apple for their simple and fluid experience, the pixel lineup is the iPhone of the android world!
Anyone like me coming from having OnePlus phones for a while missing it? Seriously think I might switch back to OnePlus when the new phone launches in a couple weeks. Anyone else miss having the alert slider, a better gaming mode where notifications aren't all up in your business and off screen gestures?
Only thing I miss from my 7 pro was the fingerprint sensor.
I'm getting the muscle memory down with the s20+ now though. I really like my s20+
I miss the well thought-out, light and fast at everything nature of OOS no matter what all other phones I use.
jasons1004 said:
Only thing I miss from my 7 pro was the fingerprint sensor.
I'm getting the muscle memory down with the s20+ now though. I really like my s20+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i don't miss anything
I loved my OnePlus 6t, I might of stuck with them..but the minute I saw the curved screen rubbish I was out. Granted the S20+ has a slight curve but nothing drastic.
Loved oos..it's the slickest and most fluid operating system out there beyond pure android. Battery was great. Fingerprint and facial recognition much better but..the camera was just "ok"..
To be fair if I wasn't on Nightshift bored off my face getting all exciteable I may well still have my 6t
Edit- yes the alert slider..very handy
Not missing my 7T Pro McLaren. Especially because of that crazy curved display that was so annoying. Software is quick and snappy but overall Samsung's package is just more refined and polished. Plus, Micro SD support is king, IMO. I have a ton of music and other files I rather keep locally than rely on the cloud. But that's just me.
Last year I jumped around several OP phones. I like them and the alert slider is nice but I never had a real need to regularly change my alert settings enough to need a dedicated switch. Having wireless charging back is also welcomed. I like just dropping my phone on my charging pad so quickly when I'm not using my phone. Always staying charged.
I do think OP phones are a great backup device option, though. I may pick up a 7T again to keep as my secondary.
The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are on display at many Best Buy stores. My initial impression of the 6 Pro was it looks just like the Galaxy S21 Ultra from the front, and the build feels very premium. The "Stormy Black" is only black around the frame and a rather dull gray on the back, however a case will be covering it up for most people anyways. The Cloudy White or Sorta Sunny are more striking for those who don't use a case. The phone is very fast and smooth with a completely clean software experience. The screens on both models was adequately bright but max brightness appears noticeably dimmer than the S21 UItra. Camera quality was outstanding but it was hard to do any comparison. The smaller Pixel 6 is not as premium feeling, it looks just like the Galaxy S20 FE, and the screen is not as vibrant. The Pro is definitely the winner and should satisfy those who want a "Samsung running stock Android".
Android 12 feels a bit incomplete. As of the pre-release software in store, there was no way to customize the Always on Display style, the color picking from the wallpaper was very limited, and there are no icon or font customizations. In many ways, it feels like Google is going the route of Apple by taking away any customizations that drastically alter the look and feel of the phone. I'm hopeful that the bootloader is unlockable so that we can tweak things a bit more. I'm looking forward to getting this phone.
The smaller 6 looks better than the Pro to me. The real difference is screen curve vs flat. Even the QHD is barely noticeable in real life. I wish the Pro had that flat screen.
Guyinlaca said:
max brightness appears noticeably dimmer than the S21 UItra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing this impression. Was it the 6 or the 6 Pro that were dimmer than the S21 Ultra?
Did you manually adjust the brightness slider all the way to max on the Pixel & Samsung?
CZ Eddie said:
Thanks for sharing this impression. Was it the 6 or the 6 Pro that were dimmer than the S21 Ultra?
Did you manually adjust the brightness slider all the way to max on the Pixel & Samsung?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They stated the 6 pro, which goes along with what another thread was talking about, not going higher than 800nits. I don't think the person is mentally challenged, I'm sure they checked the sliders.
Pretty much every YouTube pixel 6 pro comparison, they said it is on pair with the s21 and the iPhone 13 max. I can vouch for them because I have seen it in person. I couldn't tell the difference
hello00 said:
Pretty much every YouTube pixel 6 pro comparison, they said it is on pair with the s21 and the iPhone 13 max. I can vouch for them because I have seen it in person. I couldn't tell the difference
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The brightness?
Batfink33 said:
The brightness?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct.
hello00 said:
Correct.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Coming from an s21U who's display and brightness is stunning, I'm hoping the P6P can match it.
I too had an experience of holding the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 at my local BB. For whatever reason, the device will keep resetting whenever I tried to swipe up to go to the home screen. It happened on both Pixel 6s phone. May be it's a Google thing . Anyway, I liked the startup animation. I liked the Pro version better than the regular Pixel 6. Here's the Pixel 6 Pro/Pixel 6 startup animation video that I captured on my aging Pixel 3
2 new items by Kripa Singh
photos.app.goo.gl
I went to a local O2 store in the UK earlier, to get a 5G ready SIM for when my Pixel 6 Pro arrives.
They had a Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro on display. I didn't get a good look as the store was empty and was attended as soon as I walked in.
Yes, all the phones were set at Max brightness. The S21 Ultra was definitely brighter, though the Pixel 6 Pro was still more than adequate for the bright store lighting. The display saturation on the 6 Pro is great, and very similar to the S21 Ultra. The regular 6 screen had a more muted tone to it but seemed about as bright as the pro.
krips2003 said:
I too had an experience of holding the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 at my local BB. For whatever reason, the device will keep resetting whenever I tried to swipe up to go to the home screen. It happened on both Pixel 6s phone. May be it's a Google thing . Anyway, I liked the startup animation. I liked the Pro version better than the regular Pixel 6. Here's the Pixel 6 Pro/Pixel 6 startup animation video that I captured on my aging Pixel 3
2 new items by Kripa Singh
photos.app.goo.gl
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! Very colorful and acid-induced.
Went and saw one myself yesterday at BB. Made me more excited for the phone. I'm most excited about the bigger size. My hands/thumbs are big and I have a hard time messaging. Anyway, the screen was gorgeous. You can definitely tell the difference between its fluidity and my pixel 4xl. No lag, no stutter, which I experience often on my 4xl. I didn't get but maybe two or three minutes with it though. I'm definitely happy with my purchase. It'll be a big upgrade from my 4xl.
krips2003 said:
I too had an experience of holding the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 at my local BB. For whatever reason, the device will keep resetting whenever I tried to swipe up to go to the home screen. It happened on both Pixel 6s phone. May be it's a Google thing . Anyway, I liked the startup animation. I liked the Pro version better than the regular Pixel 6. Here's the Pixel 6 Pro/Pixel 6 startup animation video that I captured on my aging Pixel 3
2 new items by Kripa Singh
photos.app.goo.gl
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Holy crap, that nausea inducing animation will be the FIRST thing I delete. Hopefully that boot time is a function of the "alarm" thing jammed into the USB port and is not indicative of reality, otherwise it looks insanely slow. Boot animation on most phones runs for about 5-10 seconds.
roirraW "edor" ehT said:
Thanks! Very colorful and acid-induced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My devices always perform better on LSD!
96carboard said:
Holy crap, that nausea inducing animation will be the FIRST thing I delete. Hopefully that boot time is a function of the "alarm" thing jammed into the USB port and is not indicative of reality, otherwise it looks insanely slow. Boot animation on most phones runs for about 5-10 seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully that is just something 'special' they put on display devices lol
krips2003 said:
I too had an experience of holding the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6 at my local BB. For whatever reason, the device will keep resetting whenever I tried to swipe up to go to the home screen. It happened on both Pixel 6s phone. May be it's a Google thing . Anyway, I liked the startup animation. I liked the Pro version better than the regular Pixel 6. Here's the Pixel 6 Pro/Pixel 6 startup animation video that I captured on my aging Pixel 3
2 new items by Kripa Singh
photos.app.goo.gl
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The resetting was probably because the devices were running on store demo. It cycles through some images/videos .. you have to close the demo to use the phone normally.
Also, that animation looks like its from the demo too..
Also, seeing reports of heat from the demos, which I also noticed. However being at 100% brightness and charging, I can't fault them for running warm after 15 minutes.
Can someone reply what is the front camera quality on 6pro?is it blurs the face like the pixel 5?
How's the volume, always struggling to hear my pixel 5 around noise.
Seems like the Vivo X Fold is going to give Samsung competition for the Fold 4.
If I thought I could get the Vivo X Fold to work on my US Carrier - I would give it a shot. Perhaps by the time the Fold 4 is introduced, it might be available in the US and that might push me towards it.
Anyone else here considering getting a Vivo X Fold?
Isn't the Vivo X Fold a re-branded Oppo Find N?
More curious about the Google Fold.
Flame Red said:
Seems like the Vivo X Fold is going to give Samsung competition for the Fold 4.
If I thought I could get the Vivo X Fold to work on my US Carrier - I would give it a shot. Perhaps by the time the Fold 4 is introduced, it might be available in the US and that might push me towards it.
Anyone else here considering getting a Vivo X Fold?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am looking to sell my fold 3 for the vivo x fold. It's really my ideal hardware. The fold 4 isn't going to really drastically change that much. I really don't want a thinner device I want a more usable front display. right now, that's not happening for the Fold 4. I doubt it'll be the ideal for the fold 5 either.
Having said that I am buying it very VERY soon. Also the Vivo X fold works on every US carrier 5g.
Every. Single. One
I would try the Google fold over the Vivo. I doubt VZW would support Vivo phones.
I'm not sure if any software is gonna be as mature as Samsung's. Add to that the pen support is essential to me so probably no. I'm sticking to the Samsung folds for the time being
Nope. The hopefully Pixel Fold interests me more. I also really like the Oppo Find N
Flame Red said:
Seems like the Vivo X Fold is going to give Samsung competition for the Fold 4.
If I thought I could get the Vivo X Fold to work on my US Carrier - I would give it a shot. Perhaps by the time the Fold 4 is introduced, it might be available in the US and that might push me towards it.
Anyone else here considering getting a Vivo X Fold?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got mine yesterday.... Bootloader cannot be unlocked, no root available, and no XDA forum for the device, despite request for forum submitted a while ago.... Other than that hardware including screens is amazing - way better than my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. Once forum is created, development starts and we get bootloader unlocked - this will be true king of foldables
Also, if you're like me and don't like white colored charging stands - this looks better and works better than original Vivo 50W wireless charger https://www.giztop.com/xiaomi-mi-100w-wireless-charging-stand.html
It charges the phone ridiculously fast
anyone who says no is kinda being disingenuous or is afraid of change. I have went from Samsung to Oneplus, to Huawei and the Now The VIVO X Fold. Its a great phone.... with one.... flaw that I'm working on removing....
For me no Spen support is a no-no. I had 3 Note devices (3,7/fe,10 lite) and can't go back for a device without some stylus support.
What are Vivo like for track record for software updates? One of the major draws for me for the Fold3 is the 3+ years of updates.
Got a ZFold3 ,and going for the ZFold4 , mainly because of the software/customization/root , SPen support and DEX
But also because of the IPX8, and the side mounted fingerprint ( which I like so much )
That vivo X Fold has a nice hardware, but for me is 70/30 software/hardware TBH
pvillasuso said:
Got a ZFold3 ,and going for the ZFold4 , mainly because of the software/customization/root , SPen support and DEX
But also because of the IPX8, and the side mounted fingerprint ( which I like so much )
That vivo X Fold has a nice hardware, but for me is 70/30 software/hardware TBH
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
youll probably be able to root the vivo x fold first, unless youre getting a Exynos (Lesser processor version) of the device.
So device is in hand (it got delivered early) and these are my initial impressions:
It's larger than the fold and that's evident on the cover screen. It actually feels like a phone rather than a cramped remote control
It feels premium and while people complain it is heavier than the fold 3 I can't feel it that much. The weight is better distributed when the device is closed. Definitely the fold 3 feels lighter when it is open
Materials are super premium. The vegan leather feels nice. But other parts of the device feel seamless as well. Definitely a premium device
Fingerprint sensor is so fast. Day and night compared to the Pixel 6 Pro - actually Google should be ashamed.
You can OEM Unlock the X Fold! I found the option and it is enabled. Now whether or not it is actually enabled is anyone's guess but seeing the option there (and by proxy developer options) is rather great.
Putting my sim in the device I received the error because I'm not in mainland china, 5g won't work. But I suspect strongly my 5g will work. Currently using UK sim (3).
Camera is actually rather good. There's tons of configuration I haven't gone through in totality. But the photos are much closer than you realize. Which is to say on the main sensor Samsung and Vivo are neck and neck. But in zoom and other categories, X Fold demolishes Samsung
Software. It's a lot to take in and absorb. Mainly the keyboard could use some work and the alternatives I haven't found a split keyboard so if anyone knows of one, provide a suggestion.
You can also make the same argument for launchers available. Vivo stock launcher works, but there's a lot of swiping where you expect one action and you get a completely different action. Again it is probably due to using a chinese rom
Similarly, there are some things that don't directly translate when language is set to english. It's an annoyance rather than a frustration but you get what you get. It's not a global rom
Google Now feed I do miss. Again it's the muscle memory I was referring to in point 1
Software is SMOOTH as butter. The fold isn't so smooth and that's an issue directly with Samsung based devices. Which is a shame.
Charging is fast. That is all. It's slightly above the 37 minute claim BUT it's very fast charging.
The crease you can't really see it versus the fold 3 you can see and feel the crease.
Dual SIM! I came from a US variant fold 3 which didn't have dual sim capabilities so seeing that in the x fold is a treat.
Silence rocker! I see you Vivo - great idea.
There's a lot of bloat on the device. There's really no way around it and it'll take time to remove the bloat. I haven't tested rooting the device (yet) but I probably will at some point
There's something really satisfying about the tactile feel of the device and the opening and closing of the device. It's spectacular.
Increasing the speed of animation in developer options are greyed out surprisingly. It is okay but such an odd choice especially since OEM unlocking isn't greyed out
Those are my immediate thoughts. My major annoyances are the lack of split keyboard from third party alternatives and at the moment a launcher. HOWEVER if the bootloader can be unlocked (and at least I see OEM unlock there...) we could have some very fascinating options with any luck
Edit
Googling yielded a ton of options. By default the font is rather big - decrease the font size and that's one huge pain point taken away. You can also have an app launcher too rather than the nano shortcuts that is on default.
Slowly getting through the os and finding it actually pleasing. There's some software concerns with third party apps but I would say this is SUPER EXCITING
domineus said:
So device is in hand (it got delivered early) and these are my initial impressions:
It's larger than the fold and that's evident on the cover screen. It actually feels like a phone rather than a cramped remote control
It feels premium and while people complain it is heavier than the fold 3 I can't feel it that much. The weight is better distributed when the device is closed. Definitely the fold 3 feels lighter when it is open
Materials are super premium. The vegan leather feels nice. But other parts of the device feel seamless as well. Definitely a premium device
Fingerprint sensor is so fast. Day and night compared to the Pixel 6 Pro - actually Google should be ashamed.
You can OEM Unlock the X Fold! I found the option and it is enabled. Now whether or not it is actually enabled is anyone's guess but seeing the option there (and by proxy developer options) is rather great.
Putting my sim in the device I received the error because I'm not in mainland china, 5g won't work. But I suspect strongly my 5g will work. Currently using UK sim (3).
Camera is actually rather good. There's tons of configuration I haven't gone through in totality. But the photos are much closer than you realize. Which is to say on the main sensor Samsung and Vivo are neck and neck. But in zoom and other categories, X Fold demolishes Samsung
Software. It's a lot to take in and absorb. Mainly the keyboard could use some work and the alternatives I haven't found a split keyboard so if anyone knows of one, provide a suggestion.
You can also make the same argument for launchers available. Vivo stock launcher works, but there's a lot of swiping where you expect one action and you get a completely different action. Again it is probably due to using a chinese rom
Similarly, there are some things that don't directly translate when language is set to english. It's an annoyance rather than a frustration but you get what you get. It's not a global rom
Google Now feed I do miss. Again it's the muscle memory I was referring to in point 1
Software is SMOOTH as butter. The fold isn't so smooth and that's an issue directly with Samsung based devices. Which is a shame.
Charging is fast. That is all. It's slightly above the 37 minute claim BUT it's very fast charging.
The crease you can't really see it versus the fold 3 you can see and feel the crease.
Dual SIM! I came from a US variant fold 3 which didn't have dual sim capabilities so seeing that in the x fold is a treat.
Silence rocker! I see you Vivo - great idea.
There's a lot of bloat on the device. There's really no way around it and it'll take time to remove the bloat. I haven't tested rooting the device (yet) but I probably will at some point
There's something really satisfying about the tactile feel of the device and the opening and closing of the device. It's spectacular.
Increasing the speed of animation in developer options are greyed out surprisingly. It is okay but such an odd choice especially since OEM unlocking isn't greyed out
Those are my immediate thoughts. My major annoyances are the lack of split keyboard from third party alternatives and at the moment a launcher. HOWEVER if the bootloader can be unlocked (and at least I see OEM unlock there...) we could have some very fascinating options with any luck
Edit
Googling yielded a ton of options. By default the font is rather big - decrease the font size and that's one huge pain point taken away. You can also have an app launcher too rather than the nano shortcuts that is on default.
Slowly getting through the os and finding it actually pleasing. There's some software concerns with third party apps but I would say this is SUPER EXCITING
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really insightful - thanks!
I saw videos on YouTube also showing "no crease". But, when I got my Fold3 the creases was hardly there as well. It tends to increase in size the more the device is used. I would be interested in to get update on this as your device ages.
But, thanks again for this.
domineus said:
So device is in hand (it got delivered early) and these are my initial impressions:
It's larger than the fold and that's evident on the cover screen. It actually feels like a phone rather than a cramped remote control
It feels premium and while people complain it is heavier than the fold 3 I can't feel it that much. The weight is better distributed when the device is closed. Definitely the fold 3 feels lighter when it is open
Materials are super premium. The vegan leather feels nice. But other parts of the device feel seamless as well. Definitely a premium device
Fingerprint sensor is so fast. Day and night compared to the Pixel 6 Pro - actually Google should be ashamed.
You can OEM Unlock the X Fold! I found the option and it is enabled. Now whether or not it is actually enabled is anyone's guess but seeing the option there (and by proxy developer options) is rather great.
Putting my sim in the device I received the error because I'm not in mainland china, 5g won't work. But I suspect strongly my 5g will work. Currently using UK sim (3).
Camera is actually rather good. There's tons of configuration I haven't gone through in totality. But the photos are much closer than you realize. Which is to say on the main sensor Samsung and Vivo are neck and neck. But in zoom and other categories, X Fold demolishes Samsung
Software. It's a lot to take in and absorb. Mainly the keyboard could use some work and the alternatives I haven't found a split keyboard so if anyone knows of one, provide a suggestion.
You can also make the same argument for launchers available. Vivo stock launcher works, but there's a lot of swiping where you expect one action and you get a completely different action. Again it is probably due to using a chinese rom
Similarly, there are some things that don't directly translate when language is set to english. It's an annoyance rather than a frustration but you get what you get. It's not a global rom
Google Now feed I do miss. Again it's the muscle memory I was referring to in point 1
Software is SMOOTH as butter. The fold isn't so smooth and that's an issue directly with Samsung based devices. Which is a shame.
Charging is fast. That is all. It's slightly above the 37 minute claim BUT it's very fast charging.
The crease you can't really see it versus the fold 3 you can see and feel the crease.
Dual SIM! I came from a US variant fold 3 which didn't have dual sim capabilities so seeing that in the x fold is a treat.
Silence rocker! I see you Vivo - great idea.
There's a lot of bloat on the device. There's really no way around it and it'll take time to remove the bloat. I haven't tested rooting the device (yet) but I probably will at some point
There's something really satisfying about the tactile feel of the device and the opening and closing of the device. It's spectacular.
Increasing the speed of animation in developer options are greyed out surprisingly. It is okay but such an odd choice especially since OEM unlocking isn't greyed out
Those are my immediate thoughts. My major annoyances are the lack of split keyboard from third party alternatives and at the moment a launcher. HOWEVER if the bootloader can be unlocked (and at least I see OEM unlock there...) we could have some very fascinating options with any luck
Edit
Googling yielded a ton of options. By default the font is rather big - decrease the font size and that's one huge pain point taken away. You can also have an app launcher too rather than the nano shortcuts that is on default.
Slowly getting through the os and finding it actually pleasing. There's some software concerns with third party apps but I would say this is SUPER EXCITING
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the Fold 3, I use SwiftKey and have it set to a split keyboard. I've been using SwiftKey for a super long time. Only thing is you can't have a different setup on the front screen, so it'll be split on the front, too. Not an issue for me since I don't really use the front screen except to respond to med reminders and start a new mode on my Apollo Neuro (anxiety device) and phone calls.
ButterflyFlutterflyMyOhMy said:
On the Fold 3, I use SwiftKey and have it set to a split keyboard. I've been using SwiftKey for a super long time. Only thing is you can't have a different setup on the front screen, so it'll be split on the front, too. Not an issue for me since I don't really use the front screen except to respond to med reminders and start a new mode on my Apollo Neuro (anxiety device) and phone calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll definitely try that now and report back
m_w_clarke said:
This is really insightful - thanks!
I saw videos on YouTube also showing "no crease". But, when I got my Fold3 the creases was hardly there as well. It tends to increase in size the more the device is used. I would be interested in to get update on this as your device ages.
But, thanks again for this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I received my fold 3 day one I saw the crease. By day 3 it was a bit of an eye sore. And I rationalized it was a tradeoff due to the technical limitations available. However, it was something that bugged me. Immensely.
Having said that I see the construction of the hinge is a bit different almost taking their cues from oppo and Samsung to have a cohesive solution. More likely than not there will be another crease - it's just a matter of time. But one day is a bit too quick for me
Regarding the crease, do you leave the phone (any foldable) closed or opened during the night?
I have found that leaving the device open during the night decreases the crease quite a lot.
Also, do the same while charging. The device heats up during charging and the plastic screen also heats up.
Does Google pay work? I'm in the UK to and been considering one of these