Droid DNA Media Reviews - HTC Droid DNA

As a Day 1 Thunderbolt user, I've had a assful of this device and am looking for My Next. However, before this device has even been released, I'm seeing a lot of misinformed or uninformed users crabbing about battery life, expansion memory (a significant problem), and other items.
Thought I'd round up the first crop of articles on media websites of the device. Obviously, you'd like for them to have had a little longer time hands-on, because I often find niggling problems or unexpected small surprises about a device a few weeks into use. And don't sleep on the user reviews here on XDA, which have the delightful feature of being interactive with the reviewers:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1989698
But here we go. I've pulled out the relevant battery information, which many of these sites test in an attempt at empirical data. The DNA yields interesting and unexpected results:
LAPTOP:
http://www.laptopmag.com/review/smartphone/htc-droid-dna.aspx
Battery life test = web browsing on 4G, 40% screen brightness
DNA: 6:29
SGSIII: 6:55 (DNA is 94% of this time)
HD MAXX: 8:25 (77%)
Note II: 9:27 (68%)
Thunderbolt (for kicks): 3:56
Other interesting notes: Includes a pretty robust set of benchmarks. The benchmarks indicate this phone is a grown ass man. They love the screen, in particular the color reproduction vs. the Note. Screen was measured at 311 lux; the Samsung devices are 211-213. Are lumens/lux linear? If so, this screen is 50% brighter, although 33% less bright than the Maxx HD.
4 stars out of 5
CNET:
http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/htc-droid-dna-verizon/4505-6452_7-35536642.html
Battery test = "video battery drain test". Not sure if that's video recording, or if it's playing video constantly?
DNA: 8:43
SGS3: 9:24 (93%)
HD Maxx: 14:53 (59%) [????]
Note II: 12:30 (70%)
Notes: Some nice standardized photo tests so you can side-by-side with your other potential next phones. Gives a rundown of the Verizon bloatware.
4 out of 5 stars
Phone Arena:
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/HTC-DROID-DNA-Review_id3191
Battery test = real world use? Not clear.
DNA: 10 hours
SGS3: "Under the warmth of HSPA+ connectivity with the AT&T Galaxy S III, we’re happy to say that battery life is more than adequate, as we’re able to easily get a single day with normal usage. However, we also managed to use it under LTE connectivity, which quickly drained the battery like no other. Yeah, we appreciate the 50 Mbit/s speeds, but poor battery life is the inevitable consequence with it all." NOT. HELPFUL!
HD Maxx: "17 hours of talk time"
Note II: "two...days of normal usage". Note they used a T-Mobile HSPA+ model, not an LTE model
9 stars out of 10
_________________
Haven't seen too many other reliable reviews that attempt to create standardized tests across phones, but as I come across them, I'll post them here. It is notable, however, that not a single reviewer has noted the battery to be insufficient. At worst, it's average for an Android phone, and the tests indicate that it's on par with an SGSIII.
As it stands, however, the lack of an SD card is a pain point. If this phone had one, based on the battery tests that are starting to dribble out, this would be a no-brainer for me if it had one. Without one, and at only 16GB, my dollars aren't as eager to leap out of my wallet.

As a fellow Thunderbolt day 1 adopter, I agree with pretty much all you said. The majority of these tech.sites have been saying average to above average. I am used to having my phone on a charger so its not that big of a deal to me, any gain from the bolt is good for me.
GSMArena always does a standardized and detailed battery test, so I will wait for that to comment further on battery life, I'm also waiting on a review from AnandTech. Those two are always the reviews I read and trust.

http://www.technobuffalo.com/compan...iew-the-android-phone-youve-been-waiting-for/
9/10

Related

GSM Arena does battery life test for DNA

looks like the battery life is actually very much above average. considering all things (huge screen, quad core) that's pretty impressive:
http://blog.gsmarena.com/htc-droid-dna-takes-battery-tests-heres-what-it-scored/
make sure to expand the charts to see all the phones. as you can see it does better than some of the other high-end phones out there on different tests, such as the S3 or optimus G.
here's the rating for the S3 and the one X as a comparison:
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_iii_vs_htc_one_x-review-759p8.php
and here's the rating for the optimus g:
http://blog.gsmarena.com/lg-optimus-g-battery-tests-are-done-here-are-the-results/
i'm not saying the DNA's score of 49hrs is amazing, but it is very acceptable. and if someone is willing to get any one of those other phones i mentioned, then they should have no issue getting the DNA based on its battery life.
Very impressive results, looks very promising indeed.
phonedog aaron mentioned that his only dropped 12-13% over a weekend on standby. I think it shuts most things down when the screen is off, but will probably suck battery pretty good with heavy usage.
I want to try it anyways.

Review and Screenshots

Alright, sorry about the wait. I had some computer issues, but they are resolved now.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
This phone is incredible. The screen is beautiful, the processor is powerful, the battery is impressive. I've had no issues, outside of the lower quality camera and the UI. LG tried very hard on the UI, but they didn't do as good as they should have. It's very glitchy, very slow, very inefficient. I am a fan of custom interfaces (Don't kill me!). I think that companies often add neat little touches that are, to me, welcome additions to the system. However, these additions are often too inefficient to be any good. The big 3 (Samsung, HTC and Motorola) seem to have their interfaces pretty well polished now. LG is new to the flagship android business it seems; give them time. The interface is ambitious if anything.
PROCESSOR:
It's powerful enough for anything, and efficient too.
MEMORY:
This thing has plenty of RAM for anything. The UI takes up way too much though.
STORAGE:
16 gb internal and 16 gb SD included. That's plenty for anyone.
SCREEN:
Beautiful, amazing colors, great brightness, great resolution, low power consumption.
BATTERY:
As my screen shots show, the battery (on mine at least) is pretty good. I think that it is all about conditioning; no phone battery is perfect out of the box. I played on mine until it died, then recharged. Before that it had poor life, about 6 hours. Now it lasts 8 hours when used almost constantly! The battery truly is good.
OVERALL: A great phone. Really, really great. No, it won't hold a candle to the Note II. But at least you can hold this phone in one hand and in your pocket.
I've had the phone for a week or so. The camera is decent, but not the best. I'm coming from the I777 SII, which was near perfect in my opinion. This phone is just as good for its time. The battery life is NOT bad at all on my unit. Your units may vary. I'm very picky about phones; this one is fantastic. If you're on the fence, at the very least give it a try. I promise you won't regret it (if you get a good unit).
.
Added the review

Redmi Note 2 vs. Oneplus One

Hey guys,
I have the option to either get the Redmi Note 2 new or the Oneplus One used for the same price. Now I don't know what to pick and asking you for advice.
I'm a little bit afraid about the battery life of the RN2, I've read different opinions about that.
The performance should nearly be the same as also the camera, am I right?
Also future updates (I use my phone for 2 years regulary) shouldn't be a problem on both devices or?
Which phone would you pick and why?
Thanks for your advice.
I have the redmi note 2 prime, my husband has the 1&1. We use them nearly the same time.
Camera: 1&1 does a bit better in dim conditions, prime takes crisper photos in decent light. Prime is faster from focus to photo.
Battery: same for both. I guess the redmi will be easier to equip with a replacement battery, but at the moment they are both strong. Prime charges faster.
Screen: the prime has a bigger spectrum. It gets darker and brighter than the 1&1. No other advantages.
Size: absolutely the same. The prime is more slippery. I like the grip on the 1&1 better.
I am on latest Dev Version (.24) which has a few minor bugs. I don't know on which version my husband has his 1&1 (I have no access to his mobile at the moment) They are both equally stable, no real advantage in either direction.
Reception is better on the prime. We live in a very rural area with spotty coverage. I nearly never loose connection like my husband does with the 1&1.
Having seen both mobiles I would buy the prime again. My husband will also go xiaomi next time he needs a new mobile. No real hard fact, but overall the prime seems a bit faster.
I hope this helps although it is a comparison prime vs 1&1.
Podcasterin said:
I have the redmi note 2 prime, my husband has the 1&1. We use them nearly the same time.
Camera: 1&1 does a bit better in dim conditions, prime takes crisper photos in decent light. Prime is faster from focus to photo.
Battery: same for both. I guess the redmi will be easier to equip with a replacement battery, but at the moment they are both strong. Prime charges faster.
Screen: the prime has a bigger spectrum. It gets darker and brighter than the 1&1. No other advantages.
Size: absolutely the same. The prime is more slippery. I like the grip on the 1&1 better.
I am on latest Dev Version (.24) which has a few minor bugs. I don't know on which version my husband has his 1&1 (I have no access to his mobile at the moment) They are both equally stable, no real advantage in either direction.
Reception is better on the prime. We live in a very rural area with spotty coverage. I nearly never loose connection like my husband does with the 1&1.
Having seen both mobiles I would buy the prime again. My husband will also go xiaomi next time he needs a new mobile. No real hard fact, but overall the prime seems a bit faster.
I hope this helps although it is a comparison prime vs 1&1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for this comparision, this really helps me a lot.
I've bought both phones will now do a little bit of testing and comparing on my own.
What I can already tell now is, that i love the design and the feeling of the OPO more, but this is of course a subjective point.
Redmi probably has faster CPU, but OPO has a better GPU, so it's better for 3D games, but it doesn't have a microSD slot.
However, I'd probably go for OPO because of better build quality and custom ROMs.
Edit: Oh, you already got both.
Hello you two, It is good to read people speaking about the redmi note 2 without complaining about the battery life. I am going to receive my prime in between the two coming weeks. Could you share to me what you think about this battery life?
Laurent
If you want AOSP and custom roms you should go with the OPO.
goldenelephant said:
Hello you two, It is good to read people speaking about the redmi note 2 without complaining about the battery life. I am going to receive my prime in between the two coming weeks. Could you share to me what you think about this battery life?
Laurent
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Normal use (about 3 hours of screen on in a day) = 2 days
No 3g no wifi and no screen = hours and hours (today without 3g wifi and screen on I did 3 hours without losing 1%)
I use it quite a bit: listening to podcasts ~ 4 hours a day, playing games ~ 1 hour checking Facebook/Mail/etc often (at least once per hour) brings me through the day. I recharge every night, so it is good enough for me if it lasts one day. I unplugged at 7:30 today and am now (12:00) at 86%.
I'm coming back to tell you which decision i made:
I'll keep the Oneplus One.
Here are the reasons, why:
First of all, the advantages of the redmi note 2 above the OPO:
- The GPS is much better, it fixes really fast (only a few seconds even indoor) and is also very accurate (3-5 meters with 10-20 satellites)
- Of course the price: it costs new the same amount of money than the OPO used.
- The replaceable battery
- The MicroSD Slot
What is in my opinion equal:
- The camera. Both are not the best cameras out there but deliver decent pictures for snapshots, but for me it is enough (for nice pictures i take my DSLR)
And what I like at the OPO:
- Cyanogenmod. I just prefer the really clean look and I don't like the playful IOS look of MIUI. Also I live in Austria and the german translation of MIUI is really week and many parts are in english (I know that it is an early build and has just been published, I was an version 5.9.24)
- The build quality: The OPO just feels like a premium device, the RN2 feels a little bit cheap with this plastic allover.
- The battery: The RN2 lost in my case plenty of power in Standby (nearly 20 percent over night) and also with Screen on (I've made a test watching a 1080P Youtube playlist via WIFI with one SIM card in standby and at 50% brightness: the RN2 died after 5:30, the OPO lasted one hour longer)
- The display: Even on cold settings my RN2 had an yellow tint compared to the OPO
Off course this is only my personal opinion and I think both are really great devices. But I just prefer the OPO.
You can't go wrong with either of them. The Redmi is quite new, so I hope there will be a alternative rom soon.
I read about the yellow tint in some forum, it seems to be some display problem which my device hasn't got (lucky me)
I am not so fond of the miui-look myself, the lack of german translation on the other hand doesn't bother me because my devices are always set up english.
Have fun with your new device und LG aus dem Waldviertel
Austrian thread? lol
greetings from a Tyrolean in Swiss Exile..
It seems so
Lg aus dem Weinviertel

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
Duncan1982 said:
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not too much to add here.
Really great package!
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
Pretty much fantastic in every aspect, minus four:
- terrible battery life (the worst I've ever had to my opinion, compared to Mate 9, Note 4 and Xperia Z1...)
- no high refresh rate display (and still annoying OLED motion blur)
- slow/unsecure unlocking (UDFS/front camera)
- Samsung's "OneUI" software is good overall, but has still strong geographic differences (in term of app availability, see goodlock software for exemple), and doesn't allow you to tweak your terminal to the extent to it should be possible (Galaxy Theme store (yerk!) should basically be Substratum (lite) + Synergy))
darkphoenix2012 said:
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
winol said:
It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ditto x10!
Sent from my Note 10+ using Tapatalk
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
tileeq said:
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as i'm concerned yes...
- battery life
- microSD
- TOF, even though still beta-like software for 3D scan, but works very well for blurring background photos (you can see it when comparing front cam and rear cam)
- larger screen, cause i love this (better for watching videos or multitasking)
I would always feel like i have a sub phone if i went note10 route but that's juste me
Downside is the weight of note10+, i find it kinda heavy in the hand.
Yeah, I absolutely love my note10+
I absolutely love my Note 10+. I wish I had pre-ordered, but I wasn't ready for an upgrade from my Note 8 yet.
I got the Aurora Glow (Snapdragon, Verizon US), mainly because it was the one that was readily available and I wouldn't have to wait. I thought I'd just slap a case on it and never have to look at it, but it turns out I love that crazy rainbow bastard and got a nice clear case. I'm averaging 7hrs of SOT (at highest resolution, no power savings, wifi/data, etc), I haven't had to "top up" during the day once since I got it. Sleep drain is almost non-existent...maybe 4-5% overnight (6-7hrs) with WiFi and bluetooth on. I do a lot of artwork on the fly, and this is even more of a workhorse than my Note 8 was. I do multi-layered (usually 12-20 layers) drawings in Medibang Paint at at least 600dpi and this glorious phone doesn't even stutter. AND (and I know a lot of you don't like it) I was psyched to see a screen protector pre-installed. I know it's a crappy one, but it was great to have while waiting for my "real" one to show up. Really small, but well-appreciated, inclusion. I don't even mind the loss of a headphone jack as much as I thought I would. My portable battery has the wireless charging built in (not that I've needed to use it yet), and I think the sound in the USB C headphones included is better than the ones I got with my Note 8.
My ONLY complaint is the camera. Photos look overly soft, and faces seem flattened out. My Note 8 took much better photos out of the box. At least, in my case, it definitely seems to be a software issue...because using GCam improves the photos dramatically. And it seems that Sammy has already released an update to address photo quality...I just have to wait for Verizon to push out the damn thing. I don't take pro photos or anything, 90% of my picture taking is my kids...but my Note 8 gave me much clearer photos of them running around than I've gotten from my 10+. That being said, I know there's a fix on the way so I'm not going to piss and moan too much about it. I look forward to really using the hell out of the camera once it's updated, especially night mode...I didn't have that on my Note 8.
All in all, nothing but love for this phone.
I perceive the photos to be better than those of my note8, yesterday an update mainly for the fingerprint and camera, became available for my note10+, I am yet to see what improvements it may yield
I was looking at a new Chinese flagship (Realme X2 Pro) but then got to play with Dex on a 10 - bought the Note 10+ dualSIM right there, coming from an S8+. Dex is just fantastic, on my Windows or Mac computers, with an additional 95W wall charger and a 100w USB C hub. Now the phone is fully integrated in my desktop workflow and part of the hub with other devices I own, and I love the ability to cut&paste from/to the phone from my main Windows machine. All other elements one comes to expect from a Samsung flagship are there of course, and video quality is excellent. Writing with the S-Pen on the Nebo App is enough for note taking - I can leave the iPad Pro at home for meetings. And Amazon Germany gave a unexpected $120 rebate, plus tax return from Amazon upon leaving the EU, got a great deal altogether. My S8+ lasted three years and thanks to this community is updated well, will now go to my wife.
3 Stars. The magic is lost. Nothing is special about the series anymore.
Call me jaded as someone who's owned every iteration since the Note 2, but this is not the best from the best that previous Note series enjoyed. Same cameras from S10. Would have liked a better tech that includes a seamless uninterruption of the screen. I can do without a social media whore cam or have a motorized selfie cam for those selfie whores. Also, could have used a speedier screen refresh rate found on the the cheaper One+. Otherwise, speed, battery life, features, all the best android has to offer. Nothing earth shattering and futuristic like the first time we saw the Note Edge or Note 5 or BT pen from note 9. Still has a hole in the screen. Still has a "just a refreshed design until next iteration" look. Screen size increased by a hair. Even diluted the brand by making a smaller Note. I usually go for the best but since I had the blue Note 9, I wanted something different and the Aura Blue is gorgeous but disappointed it only comes in 256gb, another ding against Samsung. Overall, 3 stars because the Note series is known for cutting edge and when you have a camera stolen from an older phone and when you decide to toss in a gimmicky AR camera that everyone used for the first minute and forget about but failed to work on the thing that everyone uses 90% of the time, the screen, like incorporate a 120 refresh rate or do away with the hole or notch, then you aren't living to the high standard that the Note series are known for and that its fanbase expects. You used to be able to say, look what my phone has that you don't. Reverse charging? woopty do. My S10 had that before you. 3 cameras? "Stereo" speakers? Well, my phone has a built in BT stylus. So, my cheaper Note 10 does too! *facepalm* We no longer have something special. Used to be we had it first and then it trickled to other devices. Now, it's the other way around.
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
Click to expand...
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Pay attention. You're wrong. We're reviewing the Note 10+. So this isn't the only phone with the s pen. If you pay attention, the diluted note 10 also has one as well as the upcoming note 10 lite. So it still stands, the magic is lost.
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
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winol said:
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
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mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
skoobz said:
mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
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Please check your private messages. Remeber folks this is a fun hobby for us all. There's never a need to get fired up and taking jabs and low blows. If you're starting to get heated just log off and go do something else or keep scrolling.
Let me preface this by saying I am picky about my phones and this is one of the worst I have seen in years! If you have an old phone I can understand some of the upgrade but here are my thoughts coming well staying with a Note 10+. Never bought and returned a phone this quick. Returning before it is even released on Friday!!
Let's start with the good, well somewhat......
Screen: Once again Samsung delivers a world class screen. Best in brightness, color accuracy, etc etc everything like normal that they always produce in their flagships. Now for the downsize, the infamous 120hz screen refresh rate. Not worth it here. Smoother scrolling, sure but barely. I honestly don't even mind the 1080p and 120 hz just the need for the 120hz on a phone is overkill. Was gaming smoother sure, do I game much on my phone, no not really. The 240 touch response I can tell more of a difference and a worthy difference then the 120 hz refresh
Processing power: Phone is fast, minus animations. Photo processing, night mode shots are a big difference. Much faster in that aspect. Wish we saw little more ram and more storage though at this price
Battery: 5000 mah in this device makes it a little thicker but in my short one day of use it stood up pretty well to transferring apps and everything over and hard use for a few hours last night. Couldn't kill it
and now the bad
Camera: throw all the numbers at it and it will be great.... well not so fast. Main shooter in 12 or 108 mp mode cannot focus on anything. Piece of paper on desk in front of you, good luck. Zoom a few feet away from you, also good luck. 5x/10x/30x zoom is better then Note 10+ of course but how often are you going to use this? Everyday? Once a week? Once a month? Still not great quality (usable) at 10x or 30x really so no point in my book. 5x is crisp but falls off too much after that for me to use. Wide angle is same as note so no real improvement here. Camera also seems to make everything more saturated then I like as well almost to the point of unrealistic. The one and only thing the iPhone can do well and the note seems to be closer to that realistic representation then the Ultra.
Design: not that the design is bad but feels a tad on the chunkier side. Rounder edges do help but does not feel as sleek as nice to hold as note or even s10. Thicker as well to house that battery and camera module. Also worried about how scratched the module bump will become after months of abuse.
UI: Let me first say I hate Android 10/Samsung UI 2.0, I am still using 9 and the Ultra reminded me why. App animations are slow (yes can fix in dev options but still), quick replying to text or message in status bar is not instant like prior android generations. Don't know if this is an android 10 or Samsung UI 2.0 problem but seems like it should be an upgrade not a downgrade
Price: $1400 is a lot even for 2020. That is also only for 128 gb and 12 gb ram model. So no upgrade to ram compared to Note and a loss of half the storage compared to entry level note. Plan was to trade in note 10+ and pay $800 and it isn't worth that tp be honest. Not even close. Only foreseeable upgrades are little brighter screen and zoom lens. The rest is a downgrade to me or the same.
I will continue to use note 10+ until Note 20 maybe? Needs to have something better for the money it is going to cost though

Question Is the Pixel 6 reliable now ?

So I am looking for a new phone to replace my 3 yo Xiaomi mi 8, and the Pixel 6 series has captured my attention design wise and software wise.
I was originally going to purchase the pixel 6a, but after trying it in a store, it felt a bit too small for my uses. Also i saw some reviews where its performance was not as good as the Pixel 6 although it has the same SoC, which is quite a big deal for me as I do some gaming like genshin impact
So I may want to settle for the Pixel 6 now (better screen and performance for my usage), but I need some advice from the community here, as I found out there was a lot of bugs at launch
How is the phone right now ? Does it still have issues ? If so, what issues ? Would you recommend it right now ? If not, what are other options in the same price range (649€ in my country)? I'm looking for a phone with good build quality that would last 4-5 years.
Lastly, does it overheat ? How is the battery life ?
I still read a lot of mixed opinions about this phone, but some might be outdated
It doesn't overheat in my experience.
As everything has some pros and cons, I can say that pros of Pixel 6 outweigh the fewer cons it has.
Overheating, well I haven't faced the phone shutting down or apps stops working due to overheat, but the the phone get uncomfortable to hold for long when it heats up, maybe I am not used to of such warm/hot phones in the past.
4-5 years, look, this is glass sandwitch phone with mammoth size, so probabilities of shattering it apart are much heigher than a small and rigid body phone like Pixel 5.
A perfect Pixel would be a Qualcomm powered Tensor chip customized by Google packed in the body of Pixel 5. But since Pixel 7 series is also following the footstep of Pixel 6, I assume Pixel 6 can be a better buy for now if its available at discounts compared to the 7.
You need to look at the positives, like its got wonderful camera. And those AI powered accurate voice assistance features are just nice when you need them.
Been using Pixel 6 for a month now after retiring my Xiamoi mi9 lite. I'm happy with the phone, no glitches or whatsoever. Photography is a serious upgrade here, now I like to take a lot of shots while with my previous phone I rarely did. It really competes iPhone in this domain.
The phone feels good in the hand, I wish I had the audacity to use it caseless, but I don't., and it's very slippery when naked, and it's a bit bulkier with a case. I got the google silicon case, do not do that, it discolors very quickly.
Coming from a Xiaomi phone, you'll see much less bloatware and bells and whistles. Everything is to the point, you may get bored a bit, but for me I don't miss any of Xiaomi's features to be honest, and I got used to the Pixel pretty quickly. It is a good experience for me. I'm happy with it to the point where I feel I'm sure my next phone in 2-3 years will most likely be a Pixel.
The downside is charging, for some reason Google decided to slow charging down as the battery fills up, so the first 50% take like 30 minutes to charge while the last 50% take almost an hour.
About overheating, it only does so when I'm on a video call for a while, otherwise the phone handles anything you throw at it with ease, I'm not a gamer though so don't take my word for gaming. It may perform well in gaming, but you will fell the need for something that charges quicker as you will drain the battery with games.
I saw the 6a in the store today and tried it a little bit, for some reason it actually feels slower, the display is not as snappy as I'd wish, maybe it's 60hz, but it definitely felt like less, I wouldn't recommend it. I got the Pixel 6 at a nice deal (550€ instead of 650€) so if you have this option go for the the 6 and stay away from the 6a as the latter feels like a compromise..
Hard to say with Android 12 still running on it and that still being buggy. When 13 is complete in a few weeks it'll be easier to answer.
Pixel 6 seems solid to me; I've had mine since January (unrooted, fully stock). I play Angry Birds2 which works ok but frankly isn't as smooth as my OnePlus 6T was. I don't currently have major glitches though I'm about to start a thread on a wifi oddity. The phone is a bit heavier than I would like, and a bit thicker than I would like, but it will last me a couple years I think.
If I had to buy a phone today it would be another Pixel 6. Mine shut down from heat once, I was streaming bluetooth music and had left my phone setting in the direct sun. That is what overheated it, not what it was doing. I went with a dBrand leather skin, which I love for texture and grip, but it provides no real protection. I now have 2 small screen scratches as a result. I'm now in a Pelican case with a rim around the screen whenever I am out doing things. Battery life is fine, I usually have 30%+ left when I go to bed (which is when I charge), but once or twice it has tanked the battery to battery saver mode - I think the last one was right after a monthly update, so probably that is what used all the power.
I do have a 6a on order too, as I had a 3a sitting around and the trade-in make it worth while to upgrade the backup phone to current generation.
I have had a Pixel 6 for about 2 weeks now, and my experience has been excellent.
The good:
Great performance and battery life. I haven't tried gaming yet, but multitasking and general horsepower is excellent. The Recently Played app (a background Shazam native to Google Pixel) runs AI calculations in the background all day recognizing the songs, and my microphone data stays on device. I use my phone throughout the day, listening to Spotify and YouTube at work, and I usually still have 40-50% battery at the end of the day. I have most performance features activated, for reference.
The security features are excellent. I love the tensor chip, as my data stays on device while external data gets pulled from Google servers. I also like the transparency and control I get over my data in general, google-utilized or not. My Gboard builds a model on my device, my adaptive battery learns on the device, and the now playing app pulls from the server to figure out the song that's playing.
I find the camera to be excellent, especially in low light. I wish I had more manual control, but again the tensor/exnyos chip does a great job of figuring out how to optimize the photo. It is not as good as an S22, however. The speakers are great, again not as good as the S22.
I like how streamlined the android experience is. While Samsung builds an app for each feature, pixel android is seamless and features are integrated into the device. I like being able to autofill any password field, and being able to access my google-managed passwords directly from Gboard.
The cell reception is phenomenal. This is also a result of TMobile, but I get 3-4 bars of 5G where I would have 1x on my Verizon LG V30.
The bad:
As noted, some specific features are not as high quality as an S22. The camera, 90hz screen, and speakers are the notable ones. Finding a protective case that keeps the device slim with the giant camera bar on the back can be a challenge. I like the look of it, though.
The fingerprint reader is hilariously slow and a bit inconsistent. My 2016 V30 was faster.
Charging is slow, but this probably improves longevity. There might be a way to enable fast charging, but I haven't found it.
I haven't noticed any bugs or glitches, but I am confident that one of the many updates that google pushes on pixel owners may brick an app or feature. It has been rock steady while I have owned it.
I rate the pixel 6 a 9/10, though this is heavily subjective. I like that the pixels never come with carrier bloat, and that they are secure and have a light version of Android. Samsung Android always feels like it has far too many apps even out of the box.
I have 2 Pixel 6 in the houshhold on T-Mobile, both have been solid reliable phones, especially for their mid-level price. No issues with signal lever on either WiFi or 5G. Full day or more battery life. It runs SLIGHTLY warm, doesn't overheat except on a wireless charger in the car while running maps. Only complaint is the Finger Print reader, which still misses about 25% of the time. That said, I'm not a big gamer so I can't say how well suited this phone is for gaming.
{Mod edit: Quoted post has been deleted}
YOU can PLAY GAMES And read RedDip threads AT THE SAME TIME.
{Mod edit: Quoted post has been deleted}
After using the seat Pixel 5, you will hate the 6 for it's giant size. More so since the glass sandwich design of Pixel 6 is prone to break hence hefty cover is mandatory so it feels like like holding a cheap heavy Chinese phone.
Performance wise it is an okay phone, no complaints, but its just okay, nothing special. I wish it atelast had some Qualcomm powerted chipset insteal of Exynos.
Modem on my P6 is horrible. Significantly worse than the Pixel 3 it replaced. If I didn't work from home most of the time, I would have replaced this phone months ago. As it is, I am going to try the P7 when it comes out (testing it heavily during return period) and either keeping that or getting an S22. No more P6 for me after October.

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