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Hi Guys,
After owning several iPhones back in the day (up to the 3GS) and then Nexus One, Nexus S and Nexus 4 (skipped the Galaxy Nexus) and a Nexus 7 tablet, always on (unrooted) stock Android, I couldn't resist the temptation and got myself a 32GB LG G2 (European version).
Why not wait a few weeks for the Nexus 5 ?
The main reason is that the LG G2 has just the perfect hardware specs for me, there is nothing I would realistically want more. The Nexus 5 will have smaller screen and smaller battery. Also, the last 3 versions of Android did not bring any significant useable stuff to the table in order to make me really want to update, so the newest Android update is not so important to have.
The other reason is that I am really bored of stock Android. There are some things that Google will stubbornly never add or change, and I'm not one to install custom ROMs all day. For example, I can't set different sound volumes for the call ringtones and notification ringtones. And the notification LED is so neglected by the stock Android (on phones that have it). I gave my "old" Nexus 4 to my girlfriend, and although she loves to speed over her old Galaxy S Advance, she immediately begun asking where are the "gimmicks" that Samsung included into its software and that she used all the time. This is saying something.
One minor reason is that I have had hardware problems ALL of my Nexus devices, despite the fact that I take great care of them: the Nexus One's power button became loose and broke over time (HTC support really sucks !), the Nexus S capacitive sensor burned in a corner (display assembly replacement), the Nexus 7 speakers broke and now sound is very distorted. The Nexus 4 screen was a bit yellowish when I received it, I read that it's from the glue bonding the glass layers, it improved over time but never had the correct colors, it always had a subtle yellow tint to it.
Why LG G2 ?
Just a quick glance at the competition and my previous experience with various brands made me choose the G2. The iPhone is really out of question due to the microscopic screen and lack of notification LED (it's incredible how a business user can live without a notification LED), the Galaxy S4 and HTC One have outdated hardware (I mean, if I pay the same price, why not get the latest hardware), the HTC One has a microscopic, unusable notification LED (and I don't wish you to need something from the HTC technical support !), the Galaxy Note 3 is really too big. I have never used a spare battery with any of my phones, and never used a microSD card, so these missing features are just not minuses for me. The lack of removable battery (and thus the inclusion of a bigger battery) is in fact a huge plus.
The Motorola MotoX has a very nice notification feature, but it pulsates too slow (indicating battery concerns) and the rest of the hardware is too average and I can't see it as an upgrade over the Nexus 4 (plus it's not available in Europe although I could get it if I really wanted to).
The LG G2 hardware
I will say that the excellent, biggest-in-class display, the impressive battery life and the very small bezels (phone fits in my front jeans pocket !), combined with the killer 'Knock On' feature make this phone an easy choice over any other phone right now, hardware-wise. Not to mention the newest Snapdragon 800 processor. I am even pleased by its camera capability, pictures always look very sharp because of the optical stabilization, although there is too much noise reduction and loss of detail (however resized for web/facebook, pictures look great). The fact that it has an FM radio is a huge plus for me, because I needed a radio to listen to my favorite talk show between the parking lot and my home, and it's proven to do its job great so far
The LG G2 software
Believe me when I say this, the stock Android is extremely boring compared to LGs software. It's so refreshing to see many user-needed features included in their software. I don't care for most of them, but they don't get in the way either. However, some of them are really useful and I never see Google implementing them in their stock Android. For example, I can now set different ringtone volumes for notifications and calls, I can access the phone files from my computer over my home network, I have a very customizable battery saver that kicks in when needed, etc.
There is only one thing that bothers my in LG G2's software: the notification drawer has some items that you can never remove from there, like the screen brightness, ringtone volume and a row with some shortcuts. It's not unbearable, but I prefer that to only be used for notifications. At least they could move their bloatware controls *after* all the notifications instead of before them.
Conclusion
I really like the LG G2. I think it trumps every other phone at this moment, but this is not the important thing. The important thing is that I don't have to charge my phone every day (it sometimes lasts 3+ days !), it has a great screen for web reading and browsing and it's just a well-designed phone.
Good review, vanilla android was a performance necessity when phones weren't power houses. I too enjoy the gadgetry of mfg skins. I still like stock android for my tablet, but for my primary device, I like the bells and whistles.
Sent from my VS980 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Thnx for this review. I love my g2 more lol!
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk 2
Well i suppose the camera is better than just for facebook and instagram. Its a 13mp for god's sake!
Fille84 said:
Well i suppose the camera is better than just for facebook and instagram. Its a 13mp for god's sake!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The megapixel count really doesn't matter, if you take a picture with an old 5 Megapixel Canon DSLR you will blow any smartphone out if the water. The pixel size / sensor size and lens quality does matter a lot.
The LG G2 camera is quite surprisingly good for a smartphone camera with a 1/3 inch sensor. The lens seems very good. But the resulting image is heavily post-processed to eliminate noise due to small pixel phtosites. Unfortunately fine detail is gone as well, but this is only visible on full-size images. Basically the camera software is optimized for instant picture sharing with little to no user post-processing, which is a correct thing to do in a smartphone.
I for one would prefer a noisier but more detailed image which I could post-process with a dedicated suite like Adobe's Lightroom. But I guess this is what big cameras are for...
Thanks for this review. I like it
Nexus 5 = Crap
This are the technical characteristics of the upcoming Nexuseless 5, I prefer LG G2 ever.
4.95″ 1080p display
32GB and 16GB internal storage
2GB RAM
MSM8974 aka Snapdragon 800 at 2.3GHz
8MP OIS rear camera
1.3MP front camera
2300mAh battery <<<<<<---- Why are they still using this crap battery!!?????
Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Proximity/Ambient Light, Pressure
Slimport compatibility
Micro SIM slot
Notification light
Wireless charging
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth 3.0 was also listed, but this is most likely an error.)
UMTS/GSM/CDMA/LTE compatibility
More details of the Nexuseless 5 here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/173744848/LG-D821
I cant make my mind up about the LG g2 or the nexus 5 the nexus 5 looks nicer but the G2 has better specs.
G2 in my opinion looks so sexy and honestly that's one of the many reasons I bought it. Its different with the home button setup on the back and has the specs to last a long time for me. Also running stock and with 5 hour screen time I'm way over 24 hours of use
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
blair287 said:
I cant make my mind up about the LG g2 or the nexus 5 the nexus 5 looks nicer but the G2 has better specs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks is Subjective, IMO Nexus 5 just has two advantages over G2, Price and Timely Updates. That is it.
My views are that personally the phone is just a little to big for me to use comfortably. I would have preferred say 5" screen with the narrow bezzels making the device slightly narrower and easier to hold - but thats just a personal preference. I would have also liked a textued back to the phone (at the moment i am using a skin to give it texture) as this phone is on the maximum edge of what is comfortable to me i dont want to add to the size with a case, i also dont want to lose the look ad feel i have from the device (the 'in the hand feel') you get.
All in all however these were not a deal breaker for me as there was nothing else out for me to consider at the time (like the moto x but not available in uk) so bought the g2 sim free.
After a couple of weeks of use i started to dislike elements of the lg software and its design and just found that adding a launcher just gave me other issues. What is great now is that the dev community is really picking up for this phone and roms are starting to appear so you now have the option to pretty much have whatever you want on your phone. You can go pretty much bare bones android without any of Lg's bloat but you an also add whatever elements of Lgs stuff you like to the vanilla rom so giving you the best of both worlds.
So to sum up.....for me the device has awesome specs, latest processor, excellent camera, amazing battery life, great development options to customize to your personal liking. Only thing for me is the size but maybe thats just because i have short stubby fingers
At the end of the day its all about choices, beauty is that now you have choices so if the hardware tickles your fancy you can customize till your hearts content and end up with your perfect device
hpsauce37 said:
My views are that personally the phone is just a little to big for me to use comfortably. I would have preferred say 5" screen with the narrow bezzels making the device slightly narrower and easier to hold - but thats just a personal preference. I would have also liked a textued back to the phone (at the moment i am using a skin to give it texture) as this phone is on the maximum edge of what is comfortable to me i dont want to add to the size with a case, i also dont want to lose the look ad feel i have from the device (the 'in the hand feel') you get.
All in all however these were not a deal breaker for me as there was nothing else out for me to consider at the time (like the moto x but not available in uk) so bought the g2 sim free.
After a couple of weeks of use i started to dislike elements of the lg software and its design and just found that adding a launcher just gave me other issues. What is great now is that the dev community is really picking up for this phone and roms are starting to appear so you now have the option to pretty much have whatever you want on your phone. You can go pretty much bare bones android without any of Lg's bloat but you an also add whatever elements of Lgs stuff you like to the vanilla rom so giving you the best of both worlds.
So to sum up.....for me the device has awesome specs, latest processor, excellent camera, amazing battery life, great development options to customize to your personal liking. Only thing for me is the size but maybe thats just because i have short stubby fingers
At the end of the day its all about choices, beauty is that now you have choices so if the hardware tickles your fancy you can customize till your hearts content and end up with your perfect device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what kind of issues did you encounter when adding a launcher? and what launcher?
I appreciate everyone's reviews here!
sdsubball23 said:
what kind of issues did you encounter when adding a launcher? and what launcher?
I appreciate everyone's reviews here!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You name it i tried it!
Nova, smart launcher, Aviate, Adw.....
To be fair to these launchers though they probably were not really issue's. Just little things that frustrated me about them, could have been the inability to do something or set something up with them, notifications, different custom options etc.
Most people would probably not even have experienced it or have issue with it.
The thing i was leading to really was the fact that now with a good dev community coming on board with this device (been quite overlooked generally in my opinion until now - availabilty in some countries may have been the reason for this though) that there are many choices for people now.
If the hardware of the device fits the bill then you are no longer tied with elements of the stock build you dont like and pretty much change every bit about it one way or another - just means taking that step of rooting and flashing. Dont get me wrong im no developer or expert in this field but as someone who is particularly fussy and difficult to please with phones and software etc (must be my ocd) everyone has options and its really not that difficult once you have done it a few times.
Bottom line is if someone dosent like the stock ui/experience you can change and have whatever you want
I know my comments above may seem obvious to many especially as we are on a developer site however a lot of people come to the site for opinions and information and who may have thought about making changes but never actually taking the final steps. I did and now i have changed the things that frustrated me without the need to just change the device again! Like i said i am major ocd and fussy about phones but it does at least give a little more longevity to the device if these options are here.
Hope this makes sense lol
ps - sorry didnt mean to hijack or step on the thread.
Thanks :good:
hpsauce37 said:
My views are that personally the phone is just a little to big for me to use comfortably. I would have preferred say 5" screen with the narrow bezzels making the device slightly narrower and easier to hold - but thats just a personal preference. I would have also liked a textued back to the phone (at the moment i am using a skin to give it texture) as this phone is on the maximum edge of what is comfortable to me i dont want to add to the size with a case, i also dont want to lose the look ad feel i have from the device (the 'in the hand feel') you get.
All in all however these were not a deal breaker for me as there was nothing else out for me to consider at the time (like the moto x but not available in uk) so bought the g2 sim free.
After a couple of weeks of use i started to dislike elements of the lg software and its design and just found that adding a launcher just gave me other issues. What is great now is that the dev community is really picking up for this phone and roms are starting to appear so you now have the option to pretty much have whatever you want on your phone. You can go pretty much bare bones android without any of Lg's bloat but you an also add whatever elements of Lgs stuff you like to the vanilla rom so giving you the best of both worlds.
So to sum up.....for me the device has awesome specs, latest processor, excellent camera, amazing battery life, great development options to customize to your personal liking. Only thing for me is the size but maybe thats just because i have short stubby fingers
At the end of the day its all about choices, beauty is that now you have choices so if the hardware tickles your fancy you can customize till your hearts content and end up with your perfect device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 5.2" G2 isn't that much bigger then the Galaxy Nexus 4.65". It is thinner but taller/wider by a few millimeters. Not much difference.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
[/COLOR]Awesome to see a "stock android fan" praise LG's UI..Great review from someone who obviously knows what the android experience should be....i have a vid on my channel on how you can keep the notifications down a few lines and stays were you leave it, all as long as you have a few notifications, you never need look at the top part.....some ppl do not realize this : )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaMdxvvZYFE
Ms D.
Cst79 said:
Hi Guys,
Why LG G2 ?
Just a quick glance at the competition and my previous experience with various brands made me choose the G2. The iPhone is really out of question due to the microscopic screen and lack of notification LED (it's incredible how a business user can live without a notification LED), the Galaxy S4 and HTC One have outdated hardware (I mean, if I pay the same price, why not get the latest hardware), the HTC One has a microscopic, unusable notification LED (and I don't wish you to need something from the HTC technical support !), the Galaxy Note 3 is really too big. I have never used a spare battery with any of my phones, and never used a microSD card, so these missing features are just not minuses for me. The lack of removable battery (and thus the inclusion of a bigger battery) is in fact a huge plus.
The Motorola MotoX has a very nice notification feature, but it pulsates too slow (indicating battery concerns) and the rest of the hardware is too average and I can't see it as an upgrade over the Nexus 4 (plus it's not available in Europe although I could get it if I really wanted to).
Conclusion
I really like the LG G2. I think it trumps every other phone at this moment, but this is not the important thing. The important thing is that I don't have to charge my phone every day (it sometimes lasts 3+ days !), it has a great screen for web reading and browsing and it's just a well-designed phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well said...
welcome to the club! (happy owners of G2)
Hi all!
I have a Note 2 with ATT and will be moving to Tmobile soon and have been thinking about the Note 3 even though Samsung let me down with the lame .18" increase in size after the rumors of a 6" screen.
Now, my concerns about the Sony are...non replaceable batteries. I always have like 3 batteries extra for my phones. No real Spen like apps unless you guys have some already that are similar to the Spen stuff.
Also, I assume there is some multi window feature like on the Note, right?
Of course what I like about the Sony is the huge screen. I know is not the same type as the Note but I think it looks great on its own way so no big deal. I used to tame down the colors on my note 2 anyway.
It has 1GB less RAM but from what I have seen, it does not affect it that much in real life.
I would love to have some OCing kernel as I have always been a tweaker but I will check that later.
I saw Amazon selling them for $450 which is cheaper and even a used Note 3.
Anything I should be concerned about?
shaolin95 said:
Hi all!
I have a Note 2 with ATT and will be moving to Tmobile soon and have been thinking about the Note 3 even though Samsung let me down with the lame .18" increase in size after the rumors of a 6" screen.
Now, my concerns about the Sony are...non replaceable batteries. I always have like 3 batteries extra for my phones. No real Spen like apps unless you guys have some already that are similar to the Spen stuff.
Also, I assume there is some multi window feature like on the Note, right?
Of course what I like about the Sony is the huge screen. I know is not the same type as the Note but I think it looks great on its own way so no big deal. I used to tame down the colors on my note 2 anyway.
It has 1GB less RAM but from what I have seen, it does not affect it that much in real life.
I would love to have some OCing kernel as I have always been a tweaker but I will check that later.
I saw Amazon selling them for $450 which is cheaper and even a used Note 3.
Anything I should be concerned about?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from the Note, and then S4.
When using my note i did use the sPen sometimes. (not very often)
Mostly for accurate points in sketching. But realistically not very often. The pencil feels better and is more accurate. Just make sure you have a screen protector. As it will scratch the glass.... (and stock Sony protector)
I never used additional batteries, so can't comment in that respect.
I find that the Ultra lasts as long as my S4 did. Considering the massive screen that's pretty good.
With 2Gb of RAM i find that great. I'm a heavy multitasker and have never experienced lag or slow down.
There is currently an overclocked kernel for CM. And works great with Carbon ROM. by krabapple.
There will not be as many ROM's for the Ultra than for the Note 3. Thats just due to marketing and sammy sheep.
I've loved my change from Samsung, and unless sammy do something amazing like the Ultra, I can't see me going back.
Well I dont really mind much about having too many Roms, I usually stick to one or two anyway, specially with Note, I dont use anything but sammy ROMS to keep all the featuers intact.
thanks!
hamdogg said:
I came from the Note, and then S4.
I never used additional batteries, so can't comment in that respect.
I find that the Ultra lasts as long as my S4 did. Considering the massive screen that's pretty good.
With 2Gb of RAM i find that great. I'm a heavy multitasker and have never experienced lag or slow down.
There is currently an overclocked kernel for CM. And works great with Carbon ROM. by krabapple.
There will not be as many ROM's for the Ultra than for the Note 3. Thats just due to marketing and sammy sheep.
I've loved my change from Samsung, and unless sammy do something amazing like the Ultra, I can't see me going back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a note 3 for a week, not to long but to me it was enough to sell it.
The screen of the z ultra is eons better, its not pentile (every review said it was a non-issue, but to me it was noticeable), the colors are equaly saturated, but better, specialy whites, in the note 3 they where greenish and depresing. And the size is perfect for gaming, reading and sketching, i cannot put it in any pocket, but the same was true with the note..
The non repleaceable battery its an issue, the first day of use was better in this one, but nothing compares to having a spare battery for long journeys.
Taking notes on the z ultra was better than i expected, its not a replacement for a true wacom pen, but it gets the job done... I recomend papyrus, it has an unlimited canvas and it recognices the finger as a secondary input when using a pen, so you can write with a pen and pan with the finger, pretty usefull.
ZU stock rom doesnt have multiwindows, a shame really, but you can always try omnirom, its not as polished, but i feel like it will be better with time. If you want to let it stock it has the advantage of showing a lot of apps in tablet mode, or semi-tablet mode, the note 3 behaves like the note 2 in that regard.
For now the z ultra feels much snappier, if i where you i will not worry to much about that gigabyte extra,
Maybe my note unit was faulty, but i didn't have any warranty, and i tough it will be better to try the zu before buying another note, and im very happy with my desicion at the moment.
PD: Sorry about my english, if you have any question feel free to ask me, im on vacations
pustulio22 said:
I had a note 3 for a week, not to long but to me it was enough to sell it.
The screen of the z ultra is eons better, its not pentile (every review said it was a non-issue, but to me it was noticeable), the colors are equaly saturated, but better, specialy whites, in the note 3 they where greenish and depresing. And the size is perfect for gaming, reading and sketching, i cannot put it in any pocket, but the same was true with the note..
The non repleaceable battery its an issue, the first day of use was better in this one, but nothing compares to having a spare battery for long journeys.
Taking notes on the z ultra was better than i expected, its not a replacement for a true wacom pen, but it gets the job done... I recomend papyrus, it has an unlimited canvas and it recognices the finger as a secondary input when using a pen, so you can write with a pen and pan with the finger, pretty usefull.
ZU stock rom doesnt have multiwindows, a shame really, but you can always try omnirom, its not as polished, but i feel like it will be better with time. If you want to let it stock it has the advantage of showing a lot of apps in tablet mode, or semi-tablet mode, the note 3 behaves like the note 2 in that regard.
For now the z ultra feels much snappier, if i where you i will not worry to much about that gigabyte extra,
Maybe my note unit was faulty, but i didn't have any warranty, and i tough it will be better to try the zu before buying another note, and im very happy with my desicion at the moment.
PD: Sorry about my english, if you have any question feel free to ask me, im on vacations
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure about multitasking need, but i'm fine with standard recent apps switcher on Android navbar on XZU. I like mini apps too, but they are not that natural for me so not very often that i have been using it. In Samsung devices a multitasking pane is required since they don't even migrate to On Screen button that Google recommends manufacturer to move into. Not that Samsung can't do recent app switcher (it's just a long click at home) but such delay to switch app will surely hinder people from using it, so that's why multitasking window is a must feature for Samsung devices. So no, i'm fine with how Sony follows Google and done with it.
To OP, yeah there is a Mini Apps to make you able to multitask, but as i said earlier, clicking recent app switcher from navbar is more than fine to compensate for that multitasking. About Battery, well i came from a RAZR Maxx so it's a little downgrade for me but it's not that bad, a full workday can be handled with it. Not having a removable battery is way of the future i think, so i have adapted into it. But because of that we need to learn to prolong battery life (which is good) by not draining it like crazy. It is best to combine it with Sony's powerbank which is a real slim device so i think no hassle to do a routine charging on the go.
pustulio22 said:
PD: Sorry about my english, if you have any question feel free to ask me, im on vacations
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You feedback was perfectly clear and detailed. I appreciate your input!
I think for me so far the small screen of Note 3..well, I mean really not even .2" bigger than Note 2 is what matters the most because for all the power the device has, I just feel that the real state is not enough to fully use it.
I held a Galaxy Mega and felt that was a perfect size for me so I am thinking that will translate to the Ultra Z as well. :good:
hansip87 said:
To OP, yeah there is a Mini Apps to make you able to multitask, but as i said earlier, clicking recent app switcher from navbar is more than fine to compensate for that multitasking. About Battery, well i came from a RAZR Maxx so it's a little downgrade for me but it's not that bad, a full workday can be handled with it. Not having a removable battery is way of the future i think, so i have adapted into it. But because of that we need to learn to prolong battery life (which is good) by not draining it like crazy. It is best to combine it with Sony's powerbank which is a real slim device so i think no hassle to do a routine charging on the go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the explanation on the multi apps too. I think for the most part I use multis when watching a video and someone sends a message and I dont want to interrupt the video or when using GPS and want to also play some video to keep my passenger entertained for example.
Which of course that big screen will be even better at.
With my Note 2, I have to push brightness to the max some times when in the car holder. I hope the Ultra is better at that.
The sony powerbank sounds like a good alternative if not as practical but still I feel better knowing I got the spare power if needed. :good:
The screen on the Z Ultra is SO MUCH BETTER.
once you use it and look back to your note device you will not believe the different.
The Note screen looks like the Wii on an HD TV compared to a blueray movie being the Z
I am really wanting to buy it but now I just found out the C6802 I was going to get for $475 is only going to give me 3G.
I dont really care about LTE speeds but not sure what 3G will be like for ATT.
As long as I can do Netflix, youtube without issues waiting to load forever, I dont care about having super LTE speeds since its a bit pointless to me.
I chatted an ATT tech and he "promised" 3G is not super slow that he even watched youtube HD videos with it..I am so close to going for that C6802!
Regarding the screen, I used to have a Note and I liked its screen, but I used my friends S4 yesterday and my eyes started to bleed. Holy Saturation Batman!
I prefer LCDs now. They are much more natural and nice to look at.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
These Sony small apps there aren't that many and its not every app like note 3 I've not found a way to have split screen for video and other apps it's all just like a small stopwatch window small calculator nothing interesting. Tbf if I had the money I would have went for a note 3 as my second phone but then this phone is ALOT more premium then note 3 it does feel great it's just as someone did mention support of rooting roms recovery does seem quite small smaller then what I expected but I don't no if that's the handset or what.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
shaolin95 said:
I am really wanting to buy it but now I just found out the C6802 I was going to get for $475 is only going to give me 3G.
I dont really care about LTE speeds but not sure what 3G will be like for ATT.
As long as I can do Netflix, youtube without issues waiting to load forever, I dont care about having super LTE speeds since its a bit pointless to me.
I chatted an ATT tech and he "promised" 3G is not super slow that he even watched youtube HD videos with it..I am so close to going for that C6802!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm on att in NY and I came from note 2 and i don't miss LTE. so far i like watching netflix on the Ultra better the screen is my bread and butter.
my buddy has the note 3 and i was upset because of the lack of "true" improvements like new look, screen size like the mega.
like someone mentioned a few post back is that the Z isn't as popular compared to samsung with the roms, but i don't miss that.
i do notice some samsung guys are on some serious hate with the Z ultra. with the so called flaws of the ultra which justify the fact that the phone is water proof. i'd say go play with it at a Sony store, you won't be disappointed. i guarantee that if sammy made the ultra they would talk the phone up. sammy=apple in my eyes now
So if I wanted to have GPS and say, youtube playing, there is not really a way to split the view other than the small app or using like that supertube app maybe?
nathlynn22 said:
These Sony small apps there aren't that many and its not every app like note 3 I've not found a way to have split screen for video and other apps it's all just like a small stopwatch window small calculator nothing interesting. Tbf if I had the money I would have went for a note 3 as my second phone but then this phone is ALOT more premium then note 3 it does feel great it's just as someone did mention support of rooting roms recovery does seem quite small smaller then what I expected but I don't no if that's the handset or what.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't forget that you can make your own small apps by tapping the up arrow and the plus sign (check the attachment for an example)
shaolin95 said:
So if I wanted to have GPS and say, youtube playing, there is not really a way to split the view other than the small app or using like that supertube app maybe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, not out of the box at least. You'll have to flash Omni ROM if you want it today.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
No biggie flashing roms..I am addicted to that lol
shaolin95 said:
No biggie flashing roms..I am addicted to that lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, problem "solved"
And order placed!
Decided to go with the cheaper C6802 and use 3G...no issue for me since LTE is a waste that just gets me faster to over 5GB anyway
First no Samsung phone since my Captivate.
If Note 3 was 6" it would have been my choice but Samsung let others steal their thunder! Maybe Note 4...or Ultra Z 2 ...we will see when the time comes
Now time to get a case and read a lot for what I will need. It will be here Thursday!
shaolin95 said:
And order placed!
Decided to go with the cheaper C6802 and use 3G...no issue for me since LTE is a waste that just gets me faster to over 5GB anyway
First no Samsung phone since my Captivate.
If Note 3 was 6" it would have been my choice but Samsung let others steal their thunder! Maybe Note 4...or Ultra Z 2 ...we will see when the time comes
Now time to get a case and read a lot for what I will need. It will be here Thursday!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know if you get the dock included? If you don't get one; get one. I can count the times i've opened a cover port (USB/SIM etc. port) on one hand, and it's so nice to not have to open one every time i have to charge it. It's also nice to have when i'm in bed and watching stuff on it while it's on my nightstand. Mini TV!
LordManhattan said:
Don't forget that you can make your own small apps by tapping the up arrow and the plus sign (check the attachment for an example)
Nope, not out of the box at least. You'll have to flash Omni ROM if you want it today.
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did see that that you can use widgets and get more from play store but when.I tried looking for more on play store found nothing and also can't get like video and navigon up at the same time?
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
nathlynn22 said:
I did see that that you can use widgets and get more from play store but when.I tried looking for more on play store found nothing and also can't get like video and navigon up at the same time?
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, same here. It seems like there's a tiny error when it tries to search. I found them all by searching manually on the play store though. I don't know if there is a "mini video" small app out there yet since i haven't looked for it.
HEY! What's this?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ru426.android.small_app_mediaplayer
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
I am on the fence here..Had Note 3 love Amoled but hate Tw and the plastic...I did have the M7 loved it, but camera was bad....Did not like the G3 ...thinking of the M8 or Note 4 ...I don't use the spen and want a premium phone!! Help!!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
I loved my S3 but the M8 is light years ahead of samsung in my opinion. It's fast and just works like it's supposed to. Keep in mind that Samsung is locking all bootloaders and I don't know about you but waiting on safestrap only to flash modded stock roms doesn't do it for me. My only complaint is that it works too well and I don't find myself looking for mods and flashing new things, which is good, but bad if you like that diversion.
I am also comparing the g3 and the m8. Att is swapping out my s5 for another phone of my choice. Both phones seem nice. I guess I need to hit the store and play with them both.
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Intub8 said:
I am also comparing the g3 and the m8. Att is swapping out my s5 for another phone of my choice. Both phones seem nice. I guess I need to hit the store and play with them both.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using XDA Premium HD app
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Click to collapse
I had the G 3 for three days ..did not like it....It's very laggy, heats up quickly..I rooted mine , debloated with xposed and still was slow. Another issue was wireless charging .Att&t only uses pma chargers and they make you buy their charging cover and base....no thanks.....m8 is light years better than the g3.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
A few things
1. I'm going on 2 days without charging and I'm still at 20% - Amazing
2. Just look at the back of the "new" iPhone. Look familiar? Ya, that's what I thought. The design of the M8 is revolutionary.
3. What other cell phone has 2 forward facing speakers? And they sound better that anything out there.
4. Sense 6 is probably the best Android OEM skin ever. I'm with others that say while flashing ROM's is fun and the developers are great and make amazing ROM's but I've not had a reason to unlock and flash.
5. Just go hold one in your hand. Compare it to the plastic feel of other phones. No contest.
GalaxyNotesTx said:
I am on the fence here..Had Note 3 love Amoled but hate Tw and the plastic...I did have the M7 loved it, but camera was bad....Did not like the G3 ...thinking of the M8 or Note 4 ...I don't use the spen and want a premium phone!! Help!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought a Samsung S 5 Active and an HTC One M8 at the same time, the S5 for my wife as we have different needs.
The S5 camera is better, is more waterproof and I prefer the hard-buttons (home, back, menu/windows.) In every other way, the M8 is better. Even though the S5 has a faster processor, the M8 seems faster. M8 feels slimmer and nicer (than either S5 model), battery lasts nearly double the time. And I happen to really like Dot View (and the ease of turning the display off by closing it. )
And iPhone wielding coworkers fondle the M8 in ways they wouldn't touch an S5.
In most ways, though, it's just different. I really don't like the Samsung interface, and replaced it on my Tab Pro, so it's no surprise that I don't like how the S5 menus and screens are laid out. Sense/Blink is okay, but I don't need either kind of live-feed so I put Nova on it anyhow.
I think the M8 is better. Like an Audi is better than a Honda - it doesn't get you from point A to B better, but the ride is more enjoyable. But you can be happy with either one.
I hope no one minds me adding a small question to this thread, as I'm also about to buy an M8:
I've read in many places that the finish on it makes it very slippery. How true is it? Do owners usually use a case or not? It would be a shame to put a case on such a nice looking phone!
if no case - is the back cover replaceable? If after a year mine gets all scratched, can I just replace it with a new one like I do on my S3?
thanks!
Well just tried to buy m8 two different stores and lte would not light up..says no apn settings. I'm in Houston...huge lte here..Never had this problem with any other phones before..looks to be HTC issue?
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Slartibartfast_ said:
I hope no one minds me adding a small question to this thread, as I'm also about to buy an M8:
I've read in many places that the finish on it makes it very slippery. How true is it? Do owners usually use a case or not? It would be a shame to put a case on such a nice looking phone!
if no case - is the back cover replaceable? If after a year mine gets all scratched, can I just replace it with a new one like I do on my S3?
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the problem with such a beautiful device. You don't want to cover it up with a case but want to protect it from everyday use. I use a thin TPU clear case at work and when I'm out but take it off when I'm home just to feel the quality of the M8. As far as slippery, yes it's a little slippery but not too bad. The back is not replacable like on a phone with a removable battery if that's what your thinking. E-bay (and I'm sure other places) have backs for sale but you'll have to take the phone apart to change it out since the phone is 90% one piece metal. Check out ifixit.com for the teardown and see if you can do it. Personally I don't think it is as bad as they say it is but I'm a mechanic and field service engineer so taking stuff apart and fixing them is what I do for a living.
---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 PM ----------
GalaxyNotesTx said:
Well just tried to buy m8 two different stores and lte would not light up..says no apn settings. I'm in Houston...huge lte here..Never had this problem with any other phones before..looks to be HTC issue?
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe but I don't have that problem where I live (Washington DC area).
GalaxyNotesTx said:
I am on the fence here..Had Note 3 love Amoled but hate Tw and the plastic...I did have the M7 loved it, but camera was bad....Did not like the G3 ...thinking of the M8 or Note 4 ...I don't use the spen and want a premium phone!! Help!!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had an m8 and "please don't bash me for this m8 owners" the camera is absolutely horrible. Huge letdown with the m7 then again with the m8. I had the m8 and tried to convince myself that I loved it. As far as root and s-off, the m8 is awesome. The camera is horrible and the phone is too tall. I switched to the s5 once I heard they had root and couldn't be happier. These are just my opinions.
an0ther said:
I had an m8 and "please don't bash me for this m8 owners" the camera is absolutely horrible. Huge letdown with the m7 then again with the m8. I had the m8 and tried to convince myself that I loved it. As far as root and s-off, the m8 is awesome. The camera is horrible and the phone is too tall. I switched to the s5 once I heard they had root and couldn't be happier. These are just my opinions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree the camera could be better out of the box but if you play with the setting in manual mode you will get amazing results. Most users are just casual photogs so they need point and shoot and never mess with the other features. I only use my phones camera as a conveiance because when I go to events etc. I take my point and shoot and my HD camcorder. I too thought the form factor of this phone would be too big but after having it for a month or so it's really not that big feeling. It actually feels smaller than my Vivid in my pocket. We won't take your comments as a bash, at least you didn't go with the iPhone Plus.
S5 or M8?
I'm trying to decide between the S5 and the M8 also.
Sounds like everybody is generally in love with the M8 because of the look and feel. Personally, I have trouble understanding why people complain about the plastic on the Samsung phones. If you plan to use the phone naked, then the look would make a difference. I never feel comfortable using these flimsy phones without a TPU case, and once you put a case on it, you rarely see the back of the phone. To me that makes all of that lovely metal a waste.
Otherwise, the waterproof qualities of the Samsung are a plus and most people seem to think the camera is better. Also, the lack of an easily replaceable battery on the M8 is a concern for me.
It seems that Sense UI, the speakers, and the general experience of using it is the big advantage for the M8. Also unlocked bootloaders and the availability of multiple stock roms is a plus. I'm not sure which phone wins out on battery life, but the Samsung has the bigger battery.
All in all, I'm leaning toward the S5, but it's a very close call.
Do you use a case on your M8? If so, what's the advantage of the pretty back?
Just got the M8 love it...very fast , very clean ui..no junk touchwiz here.... no complaints....This phone is very nice...only second generation...M9 will be even better....S5 feels and looks like my 9 year old niece designed ...good luck!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
I too was in a position to choose between the M8 and S5 when my Galaxy Note II decided to finally give up the ghost only after 18 months of use. Despite a full restore it just kept freezing up and corrupted not only my 64 GB SD card, but also the internal memory. Because my phone is my lifeline, I couldn't afford to take any more time to try to fix it, and bought a replacement - the M8.
I have never had as many issues or physically destroyed a phone as quickly as the Note II. While I enjoyed the plastic at the beginning due to making the weight of the phone lighter, it was also more prone to scratches, cracks, abrasion marks, etc. Although I liked the Touchwiz features, I hated the FischerPrice design. Why are all of the icons huge on the screen? Nova launcher quickly became my friend.
I temporarily reverted to my Iphone 4 while shopping for a new phone. While I also hate IOS7, i did realize that I missed the feel and sturdiness of the metal chassis design. This swayed me to look at the M8 after I found out that the new model was almost all metal, unlike the M7.
I viewed the reviews and specs of both the M8 and S5. While the better camera on the S5 was definitely important, these were the factors that made me choose the M8:
1) Metal iPhone like build. I'm not too rough on my phones, but the even more plastic flimsy build of the S5 didn't seem like it would hold up any better than my Note 2 did. i also hated the new Band-Aid like design. The S5 looks like a toy.
2) Dual stereo speakers. I am a musician and DJ. Music is my life. While the volume of the Note 2 and S5 were "ok', there is no doubt that the M8 was not only superior in sound quality, but offered the rare stereo experience.
3) Camera - the M8 is adequate, but not up to par with other phones, especially the S5 and new LG. However, I weighed this against my use of the device for music. I rarely take photos or videos with my phone. Yeah, every once in a while as a spur of the moment keepsake, or to send to someone, but never to save and print, etc. I realized that the camera was the least important feature to me, so even though the S5 would win in this category, the M8 was sufficient for my needs. That being said, some of the camera features are very nice, and if you use manual mode, you can get some pretty decent shots.
4) Size - Although I liked the bigger screen on the S5, and prefer the technology, I found my Note 2 to be just a tad too big every once in a while. The slightly smaller M8 seemed to still give me the larger real estate that I wanted (compared to the minuscule iPhone 4, which I found unusable for non mobile web browsing). I was not mistaken.
5) Interface. I was very surprised with how clean the Sense 6 interface was. Although I don't use BlinkFeed (not customizable enough for me) it seems like so much more a native android experience. I don't feel like it gets in the way like TW did. I don't even use Nova anymore, simply because I love the weather clock widget. It was designed with simplicity in mind, but not to a point of making it toy like. If anything, it is elegant.
6) Internal memory. The S5 only has 16 GB of internal memory. The M8 has 32. Let's face it, there's a lot that can not be stored on an external SD card.
Other factors -
I really like the dot view case. While I thought it was gimmicky at first, I really find it helpful. The scrolling caller ID, the tap to view time/weather, the quick voice call feature, auto on/off when opening/closing the cover. Actually all very useful.
I do miss having a full RGB led notification indicator. However I'm finding it less important than I did on the Note 2.
I actually like the stock music player. I used Google Play Music on the Note, but now only use it for cloud based stuff (21K songs LOL). Otherwise I've been using the native player. I like the Music Channel feature with the scrolling lyrics.
One thing that almost made me overlook the M8 was that the M7 did not have a removable battery or SD slot. The M8 now features a micro SD slot (up to 128 GB!) so that's no longer an issue. While the M8 still does not have a removable battery, I find the battery life of the phone to be amazing. I do tend to have it on a charger most days, but yesterday I spent 14 hours at the casino. Even with constantly checking my phone, using it for several calls, texts, etc., I still had 20% at the end of the day without using power saver mode. My note would have been dead in 6-8 hours.
Even with the announcement of the New iPhone 6, I do not regret my choice of the M8. I really enjoy using this phone. YMMV, but the best thing to do would be to evaluate the features and how they fit your needs.
Both the M8 and G3 are badass phones. I have both and keep switching. Converted M8 to Dev and of course updates are like they are supposed to be. G3 no unlocked bootloader, can be a problem for some. The lag that those complain about on the G3 is virtually non-existent but sometimes can be seen. I think once LG issues an update, and they will, it won't even be a conversation anymore. I think LG is going straight to L, and will address everything at that point. Of course HTC will issue the same updates, probably faster too, but in the end, if LG fixes some of the "nagging" issues, it will be so much better.
---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 PM ----------
GalaxyNotesTx said:
Just got the M8 love it...very fast , very clean ui..no junk touchwiz here.... no complaints....This phone is very nice...only second generation...M9 will be even better....S5 feels and looks like my 9 year old niece designed ...good luck!
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that's funny. I say the same about my wifes Note 3, so cartoonish.
theandies said:
I agree the camera could be better out of the box but if you play with the setting in manual mode you will get amazing results. Most users are just casual photogs so they need point and shoot and never mess with the other features. I only use my phones camera as a conveiance because when I go to events etc. I take my point and shoot and my HD camcorder. I too thought the form factor of this phone would be too big but after having it for a month or so it's really not that big feeling. It actually feels smaller than my Vivid in my pocket. We won't take your comments as a bash, at least you didn't go with the iPhone Plus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't had any trouble with camera and I prefer the luxury finish that gives the M8 over the S5.
I was gonna open a new thread but this is what I was looking for
Used iPhone 3G > Captivate > S3 > Note 2 ----> Got bored of Android, and more so with constant rooting and roms, and a times frustrating lag and crashing. So I bought into the hype and paid 1K for an iphone 6 64GB ( was waiting from Carrier too and then sell t but wait was 6 weeks ) , used for 3 days and realized I miss the Android control and usage. I sold the iPhone for 940, lost money and ordered an M8 from my Carrier - since I know its premium finish and I simply want to root it
I have been reading about GPE but most people say the stock is best itself
Have I picked the right phone as I want to stay away from the same Rom game and needs a smooth phone
inningsdefeat500 said:
Have I picked the right phone as I want to stay away from the same Rom game and needs a smooth phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only you can answer if its the right phone for you.
But what I can say, is the stock experience is smooth, snappy and won't disappoint. To be honest, I've felt like HTC has gotten very close to having a great stock ROM experience for some time now. And that is pretty much realized with Sense 6, especially combined with the hardware on the M8. I mean, there is always tweaking that can be done with custom ROMs, and whether you want a custom ROM or not completely depends on your own preferences and usage. But I really feel that we are at a point where the stock software is stable, fast and smooth, and a custom ROM is not needed to get basic functionality or to overcome lag caused by Sense (as has been the case for older devices).
That being said, I went to a custom ROM early on (second day I owned the M8) because I can't stand AT&T's bloatware and limitations (blocked tethering if not on a tethering plan). But that is really another matter. Lag and performance are not an issue on the stock software.
Also, you can't really compare the M8 with Samsung devices. I have a current Samsung tablet (Tab Pro 8.4) and it lagged and crashed on TouchWiz, and all but forced me to go AOSP (which made it much faster and more stable). So don't take the Samsung experience as being indicative of all Android devices. The M8 is simply snappy in comparison.
redpoint73 said:
Only you can answer if its the right phone for you.
But what I can say, is the stock experience is smooth, snappy and won't disappoint. To be honest, I've felt like HTC has gotten very close to having a great stock ROM experience for some time now. And that is pretty much realized with Sense 6, especially combined with the hardware on the M8. I mean, there is always tweaking that can be done with custom ROMs, and whether you want a custom ROM or not completely depends on your own preferences and usage. But I really feel that we are at a point where the stock software is stable, fast and smooth, and a custom ROM is not needed to get basic functionality or to overcome lag caused by Sense (as has been the case for older devices).
That being said, I went to a custom ROM early on (second day I owned the M8) because I can't stand AT&T's bloatware and limitations (blocked tethering if not on a tethering plan). But that is really another matter. Lag and performance are not an issue on the stock software.
Also, you can't really compare the M8 with Samsung devices. I have a current Samsung tablet (Tab Pro 8.4) and it lagged and crashed on TouchWiz, and all but forced me to go AOSP (which made it much faster and more stable). So don't take the Samsung experience as being indicative of all Android devices. The M8 is simply snappy in comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tx man, I have 8.4 Tab Pro too. Lot of the comments on this thread are so similar to my past usage with Samsung - man it feels good to be back with Android. I was SO missing the back button the iphone and unlocking with fingerprint was a bore, had to wait till it opens, keep eye on the phone to swap channels on Tune in radio whereas in droid, u can simply swipe w/o looking. Lot of other small things make the difference
I was deeply torn between an S5 and the M8. My wife actually poked fun at me for not being able to decide. They are both solid phones, but ultimately I wasn't able to give up the freedom to tinker. The S5 is locked down hard on AT&T, and while it has root, at some point it's going to be totally closed - or at least developers are going to be stuck on the last officially supported kernel until people get tired of it. There is safestrap, and I looked into it, but it sounds like people are already getting weary of development on the locked versions. Thus, there will likely never be a non-TW ROM for it. The T-mobile version isn't locked, but apparently doesn't perform as well on AT&T networks, and you would have to find a way to get one without switching carriers.
The M8, on the other hand, has a future. Even once HTC gets tired of supporting it, being able to unlock the bootloader (either officially or unofficially) and S-off means that people will be creating new ROMs for it until it, like my old Skyrocket, just get so old that no one has them anymore. That was the deciding factor for me, especially in light of the fact that I switched to Cyanogenmod a long time ago on my Skyrocket, and never looked back. So, in a way, firewater (and ultimately Sunshine) sold me on the M8.
Now, the fact is that I have come to really like Sense. Sure, it doesn't have every option I'm used to in CM, but it's a solid skin that doesn't get in the way. I opted for a full (including CID) conversion to the Developer Edition, and have stuck with it for now. Thus, the ultimate irony is that I have the ability to do whatever I like to my phone, and I'm so happy with stock that I've not installed a single alternate ROM. However, I am also happy knowing that one day I will be able to.
OK, I'm on a Nexus 6, running Chroma ROM, loving the rooted Marshmallow life on Project Fi. I was looking forward to more of the same with the 128GB 6P. Then I started checking into the V10.
Here is what is *almost* making me hit the cancel button on my N6P order: 2nd screen, ESS Sabre DAC/AMP (the main reason is this actually), and I personally prefer the LG displays vs Amoled. (Color and white accuracy > saturated pop.) The V10 looks a bit better IMO too, but looks are pretty far down my list of considerations. Until proven otherwise, I'll consider cameras on the 6p vs v10 to be a wash. I also don't think the 808 vs 810 thing will be a huge deal for me either.
I've owned the G2 and G3 and liked it, but don't at all care for LG's UI customizations vs stock android. It's worse than touch wiz in some ways. Not as bad in others.
I'm an audiophile and I'd love to ditch my external headphone DAC/AMP. I'd really like to enjoy the V10, but not sure I can give up the freedom of a Nexus. So... Convince me!
Don't forget the removable SD (up to 1TB of music for you) and removable battery.
Nobody can convince you but yourself. I cancelled my 6P order for several reasons. IR Blaster (yes I use it all the time), V10 is the first phone using Qualcomm's TruSignal radio, second screen, IPS vs OLED, video features, the LG camera are already among the finest in cellphones, serious drop protection, among others. I'm one of the few maybe? Who actually likes the features that LG has added to their phones as opposed to vanilla Android. 4GB RAM, 808 is a fine processor. Qi charging backs available, removable battery and SD card slots. Those are the reasons I hit the cancel button.
I've sort of thought about getting myself the V10.
I want the Nexus 6P very bad, however unless AT&T picks it up wihtin the next two months I am more than likely going to have to find another phone or jump through a lot of hoops to get it.
That said, I have had my G3 since a month after it was released, this is the longest time I have ever held onto a phone.. Without rooting it, I might add.
I have used plenty of android devices, all were rooted. I love root, but I feel as Android is evolving I have had less of a need to root, though I would really like to hear that the bootloader on the V10 will be easily unlocked...
I sort of thought the second screen was going to be a gimmick. Now I am rethinking that. I absolutely love my G3 camera. I don't mind the LG UI in fact and that is one of the biggest reasons I have kept the phone this long. Unlike TouchWiz which will keep me from buying another Samsung phone for years to come, or Sense which I will not try again in the foreseeable future, the UI is not over bearing, almost keeps the vanilla android look perfectly.. It doesn't eat up a ton of RAM, and is pretty darn snappy.
I think I may end up with this device, I will wait until reviews of the N6P and this device come out to make a final decision, as well as wait and see if carriers in the US are allowed/decide to carry the Nexus.
You have to make the decision yourself, OP. I'll say this much - I don't need root at this point, sure it's a bonus, but not needed - so I lean toward this device.
Stainless steel, rubber, 2 gorilla glass coverings, sd card, removable battery, 2nd screen, 2 selfie cams and the video record features.
I can re-skin the UI, all but the system menu, with Nova - which I'd probably be doing on the nexus as well. I guess the big question is how much ROM support will the V10 have to keep me happy like the nexus will. Having to code a ROM to handle that second display is probably going to be rough, but I'm just guessing.
Elnrik said:
I can re-skin the UI, all but the system menu, with Nova - which I'd probably be doing on the nexus as well. I guess the big question is how much ROM support will the V10 have to keep me happy like the nexus will. Having to code a ROM to handle that second display is probably going to be rough, but I'm just guessing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to say a few things here, and all my opinion.
First. I am only up to speed on the way the G3 development progressed. Boatloader was hard to crack for most carrier variants and I believe the V10 will more than likely follow suit.
If you are buying a new phone to go flash-a-holic on your best bet will always be the newest Nexus device, hands down. The way phone manufacturers are trending they want their phones to be super secure, and in Samsung's case want it secure enough to make government contracts possible.
With that said. The next thing is the second screen. If there happens to be a fair development area for this phone I will assume that all stock based roms will have no issues with the second screen as it is already in the software code.
However, MIUI, AOSP, CM based roms will likely have issues unless LG makes that code available. So, again if you want to flash every ROM in the XDA database the Nexus is your phone.
I look at the V10 and I see stability, amazing hardware, software for the camera second to none, and above all else the one thing all these manufacturers are losing people for lacking - MICRO SD and removable battery!
Matt
I used to be a flash crazy person. I tried everything and constantly switched. That was also during the time when Android wasn't mature like it is now. Now, I'm content with just root. I hate flashing ROM's now, it takes up too much time restoring everything, and a lot of the features added to ROM's are not very useful to me. I do like to flash kernels, though and find them useful.
1) I understand the benefits of USB C but I have a significant investment in Qualcomm Quickcharge 2.0 wall, and car, and power bank, and cables. So I actually prefer at this time to stay with micro USB for compatibility with my other devices. USB C might make more sense in a couple years.
2) Removable battery. Not because I intend to swap it but rather because I hope to stay with this phone for many years and when the battery get tired I can buy a new one.
3) Micro SD. My current phone is small so I use it for audio only and my tablet for video only. I am hoping by switching to a big phone I can use one device for both audio and video. This means I want lots of storage and the max 128GB of the 6P is not enough for me.
4) I do not like the wasted bezel space at the top of the 6P. I'm thinking the V10 2nd display with be useful for me.
5) I like the combined power and finger print sensor on the back.
6) I think a camera with OIS is better than one without. And I like manual camera controls.
7) I don't play games but I like to multitask. So more ram and lower power cpu is a plus for me.
What might change my mind?
If upcoming 6P camera reviews demonstrate it is a lot better than the V10 camera. If the V10 pricing is not competitive. If I see some serious flaws reported in V10 reviews.
Elnrik said:
OK, I'm on a Nexus 6, running Chroma ROM, loving the rooted Marshmallow life on Project Fi. I was looking forward to more of the same with the 128GB 6P. Then I started checking into the V10.
Here is what is *almost* making me hit the cancel button on my N6P order: 2nd screen, ESS Sabre DAC/AMP (the main reason is this actually), and I personally prefer the LG displays vs Amoled. (Color and white accuracy > saturated pop.) The V10 looks a bit better IMO too, but looks are pretty far down my list of considerations. Until proven otherwise, I'll consider cameras on the 6p vs v10 to be a wash. I also don't think the 808 vs 810 thing will be a huge deal for me either.
I've owned the G2 and G3 and liked it, but don't at all care for LG's UI customizations vs stock android. It's worse than touch wiz in some ways. Not as bad in others.
I'm an audiophile and I'd love to ditch my external headphone DAC/AMP. I'd really like to enjoy the V10, but not sure I can give up the freedom of a Nexus. So... Convince me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you were really an audiophile than you wouldn't need convincing. The superb ESS DAC/AMP in the LG V10 should have been enough to tip the scale quite easily.
Oh, kind of like the ESS DAC and amp in this? https://www.oppodigital.com/headphone-amplifier-ha-2/
Carrying around that has been just fine for quite a while. Not having to carry that and still having all of the features I want in a smartphone is my goal. If you read my post, maybe you would have understood.
You'll never be able to convince me that you'd rather carry around a stack if you don't have to. That's absurd. Choice is easy. LG V10.
jamor414 said:
You'll never be able to convince me that you'd rather carry around a stack if you don't have to. That's absurd. Choice is easy. LG V10.
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I'd rather carry it than go without the smartphone features I want. Many people do.
You have yet to post a logical argument as to why the V10 is better.
Elnrik said:
I'd rather carry it than go without the smartphone features I want. Many people do.
You have yet to post a logical argument as to why the V10 is better.
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Stacks are bulky and annoying. Nobody wants to carry that around if they dont have to and the v10 eliminates that need. I never said the LG is "better". I said the v10 has a superior dac/amp that would make the decision easy for a true audiophile. Not to mention the 6p doesn't even have an sd card slot for more music.
Bottom line for me looks like I'm going with the V10 over the Nexus 6P. Very excited for it. Might be a month but I am going to get myself a little "early" Christmas present
No need to convince. Don't get it. It doesn't meet your needs/wants.
I got my 6p in the mail today. Really nice phone, but something makes me want to try the v10, (the promo helps) camera is probably just as good maybe better. I ordered from ATT in Opal Blue, I figure if it doesn't compare I can return it. Or if Its better, keep it and sell the 6p.
Samsung.Galaxy.S3 said:
No need to convince. Don't get it. It doesn't meet your needs/wants.
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I agree. I think I'll be sticking with the N6P.
Craleb said:
I got my 6p in the mail today. Really nice phone, but something makes me want to try the v10, (the promo helps) camera is probably just as good maybe better. I ordered from ATT in Opal Blue, I figure if it doesn't compare I can return it. Or if Its better, keep it and sell the 6p.
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Mind giving us a comparison once you've had the chance to test drive both? I'm still interested in the V10, I'm just thinking the N6P better suits me at this point.
I thought I was going to prefer the Nexus 6P over the LG V10 but that was ruined when I learned Nexus was going AMOLED again. It was a disaster the first time around and doesn't sound all that great this time. I'm reading a lot of complaints on brightness and a pink/blue hue to the screen.
I just don't trust AMOLED. I'm a moderate to heavy user and don't need a screen that can suffer image retention, burn in, and/or color degradation anywhere from a week to a year after purchase.
All in all, though, I'll be sticking with my G4 as the V10 isn't worth the upgrade.
Elnrik said:
I agree. I think I'll be sticking with the N6P.
Mind giving us a comparison once you've had the chance to test drive both? I'm still interested in the V10, I'm just thinking the N6P better suits me at this point.
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I really like the 6p, its beautiful, the camera is amazing, and its fast and clean. My v10 comes tomorrow, I will gladly share my opinion.
Now you've had the Mate 20 Pro for a while, taking into account the camera, battery and overall experience. Would you recommend this phone to friends and would you buy the phone again yourself?
At this point I haven't had any negative experience...I'm more frustrated with the decisions that Google made in Android Pie than anything related to the phone itself.
So yeah, I have recommended it to friends.
No. I really don't enjoy using EMUI.
I think it's an excellent phone but just the fact that I live in the USA where the M20P has no warranty or support makes it difficult to recommend. EMUI also will turn off certain people and the aggressive battery management is kind of a love it or hate it thing. I would buy this phone again but recommending it to a friend is another matter.
Not decided yet... Memory management is far too aggressive. The rest of EMUI I can live with at the moment. It's very hard to ignore the amazing battery, screen and camera. I came from a note 8 and it was a close run thing between the mate and the note. Time will tell!
jhs39 said:
I think it's an excellent phone but just the fact that I live in the USA where the M20P has no warranty or support makes it difficult to recommend. EMUI also will turn off certain people and the aggressive battery management is kind of a love it or hate it thing. I would buy this phone again but recommending it to a friend is another matter.
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Where did you buy yours from in the US?
j0ff said:
Not decided yet... Memory management is far too aggressive. The rest of EMUI I can live with at the moment. It's very hard to ignore the amazing battery, screen and camera. I came from a note 8 and it was a close run thing between the mate and the note. Time will tell!
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I'm wondering if memory management is a phone issue or an android pie issue. I have seen others complaining about this with other phone brands.
mwatson said:
Now you've had the Mate 20 Pro for a while, taking into account the camera, battery and overall experience. Would you recommend this phone to friends and would you buy the phone again yourself?
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I'm exactly in this boat. After my 3rd defective device I opted for a refund.
Today I looked at the Google pixel 3xl and the 1+6T the oxygen os is great far nicer than EMUI. But for some reason I kept getting drawn back to the Mate 20 Pro. The camera and battery life are something else.
Man I'm torn.
i love my mate 20 pro it is a great phone. there seems to be a whole lot of negativity about it on here but i have had no problems even with the dreaded lg screen lol. yes i would buy it again.
djBarren said:
I'm exactly in this boat. After my 3rd defective device I opted for a refund.
Today I looked at the Google pixel 3xl and the 1+6T the oxygen os is great far nicer than EMUI. But for some reason I kept getting drawn back to the Mate 20 Pro. The camera and battery life are something else.
Man I'm torn.
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why not give it another try? my concern is how long huawei will support the device for. They have no official time frame for firmware and security updates. At least you have 3 years with a pixel.
Yeah looking forward on mate 30. Like the others that never had any single issue.. This phone is great in any aspect of everyday usage. Might buy another mate but let see how huawei would stand after the nonsense banning of their other services
charliebigpot said:
Where did you buy yours from in the US?
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I bought mine off eBay. If I had to do it again I'd use wonda mobile. They'll actually check if it's a boe panel for you before they ship and they handle warranty. You'd have to ship to China but that's better than ZERO support from even the best eBay sellers. Huawei doesn't do international service so your sol here in the US.
Amazing phone.
I have had great experience! Nice battery life is the best perk no use in having the hardware to do things if the battery won't last! Also have a second one I bought for the wife and she's an iPhone user and didn't like it. If anyone is interested send me a personal message
I know for sure, I would buy it again, it has given me a great service
My only nitpick with this device is the gesture control, so I'm back to 3 button mode. The native Pie gestures work brilliantly, I don't get why Huawei broke it. That's not a deal breaker for me. It's the best phone I've ever used, better than the pixel or note. I'm unashamedly a huge fan of pure Google Android/ asop and use Nokia 7 plus as my second phone, but nothing comes close to my experience with the Mate 20 pro.
j0ff said:
Not decided yet... Memory management is far too aggressive. The rest of EMUI I can live with at the moment. It's very hard to ignore the amazing battery, screen and camera. I came from a note 8 and it was a close run thing between the mate and the note. Time will tell!
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You can change that in the battery settings for running apps. Just let the big apps run in the background like games and they won't close. It's all about choice.
All my apps stay open all the time unless i've bloced them.
I wouldn't buy Huawei again, but I would recommend it.
The note 9 is the same as the mate, except with less battery life, slower charging, worse camera, and same aggressive app management unless you tweak it yourself.
Jonathan-H said:
I wouldn't buy Huawei again, but I would recommend it.
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why would you not buy Huawei again?
No.
Because of green tint, emui, how notifications are handled, and lack of customization options.
I've been on Samsungs since the S2, so this was quite a change for me, so at first I didn't like the general UI side of things (especially the AOD compared to Samsung's is pretty basic), but I have to say its grown on me.
Speed/fluidity etc on the hardware wide of things are excellent
Fingerprint detection can be random at best, but I'm amazed at the speed and reliability of the face recognition, especially when its dark
Also amazed at the battery life
Shame there's no SD slot. Would be much easier to just take all my music etc from my S7 if it had one. No problem as internal storage isn't an issue, but I'd have preferred an SD slot all the same.
Biggest gripe for me is the notch, or should I say the lack of statusbar icon space.... If you set to "hide" the notch, I would rather there be an option to drop the icons down a line so that a full row of statusbar icons can be seen (I'd rather lose 4-5mm of the screen and gain a full statusbar)
Notch aside, yes, I would definitely recommend, but now I've finally made the plunge and broken away from Samsung after all these years, I think I'd probably go for whatever the current OnePlus offering is in 2 years time to see what thats like!
Jonathan-H said:
You can change that in the battery settings for running apps. Just let the big apps run in the background like games and they won't close. It's all about choice.
All my apps stay open all the time unless i've bloced them.
I wouldn't buy Huawei again, but I would recommend it.
The note 9 is the same as the mate, except with less battery life, slower charging, worse camera, and same aggressive app management unless you tweak it yourself.
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I've already changed those settings and they've made little difference. Perhaps I need to wipe it and start again (but to be fair, all I've really done is install nova and some Google apps).