Pre-order - Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe Guides, News, & Discussion

I did my pre-order my zenfone 3 deluxe. I got the snapdragon 821 with 256 GB internal. Who else ditch Samsung for not having an unlock bootloader?

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killerdvd said:
I did my pre-order my zenfone 3 deluxe. I got the snapdragon 821 with 256 GB internal. Who else ditch Samsung for not having an unlock bootloader?
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Where did you pre order from? I haven't seen this out yet.
Im hoping the Canadian note 7 is not locked down but the asus has certainly got my attention regardless. It has alot to offer and for alot less than the note
Asus may also lock the BL though, we dont know yet.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk 2

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force70 said:
Where did you pre order from? I haven't seen this out yet.
Im hoping the Canadian note 7 is not locked down but the asus has certainly got my attention regardless. It has alot to offer and for alot less than the note
Asus may also lock the BL though, we dont know yet.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk 2
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I pre ordered from this web http://www.expansys-usa.com/asus-ze...locked-256gb-titanium-gray-ww-version-291308/
I had been loyal to Samsung note since the note 2 but I'm a flashaholic. I need an unlock bootloader.

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Using note 2 atm with aosp 6.0.1 ROM ... I can wait for the zenfone 3 deluxe release because I want to ditch Samsung as well

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I'm thinking of same thing. On a Note 4 now. Although I will miss the stylus.
Are any of you speaking of a U.S. version?
I looked at the Zen 2 forums...didn't look like a lot of community support out there.

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killerdvd said:
I did my pre-order my zenfone 3 deluxe. I got the snapdragon 821 with 256 GB internal. Who else ditch Samsung for not having an unlock bootloader?
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Former Note 2 user here (Mine died after 3 years, fell to the ground to never to boot-up again)
It is not certain yet that the Zenfone 3 series will come with an unlockable bootloader.
I wish YouTube reviewers who get their hands on devices first would be so smart to get into fastboot and show us the fastboot variables.
I'm tending between the Zenfone 3 Deluxe and the Google Marlin.

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celoxocis said:
I wish YouTube reviewers who get their hands on devices first would be so smart to get into fastboot and show us the fastboot variables.
I'm tending between the Zenfone 3 Deluxe and the Google Marlin.
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Google Marlin will net you an unlockable BL, but ASUS has usually been flash friendly, which is why I'm hoping the ZFD to be unlockable.
I moved from a Huawei P8Max (6.8") to a Xiaomi Mi5 (5.15"), but can't get used to the smaller screen, hence my investigating the Zenfone 3 Deluxe, Moto Z Force, or waiting for the Marlin.
Choices choices -_-

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adwinp said:
Google Marlin will net you an unlockable BL, but ASUS has usually been flash friendly, which is why I'm hoping the ZFD to be unlockable.
I moved from a Huawei P8Max (6.8") to a Xiaomi Mi5 (5.15"), but can't get used to the smaller screen, hence my investigating the Zenfone 3 Deluxe, Moto Z Force, or waiting for the Marlin.
Choices choices -_-
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Since when doesn't Google "not" unlock the bootloader or the OEM which is HTC?
Both of those companies always allowed for unlockable bootloader. Wherever you read your news I would change that site.
Asus on the other hand only released an unlockable option only for their Zenfone 2 series "later in the game".
Meaning when users constantly complained about their ZenUI.
Asus changed it's direction with Zenfone 3. From affordable Zenfone 2 series to (what they think) IPhone 7 killers. The deluxe got released just after the I7 had been announced. That's no coincidence that's market strategy. Also look at their prices for their midranges tiers compared to the Z2 series. They are outrageous.
I highly doubt the Z3 series will have an unlockable bootloader from the start. They will try to go the "fruit company" name. Not just on market prices but also on Software strategy which includes locked bootloader.

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Did you get the Phone
killerdvd said:
I did my pre-order my zenfone 3 deluxe. I got the snapdragon 821 with 256 GB internal. Who else ditch Samsung for not having an unlock bootloader?
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Did you ever get your pre-ordered phone?
If not, what is the ETA?
If do you have it, any first impressions?
I would like to get one but no info on USA release date...
Thanks!

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gatorgal88 said:
Did you ever get your pre-ordered phone?
If not, what is the ETA?
If do you have it, any first impressions?
I would like to get one but no info on USA release date...
Thanks!
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I haven't get my unit yet. :'(
ETA is for September 30th. It has been shipped from china already. It comes with all the pre-order gifts. I can't wait to have it.
I'll keep you guys update.

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adwinp said:
Google Marlin will net you an unlockable BL, but ASUS has usually been flash friendly, which is why I'm hoping the ZFD to be unlockable.
I moved from a Huawei P8Max (6.8") to a Xiaomi Mi5 (5.15"), but can't get used to the smaller screen, hence my investigating the Zenfone 3 Deluxe, Moto Z Force, or waiting for the Marlin.
Choices choices -_-
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I can't do a screen smaller than 5.7. Even the 5.7 feels a bit to smaller. A 6 would be perfect.

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Former Note4 user here too, I would have gotten the Note7 but Samsung dropped the ball so hard I can't even see where it rolled to anymore.
Just received my Z3D yesterday. How do I check if the bootloader is locked or not?
EDIT: Nevermind, found out... As expected it's locked out of the box. Grr.

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shirakani said:
Former Note4 user here too, I would have gotten the Note7 but Samsung dropped the ball so hard I can't even see where it rolled to anymore.
Just received my Z3D yesterday. How do I check if the bootloader is locked or not?
EDIT: Nevermind, found out... As expected it's locked out of the box. Grr.
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They didnt drop the ball they threw it away lol
Im thinking of just unloading my new note 7 when it comes for this but if the BL is locked and not unlockable forget it.
Absolute beast of a device but useless if its locked.
Sent from my SM-N930F using Tapatalk 2

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shirakani said:
Former Note4 user here too, I would have gotten the Note7 but Samsung dropped the ball so hard I can't even see where it rolled to anymore.
Just received my Z3D yesterday. How do I check if the bootloader is locked or not?
EDIT: Nevermind, found out... As expected it's locked out of the box. Grr.
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What are your first impressions on the Z3D? How is the camera?
Solid build?
Where did you order from?
What country are you located?
Wondering how long before I can order here in the USA.
I would think that they will release a bootloader unlock like they did for the Z2.
I currently have a Galaxy S7 Edge and I love then phone and camera but hate that it is locked bootloader.

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gatorgal88 said:
What are your first impressions on the Z3D? How is the camera?
Solid build?
Where did you order from?
What country are you located?
Wondering how long before I can order here in the USA.
I would think that they will release a bootloader unlock like they did for the Z2.
I currently have a Galaxy S7 Edge and I love then phone and camera but hate that it is locked bootloader.
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My first immediate impressions are its one hell of a nice phone. Its thinner feeling and lighter than the Note4. Camera had a few stability issues which were solved after running a software update to the latest OTA update.
Build is very solid feeling. For those who are fans of the form factor/feel of the iPhone 6 Plus it'll feel more or less the same except solid metal. The look is extremely sleek.
The front metal is not the same brushed metal as the back, and fingerprints horribly, ugh... But I guess its a case of find me a phone that doesn't fingerprint.
Not sure why ppl 'absolutely hate' the ZenUI, its lightweight and fully customizable... Coming from a Samsung phone, this is absolutely nothing compared to Samsung's bloat.
There were only a handful of chinese installed apps which were not 'system locked' so did not require root to uninstall. It comes with a very handy little app management tool too that prevents apps from 'auto starting' as a default.
Haven't faffed around w/ the camera much as I spent all night looking for a way to root the thing before realizing the phone was way too new and there's practically nothing available....
As for where I got it, I'm in Australia... but I have relatives in Taiwan. I simply asked an uncle to walk into a retail store, buy one and send it to me via Fed Ex. No idea when it will be internationally available.
---------- Post added at 11:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:48 AM ----------
force70 said:
Absolute beast of a device but useless if its locked.
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That's the thing, we don't know if it can/can't be unlocked. Right now it seems like practically nobody has the phone or nobody w/ developer skills has had a chance to play with it.
We need to get a unit into the hands of a skilled dev to be sure....

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shirakani said:
Former Note4 user here too, I would have gotten the Note7 but Samsung dropped the ball so hard I can't even see where it rolled to anymore.
Just received my Z3D yesterday. How do I check if the bootloader is locked or not?
EDIT: Nevermind, found out... As expected it's locked out of the box. Grr.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just curious as how you checked it.
Where did you check it? Did you enter fastboot and check the output of the variables?
Which is "fastboot getvar all"?
Because if the bootloader is locked I'm fine with it as long as there are fastboot binarys. Which means we could receive official unlock sometime in the future. If not Google Pixel XL here I come.

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celoxocis said:
Just curious as how you checked it.
Where did you check it? Did you enter fastboot and check the output of the variables?
Which is "fastboot getvar all"?
Because if the bootloader is locked I'm fine with it as long as there are fastboot binarys. Which means we could receive official unlock sometime in the future. If not Google Pixel XL here I come.
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I'm a noob at this stuff so you tell me, this is the output (I've removed the serial, obviously):
C:\Windows\system32>fastboot getvar all
(bootloader) cputype:8996pro
(bootloader) version:1.0
(bootloader) cpusn:1023896535
(bootloader) battery-soc-ok:yes
(bootloader) battery-voltage:4251000
(bootloader) variant:MTP eMMC
(bootloader) secure:yes
(bootloader) version-baseband:
(bootloader) version-bootloader:
(bootloader) display-panel:
(bootloader) off-mode-charge:0
(bootloader) charger-screen-enabled:0
(bootloader) max-download-size: 0x20000000
(bootloader) partition-type:APD:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:APD: 0xd700000
(bootloader) partition-type:ADF:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:ADF: 0x2800000
(bootloader) partition-type:cache:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:cache: 0x10000000
(bootloader) partition-type:userdata:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:userdata: 0x39c54af000
(bootloader) partition-type:system:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:system: 0xf3c00000
(bootloader) serialno:<REMOVED>
(bootloader) kernel:lk
(bootloader) product:MSM8996
all:
finished. total time: 0.262s
Doing a fastboot oem device-info gives me this, and 'fastboot oem unlock' doesn't work as expected.
C:\Windows\system32>fastboot oem device-info
...
(bootloader) Device tampered: false
(bootloader) Device unlocked: false
(bootloader) Device critical unlocked: false
(bootloader) Charger screen enabled: false
(bootloader) Display panel:
(bootloader) Device oem_adb_enable: false
OKAY [ 0.066s]
finished. total time: 0.067s

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shirakani said:
I'm a noob at this stuff so you tell me, this is the output (I've removed the serial, obviously):
C:\Windows\system32>fastboot getvar all
(bootloader) cputype:8996pro
(bootloader) version:1.0
(bootloader) cpusn:1023896535
(bootloader) battery-soc-ok:yes
(bootloader) battery-voltage:4251000
(bootloader) variant:MTP eMMC
(bootloader) secure:yes
(bootloader) version-baseband:
(bootloader) version-bootloader:
(bootloader) display-panel:
(bootloader) off-mode-charge:0
(bootloader) charger-screen-enabled:0
(bootloader) max-download-size: 0x20000000
(bootloader) partition-type:APD:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:APD: 0xd700000
(bootloader) partition-type:ADF:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:ADF: 0x2800000
(bootloader) partition-type:cache:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:cache: 0x10000000
(bootloader) partition-type:userdata:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:userdata: 0x39c54af000
(bootloader) partition-type:system:ext4
(bootloader) partition-size:system: 0xf3c00000
(bootloader) serialno:<REMOVED>
(bootloader) kernel:lk
(bootloader) product:MSM8996
all:
finished. total time: 0.262s
Doing a fastboot oem device-info gives me this, and 'fastboot oem unlock' doesn't work as expected.
C:\Windows\system32>fastboot oem device-info
...
(bootloader) Device tampered: false
(bootloader) Device unlocked: false
(bootloader) Device critical unlocked: false
(bootloader) Charger screen enabled: false
(bootloader) Display panel:
(bootloader) Device oem_adb_enable: false
OKAY [ 0.066s]
finished. total time: 0.067s
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Thanks a lot!
This actually is really good. It means proper fastboot binarys are available. So my guess is that Asus keeps its options open for a bootloader unlock tool! Which will allow for "fastboot OEM unlock". So for now all we can do is wait for Asus to release it.

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celoxocis said:
Thanks a lot!
This actually is really good. It means proper fastboot binarys are available. So my guess is that Asus keeps its options open for a bootloader unlock tool! Which will allow for "fastboot OEM unlock". So for now all we can do is wait for Asus to release it.
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Well, yeah, they released said bootloader unlock tool for the Zenfone 2 remember?
The question is how long do we have to wait for them to release said unlock tool before we can have basic root....

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shirakani said:
Well, yeah, they released said bootloader unlock tool for the Zenfone 2 remember?
The question is how long do we have to wait for them to release said unlock tool before we can have basic root....
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I would say as much as the time waited for the old unlock tool. Which was about a year?
One could try to see if the old tool works for the Z3. Which I guess doesn't but hey you never know.
The Zuk Z2 got its bootloader unlocked with the unlock tool for the Zuk Z1. Guess they forgot to change the method.