Census - got one, had one, want one? - Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra Guides, News, & Discussion

There don't appear to be many of these devices around, and I am curious to try and find out how many.

I love the hardware. If it was just about the specs, I'd have bought one already!
But I'm undecided.
If the bootloader was unlockable, with custom recoveries and custom ROMs, I'd have bought one. However, with Asus not cooperating, and I think too few devices around, I am not sure this will achieve the critical mass to get the attention it deserves.
Sadly, the lack of international availability, and, well, Asus being Asus, means that if this was an experiment to judge the demand for super-sized phablets, then I think it failed. I don't think we'll see another from Asus.

I have one, and will be keeping it for now. However it is not my daily driver, and until AT&T fixes their HSPA+ network in my area, or root becomes available so I can unlock bands, this device will stay just a play around device.

Hi,
I have one since about 2 months and I love its big screen, reviews said that there was no lag, no freezes etc... False, the proc is not that good and I'm really desapointed but that's not why I will change.
I'll change because I cannot accept that an android phone cannot have root or unlockable bootloader, for me it's not an android...
If I wanted an extremly locked phone, I'd choose an iPhone... lol
Oh and... still no Nougat update for other versions than ZF3 5.2 and 5.5 (Stopped because euh... well, because what in fact?)
So, for a 750€ smartphone...
Asus? Never again.

wow, only six people bought one? and one of those is going to sell it. doesn't look too good.
edit: updated the count

Yea I have it and im using it on T-Mobile which is OK with hspa+ but the bootloader unlock not coming out is killing my joy with the phone. Awesome device but I find myself using my OnePlus 3t more because of Asus stupid choices with the bootloader.

Have one & will keep it. The only really irritating thing so far is having both speakers on one side, when you keep the phone in landscape mode; but I'm getting used to tolerate it and can use the headphones anyway.

ptae2000e said:
Have one & will keep it. The only really irritating thing so far is having both speakers on one side, when you keep the phone in landscape mode; but I'm getting used to tolerate it and can use the headphones anyway.
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the iphone7 has a dummy speaker, one set of grilles are just blind holes!
so I guess even having genuine dual speakers is a win, but yes, would have been better to have them top and bottom, or even on the long edge.

the availability of an official boot loader unlock tool has swung me back to considering this phone again.

I have had my Z3Ultra for a number of months now after I purchased it to replace my nice but also annoying Huawei P8 Max. I totally love this phone. Can't complain with the exception of the lack of Root, which as I write this message, the developer community is working on bringing it to our device. Apart from this, I am looking to keep it until a new device is released with much better spec but at least the same size possibly even a 7.9" (YES it can be as like the Huawei P8 Max, this phone has a lot of wasted space and overall size can still be kept to current size- check Xiaomi Mi Mix) with ultra thin bezels and curved display, stylus pen, keyboard attachment, better cpu, 128GB or 256GB ROM, 6GB+ RAM, dual sim + independent sd slot and finally quad speakers (top, bottom, left, right side with similar quality to the ones already on it (they are awesome, I mean it). Anyway, enough dreaming from me, lets hope someone from Asus is reading my expectations of the next version.

I have one and will keep it, i am coming from a sony z ultra that I've been using for almost 2 years and sony z3 tablet compact 4g 3 months before that and a sony z1 before that, i have only had the asus zenfone 3 ultra for 1 week but have wanted this device since may last year, i bought this for £420 from eglobal and only bought this because my cousin wanted a better device than the Samsung s4 but he wanted to buy the sony z5 because he knew i enjoyed my sony devices but never asked why i didn't have a updated version like the z2 or z3, i sent him the information about the zenfone 3 series and the asus launch videos, he finally bought the deluxe 820 version after 3 months from the same seller but wanted this as soon as i showed these devices to him, i also bought my dad a sony z2 for work and recently upgraded his device to the asus zenfone 3 5.2 inch version. My cousin now wants the ultra version and im going to also buy his deluxe version to use for work. This is the best decision ive made but would buy a xiaomi mi max for less than 200 if i don't get the deluxe from him and stay with my ultra device too. I drive for work and have always had large screen devices for 3-4 years. Lets see what asus has to offer other than the AR version as this is only a small version or normal size lol. I've been recently looking around for root and unlocking bootloader and will wait for asus to release this to all.

Xiaomi Mi Mix? specs? quat speakers?
AWFRONT said:
I have had my Z3Ultra for a number of months now after I purchased it to replace my nice but also annoying Huawei P8 Max. I totally love this phone. Can't complain with the exception of the lack of Root, which as I write this message, the developer community is working on bringing it to our device. Apart from this, I am looking to keep it until a new device is released with much better spec but at least the same size possibly even a 7.9" (YES it can be as like the Huawei P8 Max, this phone has a lot of wasted space and overall size can still be kept to current size- check Xiaomi Mi Mix) with ultra thin bezels and curved display, stylus pen, keyboard attachment, better cpu, 128GB or 256GB ROM, 6GB+ RAM, dual sim + independent sd slot and finally quad speakers (top, bottom, left, right side with similar quality to the ones already on it (they are awesome, I mean it). Anyway, enough dreaming from me, lets hope someone from Asus is reading my expectations of the next version.
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Where did you get this Xiaomi Mi Mix specs? quad speakers? stylus pen? curved display? keyboard attachment? sd slot? Man, what are you smocking, cause I want some!!!

berbecaru said:
Where did you get this Xiaomi Mi Mix specs? quad speakers? stylus pen? curved display? keyboard attachment? sd slot? Man, what are you smocking, cause I want some!!!
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It is nice to dream and imagine good things in life and the spec posted (as stated in my original post) is what I want to see in an ideal device of this size. Oh No. I am definitely not smoking anything. Just dreaming the possibility of a perfect phablet (A mix between ZF3U, Samsung Galaxy S7/S8 type edge display and mi mix type bezelless front with the extras as cherry on top).
BTW. As I discovered very recently ASUS Customer Service for the ZenFone series is rubbish to say the least but more like non-existent. God help us when we need care for our precious ZF3U.

AWFRONT said:
It is nice to dream and imagine good things in life and the spec posted (as stated in my original post) is what I want to see in an ideal device of this size. Oh No. I am definitely not smoking anything. Just dreaming the possibility of a perfect phablet (A mix between ZF3U, Samsung Galaxy S7/S8 type edge display and mi mix type bezelless front with the extras as cherry on top).
BTW. As I discovered very recently ASUS Customer Service for the ZenFone series is rubbish to say the least but more like non-existent. God help us when we need care for our precious ZF3U.
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You are wright buddy, this is what I want too but no body makes it. :laugh::laugh:

My wife had 1. She dropped it face first on a concrete with flip cover that came with the phone. The screen still shattered. The flip cover is coming covering the screen but still didn't protect it from the impact. I guess that's the gamble when you have a very large screen.
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk

Love it so far
speculatrix said:
wow, only six people bought one? and one of those is going to sell it. doesn't look too good.
edit: updated the count
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I have one and love it, despite the stuff that is installed there out of the box. Its fast, bright and really useful. One thing that slightly upsets me - need to reboot it every second day to keep at the top of its abilities.
Overall - I'd never hesitate to recommend it.:good:

I had one, then gave it to my daughter while i used other smaller screen phone... Then i realize i got hooked on big screen, so i bought another one for me

speculatrix said:
wow, only six people bought one? and one of those is going to sell it. doesn't look too good.
edit: updated the count
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Mainly, you CAN'T assume that just because folks don't report stuff here on XDA, that no one has it. Next, many users are Chinese, or from Taiwan. They won't necessarily speak English. Third, since the LTE bands are NOT available in the U.S.A., that kills more of the market. Lastly, the going rate is around $500 USD, if someone here DID want to buy one. Ours is black screen bricked right now, so we're trying to get help with the (WW) international version unbricking.

I should have been more clear, what I was interested in was how many XDA forum members have bought this, so as to gauge the level of interest and likelihood of hackers and developers doing interesting things with it. I don't know enough about custom Asus ROMS in this respect to actually do the work, but would have been willing to help test rooting and custom recoveries, only I ended up buying an LG V20 because it had all the features I wanted and the AZf3U didn't, and also my concerns about Asus's upgrade longevity set in.

hillg001 said:
Mainly, you CAN'T assume that just because folks don't report stuff here on XDA, that no one has it. Next, many users are Chinese, or from Taiwan. They won't necessarily speak English. Third, since the LTE bands are NOT available in the U.S.A., that kills more of the market. Lastly, the going rate is around $500 USD, if someone here DID want to buy one. Ours is black screen bricked right now, so we're trying to get help with the (WW) international version unbricking.
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I was planning to get zf3 ultra but with almost no rom support, I might get the mi max 2 instead.
I don't think the mi mix is a good idea since it has a fragile ceramic body. I prefer metal body...
*Edit: I gave away my mi max (helium ver) and back to using my 5 years old coolpad 9976a

Related

[Q] Xperia Z Ultra or Note 4?

So I am waiting for the Galaxy Note 4 next week Spt 3, and released specs and everything look good, but what turns me off from the phone is the rather small display. I mean 5.7inch is stupid I think, they could have at least made it a 6" as I was hoping for.
The Xperia Z Ultra has a 6.4" display and the specs are still good, only came out last year. I am a very lite user, I don't play games or use many Apps, just mainly for phone and texting.
What do you guys think, I can get it for $370 CAD no tax or shipping from U.S via eBay brand new unlocked, is it a good phone? Or am I making a mistake not getting the Note 4 and going for a slightly older phone?
I would really appreciate any feedback you can provide, thanks!
Torguy said:
So I am waiting for the Galaxy Note 4 next week Spt 3, and released specs and everything look good, but what turns me off from the phone is the rather small display. I mean 5.7inch is stupid I think, they could have at least made it a 6" as I was hoping for.
The Xperia Z Ultra has a 6.4" display and the specs are still good, only came out last year. I am a very lite user, I don't play games or use many Apps, just mainly for phone and texting.
What do you guys think, I can get it for $370 CAD no tax or shipping from U.S via eBay brand new unlocked, is it a good phone? Or am I making a mistake not getting the Note 4 and going for a slightly older phone?
I would really appreciate any feedback you can provide, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would go with the Ultra (only as the wife has a S4 and I hate it). As you say the specs are still good, and Sony's software is fast with not too much bloat. Also note that it is easy to root and flash custom ROMs to - although some people seem to have real trouble
Z Ultra from me, the best value for money smartphone now:good:
I've owned the Note II and perhaps less relevant the Galaxy Nexus, but I can say the Z Ultra, after being quite wary regarding Sony, is the best smart phone I have owned. It's big and beautiful and has an understated, yet classy look. It's super thin and shines on both the hard- and software side. Samsung is a step down, with its ugly and tacky plastics, let alone the horrible Touchwiz. The ZU is still a beast with the SD 800 cpu and destroys everything on its path. Take the plunge, you won't regret, possibly for years to come, if you wanted to.
Signed: an ex-Samsung believer
I'm using a note 3 now and am planning to shift to an xperia z ultra because I'm looking for stock android. For conversion to gpe and back, which model version should I buy? Lte or non lte?
How is the speaker quality of the device? All the reviews indicate it as soft. Is battery life better on the gpe?
No camera flash for z ultra was a deal breaker.
xManMythLegend said:
No camera flash for z ultra was a deal breaker.
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I dont see it as a dealbreaker. Sure i cant look at some pipes in the dark, which i had to do quite few times past 6 months, but as a device its quite ok without the flash. Mayby its also, cause i see camera as least important functionality in a phone, but let that be another discussion.
As for the general question, I think Note 4 will be preferred choice, I love my Ultra, seriously best phone in the market at the very moment imo. But thats the thing, Note 4 is generation up and thats a big thing. Another aspect that really speaks for samsung is that they actually put some thought - why do we go for such a big screen on this bloody thing, which i feel is lacking on Ultra.
I was between note and Ultra when note 3 launched, but the overall feel and my emotion was better on Sony, tho note came close with its trough thought phablet feel.
joulukas said:
I dont see it as a dealbreaker. Sure i cant look at some pipes in the dark, which i had to do quite few times past 6 months, but as a device its quite ok without the flash. Mayby its also, cause i see camera as least important functionality in a phone, but let that be another discussion.
As for the general question, I think Note 4 will be preferred choice, I love my Ultra, seriously best phone in the market at the very moment imo. But thats the thing, Note 4 is generation up and thats a big thing. Another aspect that really speaks for samsung is that they actually put some thought - why do we go for such a big screen on this bloody thing, which i feel is lacking on Ultra.
I was between note and Ultra when note 3 launched, but the overall feel and my emotion was better on Sony, tho note came close with its trough thought phablet feel.
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If the Z ultra provided any Spen functionality OR a camera flash I would have gotten it. To me that was two points. But everyone has different needs I can easily see why Zultra was a superb choice.
I would consider the new Z3 Tablet Compact if the size is deemed acceptable. Even if I had the Note I and II, I would not another device in that series mostly because of all restrictions Samsung has put up such as efuse, limitations on "right" and "wrong" flashing of stock ROM (i.e. efuse goes off if you downgrade through Odin etc not to mention custom ROMs), unstandardized hardware (different CPU/GPU depending on market), carrier branding (unlocked devices not available unless importing), region lock and so forth. TouchWiz is also a complete dealbreaker in those L times.
The S-Pen is a great concept, though but is so linked to TouchWiz that most of the features are lost if a AOSP/CM is flashed. Because of all those items on the list, I avoid their devices as a plague. It doesn't matter what features they include in their TW ROMs since I consider TW just horrible.
I consider the Ultra to be a great device still and in most cases preferable over Samsung products but it has been in the market for one year now. On the other hand: it is still unsurpassed as a complete package when it comes to screen size and so forth.
It is also worth to mention that the Note series use 480 DPI phone mode so arguments like "it use the big screen better" is not valid. The Ultra runs 240 DPI phablet mode well with the GPE ROM and multi window etc is easily fixed through Xposed Framework.
I dare to say that the Ultra + 240 DPI + GPE ROM + Xposed Framework blows the competition out of the water software wise. The only competitors with a similar experience is the Nexus line or OnePlus One with CM11S.
My personal planning for the future is:
1. Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
2. 7 inch AOSP/CM phablets from other manufacturers
Since number 2 is very uncertain considering the lack of rumors about such devices, I am leaning heavily toward the alternative 1 since I made a mockup and deemed it acceptable from a carrying point of view.
If the Tablet Z3 Compact is considered too big, I don't see any better options than the Ultra at the moment. It still rules unsurpassed when it comes to large-screen tablet replacements.
Whatever you do, just stay the hell away from Samsung. Between the fugly TouchWiz, bloated software, KNOX warranty void, slow updates, I promise to myself I will never ever buy another Samsung device. Sure, flashing CM11 would fix all that problems, but you might as well just buy a Nexus 5 at that point as all the special features that make a Note device a Note device are gone.
Also, Samsung Note devices are not very mod/hack-friendly due to their proprietary S-Pen and digitizer driver, as well as numerous in-house parts that we just can't get the drivers for. A year later and we still can't get the NFC working correctly on the Note 3.
The Day Samsung Makes Note 4 with a 6.4 Inch HD Screen
The only day I will think of buying a Note 4 is when it is able to have the form Factor of a Z Ultra... No Phone with this config comes with this Form factor... Just love it!!

[Q] moving on from the ultra. going Moto X Style

anyone else looked at this phone? seems like a decent replacement and not too small.
if not, what else are people moving onto?
given up on sony releasing
I'm just looking at nexus, blackberry if the rumors is true that they will move on to android, or the classic HTC.
HTC is probably the manufacturer you can't go wrong with. If you look at this part of the XDA forum..its filled with devs making roms and kernels.
I think s810 is just temporarily. Maybe next year there will be a new series of soc that won't overheat as this years release.
Its just the same as with the tegra 3. You could fry eggs on it. But HTC moved on and improved their devices. And I hope they will release another beast in the near future.
Huawei is enlarging their market on mobile devices but I think its to early to invest in one of those devices. I want there to be devs who makes roms so I don't have to rely only on the stock rom/firmware to work when something goes wrong. If that ever happens...who knows.
Samsung is a no go. They don't exist in my world. Last and only device I owned was the SII Exynos 4210. They make good electronics elsewhere but not mobile devices.
LG is also a no go. Only nexus. To much plastic, big LG logo and weird cheap looking software interface on stock rom. Reminds me of MIUI and Huawei.
SONY is moving from europe home to japan. Okay...weird. So then I just won't buy your stuff then. Bye..I will never buy a sony mobile device again.
When "I" am buying a device. I am only buying the flagships. Because I am looking for an investment that will last for many years and won't seem slow even after four years compared to newer devices. And also the general lifetime of the device. I want there to be devs here on the forum that I can rely on after device has reached the end-of-lifetime.
The Z ultra is a bit special. It has the same hardware specs as its brother Z1....so for performance I would still call this a kind of side show flagship despite the low spec camera.
i'#d be ok with sony if they would release an ultra 2 but it's too late now.
samsung, i liked until the whole locking SIMs to europe only or whatever around the time of the note 3 i tink, maybe 4.
moto x is brand new but there's some people on the board already. once it shows as rooted i'll jump on there. it's cheap as well actually. well cheaper than the ultra was when i bought it
tommo123 said:
i'#d be ok with sony if they would release an ultra 2 but it's too late now.
samsung, i liked until the whole locking SIMs to europe only or whatever around the time of the note 3 i tink, maybe 4.
moto x is brand new but there's some people on the board already. once it shows as rooted i'll jump on there. it's cheap as well actually. well cheaper than the ultra was when i bought it
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I don't have any experience of motorola exept for the old classic pagers and radios. I've never seen a moto x in real life so I don't really have any opinion. Its offered at a good price yes! but yeah I really dunno. The only con I can see is the tiny battery at 2300mAh.
From what I can see its almost like some mix to a budget nexus device..almost stock rom and no bloat apps. :good:
Me myself is waiting to see what google has to offer. There is already a bunch of pics of the new nexus devices but I'm curiously waiting for the release event
3000 for the style no?
tommo123 said:
3000 for the style no?
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oops ....I probably looked at the older model. You're right its 3000mAh!
http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_x_style-7229.php
Then it looks alright!
gave me a scare there for a sec

USA customers will you be switching?why?

all hype aside i have a sony xperia z3 and i will be making the switch to a V10 when it comes to T-mobile. I tried the note5 even with no removable back or expandable storage and it was not anything special. Sure it was fast, good screen, and great camera but the experience was like " eh its the same note". When i look to buy a phone i ask myself " will i use this feature?" and i found myself not using any of the notes.
The LG V10 is an upgrade from my xperia z3. 5.7 screen has been shown to be a great size for quad hd. Yes Amoled is better brighter but not sure if LG has ever done AMOLED before i know they had OLED. Removable back to swap out just in case your battery burns out buy using it while its charging lol. stock 64 gigs of storage! which means my micro slot can just be for raw files and or audio flac files. Phone has top tier camera and best video experience of 2015. IR blaster just in case you loose your remote and your to lazy to look for it lol or another ex: at the gym and your doing cardio and its time for your show just change it yourself and everyone will be like " who changed the channel?". HIFI audio is a plus yes you wont be able to play any files in 32bit but flac files of vinyl files will sound amazing. It comes with HIFI earphones which is awesome because if it didnt you would have to spend alot more money on a pair just to get the experience you should have gotten right out of the box. 4 gigs of ram is future proof and as far as the 808 chip goes when theres root on this phone you can always overclock the cpu to a fast and safe speed. I also find its great that it has gorilla glass 4 and metal sides with a softer plastic feel to protect from drops so a case is not necessary for this phone. Im sure it will get Qi charge even if you have to buy a back cover to get it which is my only flaw with this phone is that it doesnt have it standard but its not a deal breaker since its just as easy to plug it in and plug in is faster anyway. The UI i saw was improved but if you dont like it still just get a launcher ( google) and your good or wait for root. the second screen from what i saw on all the videos is handy since the notifications get displayed on the side and doesn't interrupt your screen experience. is it placed weird yes at the top is to far to move your thumb to the top so you would have to hold it with two hands and given this is a 5.7 inch screen you should know already that its a two handed device (but lg does have a one hand screen mode). The second screen really is meant for just notifications and the occasional quick app select. some people say they should have placed the second screen on the bottom and I agree but im sure they placed it on the top because that is where the cameras are and they didnt want to make a longer 2nd screen since it should be used for a quick glance. if it were at the bottom im sure the phone would have been a tad bit bigger since the cameras would stay on top and an extra screen on the bottom. The finger print scanner is in the logical spot for LG since that was the power button for the G series.
This phone just has to many thing i know i would use then things i wouldn't. Samsung honestly has a great chip and a great screen but thats really all it has.
So in short i will be getting this phone when it comes to the USA and if LG does a yearly release then ill be happy to wait a year to see if the upgrade would be worth it to a lg V10 2 lol.
Tl;Dr to be honest
Well, I am switching from my LG G3 to this phone probably end of November...
I don't typically upgrade to another phone of the same manufacturer, or at least I haven't in recent years. The LG G3 set a great first impression for me with LG devices. The hardware was great, build quality second to none. The software skin the least invasive and most closely resembles vanilla Android. The camera and software for the camera the best of any smartphone in my opinion....
I think we can expect this device to release on major US carriers by middle of November I think I've seen quoted.
This is going to be a great device I really think it captures the essence of what Android has become. A very high end phone.
The V10's second screen seemed such a gimmick to me when it was announced. After seeing pre release reviews from those LG sent devices to, wow it is a wonder we haven't seen this implemented sooner. I am very eager to get this device. I really had my heart set on the Nexus 6P, having never had the opportunity to own a Nexus device before. However due to the fact that I upgrade through my carrier I will not be able to get it... Then enters the V10... Gotta have it!!! Can't remember the last time I was as excited for a new device.... Maybe the S3, and that was a while ago. I think you will really enjoy the phone compared to your Sony.
Will be upgrading from a G Flex 2, this phone looks amazing.
CoNsPiRiSiZe said:
Tl;Dr to be honest
Well, I am switching from my LG G3 to this phone probably end of November...
I don't typically upgrade to another phone of the same manufacturer, or at least I haven't in recent years. The LG G3 set a great first impression for me with LG devices. The hardware was great, build quality second to none. The software skin the least invasive and most closely resembles vanilla Android. The camera and software for the camera the best of any smartphone in my opinion....
I think we can expect this device to release on major US carriers by middle of November I think I've seen quoted.
This is going to be a great device I really think it captures the essence of what Android has become. A very high end phone.
The V10's second screen seemed such a gimmick to me when it was announced. After seeing pre release reviews from those LG sent devices to, wow it is a wonder we haven't seen this implemented sooner. I am very eager to get this device. I really had my heart set on the Nexus 6P, having never had the opportunity to own a Nexus device before. However due to the fact that I upgrade through my carrier I will not be able to get it... Then enters the V10... Gotta have it!!! Can't remember the last time I was as excited for a new device.... Maybe the S3, and that was a while ago. I think you will really enjoy the phone compared to your Sony.
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I totally get where your coming from. I to am on carrier and i wanted the 5x but saw only 2 gig of ram and only one of the facing speakers work for audio. I only upgrade from carrier also and was going to wait but this phone looks beast theres just way to much stuff to pass off on getting this phone. every time i think about what this phone has in it compared to the other carrier phones i get excited. I love my sony the battery life is amazing the camera takes good photos and the HI-res sounds so clear. Software though is starting to lag.
@BatmanLBC
I hear you. Seems like we are on the same page.
I think I will be happier with this device. Even if the bootloader never gets cracked open, whereas the Nexus will almost certainly... I explained in another thread I don't need the ROM support, really root at all. I am more interested in having a device that works out of the box and offers me what I expect from a phone. Android is maturing to a point where we don't need root to do a lot of what was only available through root. The best part of my LG G3, and the V10 is that the software does have some very useful features baked in and LG has done this without ruining the integrity of the software, and without hindering performance (exceptionally clear in the V10 reviews, very very snappy) or battery life that much at all.
The screen on my G3 beats the iPhone 6S outright, which my mom has for work. She still loathes the thing and prefers her Note 2. Ha. Anyways... This phone has me very very excited. I am looking forward to upgrading now, where I was fairly content before the news of this came out. Yeah, the Nexus would be very neat, but I think Google made a mistake only offering it through the Play Store. There are plenty of people like us who upgrade through the carriers we pay... I never really needed a camera that is close to a point and shoot as I have a point and shoot that takes great photos, however after getting my G3 I can't go back to something with a subpar camera, and this puppy's camera is going to rein supreme for a long while I predict... It just looks fantastic. My hope is that I will be able to take a macro shot without a macro lens. I think we will be able to, judging by the reviews of the camera.
The V10 seems to be everything we asked for this year in a flagship, honestly... It has a removable battery, micro SD support (up to 2 TB!?), an amazing screen, camera that I believe to be second to none... I don't know why other manufacturers couldn't put something out similar to this.. Anyways! Can't wait to see some hands on reports when this is released state side.
yes, as soon as tmo announces a launch date, i will be there to purchase in store. this will be an upgrade from the note 3 and a change from the samsung line as all i have purchased have been samsung priducts. i watched samsung's presentation for the note 5 and edge 6+ and was absolutely underwhelmed by it. the thing is, if it had a removable battery and sd slot, i probably would have bought a note because why change something that wasn't obviously broken. samsung's design language tells me that they're broken and are going to stay broken for a while. they have moved in the direction of being a fashion android device with this all glass and metal thing they're doing now and that is a fragile phone that won't survive drops without a case.
i hope that root is able to happen. i don't need root, but i think it's always a good option to know it's there if i want it.
I had a G3 for a year and really enjoyed it. I switched to the Moto X Pure Edition which is pretty good but I got to try out the V10 yesterday and now I want it. I'll probably get it in a couple of months once I see if there's root available.
It feels quite nice especially with the metal frames on the sides. The battery cover is grippy with the texture they have on it. The screen felt brighter than what I remember the G3 being like. The camera will obviously destroy the MXP camera. I got to see the rose gold one which I actually may end up getting. I usually just get boring black but the color was a nice champagne color. The 120 degree camera was impressive for people who like to take self portraits. I refuse to use the other word
ctkatz said:
yes, as soon as tmo announces a launch date, i will be there to purchase in store. this will be an upgrade from the note 3 and a change from the samsung line as all i have purchased have been samsung priducts. i watched samsung's presentation for the note 5 and edge 6+ and was absolutely underwhelmed by it. the thing is, if it had a removable battery and sd slot, i probably would have bought a note because why change something that wasn't obviously broken. samsung's design language tells me that they're broken and are going to stay broken for a while. they have moved in the direction of being a fashion android device with this all glass and metal thing they're doing now and that is a fragile phone that won't survive drops without a case.
i hope that root is able to happen. i don't need root, but i think it's always a good option to know it's there if i want it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with you. As soon as T-Mobile drops this device on their shelves I'm there. As much as I love my N6 I'm not going to miss it (nasty bug in Marshmallow right now plaguing WiFi where it has issues at times staying connected). I'm also done with the custom ROM community. The entitlement issues and some of the shoddy work is unreal. I'm done with needing root as well. I wanted a Nexus 6P but that craptastic 810 SoC, the AMOLED (burn-in on my N6 is driving me insane and it's not even a year old) and the lack of selling through carriers killed that for me. I was pondering what to do then a week later the V10 was announced. I can't wait to get my hands on it. T-Mobile and LG need to hurry the hell up so they can take my money.
Is everyone here writing poems. But I have a nexus 6 that I'll be keeping and am still getting this phone
6p is a great phone i herd someone blew a fuse when they rooted it or something. i would love to have one lol but they dont sell them on carriers and im not wealthy enough to shell out money.
I hope the price comes down like in Korea to compete with the galaxy s6 to 610. 640 would be perfect. I do believe with the software changes LG has made it makes the experience more enjoyable then the stock lg skin like on the lg g3 when it first came out. I cant wait to try this phone out.

Is the G5 a good upgrade?

Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
totalnoob34 said:
Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price and specs are great. The rom/root community is okay size. Build quality is trash. Don't buy this phone. With a little more money you could buy the One Plus 3T or One Plus 5. Better specs, build quality, rom/root, etc.
My next phone is Note 8 or One plus 3T or 5. I am not trying to bash phone. Just giving you an honest opinion. Look through the threads you will see tons of people with GPS, Backlight Bleed, bootloop issues, etc. I love LG, but will be my last LG phone for a long time.
Sent from my LG-H830 using XDA Labs
I'm looking to get the H850 for my mom since it is only $300CAD if I get my friend to bring it back from Hong Kong. Can't find any another phone in that price range that would be better than the LG G5 H850...
Hardware and price are amazing, especially the model RS988 that covers the most weirdest bands that are available in areas like Canada. Unfortunately, the root/bootloader on the rest of models are bringing tons of problems, if its rootable/unlockable at all. Custom firmware choice is very poor, and they are raw even after 1 year of release. What it means is that you basically can't use NFC on most of custom roms (if not all). The stock firmware on the other hand is very well made and stable. I'm using it with Magisk without issues. So far the only problem is stock kernel doesn't seem to be energy efficient, so battery flies away in a day or two of use. However, battery is replaceable, what is offered in not that many flagship phones nowadays.
I can't agree about bad quality of build. I would say its very good comparing to what else you can meet nowadays.
Other than that, it's one of the best phones available for 250$ on B&H (Titan) if not the only good one.
Yeah not sure about other countries, but in Canada it's hard to beat the LG G5. OnePlus 3T/5 are $600/$650CAD+tax respectively and the G5 can be found for $330-370 all in. Even 2016 mid-range phones like the Axon 7 and Honor 8 are $400-$500+tax.
Build quality isn't up to par with other flagships, but it's not terrible IMO. At least it's better than most mid-range phones.
It is a lottery phone.
damiloveu said:
It is a lottery phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would have to agree with this statement.
Build quality is pretty bad guys sorry. I've had plenty of low/Mid/High end of phones. I've never seen this many issues as this one. When I see GPS and backlight bleed threads filled with countless complaints. Yeah that's bad build quality.
Damiloveu statement pretty much sums it up right it's a lottery phone. 50/50 hit or miss, be for warned potential new g5 buyers. GREAT phone if no issues. And if it does have problems many headaches await you.
Sent from my LG-H830 using XDA Labs
dimon222 said:
Hardware and price are amazing, especially the model RS988 that covers the most weirdest bands that are available in areas like Canada. Unfortunately, the root/bootloader on the rest of models are bringing tons of problems, if its rootable/unlockable at all. Custom firmware choice is very poor, and they are raw even after 1 year of release. What it means is that you basically can't use NFC on most of custom roms (if not all). The stock firmware on the other hand is very well made and stable. I'm using it with Magisk without issues. So far the only problem is stock kernel doesn't seem to be energy efficient, so battery flies away in a day or two of use. However, battery is replaceable, what is offered in not that many flagship phones nowadays.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would install Fulmics on the LG G5 if I can get it for my mom, so the RS988 is out of the question for me. I just cannot buy phones if I cannot install custom ROMs on it. I hate being at the mercy of manufacturers for software updates.
I'm so confused as to why manufacturers cannot just sell one or two variant of the same phone. Making dozens of variants seems so stupid.
coming from P9.
Maybe my most complain bout this device is the GPS as i always use gps for ingress, second is battery and the rest is the design and build quality though I dont have the screen retentention issues yet.
Thanks a lot, everybody. I think I'll get this phone, it features literally *every* feature I need on a device.
cheeze.keyk said:
coming from P9.
Maybe my most complain bout this device is the GPS as i always use gps for ingress, second is battery and the rest is the design and build quality though I dont have the screen retentention issues yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got a used AT&T H820 and it had the GPS issue, especially worse when cloudy and rainy. However, I returned the AT&T one and got an unlocked RS988 and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
totalnoob34 said:
Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you need a hot swappable battery, the G5 is great.
If you game a lot, and want the ability to do so without remaining plugged in and burning up your phone, then the G5 is perfect for you.
As far as performance, no issues whatsoever.
Battery life is average, but with the ability to swap out new batteries and charge dead ones outside the phone in a charging port, you honestly don't have battery downtime. It's just always up.
That's the biggest advantage of this phone.
If you're looking for a better deal, you don't need unlimited battery life, or you're looking for a rich featureset, I would look elsewhere.
The gps is absolute wank and I don't have the time or inclination to do a hardware fix. I did a quick comparison with my friend who owns an OP3 indoors; his had gps lock with 15 seconds but mine was still searching after several minutes. In fact, I have almost missed turnings when driving a few times because of this POS. I never replace my phone until it has had 18 months usage but for the G5, I will make an exception.
I have LG G5 since April 2016 after my Note 3 : no root or anything, LG updates regulary.
I never have problems with it.
-No bootloop, no GPS bugs, a better reception with the same carrier...
-Camera is really good, especially the large wide-angle.
-Battery life: a day with a little use (waze to go work -one hour/day) wifi on, "always on display" always activate, some internet at evening : Facebook, Twitter, insta, mails...
-IR for soundbar, tv is really good !!
But no SPen ? So I will get the Note 8, really great for work, with the camera options easier than LG suit.
And finally, i prefer Samsung environment, even if G5 is really a good phone.
Envoyé de mon LG-H850 en utilisant Tapatalk
It's not worth the broken GPS sensors which are a known hardware defect. They'll fix it for you, but it's never the root of the problem so it will come back. I've sent mine in 3 times, GPS works for a couple days, then ceases to work again. Terrible quality control, by far the worst phone I've owned. My Galaxy S4 was better.
totalnoob34 said:
Hi, I'm now on a Galaxy Note 3 and would like to upgrade to the G5, since it has the specs I'm looking for.
However, I felt like asking you guys if there's any better option I should consider, or any defects that are not worth risking for (bootloping?)
Thanks a lot in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, looks like i'm not the only one who migrate from Galaxy Note 3. let me tell you my short little story
I upgraded since my Note 3 were exynos version which didnt support 4g band. i was looking for cheap second hand devices with LTE support :laugh: ( dont judge me, bussines is low here in indonesia i cant afford phone more than 250$ - on indonesia currency and prices of course)
so i search all available markets, online and offline. some guys recomended 3 phone. LG G5 h860, xperia z5, and HTC m9 ( all cost about 200-250$ here, second handed) so i spent about 3 days on google comparing all 3 phone. i kick z5 out from my list since i had a bad experience with sony devices ( heat issue, poor audio quality, you name it) so it just m9 or g5. m9 is a good phone, its the cheapest one, had official support for lineage and SlimOS. solid built, and dual speaker. the drawback were its photo quality, its much worse than my note 3 even with 20mp camera. but at that time i cant find g5, the only available one were g5 SE version which is downgrade one ( 3gb ram and qualcom 625) and it cost about 299$!! hell no, so i pick the m9. but as i said before, i'm not really satisfied. the main advantages comparing my old note were: better sound, better network 4g, better official OS ( Lollipop vs nougat) and custom, and fast charging. but thats the only option i got that time. after several months some guys here sold his g5 h860 on low prices, i dont need to think twice so today my g5 finally arrived. still looks good for a second hand devices, the ony issue were the screen ghosting when the devices getting hot. but it would dissapear after some minutes, i can live with that. BUT, comparing to my m9 the battery drains faster, no root option, no custom recovery or rom. so for answering your question, IF i moved from note 3 directly to G5 i would be really happy as it has more advantages. but since i got my hand on m9 first i still feel little dissapointed . i cant stop comaring 3 of them. note 3 has bigger display and spen support, m9 has the best custom rom suppot and great battery, while g5 has the most awesome camera and screen resolution :cyclops: .
alldine345 said:
well, looks like i'm not the only one who migrate from Galaxy Note 3. let me tell you my short little story
I upgraded since my Note 3 were exynos version which didnt support 4g band. i was looking for cheap second hand devices with LTE support :laugh: ( dont judge me, bussines is low here in indonesia i cant afford phone more than 250$ - on indonesia currency and prices of course)
so i search all available markets, online and offline. some guys recomended 3 phone. LG G5 h860, xperia z5, and HTC m9 ( all cost about 200-250$ here, second handed) so i spent about 3 days on google comparing all 3 phone. i kick z5 out from my list since i had a bad experience with sony devices ( heat issue, poor audio quality, you name it) so it just m9 or g5. m9 is a good phone, its the cheapest one, had official support for lineage and SlimOS. solid built, and dual speaker. the drawback were its photo quality, its much worse than my note 3 even with 20mp camera. but at that time i cant find g5, the only available one were g5 SE version which is downgrade one ( 3gb ram and qualcom 625) and it cost about 299$!! hell no, so i pick the m9. but as i said before, i'm not really satisfied. the main advantages comparing my old note were: better sound, better network 4g, better official OS ( Lollipop vs nougat) and custom, and fast charging. but thats the only option i got that time. after several months some guys here sold his g5 h860 on low prices, i dont need to think twice so today my g5 finally arrived. still looks good for a second hand devices, the ony issue were the screen ghosting when the devices getting hot. but it would dissapear after some minutes, i can live with that. BUT, comparing to my m9 the battery drains faster, no root option, no custom recovery or rom. so for answering your question, IF i moved from note 3 directly to G5 i would be really happy as it has more advantages. but since i got my hand on m9 first i still feel little dissapointed . i cant stop comaring 3 of them. note 3 has bigger display and spen support, m9 has the best custom rom suppot and great battery, while g5 has the most awesome camera and screen resolution :cyclops: .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, first off, thanks a lot for the detailed feedback. I actually appreciate it when people put a little effort in helping others online.
I ultimately settled for a G5, since a replaceable battery is more important to me than a bigger one, and also because I could really use those extra 0.3" on the screen. Moreover, you were unlucky in getting an h860 variant, because the european h850 has some decent support over here.
Lastly, I am not getting another HTC device again, I had an HTC Desire S. Let me tell you something about that phone: you could *not* remove the battery with the device on, risking a total brick. Yup, you heard me right. A flimsy plastic clip was all that kept your precious phone from mayhem and destruction. The best part is that it was a hardware defect, obviously ineligible for warranty replacement, and I don't recall HTC ever acknowledging the issue, let alone provide the user with some kind of compensation. Also, HTC always was a pain in the ass to customize, and the HTCdev program is a joke.
Nonetheless, thanks a lot for the feedback man. Have a good one
totalnoob34 said:
Ok, first off, thanks a lot for the detailed feedback. I actually appreciate it when people put a little effort in helping others online.
I ultimately settled for a G5, since a replaceable battery is more important to me than a bigger one, and also because I could really use those extra 0.3" on the screen. Moreover, you were unlucky in getting an h860 variant, because the european h850 has some decent support over here.
Lastly, I am not getting another HTC device again, I had an HTC Desire S. Let me tell you something about that phone: you could *not* remove the battery with the device on, risking a total brick. Yup, you heard me right. A flimsy plastic clip was all that kept your precious phone from mayhem and destruction. The best part is that it was a hardware defect, obviously ineligible for warranty replacement, and I don't recall HTC ever acknowledging the issue, let alone provide the user with some kind of compensation. Also, HTC always was a pain in the ass to customize, and the HTCdev program is a joke.
Nonetheless, thanks a lot for the feedback man. Have a good one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeep, my biggest regret were i didnt read much about lg g5, infact i read too many about it so i skip the most important things. from what i gather around the web, g5 has 2 version. G5 and g5 SE. the g5 has snap820, 4gb ram and single sim, while g5 SE had snap 625, 3GB ram and dualsim. i use 2 simcard one for main use and another for data connection. and h860 has both advantages from 2 g5 version, snap 820/4gb ram and Dualsim support. i didnt bother to check on XDA for root method as i though it just the same as samsung or HTC, even with many varian usually all of them has the same exploit. i never though i would be so wrong on my life . and for the HTC part, well what can i say, here in indonesia we didnt have official HTC service centre so if we had a malfunction devices we just need to fix it on our own . same goes to LG G5 since the only one that they sold here were g5 SE, some friend of mine already bought g5 from singapore last year and when his screen broke he sent it to LG centre but they refuse it, they said the only accept g5 SE. so i'm totally aware when i bought those devices, i cant rely on warranty or official services. and its not the first time, usually lot of devices which sold here were downgraded version comparing to international one. like
note 3 on international version they had snap801 and lte support while official one the had stupid exynoss and 3g only. same goes with Note 5 snapdragon inter vs exynoss local, and also xiaomi devices, huawei, and many other brands which i dont remember anymore. thats why, many people here usually bought new/second hand devices from another country because they want to feel the real experience while also acknowledge they cant bring it to official service centre when it broke later.
Hell no.

Did everyone leave for the S10?

I know the ROG phone forums have always been a little slower than most but no new post in over 3 days! I pre-ordered the S10 plus but after about a week and a half I sent it back and returned to my ROG phone. Is anyone still here with me?
I'm still here. Keeping my phone. The S11 might be worth an upgrade next year, but not the S10.
Here~
Rog phone is a good enough device.
Whew! Just glad I'm not completely by myself.
I am not going to leave this phone.
I didnt eeven care about getting new phone. As for me ROG is quite amazing piece of Tech.
Needed VoLTE and VoWiFi. Otherwise I will dump it.
robdevil said:
Needed VoLTE and VoWiFi. Otherwise I will dump it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't support either.
Edit: I'll clarify.. Their current firmware doesn't.
Tesla74 said:
It doesn't support either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does. Just need correct IMS settings baked in rom.
Im fine with my rog phone for another 2 years or so.
Jemack said:
I know the ROG phone forums have always been a little slower than most but no new post in over 3 days! I pre-ordered the S10 plus but after about a week and a half I sent it back and returned to my ROG phone. Is anyone still here with me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think rog phone's design will be outdated in these next 3 or 4 years. I'm sure they will still look cool! That's why I won't change my main phone with the other ones.
I will change if I won't get VoLTE and VoWiFi. Nice design but useless phone while trying to talk. Poor sound quality due to 3G call and lack of signal at home pushing me away. I've got Pixel 3 XL and works great but don't have 3.5mm jack. Note 9 was my nr1 untill ROG but now I regret I've sold it. Also had OnePlus Avengers edition and it was one of the best.
The Red Magic 3, a new gaming phone, might be worth a look.
https://www.xda-developers.com/nubia-red-magic-3-gaming-smartphone-china-launch/
Tesla74 said:
The Red Magic 3, a new gaming phone, might be worth a look.
https://www.xda-developers.com/nubia-red-magic-3-gaming-smartphone-china-launch/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was actually studying that article pretty heavy this morning, thinking the exact same thing.
I'm pretty sure to sell the ROG for going back to OnePlus, just waiting for 14th May to see the 7Pro.
Marco589 said:
I'm pretty sure to sell the ROG for going back to OnePlus, just waiting for 14th May to see the 7Pro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That looks like a nice phone! Nice price also.
Still here, but looking to jump ship as soon as something else worthwhile to jump to
mbze430 said:
Still here, but looking to jump ship as soon as something else worthwhile to jump to
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because ASUS tries their best not to honor their warranty, this will be my last ASUS phone. I can't afford a new phone this year, but a lot of cool phones coming out. I'm also interested in possible under screen selfie/front camera in next year models. The screen becomes transparent when the pixels in front of the camera are turned off. Very cool!
I want to sell my ROG phone but currently there isn't a better phone in comparison with what I need!.
Needs:
1. A better dual front facing stereo speakers phone (All the new gaming phones "Red magic 3, black shark 2" included fail in comparison.
2. True bezeless phone without 1 side having a chin or bigger bezel. Either a symmetrical small bezel design or no bezels at all (currently non out there)!. No compromises here!
3. Better Camera!
4. Atleast 8 GB Ram. For all of you suggesting the Pixel 3.
There isn't a single phone out there with all 4 needs fulfilled!
I love the ROG phone but its selling price is depreciating by the day, and my phone is starting to show its age so selling it as fast as possible to recoup some cash for the new upgrade is the best course of action.
My best bet is to wait for the ROG 2, hopping it will overcome all of the ROG shortcomings.
With all the negative feedback about ASUS customer service that is out there, I would say it's dependent on your luck and which country you are in. I still own my Nexus 6p which I bought from Malaysia, Huawei customer service there was top notch in comparison with other countries (I am sure by now you have heard about all troubles this phone had brought to its owners). So coming back to my point which is i will still buy an ASUS phone because all the smartphone brands out there have some terrible customer service and i can't drop the brand for just that, i have owned phones from all the different brands out there and all had one common thing they all had issues in some way or shape.
Rashad83 said:
Needs:
1. A better dual front facing stereo speakers phone (All the new gaming phones "Red magic 3, black shark 2" included fail in comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The front-facing speakers were one of the main reasons I bought the ROG and I was disappointed that the top speaker didn't sound as good as the bottom! The top speaker is a midrange speaker while the bottom speaker is full range. They should have used a full range speaker for both. I saw that there were two different speakers when I watched the teardown youtube video. So I tested and they are different.

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