Need help making a decision on either keeping this device or moving on.... - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions & Answers

I got someone who's interested in trading a new Oneplus 5T for my Tmo Note 8, what do you guys think? Should I do it? Opinions, pros/cons, I'd like to hear what you guys have to say.
Thanks!

I moved from OnePlus (3, 3T, and 5) to the Note 8, I love the OnePlus, fast, clean system, rootable, numerous OS update and improvements. But I found it lack the accessory support (NO good screen protectors, not even LOCA ones and limited case selection) but above all the OnePlus has weak cell capabilities (it is not optimized for TMO network), with the OnePlus I kept loosing signal at a location where the Note8 properly change LTE bands and never lost connection, also you get less than half the LTE speed with the OnePlus as it doesn't support TMO carrier aggregation.
With a theme, content blocker, BK Disabler, BX action on the software side and Whitedome screen protection and Elago superslim case on the accessory side, I must say that I have a hard time going back to OnePlus.
Now, dollars for dollars you can't beat the OnePlus, but I also got the Note8 with the BOGO deal, and I leveraged the $200 Samsung Pay promotion twice which really change the cost profile of the Note8 (920x2-920-200-200= $260/Note8!)

timeToy said:
I moved from OnePlus (3, 3T, and 5) to the Note 8, I love the OnePlus, fast, clean system, rootable, numerous OS update and improvements. But I found it lack the accessory support (NO good screen protectors, not even LOCA ones and limited case selection) but above all the OnePlus has weak cell capabilities (it is not optimized for TMO network), with the OnePlus I kept loosing signal at a location where the Note8 properly change LTE bands and never lost connection, also you get less than half the LTE speed with the OnePlus as it doesn't support TMO carrier aggregation.
With a theme, content blocker, BK Disabler, BX action on the software side and Whitedome screen protection and Elago superslim case on the accessory side, I must say that I have a hard time going back to OnePlus.
Now, dollars for dollars you can't beat the OnePlus, but I also got the Note8 with the BOGO deal, and I leveraged the $200 Samsung Pay promotion twice which really change the cost profile of the Note8 (920x2-920-200-200= $260/Note8!)
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What is the 200 dollar Samsung pay promotion? Can you take a screen shot of the offer? Thanks

IllyaK said:
What is the 200 dollar Samsung pay promotion? Can you take a screen shot of the offer? Thanks
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It's over now: https://samsungpromotions.com/past-promotions/

timeToy said:
I moved from OnePlus (3, 3T, and 5) to the Note 8, I love the OnePlus, fast, clean system, rootable, numerous OS update and improvements. But I found it lack the accessory support (NO good screen protectors, not even LOCA ones and limited case selection) but above all the OnePlus has weak cell capabilities (it is not optimized for TMO network), with the OnePlus I kept loosing signal at a location where the Note8 properly change LTE bands and never lost connection, also you get less than half the LTE speed with the OnePlus as it doesn't support TMO carrier aggregation.
With a theme, content blocker, BK Disabler, BX action on the software side and Whitedome screen protection and Elago superslim case on the accessory side, I must say that I have a hard time going back to OnePlus.
Now, dollars for dollars you can't beat the OnePlus, but I also got the Note8 with the BOGO deal, and I leveraged the $200 Samsung Pay promotion twice which really change the cost profile of the Note8 (920x2-920-200-200= $260/Note8!)
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I did the same deal and feel like a cheap millionaire with it to b honest. Lol

Related

Report: Nexus 5X And 6P Not Meeting Sales Goals

http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/0...ware-nexus-5x-and-6p-not-meeting-sales-goals/
- HTC is still in talks to build the next Nexus phone(s).
- Google takes a 15% cut of the sales price of Nexus phones it sells, but it hasn't always done this, and on some past devices has taken no cut at all.
- The "most recent" Nexus phones (5X, 6P) have not met their "optimistic" internal sales goals at Google.
- The Nexus 5 (2013) was the best-selling Nexus phone of all time.
- That the 5X and 6P aren't being sold by any US carriers is a point of "significant consternation" for people involved with the Nexus program.
My opinion
The 6P and 5X not reaching sales goals ? No ****, because they're not sold in Carrier stores this time. If the iPhone 7 is only sold on the Apple website for $700, no payment plan, you betcha ass sales will suck and be way down. If Google wants sales, they need to put it on all major carriers, BUT ALSO advertise the crap out of it like no tomorrow, and have promotions for it in the stores.
But just throwing it up on the Google website, and saying, her we have a phone we're selling, just give us $600 and it's yours. No **** Sherlock it's not selling well.
Plus in Europe the price was a joke. Too expensive. The only ones who buy a Nexus these days are Nexus fans. The N6P 32gb costs 650-700 euros in EU while the S6 32gb costs 400-450 and the G4 400. So no surprise here. Time to get serious with the Nexus line and stop ripping off geeks and Nexus fans.
Another kick in the balls is the major price drop that comes like 9 months later. Brand new the Nexus 6P is like $600 or so, and then in the spring watch it come down to like $399, and then late Summer will be like $299 brand new still.
I cant imagine carriers will be happy selling an Unlocked phone below the prices of other phones of the same caliber. Id also imagine carriers would want to mark up the phones some how. Also Id imagine other cell phone makers wouldnt be too happy. Imagine Samsung or LG putting their $650 phone out at verizon and then a $500 Nexus 6P shows up being financed through the carrier also. Probably the reason carriers had the Nexus 6 because it came out at the same price as other flagships. Plus carriers wanna put their bloat crap on the phones also.
It does seem google has actually advertised the 5x and 6p. Ive seen a lot of commercials for them. Cant say I ever saw a Nexus 6 commercial.
I think a big reason the sales also aren't up to snuff is the phones just now are being sold in Best Buy. A lot of customers want to hold the phone and see if they like it. Its taken forever for them to just get to best buy and they still don't have phones on display for customers to see. I think best buys having a dedicated nexus booth would help immensely.
Does Worst Buy I mean Best Buy actually have the 6P on display in the store ? My local Best Buy's around Chicago, have a very tiny little Google section off in the corner, and no phones, just the Chrome notebooks, not even the HTC 9 Tablet. So not sure what those Google sections in BB are for if they don't even carry or display the main Nexus devices ?
I agree with OP's opinion, people just DON'T KNOW about these Nexus phones.
There was an article recently stating that Google wants to take more direct control of the Nexus phones, and copy Apple and the iPhone.
Look at the iPhone, it's sold at all major phone carriers stores, with subsidized payments plans. And Apple updates the iPhone whenever the hell they need to, and NEVER let the carriers get in the way of an iOS update. The carriers are sort of agnostic to it.
Google can do the same thing with the Nexus phones just like Apple and the iPhone with complete direct control.
And Jordan used to say "Just do it"
Here in Canada, the Nexus 6p was the best deal on a phone through Telus. $200 for the 6p on a 2yr plan, but $300 or $400 for the Note 5. So it actually was discounted, and made the most sense.
asif9t9 said:
Here in Canada, the Nexus 6p was the best deal on a phone through Telus. $200 for the 6p on a 2yr plan, but $300 or $400 for the Note 5. So it actually was discounted, and made the most sense.
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or $0 for some of us on Black Friday
I was actually able to get a 6P because it was supplied by O2. Otherwise I wouldn't have got one, I like to have it part of my phone contract. Most people in the UK have phones on contract.
I'm happily with T-Mobile, and on their JoD ( Jump on Demand ) program, and expected the Nexus 6P would be available on T-Mobile of all carriers, because they have been the only carrier to support the Nexus phone line from the very beginning, selling the Nexus-One, and stocking and selling the Nexus-S, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and Nexus 6.
For me it makes zero sense to spend $600 with Google to get the 6P, when on JoD program, so I just used my one of three upgrades on the Note 5, which I rooted and installed a great custom ROM, and this phone screams But I would prefer the Nexus 6P. But at this point, with the 6P being almost 5 months old, I'll just wait for a nice SD820 phone, like the G5 ( with CM13 ROM ) or something else.
It's no surprise that they aren't selling well - they're mediocre phones selling at premium prices. I lol at anyone who buys a nexus - and feel sorry for them too.
The (2013) Nexus 5 was $399 at launch, and had pretty much flagships high end spec's at the time, it was a super deal. Now the 5X comes out at a similar price but with lesser budget spec's. WTF Google ?
Sales, marketing, distribution, and support are intertwined. Any expectation Google has/had about 2015 sales would be determined by their investments in those things as well as the depth of each category.
Huawei has no U.S. support infrastructure and doesn’t even have the facility to offer owners paid non-warranty repairs. I’m sure that played in to the U.S. carrier’s decision not to offer the 6P. Folks that view Nexus as just another phone have to really want one to live with limited support or be forced in to buying a warranty for non-warranty repairs even if they don’t normally.
Without the U.S. carrier’s offering the phone where are mainstream consumers going to buy it? 67% of smartphones sold in the U.S. are on carrier post-paid plans (installment and contract). The majority of the rest are low-end prepaid smartphones purchased outright. The percentage of people buying their own $500+ high-end smartphones outright via third parties is probably in the single digit percentages; at least in the U.S. With limited distribution Google has to have known the consequences of the phones being offered via so few channels.
Google ran a bunch of nicely produced ads randomly on U.S. TV. They probably spent 1/100th of what Samsung spends on their own advertising and in co-ops with the carriers. What’s that supposed to do for sales of a phone only available online and at some Best Buys?
What problem does the 6P solve for the masses that don’t know (or care) about “pure” and regular updates? To the masses TW is Android based on Samsung’s market penetration so the absence of it and its features could be viewed as a deficit not a benefit. Nexus make XDA'rs wet, not so much the masses.
If the 6P isn’t selling well it isn’t because it’s a bad phone it’s that Google’s expectations weren’t realistic in the first place.
The only growth left in phones/tablets is to peel users from competitors. And there's only so much that can be done with UI/UX to set yourself apart. The OEM's have understood this for a while that's why they're making forays into wearables, virtual reality, and driverless cars. I say this because it makes it clear that if Google wants to increase sales of their Nexus line, they have 1 choice: lower the price. Two nexus devices released at the same time both priced too high is a recipe for disaster. There were basically no compelling upgrade reasons except for niche enthusiasts. Luckily for Google (Alphabet), they're an advertising company and not a hardware OEM. So as device sales slow across the board (even iPhone) they are better positioned than most
What are the flaws you find with the 6P as opposed to other premium Android phones?
Bad phone, mediocre phone, are you guys kidding? This is the best android phone. Period! But of course many people prefer pay more for a samsung or something!
Is too bad Google stopped the GPE program, would love to see GPE based phones like the S7, and G5 this Spring, those flagship phones running stock vanilla Android, directly supported by Google, and sold through carrier plans.
stan54 said:
It's no surprise that they aren't selling well - they're mediocre phones selling at premium prices. I lol at anyone who buys a nexus - and feel sorry for them too.
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So, do you actually own one? I didn't think so. If you had used a 6p you would not be saying it was a mediocre phone. It is actually, all in all, the best phone on the market for daily driver use right now. I am currently living in Paraguay, a country with bad overloaded cell phone networks, where most people who can afford smartphones are pretty much locked into Samsung by the carriers here. The radio in my 6p is SO much better than the weak Samsung radios. The battery lasts all day in conditions where I am constantly going in and out of signal areas. Just my point of view, but the problem with these phones is not the phones themselves, but Googles marketing. Of course, I am buying it for the phone and not the marketing...
r3ix said:
This is the best android phone. Period!
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CYoung234 said:
It is actually, all in all, the best phone on the market for daily driver use right now.
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For a niche audience of hobbiests and purists. Even where Nexi were offered by major global carriers along side other premium phones, some more expensive, Nexus sales never came close to competitive phones sales wise if they made a dent at all. The things that push people's buttons on XDA don't represent the masses view. A billion smartphones were sold last year. There are 360K active XDA members over the last 30 days. As @crachel said, the smartphone phone market has matured and even those with recognized names and a loyal customer base are struggling. HTC, Sony, and LG all lost money in mobile last quarter.
crachel said:
There were basically no compelling upgrade reasons except for niche enthusiasts.
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We have a winner.

UK/EU users is No DAC or Wireless Charging really LGs fault

Hey folks
Just unboxed my G6 and waiting with sweaty palms for the first charge to finish... .
Like most EU users I was annoyed at No ESS Dac or Wireless charging.. but I wonder.. how much of this is directly LGs fault.. and I wonder how much of it is EU / red tape interference..
It just doesnt seem logical that a company would manufacture 2 versions of their flagship and turn out a half baked phone..
We never got the V10 or the V20 .. so I wonder, how much of, selling a half finished device for the same £680 (in Asia it works out £650), is interference by the Financial Euro-prats in Brussels.. after all, Samsung havent removed their Wolfsonn DAC or Wireless charging from the S8, could it be the patents ?.. IMO, No..
Are we as consumers being too hard on LG as a company when the blame may lie with the faceless Beaurocrats?
What do you guys think
We should be hard on LG. It's their branded phones.
For clarity the reason for the disparity across the world is due to the networks depicting what they believe their customers will buy and at what price. For example if LG said it could provide a quad dac for an extra £5 per phone the network buyers may not believe that's necessary to include, thereby maximising profits. The networks are LG customers , not you.
I'm not letting LG off the hook. Pressure needs to be applied from every angle to make the networks and LG realise it is not acceptable to hav such disparity where the feature difference is noticeable.
No, no good trying to blame the EU for this (honestly, this isn't the Daily Mail! ). There's no regulatory impediment to a better DAC or wireless charging, and anyway how would Brussels stop the Americans getting the DAC, or indeed stop the Asians getting wireless charging? And you forgot that Asian models get 64GB storage whereas the rest of the world gets 32GB.
No, LG made the decisions on a financial basis. Whether they took feedback from carriers or did their own market research (which is what they told me when I contacted them about this), in the end it was just a business decision on their part.
I contacted them the day that the phone was announced and told them that their regional specifications policy had cost them my custom. I figured that one person buying it or not is invisible to them, but if enough people told them it was stupid and that they would have sold more without it they might learn for next time.
After starting this thread, then reading your replies.. I did a little digging to check my facts and I was saddend to learn that, yes.. this is LG doing so-called market research on what the "networks" want and sadly, all 3 regions have been scr*wed over.. but to give the EU the version that has NONE of the added features (No 64GB/Wireless, or DAC) or the "V 10 / 20 and probably not the 30" is a really stupid move.. I dont know who does LGs research, but they should be fired.. Yet they give us waterproofing which scr*ws call quality and Audiio..
And they wonder why Samsung do so well..
Whatever the reason or whoever is to blame, LG need to realise they are the back marker/the underdog. They need to come out with a headliner that appeals to mainstream AND more hardcore users.
Confusing matters like this will just keep the momentum with Samsung.
No, it's because LG do "market research" and decide what each region wants and a cost/benefit analysis. That's all. Same as their decision not to release the V20 in EU, simply they thought it wouldn't sell.
Ofc it is "LG's fault".
I'm in the UK and I would like 64GB, wireless charging and a quad DAC. But LG decided not to make them available.
So yeah it's "LG's fault".
Market research my arse.
B3501 said:
No, it's because LG do "market research" and decide what each region wants and a cost/benefit analysis. That's all. Same as their decision not to release the V20 in EU, simply they thought it wouldn't sell.
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Then in my opinion they got their analysis compelety wrong.
Ok the S8 is more expensive on contract but imagine the smile on the salesman when he justifies that expense on wireless charging and larger storage. It'll be easy for him.
G6 will just get swept aside which is a shame as I think my G5 is great anf was looking forward to this one.
Maybe they will reanalyse for the G7 ?
WhiteHartMart said:
Then in my opinion they got their analysis compelety wrong.
Ok the S8 is more expensive on contract but imagine the smile on the salesman when he justifies that expense on wireless charging and larger storage. It'll be easy for him.
G6 will just get swept aside which is a shame as I think my G5 is great anf was looking forward to this one.
Maybe they will reanalyse for the G7
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I have 4 flagship phones, the S8+. Huawei P10 Plus, LG G6 and iPhone 7 Plus. I will be ditching the S8+. Whilst it has lots of positives, its just not as nice to use as the G6, nor is it camera as useful or as good at in many areas as the G6.
gavinfabl said:
I have 4 flagship phones, the S8+. Huawei P10 Plus, LG G6 and iPhone 7 Plus. I will be ditching the S8+. Whilst it has lots of positives, its just not as nice to use as the G6, nor is it camera as useful or as good at in many areas as the G6.
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Yea, I remember you saying you felt the G6 was v good (I'm the guy across the brisge from you that had that Twitter conversation ? )
Just no way I'll get the UK version. Its still expensive and I would hate knowing I had a 'dumbed down' version.
I'd rather not import just yet either. But never say never ?
WhiteHartMart said:
Yea, I remember you saying you felt the G6 was v good (I'm the guy across the brisge from you that had that Twitter conversation )
Just no way I'll get the UK version. Its still expensive and I would hate knowing I had a 'dumbed down' version.
I'd rather not import just yet either. But never say never
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I think it's £490 on Three UK with a £10 top up. A bit more realistic.
And hi again
gavinfabl said:
I think it's £490 on Three UK with a £10 top up. A bit more realistic.
And hi again
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Yea saw that deal on HotUKDeals. Think it turned out to be an error in some stores putting the G6 on show at G5 prices.
Pretty sure its back to £600+ now.
£600+ for the G6 is just a crazy, crazy price. Also, for the amount of time it took to release it they could have had an SD835 in it! Perhaps they'll release a V2 with an 835 but some of LGs decisions with phones are insane. They're shooting themselves completely in the foot.
£564 on Tesco Mobile.
Hoping to have it tomorrow Saturday, Monday at the latest.
As the major UK carriers are only selling the black version so they don't have enough confidence to sell the other colours. Only CPW stock all three. I'm not convinced this decision is one by market research as suggested. My own view is that LG rushed the release in the UK knowing that the S8 was comming out only 2 weeks later. Poor marketing really.
I cannot understand why any flagship wouldn't have wireless charging these days as it's becoming more common. Coming from the last few Samsung phones I owned this was a massive loss. The only conclusion is LG don't see this phone lasting.
On the DAC point I chuckled at others view on the sound quality on the S7 as I also found it poor. I think the sound quality is much better on my G6.
If anyone has an EE firmware version could they post the firmware download link?
Iamnorthener said:
As the major UK carriers are only selling the black version so they don't have enough confidence to sell the other colours. Only CPW stock all three. I'm not convinced this decision is one by market research as suggested. My own view is that LG rushed the release in the UK knowing that the S8 was comming out only 2 weeks later. Poor marketing really.
I cannot understand why any flagship wouldn't have wireless charging these days as it's becoming more common. Coming from the last few Samsung phones I owned this was a massive loss. The only conclusion is LG don't see this phone lasting.
On the DAC point I chuckled at others view on the sound quality on the S7 as I also found it poor. I think the sound quality is much better on my G6.
If anyone has an EE firmware version could they post the firmware download link?
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CPW has an early exclusive on the colours. They seem to do this quite a bit as well as getting the phones earlier than other online retailers. Frustrating. Personally I have the white which I like a lot.
rubiicon59 said:
£564 on Tesco Mobile.
Hoping to have it tomorrow Saturday, Monday at the latest.
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Where did you find that price? It's £629 for me. Also are Tesco Mobile's phones unlocked?
DVC1985 said:
Where did you find that price? It's £629 for me. Also are Tesco Mobile's phones unlocked?
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£564 is what I'll be paying for the phone over 24 months.
Ive been with Tesco Mobile for several years so I just logged in to my account and that was the price that was quoted. And yes it's unlocked, all my phones from Tesco have been network free with no crappy bloatware.
I picked it up in store this afternoon and an hour later I had swapped it for a 1 week old V20, LG folio case (both as new) and £150 cash
My experience with the G6 was very brief but I decided after 5 minutes it wasn't for me. It's a gorgeous phone but the biggest fingerprint magnet I've ever had.
I'm already impressed with the V20 (H990ds Korean model) so I'll be posting my thoughts in the V20 forum.
LG did **** up the UK release of the G6, but not by rushing it, instead by delaying it.
LG had a window of opportunity of just under a month from when they announced the G6 to get it on the shelves, or at least on pre-order, before Samsung announced the S8. They must have known that Samsung would open up pre-order orders immediately, and probably that Samsung would ensure that every phone shop nationwide had S8s on display the day after announcing it; yet LG didn't even announce the UK availability date until a week before Samsung put actual retail S8s in actual customer's hands.
If they'd capitalised on that month lead they had, the G6 would be selling way better, despite the exclusion of its best features.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
It doesn't even has a notification led .

Is There Still A Reason To Buy A V30?

The topic is fairly straight forward. I don't want to take away from what the V30 offers but it seems like a fair question and discussion to have with so many other phones coming out in the same time frame.
Today, Razer finally announced their Razer phone and it is available for pre-order with an estimated delivery date of November 17th. The US998 non-carrier version of the V30 is currently estimated to finally be available on December 5th. The Razer phone costs $699US where the V30 costs $800US. That said, here are the bands supported by the Razer phone. Yeah, no CDMA.
GSM: Quad-band GSM UMTS: B1/2/3/4/5/8
LTE: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/66
TDD LTE: B38/39/40/41 TD-SCDMA: B34/39
With 8GB of RAM, a 120Hz screen with adjustable refresh rate, SD835, dual front-facing speakers with Dolby Atmos, and a 4000mAh battery, and even a THX certified DAC, although through a USB-C to headphone adapter that comes in the box. Stock Android (N) with an update to Oreo early next year and 2 years of software updates, Nova Launcher Prime as the stock launcher, SIM unlocked out of the box, and... here's the kicker. Unlockable bootloader that hasn't been stripped of fastboot commands!
The V30 seems to offer the better rear camera experience, at least from what I have seen so far. The front-facing camera might be a bit different though with the Razer phone having an 8MP front-facing camera. The V30 definitely has the better style and look to it though, although aesthetics are purely personal taste. The V30 (H932SV) supports T-Mobile's 600MHz band 71 where the Razer phone doesn't and I haven't heard of anyone mentioning WiFi Calling and VoLTE support as of yet. The V30 also offers wireless charging but the Razer phone offers Quick Charge 4+.
So... Does anyone think there is still a reason to buy a V30, especially at the current pricing of $800US?
i'd NEVER ever again buy a phone with huge bezels like that razer phone has. the thing looks like a block. the design is really as bad as it could possibly be
knives of ice said:
i'd NEVER ever again buy a phone with huge bezels like that razer phone has. the thing looks like a block. the design is really as bad as it could possibly be
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I totally understand that. The look of it... It does look like a brick. That is the hard thing about it. It has a lot of other things going right for it but... it's just damn ugly!
No Qi wireless, no sale.
That's my line in the sand whether an OEM really wants my money.
But I like the battery and front-facing speakers. LG should copy that! No reason any phone with a 6" screen can't have 4000 mAh battery. My 5.2" Moto XT1225 (1440p AMOLED) has a 3900 mAh battery!
hmmm... there are trade offs depending on what you are after on a device. I got my t-mobile v30 for $600 brand new so I suppose it's a pretty decent deal.
moist_line said:
hmmm... there are trade offs depending on what you are after on a device. I got my t-mobile v30 for $600 brand new so I suppose it's a pretty decent deal.
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$600 for a V30 would sell me, especially from T-Mobile. For me, wireless charging doesn't matter all that much but the look of that brick just seems like such a step backwards in phone design. I get that it is based off of the Nexbit Robin but still. Razer could have done better design wise. Just about everything else ticks all of the right things for me. If you don't mind me asking. How did you get $200 off of the full price of the V30 from T-Mobile?
jcsww said:
$600 for a V30 would sell me, especially from T-Mobile. For me, wireless charging doesn't matter all that much but the look of that brick just seems like such a step backwards in phone design. I get that it is based off of the Nexbit Robin but still. Razer could have done better design wise. Just about everything else ticks all of the right things for me. If you don't mind me asking. How did you get $200 off of the full price of the V30 from T-Mobile?
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I found a seller on craigslist in my local area. He said he won it a raffle from work and doesn't need it.
moist_line said:
I found a seller on craigslist in my local area. He said he won it a raffle from work and doesn't need it.
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Nice! Enjoy it! It's definitely an excellent device and you have band 71 to get the best performance out of the 600MHz network as it starts to go live.
It seems like 2017 is the year for great competition in the smartphone market. For the price and value however, I find the Essential Phone very competitive. I saw a number of refurbished models on eBay for $390 or so. Possibly return units that look quite flawless. No headphone jack though.
Jcsww, what phone are you thinking of getting?
moist_line said:
It seems like 2017 is the year for great competition in the smartphone market. For the price and value however, I find the Essential Phone very competitive. I saw a number of refurbished models on eBay for $390 or so. Possibly return units that look quite flawless. No headphone jack though.
Jcsww, what phone are you thinking of getting?
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I want a V30. It's just there are so many inaccuracies about the bands supported in each model of the V30. I am currently up in Canada so everything sold up here is the H933 model. Each carrier up here lists different band support which also conflicts with what LG directly told me. I'd rally like the unlocked US998 but December 5th is a bit far away to wait and the price of it seems to be too high for what is out there for competition. Band 71 would be a bonus as a T-Mobile customer but for the right price, I'd forget about it until my next upgrade. According to B&H, the US998's non-carrier version band support sucks! I would like to be able to root my device but I also think I could potentially live without root if I got the H932SV from T-Mobile.
jcsww said:
...December 5th is a bit far away to wait and the price of it seems to be too high for what is out there for competition.
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I'd like to think that by Dec 5, LG will have dropped the priced (given the added competition and mixed reviews), and/or there will be some sweet sales.
I'm a Verizon customer and can take advantage of the $200 gift card and free Daydream headset, but I'm likely going to hold out for the unlocked model to see how well that plays on Verizon's network. I'm fairly confident I'll find a better deal than what Verizon is offering at the moment.
jcsww said:
The topic is fairly straight forward. I don't want to take away from what the V30 offers but it seems like a fair question and discussion to have with so many other phones coming out in the same time frame.
Today, Razer finally announced their Razer phone and it is available for pre-order with an estimated delivery date of November 17th. The US998 non-carrier version of the V30 is currently estimated to finally be available on December 5th. The Razer phone costs $699US where the V30 costs $800US. That said, here are the bands supported by the Razer phone. Yeah, no CDMA. [emoji14]
GSM: Quad-band GSM UMTS: B1/2/3/4/5/8
LTE: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/66
TDD LTE: B38/39/40/41 TD-SCDMA: B34/39
With 8GB of RAM, a 120Hz screen with adjustable refresh rate, SD835, dual front-facing speakers with Dolby Atmos, and a 4000mAh battery, and even a THX certified DAC, although through a USB-C to headphone adapter that comes in the box. Stock Android (N) with an update to Oreo early next year and 2 years of software updates, Nova Launcher Prime as the stock launcher, SIM unlocked out of the box, and... here's the kicker. Unlockable bootloader that hasn't been stripped of fastboot commands!
The V30 seems to offer the better rear camera experience, at least from what I have seen so far. The front-facing camera might be a bit different though with the Razer phone having an 8MP front-facing camera. The V30 definitely has the better style and look to it though, although aesthetics are purely personal taste. The V30 (H932SV) supports T-Mobile's 600MHz band 71 where the Razer phone doesn't and I haven't heard of anyone mentioning WiFi Calling and VoLTE support as of yet. The V30 also offers wireless charging but the Razer phone offers Quick Charge 4+.
So... Does anyone think there is still a reason to buy a V30, especially at the current pricing of $800US?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I see that you put all of the details of the upcoming Razer phone. Are you asking if the V30 is a better buy over the Razer phone? Well what are you looking for in a phone?
Really big phone=Razer
Screen to size ratio=V30
Best headphone audio=V30
Great sounding stereo speakers=Razer
Price=Razer
Carrier compatibility=V30
Wi-Fi calling (TMO)=V30
Volte calling (TMO)=V30
Screen=Razer
8Gb RAM [emoji3]=Razer
Gaming=Razer
Smoothness=Razer
I'm sure there is more but that's what I've got so far.
I know the wait for the unlocked sucks but fact of the matter is that manufacturers worry about carrier versions first and no-brands second. Unless you have some weird or obscure carrier you can probably have a carrier phone tomorrow so the wait for the unlock is on you.
I'd say wait for the V30. After a couple months the Razer phone will be as cool and desirable as a Marshall London phone.
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk
ChazzMatt said:
No Qi wireless, no sale.
That's my line in the sand whether an OEM really wants my money.
But I like the battery and front-facing speakers. LG should copy that! No reason any phone with a 6" screen can't have 4000 mAh battery. My 5.2" Moto XT1225 (1440p AMOLED) has a 3900 mAh battery!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
replying to my own post -- also NO headphone jack.
Somewhat scathing review:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/1/...ndroid-gaming-specs-release-date-price-photos
Razer Phone announced with huge bezels, no headphone jack, and dubious gamer cred
...the absence of its headphone jack. It’s that last element that strikes me as a major contradiction: Razer’s supposedly gamer-friendly device is lacking easy connectivity to a gamer’s most essential peripheral after the controller. Inside the Razer Phone box you’ll find a THX-certified audio dongle that lets you hook up headphones and promises 24-bit “audiophile-quality” sound, but that’s a weird compromise on a device that’s supposed to be about no-compromise gaming performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The device is priced at $700 in the US (or €750 in Europe, £700 in the UK) and sold directly from Razer’s online store or Amazon.com, with a ship date of November 17th with online reservations opening today. That price tag means the Razer Phone is entering the most premium and competitive segment of the smartphone market. It’s going up against brilliantly designed pieces of hardware like the Galaxy Note 8, LG V30, HTC U11, OnePlus 5, and Huawei Mate 10 Pro. All of them have specs to match Razer’s, aside from that new screen; many of them have eliminated the bezels; and the majority also have headphone jacks.
Why should you buy the Razer Phone ahead of all that great competition? Maybe Razer has a compelling answer, but after my experience with its new device, I can’t identify it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nay Tyzon said:
I'd like to think that by Dec 5, LG will have dropped the priced (given the added competition and mixed reviews), and/or there will be some sweet sales.
I'm a Verizon customer and can take advantage of the $200 gift card and free Daydream headset, but I'm likely going to hold out for the unlocked model to see how well that plays on Verizon's network. I'm fairly confident I'll find a better deal than what Verizon is offering at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that a price drop is definitely needed and sooner than later. LG doesn't seem to understand what they are doing though. The V30's hype was ruined by delays and a reveal too early compared to the release date. When I see a phone debuted, I want to buy it shortly after, not months later. The more time that passes, the more other things are closer to release. CES and MWC are not too long after the holiday season.
psawjack said:
So I see that you put all of the details of the upcoming Razer phone. Are you asking if the V30 is a better buy over the Razer phone? Well what are you looking for in a phone?
Really big phone=Razer
Screen to size ratio=V30
Best headphone audio=V30
Great sounding stereo speakers=Razer
Price=Razer
Carrier compatibility=V30
Wi-Fi calling (TMO)=V30
Volte calling (TMO)=V30
Screen=Razer
8Gb RAM [emoji3]=Razer
Gaming=Razer
Smoothness=Razer
I'm sure there is more but that's what I've got so far.
I know the wait for the unlocked sucks but fact of the matter is that manufacturers worry about carrier versions first and no-brands second. Unless you have some weird or obscure carrier you can probably have a carrier phone tomorrow so the wait for the unlock is on you.
I'd say wait for the V30. After a couple months the Razer phone will be as cool and desirable as a Marshall London phone.
Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Headphone audio going to the V30 is debatable. No one has really tested the Razer audio from the 24-bit DAC Razer is using enough to post a review of it, at least not yet. I don't care about gaming on a phone either and I don't know many that actually do but I am sure someone does. The screen on the Razer phone has got to have better viewing angles over the V30. The ability to speed up the processor and adjust the refresh rate and resolution are all nice aspects on a stock Android experience. Even though the Razer phone looks like a ginormous greyish black brick, the specs and price have left the V30, at least in my opinion, looking stupid with their too late for a flagship release. LG has managed to tease me with a product I really wanted and then has made me not want it by the time I could actually get it.
jcsww said:
Headphone audio going to the V30 is debatable. No one has really tested the Razer audio from the 24-bit DAC Razer is using enough to post a review of it, at least not yet. .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Razer Phone doesn't have a headphone jack. You have to use a dongle like with the iPhone and Pixel.
Plus, I don't think it's debatable, considering the other stuff Razer messed up on. See my previous post, above yours.
Even in the "bad" reviews for the LG V30, critics praise the LG V30 32-bit quad DAC:
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3235324/android/lg-v30-review.html
LG V30 review: Another great LG phone that just isn't great enough
With a pair of Bluetooth buds, the V30 sounds like any other phone, but with wired headphones and the Quad DAC flipped on, it’s in a class by itself. Even comparing it against the HTC U11, which has its own USB-C-based audio system with a proprietary pair of noise-canceling earbuds, the V30 more than held its own. Once I plugged in a pair of higher-end headphones, the sound was downright spectacular for a smartphone. My only quibble is that I would have preferred the headphone jack at the bottom edge of the phone rather than the top.
With on-par performance and battery life, the V30’s Quad DAC is easily its best selling point, especially for people turned off by the Pixel 2 XL’s reliance on a USB-C-to-3.5mm dongle. In an era where specs and design are increasingly homogenous, sound quality could very well become one of the main differentiators among flagship phones. The V30 is definitely among the cream of the crop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And again, this was a bad review -- but he was honest about what he considered the good points.
I bought my LG V30 a month ago. As a Verizon customer, I was eligible for $102USD trade-in value for my old Note 4 and a promotional $200USD gift card. Out of pocket expense was $538USD not including taxes and fees. I was originally going to wait for the Pixel 2 XL or an iPhone X, but the cost savings combined with the quad DAC, headphone jack, dual cameras, and the centrally located rear fingerprint scanner was enough reason for me to pull the trigger on the V30. LG also provided a free Google Daydream and a 2nd year of warranty coverage.
So far, I've been very pleased with the V30 with zero buyer remorse.
ChazzMatt said:
Razer Phone doesn't have a headphone jack. You have to use a dongle like with the iPhone and Pixel.
Plus, I don't think it's debatable, considering the other stuff Razer messed up on. See my previous post, above yours.
Even in the "bad" reviews for the LG V30, critics praise the LG V30 32-bit quad DAC:
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3235324/android/lg-v30-review.html
And again, this was a bad review -- but he was honest about what he considered the good points.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may not have a headphone jack but the adapter does come in the box. I would like to see some more reviews on Razer's offering before I call one or the other to be better. Currently though, LG's audio implementation is by far the best out there. However, the Razer phone doesn't officially come out for a couple of more days. By then, there should be some more in-depth reviews.
A) I haven't done dongles since my G1 and I will never do dongles again. There's just no reason for it and it gets old fast.
B) Probably not a good idea to buy this first gen product.
C) Probably not a good idea to bank on x years of updates until they've made x years of the product. I had to look up who Razer even is. Without carrier distribution in the US, this thing will see such a limited release that I'd question if they're even still making phones in a few years. Look at the facts. This is basically a product that some other team started and did a "one and done" then offloaded to someone else while they still could. And it's this last point that I'd really worry about and might make a lot of other people hesitant. Which could possibly lead to an early demise of this part of the company. They really have to make a compelling case for a lot of people to jump into the deep end of a cold pool quickly.
CHH2 said:
A) I haven't done dongles since my G1 and I will never do dongles again. There's just no reason for it and it gets old fast.
B) Probably not a good idea to buy this first gen product.
C) Probably not a good idea to bank on x years of updates until they've made x years of the product. I had to look up who Razer even is. Without carrier distribution in the US, this thing will see such a limited release that I'd question if they're even still making phones in a few years. Look at the facts. This is basically a product that some other team started and did a "one and done" then offloaded to someone else while they still could. And it's this last point that I'd really worry about and might make a lot of other people hesitant. Which could possibly lead to an early demise of this part of the company. They really have to make a compelling case for a lot of people to jump into the deep end of a cold pool quickly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lots of valid points there and i agree with the dongle. If you can't charge your phone and still listen to wired headphones, that is a deal breaker, at least for me. I am all for competition, especially when it comes in cheaper with those specs. Whether it is the product for me or anyone else is an individual choice. Hopefully it makes LG try harder and do better with the V40 launch. The V30 product isn't the issue in my opinion. It was LG's failure to deliver that product in a timely manor.
jcsww said:
Lots of valid points there and i agree with the dongle. If you can't charge your phone and still listen to wired headphones, that is a deal breaker, at least for me. I am all for competition, especially when it comes in cheaper with those specs. Whether it is the product for me or anyone else is an individual choice. Hopefully it makes LG try harder and do better with the V40 launch. The V30 product isn't the issue in my opinion. It was LG's failure to deliver that product in a timely manor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be assuming LG, or any company, sees this as competition. Which at this point I doubt any of them do. Sure it has a couple of impressive specs but that's it. It has limited distribution from an unproven company with a hideous design that's already getting a lukewarm reception at best. I don't think any established company is going to take this thing all that seriously.
________________
As for LG's timeliness, they did the same thing with the V20. At this point if they cleaned up their act in time for the V40, I'd be pleasantly surprised. In the end game though I'm not really worried. Waiting a few weeks isn't really anything when you realize the development cycle of a given product. It's not like another company is going to use that few weeks time between announcement and launch to suddenly sneak out a better product. That window just isn't long enough to do that and the supply chain doesn't flip fast enough to seriously one up that quickly, even if you could get your developers and QA to move fast enough. (Which we don't. Oh dear FSM we don't.)
No, what you're seeing in all of these complaints of "taking forever to launch" is a lack of patience from a very small slice of the overall consumer pie chart and an interesting psychological study into some rather boorish and childish behavior. There is no other way to explain it. Either you really do want the product in question and can wait a few weeks or you just have money burning a hole in your pocket and want to throw it at the first thing you can.
Look at the iPhone X launch. How long between it's announcement and actual in hands? It was announced on September 12th? Couldn't even pre-order until a few days ago! (Last Friday) Won't ship until at least tomorrow! (One week after pre-orders opened.) Oh, and that's if you're lucky as they seem to be having supply issues and might only get to ship half if that. That's 8 weeks before it is in ANY consumer's hands. Between announcement and in hands I had my V30 in 5 weeks and that was waiting from a US carrier, not even the lesser wait if you were in LG's home market. And I'm just not seeing the same type of complaining from those waiting on iPhones as I see on the Android tech blogs and forums about LG's V launches. It's absolutely bewildering to see the difference.

Best place to pre-order Galaxy S9 & S9+ in the US?

I did some research, but it looks like there's no bundle this year and the options for a "deal" are pretty much limited to the Trade-In program (available almost everywhere) and the $100 off available only at BestBuy (but with a new activation).
Any other option that I've missed?
I guess it depends on if you want a snapdragon or exynos - I don't believe there is bundle like years past where you get a VR or Dex or something - but if you want to order the Exynos version - best I have found is Clove UK. They prep the phone to avoid region unlock when you turn it on here - great service - I got my note 8 there and have ordered my S9 Plus there too
I suppose the pre-order on Samsung site US will be the SnapDragon version... Is there any way to get the Exynos version in the US?
Poesini said:
I suppose the pre-order on Samsung site US will be the SnapDragon version... Is there any way to get the Exynos version in the US?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you can get the Exynos version in the use due to the region lock.
But you can get it from the UK. See Geekser's post.
Geekser said:
I guess it depends on if you want a snapdragon or exynos - I don't believe there is bundle like years past where you get a VR or Dex or something - but if you want to order the Exynos version - best I have found is Clove UK. They prep the phone to avoid region unlock when you turn it on here - great service - I got my note 8 there and have ordered my S9 Plus there too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice cause it comes with 128GB of storage as well... Wondering tho if you had to pay any customs fees.
Edit:
I just checked how much it would be in $ without any eventual customs fees and it comes down to 743.17quid which is $1021.09! Haha! I just refuse to pay 1k for a phone, even if I could run vSphere on it!
pirateye said:
I don't think you can get the Exynos version in the use due to the region lock.
But you can get it from the UK. See Geekser's post.
Nice cause it comes with 128GB of storage as well... Wondering tho if you had to pay any customs fees.
Edit:
I just checked how much it would be in $ without any eventual customs fees and it comes down to 743.17quid which is $1021.09! Haha! I just refuse to pay 1k for a phone, even if I could run vSphere on it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ordered my NOte 8 from them and when the phone shipped to me via DSL I did not have to pay any customs fees. Regarding the cost - in my view, to buy a samsung phone Like the S9 Plus that I can root and run custom roms - well - it's worth the price to me. Even though it does cost more than the Snapdragon phones sold here in the states - custom kernels will never be possible on those phones - so to me - its worth the additional cost.
Sadly looks official at least for the US no additional bonus on, Samsung, Best Buy or Verizon currently. Only deal I see is getting it from Best Buy with the $100 credit which makes at least the 9S+ $815 And the cheapest price period for this phone.
Will project treble help with timely updates for the unlocked? I'd rather purchase the unlocked over a carrier bloated 9/9+
I was going to order through Samsung and then I remembered that last year after I purchased my S8+ from T-Mobile less than a month later T-Mobile had buy one get one free deal and soon after Samsung offered the same deal with $0 down... I'm going to wait but Samsung is offering a trade in discount for eligible phones
Geekser said:
I ordered my NOte 8 from them and when the phone shipped to me via DSL I did not have to pay any customs fees. Regarding the cost - in my view, to buy a samsung phone Like the S9 Plus that I can root and run custom roms - well - it's worth the price to me. Even though it does cost more than the Snapdragon phones sold here in the states - custom kernels will never be possible on those phones - so to me - its worth the additional cost.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a good point and it makes sense, but I still think is too much for a phone that has a lifespan less than a year.
Deathman20 said:
Sadly looks official at least for the US no additional bonus on, Samsung, Best Buy or Verizon currently. Only deal I see is getting it from Best Buy with the $100 credit which makes at least the 9S+ $815 And the cheapest price period for this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct, but that $100 is valid only if you activate a new SIM.
rjayflo said:
Will project treble help with timely updates for the unlocked? I'd rather purchase the unlocked over a carrier bloated 9/9+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google says "Project Treble will be coming to all new devices launched with Android O and beyond."
unk2009 said:
I was going to order through Samsung and then I remembered that last year after I purchased my S8+ from T-Mobile less than a month later T-Mobile had buy one get one free deal and soon after Samsung offered the same deal with $0 down... I'm going to wait but Samsung is offering a trade in discount for eligible phones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That trade-in value is meh... Hopefully, they'll have nice offers later on, but till then I'll just preorder it at BestBuy and take advantage of the gift cards I have :angel:
pirateye said:
That's a good point and it makes sense, but I still think is too much for a phone that has a lifespan less than a year.
Correct, but that $100 is valid only if you activate a new SIM.
Google says "Project Treble will be coming to all new devices launched with Android O and beyond."
That trade-in value is meh... Hopefully, they'll have nice offers later on, but till then I'll just preorder it at BestBuy and take advantage of the gift cards I have :angel:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My wife says I am addicted to my phone and I think she is right. I have purchsed every Flagship Samsung has launched since the note 2. Every one of them. I typically buy them when they are released on Pre-Order and then sell my old phone to a friend or through Swappa. (I sell them at a good price - that is fair to both me and the buyer - and they end up getting an incredible deal - damn near new phone - in pristine condition - usually with a few accessories thrown in too. And I get excited every time a new phone comes out. I love toys - and I am really excited to play around with the S9 Plus. '
My Behaviour may end up sending me to the poor house - but then, it's only money. and you can't take it with you. LOL
by ordering Unlocked variant from Samsung US do you know if device will be fully unlocked OOTB or just need a sort of Activation on the first boot ?
Geekser said:
My wife says I am addicted to my phone and I think she is right. I have purchsed every Flagship Samsung has launched since the note 2. Every one of them. I typically buy them when they are released on Pre-Order and then sell my old phone to a friend or through Swappa. (I sell them at a good price - that is fair to both me and the buyer - and they end up getting an incredible deal - damn near new phone - in pristine condition - usually with a few accessories thrown in too. And I get excited every time a new phone comes out. I love toys - and I am really excited to play around with the S9 Plus. '
My Behaviour may end up sending me to the poor house - but then, it's only money. and you can't take it with you. LOL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed in ur sig you have the note 8 and pixel 2 xl. How do they compare battery life wise? I have the pixel 2 xl and I'm thinking about getting the s9+. Kinda craving some more features. How smooth is the note 8 on oreo? :victory::silly:
Is there a difference between the Verizon and Unlocked variants? I pre-ordered through Verizon but it's $100 more... Am I asking for trouble getting an unlocked version?
I pre-ordered the unlock version from Best Buy, but just within minutes of going live, it was unavailable for shipping and thus the only option I had was to pick it up from the store. Anyone else had this problem?
pirateye said:
Correct, but that $100 is valid only if you activate a new SIM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually no. I have one on an existing line and new line I still got the $100 credit toward each phone.
Only reason i know this is Wife has an existing line and was going to get an S8+ but the deals went out on that, at least right now, so temporarily I have a S9+ on pre-order just in case I can't get one.
rimz808 said:
I pre-ordered the unlock version from Best Buy, but just within minutes of going live, it was unavailable for shipping and thus the only option I had was to pick it up from the store. Anyone else had this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could get mine from the store or shipped to my place. I opted for the store since its right down the street from my work so makes it easy to nab it.
That was for both Unlocked or Carrier Locked phones.
Geekser said:
My wife says I am addicted to my phone and I think she is right. I have purchsed every Flagship Samsung has launched since the note 2. Every one of them. I typically buy them when they are released on Pre-Order and then sell my old phone to a friend or through Swappa. (I sell them at a good price - that is fair to both me and the buyer - and they end up getting an incredible deal - damn near new phone - in pristine condition - usually with a few accessories thrown in too. And I get excited every time a new phone comes out. I love toys - and I am really excited to play around with the S9 Plus. '
My Behaviour may end up sending me to the poor house - but then, it's only money. and you can't take it with you. LOL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I know exactly what you mean
Well said and I totally agree with every single thing you just said :good: lol
Best for me was Best Buy. I was initially gonna skip the GS9+ but when I saw that the trade-in value for the GS7 Edge was $300, I decided to go for it.
Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk
aknotts415 said:
I noticed in ur sig you have the note 8 and pixel 2 xl. How do they compare battery life wise? I have the pixel 2 xl and I'm thinking about getting the s9+. Kinda craving some more features. How smooth is the note 8 on oreo? :victory::silly:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually sold the Pixel XL about a month after buying it. I missed the Camera on my S8 and then Note 8. Pixel battery was good I guess, about the same as my Note 8 - it was a good phone but I don't think it was as good as either the S8 PLus or the NOte 8, IMHO
I just ordered my s9 plus from Samsung, and Im on Verizon so I'm hoping I have no issues with the unlocked version.
I was going to upgrade if there was a good bundle. I was really hoping for a Dex pad since the new version costs what the VR kit once did. But, I've always wanted to try a Note and my S8+ is doing fine. It was getting that mystery lag, but a recent hard reset seems to have fixed that.
If a great deal comes along, maybe I'll upgrade.

Question Possible to buy a SIM-unlocked bootloader-unlockable G9S9B Pixel 6?

I have a dual-SIM setup, with a personal T-mobile eSIM for personal use, and a Verizon physical SIM (provided by my employer) for work. I would like to get a Pixel 6 that I can use with both, including especially the mmWave bands. It looks like model G9S9B is what I want, while the default unlocked phone on the google store is GB7N6, which doesn't support n257/258/260/261. My questions:
1) If I buy a "Verizon" Pixel 6 on the Google store (presumably G9S9B, since it's $100 more expensive), will it be SIM-locked to Verizon, or can I use it with other carriers? Also, I've heard sometimes Verizon phones don't let you unlock the bootloader, which would be catastrophic for me, so I also want to make sure a Verizon phone purchased through the google store let's me unlock the bootloader. Given that the AT&T pixel 6 is more expensive, I'm thinking the Verizon one is probably SIM-locked, otherwise who would waste $40 buying a phone through AT&T.
2) Is it even possible to buy a Verizon pixel if you don't have access to a Verizon account? As I mentioned, my Verizon SIM is from work, so I don't have an account number or password or anything. The google store won't let me add the Verizon pixel 6 to my account without logging into Verizon or creating a new account. I definitely don't want to sign up for new Verizon service. Also, I noticed that for the Pixel pro, the Verizon phones are actually available with good options like more storage, so presumably if there weren't some catch people would be buying Verizon phones while the unlocked and Fi models are sold-out, so there's probably something wrong with them (even though unlike the non-pro, the pro seems to be G8VOU whether Verizon or not, at least according to this web page which has only one 6 pro model in the US market https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/10082009).
Thanks for any advice.
I would think you could buy one from best buy for Verizon with the activate later option. They have the buds promo as well just fyi
Yes, but unfortunately that one will almost certainly be boot-locked, and possibly carrier-locked as well. If I can't download my T-mobile eSIM to my phone, that would be a problem. I unfortunately think I may need to get the bigger phone to get mmwave on a completely unlocked device, even though the hardware for what I want exists.
I thought Best Buy's unlocked version was the G9S9B. That's why it cost a bit more than the $599 price.
Nope, Best Buy has $599 for 128GB and $699 for 256GB, same price as GB7N6 on the google store. Only Verizon and AT&T seem to offer G9S9B, plus the google store if you select Verizon. But of course you can't know for sure until you actually buy the phone.
15xda said:
Nope, Best Buy has $599 for 128GB and $699 for 256GB, same price as GB7N6 on the google store. Only Verizon and AT&T seem to offer G9S9B, plus the google store if you select Verizon. But of course you can't know for sure until you actually buy the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They changed their inventory then. They had it for the same price as AT&T earlier this week.
mmWave isn't a big deal. It's an extremely short range 5g service that is currently being installed in large facilities that have high people densities - places like sports arenas and airports. However due to the limited range of the service and the fact that most objects (like glass and walls) effectively block the signal, it is never going to be available "city wide" during the life expectancy of today's new phones. Only the largest cities have any mmWave coverage currently and even then it is limited to only 1-2 of these large facilities. When Verizon advertises that Charlotte has mmWave coverage, they mean inside the airport and football stadium and that's it.
So unless you spend a huge % of your time in airports or large sports arenas in large cities, personally I wouldn't pay extra money for a mmWave antenna. For the average person, mmWave is simply not going to be used very much - if at all.
sic0048 said:
So unless you spend a huge % of your time in airports or large sports arenas in large cities, personally I wouldn't pay extra money for a mmWave antenna. For the average person, mmWave is simply not going to be used very much - if at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I hear you. However, I live in a big city and spend a lot of time in airports, and am constantly frustrated by how poor my connectivity is even with both Verizon and T-mobile SIMs in my phone. That said, I have a Pixel 4a without 5g ("sunfish"). So it's possible that sub-6 and in particular T-mobile band N41 would already improve my life significantly. It's just frustrating that the exact hardware I want is being made, just not sold unlocked.
Only the 6 PRO works with VZW mWave unlocked. The unlocked regular 6 does not have the mWave...

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