Coil whine like noise near the fingerprint sensor - LeEco Le Pro3 Elite (Model x722) Guides, Developme

I noticed that my phone makes a coil whine like noise a few days ago when I switched to AICP, but I don't think it's related, probably just a coincidence, that I brought my fingerprint sensor near my ear just then. Will try if I can hear in TWRP as well, my bet is probably yes.
The noise seems to relate to cpu load, since when locked it's more like a static and when I unlock it turns to scratching and I think it gets a bit worse if you run a heavy app.
I know I am reposting this:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/le-pro3/help/werid-moise-near-fingerprint-t3521137/page2
Since it's not in x722 subsection, and I guess that's why no has seen it.
So, do you have this issue on your x722, and is it big deal(ie. the unit is defective and will die in a few weeks/months of usage kind of thing)?

This should be in the Question & Answers section: https://forum.xda-developers.com/le-pro3/help
This part of the forum is strictly for development.
Switch back to an eUI ROM and see if the fingerprint sensor still makes that sound. If it does, you have your answer. Most likely a hardware issue. LeEco isn't known for its quality checking or excellent hardware, after all.

Will check if it's related to the custom rom.
The questions/answers is mainly about x720/x727. I did post there but I guess people don't bother with it.
I guess quality can be on the bad side, but I wonder if it's a serious issues that will lead to a non-working phone, or just a minor annoyance?
I am thinking it could just be an inductor that doesn't have enough glue, so it vibrates, but then again if it's so small(a few mm) how could it be audible? Then again the sound is not constant buzzing but a varying scratching.

i received my 722 and i CAN HEAR the coil whine
wow the 1st time i can see a coil whine coming from a phone..... i think it is consuming my battery because it does not last so much even in standby whithout sim, without so much apps installed...... and yes i hear it bigger noise when benchmarking in thinks like pcmark or antutu

Related

Anyone feels that the volume from speakers are not balance

At first couple days I did not notice this issue, yesterday I found the the sound from the right speaker is louder than the left one. Anyone has the same feeling? I'm not sure if it is a problem with the hardware or the software.
I did notice something like that yesterday. Don't know if it was what I was watching, or if it was the Tablet, but it does warrant some more investigation.
xddy1979 said:
At first couple days I did not notice this issue, yesterday I found the the sound from the right speaker is louder than the left one. Anyone has the same feeling? I'm not sure if it is a problem with the hardware or the software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can say I don't have this issue. I had originally thought mine was the other way around but then realized it was my audio source, sounds balanced now.
Have you checked with earbuds to make sure that it's really a problem? I've found that not only where I hold the tablet in relation to the side speakers will effect the perceived balance, but also how I hold my hands which changes how sound reflects off them thus changing the perceived sound balance.
Earbuds worked with no problems. I'm thinking it should be the speakers' issue.
lpsisrl said:
Have you checked with earbuds to make sure that it's really a problem? I've found that not only where I hold the tablet in relation to the side speakers will effect the perceived balance, but also how I hold my hands which changes how sound reflects off them thus changing the perceived sound balance.
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Click to collapse
My sound is off, but that was after I opened up my device. The speaker wire is close to the edge and are a bit flimsy - just moving them slightly seems to affect the volume. Could be a hardware defect that affects some devices more than others, that's my guess.
At one point, I had actually put some electrical tape over one speaker as my "DIY" volume reduction fix.
I've had my gtablet for about five days. The left speaker would sometimes work, but mostly would not. I tried different ROMs, different media players. Earphones worked perfectly. Sending it back for a replacement... I'll just end up breaking something else if I open the thing up, lol.

Titan Gripes and Grins

Updated 9/18/2012
I started this post intending to post a few gripes about the Titan after using it for only 24 hours. I thought it was only fair to toss in some things that I like about the Titan. After typing it all out, this is just short of a full review! I'll add to these lists as I continue to use the phone.
Caveats:
This is my second Windows Phone, so I'm being much harder on it than I was on my Focus. On the other hand, aside from the ever-present accidental hits of the capacative buttons, I never really had a problem with my Focus anyway.
This is, ultimately, a considerable upgrade from my Focus. It just feels higher quality build-wise, I love the heft, the massive screen is a dream come true, and the whole package isn't THAT much bigger than my Focus. Further, the software runs noticeably faster. This is the best phone I have ever owned, period.
Finally, I got this from AT&T for one freakin' penny, so I have no room to complain anyway.
Gripes:
CALL QUALITY: I haven't had consistent call quality. I've been told a few times that I sound muffled, but the other party is sometimes on a headset. Jury's still out on this one, as I'm not sure if it's the Titan or the other parties' handsets. UPDATE (12/12): I wanted to give it a few more chances before reporting this problem, but after two weeks I can confirm that the outgoing call quality leaves an awful lot to be desired. It doesn't seem to be as bad as some are reporting (and returning their Titans for), but I'm consistently told that I'm hard to hear on the other end. It may be due to some combination of the way I'm holding it or where I'm holding it, but whether it's up to my ear, on speakerphone or through the [wired] headset, I'm told I'm muffled. CRAPPYPANTS. UPDATE (9/18/12): As you can see from my grin list, I've never had a signal issue with WiFi or cellular service. Unfortunately, the call quality problem never EVER resolved. It's extremely difficult for people to hear me, and I need to repeat myself several times during any given conversation. It was actually made slightly worse, according to some, after I added the simple silicone case, but that doesn't mean it wasn't horrendous before. Worse yet, I recommended the Titan to my dad when it went on sale for a penny. Now I can't understand him and he can't understand me. "What?" "What?" "What?" "What?" GRRR THIS IS LITERALLY THE LAST OUTSTANDING, ANNOYING ISSUE I HAVE WITH THIS PHONE!
KEYBOARD LAG: There is considerable lag each and every time I use the keyboard. This is really weird, but the first key I tap doesn't do anything, and then it always "catches up" right after I type the next key. Subsequent key presses are fine. I know I'm a fast typer, and it only happens on the first key, but it's still annoying. UPDATE (12/5): This behavior has disappeared, presumably after the device has been restarted once or twice over the past few days. UPDATE (12/20): This behavior is BACK, even noticeable on the code input on my lockscreen—I'll push the first two digits before it "catches up." UPDATE (9/18/12): I no longer notice any keyboard lag. Unfortunately, the lock screen lag continues to be an issue.
RANDOM RESTART: The Titan restarted itself when I plugged it in to charge. (This was just 5 minutes ago, and it killed my podcast. Curses.) UPDATE (12/20): This only happened once and hasn't happened since! UPDATE (9/18/12): Like all Windows Phones, stability remains amazing. I'll have a random restart like every 6-8 weeks max. That said, as happy as I am with the stability, there was one crash way back in January that wiped out my phone completely and required a factory reset. I have no idea what caused it, and it hasn't happened again, but it was really sad. Thankfully my WiFi backup ensured I didn't lose any photos or video!
VOLUME LEVEL: The volume is too loud. I was excited that the Titan was going to have higher volume than the Focus, but it never occurred to me that that meant the lowest volume would be louder too. When I want to listen to something quietly through the speaker, 1 is too loud. I actually have to partially cover the speaker grille if I want it at a discrete level. When it comes to listening to things over the headset, things sound pretty good anywhere under 10, but if I'm listening to things in the quiet of my bedroom before falling asleep, even 1 is too loud. I just answered with my wired headset for the first time 2 minute ago and my wife's voice just about blew out my eardrums because the in-call volume was set to 10. Lowered it to 1, and it was tolerable, but I wish I could lower it further. UPDATE (12/5): Put a Christmas channel on Slacker yesterday and propped up the phone on a table where me and family were playing board games. It wasn't pristine sound, but it was sufficiently loud and clear to add to our ambiance. UPDATE (12/20): Volume is great for the AUX input in my car. Sound is pristine. UPDATE (9/18/12): The volume is great through the speaker, the few rare times I use it, but the lowest setting is still too loud, either through headphones or through the speaker. There are times that I turn a caller down all the way and they're still hurting my ears; and these aren't folks with loud voices either.
HEADSET: The AT&T version did not come with a wired headset. CHEAPSKATES! UPDATE (9/18/12): Still no headset. Thank goodness for the Focus headset.
VIBRATE: Maybe it's because this device is so much heavier, but the vibrate on this phone is weak—not nearly as strong as it was on the Focus. As I pretty much only use two settings, silent and vibrate, this is a huge problem for me. I've already missed a half dozen calls because the phone was in my pocket on vibrate, which I should have felt. UPDATE (12/20): This is still a huge issue for me, and I miss phone calls like crazy because I don't always feel the vibrate. UPDATE (9/18/12): Still an issue. I've just gotten used to missing calls.
ATTENTIVE PHONE: Trying out Attentive Phone, I've had a few issues. Flipping the phone over sometimes turns on the speaker, sometimes doesn't. Twice now, however, picking it from face down with speaker on doesn't just turn the speaker off but actually hangs up on the person I'm talking to! UPDATE (12/20): From what I can tell, Attentive Phone also causes the phone to vibrate for an extended length of time while in your pocket (or ring louder). This alleviates my gripe about vibrate (above), but the first few times it happened I thought, "oh crap, my phone is screwing up." UPDATE (9/18/12): I forgot it even had these features. Guess I'll have to try them out again.
Grins:
SPEED: Keyboard lag, screen sensitivity, and random freezes aside, this thing screams. I'm not seeing any software lag. I first noticed it in the camera app, when I took a picture and it was ready to take another picture FAR faster than my Focus would have been.
CAMERA: Speaking of the camera, it is fantastic. I'd say less saturation than my Focus, but again that's probably chalked up to the screen (see above). The extras HTC put in are awesome, and a large part of why I chose this phone (because my point-and-shoot is all but dead, and I intend for this phone to take its place, as my Focus did before it). UPDATE (12/20): Have taken some stunning shots with this camera, but I admittedly took some amazing shots with the Focus too. Please let me know if you'd like me to post any.
CONNECTION SPEEDS: Download speeds seem fine (yay "4G!"), Wi-Fi works well.
TEXT/FONTS/PIXELLATION: I am not experiencing jagged graphics/text or any visible pixellation, even on Internet Explorer with zoomed-out pages (as some have reported). Others have said that it's the icons at the bottom of apps that break down—if you look closely, maybe, but that's a real stretch. I recently noticed how crappy an app icon looked on gMaps, but since all the other apps' icons look fine, I have to pin that on the developer.
GLASS: I'm guessing that the verdict is that this has hardened glass, but not Gorilla Glass. I'm still not even clear what my Focus had, but as long as it's as hardy as my Focus, I'll be happy. After 8 months, my Focus screen was barely scratched. This screen still seems okay, but I'm keeping my eye on it. I've never had a single good experience with screen protectors. UPDATE (12/20): After 3 weeks of use, I've scoured the device and cannot find a single scratch, scrape, or any other kind of damage. It don't have a case or screen protector, and it either lives in my jeans pocket or on my desk in front of me.
STORAGE: Don't care about the storage issues. 16GB (aka 12.5GB) is plenty for me, and Live Mesh keeps everything synced between my computers, so I don't want/need to use this thing as a flash drive. If preventing expandable memory helps speed up the phone by locking down the file system and allowing faster memory, I'm all for it. UPDATE (12/20): Loaded up 1500 Christmas songs for a trip alongside my typical two-dozen podcasts. Phone had no problems.
CAPACITIVE BUTTONS: I haven't experienced nearly as many accidental hits of the capacitive buttons as I did on my Focus. I'm not sure if it's the Titan's size or the button placement, but this is a huge relief.
MANGO: Mango rocks. I'd laundered my Focus before Mango came out, so I've had to watch my wife NOT use all of Mango's cool new features on her Focus. Now that I have it, I'm very, very happy. "Multitasking" is great, and I'm a Contact Group addict. I hope they create App Groups soon.
HTC APPS: Very impressed by HTCs app offering. Makes Samsung's app collection look paltry.
BUILD QUALITY: Just to reiterate and buttons aside, the build is fantastic. I love the heft, I love the metal, I love how the screen and innards sit "inside" the back cover. UPDATE (12/12): Really getting used to the size, heft and materials. Feels great and familiar!
Grins formerly known as Gripes:
SIZE: One-handed operation is difficult, especially reaching for things on the far side of the screen with my thumb. Fine, I have smallish hands and totally expected this. Still annoying. UPDATE (12/12): Really getting used to the size, heft and materials. Feels great and familiar!
GHOSTING: Ghosting is an issue, at least for me. I don't think I'll notice it much, but if you look for it it's very noticeable. Some are saying the text "blurs," but I'm definitely thinking this is genuinely ghosting, as I'm seeing a white "trail" behind my text as I scroll. UPDATE (12/20): As expected, I do not notice this AT ALL.
SCREEN RESPONSIVENESS: Screen is not as sensitive/responsive as my Focus. The surface is smooth, but just seems the tiniest bit "stickier" than the Focus; I'll have to swipe or tap more than once to do one thing more often than I did on the Focus.UPDATE (12/20): I guess I've just adapted, because I'm noticing this less and less.
BUTTONS: The buttons suck. They are all far too flush. Like many reviewers have said, it's all but impossible to feel your way to the power button, and volume rocker isn't much better. UPDATE (12/5): I have to reiterate my complaints about the buttons. On my Focus, I could easily change the in-call volume with my thumb while the phone was held up to my ear. Now I'm using the tips of my fingers to frantically search for a volume rocker I can't feel. I'm still not used to the power button and not sure I ever will be. It's also worth noting that because this phone has so much front "real estate," it's actually tough finding the exact millimeter where the speaker is against your ear.UPDATE (9/18/12): I put a simple case on my phone several months ago, and although the white has turned a dingy yellow, it has raised areas where the buttons are. The buttons are easier to find and push, so I've had no problems since!
BATTERY: A 1950mah battery of the same size has already been found, which is only annoying because it means someone skimped. Right now the Titan seems to have a far shorter battery life than my Focus, but it's brand new, so I've been using it like crazy and know that this isn't a fair assessment! UPDATE (12/5): I have no hard numbers to back this up, but I'm disappointed with the battery thus far. The Focus seemed to last longer, and my WinMo phone from a year ago lasted much longer. I'll have to tweak some things to see if that improves anything. UPDATE (12/20): Two weeks later and I'm doing a complete 180 on the battery. Maybe it's the conditioning or the fact that I'm using it less since it is no longer "new," but this thing lasts forever. I took a five hour car ride and played Zune through my car speakers the whole time and it was only down to seventy-something from a full charge! My wife's Focus dies with much less use. UPDATE (9/18/12): Batter life is better than ever. Occasionally I'll turn on battery saver right away after a full charge if I need my phone to work for a long, long time, or I put airplane mode on if I'll be in a low signal area. The bottom line is that this thing, big screen and all, seems to last forever.
SCREEN COLORS: The only thing I'd heard about the LCD screen was the the blacks weren't as black as the AMOLED screens. True, but that's NOT the only thing different. Overall, the screen is considerably less saturated than my Focus. Not a deal killer, and I might grow to even prefer the more subtle colors, but I just wanted to point it out. Regardless, it is far preferable to the blue tint of the whites on the Focus S screen. UPDATE (12/20): As predicted, I have come to MUCH prefer the color on my Titan to my oversaturated Focus.
FREEZING: I've also noticed a few freeze-ups. Last night the HTC Flashlight app stopped responding all of a sudden; I think I just hit the power button twice and that brought it back. Luckily, none of the freeze-ups have required a restart (and no, these aren't SRS-related freeze-ups). UPDATE (12/20): This only happened once and hasn't happened since!
WINDOWS LOGO LED: Totally forgot this stupid little cosmetic gripe: whatever LED is behind the Windows logo is a smidge too close to the bottom right panel of said window. It's brighter than the other three quadrants, almost to the point of seeing the LED itself. Does that make sense? Maybe it's just my unit, but it's definitely noticeable and off-putting…just the sort of thing that will nag me for the next two years. UPDATE (12/20): Truly this is just a niggle. It's only apparent in low-light conditions, and I just don't notice it any more.
Just got mine today, though I've been using WP7 on my HD2 lately.
I'm sure I'll get used to the buttons, I have had trouble finding the volume keys but I like where they are, at the thumb. The power button was awkward, but in less than a few hours I'm used to it. My hands are small, and I have accidentally activated the search button with my thumb joint while reaching across with my thumb. Already dropped it in the car :/, minor fall, no scrapes or scuffs anywhere.
My only issues so far have been software; I have the zune music pass, I used the dj function and handed it to my sister. It would play 40 seconds of each song before going to the next one. Works fine after a reboot. Then, when using Maps/GPS navigation, it wouldn't advance to the next step automatically; I had to manually push each step... though I might not be using it right. I did press 'start' but it refused to automatically advance as I reached each turn.
I know it's not Super Amoled, but side by side with my HD2 and wow, it's like I've never seen colors before! Blacks are pleasantly black, and I don't have a samsung phone on hand to compare it to, but to my memory this is nearly as good as my friend's samsung captivate.
I agree that even the lowest volume setting is too loud, though I haven't changed my SRS settings yet, as I have had no lag, ever, yet. Internet is fine, no issues here in both wifi and 4G. I hope that the rumors of the focus s having faster speeds are false...
Speaking of 4G, is it actually 4G or did they rebrand H as 4G? I think it is faster, but then again the titan could just have better throughput than the HD2 or my Pure.
I wanted to test out the focus s and titan in store before buying, but I got tired of reading online and being swayed for one or the other with everything I've read... and then the penny sale happened, so I went with my gut and just got the titan. HTC does a better job on build quality than samsung, and afaik the only benefit of a samsung (in practical terms) is the superior screens they craft with magic and rainbows. eh, I have my samsung tv, that's enough. I hope the titan's battery is as good as I've read...
Last; what's with chevron labs 'out of tickets'? Come on! My thought process as I saw this: 'I would have paid $9, but I'm not patient enough to wait microsoft! *tries to send dev unlock cab, fails* guess I have to wait'. there isn't a way to unlock it otherwise, is there?
I am assuming that H is HSPDA+ because Titan does display 3G icon sometime before i pop back to H.
People are complaining that AT&T limit their Titan Bandwidth/ Titan Hardware problem/
I must be the user this phone was designed for. I have not had any issues with one-handed operation, including being able to use the power button. I also don't have any issue with the camera or volume rocker buttons. I can easily type one-handed.
I was very apprehensive about the size of the screen. Now that I have used it for a week, I absolutely love it. I can see what people are calling ghosting, but I really don't think that is an adequate description. Ghosting is more about casting shadows. In the case of this device, it often appears that text is blurring when scrolling. This is something that is easily ignored in my case.
I have not noticed any lag or sound issues or random freezes. As far as screen sensitivity, I find it just about right for me. I also like the smaller capacitive buttons as I do not seem to have issues with hitting them by accident. This has been an issue with every smartphone I have owned with capacitive buttons. I am very happy that this phone is not exhibiting this issue.
I guess, like everything else in life, it is all relative. My hands are apparently large enough to handle this phone without feeling strained. I also get plenty of tactile feedback for my needs. I also LOVE the led. I don't understand why so many devices leave this out of the design.
Returning my ATT HTC Titan Today
Having read the above posts and others, also considering my previous experience with inconsistancies with HTC devices in the past, I am, regrettably, returning my beautiful HTC Titan to the store today.
Inconsistant out bound voice quality (ATT rep couldn't hear me cancelling my order). Fail
Throttling of 4G to below 14Mbs (was actually able to acheive almost 6Mbs in a rural part of Georgia, barely over 1.5 Mbs in metro Atlanta). Fail
Lack of storage. (thought I could live with this, can't!). Fail
Maybe I'll try the Focus S, any ideas?
Focus S doesn't have expandable storage either, though. If you're not in a rush, maybe wait for the nokia line of phones comes out? They have some with LTE in the works.
Back to ghosting: I think naplesbill is right, the people who are claiming to have 'ghosting' are using that term incorrectly. If anything, what we have here is a slightly delayed pixel response in the screen, or perhaps the rendering isn't quite smooth on the software side.
Here is an extreme case of ghosting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0esjdQ4RSuo
Titan battery life is much, much improved over my original Focus on Mango.
everything else about this phone is sooooo much improved over the Focus (a great phone too mind you) it cannot be explained. The OP's detailed info is useful but OCD-like and pretty worthless in regard to choosing a phone.
huge improvements include less accidental clicks with back/serach as well as general feel. The phone is large enough to use and hold properly and no "slipped out of my hand".
Get one.
nycny said:
Having read the above posts and others, also considering my previous experience with inconsistancies with HTC devices in the past, I am, regrettably, returning my beautiful HTC Titan to the store today.
Inconsistant out bound voice quality (ATT rep couldn't hear me cancelling my order). Fail
Throttling of 4G to below 14Mbs (was actually able to acheive almost 6Mbs in a rural part of Georgia, barely over 1.5 Mbs in metro Atlanta). Fail
Lack of storage. (thought I could live with this, can't!). Fail
Maybe I'll try the Focus S, any ideas?
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Click to collapse
If you use the headphone to make the call, i am afraid that it has the bug that the phone will have broken noise through out the headphone and it may not even let you call anyone . I experienced that bug myself, that when i plugged in the headphone, it turn out to unable to call anyone or, even receiving a call.
link68759 said:
I'm sure I'll get used to the buttons, I have had trouble finding the volume keys but I like where they are, at the thumb.
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Click to collapse
Ha! Even though I'm right-handed, I ALWAYS use phones with my left for whatever reason. It never occurred to me that the Samsung had it backwards and the Titan is better. Maybe it's time to change a long-standing habit!
link68759 said:
I hope that the rumors of the focus s having faster speeds are false...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too. If confirmed, I'll definitely add it to my gripe list. However, WPCentral is reporting that it is false.
Strike_Eagle said:
If you use the headphone to make the call, i am afraid that it has the bug that the phone will have broken noise through out the headphone and it may not even let you call anyone . I experienced that bug myself, that when i plugged in the headphone, it turn out to unable to call anyone or, even receiving a call.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No headset, just holding the phone normally. I never have a problem hearing. Several people said they couldn't hear me clearly or at all. And then I have had long conversations clearly. Seems if I move the phone ever so slightly toward or away from my chin the outgoing voice quality varies dramatically.
Those of you having issues with battery life, you probably should give your phone some time to get adjusted to its battery or if its been a while already, get a new one.
This phone is lasting so much longer than any other smartphone I've owned. I used to have to watch the battery meter throughout the day, but with the Titan, I no longer have to worry. I can easily get through a full day with moderate to heavy use and still have about 50% - 40% batter remaining depending on use at the end of the day. Its absolutely amazing.
This is with Facebook and Twitter syncing, with Hotmail and Gmail set to 'as items arrive', and with about 3 or 4 tiles/background tasks running throughout the day, on top of my regular use of the phone (checking Twitter, reading news feeds, reading e-mails, browsing the web, using Bing search, playing games, texting, etc.).
Of course I'm sure there are other minor variables involved that make differences for all of us, but this phone has had the best battery life of any smartphone I've owned, period.
Also, not having any of the other issues most other people are reporting. The buttons feel great to me, especially the camera button. I found the volume buttons on my HD7/S were too easy to press, so I was always changing volume, the Titan has a much better built volume rocker. The power button could protrude a bit more, but its still MUCH better than the HD7's power button.
I’m a few days in on mine, upgrading from the Focus and am a bit mixed. I love the size. Was worried about it being too big, but not at all its great.
But beyond that it’s a mixed bag. First and most disappointing is the screen, its big, but I like the way it looks much less than the Focus screen. It seems washed out or muddy looking and the blacks aren’t as dark. I think that really this is just saying that the focus screen is really very good.
Next is the responsiveness. When sliding my finger up and down on the home screen or anywhere else, there is a sponginess when starting to move or changing directions that’s odd to me. This may be there in the focus but is exaggerated in the Titan because of the larger size screen at the same res.
Like others I think the buttons are too hard to press. After a few days I still have to work at it more than I’d like.
And finally I wonder about durability and how this thing will hold up over time. I can’t tell you how much abuse my Focus went through and came through hardly phased. Once I dropped it off the top of a 6’ ladder on to concrete and another time it fell out of my truck and got kicked across concrete several feet among other abuse and the thing still looks virtually new. First day with the Titan and it got knocked off a table onto a concrete floor and the back and camera lens is completely scratched up. So day one this thing looks worse than my year old Focus.
Don’t get me wrong I do like it, I just don’t love it..yet. I think if I was coming from any other device I’d probably be raving about it.
(deleted - all gripes and grins now updated in first post)
willp2 said:
And finally I wonder about durability and how this thing will hold up over time. I can’t tell you how much abuse my Focus went through and came through hardly phased. Once I dropped it off the top of a 6’ ladder on to concrete and another time it fell out of my truck and got kicked across concrete several feet among other abuse and the thing still looks virtually new. First day with the Titan and it got knocked off a table onto a concrete floor and the back and camera lens is completely scratched up. So day one this thing looks worse than my year old Focus.
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Funny you should say this, as three or four times now I've panicked because I've felt my wedding ring scrape against the back panel. I turn it over, and it's just fine. However, this didn't happen to me at all with my Focus. It's like this device is stronger and tougher than my Focus, but strangely more delicate to minor damage, so I'm babying it.
My Focus also always looked new—it was amazing! It even looked new after I put it through the laundry and killed it…
willp2 said:
I think if I was coming from any other device I’d probably be raving about it.
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Click to collapse
You took the words right out of my mouth!
drokkon said:
Funny you should say this, as three or four times now I've panicked because I've felt my wedding ring scrape against the back panel. I turn it over, and it's just fine. However, this didn't happen to me at all with my Focus. It's like this device is stronger and tougher than my Focus, but strangely more delicate to minor damage, so I'm babying it.
My Focus also always looked new—it was amazing! It even looked new after I put it through the laundry and killed it…
You took the words right out of my mouth!
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Try getting the invisible shield full body; I haven't installed mine yet, but I put it on everything I own. I expect it to make the phone easier to grip, too.
As for the screen vs the focus.... samsung screens are always better. No one should be surprised here...
link68759 said:
Try getting the invisible shield full body; I haven't installed mine yet, but I put it on everything I own. I expect it to make the phone easier to grip, too.
As for the screen vs the focus.... samsung screens are always better. No one should be surprised here...
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I first thought the same but after watching this,i changed my mind
http://www.wpcentral.com/screen-comparison-samsung-focus-s-and-htc-titan
Titan seems to produce more natural colors;whereas, focus s has blacker blacks. also focus s has a blue tint on it(at least according to this vid)
MaziarAmiri said:
I first thought the same but after watching this,i changed my mind
http://www.wpcentral.com/screen-comparison-samsung-focus-s-and-htc-titan
Titan seems to produce more natural colors;whereas, focus s has blacker blacks. also focus s has a blue tint on it(at least according to this vid)
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Click to collapse
This video definitely played into my decision too. When I visited AT&T on the days leading up to my purchase, I checked out the Focus S and confirmed the blue tint. Unfortunately, they didn't have a Titan on-hand for me to take a look at. Since, that was really the last in a long list of little things pointing away from the Focus S and toward the Titan, I took the plunge and ordered the Titan sight-unseen on "Black Saturday."
It wasn't until I had the Titan side-by-side with my wife's Focus that I could really tell how less saturated the Titan's screen was, and I wrote in my first post:
Overall, the screen is considerably less saturated than my Focus. Not a deal killer, and I might grow to even prefer the more subtle colors, but I just wanted to point it out.
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I guess that's what others are calling more "natural" color. It's true, I do like it just as much as my old oversaturated Focus, and possibly a bit more!
one happy user
first time WP user.. and so far enjoying it..
only gripe I have is with speakerphone.. its way too weak compared to its regular speaker (one used for Music and ringer). Regular speaker goes up to 30, while speakerphone goes up tp 10, and even at 10 its very quiet. I also feel needing more volume for regular hands on calls as well.
Titan battery life is great, I am a heavy user through out the day.(Office job, a ton of down time.) My SGS2 ate threw battery like nothing(atleast 1-2 charges a work day) this thing I can get a full day with out a charge.
The ghosting is due to the VA panel used in an SLCD. Basically you are trading pixel response time for lower black levels and better viewing angles, compared to a standard TN panel. The slowest pixel transitions are black to white, so you'll see the most ghosting with black backgrounds. Grey to grey on the other hand is the fastest, with everything else in the middle.
"Some are saying the text "blurs," but I'm definitely thinking this is genuinely ghosting, as I'm seeing a white "trail" behind my text as I scroll."
The OS is most definitely not causing the blurring.

Not-so-decent build quality?

So I don't know if any of you feel the same, but I'm sort of skeptical of the build quality on this phone. Ever since I got it its felt sort of on the cheap/flimsy side to me. Maybe that's just coming from the fact that my previous phone (Moto x pure edition) was extremely thick and heavy. Does anyone else feel this way?
Plus I keep hearing about bending issues (I know youve probably seen way too much about that) which seems to reaffirm my observation that the phones on the fragile side. I'm afraid to take it out of my case because the case might bend the frame!
This is probably the worst place to ask this question, but the build quality of this phone certainly isn't the best out there. It's not the worst either. The build quality is more perceived than reality.
The bend issue has been well documented... Not just here but on the net overall (reddit, etc.). There have also been other issues posted such as color tinted screens, uneven color screens, screen not flush to the frame, paint coming off the color variants, camera visor cracking or coming apart, loose buttons, speaker grill falling off, bottom piece on the back discoloring or not being flush, among some other small things.
With all of that being said, every phones has some of these issues pop up from time to time. It just seems the 6P has some more nagging ones.
But I'm not here to say your device will exhibit any of these. With proper care it might be ok. It seems like there might be some luck involved too. Either way, good luck!
Please continue the discussion in the existing build quality thread
Build Quality Thread
Closed

should i replace my z3c with z5c?

Hi, I have a Z3C and the problem is that my touchscreen now is busted, though I can still use it by rotating the screen.
It started on the upper extremities of the LCD, I became annoyed and tried the "lighter fix" for LG G2, which didn't work great for me. Touchscreen got way worse, wtf am i expecting applying 3k volts of static electricity.
I'm torn between replacing the screen or getting a z5c instead. Though my z3c somewhat slows down now, it is still usable and OK for me.
I know that if i replace my LCD, it will not be as good as before, so I'm thinking about that.
And if I get a z5c, i don't know the little issues, or if they were resolved with .11 update. Even small physical build issues concern me and I can't find a comprehensive list of issues. Also, screen replacement will cost me just around 20% of a new z5c unit, or maybe i could get a 2nd hand one.
Please share your thoughts, should I go for z5c? Or other brands (around 4.7 inches also)? Or screen replacement?
Thanks!
wakoko79 said:
Hi, I have a Z3C and the problem is that my touchscreen now is busted, though I can still use it by rotating the screen.
It started on the upper extremities of the LCD, I became annoyed and tried the "lighter fix" for LG G2, which didn't work great for me. Touchscreen got way worse, wtf am i expecting applying 3k volts of static electricity.
I'm torn between replacing the screen or getting a z5c instead. Though my z3c somewhat slows down now, it is still usable and OK for me.
I know that if i replace my LCD, it will not be as good as before, so I'm thinking about that.
And if I get a z5c, i don't know the little issues, or if they were resolved with .11 update. Even small physical build issues concern me and I can't find a comprehensive list of issues. Also, screen replacement will cost me just around 20% of a new z5c unit, or maybe i could get a 2nd hand one.
Please share your thoughts, should I go for z5c? Or other brands (around 4.7 inches also)? Or screen replacement?
Thanks!
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I dont really know how did you get to a conclution on little bugs of z5c? has no bugs whatso ever , in fact go watch youtube videos about it , most of the known youtubers like linus concider the Z5C the best compact phone out there ...
also replacing a screen in its own manufacture is not wrong or bad and they wouldnt put a bad screen or "not as good" I could be wrong , but I already replaced my older phone Z2 screen twice and I didnt see any difference...
madshark2009 said:
I dont really know how did you get to a conclution on little bugs of z5c? has no bugs whatso ever , in fact go watch youtube videos about it , most of the known youtubers like linus concider the Z5C the best compact phone out there ...
also replacing a screen in its own manufacture is not wrong or bad and they wouldnt put a bad screen or "not as good" I could be wrong , but I already replaced my older phone Z2 screen twice and I didnt see any difference...
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Well every phone out there has issues, some of them can be found only with everyday use. I've heard overheating, screen self crack and bad battery performance for z5c. But overheating and bad battery performance can be fixed with software, but not the screen cracking.. I think you get the point. Those little quirks.
About the LCD replacement, most of those comes from china. And I've seen so many issues with friends with replacement screens (non-OEM). This ranges from low brightness, touch responsiveness, bad color reproduction to flat-out touch failure in 3 weeks after installment. Yeah, so I'm quite worried about that since technicians will have different prices for "replacement", "class A" and "original" (original but not OEM, wtf).
wakoko79 said:
Well every phone out there has issues, some of them can be found only with everyday use. I've hear overheating, screen self crack.
About the LCD replacement, most of those comes from china. And I've seen so many issues with friends with replacement screens (non-OEM). This ranges from low brightness, touch responsiveness, bad color reproduction to flat-out touch failure in 3 weeks after installment. Yeah, so I'm quite worried about that since technicians will have different prices for "replacement", "class A" and "original" (original but not OEM, wtf).
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I dont know how it works in your country ( I dont know where youre from either lol) if you send your phone to its original manufacture in your own country and pay them lots of money to fix it they should install original and if its not like that then buy the z5c if you want , seriously check youtube videos about it from well known youtubers its the best besides some times over heating in high level of usage (like gaming etc...)
I believe there to be a serious component issue with the touchscreen panel of the Z3C, "gate" level serious. There's way too high a percentage of people reporting touchscreens that die right after the 1 year mark, just out of warranty. Getting a replacement just means that it will most likely die again after a year or so, because it's the same faulty component, and (at least here in my country) they don't guarantee waterproofing after repairs which is really unacceptable after asking for around $130 in repair fees. Not to mention that it's obviously a flaw with Sony hardware, but they deny it and refuses to take responsibility, so the cost of repair is passed on to the victims, us.
Coming from Z3C, you will find the battery life of the Z5C disappointing, even with moderate to light use. Then there's the problem of the POS S810, so the phone is constantly throttling and overheating. It's really a shame, because I otherwise think the gorgeous design of the Z5C is the pinnacle of the Omnibalance language. There are real noticeable improvements to many of the small quirks I had with my Z3C, like the overly rounded edges that eats into my fingers with prolonged handling, non-exposed USB port, dual speaker cutouts that are really dust holders (Z5C elegantly placed them at the edges)... etc. Whether the trade-offs are worth it are based on your personal usage habits and wish list.
mhaha said:
I believe there to be a serious component issue with the touchscreen panel of the Z3C, "gate" level serious. There's way too high a percentage of people reporting touchscreens that die right after the 1 year mark, just out of warranty. Getting a replacement just means that it will most likely die again after a year or so, because it's the same faulty component, and (at least here in my country) they don't guarantee waterproofing after repairs which is really unacceptable after asking for around $130 in repair fees. Not to mention that it's obviously a flaw with Sony hardware, but they deny it and refuses to take responsibility, so the cost of repair is passed on to the victims, us.
Coming from Z3C, you will find the battery life of the Z5C disappointing, even with moderate to light use. Then there's the problem of the POS S810, so the phone is constantly throttling and overheating. It's really a shame, because I otherwise think the gorgeous design of the Z5C is the pinnacle of the Omnibalance language. There are real noticeable improvements to many of the small quirks I had with my Z3C, like the overly rounded edges that eats into my fingers with prolonged handling, non-exposed USB port, dual speaker cutouts that are really 2 dust holders (Z5C elegantly placed them at the edges)... etc. Whether the trade-offs are worth it are based on your personal usage habits and wish list.
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Though i'm turned off by the larger besel of z5c
Also, there is no magnetic charging which should be a main selling point IMHO.
But is the throttling and overheating solved by the update or custom rom? Pls link me to the POS S810 issue, i dont know what that is.
wakoko79 said:
Though i'm turned off by the larger besel of z5c
Also, there is no magnetic charging which should be a main selling point IMHO.
But is the throttling and overheating solved by the update or custom rom? Pls link me to the POS S810 issue, i dont know what that is.
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Click to collapse
Larger bezel? Do you mean the slightly more disproportionate top and bottom bezels due to the lower screen placement compared to the Z3C? Because both are literally the same in screen size with nearly identical length and width dimensions.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size/Sony-Xperia-Z3-Compact,Sony-Xperia-Z5-Compact/phones/8744,9611
I've been using the Z5C for 8 months, and I've never been bothered by or noticed the display being lower. And that's coming from more than a year of use of Z3C, and the Z1C before that, which were both more symmetrical.
Initially I was also disappointed with the exclusion of the magnetic port, but only a few weeks in and I haven't missed it since. Having the exposed USB port at the center bottom really helps, and I favor having a seamless edge that again doesn't eat into my skin over the convenience of a charging port that only sees use when I'm not using the phone, which as I mentioned is rendered moot by the ease of access of the USB port. I bought a DK-52 dock for charging and never had problems docking it with ease, although I had imagined it would be problematic.
As for "POS S810", I mean "piece of **** Snapdragon 810" SoC. See here: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/in-depth-with-the-snapdragon-810s-heat-problems/
Or you can Google around "snapdragon 810 overheat", in short this silicon is ****. Sony's done their best (arguably the best out of all manufacturers) to mitigate the impact, but in the end there's only so much you can do to workaround an inherently poor hardware design.
*EDIT BELOW*
As for the question of throttling and overheating solved by updates, there doesn't seem to be a decisive or conclusive evidence of that. With each new update, it seems there's always people reporting better battery/improved thermal alongside people saying it's worse or no change. Yes, there are mods/ROMs claiming to fix the battery and heat issues, whether or not they actually make a difference is more of a personal usage thing, you have to try them out for yourself and see if they work for you.
It may sound like I'm hating on the Z5C, but on the contrary I actually love my Z5C. It's just that after using the Z3C, high expectations have been set but the Z5C failed to deliver on some accounts, mainly the battery and thermal issues. Otherwise, I genuinely felt it was a worthy upgrade over the Z3C. I've come to accept that I won't be getting the same outstanding battery performance of the Z3C, but that's not to say that it isn't great on its own merits. Also consider that the Z3 series are pretty much dead since they're not getting official Android 7.0 support, while the Z5 series are still on the upgrade list, albeit now at the lowest priority compared to the more recent models.
So to sum it up, I don't think it's worth investing in a screen replacement that may still break after a year, not to mention potentially losing the waterproofing. The Z5C may be the next logical step after the Z3C, but has problems of its own. You need to decide if the drawbacks are worth it. At least it's been a little over a year since the phone's release, and there seems to be no (mass) reports of dying touchscreens. Yet. So it's got that going for it, which is something I suppose.
This phone is still very good despite its few hiccups. It over heats when shooting long videos or playing graphic-heavy games (many phones will over heat too), i dont know z3c battery life but with my z5 i get minimum 5rs sot wen browsing the web, minimum 4hrs when playing plants vs zombies heroes, minimum 4hrs streaming videos, on light useage i get minimum 2days... Remember i say minimum.
The camera is not great on low light conditions but it is superb in daylight. Its performance is snappy, water resistance is not a gimmick, speaker volume is loud enough although i was not impressed with headphone volume n sound until i installed another app.
The phone is worth it, not perfect though.
mhaha said:
Larger bezel? Do you mean the slightly more disproportionate top and bottom bezels due to the lower screen placement compared to the Z3C? Because both are literally the same in screen size with nearly identical length and width dimensions.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size/Sony-Xperia-Z3-Compact,Sony-Xperia-Z5-Compact/phones/8744,9611
I've been using the Z5C for 8 months, and I've never been bothered by or noticed the display being lower. And that's coming from more than a year of use of Z3C, and the Z1C before that, which were both more symmetrical.
Initially I was also disappointed with the exclusion of the magnetic port, but only a few weeks in and I haven't missed it since. Having the exposed USB port at the center bottom really helps, and I favor having a seamless edge that again doesn't eat into my skin over the convenience of a charging port that only sees use when I'm not using the phone, which as I mentioned is rendered moot by the ease of access of the USB port. I bought a DK-52 dock for charging and never had problems docking it with ease, although I had imagined it would be problematic.
As for "POS S810", I mean "piece of **** Snapdragon 810" SoC. See here: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/in-depth-with-the-snapdragon-810s-heat-problems/
Or you can Google around "snapdragon 810 overheat", in short this silicon is ****. Sony's done their best (arguably the best out of all manufacturers) to mitigate the impact, but in the end there's only so much you can do to workaround an inherently poor hardware design.
*EDIT BELOW*
As for the question of throttling and overheating solved by updates, there doesn't seem to be a decisive or conclusive evidence of that. With each new update, it seems there's always people reporting better battery/improved thermal alongside people saying it's worse or no change. Yes, there are mods/ROMs claiming to fix the battery and heat issues, whether or not they actually make a difference is more of a personal usage thing, you have to try them out for yourself and see if they work for you.
It may sound like I'm hating on the Z5C, but on the contrary I actually love my Z5C. It's just that after using the Z3C, high expectations have been set but the Z5C failed to deliver on some accounts, mainly the battery and thermal issues. Otherwise, I genuinely felt it was a worthy upgrade over the Z3C. I've come to accept that I won't be getting the same outstanding battery performance of the Z3C, but that's not to say that it isn't great on its own merits. Also consider that the Z3 series are pretty much dead since they're not getting official Android 7.0 support, while the Z5 series are still on the upgrade list, albeit now at the lowest priority compared to the more recent models.
So to sum it up, I don't think it's worth investing in a screen replacement that may still break after a year, not to mention potentially losing the waterproofing. The Z5C may be the next logical step after the Z3C, but has problems of its own. You need to decide if the drawbacks are worth it. At least it's been a little over a year since the phone's release, and there seems to be no (mass) reports of dying touchscreens. Yet. So it's got that going for it, which is something I suppose.
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OK, I'm getting a Z5C tomorrow LOL. What I'm saying about the bezels is that the large bezel at the top is turning me off somewhat (I think z3c has the perfect size), but that is just me nit-picking on stuff, it doesn't really matter on daily use.
About the USB port, I'm just scared of it physically breaking, or just being lose or having bad metal contact. I had this problem before so I'm kinda always worried about ports which are like usb. On the other hand, the magnetic charging just holds the cable and the phone with a magnet, so I don't need to worry that I may damage it when someone accidentally applies force the wrong way to the cable/phone. BTW I did not use the dock on Z3C, just some cheap magnetic cable. Anyway that is fine I can live without it.
Another thing, I read in gsmarena that the usb port has a waterproof coating so that it can be submerged in water? Got any more info on that? Just curious here.
BTW my Z3C now is not water-proof anymore since I went full retard (I squeezed the phone while under water, destroyed the mic, so I got it fixed).
paq1170 said:
This phone is still very good despite its few hiccups. It over heats when shooting long videos or playing graphic-heavy games (many phones will over heat too), i dont know z3c battery life but with my z5 i get minimum 5rs sot wen browsing the web, minimum 4hrs when playing plants vs zombies heroes, minimum 4hrs streaming videos, on light useage i get minimum 2days... Remember i say minimum.
The camera is not great on low light conditions but it is superb in daylight. Its performance is snappy, water resistance is not a gimmick, speaker volume is loud enough although i was not impressed with headphone volume n sound until i installed another app.
The phone is worth it, not perfect though.
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I think heating when using phone (games, browser, video) is normal. Is that is what supposed to be the overheating issue? My z3c heats up when using chrome too, and that is fine with me. What is not fine is like when I'm just reading an ebook or just calling then it heats like crazy. I just use my phone for texts, calls, ebook, RSS feeds, some browsing.
Camera is also fine with me, I'm not really a picture-everywhere guy, I rarely use it so its just a plus =).
The exposed USB port is waterproof, that's the great thing about it. Just don't use it while under water or after it's been submerged in water, you still need to let it dry out. So with the Z5C, unless you're frequently changing SIM or microSD cards, the only flap will stay closed for like 99% of its lifetime and the chance of it being water damaged due to the flap becoming worn and torn or improperly closed is minimal.
All phones get warm when you're executing high load tasks, but it can get borderline melting with S810 phones. Seriously, in certain situations it can get really uncomfortable to hold, no to mention there's the throttling to prevent it from self destructing, so you'd also be experiencing degraded performance while handling a hot brick. It won't happen with casual phone calls, browsing, texting, snapping a photo or two... but if you're doing intensive stuff like playing heavily encoded videos or resource hungry games, you'll feel the heat and see some stuttering thanks to the throttling. A personal experience, I once tried viewing an anime in 1080p that's probably encoded with advanced codecs on my Z5C, after a few minutes it starting burning my hands and became unwatchable, lagging like crazy. No doubt it's because the decoder and real time down-scaling of the resolution to 720p needed full processing power.
With your usage though, you will probably rarely experience it. Might get lucky if you loaded up a poorly optimized rich media website or something, but not likely.
A new z3c is.the best option. Z5c lags a lot because of 810.
I got my z5c.
Z3C looks a lot more better aesthetically. But, oh well, thanks for the replies!
wakoko79 said:
I got my z5c.
Z3C looks a lot more better aesthetically. But, oh well, thanks for the replies!
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I'll agree with that. The Z5C's slightly bigger top bezel does bug me, or at least did when I still had my Z3C and could see them side-by-side. It's also slightly more boring looking than the Z3C. Other than that, though, I think the Z5C is far more comfortable to hold than the Z3C, and I haven't noticed mine lagging any more than the Z3C did. After flashing the X Compact's camera APK, the camera is also far more responsive, which is great when you have two little kids around like I do.
Same thing happened to my z3 compact and I replaced the digitizer/lcd myself with a kit. No problems except that months later, the screen started peeling up because of the stickers not holding fast. Finally decided to order an X Compact and returned it immediately. Just didn't like the look/feel.
I didn't want to buy another z3c so I purchased a z5c off of swappa. So far, I'm very happy with it. Still waiting to see how it does on battery life but the phone is beautiful. IMO, the best reason to upgrade from the z3c is the fingerprint scanner.
Damn!!!! I have the same problem with the z3c screen, and the same concerns: should i fix it or should i upgrade (of course to z5c, the only one who seems comparable)?
I have not decided yet... I really love my z3c
@ wakoko79 : what are your impressions of your new device? Especially battery and heat/lag.
Thanks
XDAmagic said:
Damn!!!! I have the same problem with the z3c screen, and the same concerns: should i fix it or should i upgrade (of course to z5c, the only one who seems comparable)?
I have not decided yet... I really love my z3c
@ wakoko79 : what are your impressions of your new device? Especially battery and heat/lag.
Thanks
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Lag lag lag and battery epic. As i said in the previous post, 810 epic fail.
smardu said:
Lag lag lag and battery epic. As i said in the previous post, 810 epic fail.
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Agreed. I previously owned a Z5C. I hated how much it heated doing simple tasks (browsing internet, updating apps, ...) they didn't need to be CPU intensive to get hot. I always felt a little uneasy that the heat would cause a battery failure if I let it get hot enough since the heat would run down the back side of the battery. It wouldn't be terribly hot but it was hotter than a phone should get. I then purchased an XC which has a "comparatively" powerful CPU and that thing barely ever gets warm and it has yet to get as hot as my Z5C did just updating 3 apps in a row.
I would have suggested an XC but the Z5C did well when using it. Congrats, I hope the Z5C roms can get that non-stock Camera figured out.
z3 was a great phone. i owned one but was broken so i upgraded. z5 c is similar but is a little faster to me. the camera options are improved and the z5c camera is better both front and back. Plus the z5c is 32g internal vs the z3c which is 16. z5c also has a finger print scanner that works great. z5c updates are going to be better than the z3c in my opinion. z5c gets warm but it's never really bothered me especially with a case.
z5c is hands down better.

LG G5 Reliability (Should i Buy One if it's Cheap?)

Hey all,
I'm considering getting a G5 because they are pretty cheap on Amazon right now - $249 for a new unlocked RS988 with a US warranty. When searching the web for information on it there are a LOT of complaints about build quality and reliability issues, but only a few posts here and there that people's G5s are working properly. Now usually people will go online and post issues they are having to get help; nobody goes online to post, "I just wanted to say my phone is working great today!"
That said, it's tough to determine if this model is a complete lemon or if there are just a lot of complaints about a few issues.
How has your LG G5 experience been? Would you recommend getting one or steering clear and looking elsewhere?
Thanks for your input!!
... so a little back story on this. I have two phones I use regularly. By night my daily driver is a Samsung GS7 Edge, but I can't have a camera(phone) at work, so during the day I use an LG G3 which I've disassembled and removed the cameras from. I move my SIM card from device to device every time I switch to the other one. I've had my G3 for about 3 years now (got it new from Verizon) and the processor abruptly failed preventing the phone from powering up at all (I've tried all the tricks in the book including jumpering the main board, heat-gunning the processor, and baking the main board in the oven -- which temporarily worked). I wound up buying a "dead" G3 on ebay, wiping and reflashing it but it's having the same dreaded processor failure -- which is apparently a common defect in the G3s (also apparently an LG signature).
In the mean time I'm relying on my even older Samsung GS3 but it too is beginning to have hardware failures so I'm looking to get something new.
That said it's not vital for me to have a perfectly working phone 100% of the time, I don't need it to be working all the time. What is important to me is having a device I can safely disassemble to remove the cameras without destroying it. However, I don't want to spend the money on a device which will be a lemon and have unnecessary headaches when I could buy something less flashy but more reliable. What I really want to know is: is the LG G5 reliable ~80% of the time? ~50% of the time? ~10% of the time? I think you get the picture.
I'm sure this is probably more information than necessary, but thank you all for your time and input!
An objective list of issues you're likely to experience:
The G5 is notorious for having GPS issues, GPS performance may degrade or just not work reliably from the beginning. There is a hardware hack/workaround which can ameliorate the situation but YMMV if GPS is is something you need.
Your screen will progressively develop (temporary) image retention through exposure to heat/heavy usage. On default settings, ghosting will occur within seconds of white elements being displayed, starting from the corners of the display. If you tame the screen calibration somewhat (either via a custom kernel or filter app) the issue is reduced to the point of being practically unnoticeable.
Most G5 screens have some light bleed, nothing excessive, but noticeable on black screens with full brightness.
AOSP and other ROM support for the G5 is not fantastic; LG's quirks mean there are a lot of issues compared to other devices, and the G5 being a pretty overlooked/unpopular device the dev community is small.
The surface finish of the phone is fragile, especially at the module connection. It will hold up well if you're careful, but don't expect a pristine device if you use it naked.
The positives, as far as your situation goes:
Incredibly easy to open up and modular compared to other modern phones - you shouldn't have an issue modifying it and putting it back together as needed. Also easy to repair if anything goes wrong.
LG seems to have fixed the hardware bootloop death that plagued earlier phones up to the V10
Speaker quality is surprisingly good with the default charging chin
No major problems with heat in normal usage, battery life isn't bad
Current stock based ROMs (e.g. Fulmics, or just rooted vanilla) are perfectly stable and perform very well, especially with a third party kernel to stop the image retention from being an issue
Always on display on these ROMs has an impressively small impact on battery, contrast and black levels are good enough that you won't be able to tell it is backlit unless you move the phone from a very bright environment to pitch black (the always on display takes a second to adjust the contrast)
All said, it's a fantastic performer for a great price (worth much more than they're going for, honestly) and with some features that can be hard to find in today's flagships. It's reliable in the sense that it will work well, and predictably, but it's far from without issues. If you can live with/work around the issues you shouldn't have any unpleasant surprises.
Thanks @epithetic for a very detailed pros/cons! I truly appreciate it.
GPS may be an issue, I use a Map My Run to track daily running workouts during lunch at work. I've seen the workarounds and figure I can implement that when I have it open to remove the cameras. I have seen many posts that most fixes are temporary and GPS will degrade again.
I find it amazing that there is any screen burn-in on a modern phone! But there it is, if there's a fix/solution I'm OK with that.
I NEVER use a phone naked ... I'm too clumsy and will break it!
Also I'm perfectly fine with tweaked stock ROMs. Having a GS7 Edge there's not too much development because of how locked down the phone is. I'm fine with even root and can debloat/tweak/adblock to my hearts content.
Thanks again!
I got a T-Mobile branded G5 a few months back. Absolutely none of the problems and build quality issues I was warned about. My phone has a February 2017 build date, which is 10 months after release. I suspect LG fixed the issues between that time.
The battery not satisfied.
HKSpeed said:
I got a T-Mobile branded G5 a few months back. Absolutely none of the problems and build quality issues I was warned about. My phone has a February 2017 build date, which is 10 months after release. I suspect LG fixed the issues between that time.
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I have experienced zero issues with my RS988 G5 , but mine has a February 2017 build date as well. It's also only about a month old.
I also rarely use GPS so I can't really comment on that.
I've had my H850 since May 2016 and had absolutely 0 issues with it
Sprint LG G5 LS992 here with a build date of January 2017. Got the entire list of hardware issues epithetic listed. However I got this phone from LG customer service directly, so my unit may be an example of "new motherboard, old hardware" refurbishing that they shoved on me.
As such I'd also warn to check for dead and/or stuck pixels. Can't see any with my naked eye under normal usage at a distance. But when I eventually got a Cardboard VR headset to put the phone inside of, I found about two dozen problematic pixels scattered around in my view, more than the warranty tolerance amount for the display.
That said I do agree it is very easy to service parts on this phone. With a tinkering and scavenging attitude it is definitely a good value for the CPU, GPU and camera performance.

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