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me and a friend are set to go out at the end of this week to buy a new smartphone. I'm upgrading from a mid range clunker and his selling his Iphones and going Droid. I need the community help to decide which of these 2 we should go for. or at least I should go for since he is set on the 9+ more. there is no direct comparison between these 2 online so I'm still undecided.
here is my line of thought.
galaxy S9+ pros
1- awesome screen.
2- great audio and 3.5 jack.
3- beautiful phone eye catcher.
4- expandable storage ( not very important for me).
5- great low light Camera.
6- faster processing power ( exynos version the one I'm getting)
7- wireless charging.
8- status symbol, everyone knows galaxy when they see it, like iphones.
9- crisp mic quality.
10- great GPS.
galaxy S9+ cons
1- mediocre battery life.
2- costy more expensive than mate 10 pro.
3- slow charging compared to mate 10 pro.
4- battery might not retain it's capacity over time even though samsung caims so.
Mate 10 Pro, pros.
1-fast charging 1:30min to charge fully
2- costs 250$ less than galaxy s9+
3- great battery life.
4- comes with screen protector and case.
5- great GPS module.
Mate 10 pro cons
1- looks like any other phone
2- no status symbol, whats this phone: mate 10 pro, wut ?, it's huwaei, ah chinese phone u mean? :cyclops:
3- inferior screen.
4- horrible resale value.
what do you guys think? coming from asus zenfone max I greatly value battery life but this time I really want to buy the best and cry only once. processing power isn't really an issue for me since I don't game much. but since I'm a photographer who post on instagram frequently I value good camera.
any thoughts are appreciated.
I've had both. I had the Mate 10 standard first and did love it but couldn't deal with the adaptive brightness bug that randomly dimmed the screen despite auto brightness being turned off. I sold it at a rather large loss, a little over $200.
So far I'm really liking the S9+. The screen does look more saturated and colorful than the Mate 10 but the Mate 10 seemed sharper. I much prefer LCD over AMOLED, mostly do to the latter's issues with burn in and screen degradation. Mate 10 also seemed a little quicker.
My Mate 10 also had to have the International rom flashed as it never made it to the states, so there was little issues with that. The S9+ works better on US networks.
Battery life is better on the Mate 10 but the S9+ isn't a slouch, either. The camera is excellent on both but I don't use them enough to go into a detailed comparison.
Just for background information, these are the phones I had in the past 6 months: Mate 9 Pro, Pixel 2 XL, U11+, P20 Pro and S9+.
Taking this in mind, I can say that S9+ is the most balanced of them all, and overall the best device.
I can't say directly about Mate 10 Pro because I never had one, but I guess is pretty much the same as my Mate 9 Pro/P20 Pro I had, so I'm basing my comments on these experiences.
The cons you wrote about the S9+ are half truth:
* Battery is not mediocre as long as you know how to properly configure your device. I'm not getting less than 5-6 hours SOT over a day and a half; is true that Mate 10 Pro will have a better battery life, but from my experience, I never had more than 1 hour SOT difference between the S9+ and the Huawei ones.
* Is true that Mate 10 charges faster, but is a matter of 10-15 minutes difference at most. My S9+ charges fully in around 1:40.
* I would add as a con that S9+ has lower coverage and maybe this could turn into a problem if you live in a zone where there are not many antennas, thus it can impact battery life.
If you care about the camera, then go with the S9+, because Huawei phones have horrible video even when photo is pretty decent.
For me, the S9+ is the most rounded phone I have ever had and it has no real deal-breakers, like all the others I had.
S9+ is very well rounded device. I have both S9 and S9+, and I must say battery is very very good. I get on average 6-7 hrs sot and over a day usage on S9+ and my wife can go 2.5 days on a single charge on her S9 with 4-5 hrs sot. She not as heavy a user as me but def on the moderate to heavy usage side of things. She finishes with about 15% left, me about 11% battery left. Battery life is fantastic IMO.
thanks for your answer, it was very insightful, I didn't know about the burn in information before you comment, after looking this up it doesn't appear to be something I should be concerned about. also the mate 10 pro is listed as having a AMOLED display so the issue would be present in both I guess. I'm glad to see that the battery life of the S9+ is good.
thanks for sharing your experience, 6 hours of screen time is all I really need, the s9+ you have, is it exynos or Snapdragon ? 1:40m of charge time is actually quite decent, I placed my facts on numbers posted by people online, it seems that their S9+ charges in 2:30h. thanks to your comment I'm leaning more toward the S9+ more now.
galaxy S9+ pro? the S9+ is the ultimate eye candy, excellent battery life, sound is great now with dolby and never heard of the Mate 10 Pro.
I don't know what kind of moron is saying that the S9+ is charging in 2:30, but I always get it at 1:40 and most people get the same times.
Take a look at these:
https://youtu.be/Oy2HXrDNpYA
https://youtu.be/HCWTfuBZ2hA
https://youtu.be/GR55y1O-bgM
I have Exynos version, but is supposed that Snapdragon is a little bit better regarding battery life. I'm happy with the device and so far I haven't had any problem with it.
your reply is very assuring. 6 SOT is more than I need actually. you guys actually have 2, so 2 testimonials, this is very assuring, thank you.
LMAO ur proving my point, my friend has a mate 9. in every social event. oh this boxy looking phone looks cool, what is it ?, it's Huwaei Mate 9. . . . . MMM wut?.... u know huwaei the company the make routers ....... oh really!? u mean the chinese company......... sigh yes... ah cool chinese phone, looks flashy
I think you get them from wish.com for $4-5.
Had the mate 10 pro, kept it for 3 months then sold it. Camera was truly VERY BAD...all due to oversharpening...everything looked like an oil painting.
Software updates were another big problem... 1 update every three months.
I found the screen perfectly fine...not as good as the S9 + though.... but you are paying top dollar for the s9+.
Sold mine for a big loss too.... price on these plummets... so don't expect to take a minor hit on any resale.
And.... Might not be of importance !!!.... but the mate 10 pro has the street cred of a 3 wheeled Robin Reliant (go look it up) !!!!
On the other hand...The S9+ takes great photos. Has frequent updates. Superb screen. Wireless charging. Fast fingerprint scanner.....you know which one I'm going to recommend !!!!
Hope this helps.
"3 wheeled Robin Reliant"!!!! the line of the month!!!
And yes the fingerprint scanner is very very good.
double post
Guys I haven't had time to reply here since I went out me and my friend went out last Thursday and got 2 titanium gray s9 plus!.
There is a lot to be said but for now its suffice to say I love it! I'm blown by this amazing phone. My friend sold both his iphone 8 and iphone x and today he bought his second so plus, liliac purple. If u guys want to see pics of the phones check the post out out on @Headon_collision on Instagram. I'm still discovering the phone and I'll comment more in few days
Are you experiencing the low volome notification issues? Some users are saying they can barely hear the notification or had missed calls. Even though the volume was turned up all the way.
No such problem. Volume is good with everything. We are currently experiencing a heatwave 45c outdoors and I'm very impressed on how efficient the heat dissipation is on this device, indoors 30c ambient the cpu and battery are both 35c. Outdoors they both dont seems to go over 43c degrees in 40c ambient
@Galaxo60 - I've just got an SM-G965F - immediately had to flash another firmware to get VoWifi - what do you mean by properly configuring the device?
Just remove apps you don't use, and disable background activity of "Android System" and you will be good.
I came from the Mate 10 Pro, wasn't impressed with the camera
Hey guys, so I've been really overthinking all day if I should get the Mate 20 Pro. The 3 main phones I've been using this year are S9+, OP6, Note 9 but I won't count the S9+ as the Note 9 is exactly the same but with bigger battery, bigger screen and the spen (it's cool the first week and then I forget about it, but I do get others use it on a daily basis so there's no competition for the note) . So both the Note 9 and OP6 have things that I've personally missed from the other device, however, at least on paper, the Mate 20 Pro seems to have it almost all.
What I missed about Samsung while owned OP6:
*Better OLED screen colors, higher resolution and brightness
*Stereo speakers
*Wireless charging
*IP68 peace of mind
*Higher volume with BT earbuds (don't know if 20 Pro has this)
*Not really missed but wanted the 4000+ mah battery on Note 9
*Always on display
*Samsung pay with MST (but no big deal since still have my Gear S3 frontier watch)
*One-handed mode
What I miss about OP6 currently on Note 9:
*Really fast/fluid/smooth UI (although I've heard some reviewers complaining about the 20 Pro dropping frames but at least should be better than lagsung)
*Native gestures navigation
*Actually FAST Cable charging
*Lighter and smaller body (pocketability and one hand use)
*Fast unlock, either fingerprint or face/iris are slow on Note 9
*OP6 didn't drain too much battery on idle, on days that I almost don't use the phone Note 9 4000 mah battery performs very similar to 3300 mah battery on OP6
Better than both previous phones/new to me features really looking forward to try:
*3D fast and secure face unlock
*In-display fingerprint sensor
*Raise to wake
*Knuckle gestures to start multitasking, take screenshots, launch apps, etc.
*Triple camera, amazing low light performance
What I think I'd miss if I switch to Mate 20 Pro:
*Slightly wider and notchless screen on Note 9, maybe better colors and brighness?
*BT audio? No dolby atmos, lower volume?
*Stereo speakers are worse than note 9 according to reviewers
*Fingerprint gesture to bring down notification panel
I've seen a lot of comments on other forums and on YouTube claiming the Note 9 is "waaaay better" than the Mate 20 pro. Only advantages I could think of are spen (but I don't really use it) and headphone jack (I haven't touched it in any phone in the last 3 years since I use strictly BT only, Fc me, right?)
So, am I missing anything that would make the Note 9 superior or that I would miss if I switch to the Mate 20 pro? Or do you think this is absolutely the best phone of 2018?
EDIT: it also has IR blaster and remote control app, missed this since Note 4 lol!
Hi
Your post is really interesting.. I think you used 3 of the most important smartphone based on Android OS.
Sincerely.. Actually I have in my hand the Samsung galaxy note 8...i bought it before buy for my job an iPad with the apple pencil.. After that.. I forgot to use the spen.. Personally.. Too little the screen to be used, for example, to take note during a meeting... This is my personal feedback.
So, for this reason I'm not sure to replace now my note with the note 9.. The most important feature, the S pen, is only an option for me... S9 plus? Yes.. But some hardware parts are already, older than a note 9 hardware set...
Also, after 8 years with only Samsung devices I want try something of different.. And now I think that with this mate 20 pro, maybe I found what I need... High performance, wireless charge, amazing camera, pc mode (maybe can be a interesting features if can be used without any extra hardware such Samsung dex, but also the note 9 now can be used without it).. Nice design...
So, actually I think this will be my next smartphone... I'm. 90% sure...
sam213 said:
Hi
Your post is really interesting.. I think you used 3 of the most important smartphone based on Android OS.
Sincerely.. Actually I have in my hand the Samsung galaxy note 8...i bought it before buy for my job an iPad with the apple pencil.. After that.. I forgot to use the spen.. Personally.. Too little the screen to be used, for example, to take note during a meeting... This is my personal feedback.
So, for this reason I'm not sure to replace now my note with the note 9.. The most important feature, the S pen, is only an option for me... S9 plus? Yes.. But some hardware parts are already, older than a note 9 hardware set...
Also, after 8 years with only Samsung devices I want try something of different.. And now I think that with this mate 20 pro, maybe I found what I need... High performance, wireless charge, amazing camera, pc mode (maybe can be a interesting features if can be used without any extra hardware such Samsung dex, but also the note 9 now can be used without it).. Nice design...
So, actually I think this will be my next smartphone... I'm. 90% sure...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't pulled the trigger yet but I am 90% sure as well, only thing I just found out I'd miss that I first thought I wouldn't is always on display. Mate 20 Pro has it but it is just the clock and battery, no third party notifications. So if it doesn't show notification I think I'll just turn off AOD to save battery, however, if it doesn't have the RGB LED either, I think I'd miss something to check notifications at a glance
vwite said:
I haven't pulled the trigger yet but I am 90% sure as well, only thing I just found out I'd miss that I first thought I wouldn't is always on display. Mate 20 Pro has it but it is just the clock and battery, no third party notifications. So if it doesn't show notification I think I'll just turn off AOD to save battery, however, if it doesn't have the RGB LED either, I think I'd miss something to check notifications at a glance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes is true but also in this case for my opinion it depend of the normal use of everyone's...
For a example.. Personally I deactivate on my note 8 the always on function because I use for my job and personal use the smartphone really every moment, and switch on the screen to check he notification, is not a problem for me..
The battery life is another important point for me... As I explained before, I abuse of my smartphone usually.. Mail.. WhatsApp, web surfing and a lot of special application such autocad, notes... The only apps that I don't use are the games...
Anyway, I noticed that after some months Samsung device became to have a battery drain.. In some case I solved using avast antivirus app, because his app kill some background process, that wasn't not stopped using the software integrated in Samsung device.
I know that now we have a bigger batteryin both devices, but I want try another company and check if the battery drain can be not a problem anymore.. Also.. I want try the ai support of huawei that promise to solve the problem of the bad performance after day after day...
vwite said:
I haven't pulled the trigger yet but I am 90% sure as well, only thing I just found out I'd miss that I first thought I wouldn't is always on display. Mate 20 Pro has it but it is just the clock and battery, no third party notifications. So if it doesn't show notification I think I'll just turn off AOD to save battery, however, if it doesn't have the RGB LED either, I think I'd miss something to check notifications at a glance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here man, my pixel 2 xl aod is brilliant, and dunno how i will cope with mate 20 pro aod... Like why is soo hard for them to implement this? Still i pulled the trigger and pre ordered it, will keep pixel for a week after just in csse and see if get get used to it not seeing notifications on the aod...
For me is an absolutely yes to your question I never had anything like this Mate 20 Pro it is even better than P20 Pro! Wireless charging, amazing screen amazing battery life fast graphics and processor its all full of future proof! And aesthetically is gorgeous!
The phone seems to be gorgeous, but EMUI is horrible...
No 3rd party notifications for AOD and no expandable lockscreen notifications (no whatsapp quick reply or mail delete)
stah17 said:
The phone seems to be gorgeous, but EMUI is horrible...
No 3rd party notifications for AOD and no expandable lockscreen notifications (no whatsapp quick reply or mail delete)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Feel the same, gorgeous hardware and not so gorgeous software. Had the P20 Pro and loved everything but the software. Will at least try the Mate 20 Pro and see if it is a keeper or not
easycure1974 said:
Feel the same, gorgeous hardware and not so gorgeous software. Had the P20 Pro and loved everything but the software. Will at least try the Mate 20 Pro and see if it is a keeper or not
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also tried the P20 Pro and gave it back because of that damn EMUI... I hoped that they would fix the expandable LS and AOD but nothing happened. That's why I won't buy any phone from Huawei.
Seems like Huawei does not think that these are bugs....
What do they think are the advantages of taking these features out? I don't get it
So as an update to my first post, here's a few more cons of the Mate 20 Pro (some only apply in the US)
*Everyone seems to dislike EMUI
*Problems with third party lunchers
*Worse signal in the US, no wifi calling and no LTE bands 66 and 71 (T-Mobile)
*Pissible spying
*When using the hiding notch option the screen does look noticeable smaller vs Note 9 (picture attached) I'm not sure if the downgrade in display size would bother me
In this thread everyone seems to be against the Mate 20 pro (vs Note 9)
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-9/how-to/note-9-vs-huawei-mate-20-t3855360
Damn, I'm sill laying to the side of getting the 20 Pro but this just made the decision harder
Today I tested Mate 20 Pro:
- High quality hardwares: very good build quality, Oled screen look better than Note 9 ( better white balance, higher brightness ) ...
- Seem very good battery life, better than Note 9 and Xs Max
- I don't like EMIUI too: not really modern ( clean and clear ), some micro stutter lags
- Portrait Backlighting: bad quality compare to Note 9 especially compare yo Xs Max
Zanr Zij said:
Today I tested Mate 20 Pro:
- High quality hardwares: very good bùi quality, Oled screen look better than Note 9 ( better white balance, higher brightness ) ...
- Seem very good battery life, better than Note 9 and Xs Max
- I don't like EMIUI too: not really modern ( clean and clear ), some micro stutter lags
- Portrait Backlighting: bad quality compare to Note 9 especially compare yo Xs Max
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome thank you so much for the feedback! I was really concerned about screen colors and brightness feeling as a downgrade from Note 9
Would you say the micro stutters are worse than in Note 9? It always drop frames when opening recent apps menu, switching apps, unlocking animation, adjusting split screen, operating split screen both apps start to lag, opening swiftkey keyboard, especially on google translate app I'm not sure why but it lags really bad (relatively for a $1000+ phone) like 4-5 seconds to open swiftkey keyboard after tapping on text box. I know EMUI is no OxygenOS but I was hoping at least some improvement from Note 9. Just as Note 9 is not perfect but improvement from Note is very welcome.
Zanr Zij said:
Today I tested Mate 20 Pro:
- High quality hardwares: very good build quality, Oled screen look better than Note 9 ( better white balance, higher brightness ) ...
- Seem very good battery life, better than Note 9 and Xs Max
- I don't like EMIUI too: not really modern ( clean and clear ), some micro stutter lags
- Portrait Backlighting: bad quality compare to Note 9 especially compare yo Xs Max
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have the BOE display, right? I am really really reaaaally dissapointed with the LG display, it's almost a deal breaker I am still thinking about it depends if I find enough workarounds for other problems.
What i like about the Huawei Mate 20 Pro is:
The design
The screen
The performance
The battery life
The face unlock
The onscreen fingerprint reader
The camera
Emui is alright.
Huawei could do better with:
Faster updates. (I'm on 108 and other people are on 122 and even 128? firmwares). More customization options such as custom font, making the notification screen black and or transparent (same with quick settings, it's black but no transparent), removing certain statusbar icons. Giving us the option to completely remove all bloatware that can be installed trough the Google Play Store.
Hi please, is it worth it to exchange mate 20 against pixel 3xl thank you
PS: I know I'm posting on wrong place, but the topic of mate 20 is dead
The regular mate 20? If you don't have to pay ANYTHING more... I'd probably consider it... Probably
I would do it, with at any hasitation... I 2ould kill for some aosp love.... hate how emui handles memory for instance... software ans support s#cks big time, the only things I love from my mate are the charging speed and camera
demon2112 said:
I would do it, with at any hasitation... I 2ould kill for some aosp love.... hate how emui handles memory for instance... software ans support s#cks big time, the only things I love from my mate are the charging speed and camera
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixels have even worse memory management actually. I agree with you on the software front though, emui is definitely not something I like about this phone.
crixley said:
Pixels have even worse memory management actually. I agree with you on the software front though, emui is definitely not something I like about this phone.
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Click to collapse
I don't know about Pixel memory management, it should be fine now... I know it was an debacle, I thought Google had fixed that though........ any way.... last huawei for me ?
demon2112 said:
I don't know about Pixel memory management, it should be fine now... I know it was an debacle, I thought Google had fixed that though........ any way.... last huawei for me ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing I really her about this phone is emui.
Hi,
I actually have both, Mate 20 Pro and Pixel 3XL and am switching back and forth regularly as I can't make up my mind (I'd love the mix of the 2 ).
Regarding Pixel 3XL vs Mate 20 (keep in mind it's the Mate 20 Pro) :
Pros :
• "Clean" Android vs EMUI even though EMUI has some nice features (eg screenshot gesture)
• Regular firmware updates (M20P is said to get monthly but not as far as I am concerned)
• No Bootloader lock
• Android Q 1st day (wait to see when M20P will get it)
Cons :
• Battery (hard to make a full day with my usage vs 1.5 days easy on M20P)
• Missing wide angle which is pretty nice on M20P for landscape pics
• Memory management (even though greatly improved compared to the beginning)
• No Miracast
• No Dual SIM / SD Card
• M20P has better (more vivid) display in my eyes
As far as my usage is concerned, other than Wide angle, both cameras have sufficient quality.
Now even though the Cons list is longer, it all depends on the importance YOU put on each point. I'm on the Pixel 3 XL right now for the last 2 weeks (M20P in a drawer) because the Android experience is globally more satisfying to me (and being able to test Android Q Beta 4).
I too played around with pixel 3a and pixel 3 (not xl).
As LuMe96 says, he is pretty much spot on there, so won't repeat what was said. To be honest, having a clean android is a shock coming from EMUI - feels more swiping going on. Like for example to get application list, you have to hold and swipe all the way up, where as M20P you have an application button. EMUI is more polished.
Comparing cameras - apart from macro shots (which isn't in pixel), night sights is really good (ie, in dark room I was able to read my b'day card, whereas M20P I couldn't). AR mode is very good (you see marvel character in your viewing space as if he/she are there), unlike M20P was rather crappy. You certainly don't find as much camera effects then M20P.
I can't seem to set the shutter speed to like 30 secs on pixel whereas you can on m20p so stars photos isn't great. Might be able to get a better camera app, but afaik, I don't think you can set the shutter speed more then 2s.
I haven't noticed any slow downs or lags, but having said that, I don't play games. It can handle many apps opening at once.
3a camera shots - there is a tiny tiny lag as its rendering the photo you taken, but it doesn't effect the photo speed you taking - it just the rendering.
I get a bit of a storage anxiety - you mindful of lack of storage so if you thinking of installing big fancy 3d games, then i may come to be an issue. (i think you got about 56gb remaining with clean os)
I got a pixel 3 cos I found a really good deal (cheaper then 3a!). 3a isn't that much different to be honest -if you are a type of person that gets a good case and screen protector, then you probably don't need gorilla glass. wireless charging dock is £80, so if you not bothered about wireless charging or paying a fortune for the dock, then 3a is best. Can't remember if pixel is waterproof, but on M20P if a spot of water is on the screen, I found the screen a little unresponsive anyway.
tweedie said:
EMUI is more polished.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're literally the only person I've ever heard say this
crixley said:
You're literally the only person I've ever heard say this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha when I say polished I meant glossy! Shiny colour schemes and all that
to be honest i found the biggest draw backs with the pixel phones the much slower charging speeds and the much worse battery life are really noticeable after having the mate 20 pro and its the two biggest things that made me sell my pixel 3 and keep the mate 20 pro , the battery life and charging speeds are absolute game changers for my usage
updates are nice to have fast but i found emui 9 to have more features and better gestures than stock android and you can theme the mate 20 pro so easy with launcher/theme/font/icon pack etc that emui9 can look very good and more how you want it to look rather than stock android
i like the pixel 3 camera but i also like the mate 20 pro camera , both have strong points and weak points and both are fun to use with great output but i do tend to lean towards the mate 20 pro camera due to its features and versatility although no flash in aperture mode bugs me
i also really like the nokia 9 and prefer the camera output to both the pixel 3 and mate 20 pro , however it also has a smaller battery and slower charging times and again after using the mate 20 pro i really notice that
I prefer the Mate 20p - probably a subjective thing.
I forget the waterproof rating on the 20p, but the Pixel 3 is one value lower (my wife has the Pixel).
I also agree about using an alternate launcher and theming for dealing with clutter. I used Apex for a long time, but yesterday tried out Smart Launcher - very nicely organized with a simple home page, search page and widget page. The best part is the application page, with categorized subsections. Very elegant, and maintains the phone gestures (or customize your own). Here are pics of home page and one of the app screens with the theme I currently use.
I had the pixel 3 and gave it to my mom and bought the mate 20 pro
efalis said:
I prefer the Mate 20p - probably a subjective thing.
I forget the waterproof rating on the 20p, but the Pixel 3 is one value lower (my wife has the Pixel).
I also agree about using an alternate launcher and theming for dealing with clutter. I used Apex for a long time, but yesterday tried out Smart Launcher - very nicely organized with a simple home page, search page and widget page. The best part is the application page, with categorized subsections. Very elegant, and maintains the phone gestures (or customize your own). Here are pics of home page and one of the app screens with the theme I currently use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
niceee that theme is that
demon2112 said:
niceee that theme is that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Azure.
Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
Duncan1982 said:
So perhaps this review might be slightly contradictory to my other thread (Samsung Giving up or....). Only way to find out is to dive right in......
So I'm not here to praise or affiliate myself with a particular brand, what I mean is that some very much love Samsung and don't like any criticism, or others may disagree and that's fine (my words are just from my perspective). Everyone has there own likes, things they find useful, basically we are all different and that is just fine. Opinions from others that may follow are to be respected as we all won't share the same experience or views.
The Galaxy Note 10 got released in two variants oh wait no make that three, and yes I think this is a good idea (although price points i am not agreeable on).
However as the title suggests this little review is based on the model I have SM-N976b that's the Exynos 9825 5G variant.
Display: What we have is a 6.8" Dynamic Amoled Display and there is very little disputing it's best in class. From the vibrant colours to the deep blacks it really is a stunning screen. The punch-hole is symmetrical and really doesn't get in the way or my enjoyment (however some might not like, and find it distracting). I tend to appreciate larger displays (having recently purchased the Mate 20 X 5G 7.2") I was particularly pleased that Samsung decided to make the Display larger on the + variant. With it being a note , that is aimed at productivity and media 6.8" was/is a delight for me personally.
Performance: The performance of the 9825 is marginal if anything above the 9820 (used on the S10, S10+). However I get tired of the complaints, yes perhaps the 855 is marginally better in certain areas, it's not a huge gulf between the two that is going to dramatically affect the user experience. I have found it to be very fast and fluid and hasn't hindered my experience. Basically it performs as a flagship processor should. Very little complaints from me.
Functionality: We have the good old S-Pen and without a doubt it's still industry leading (Perhaps because not many oem's have decided to compete) however as a productivity tool it's fantastic (wether you use it not). I am not sold on the Harry potter waving the pen around, it's just a feature that I think Samsung could have left out & focused that time and resources in another area. However I get that they wanted to add something else to the pen, but I don't think many will be using it.
You have here with the Note 10+ a device that offers up great features as in improving DeX to be used as a virtual environment on a laptop (Some may benefit from this) link to Windows to provide that ecosystem and connection with your PC/Laptop. We also have Gamelink (Conning Soon) along with all the other things like app edge, dual window. So it really does offer up that fantastic functionality.
Battery: Well I have the Mate 20 X and with the 7.2" Display (all be it 1080p) it without a doubt lasts longer than the Note 10+, wouldn't say by a huge margin, I usually and can easily get 7hrs on the note, but with the X it can be 8+, but EMUI is more restrictive in app management. I think the Note could be better optimised and I'm sure with updates it will.
Camera: The cameras on the Note all be it just little improvements over the S-Line, they perform well in most areas, fall short in others. Yes you can say the P30 Pro or pixel are better, some areas yes they most certainly are, but even they fall short in let's say the video department, so as a balanced camera then yeah it's great and that is what I look for, if you want the best if everything Also buy the P30 Pro & Pixel and carry around 3 devices
Design: I think this is where Samsung spent a chunk of time, with the Display & rearrangement, all be it most certainly Q's from Huawei but that's not a negative thing and I absolutely love what Samsung have done here. It's a stunning device.
My Honest opinion: I was complaining slightly that Samsung perhaps could of should of done more and I still stand with that in certain areas. These are in the camera software, perhaps that 90hz (yes I don't think this was possible, due to the S-Pen), but would have been a nice option, but when you look at it, its an iterative improvement, but the areas of focus have been done well, and here we have a stunning productivity device that will make many users happy, but leave some disappointed as expectation, left us without some of the little things we are seeing from others not here on the note.
After using it now for 5 days I fully appreciate a nice and solid device that covers most areas well, but like any device falls short in others. I'm very happy with my purchase and I hope you all are to
Please feel free to add to this, or add in constructive criticism, it's all appreciated, just be respectful, and don't disregard others opinions (unless they are just rediculous).
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Click to collapse
Not too much to add here.
Really great package!
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
Pretty much fantastic in every aspect, minus four:
- terrible battery life (the worst I've ever had to my opinion, compared to Mate 9, Note 4 and Xperia Z1...)
- no high refresh rate display (and still annoying OLED motion blur)
- slow/unsecure unlocking (UDFS/front camera)
- Samsung's "OneUI" software is good overall, but has still strong geographic differences (in term of app availability, see goodlock software for exemple), and doesn't allow you to tweak your terminal to the extent to it should be possible (Galaxy Theme store (yerk!) should basically be Substratum (lite) + Synergy))
darkphoenix2012 said:
Terrible speakers
Worst cellular connection to date
Bloatware
tethering feature is broken/lags
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It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
winol said:
It is really amusing to see how some complain about mainly, battery, speakers, camera and signal, to the grade of "terrible", "worst" etc, I have no complain at all, I come from a note 8, which indeed was an excellent device, and this note10+ is way better, in all aaspects, I did not have the 9, but I have heard always that it was just a little increment over the 8, any way, I am really, really pleased with my note10+, the best device I have had
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Ditto x10!
Sent from my Note 10+ using Tapatalk
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
tileeq said:
And would you guys say note 10+ over note 10?
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As far as i'm concerned yes...
- battery life
- microSD
- TOF, even though still beta-like software for 3D scan, but works very well for blurring background photos (you can see it when comparing front cam and rear cam)
- larger screen, cause i love this (better for watching videos or multitasking)
I would always feel like i have a sub phone if i went note10 route but that's juste me
Downside is the weight of note10+, i find it kinda heavy in the hand.
Yeah, I absolutely love my note10+
I absolutely love my Note 10+. I wish I had pre-ordered, but I wasn't ready for an upgrade from my Note 8 yet.
I got the Aurora Glow (Snapdragon, Verizon US), mainly because it was the one that was readily available and I wouldn't have to wait. I thought I'd just slap a case on it and never have to look at it, but it turns out I love that crazy rainbow bastard and got a nice clear case. I'm averaging 7hrs of SOT (at highest resolution, no power savings, wifi/data, etc), I haven't had to "top up" during the day once since I got it. Sleep drain is almost non-existent...maybe 4-5% overnight (6-7hrs) with WiFi and bluetooth on. I do a lot of artwork on the fly, and this is even more of a workhorse than my Note 8 was. I do multi-layered (usually 12-20 layers) drawings in Medibang Paint at at least 600dpi and this glorious phone doesn't even stutter. AND (and I know a lot of you don't like it) I was psyched to see a screen protector pre-installed. I know it's a crappy one, but it was great to have while waiting for my "real" one to show up. Really small, but well-appreciated, inclusion. I don't even mind the loss of a headphone jack as much as I thought I would. My portable battery has the wireless charging built in (not that I've needed to use it yet), and I think the sound in the USB C headphones included is better than the ones I got with my Note 8.
My ONLY complaint is the camera. Photos look overly soft, and faces seem flattened out. My Note 8 took much better photos out of the box. At least, in my case, it definitely seems to be a software issue...because using GCam improves the photos dramatically. And it seems that Sammy has already released an update to address photo quality...I just have to wait for Verizon to push out the damn thing. I don't take pro photos or anything, 90% of my picture taking is my kids...but my Note 8 gave me much clearer photos of them running around than I've gotten from my 10+. That being said, I know there's a fix on the way so I'm not going to piss and moan too much about it. I look forward to really using the hell out of the camera once it's updated, especially night mode...I didn't have that on my Note 8.
All in all, nothing but love for this phone.
I perceive the photos to be better than those of my note8, yesterday an update mainly for the fingerprint and camera, became available for my note10+, I am yet to see what improvements it may yield
I was looking at a new Chinese flagship (Realme X2 Pro) but then got to play with Dex on a 10 - bought the Note 10+ dualSIM right there, coming from an S8+. Dex is just fantastic, on my Windows or Mac computers, with an additional 95W wall charger and a 100w USB C hub. Now the phone is fully integrated in my desktop workflow and part of the hub with other devices I own, and I love the ability to cut&paste from/to the phone from my main Windows machine. All other elements one comes to expect from a Samsung flagship are there of course, and video quality is excellent. Writing with the S-Pen on the Nebo App is enough for note taking - I can leave the iPad Pro at home for meetings. And Amazon Germany gave a unexpected $120 rebate, plus tax return from Amazon upon leaving the EU, got a great deal altogether. My S8+ lasted three years and thanks to this community is updated well, will now go to my wife.
3 Stars. The magic is lost. Nothing is special about the series anymore.
Call me jaded as someone who's owned every iteration since the Note 2, but this is not the best from the best that previous Note series enjoyed. Same cameras from S10. Would have liked a better tech that includes a seamless uninterruption of the screen. I can do without a social media whore cam or have a motorized selfie cam for those selfie whores. Also, could have used a speedier screen refresh rate found on the the cheaper One+. Otherwise, speed, battery life, features, all the best android has to offer. Nothing earth shattering and futuristic like the first time we saw the Note Edge or Note 5 or BT pen from note 9. Still has a hole in the screen. Still has a "just a refreshed design until next iteration" look. Screen size increased by a hair. Even diluted the brand by making a smaller Note. I usually go for the best but since I had the blue Note 9, I wanted something different and the Aura Blue is gorgeous but disappointed it only comes in 256gb, another ding against Samsung. Overall, 3 stars because the Note series is known for cutting edge and when you have a camera stolen from an older phone and when you decide to toss in a gimmicky AR camera that everyone used for the first minute and forget about but failed to work on the thing that everyone uses 90% of the time, the screen, like incorporate a 120 refresh rate or do away with the hole or notch, then you aren't living to the high standard that the Note series are known for and that its fanbase expects. You used to be able to say, look what my phone has that you don't. Reverse charging? woopty do. My S10 had that before you. 3 cameras? "Stereo" speakers? Well, my phone has a built in BT stylus. So, my cheaper Note 10 does too! *facepalm* We no longer have something special. Used to be we had it first and then it trickled to other devices. Now, it's the other way around.
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
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Pay attention. You're wrong. We're reviewing the Note 10+. So this isn't the only phone with the s pen. If you pay attention, the diluted note 10 also has one as well as the upcoming note 10 lite. So it still stands, the magic is lost.
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
winol said:
The one and only phone, not a tablet, that has this unique feature, the spen, there is the "magic"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
winol said:
As this thread is about the 10+, I am referring to the note10+, so, you pay attention
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mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
skoobz said:
mod edit: removed unnecessarily rude comment
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Please check your private messages. Remeber folks this is a fun hobby for us all. There's never a need to get fired up and taking jabs and low blows. If you're starting to get heated just log off and go do something else or keep scrolling.
Let me preface this by saying I am picky about my phones and this is one of the worst I have seen in years! If you have an old phone I can understand some of the upgrade but here are my thoughts coming well staying with a Note 10+. Never bought and returned a phone this quick. Returning before it is even released on Friday!!
Let's start with the good, well somewhat......
Screen: Once again Samsung delivers a world class screen. Best in brightness, color accuracy, etc etc everything like normal that they always produce in their flagships. Now for the downsize, the infamous 120hz screen refresh rate. Not worth it here. Smoother scrolling, sure but barely. I honestly don't even mind the 1080p and 120 hz just the need for the 120hz on a phone is overkill. Was gaming smoother sure, do I game much on my phone, no not really. The 240 touch response I can tell more of a difference and a worthy difference then the 120 hz refresh
Processing power: Phone is fast, minus animations. Photo processing, night mode shots are a big difference. Much faster in that aspect. Wish we saw little more ram and more storage though at this price
Battery: 5000 mah in this device makes it a little thicker but in my short one day of use it stood up pretty well to transferring apps and everything over and hard use for a few hours last night. Couldn't kill it
and now the bad
Camera: throw all the numbers at it and it will be great.... well not so fast. Main shooter in 12 or 108 mp mode cannot focus on anything. Piece of paper on desk in front of you, good luck. Zoom a few feet away from you, also good luck. 5x/10x/30x zoom is better then Note 10+ of course but how often are you going to use this? Everyday? Once a week? Once a month? Still not great quality (usable) at 10x or 30x really so no point in my book. 5x is crisp but falls off too much after that for me to use. Wide angle is same as note so no real improvement here. Camera also seems to make everything more saturated then I like as well almost to the point of unrealistic. The one and only thing the iPhone can do well and the note seems to be closer to that realistic representation then the Ultra.
Design: not that the design is bad but feels a tad on the chunkier side. Rounder edges do help but does not feel as sleek as nice to hold as note or even s10. Thicker as well to house that battery and camera module. Also worried about how scratched the module bump will become after months of abuse.
UI: Let me first say I hate Android 10/Samsung UI 2.0, I am still using 9 and the Ultra reminded me why. App animations are slow (yes can fix in dev options but still), quick replying to text or message in status bar is not instant like prior android generations. Don't know if this is an android 10 or Samsung UI 2.0 problem but seems like it should be an upgrade not a downgrade
Price: $1400 is a lot even for 2020. That is also only for 128 gb and 12 gb ram model. So no upgrade to ram compared to Note and a loss of half the storage compared to entry level note. Plan was to trade in note 10+ and pay $800 and it isn't worth that tp be honest. Not even close. Only foreseeable upgrades are little brighter screen and zoom lens. The rest is a downgrade to me or the same.
I will continue to use note 10+ until Note 20 maybe? Needs to have something better for the money it is going to cost though
Hey folks,
I have decided to try out pixel phones for the first time, even since nexus one I always wanted a Google phone especially with Nexus or pixel 5 those were right up my alley, but I never got in to it untill now. I keep on reading how good the camera is, how amazing everything is so I decided to give it a go. A little background, I love switching phones constantly, I have been using all sorts of phones, from LG, htc, iphone, a lot of samsungs, OnePlus, Huawei etc. My last phone was a Samsung note 20 ultra and I loved it, but that exynos battery and that curved screen just ... Awful. Anyhow ... I got a pixel 6 (not the pro, because I had enough of curved screens, horrible idea, and I am fed up with it) and so far so good. Here are my thoughts:
The good:
The camera looks baller, I am still experimenting with it, but so far so good I am impressed. I don't really do a lot of videos, so my main focus is the main camera and since I only care about ultra wide that too, I don't really care about telephoto.
build quality is good
the sound is good
the display is great(having in mind I am coming off a note 20 ultra, that is saying a lot)
the software is AMAZING Soo smooth it's great(although I do not use most of the things like assistant etc I love the whole package).
The bad or "meh":
the camera again ... I was comparing it with my note 20 ultra, and so far a years old phone that was not really in the competition was making on par photos if not better in some cases(I have to do more personal research here), and I compared it to a Huawei p40 pro with my friend ... (Again more than a year old phone) and I am astonished that that phone did some photos better and some were on par. We were comparing the main sensor only in normal light and at night. So this is some food for thoughts. -The build quality is good but this is the slipiest phone I have ever had in my life. And I am coming off of a note 20 ultra!!! This phone can't even stand on your lap without slipping away or in your pocket in the car. You MUST buy a skin or a case. This is a major no no for me as when I buy a phone for this kind of money I expect to be able to look at it and feel it, and not feel the case.
the software is amazing but very VERY restrictive and lacking in terms of raw baked in features compared to any other major brand. For example, you can't really customize your screen ... You have two big elements (search and at a glance) that can't be removed so they are taking 1/4 of your screen for no reason, this reminds me of Bixby on Samsung ...), Second Samsung phones have much much more information under battery info, for some reason here you have less... And similar stuff. -the battery (this might get better with time ... But I ain't holding my breath as underneath this chip there is Samsung) ... Right now I have 3.7h SOT with most of the time on 100% brightness last 20% I put adaptive with 60 Hz and my phone is on 18% now. 5his is my book is not good... Samsung exynos NOT GOOD.
Overall ... I love the phone so far, and I will be giving it much more needed time and see if I can change any of the bad like battery and camera in time be it if it adapts and if software updates change things. But whoever is looking at this phone and is on the fences bottom line is this is a good phone, and it's worth it in my book