Related
Are you guys having any problems with stereo sound quality playback or
sound quality (both ends) during calls?
I'm getting a black Jawbone for handling calls but I would like to be able to
listen to music or watch video on the commute to and from work without
having the 'train/subway' in my head.
Is the S9 from Motorola good at pairing up with the Hermes (X01HT in my
case) and holding the connection? Do all the remote features on the S9 headset
work with the S9/Hermes pairing?
Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.
hey man. the s9 are great...the best stereo headset hands down! its like jaw dropping. the controls on the side is very sensitive. its not like an actually button besides the talk/end button. the audio controls are like touch control. HOWEVER, the actual headset for phone calls is horrible...most stereo headsets use both sides to listen to the caller...however this one only allows hearing the caller on the LEFT ear...that is the only downside. if you're coming from the jawbone...it is night and day...but for music/video purposes its great. i use it for my ipod now
truciet said:
hey man. the s9 are great...the best stereo headset hands down! its like jaw dropping. the controls on the side is very sensitive. its not like an actually button besides the talk/end button. the audio controls are like touch control. HOWEVER, the actual headset for phone calls is horrible...most stereo headsets use both sides to listen to the caller...however this one only allows hearing the caller on the LEFT ear...that is the only downside. if you're coming from the jawbone...it is night and day...but for music/video purposes its great. i use it for my ipod now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool, I was worried about stereo sound quality over BT since BT isn't known
for great sound quality to begin with. I have heard that the S9 are only
average for calls but that's going to be the Jawbone's job.
So all the button features like answer/end, volume up/down, play/pause
and forward/back tracks all work with the Hermes based phone?
I love the S9. the audio and the controls all work wonderfully.
The phone aspect isn't really good, it picks up a lot of background noise and it can be a bit difficult to annunciate into it.
As a music headset it is GREAT. great sound. Louder than it needs to be and great frequency range
I use the S9 quite a bit. The sound quality is fantastic and the volume can get quite loud. You'll often see me at starbucks listening to streaming internet radio with my S9/8525.
As far as call quality, it's not too bad. you only get call audio out of the left earbud, since the mic is in the right one. There's pretty good compression going on with the mic, so you really don't have to raise your voice at all. However, callers on the other end complain about background sound if I'm in a noisy place, so use it accordingly.
( I use the JawBone also, especially for long calls where background noise would be unacceptable. )
Radimus said:
I love the S9. the audio and the controls all work wonderfully.
The phone aspect isn't really good, it picks up a lot of background noise and it can be a bit difficult to annunciate into it.
As a music headset it is GREAT. great sound. Louder than it needs to be and great frequency range
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Louder than needed is always better than "I wish it could be louder". I was
hoping that it would not be underpowered. Thanks for bringing that point up
as I didn't read that in any of the online reviews out there. Plus, I always
think those reviews aren't so 'real life' anyways. Here on XDA-developers
you get the 'actual real life' reviews with no worries that someone is getting
paid to prop the product up for profit.
Call quality is a concern but I figured into that an ordered a Jawbone based
on the great reviews its received here on XDA.
Thanks for your input.
roboHaxx said:
I use the S9 quite a bit. The sound quality is fantastic and the volume can get quite loud. You'll often see me at starbucks listening to streaming internet radio with my S9/8525.
As far as call quality, it's not too bad. you only get call audio out of the left earbud, since the mic is in the right one. There's pretty good compression going on with the mic, so you really don't have to raise your voice at all. However, callers on the other end complain about background sound if I'm in a noisy place, so use it accordingly.
( I use the JawBone also, especially for long calls where background noise would be unacceptable. )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's really good to hear that the S9 is NOT underpowered volume wise.
You can always turn it down but it really does suck when the sound is weak.
I would figure some of that loudness maybe due to what looks like a really
good fit (seal) of the headset to the ear causing a good block of surrounding
sounds.
It's too bad about call quality because that is usually one of Motorola only
strong points in most of their products. Oh well, I guess the other one being
looks has been achieved with the S9.
The background noise issue is the same reason I'm getting the Jawbone. I
have had the same complaint with the OEM wired headset that came with
the X01HT. People just don't want to talk to you when it gets hard to
understand you. Plus it really just doesn't help if you're trying to handle
a situation that needs no extra stress added like that loud background
noise. It's too bad because the caller's voice comes in nice and clear through
those OEM stereo headsets. Sometimes it's kind of creepy because it's too
clear and it sounds as if they're right in your head.
Thanks for your input.
I had the s9 for about a month. It was great for music and video via Coreplayer. No skipping on my 8525 with the lastest rom. Call quality was decent, but I bought it for the music. Now, the bad news, my S9 just died on me a couple days ago and wouldn't charge. I finally got it to work ,sortof, but the controls on the right side don't respond. Called Motorola and got a return authorization. Will be sending it back. Hope it was just a fluke. Just some info. With coreplayer the S9 controls play/pause skip/ff didn't work. But volume and phone control worked.
guamlaw said:
I had the s9 for about a month. It was great for music and video via Coreplayer. No skipping on my 8525 with the lastest rom. Call quality was decent, but I bought it for the music. Now, the bad news, my S9 just died on me a couple days ago and wouldn't charge. I finally got it to work ,sortof, but the controls on the right side don't respond. Called Motorola and got a return authorization. Will be sending it back. Hope it was just a fluke. Just some info. With coreplayer the S9 controls play/pause skip/ff didn't work. But volume and phone control worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you buy direct from Motorola? I just placed an order from an 'online shop'
so I hope I don't have any problems down the road. If I do, I hope I can deal
with MOTO directly since they 'sometimes' tend to be a bit more on the ball.
Plus most online shops will tell you to go directly to the manufacturer to deal
with warranty issues anyways so you never know who's handling warranty.
Good luck with the warranty exchange and I hope it all works out for you.
Thanks for the heads up on the non-functioning buttons with Coreplayer.
I did want to point out a few details before I posted my review of them over at mobilitysite
Pro: USB charging... 1 cable to rule them all
Pro: only 1 blinking light, relatively subdued and it is facing the back of your neck while worn
Pro: will turn itself off after an hour if I fall asleep or an otherwise careless
Con: my fat fingers aren't really sensitive enough to find the little controls while worn
Con: it doesn't quite feel right on my big fat head... don't know if it is because it has to spread out a bit to get around my head or if I'm just not used to it. In any case it is very secure and isn't going to slip off.
Con: No way of determining battery life.. is it good for an hour or 8 hours?
Con: not quite flexible enough to store or a clip for a lanyard, although it is an easy fix to tie something to it
Radimus said:
I did want to point out a few details before I posted my review of them over at mobilitysite
Pro: USB charging... 1 cable to rule them all
Pro: only 1 blinking light, relatively subdued and it is facing the back of your neck while worn
Pro: will turn itself off after an hour if I fall asleep or an otherwise careless
Con: my fat fingers aren't really sensitive enough to find the little controls while worn
Con: it doesn't quite feel right on my big fat head... don't know if it is because it has to spread out a bit to get around my head or if I'm just not used to it. In any case it is very secure and isn't going to slip off.
Con: No way of determining battery life.. is it good for an hour or 8 hours?
Con: not quite flexible enough to store or a clip for a lanyard, although it is an easy fix to tie something to it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for breaking it down into pros vs cons.
I did not know that the S9 would shut it self down after an hour of inactivity.
That's cool since it should extent battery life a bit. The blinking LED is
hopefully not too noticeable by others, I hope.
Yeah, I've heard that the buttons can be a bit of a pain to deal with simply
because of the way they are made. I guess I'll just see how I rate in finger
size when I get these S9s sometime next week according to the website I
ordered them from.
AquiEsta! said:
Did you buy direct from Motorola? I just placed an order from an 'online shop'
so I hope I don't have any problems down the road. If I do, I hope I can deal
with MOTO directly since they 'sometimes' tend to be a bit more on the ball.
Plus most online shops will tell you to go directly to the manufacturer to deal
with warranty issues anyways so you never know who's handling warranty.
Good luck with the warranty exchange and I hope it all works out for you.
Thanks for the heads up on the non-functioning buttons with Coreplayer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my S9 from an online shop as well, so i'm hoping that motorola wont give me a hard time when I turn it in for repair. In the meangtime I just ordered a sony hbh-ds-970 as a backup.
guamlaw said:
I bought my S9 from an online shop as well, so i'm hoping that motorola wont give me a hard time when I turn it in for repair. In the meangtime I just ordered a sony hbh-ds-970 as a backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's going to be Christmas in June for me when the Jawbone and the S9 arrive
this week and next week. Hopefully I won't have trouble with either one
of them because warranty returns are such a PITA.
Here is the link to my junior review...
http://www.mobilitysite.com/boards/...-s9-stereo-bluetooth-headphones-unboxing.html
Radimus said:
Here is the link to my junior review...
http://www.mobilitysite.com/boards/...-s9-stereo-bluetooth-headphones-unboxing.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice review and pictures.
"geek jewelry" ROFLMA
For me its a 7.5 out of ten. Two things i dont like, it hurts my left ears just a little if i keep it in there for long, and that you only hear from the left side when talking on the phone... other from that i'm ok with it.
S9 - Not perfect, but very nice
The Motorola S9 is a really nice little headset.
I find it a bit weak on bass, but I’m coming from a Motorola V3i (non-iTunes) with Motorola wired USB stereo headset, and that is one of the most impressive low cost sets of ear buds I’ve ever worn. Not sure how they did that! Note that Motorola wired USB headsets do NOT work on the Hermes, which is a shame, because the HTC wired headset is real junk.
The only glitchy things I’ve seen so far with the S9 and the Hermes / 8525 are:
After hanging up a call, music resumes, but sometimes skips badly for 10-20 seconds. A couple times pressing answer has given only a hum in the left ear, and no ability to talk or listen. Hopefully, the final versions of the Win Mob 6 Bluetooth stack will take care of this.
The S9 ships with 2 different sets of rubber “nubs” to cover the speakers. The default ones that come installed are small, and can be removed and rotated to really direct the sound into your ear as best as possible for different sizes and shapes of ears. In a little bag, you will find a spare set of the default nubs, but ALSO a larger set that have a very soft rubber membrane that floats over a harder rubber inner tube. Some users may find these more comfortable, as they do not intrude into your ear as far.
Personally, I don’t mind the fact that it switches to left ear only for voice calls, I’ve never been all that keen on that “you’re inside my head” sensation of stereo headsets when used for monaural voice.
Remember that on a stock Cingular ROM with Win Mob 5, this headset will basically sound like “mono”, not stereo, but that’s not Motorola’s fault, it's M$'s atrocious BT stack!
Good points:
- really, REALLY light, yet stays in place no matter what
- AV and phone controls work properly with HTC Hermes & Windows Mobile
- Rubber ear nubs direct sound into your ears without need for itchy foam covers
- Really soft touch activation of volume and FF/REW buttons (prevents displacment of the headset while adjusting the most common controls)
Not so good points:
- No indication of how much battery charge is left
- A little weak on bass response
- Not enough tactile difference to easily distinguish between play and answer buttons vs volume and FF/REW buttons
- Picks up room noise really badly in phone mode - works best in quiet(er) locations.
haiti525 said:
The Motorola S9 is a really nice little headset.
I find it a bit weak on bass, but I’m coming from a Motorola V3i (non-iTunes) with Motorola wired USB stereo headset, and that is one of the most impressive low cost sets of ear buds I’ve ever worn. Not sure how they did that! Note that Motorola wired USB headsets do NOT work on the Hermes, which is a shame, because the HTC wired headset is real junk.
The only glitchy things I’ve seen so far with the S9 and the Hermes / 8525 are:
After hanging up a call, music resumes, but sometimes skips badly for 10-20 seconds. A couple times pressing answer has given only a hum in the left ear, and no ability to talk or listen. Hopefully, the final versions of the Win Mob 6 Bluetooth stack will take care of this.
The S9 ships with 2 different sets of rubber “nubs” to cover the speakers. The default ones that come installed are small, and can be removed and rotated to really direct the sound into your ear as best as possible for different sizes and shapes of ears. In a little bag, you will find a spare set of the default nubs, but ALSO a larger set that have a very soft rubber membrane that floats over a harder rubber inner tube. Some users may find these more comfortable, as they do not intrude into your ear as far.
Personally, I don’t mind the fact that it switches to left ear only for voice calls, I’ve never been all that keen on that “you’re inside my head” sensation of stereo headsets when used for monaural voice.
Remember that on a stock Cingular ROM with Win Mob 5, this headset will basically sound like “mono”, not stereo, but that’s not Motorola’s fault, it's M$'s atrocious BT stack!
Good points:
- really, REALLY light, yet stays in place no matter what
- AV and phone controls work properly with HTC Hermes & Windows Mobile
- Rubber ear nubs direct sound into your ears without need for itchy foam covers
- Really soft touch activation of volume and FF/REW buttons (prevents displacment of the headset while adjusting the most common controls)
Not so good points:
- No indication of how much battery charge is left
- A little weak on bass response
- Not enough tactile difference to easily distinguish between play and answer buttons vs volume and FF/REW buttons
- Picks up room noise really badly in phone mode - works best in quiet(er) locations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your review. You filled a few more of the blanks that I was trying
to figure out. I hope the bass response won't be an issue for me but then
again I like to 'feel' my bass and these are just headphones so I don't expect
be getting 'rocked' by them is what I'm telling myself long before they arrive.
OMG!!! BASS and lots of it!!! I am using GSPlayer with the sound settings
VERY tweaked to my taste and even with BassBoost at minimum I am getting
more bass then I would have imagined possible with a BT stereo headset.
Of course you must have really good, clean 192KBps or better MP3s to begin
with and if you ripped them yourself at 320KBps, then you're just enjoying
better then can be expected results with a BT stereo headset.
Me likely!
Once I manage to wipe the stupid smile off my face I will be back to
update my findings for anyone still on the fence thinking about getting
one of these Motorola S9's and needing a slight shove.
I put on the large silicon ear fittings and the bass is incredible.
With the latest ROM's and improved BT drivers I am now able to leave the phone next to the wall about 12 feet behind the basketball goal and shoot pro 3-pointers all day without skipping a beat. And that's while streaming with iPlay from my desktop at home. The microphone isn't the best but if someone calls you can talk, get rid of them, and get back to shooting and jamming in no time. We're getting there...
I'm debating to move to the Z2 and I would very much appreciate any feedback from Z2 owners who have experience with the Note 3.
I am looking at the sound quality of the noise reduction in the headphones and the camera, which are two of the primary draws for me.
How does the sound and camera and overall speed compare in real world use?
donalgodon said:
I'm debating to move to the Z2 and I would very much appreciate any feedback from Z2 owners who have experience with the Note 3.
I am looking at the sound quality of the noise reduction in the headphones and the camera, which are two of the primary draws for me.
How does the sound and camera and overall speed compare in real world use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Former Note 3 user here! In a nutshell, the Z2 is better.
Read my full honest review here - https://www.dropbox.com/s/mpxhmrbqc7dy6nk/Xperia Z2 FULL Review.txt
stanley08 said:
Former Note 3 user here! In a nutshell, the Z2 is better.
Read my full honest review here - https://www.dropbox.com/s/mpxhmrbqc7dy6nk/Xperia Z2 FULL Review.txt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response.
Does the 20.7 MP superior auto hack reduce the quality of the shots over the standard 8MP size superior auto mode?
Those gaps you mentioned in the review have me worried. I would have thought Sony would have that worked out by now, after the Z1 had the same problems.
How can anyone trust the water resistance like this?
stanley08 said:
Former Note 3 user here! In a nutshell, the Z2 is better.
Read my full honest review here - https://www.dropbox.com/s/mpxhmrbqc7dy6nk/Xperia Z2 FULL Review.txt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will be picking this phone up tommorow, have you noticed any serious over-heating or 4K camera recording issues? i.e phone random rebooting while recording video?
I was a former note 3 user and moved on to Z2.
A lot better software stability. More premium design and better handling regarding the smaller size compared to note 3. Unique amongst all samsung users. Waterproof mania and I've been using phones under water since xperia z. People informing they used it even with gaps and it's safe. Any pen stylus can be used and there is one made for sony (sony stylus es22). Camera is outstanding. 4k download is fun. Noise reduction is real. No need for opening flaps as magnetic charging does the job. Sound quality is really good inspite of the waterproof design. Only missing the IR blaster.
Overall u will never regret the switch!
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
sevoflurane said:
I was a former note 3 user and moved on to Z2.
A lot better software stability. More premium design and better handling regarding the smaller size compared to note 3. Unique amongst all samsung users. Waterproof mania and I've been using phones under water since xperia z. People informing they used it even with gaps and it's safe. Any pen stylus can be used and there is one made for sony (sony stylus es22). Camera is outstanding. 4k download is fun. Noise reduction is real. No need for opening flaps as magnetic charging does the job. Sound quality is really good inspite of the waterproof design. Only missing the IR blaster.
Overall u will never regret the switch!
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea I have both devices at the moment I will play around with both to see what I like most. but I think I will take the sony z2 over the note 3. The screen on the z2 is a lot better then the note 3 the colours are much better. The note 3 is a good phone but the z2 wins on a few more things then the note. As for the gaps tho on the z2 it is true you do get them I had to go through 3 of them before I got one with out gaps. But im very happy with it. And it is still waterproof even with gaps. But when paying 900 for a phone I do not expect there to be gaps between the frame and screen. Some people will be fine with it and some will not. But I can honestly say out of all the other phones I have had they have never had gaps between the frame and screen
donalgodon said:
TThose gaps you mentioned in the review have me worried. I would have thought Sony would have that worked out by now, after the Z1 had the same problems.
How can anyone trust the water resistance like this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of people with gaps of different sizes (including me) have taken the bullet and tested the waterproofing of the phone and we have all concluded that no gap has ever compromised the waterproofing. I've yet to see a report of someone saying the gap compromises the waterproofing of the phone. This is probably due to the construction of the phone as the plastic injection molding goes deeper into the phone and then sandwhiched by the glass.
christoph_2013 said:
I will be picking this phone up tommorow, have you noticed any serious over-heating or 4K camera recording issues? i.e phone random rebooting while recording video?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally have experienced over-heating only when recording 4k video for longer than 7 minutes. I think for most, if not all, of the over-heating cases the camera app just shuts off. I don't think anybody's phone ever rebooted due to over-heating from recording 4k.
christoph_2013 said:
I will be picking this phone up tommorow, have you noticed any serious over-heating or 4K camera recording issues? i.e phone random rebooting while recording video?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not tried 4K recording, because i know i don't need it. But TBH, i never use my Video recorder really. Lol.
sevoflurane said:
I was a former note 3 user and moved on to Z2.
A lot better software stability. More premium design and better handling regarding the smaller size compared to note 3. Unique amongst all samsung users. Waterproof mania and I've been using phones under water since xperia z. People informing they used it even with gaps and it's safe. Any pen stylus can be used and there is one made for sony (sony stylus es22). Camera is outstanding. 4k download is fun. Noise reduction is real. No need for opening flaps as magnetic charging does the job. Sound quality is really good inspite of the waterproof design. Only missing the IR blaster.
Overall u will never regret the switch!
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very well said. IR blaster would have been nice. But oh well!
donalgodon said:
Thanks for the response.
Does the 20.7 MP superior auto hack reduce the quality of the shots over the standard 8MP size superior auto mode?
Those gaps you mentioned in the review have me worried. I would have thought Sony would have that worked out by now, after the Z1 had the same problems.
How can anyone trust the water resistance like this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't tested this mod excessively but i believe it would be noisy. Will tell u when i test. And AFAIK, water resistance is ok even with gaps.
donalgodon said:
I'm debating to move to the Z2 and I would very much appreciate any feedback from Z2 owners who have experience with the Note 3.
I am looking at the sound quality of the noise reduction in the headphones and the camera, which are two of the primary draws for me.
How does the sound and camera and overall speed compare in real world use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a former Note 3 user - Also reviews would differ depending on the Note 3 variant used.
I have used N9005 LTE and I wont say switch is great. Handset is having lots of issues as discussed by users worldwide. Software crashes which is a common problem and thats the reason Sony till date has real poor reviews for the same. Phone is surely bulky and heavy compared to Note 3. Battery life is pretty much equivalent so no dramas there. Note 3 never heats (N9005 only) even with an hour of game play - Z2 surely does with 5 min camera usage too. Sound Output of Note 3 is way louder compared to Z2. Camera Z2 has a real good one No doubts about that. Build Quality also is pretty superb.
Sent from my D6502 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
donalgodon said:
I'm debating to move to the Z2 and I would very much appreciate any feedback from Z2 owners who have experience with the Note 3.
I am looking at the sound quality of the noise reduction in the headphones and the camera, which are two of the primary draws for me.
How does the sound and camera and overall speed compare in real world use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I owned the Note 3. Bitterly disappointed with it despite its being a very able mobile. It just didn't work for me. In terms of camera, cant help not my area of expertise. Now sound reproduction is another matter.
In terms of portable sound reproduction Sony started the ball rolling with their Walkmans decades ago. The quality of sound reproduction on most Sony mobile devices is above average to top quality IF one uses dedicated head phones. Here we go..........Headphones or speakers can only reproduce what the amplifier amplifies so the source and amplification are vital. Sony is a leading manufacturer in this area in terms of mobile sourcing and amplification, they have many years of experience and have more or less pioneered portable sound. To this end what we have in the Xperia range is very good amplification and when used with a hi-fidelity headphone those phones are able to take full advantage of the excellent source.
The Xperia Z2 comes with the Sony MDR-NC31EM noise cancelling head phones I am listening to them as I type this and yes they are more accomplished than the stock headphones bundled in most mobiles, better by far BUT..........There are far better still. I am not keen on ear bud type head phones. I prefer an over the ear 'open back' headphone like the Sennheiser PX-100-11. They simply amaze every time I use them and have become a reference point in reviewing other headphones despite their meagre price of around 40.00€ :good:
.
In terms of the ear bud type the Sennheiser CX-300-11 make the Sony ear buds sound amateur. Now if you can afford say 80.00€ the AKG K452 are designed for Android devices and are based on the award winning 450 and 451's They are also portable and come with their own carry case, they are closed back and not ear buds. The AKG can reproduce frequencies between 11-29500Hz, that's from very low base to very high treble! In comparison the Sony MDR's only manage 20-20000Hz meaning they cannot produce the full spectrum of sound frequencies the Z2 is capable off. I am generally not a fan of Sony headphones.
Please do accept that the type of sound you enjoy will not be the same as others. There are numerous brands of head phone and you are bound to find one that you enjoy. Main point is here the Samsung you mention on headphones produced a very decent sound BUT the Sony does produce a greater band width and more open stage to the music. As for the speakers or speaker on the phones themselves, neither are worth even listening to, having written that the Sony again leaves the Sammy dead in the water.
I hope I have been of some small help to you?
Best wishes, Ryland
Well I went the other way, in that I bought a Z2 and gave it up for a Note 3. I will echo what everyone else is saying, the Z2 makes a mockery of the Note's sound, especially with those bundles headphones. Nothing I do to the Note will bring the audio close to the Z2's, I'd be very interested to hear from a Note user that managed to make good on the Note's audio.
The Z2's screen is better but I wouldn't say to a degree that I wouldn't let it impact on the decision to pick it up. We're talking about a significantly smaller screen with that damn navigation bar in place of the buttons. The camera on the Z2 is where it really shines for me. Photos and videos are simply phenomenal. If this matters to you then it's a no-brainer seriously.
It really depends if you're like me and stuck in your ways. I use the Note for work and constantly using the S-Pen for drawing layouts and switching to calculator, I also like my physical buttons. It didn't take me long to switch back for those reasons but I really struggled with the decision to give the Z2 to my girlfriend due to the quality of the audio and video/photo capture. The Z2 is a solid handset it just depends what you want to use it for I guess.
Karnax_ said:
Well I went the other way, in that I bought a Z2 and gave it up for a Note 3. I will echo what everyone else is saying, the Z2 makes a mockery of the Note's sound, especially with those bundles headphones. Nothing I do to the Note will bring the audio close to the Z2's, I'd be very interested to hear from a Note user that managed to make good on the Note's audio.
The Z2's screen is better but I wouldn't say to a degree that I wouldn't let it impact on the decision to pick it up. We're talking about a significantly smaller screen with that damn navigation bar in place of the buttons. The camera on the Z2 is where it really shines for me. Photos and videos are simply phenomenal. If this matters to you then it's a no-brainer seriously.
It really depends if you're like me and stuck in your ways. I use the Note for work and constantly using the S-Pen for drawing layouts and switching to calculator, I also like my physical buttons. It didn't take me long to switch back for those reasons but I really struggled with the decision to give the Z2 to my girlfriend due to the quality of the audio and video/photo capture. The Z2 is a solid handset it just depends what you want to use it for I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed. It depends on ones prioritise and what one does with the mobile.
I was disappointed with the Note 3. My own fault, I made a pre sale purchase and was the first customer in this country to own one. What horrified me about the Note 3 was the plastic leather back with plastic stitching then the plastic chrome sides. No way could I live with the feel of that mobile despite its many other qualities.
Music is important to me and the Samsung on this occasion was awful. The original cost was 1100€ for the Sammy and the Gear watch. With that sort of outlay I expected better materials and construction than the Sammy offered.
If you need the S-pen the Sammy Note is THE phone to own. In that respect its rather unique.
I think when we purchase something we are going to use and hold every day we need to feel pride of ownership and with those plastics made to look like other materials no way could I stomach it. Maybe if the Note 4 is made from decent high end materials I would take another look at the Samsung range BUT as music is important to me it sort of rules out the present Samsung range.
Its great to have all this choice though :highfive: .
Ryland
Ryland Johnson said:
I owned the Note 3. Bitterly disappointed with it despite its being a very able mobile. It just didn't work for me. In terms of camera, cant help not my area of expertise. Now sound reproduction is another matter.
In terms of portable sound reproduction Sony started the ball rolling with their Walkmans decades ago. The quality of sound reproduction on most Sony mobile devices is above average to top quality IF one uses dedicated head phones. Here we go..........Headphones or speakers can only reproduce what the amplifier amplifies so the source and amplification are vital. Sony is a leading manufacturer in this area in terms of mobile sourcing and amplification, they have many years of experience and have more or less pioneered portable sound. To this end what we have in the Xperia range is very good amplification and when used with a hi-fidelity headphone those phones are able to take full advantage of the excellent source.
The Xperia Z2 comes with the Sony MDR-NC31EM noise cancelling head phones I am listening to them as I type this and yes they are more accomplished than the stock headphones bundled in most mobiles, better by far BUT..........There are far better still. I am not keen on ear bud type head phones. I prefer an over the ear 'open back' headphone like the Sennheiser PX-100-11. They simply amaze every time I use them and have become a reference point in reviewing other headphones despite their meagre price of around 40.00€ :good:
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In terms of the ear bud type the Sennheiser CX-300-11 make the Sony ear buds sound amateur. Now if you can afford say 80.00€ the AKG K452 are designed for Android devices and are based on the award winning 450 and 451's They are also portable and come with their own carry case, they are closed back and not ear buds. The AKG can reproduce frequencies between 11-29500Hz, that's from very low base to very high treble! In comparison the Sony MDR's only manage 20-20000Hz meaning they cannot produce the full spectrum of sound frequencies the Z2 is capable off. I am generally not a fan of Sony headphones.
Please do accept that the type of sound you enjoy will not be the same as others. There are numerous brands of head phone and you are bound to find one that you enjoy. Main point is here the Samsung you mention on headphones produced a very decent sound BUT the Sony does produce a greater band width and more open stage to the music. As for the speakers or speaker on the phones themselves, neither are worth even listening to, having written that the Sony again leaves the Sammy dead in the water.
I hope I have been of some small help to you?
Best wishes, Ryland
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Very helpful indeed. My question is this: Sennheiser CX-300-11 does not allow the noise cancelling features built into the device to function, but how do they compare in terms of noise reduction/isolation on their own?
The others are out of my price range at the moment, but the Sennheiser CX-300-11 might get me by.
donalgodon said:
Very helpful indeed. My question is this: Sennheiser CX-300-11 does not allow the noise cancelling features built into the device to function, but how do they compare in terms of noise reduction/isolation on their own?
The others are out of my price range at the moment, but the Sennheiser CX-300-11 might get me by.
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Let me put is this way. When my dear to my heart wife starts to tell me off..............I just pop those in and its bliss.
They come with several sizes of rubber ear bud. When they are in the ear you cannot hear a word outside.
Noise cancelling is not always a good thing. This means the source of the music is not pure. The less distortion your music has the more natural the sound. Processing the sound, as in noise cancelation, is not something I would consider its much like the use of graphic equalisers they just made a mess of the original sound. Sony produce a very good source so I would not want it processed.
The Sennheiser is a very respectable head phone and through me many of my friends and family now own them. I fail to see how one could go wrong with an ear bud that price? I think you will be rather surprised. :highfive:
Let me know what you decide to do.
Ryland
Ryland Johnson said:
Let me put is this way. When my dear to my heart wife starts to tell me off..............I just pop those in and its bliss.
They come with several sizes of rubber ear bud. When they are in the ear you cannot hear a word outside.
Noise cancelling is not always a good thing. This means the source of the music is not pure. The less distortion your music has the more natural the sound. Processing the sound, as in noise cancelation, is not something I would consider its much like the use of graphic equalisers they just made a mess of the original sound. Sony produce a very good source so I would not want it processed.
The Sennheiser is a very respectable head phone and through me many of my friends and family now own them. I fail to see how one could go wrong with an ear bud that price? I think you will be rather surprised. :highfive:
Let me know what you decide to do.
Ryland
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I think I'll go for the Sennheiser CX-300-11 because it seems like a great option for me. I would prefer buds for portability. I wasn't aware of the model, but I do know and trust the brand.
How sensitive are they? I mean, can they be driven properly by the Note 3's sound hardware for the meantime while I decide what device (if any) to replace it with?
I'm torn between the LG G3, G Pro 2, or the OnePlus One, but the latter is not available without invite, and the former are rather expensive Korean imports at the moment.
I went from the Note 3 to the HTC One M8 (for a few days) to the Xperia Z2 and couldn't be happier. I feel it's a huge upgrade for me, notably not having to deal with TouchWiz. Sony's Android UI is far nicer in my opinion. Battery life seems to be better than my Note 3 as well.
I came from the Note 2, but have used my friends' Note 3's extensively. Phone is really nice, the build quality, responsiveness, battery life, and stability are all nice. I did have a problem with my GPS in that it couldn't find my location once but restarting the phone fixed it. However, I will point out that the Note 2 and 3 are better for two handed texting, and the Z2 is great for 1 handed swyping. The speaker phone, because of the water proofing, is quieter and not as clear on the note 2, but has comparable quality to the note 3 speaker (although note 3 is louder). Z2 does get points for front facing speakers though, but flipping the note 2 face down while on speaker gave both parties better results.
Using the Neutron music app, (disgusting UI, but the BEST in sound quality) I found that the note 2 has better sound quality. There is a slight background noise, but that is diminished with moderate volume. Through hi-fi headphones, the note 2 has a better lows, the bass hits harder, with no bleed into the mid or high range. The Z2 has a bit of a bright but overall balanced sound. If you are a basshead then the note 2 is more preferable/fun to listen to but the Z2 is cleaner.
As for the UI, Sony has done a great job with keeping everything simple and clean. It's fast, responsive, and I have had no problems with lagging or hang ups. However, Samsung gives you more customization and even though it feels bloated some times, it lets me do what I need quickly and easily. Like changing the vibration intensity, blocking calls with acceptations, changing brightness in the notification area w/o going to the second tab, tapping the brightness icon, and then changing it. Stock Sony is limited, like stock Android.
Notification light under the speaker is sweet, I just wish it could be a little brighter/customizable. Screen is smaller and easier to reach across, but is lightly mitigated by the bezel size and ergonomics. The blacks are REALLY good for an IPS screen, and I don't notice much of a difference from the true blacks on the AMOLED screen, the colors are accurate yet still vibrant, which is great. The one thing lacking on the Sony screen is the viewing angles, which are OK and the screen is kinda reflective, but I can still see if I max the brightness under the brightest day.
Hello there,
After much inquiry, I've become undecided about this phone. I have been looking for a 4.7-5in phone with a good and snappy camera, battery, USA bands, and micro sd support, and the z5 compact seems to fit the bill. However, I keep reading problems about this device mainly concerning its software and camera. I really like the device given all it has to offer but I'm just not inclined to dish out $500+ on a device that has a problematic camera i.e. blurred edges caused by software or hardware, no warranty (here in the USA), over-heating, sony ui, etc. I currently have an LG G4 which absolutely meets my needs but like I said, I'm looking for a smaller phone for traveling and one hand handling.
So my question for those who own the Z5c, is it really THAT bad and will the firmware update fix the purported problems of this device? I'm concerned about the blurry edges being a hardware issue and perhaps Sony is just covering their tracks by saying that an "update" will fix that problem. If you have updated your device, could you post a sample of the fixed camera or at least let us know here?
Really appreciate your time and input!
Coming from the z1 compact and z3 compact, although I loved those phones I did find the camera sub par, and the external speaker volume too low and muffled, the front and back screens were finger print magnets and easily scratched.
But I love the compact series and put my hope and money back into the z5-compact.
Had mine for 2 weeks now (Arctic white) and I love the new design, the no finger print frosted rear glass and the front screen also just doesn't seem to attract finger prints either!, improved and much louder external speakers, the camera has improved dramatically. I have none of the reported issues of blurred edges, slow camera opening etc it's all good. Oh and the fingerprint scanner is awesome!
I love this phone to death it's perfect in my eyes. It will be hard to part with this when it comes time to upgrade to the z6 compact ☺
Woza72 said:
Coming from the z1 compact and z3 compact, although I loved those phones I did find the camera sub par, and the external speaker volume too low and muffled, the front and back screens were finger print magnets and easily scratched.
But I love the compact series and put my hope and money back into the z5-compact.
Had mine for 2 weeks now (Arctic white) and I love the new design, the no finger print frosted rear glass and the front screen also just doesn't seem to attract finger prints either!, improved and much louder external speakers, the camera has improved dramatically. I have none of the reported issues of blurred edges, slow camera opening etc it's all good. Oh and the fingerprint scanner is awesome!
I love this phone to death it's perfect in my eyes. It will be hard to part with this when it comes time to upgrade to the z6 compact ☺
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Does the software seem good and fast? No stutters or lag?
Thanks
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
Notchr302 said:
Does the software seem good and fast? No stutters or lag?
Thanks
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
There were stutters and lags, but since the last update they all are gone.
Drakorcarnis0 said:
There were stutters and lags, but since the last update they all are gone.
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Click to collapse
I'm so confused because some say there is still lag after the update. Ugh lol
Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
I am one of those who would say that the lags are gone after the update. And whatever that guy said, I agree wholeheartedly. This phone is a beast. I also come from a Z3 Compact and I am loving the Z5c. Especially the camera
It was a little stuttery straight out of the box but I downloaded Sony PC companion (just googled it) and then downloaded the latest firmware 32.0.A.6.152 (it took a couple of hours, which by all reports is normal) then updated my phone.
Happy to report it is buttery smooth with no stutters or lags all super fast.
Interesting to see that the pre installed photo analyzer app (Sony) which was reportedly causing some lag, had disappeared in the latest firmware.
I hope this has helped you with your decision.
Cheers
Do you still have the blurry edges or has it been fixed?
moist_line said:
Do you still have the blurry edges or has it been fixed?
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99% sure it's good. You be the judge. Just a quick picture, tried to place items on every edge/corner.
I'm sitting at the park, it's dusk and a little cloudy. No flash, superior auto, 8mp.
I've had the Z5C for a week now and I can't comment too much on certain details because this is my very first Android phone - I am coming straight from a Nokia 808. The phone is compact, slick-looking, seems incredibly fast to me and I am liking the Android experience as a whole, although a few things Symbian had were simpler and more elegant (changing phone profiles, searching for contacts under phone, for instance).
The one issue I have, and that is a big one and it is so big of an issue that I registered today on XDA to ask for help, is the extremely poor photo/camera quality. I cannot understand what is going on here. This is a $600 2015 brand new release phone. Something must be wrong either with the software or hardware on my phone, which sucks since I purchased it for US operation (no warranty). I do not know how to express in words how disappointed I am with the camera. Let's just say that my 2012 Nokia 808 takes photos comparable to my SLR system. I was expecting at least equivalent photo quality from a modern/newer phone.
OldSkewler said:
I've had the Z5C for a week now and I can't comment too much on certain details because this is my very first Android phone - I am coming straight from a Nokia 808. The phone is compact, slick-looking, seems incredibly fast to me and I am liking the Android experience as a whole, although a few things Symbian had were simpler and more elegant (changing phone profiles, searching for contacts under phone, for instance).
The one issue I have, and that is a big one and it is so big of an issue that I registered today on XDA to ask for help, is the extremely poor photo/camera quality. I cannot understand what is going on here. This is a $600 2015 brand new release phone. Something must be wrong either with the software or hardware on my phone, which sucks since I purchased it for US operation (no warranty). I do not know how to express in words how disappointed I am with the camera. Let's just say that my 2012 Nokia 808 takes photos comparable to my SLR system. I was expecting at least equivalent photo quality from a modern/newer phone.
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What are your thoughts on the quick photo I posted? All standard settings in quite average light? Do you see any of the issues you are experiencing on your phone?
Woza72 said:
What are your thoughts on the quick photo I posted? All standard settings in quite average light? Do you see any of the issues you are experiencing on your phone?
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Click to collapse
For the resolution posted, I dont see any issues. What I see on my photos is some sort of sharpening which causes details to be lost when zooming in. And believe me, I am not even remotely pixel-peeking, just basic cropping for creative purposes.
I'll try to post some sample photos to illustrate what I am facing here.
Cheers,
BB
OldSkewler said:
The one issue I have, and that is a big one and it is so big of an issue that I registered today on XDA to ask for help, is the extremely poor photo/camera quality. I cannot understand what is going on here. This is a $600 2015 brand new release phone. Something must be wrong either with the software or hardware on my phone, which sucks since I purchased it for US operation (no warranty). I do not know how to express in words how disappointed I am with the camera. Let's just say that my 2012 Nokia 808 takes photos comparable to my SLR system. I was expecting at least equivalent photo quality from a modern/newer phone.
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If you haven't already, you might want to check the main Xperia Z5 subforum about this issue, specifically this thread where they talk about the camera, and the best settings for particular lighting. It could be you have a defective camera though, and if so, I feel for ya since I also imported my device.
Adrift98 said:
If you haven't already, you might want to check the main Xperia Z5 subforum about this issue, specifically this thread where they talk about the camera, and the best settings for particular lighting. It could be you have a defective camera though, and if so, I feel for ya since I also imported my device.
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Exactly how my photos look like! Thanks for linking me to this thread, even though what I learned from it is not exactly great news!
OldSkewler said:
Exactly how my photos look like! Thanks for linking me to this thread, even though what I learned from it is not exactly great news!
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Same problem for me. It's a very expansive phone and you have to read pages of forums to understand how to make the most of it.
But still, the camera to me is a complete disaster. The app is cheap, very laggy, menus are terrible and the most improtant part, it takes poor photos.
Oversharpened and zooming in a tiny bit on a 23Mp pictures is just horrible.
The photo shared a few post back in the park is just awful too, sorry bro no offense, but it's not a defective camera it's just what is sold.
When you come from other brands, you are automatically disapointed.
P.S. videos are quite amazing though, especially in 60fps and the management of the edit app of videos is very good too.
I just switched to the nexus 5X, and there are no comparaison. Much much simpler, you don't need to test every little setting to take a good pic and zooming in is incredible, the best.
Yet I really loved the compact shape and overall build quality of the z5 device.
Comments non related to the camera is : the system is quite good as it is very similar to stock android but a little disappointed too by the performance.
I don't speak about lags and everything as it is quite fluid, but it just takes time to open or reload apps compared to my other devices.
I am still keeping the device to see if there will be improvement (there should be a major camera app update this month) but i don't believe in miracles, i don't think that will solve the pictures quality.
If you know how to use it (8mp at SA for darker scenarios, 23mp manual for bright daylight) it's been reviewed in a number of places as the best camera currently on the market. It's interesting to me how polarizing the camera is for people though. People either think it's the second coming, or the antichrist. I imagine that the improvements to the software promised with the Marshmallow update will go a long way to getting a lot of naysayers to give it a second look.
Adrift98 said:
If you know how to use it (8mp at SA for darker scenarios, 23mp manual for bright daylight) it's been reviewed in a number of places as the best camera currently on the market.
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That is a very interesting perspective on the topic; so basically it boils down to misuse by users! And I suspect this is from someone that has never even tried the phone!
Let me propose the exact opposite, and I suspect a portion (if not majority) of people complaining about the imaging performance on these Z5 phones are actually far from amateur photographers and do understand what is achievable and should be expected in terms o quality. There is no way to slice this or put a twist on it, and I don't care about DXO ratings.
OldSkewler said:
That is a very interesting perspective on the topic; so basically it boils down to misuse by users! And I suspect this is from someone that has never even tried the phone!
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No, it's certainly been by those who've tried the phone. By the looks of it you didn't get too far into that thread I previously recommended, but Timaustin2000 and a few others in that thread really turned the tone around with their investigations on the ability of the camera, and comparison shots. They've even had an influential effect on reviewers. So for instance, it wasn't till TimAustin pointed out to the reviewers at Android Authority that they were crippling the phone by using the 23mp in low light scenarios that they took into consideration the supersampling of the 8mp default settings. From there a number of other reviewers, bloggers, vloggers, and the like took a second look at the camera in the phone and tested appropriately with often very very positive results (many of these reviews and videos are also mentioned in that thread).
Let me propose the exact opposite, and I suspect a portion (if not majority) of people complaining about the imaging performance on these Z5 phones are actually far from amateur photographers and do understand what is achievable and should be expected in terms o quality. There is no way to slice this or put a twist on it, and I don't care about DXO ratings.
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From the recent reviews that I've been reading and watching, that doesn't appear to be the case, but of course, you're free to come to your own conclusions.
Haven't had much experience with the Z5C camera yet, only had it for a week.
But one thing, it takes so long to open. This is my 1St Android phone, been an ios user for around 4.5 years & the iPhones were just easier to access their camera. Slide up, click camera & it opened. On the Z5C, you press & hold the camera button, feel it vibrate, let it go... & wait.
After a second or so, the screen goes black, then the camera opens, then the screen starts to set itself up.
Just tried then & it was around 4 seconds.
I love the phone so far, but it seems to really struggle with normal usage.
By normal usage, for me, I mean it lags. Playing YouTube videos, it lags, I'm in Oz & we have an online streaming movie/TV service called Stan.... It doesn't work on the Z5.
Switching between tasks can give the phone a heart attack. For example, I was playing Clash Of Clans & some one tried to call me, the box popped down, I clicked answer & nothing happened.
I clicked answer two or three more times, before clicking back to the home screen, the phone call went to message bank while my phone locked up, went black & I had to wait around 30 seconds for it to sort itself out.
Even typing this it lags every now & then.
8 Ball Pool is laggy... If messages pop while playing, it gets even worse.
I do love the phone, I am enjoying Android (I miss a few ios advantages), but I just wish that the phone didn't feel like it was made with enough Ram to run the OS & one app at a time.
Oh... The audio is quiet, it doesn't go as loud as my iPhone 4 did, with my Bose head set & it lacks the same bass, but does sound alright.
The included Sony ear plugs are uncomfortable, have no sound advantages, have annoying different length ear cords & no volume control.
No supplied quick charger.
The back of the phone tends to get quite hot.
Sid3wayz said:
Haven't had much experience with the Z5C camera yet, only had it for a week.
But one thing, it takes so long to open. This is my 1St Android phone, been an ios user for around 4.5 years & the iPhones were just easier to access their camera. Slide up, click camera & it opened. On the Z5C, you press & hold the camera button, feel it vibrate, let it go... & wait.
After a second or so, the screen goes black, then the camera opens, then the screen starts to set itself up.
Just tried then & it was around 4 seconds.
I love the phone so far, but it seems to really struggle with normal usage.
By normal usage, for me, I mean it lags. Playing YouTube videos, it lags, I'm in Oz & we have an online streaming movie/TV service called Stan.... It doesn't work on the Z5.
Switching between tasks can give the phone a heart attack. For example, I was playing Clash Of Clans & some one tried to call me, the box popped down, I clicked answer & nothing happened.
I clicked answer two or three more times, before clicking back to the home screen, the phone call went to message bank while my phone locked up, went black & I had to wait around 30 seconds for it to sort itself out.
Even typing this it lags every now & then.
8 Ball Pool is laggy... If messages pop while playing, it gets even worse.
I do love the phone, I am enjoying Android (I miss a few ios advantages), but I just wish that the phone didn't feel like it was made with enough Ram to run the OS & one app at a time.
Oh... The audio is quiet, it doesn't go as loud as my iPhone 4 did, with my Bose head set & it lacks the same bass, but does sound alright.
The included Sony ear plugs are uncomfortable, have no sound advantages, have annoying different length ear cords & no volume control.
No supplied quick charger.
The back of the phone tends to get quite hot.
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Click to collapse
Previous iPhone only user here too. Have you updated to the latest firmware? My camera takes about 2 seconds to come up pressing the side button since the update. Further improvements are expected with the Marshmallow update.
Also, I have no lag since the latest firmware, but I'm also using the Nova Launcher which you can get for free in the Play Store (not sure if that makes any difference or not).
I also have a problem with the volume, especially from the front speakers. Thought having two speakers instead of one, as I did on my iPhone 2G, 3G, 4S. and 6S would make it louder, but it's not. Still, honestly, I don't find it much quieter than those devices either. the 6S was maybe a tick louder, but not by much. I still want more punch from the front speakers, and I'm hoping that's something I can fix by doing some sort of ROM tweak. If not, I suppose I can live with it, but its the biggest disappointment about the device for me, not because its so much quieter than my iPhone devices, but because it doesn't stand head and shoulders above them.
I don't know about you, but my Sony ear plugs are way way wayyyyy more comfortable than my iPhone headphones. In fact, they're the most comfortable in-ear headphones I've ever worn. The different length on the cords I don't really have much issue with, since I usually drape the longest cord behind my head to my right ear (which is how I'm assuming they're meant to be worn). I will admit that they seem slightly cheap-ish, and I was hoping that where the volume button was (which I DO have on my pair) also had a mic so I could answer in-coming calls, but overall, I think they're pretty okay. Again, they're much more comfortable than the headphones that came with my iPhones. As far as loudness in the headphones is concerned, they're loud enough, but I definitely wouldn't mind if they were louder. I'll probably end up getting some sort of thin amp/dac like the dragonfly or the Aqua to boost the volume. Shame I have to do that, but oh well.
Again, its interesting to me how varied people's reactions are to this device. I'm FAR more happier with this device than I am my previous iPhones. Its not perfect, but it hits so many of the checkboxes for me that its hard to complain.
Edit: Oh, also, I got a quick charger with my device, but I bought the Taiwan version, so maybe that accounts for the difference in headphones and charger.
Lastly, after the initial setup, and especially after the update, my phone doesn't get very hot. Maybe I'm not using the same intensive programs that you are, though. The phone gets a little warm with Candy Crush and Asphalt 8, but my iPhone 6S also got pretty hot just using the camera (which is something my mother noticed when I handed her the phone to see some pictures).
The Nexus 6P is my first nexus device after using HTC and Samsung as my main Android devices. I've also had most iPhone models so I'll be using my experience from both sides of the camp to make my comparison. I am writing this in the hopes that someone will be able to get a better idea of the device from a user’s perspective and see if it is the right device for them, as well as the issues that they could potentially face and decide if it’s worth replacing their device.
HARDWARE
The first experience was a bit annoying as I needed to RMA the first device due to the plastic piece on the back having a rather annoying hump on the left side. Google support for Canada was great. 2 days is all it took to get my new device. Sadly that one too had the same issue but it was far less prominent so I decided it didn’t bother me enough for a second exchange and I kept it. I also don't know if one speaker is louder or not, some videos make it sound that way while others don't. Music seems fine on it so I assume it's OK. They sound fine regardless but I know that's an issue. Neither one had any extreme issues with sound from my experience thus far. The volume with headphones on was exceptionally loud. I usually don't need to keep it super low but on this phone I did, super happy about that, same with calls over an earpiece, very loud and clear. Likewise with using the phones speaker. No issues at all.
Both of them were perfect hardware wise aside the hump. No scratches or issues with bends. The first phone however felt hollow on the back. The second one felt fuller, sturdier. If I tap the back it felt heftier vs a more empty feeling. Not sure if I'm the only one who noticed something like this, sound off in the comments. For my sized hands it feels great. The phone is a bit big but still manageable in a case (Ringke fusion). My only real issue with the hardware, more specifically the internal hardware, was the vibration. It is very weak, especially when compared to my Samsung s6/edge and iPhone 6. I've missed phone calls while on vibrate and in my pocket because I just don't feel it while I'm walking. If anyone else has similar experiences I’d like to hear your input on this.
DISPLAY
The display is where things got interesting. The first phone I got was immediately put into sRGB mode because one thing I love about iPhone is the attention to color accuracy. While not perfect has been better than all other phones I've had, even the Samsung Galaxy s6 and s6 edge. (To my eyes of course)
The Nexus 6P was to my surprise really good. While some colors were maybe a bit washed out looking when compared to my IPS monitors at home, it did a great job. The whites have been really good, and the blacks of course are perfect thanks to the amoled panel. Tilting the display down showed a greenish hue while tilting up showed a pinkish hue. Looking at it dead on I don't really notice the color shift but it was present on both models. Everything on the display is super crisp. Images, especially colorful ones are a joy to view. Everything pops and looks outstanding. I don't watch a lot of video but that was a real treat as well. Even compared to the S6, the larger display really helps in that regard.
Once the replacement arrived though I immediately noticed the difference in calibration. The new phone, which I'm keeping, had noticeably better and deeper colors on sRGB mode. The first and most noticeable was the notification menu. It was darker grey. I immediately started comparing side by side and noticed that the new phone made the old one look washed out. The colors were more accurate on the replacement and that to me was a huge win. It might be what made me not care for the smaller but still noticeable hump on the plastic. The whites on the second phone have been a bit odd as the pinkish tone is sometimes more noticeable on tilting but again, minor issue for me. On max brightness both had near perfect whites, and colors as gorgeous as ever. At around 50%, which is what my phone is always on (auto brightness turned off), the whites while still good, are toned down. It's as if a small hint of silver was added to the whites. Again, still white but you can notice the difference from the brightness levels. Lower brightness was OK, colors aren't special but then again they aren't meant to be at the level. Good for reading at night though! The rest of the colors manage to retain their consistency despite the drop. Kudos to Google and Huawei for doing a great job on the colors, I'm very happy with the results over all.
SOFTWARE
Software so far has been awesome. Only thing to crash so far was Facebook... Because it's Facebook. Everything is insanely fast. Even compared to Samsung and iPhone. Every time I think I opened too many apps or I need to reopen an app worrying it might lag, it doesn't. And it's left exactly where it was, it doesn't reload or even stutter. The experience has been such a joy. It's my first Android device to be this smooth and reliable. I still obsessively close apps but, I do it less often now. For those wondering I use nova launcher, so I can't really comment on Google launcher but I'm sure it's fine. I wish Google would have kept the dark theme but that's just me being picky and somewhat spoiled by the themes option on the new Samsung phones. I also don't root or bother with roms anymore (last one being the HTC One M7 to turn it into the Google edition).
So far I'm very satisfied with the software and lack of bloat ware. Looking forward to timely updates as well, unlike some other Android manufacturers out there....
The finger print sensor is easily the best one I've ever used. The fact that I don't need to turn the phone on to use it and get access to my home screen is just fantastic. It feels so natural for me as well since my finger naturally goes to that spot. It's fast, insanely accurate and convenient. When I get low on battery (and that's coming up, don’t worry) battery saver mode is great. It makes standby that much better and I can have enough juice for emergency phone calls or gps if needed.
CAMERA
The rear camera has been great although different on my two phones. The second phone being better. The first phone I noticed had issues doing macro shots and focusing properly when you try to get too close to an object. However on 8mp instead of the 12, it focused way better on macro and caught better details because of it. The second phone had no such issues and performed as I expected. Marcos were great on either resolution and had great colors and detail. Just an odd issue to have and I'm curious if anyone else has experienced this. I have not tried video so I can't comment but from what others have posted it seems really good, minus the lack of OIS.
I haven't taken many selfies but the front camera looks great, tons of detail, lots of visible imperfections to look your ugliest, highly recommend
BATTERY
Battery life has been the biggest surprise.
Having an iPhone 6 which has been the only phone to get me through a day with battery to spare, I have always been skeptical of Android and its poor battery life for my usage. To clarify, I use it for mainly texting, Facebook and it's messenger, phone calls, music, web browsing and maybe a video or two. WiFi is always left on regardless if I'm home or not, and Bluetooth is always off with location settings set on high. My brightness (which almost no one seems to point out) is always at 50%, auto turned off. Very rarely at night when I'm already at home will I turn it down but again, very rarely.
With most Android phones, my SOT has been 3-3.5hrs. Maybe 10-12hrs of standby. Pretty awful. With iPhone, I get 14-15hrs of standby on the same usage type. Now, iPhone displays usage differently from Android and on iOS I get about 8-10hrs of usage. Whatever that actually means. All I know is it got me through the day with life to spare. I'm extremely happy to say that the Nexus 6P is the first Android phone (since the note 2) to get me through a full day and have reserves left in the tank. My first full day, I got 4.5hrs of SOT with 15.5hrs of standby, 2hrs of phone calls and about 2 hours of music. Battery saver was on at 15%.
Overall I couldn't be happier with this phone, it has excellent battery life for my usage, it feels and looks great. The minor issues I had can be easily overlooked by someone less ocd than myself so it's a phone I highly recommend to anyone. Now if only we had more variety with accessories...
Hope you liked my review and if you have any questions please feel free to ask
Nice review. It's getting harder and harder waiting until Monday to receive mine
Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the review!
Great review, waiting for my own and I'm pretty sure I'll love it
Skickat från min LG-H815 via Tapatalk
Hoping to hear more about the vibration strength. I have a oneplus one, and I absolutely hate the vibrator inside it. The vibration is so weak and makes the phone feel cheap compared to my M7.
Good review. I was using the iPhone previously and this phone feels little dim with compare to iPhone. As you mentioned white is good, could you please post a snap of Nexus 6P and iPhone side by side with 100% brightness and auto brightness off.
What headphones were using?
My phone doesn't really push my 60 ohm Sony's to "loud".
Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk
Sound quality and loudness in headphones is the only thing that's worries me about both 5x and 6P. Because I'll try them out before root I can't just install V4A the first thing I do. Except for loud sound, what do you think of loudness if you compare to the iPhone (using loudness eq)?
Thanks.
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What about the yellow tint?
Sent from my GT-N7100 using XDA Free mobile app
Can you tell me how is the GPS? Does the gps works properly?
G1sanju said:
Good review. I was using the iPhone previously and this phone feels little dim with compare to iPhone. As you mentioned white is good, could you please post a snap of Nexus 6P and iPhone side by side with 100% brightness and auto brightness off.
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Sadly I no longer have the iPhone 6 as I sold it to get this phone. I'll see if I can get a picture with some help from friends regarding that.
@chrisexv6: I have Bose On-Ear, Monster DNA, Apple earpods, and I HAD Skullcandy 50/50. The Bose are still my favorite and at least for me, they are pretty loud. This being pretty subjective I can only go by my experience but I rarely push beyond half way on the volume slider. Phone calls I’ll sometimes push it up due to the environment around me but even that I find I have to turn it down because it gets too loud for my ears
@dondavis007: I have not had a chance to play with the eq so I can’t comment but in general it is definitely louder than my iPhone 6 was. I have a much easier time hearing this thing from across the room.
@Dbj.Dhaval: On my 2 units I have not seen any yellow tint thankfully. I don’t know how common that would be but hopefully it’s only in small portions.
@aygul12345: GPS has been perfect for me. I have not had any issues inside maps or the Transit app that I use daily. I’ll be sure to mention if that changes however everything is solid so far.
dondavis007 said:
Sound quality and loudness in headphones is the only thing that's worries me about both 5x and 6P. Because I'll try them out before root I can't just install V4A the first thing I do. Except for loud sound, what do you think of loudness if you compare to the iPhone (using loudness eq)?
Thanks.
Skickat från min LG-H815 via Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I noticed quite a difference with sound loudness when using Music Volume Equalizer BUT I do not know if it is the app or the phone itself, with my wired earbuds I get NO equalization difference no matter which option I choose. I say wired because with Blue Tooth it is fine. I may post another thread with this wired question.
Thanks for the review.
@G1sanju
I have added a photo comparing the brightness on the iPhone 6S and the Nexus 6P, hopefully this will also give an idea as to the colour reproduction on both. Nexus 6P is set to sRGB mode in this photo.
Both phones are at 100% brightness. From in person, the iPhone did look a bit brighter but not by too much. hope this helps!
resetoriginal said:
@G1sanju
I have added a photo comparing the brightness on the iPhone 6S and the Nexus 6P, hopefully this will also give an idea as to the colour reproduction on both. Nexus 6P is set to sRGB mode in this photo.
Both phones are at 100% brightness. From in person, the iPhone did look a bit brighter but not by too much. hope this helps!
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Thanks, Not much of the difference on sRGB Mode. I think its more visible on the white, because of little warm color production on Nexus 6P.
@resetoriginal Would you mind posting your build date? I, too, had to RMA my first device due to a protruding lip on the bottom panel. My replacement still has it, but, like yours, is much less pronounced. I'm just curious if it's a certain batch. My replacement device was built on 10/25.
goffmj said:
@resetoriginal Would you mind posting your build date? I, too, had to RMA my first device due to a protruding lip on the bottom panel. My replacement still has it, but, like yours, is much less pronounced. I'm just curious if it's a certain batch. My replacement device was built on 10/25.
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Click to collapse
My phone's built date is 10-21-2015
I've seen lots of complaints regarding the Pixel 6 Pro and while I was considering upgrading, I'm now not sure on what to do.
I honestly don't know. Mine is coming today. Personally I decided to go with the smaller pixel 6. I usually don't get a phone on launch day i like to wait for at least 6 months because every phone that has ever been made has problems. But in this case i figured the 6 couldn't be much worse than the pixel 5 which is what i have now so i got it. If the tensor chip proves to be all its claiming and the phone is really as good as it looks then i will get the pro and give the base model to my wife.
Okay cool, let me know what you think of it
Depends on what you're upgrading from. I'm coming from a OP6, so this will be a welcomed upgrade
Depends what you're upgrading from I guess.
I had an Experia 5ii, great little device with a sometimes awesome camera but as time's gone on the proximity sensor doesn't seem to work well and it drops a lot of calls. So as a phone, a bit pants!
What I've noticed so far with the P6.
Display is lovely, going from 120hz to to 90hz wasn't a big deal, it's still smooth. Brightness and colours are the best I've had on a device.
Using it as a phone seems to work well, and in the car it maintains reception.
Haptics are really nice and clicky
Camera is good so far, especially in lower light which in the UK is important!
Batery is good, about 36 hours in normal use.
Fingerprint sensor is OK, it's not great and takes time to register but it's fine.
It is quite heavy.
In use, it's snappy and smooth. I don't game on the phone but for everything else it's quick.
The only real irritating things I can find is the slightly slow FP reader and I can't seem to get rid of the new small at-a-glance on the home screen, I want the old one back!
Diablo2424 said:
Depends on what you're upgrading from. I'm coming from a OP6, so this will be a welcomed upgrade
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Coming from a galaxy a71.
MrN1484 said:
Depends what you're upgrading from I guess.
I had an Experia 5ii, great little device with a sometimes awesome camera but as time's gone on the proximity sensor doesn't seem to work well and it drops a lot of calls. So as a phone, a bit pants!
What I've noticed so far with the P6.
Display is lovely, going from 120hz to to 90hz wasn't a big deal, it's still smooth. Brightness and colours are the best I've had on a device.
Using it as a phone seems to work well, and in the car it maintains reception.
Haptics are really nice and clicky
Camera is good so far, especially in lower light which in the UK is important!
Batery is good, about 36 hours in normal use.
Fingerprint sensor is OK, it's not great and takes time to register but it's fine.
It is quite heavy.
In use, it's snappy and smooth. I don't game on the phone but for everything else it's quick.
The only real irritating things I can find is the slightly slow FP reader and I can't seem to get rid of the new small at-a-glance on the home screen, I want the old one back!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the fingerprint sensor really slow or is it about the same as other under display optical sensors? As for at-a-glance is that mostly just personal taste?
Courtrick said:
Is the fingerprint sensor really slow or is it about the same as other under display optical sensors? As for at-a-glance is that mostly just personal taste?
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Click to collapse
I had a Xiaomi mi9t Pro with an in display reader and from what I can remember it's about the same.
The permanent (as far as I can tell) at a glance is in the top left corner so you have to stretch your thumb all the way across the screen vs the older widget which you can place anywhere.
MrN1484 said:
I had a Xiaomi mi9t Pro with an in display reader and from what I can remember it's about the same.
The permanent (as far as I can tell) at a glance is in the top left corner so you have to stretch your thumb all the way across the screen vs the older widget which you can place anywhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never used a pixel before but apparently at a glance is one of the main features, let's hope they change this soon and okay at least the fingerprint sensor is not worse than others.
Courtrick said:
I've never used a pixel before but apparently at a glance is one of the main features, let's hope they change this soon and okay at least the fingerprint sensor is not worse than others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We maybe talking at cross purposes... I've attached a couple of screenshots.
I much prefer the at a glance widget which has been available for a few years with the Google Assistant vs the fixed new one in the top left corner.
This is my first pixel, I've had pho es running Pixel Experience before but no Pixel up until now appealed to me, there was always a compromise too far whereas this seems to tick all the boxes, an SD card reader would have been nice though.
MrN1484 said:
We maybe talking at cross purposes... I've attached a couple of screenshots.
I much prefer the at a glance widget which has been available for a few years with the Google Assistant vs the fixed new one in the top left corner.
This is my first pixel, I've had pho es running Pixel Experience before but no Pixel up until now appealed to me, there was always a compromise too far whereas this seems to tick all the boxes, an SD card reader would have been nice though.
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Click to collapse
I see what you mean, I agree with you on preferring the original at a glance widget.
Courtrick said:
Coming from a galaxy a71.
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Looking at the specs of the regular a71 vs the Pixel 6 (https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=11037&idPhone2=9995), it looks like the Pixel 6 has a smaller screen, but better gorilla glass, much faster CPU/GPU, about the same camera's (maybe a little worse on the Pixel 6, but don't forget Google has a lot of software tweaks to their photos that will help boost the quality above the a71), faster USB, WiFi 6 support and 5G support if you don't have the a71 5g version. The a71 does have a MicroSD slot which the Pixel 6 doesn't have if that's an important feature to you. Oh and the Pixel 6 is IP68 rated, but the a71 doesn't show any IP rating.
Basically the Pixel 6 is a smaller screen, faster phone (CPU, GPU, 5G and WiFi) with equivalent camera quality, but doesn't allow you to expand the storage. So it would be an upgrade, but not a MAJOR upgrade as the a71 is still a very good phone by 2021 standards.
I upgraded from a P3a XL to the P6. I simply will not spend $800-$1200 on a phone that is going to be obsolete in a couple of years. That's why I've stayed with the "A" series Pixels until now. The P6 was a bit of a budget stretch, but the phone is so much better than the "A" series phones that it was worth the extra $100-150 to me.
For me personally, the P6 Pro doesn't offer enough benefits to justify the $300 price difference - that's a 50% increase in price over the P6. Obviously everything in the Pro is slightly better than the P6, but I didn't feel that everything was 50% better.
That being said, the P6 is a great phone and I am very happy with it so far. Of course I've only had it for about 24 hours now. The in-screen fingerprint reader has worked fine for me. It is a "touch and hold" motion (need to hold for almost a second before it unlocks), but I've had probably 90% success with my first touch. It's not as fast or as reliable has the rear reader on the P3 XL, but I actually like the front placement better than the rear. I didn't think I was going to say that, but being able to unlocked the phone while it is sitting on a table without picking it up is really nice. The front reader is also placed in the perfect spot to read your thumb when you do pick it up too.
It's been raining here, so I haven't really tried out the cameras, but I believe they are as good as the former Pixels. Not better yet, but as good. I honestly expect the camera performance to get better as Google continues to tweak the software for the new sensor and lenses. The old sensor was tweaked for years and years to get it to the current quality level. If Google can start at that level with the new sensor, I am quite happy.
Just got my pixel6, coming from a year on a redmagic flagship. Pixel feels like a downgrade.
MrN1484 said:
I had a Xiaomi mi9t Pro with an in display reader and from what I can remember it's about the same.
The permanent (as far as I can tell) at a glance is in the top left corner so you have to stretch your thumb all the way across the screen vs the older widget which you can place anywhere.oming from a mi9t Pro
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Click to collapse
Second this. I'm coming from a mi9t Pro and the fingerprint scanner on the Pixel 6 seems to be the same.
Coming from a 3a, my biggest reservation is the size. There are places where my 3a fits well -- certain pockets, in my car when plugged in, while cycling., etc. -- and the added size of the 6 might just be too much. I might have opted for the 5a, but the way they soft-pedaled and restricted the release makes me afraid it will be somewhat of an orphan product. Decisions, decisions...
ctakah27 said:
Just got my pixel6, coming from a year on a redmagic flagship. Pixel feels like a downgrade.
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Care to elaborate? Interested in what you don't like compared to the Redmagic.