Advice from current S4 Owners Required!
One month before launch of S4 i sold my One X to buy S4 when it comes in market. When it finally came out, it had known issues of
>Screan Smearing/Pink tint
>Over Heating & Battery Drain
>Lags, Lags and Lags as compared to iPhone specially.
So i skipped S4 at launched and for the first i decided to try iPhone in my life, after 10 or so Android Phones!
NOW I WANT TO ASK FROM CURRENT S4 USERS, IF THIS PHONE IS STABLE ENOUGH AND FREE FROM ABOVE ISSUES FOR ME TO BUY IT NOW, OR SHOULD I WAIT S4 WITH GOOGLE AS I HATE TOUCHWIZ AND STOCK MAY BE LITE WEIGHT OR EVEN WAIT FOR NEXUS 5?
I like smoothness of iPhone, almost all softwares like, Viber, Skype, Facebook or more smooth and beautiful on iPhone than any android i ever used, they usually stutter on Android, my problem with iPhone at times is small screen, at times i feel smaller screen is blessing to carry phone around easily in pockets.
Sharing limitations of iPhone was taken care with Dropbox as i can share songs and videos with any phone via dropbox, at times i think of absolute sharing like in any Android Phone?
I have budget now a days to sale my brand new iPhone and add money and try S4 now? but on net too much confusion, thats why i ask users to give me there say.
Thanks in advance in case if you give me piece of your precious time here and give me your thoughts.
Kind Regards!
I have s4 its good in every aspect except the heating problem
If u play any game which requires a good level of ram than it gets heated up like an oven
U cant even put it on your ear after playing games
Rest all is good
Sent from my Dell Streak using xda premium
Feels like downgrade
I had a Galaxy Note II before S4 I9500, and to be frank, it feels like a downgrade. No amount of tweaking seems to improve the lag, overheats like crazy and battery life, especially when compared to GN II, is much worse. Screen is good, but really, cannot tell the difference with naked eye. The only benefit for me was the size, as GN II's size was starting to get at me.
adem_7 said:
I had a Galaxy Note II before S4 I9500, and to be frank, it feels like a downgrade. No amount of tweaking seems to improve the lag, overheats like crazy and battery life, especially when compared to GN II, is much worse. Screen is good, but really, cannot tell the difference with naked eye. The only benefit for me was the size, as GN II's size was starting to get at me.
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Click to collapse
I don't know if its just me or I'm really a nitpicker. I have an officemate who has a note 2 and I can see the jagged edges of the icons on his screen. I must say the s4 is well worth it for a flagship device. I looked around today with a friend that is looking for his next phone.. we compared my phone to other phones and he's really amazed at my s4. He will get his own s4 next week.
I have the i9505 version.
Personally i didn't notice any overheating. Its same as s3 after 1h playing, just the s3 gets warm on bottom and s4 on top. I have nothing like some said here that phone got so hot that couldn't be touched
I noticed the smearing. Doesn't bother me at all and today was released new update , which is fixing the smearing problem.
LAGS? My s4 stock with all samsung's bloats on, is pretty damn smooth, i just noticed sometimes when closing multiple apps a bit of stutter in animations but nothing major here.
If you are not interested in Note 3 which anyway you will have to wait for, go for the s4. This is my opinion.
I remember when s3 came out with ICS on, was so so laggy and buggy and everything..after updates > jellybean was perfectly smooth.
So i'm sure s4 will get just better and better with every update.
If size isn't an issue, then wait for note 3, it will be a supreme device I feel so.
Aaryana said:
I have s4 its good in every aspect except the heating problem
If u play any game which requires a good level of ram than it gets heated up like an oven
U cant even put it on your ear after playing games
Rest all is good
Sent from my Dell Streak using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it means this heating issue is having by majority of people, which means it is genuine issue and its not just playing games, i guess its by doing anything extensive, like chatting hard or surfing etc? So i should try to relax and may be wait how stock S4 pans out? as strangely i am doing with iPhone too, only smaller screen has advantage and disadvantage, at times i feel, both phones do OK, so better stick to iPhone and think about other things in life
sohebq said:
If size isn't an issue, then wait for note 3, it will be a supreme device I feel so.
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Click to collapse
My dear, size is not that much of an issue, being a man here, but S4 had to be supreme of them all device as well if you remember, but cartoonish touchwiz is an issue, specially now as touchwiz often connected to lags. Plus with Note my concern is, Gosh we came out of Stylus Era, putting stylus again in phone, causing it to gain weight and size, you can't take notes on screen better then on actual paper i feel.
Yet i hope Sammy may not let you down again here with your expectation with Note 3, as you are saying, next time they will do a better Job!
My own little hope is Stock Android, but again Nexus 4 may be still have over heating less battery issues!
Dean-xXx said:
I have the i9505 version.
Personally i didn't notice any overheating. Its same as s3 after 1h playing, just the s3 gets warm on bottom and s4 on top. I have nothing like some said here that phone got so hot that couldn't be touched
I noticed the smearing. Doesn't bother me at all and today was released new update , which is fixing the smearing problem.
LAGS? My s4 stock with all samsung's bloats on, is pretty damn smooth, i just noticed sometimes when closing multiple apps a bit of stutter in animations but nothing major here.
If you are not interested in Note 3 which anyway you will have to wait for, go for the s4. This is my opinion.
I remember when s3 came out with ICS on, was so so laggy and buggy and everything..after updates > jellybean was perfectly smooth.
So i'm sure s4 will get just better and better with every update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So basically you are saying, Buy it and wait/hopes for updates to fix the problems, like stay on chances, little heating is not that of an issue, but something beyond that is not a pleasant feeling, but as people saying, its uncomfortable at times.
You are breaking news here i guess, that today smearing issue will be rest in peace, though i heard they are solving pink tint issue.
Moral of the story, which is sad, that, some users are having problems more than others, so i am not sure i will fall in which category, as usual!
adem_7 said:
I had a Galaxy Note II before S4 I9500, and to be frank, it feels like a downgrade. No amount of tweaking seems to improve the lag, overheats like crazy and battery life, especially when compared to GN II, is much worse. Screen is good, but really, cannot tell the difference with naked eye. The only benefit for me was the size, as GN II's size was starting to get at me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and a lot of people share your thoughts, i wish if Sammy could concentrate on actual use and performance of phone instead of wasting times, on extremely useless gimmicks, and if you are amongst those who think these gimmicks are useful, then don't talk to me.
usmanxhmed said:
So basically you are saying, Buy it and wait/hopes for updates to fix the problems, like stay on chances, little heating is not that of an issue, but something beyond that is not a pleasant feeling, but as people saying, its uncomfortable at times.
You are breaking news here i guess, that today smearing issue will be rest in peace, though i heard they are solving pink tint issue.
Moral of the story, which is sad, that, some users are having problems more than others, so i am not sure i will fall in which category, as usual!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not about hopes, because it will happen and updates will iron out all the issues, they always did it properly for their flagships. It was confirmed that smearing is gone on the newest update, so i guess the rest of the problems will be ironed out soon enough. Its true some has more problems than others, but this happens on all phones, not only samsung ones.
Will see what else is fixed in the new update. Looks like some camera improvements are done also.
Dean-xXx said:
Its not about hopes, because it will happen and updates will iron out all the issues, they always did it properly for their flagships. It was confirmed that smearing is gone on the newest update, so i guess the rest of the problems will be ironed out soon enough. Its true some has more problems than others, but this happens on all phones, not only samsung ones.
Will see what else is fixed in the new update. Looks like some camera improvements are done also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are painting a rosy picture here, if you are dead sure, all screen issues are solved, and if you hope, over heating issue will be resolved, then kindly let us know here too, for lag i guess stock android will be better, somehow i find touchwiz to be like chinese phones, and prefer stock android more!
usmanxhmed said:
You are painting a rosy picture here, if you are dead sure, all screen issues are solved, and if you hope, over heating issue will be resolved, then kindly let us know here too, for lag i guess stock android will be better, somehow i find touchwiz to be like chinese phones, and prefer stock android more!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't paint any rosy picture here, i was very upset last year with the s3 and all the SDS problems and all the rest, but samsung ,,fixed'' it with an update and things got better. It was confirmed by other users that flashed the new ROM that the smearing is gone. I'm not sure about the pink tint as this sound more a hardware problem on AMOLED screens, but if they will fix this somehow...even better. I have very very little pink tint at the bottom on the screen ( barely noticeable ) and this doesn't bother me. About the overheating, i guess i'm one of those which doesn;t have this issue, so for me at the moment everything is ok and i'm happy with my phone, even if this wasn't a planned upgrade, was because one of my s3's was stolen and i got the insurance out of it.
Dean-xXx said:
I don't paint any rosy picture here, i was very upset last year with the s3 and all the SDS problems and all the rest, but samsung ,,fixed'' it with an update and things got better. It was confirmed by other users that flashed the new ROM that the smearing is gone. I'm not sure about the pink tint as this sound more a hardware problem on AMOLED screens, but if they will fix this somehow...even better. I have very very little pink tint at the bottom on the screen ( barely noticeable ) and this doesn't bother me. About the overheating, i guess i'm one of those which doesn;t have this issue, so for me at the moment everything is ok and i'm happy with my phone, even if this wasn't a planned upgrade, was because one of my s3's was stolen and i got the insurance out of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you are one satisfied customer
usmanxhmed said:
So you are one satisfied customer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dean-xXx said:
I don't paint any rosy picture here, i was very upset last year with the s3 and all the SDS problems and all the rest, but samsung ,,fixed'' it with an update and things got better. It was confirmed by other users that flashed the new ROM that the smearing is gone. I'm not sure about the pink tint as this sound more a hardware problem on AMOLED screens, but if they will fix this somehow...even better. I have very very little pink tint at the bottom on the screen ( barely noticeable ) and this doesn't bother me. About the overheating, i guess i'm one of those which doesn;t have this issue, so for me at the moment everything is ok and i'm happy with my phone, even if this wasn't a planned upgrade, was because one of my s3's was stolen and i got the insurance out of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I sent my wallet deep down my drawer, you want me to search for it again
usmanxhmed said:
I sent my wallet deep down my drawer, you want me to search for it again
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Click to collapse
I don't where are you from and what s4 they sell in your country. 9500 or 9505?
I'm talking here about the 9505.
You can keep an eye on this thread >> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2252855&page=17
Soon users that will flash the new ROM will keep it updated if anything else is fixed, so you can decide.
Dean-xXx said:
I don't where are you from and what s4 they sell in your country. 9500 or 9505?
I'm talking here about the 9505.
You can keep an eye on this thread >> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2252855&page=17
Soon users that will flash the new ROM will keep it updated if anything else is fixed, so you can decide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am from Pakistan, here we get officially in warranty unsubsidised 9500, some importers have also imported 9505 but thats without warranty!
People could not even find out yet which version is better, though i feel over heating is more of an issue with 9500!
usmanxhmed said:
Yes and a lot of people share your thoughts, i wish if Sammy could concentrate on actual use and performance of phone instead of wasting times, on extremely useless gimmicks, and if you are amongst those who think these gimmicks are useful, then don't talk to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't get it, why does when Apple release features that are unique people see it as amazing and innovative while if Samsung does the same thing they are called "gimmicks"
TeeeJaay said:
I don't get it, why does when Apple release features that are unique people see it as amazing and innovative while if Samsung does the same thing they are called "gimmicks"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
O yes!
This is a very good question!
usmanxhmed said:
My dear, size is not that much of an issue, being a man here, but S4 had to be supreme of them all device as well if you remember, but cartoonish touchwiz is an issue, specially now as touchwiz often connected to lags. Plus with Note my concern is, Gosh we came out of Stylus Era, putting stylus again in phone, causing it to gain weight and size, you can't take notes on screen better then on actual paper i feel.
Yet i hope Sammy may not let you down again here with your expectation with Note 3, as you are saying, next time they will do a better Job!
My own little hope is Stock Android, but again Nexus 4 may be still have over heating less battery issues!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want stock android then you can go for stock google version of S4. It won't be directly available in Pakistan I feel so you will have to got for used one.
Regarding stylus, we it i useful as well as gimmek. Its up to you how you want to use it.
Related
Im using xperia arc as of now but im planning to buy sgs2 just for future proofing of a smartphone device..but im reading a lot of negative comments as to overheating aand yellowish tint on the screen and pinkish discoloration in the cam..or all u sgs2 users, can u comment with full honesty on ur device? Iys really my first choice..htc sensation will be my 2nd choice.. Will that overheating be fixed with a firmware upgrade? How bout the cam, battery and discoloration problem?
please please i need a smart and honest opinion..
► Well, I don't have any Overheating issues. I don't think there is any overheating issue if I am not wrong. Yes, it could be possible that some devices are damaged in manufacturing, but that's very few. Also keep in mind that the device will be heated if you play game for prolonged hours, if you play games while charging, if you put a bad/fully back covered case while charging/playing, but that doesn't mean Overheat. Always check Temperature of the battery before quoting it as 'Overheat', without a figure that term is meaningless.
► Pink spot in photos were a firmware related problem, which is gone away with new firmware releases. You could also try to update the Camera firmware separately.
► For Yellowish tint in display see this thread,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1079444
Besides, no device is perefect, each and every has their own problem, you just have to find a near perfect one, which I believe GSII is. You can go for Sensation too, then you'd have to visit XDA for much more time, as it will have more problem than GSII
Regards.
The only issues I have had is a broken USB port which I got a swapped out phone for, so no problem there.
The battery life is great as far as I am concerned even when moderately hammering the phone...4-6 hours of screen on time per charge depending upon what you are doing with it. It's only bad if you use badly coded apps installed I think.
Hardware issues such as a dodgy screen can easily be resolved by taking the phone back for a swap.
Software issues will all get sorted out with firmware updates I believe. Not that I really think there is much wrong.
People complaining on forums is a bad method of judging a phone, after all millions of people have the phone and there are relatively few real complaints on here.
I say go for it, you won't regret it, have had many phones by lots of different manufacturers and this is genuinely the first one I cannot stop playing with. It's a real life changer to be honest.
1. No yellow tint here, at least me and my friends can't see it on my phone even if it exists and general opinion is that it exists on every SII to a lesser or greater extent.
2. Pink spot on camera here, no matter which official firmware i updated with Kies, no matter what camera firmware i installed. It only pops up in certain conditions, that's why people say they don't have it or say it's fixed.
3. Overheating - depends on what one considers to be overheating. My battery temeprature never got past 48 % degrees, but this temperature feels hot for your fingers when touching the screen or back cover.
thanks for both of u guys...
implanning to buy maybe this last week of august..
in my xperia arc experience, i didnt encounter any overheating..in fact even when im playing need for speed or heavy gunnerm or gt racing which are my 3 fave games my phone dont event get warm...in charging, yes, but only for the first 30 mins i guess..
i feel it gets warm only when im using 3G when browsing..
i hope those problems as just an isolated issues...btw, im working ins saudi arabia as of now..im not sure about the latest firmware available here. i heard about gingerbread 2.3.4 already released for SGS2..is it already available in ur country or u still have to flash it yourself?
If your not in a rush maybe you could wait till the holidays, its rumored that a new andriod reference device ( the Nexus S ) will be out by that time, also a new Galaxy S line device for sure.
For the issues you posted:
1.) Overheating - Some phones seem to run hotter than others, ive been through a couple of replacements and this one I have runs hotter when gaming/surfing and also runs noticeably hotter when charging.
2.) Yellow tinting on the left side - Luck of the draw, if your buying the phone for its screen it might tick you off depending on how severe the issue is that you got on the phone, Using a 2.3.4 kernel alleviates this issue but the left side is a tad bit dimmer and is noticeable proportional to the yellow tint. Some users are not affected by this because they plainly dont see it (which is great) others have accepted this as a "normal" defect hence why samsung never rectified this issue. There are also legit QC issues on the screen refer to this
3.) Pink spot on camera - we dont really know if all phones are affected by Im guessing NOT due to the very low participation on the thread in XDA and also a very low or non existent internet media coverage about this, a very minor issue TBH.
4.) Battery Life - Its great, dont expect it to out last any netbook or laptop though.. I believe only the IP4 can outlast the battery on the S2 especially with wifi 24/7 with tons of IM and email apps.
i see no problems with mine .
love it in fact .
+plus+
great dev side too here on xda
It's full of problems!
EarlZ said:
If your not in a rush maybe you could wait till the holidays, its rumored that a new andriod reference device ( the Nexus S ) will be out by that time, also a new Galaxy S line device for sure.
For the issues you posted:
1.) Overheating - Some phones seem to run hotter than others, ive been through a couple of replacements and this one I have runs hotter when gaming/surfing and also runs noticeably hotter when charging.
2.) Yellow tinting on the left side - Luck of the draw, if your buying the phone for its screen it might tick you off depending on how severe the issue is that you got on the phone, Using a 2.3.4 kernel alleviates this issue but the left side is a tad bit dimmer and is noticeable proportional to the yellow tint. Some users are not affected by this because they plainly dont see it (which is great) others have accepted this as a "normal" defect hence why samsung never rectified this issue. There are also legit QC issues on the screen refer to this
3.) Pink spot on camera - we dont really know if all phones are affected by Im guessing NOT due to the very low participation on the thread in XDA and also a very low or non existent internet media coverage about this, a very minor issue TBH.
4.) Battery Life - Its great, dont expect it to out last any netbook or laptop though.. I believe only the IP4 can outlast the battery on the S2 especially with wifi 24/7 with tons of IM and email apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly I have a lot of friends with iphones and the general consensus is that they get like 14 hours... Now maybe that is because they haven't updated or w.e but I just flashed the latest nightly and my battery life is really good so far... I expect to get 18 hours today.
Sent from my Samsung Seine
Battery last about 6 hours. Crap.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
iwang said:
Battery last about 6 hours. Crap.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird, I get at least a day from mine, moderate-heavy use..
Bought from T-Booth, unlocked from Bell to Rogers using an unlock service. Absolutely LOVE the device but the battery life is frustrating. With great power... comes great responsibility in keeping a charger with you. Apparently. lol.
I feel like everyone is being really picky when it comes to those issues, its just like the whole iPhone's antenna gate problem, it wasn't really a big problem because when i had the iPhone, i never dropped a call. I bet you that you wouldn't even notice the issues if you didn't read this forum
666fff said:
Weird, I get at least a day from mine, moderate-heavy use..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah maybe I am still conditioning the battery. Looks somewhat better today.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
DAMAGE_INC29 said:
Im using xperia arc as of now but im planning to buy sgs2 just for future proofing of a smartphone device..but im reading a lot of negative comments as to overheating aand yellowish tint on the screen and pinkish discoloration in the cam..or all u sgs2 users, can u comment with full honesty on ur device? Iys really my first choice..htc sensation will be my 2nd choice.. Will that overheating be fixed with a firmware upgrade? How bout the cam, battery and discoloration problem?
please please i need a smart and honest opinion..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've not had any issues with the items you mentioned. Maybe I'm color blind but I'm not seeing any discoloration.
I have never tried the xperia Arc but between the SGS2 and Sensation, the choice is easy, SGS2. I have both and the Sensation is a real disappointment IMO
Azntopia said:
I feel like everyone is being really picky when it comes to those issues, its just like the whole iPhone's antenna gate problem, it wasn't really a big problem because when i had the iPhone, i never dropped a call. I bet you that you wouldn't even notice the issues if you didn't read this forum
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, but you didn't have AT&T. You don't antenna gate for dropped calls with that network
Buying a new phone for futureproofing is always a bad solution. No matter what, there will ALWAYS be new and better technology in less than a year after (Moore's law applies here too)... when that is said, the SGS2 really is a good candidate for holding on to in the next couple of years. But don't buy a phone, and think it's futureproofed - it's NOT.
If it's shear power, then the SGS2 really is a good choice, forget about the Sensation... it's really not that good!! I will say that the SGS2 is the best phone, i have ever owned... and that is said very honestly!!
If it's shear design... keep your Arc, as it's a very nice phone, and very beautyfull to look at. It also has a good camera, which is slightly better than the 2 other phones, when it comes to taking pictures in the dark. And it has specs, that is okay, and apart from space for apps - it will stand it's grounds for some time yet. And when it can't cut the mustard anymore, the SGS3 will be out...
Tend to agree, you will future proof for about a month or two, with the rate that new android devices arrive the SGS2 will be out of date by Christmas, but that doesn't mean its forgotten, it will be one fast beast for quite some time until the quad cores arrive next year.
The only problem I have is the incredibly slow charging time even on the standard official mains charger.
No pink tint in camera, no or I cant see this screen yellow thing.
Why the need to upgrade from the Arc in the first place? I came from the Nokia 5800, and that thing is just too limited for my use for example. Good thing S2 came out just in time
Azntopia said:
I feel like everyone is being really picky when it comes to those issues, its just like the whole iPhone's antenna gate problem, it wasn't really a big problem because when i had the iPhone, i never dropped a call. I bet you that you wouldn't even notice the issues if you didn't read this forum
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+ 1
I atlculay lvoe my sumnasg glxaay s2 wtih VliaRionlm mroe tahn my xobx
Hello guys,
This post is not meant to wine or get results, it's a general chat post, I'm sharing my thoughts and opinions, if you disagree and feel like sharing, go ahead, if you are here to troll, make a U turn and go away please!
Iv'e been using the Note for almost 2 months now, I love it - It's pretty fast, (Rocket V17 OCed to 1.7GHz), Battery holds up nicely, Screen is great.
But still it has some odd feel to it, like it's not perfect.
The Galaxy S II I had before the note, felt pretty perfect with the latest firmwares and some mods, but also, something was still lacking, for example, playing Glow Hockey 2 proved an annoying delay between the finger and the puck movement.
I always thought it was the game, but when I tried it on the iPhone 4 it was perfect.
Yesterday, I had a chance to touch'n'fell a Galaxy Nexus.
It was the first time I felt everything was right on an android phone. (Excluding the small screen compared to the note... I'm doomed on that part...)
Everything was ticking perfect. Smooth, Good looking, UI was perfect, no stutters, no FPS drops, no delays.
BTW, I was never an iPhone fan, but I can appreciate many things on iPhone/iOS, none the less, i'll never be an iProduct owner.
So what I wanted to share is that I hope that when Samsung release ICS for our note, the CM team will be able to use it to give us the experience that is going on with the Galaxy Nexus.
Me,
Out.
eitama said:
So what I wanted to share is that I hope that when Samsung release ICS for our note, the CM team will be able to use it to give us the experience that is going on with the Galaxy Nexus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently upgraded my HTC Sensation with a leaked ICS build (including Sense). It definitely made that phone much smoother and snappier than it was running Gingerbread - it really did transform the device!
I won't be swapping back to the Sensation over the Note, as overall I still prefer the larger screen of the Note, even though the Sensation running ICS feels faster than the Note.
Given that the Note with Gingerbread is definitely much smoother than my Sensation with Gingerbread/Sense, it certainly bodes well for the upcoming upgrade to ICS, and I fully expect an ICS Note to excel!
Regards,
Dave
I have same feels like you.. I have note 3 weeks and many things is not perfect.. When i open QnA section in galaxy nexus forum, there is no problems and when i open galaxy noge QnA its full of problems with display,scratches etc. But what is killing me is that nexus have only 5 mpx camera and 1.2 ghz processor :/ what you think i have to do? i have many problems with display,sound, many things lags, inaccurate display and s-pen, banding... With 3 or more issues i can refund and i dont know if i buy galaxy nexus or not :/
Hi eitama,
I was between the Nexus and the Note, and was tired of waiting for updates for my X10, it's screen is unusable with sweaty hands and the display on my SII had uneven brightness, forcing me to replace it 2 times in 1 month, receiving 2 faulty devices as a replacement.
Long story short, i wouldn't buy another Samsung device, but the need to have a fully functional phone led me to buy the Note, and i 'll tell you why.
First of all, the stock battery on the note is unmatched. 2500mAh is the best of the best right now. No need to double the size of the phone just to get that extra hour. Nexus has a 1750mAh as stock battery. It may last the same as the Note now, but it runs ICS. Our Note will only get better with it's dual core optimization.
Secondly, the screen. I can't see myself going to a phone having less than 5 inch screen. I couldn't be more happy with the display performance. Even though the colors might not be that accurate, i have faith in the dev community here fixing the issue. If i am not mistaken, Supercurio has been working on a fix. Nexus's ppi is higher sure, but do you really need to pinch to zoom to read something every time?
S-pen. It has replaced pen and paper for me. Nexus doesn't have something similar coming out of the box and it doesn't have the hardware space to facilitate a pen inside it. I am not sure if it has a dual digitizer screen also. Our Note's screen is both pressure sensitive and capasitive.
About the need to have the latest software update available. I used to have that, then i took a Note in my pocket. Joking aside, i've been browsing the Nexus sub-forums and i have seen the "Once the ICS's wowness ware out, it's just another phone" type of threads. I can't say the same about you, but if people are bothered enough to post about it, i am sure that would happen to me as well. Besides, ICS will come to the Note too. It's not like we are wondering if we will get the update, like other devices.
Camera. Again, you will see countless thread over the Nexus forums complaining about it. Quality aside, I 'll ask you this. Do you really find yourself in a situation where you have to take 10 pictures in 12 seconds?
Expandable storage.
If you check the development section here, you will see many stock roms that have been leaked that improve smoothness, touch sensitivity, battery life. Grab one of these babes if having a smooth device is a must. I am tempted to flash one of them, but being on stock KK5 unrooted is more than i could ask. I 'll wait to see ICS come via KIES, then root this beast. Happy days.
In the end, it's your call. I was just posting my point of view.
Sramie said:
I have same feels like you.. I have note 3 weeks and many things is not perfect.. When i open QnA section in galaxy nexus forum, there is no problems and when i open galaxy noge QnA its full of problems with display,scratches etc. But what is killing me is that nexus have only 5 mpx camera and 1.2 ghz processor :/ what you think i have to do? i have many problems with display,sound, many things lags, inaccurate display and s-pen, banding... With 3 or more issues i can refund and i dont know if i buy galaxy nexus or not :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, if you don't take too many pictures, you will get used to the camera, no matter the quality, and I doubt it's bad. 5mp is enough.
If you don't mind the smaller screen size, I think the Galaxy Nexus is a win phone.
I'm thinking about this issue myself. I'm kind of tires of being late at receiving firmware. And tired of samsung crapware, even though they do have some nice additions, all of these can be added to aosp.
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
The flaws of the Nexus can be tolerated, where as some flaws inserted by Samsung just keep annoying you.
ICS could be what u r looking for
@Bassarnis,
Thanks for you great reply, It was a pleasure to read.
I know the Note is amazing, I also enjoy using it, and the more people ram me for having such a large phone "Q:does it fit in your pocket? ; A:Where do you think it was up until now?" The more I enjoy having it.
But, I remember the first time I touched an iPhone 3gs, the experience was great, for about 20 minutes I was sure it's the best phone ever, then I started finding out all the limitation is annoyances and it got off the list, Still, the first 20 minutes were amazing.
With the Galaxy Nexus, I really had those 20 minutes all over again, they only ended by the dude owning the phone having to go home
The note, with custom kernel, all the fixes in the world, still lags!?
Believe me I know how to trace those problems, been having and hacking android for a long time. I know all about freezing all the right apps, running top, running logcat, disabling logs, OC, BetterBatteryStats, tweaking the live wallpaper, removing unwanted services - Still the note just lags.
BTW, Full wipe everytime I switch rom.
I don't even keeps my photos/vids/mp3s on the phone cause I want to start over clean. Only thing I leave behind is SMS/Contacts via google account/Whatsapp backup/Where's my water backup
I am just not sure the ICS Nexus like smoothness will be kept with samsung "baked" roms. (even if they are baked by samsung themselves)...
:0
I can stand software issues.. But not hardware.. This phone is crapped by samsung. I seen many peoples that replaced their note 37582 times and always got defect device... I have 16 gb external cor movies and often take pictures.. This is why i choosed Gnote... But i have on my device about 5 issues.. Hardware... So i will replace my gnote for new one.. If somethinv goes wrong, hail galaxy nexus!
eitama said:
In my opinion, if you don't take too many pictures, you will get used to the camera, no matter the quality, and I doubt it's bad. 5mp is enough.
If you don't mind the smaller screen size, I think the Galaxy Nexus is a win phone.
I'm thinking about this issue myself. I'm kind of tires of being late at receiving firmware. And tired of samsung crapware, even though they do have some nice additions, all of these can be added to aosp.
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
The flaws of the Nexus can be tolerated, where as some flaws inserted by Samsung just keep annoying you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
16 gb is a joke for a super phone. I have a 32gb card in my note and still not enough. I see you don't keep videos on your phone or a good song collection and photos. Don't tell me about cloud storage- that requires a data connection. A 5 mg camera on a superphone again is a joke. No removable storage on a super phone is also a joke. The processor on the Nexus doesn't bother me though that also could he better.
graphic is also old.. but is more useable as Gnote
I was gunning for the nexus as well, but the hardware was not impressive enough.
And I wen't for the Note, because I knew I would be running ICS eventually.
I come from an HTC Incredible S so for me this is a huge step up from what I had.
But I'm absolutely sure CM9 would give an even better user experience.
eitama said:
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have over 20gb of movies on my SD card, and my internal memory is nearly full with GPS maps, music, and games.
16gb unexpandable is a definite deal breaker for me.
Regards,
Dave
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
eitama said:
Lets be honest, how many times did you remove the external sdcard from the phone? How many times were 16gb not enough?
The flaws of the Nexus can be tolerated, where as some flaws inserted by Samsung just keep annoying you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never really replace the SD card, but I do use it quite frequently.
Today rocket rom V18 was released, and i backed up everything getting ready for a full wipe, so i decided to try cm9 by maui, just to see how it runs, and it's a lot better then I thought.
I'll use it for a few days, and if we can run Nova/Trebuchet on samsung stock ICS, maybe the note will fullfill me after all.
Well finally i decided for the Galaxy S2 because of lots of development.. The fact by wich i didn't want to get it was the yellow tint on the left corner, the pink spot, the overheating problem, gps laks, battery drain and more.. I came home last wednesday from last week, and after charge went to 100% percent i flashed stock 2.3.4 official firmware from my region, Argentina.. Then flashed speedmod kernel 2.18 .. And guess what? No yellow tint, no pink spot in camera, no overheating (it gets a bit warm after short use but you may feel it because it is too thin.. and gps works fine! I'm amazed with it, and i don't know where to start with all the development that i got here. Fantastic phone, good looking, feels good in the hand, doesn't look that solid but you are not supose to drop it or something if you are carefull it won't hit the floor One thing common in Amoled screens are, in dark places with very low brightness you can note something in the screen, in black backgrounds the are all over the screen some kind of.. I don't know how to explain.. like, darker spots over the black background, my face was.. :| what the!? but it is ok.. doesnt affect the functionality of the phone, also a common problem in EVERY sgs2 .. when you look at the screen from left, right sides whites becomes a bit green.. But it is ok.. Sound is not that great.. My old Moto defy sounds louder and crisper.. what did you find in your sgs2? is it ok with all this things? another thing.. video recording is not that great.. Looks awesome but it shakes like hell.. :|
great you like it i like it 2
i have it know 4 month and its amazing
Amazing phone, better to get the sgs2 and wait till the sgs3 get official development and solve the issues.. and then get it..
The sgs2 is great, the only thing that i don't like about my phone is the button in the middle, i wish that button didn't exist, is too flimsy.
maxiordoqui said:
Well finally i decided for the Galaxy S2 because of lots of development.. The fact by wich i didn't want to get it was the yellow tint on the left corner, the pink spot, the overheating problem, gps laks, battery drain and more.. I came home last wednesday from last week, and after charge went to 100% percent i flashed stock 2.3.4 official firmware from my region, Argentina.. Then flashed speedmod kernel 2.18 .. And guess what? No yellow tint, no pink spot in camera, no overheating (it gets a bit warm after short use but you may feel it because it is too thin.. and gps works fine! I'm amazed with it, and i don't know where to start with all the development that i got here. Fantastic phone, good looking, feels good in the hand, doesn't look that solid but you are not supose to drop it or something if you are carefull it won't hit the floor One thing common in Amoled screens are, in dark places with very low brightness you can note something in the screen, in black backgrounds the are all over the screen some kind of.. I don't know how to explain.. like, darker spots over the black background, my face was.. :| what the!? but it is ok.. doesnt affect the functionality of the phone, also a common problem in EVERY sgs2 .. when you look at the screen from left, right sides whites becomes a bit green.. But it is ok.. Sound is not that great.. My old Moto defy sounds louder and crisper.. what did you find in your sgs2? is it ok with all this things? another thing.. video recording is not that great.. Looks awesome but it shakes like hell.. :|
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A good experience to me, I think the screen is good, I cannot see bleck spot and I think the video recording is beautiful so as the camera. About sound, I think very good too... So I don't understand your experience! Sorry
chandler240 said:
The sgs2 is great, the only thing that i don't like about my phone is the button in the middle, i wish that button didn't exist, is too flimsy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny you should say that, I just got one coming from HTC Desire (I loved the buttons on that one). With the SGS2 I cannot bare to touch the home button & love the capacitive ones
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
no problems with my phone and i had it since launch. could not ask for a better phone
I am contemplating between buying SGS 2 or the Galaxy Nexus. Tough decision. One gets google updates, the other is just fast and amazing. What made you buy your SGS2?
I have had mine since June July 2011 and home button is fine positive contact firm feel nothing flimsy this side of town.. and no probles to date... Overall it a damn fine fone on my part..
coolboy84 said:
I am contemplating between buying SGS 2 or the Galaxy Nexus. Tough decision. One gets google updates, the other is just fast and amazing. What made you buy your SGS2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just returned the nexus. Its ONLY advantage is google updates.
coolboy84 said:
I am contemplating between buying SGS 2 or the Galaxy Nexus. Tough decision. One gets google updates, the other is just fast and amazing. What made you buy your SGS2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having tried nexus, I would say that I would definitely buy nexus, (if both are around the same price), were I in your place. But, SGS2 is a great phone and yes, in some aspects much better than nexus.
The fast and amazing aspect I feel applies for nexus too.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
The SG2 is great mobile phone. Just update his firmware. And wait for android 4 for it. i gues it will work faster and smoother on android 4.
Good to hear you like it.
I have one from day one
And ofcourse i like it to
is certainly the best phone on the market.....but to expect that 2012 will bring many surprises
coolboy84 said:
I am contemplating between buying SGS 2 or the Galaxy Nexus. Tough decision. One gets google updates, the other is just fast and amazing. What made you buy your SGS2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want a screen between the S2 and the Note I'd say the Nexus fits the bill.
I'm a bit weird and actually find Touch Wiz pretty good, so pure google doesn't interest me that much. Plus if I wanted that it's available through CM7 / CM9.
I went for the S2 as my first smartphone because I wanted something that would last me for 2-3 years. Given the popularity of the S2 and the dev support behind it here I should be covered.
After some playing around I settled for Checkrom V4, Siyah kernel and the V1.9 ICS theme as a solid noobish build. Pretty mature, looks gorgeous and pretty cutting edge.
May well update to Checkrom V6 next weekend assuming the roll out goes smoothly.
Just switched from HD2 Android
Hi, I just switch to SGS2 from HD2 running Hyperdroid since last week. Currently running Hyperdroid on SGS2 too. One of the annoying thing about SGS2 is the wake up lag of the screen. I have went thru the forum discussing this issue and it seems most people have this lag and there is no solution for it. On my phone it feel as bad as the early HD2 Nand ROM without the wake up lag solution. I hope that with ICS this issue can be solved.
I must say, sgs2 is the best mobile phone that I ever used. It is all in one machine with big screen. Maybe the screen could be a little bigger, but it is waiting for us with sgs3 .
Un telefono increible y esperando el S3
the mobile phone is amazing I like S3
I think even 2012 Galaxy S2 will be the best phone
So, I've had my Note for two weeks now, and I have read lots and lots of threads and topics regarding the Note here on xda... Many of them made me think really hard about buying the note at all.
What I cant understand, is that people are complaining about lots of stuff, like stuttering in 3d-games, overheating, s-pen not working, battery drain and so on.
I can honestly say I have absolutely NO problems with my Note. Is it because i came from a htc Hd2 with hyperdroid ROM (with stutter, heat and drain problems) or just because I'm lucky?
I am a heavy user, and like to test all my technical equipment to the fullest. I have done so with the Note for the last two weeks (especially on my 8-hour train trip) and I must say that I am nothing but happy with this AMAZING device.
I am on stock ROM, rooted, and the only "help" for a faster device I have installed is Chainfire 3D. I have never experienced stuttering in gaming, never overheated (max 45 degrees celcius, checked batt temp in androsens after a while of heavy gaming+charging).
So I raise my question: Is it possible that many of the users in here has gotten a note from a bad batch? It sure sounds like it when a person starts a thread about a issue I've never experienced and several users reply with "yeah its a general problem with the note" and "I'm gonna switch my note for an iPhone".
What do you guys think?
I've had my note for a out a month. It's an open UK version, latest gingerbread, unrooted. Have had no problems of any kind.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Galaxy Note is the perfect phone.
No issue with GALAXY NOTE here.its very good phone.I am on check ROM version 6.
Love it and just waiting for premium suite with ics.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
I guess most people that are complaining in the forums are Crackflashers that always want the most current rom, but they never recognize that the most builds need Drivers.
As seen in ICS Rom Threads. Complains about a non working FM Radio or Videocamera.
If you use your Note With stock rom everything should be fine.
Sorry my english is not the best but i hope you get the point.
IMO Note is many people's first Android smartphone and they think that they have some problems with the device, whereas everything works as it should.
I also had Hd2 and I kinda used to mess with the Android.
So I can say that I dont have any problems with my Note running on stock rom.
The large number of issues reported here does look at odds with reality when you visit other user groups such as AVForums where there is almost no faults or complaints about the Note. The 7.7 forum at AVForums is the same with helpful non-critical posts being the norm. I would recommend anyone thinking of buying a Note or a 7.7 to visit AVForums to see how happy people are there and to take the huge number of issues reported here with a pinch of salt.
No phone is perfect.
When you sell millions of devices, you're going to see hundreds of complaints. It's the Internet.
I generally ignore complaints unless I see multiple people complaining about the same thing.
I've been considering the Note along with the upcoming HTC One X for my contract upgrade but the Note was winning due to the battery size among other things. However, I had noticed a lot of complaints here about 3D game performance but that didn't bother me as I don't really care for games on my phone. Then I saw mention of stuttering in normal use and it made me think the Note was suffering from lack of power graphically despite the positives. I'm glad to see this posted as it more or less tells me those reports aren't the majority.
ChodTheWacko said:
No phone is perfect.
When you sell millions of devices, you're going to see hundreds of complaints. It's the Internet.
I generally ignore complaints unless I see multiple people complaining about the same thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you say is true. However, why have all the faulty devices been sold to xda people and almost none to AVForums people? Something doesn't add up.
I'm very heavy active smartphone user too. With Note from november 2011. I flash few times only for deodex and root to 2.3.6 and one time for 4.0.3 (now I'm back to 2.3.6). I don't have stuttering in 3d-games, overheating, s-pen not working. I only one time have battery drain, but i quickly fix that just flashing new kernel.
So I raise my question: Is it possible that many of the users in here has gotten a note from a bad batch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. The problem is that for many people it was their first smartphone.
aside from gaming, which I don't do at all, I would call myself a "heavy-poweruser", I got the Note as soon as it came out in Europe (bought it from Germany), I am on stock LC1 + CF-Root (updated today, I was on LB2) and I am EXTREMELY satisfied with the Note.
put simply: I can't see myself using any other phone..
anonymous572 said:
No. The problem is that for many people it was their first smartphone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was what I thought at first, I just didnt want to offend anyone.
But lets be honest. Posts complaining about the device like that is kind of a turn-off when it comes to whether or not to buy the note. I think its important to let people know that the note is a better device than what these complainers make it out to be. Not because I want Samsung to earn more money, but because it really is the best device I've ever laid hands on.
If someone reading this seriously consider buying the note, I say GO FOR IT.
se1988 said:
So, I've had my Note for two weeks now, and I have read lots and lots of threads and topics regarding the Note here on xda... Many of them made me think really hard about buying the note at all.
What I cant understand, is that people are complaining about lots of stuff, like stuttering in 3d-games, overheating, s-pen not working, battery drain and so on.
I can honestly say I have absolutely NO problems with my Note. Is it because i came from a htc Hd2 with hyperdroid ROM (with stutter, heat and drain problems) or just because I'm lucky?
I am a heavy user, and like to test all my technical equipment to the fullest. I have done so with the Note for the last two weeks (especially on my 8-hour train trip) and I must say that I am nothing but happy with this AMAZING device.
I am on stock ROM, rooted, and the only "help" for a faster device I have installed is Chainfire 3D. I have never experienced stuttering in gaming, never overheated (max 45 degrees celcius, checked batt temp in androsens after a while of heavy gaming+charging).
So I raise my question: Is it possible that many of the users in here has gotten a note from a bad batch? It sure sounds like it when a person starts a thread about a issue I've never experienced and several users reply with "yeah its a general problem with the note" and "I'm gonna switch my note for an iPhone".
What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my problems started after two months...reception related(posted here),have given it for repair now.me too came from hd2,and i like note better than hd2.but i think htc is more reliable than samsung as far as hardware is concerned.wish note came from htc instead of samsung...
se1988 said:
That was what I thought at first, I just didnt want to offend anyone.
But lets be honest. Posts complaining about the device like that is kind of a turn-off when it comes to whether or not to buy the note. I think its important to let people know that the note is a better device than what these complainers make it out to be. Not because I want Samsung to earn more money, but because it really is the best device I've ever laid hands on.
If someone reading this seriously consider buying the note, I say GO FOR IT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are absolutely right about the excessive complaining here. If you check the AVForum you will see there are hardly any complaints which proves the problem is with the complainers here and not the device.
I don't know about you guys, as hard to accept there are really some problems with our Note.. one of those prevalent problems are the colour banding and screen blockiness issue.... some even had already gotten a refund over this primary issue....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1430847&highlight=galaxy+note+screen
It's either some are just the unlucky few or either we just tend to shrugged off the issue (even its already infront of us)
for me it was the color render problem (I'm in the acceptance phase and try not to care about it anymore)
the point is, when someone gets a high end phone and pays that amount of money (price differs from country to another, here in costs about $860 to get it) people except maybe a flawless device or something that will do anything they throw at it
plus being a developers forum, many users expects to find solution or a fix for their problem whatever that problem was, i guess that's why you'll find so many complaining.
ChodTheWacko said:
No phone is perfect.
When you sell millions of devices, you're going to see hundreds of complaints. It's the Internet.
I generally ignore complaints unless I see multiple people complaining about the same thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Selling perfect phones is bad business decision for these companies. With 2 years contract and subsidies, the manufacturers only need to create overpriced phone that last for a short time.
With that said, beside for being a little too big and not officially pentaband, the Note is the best phone I've used. I have no idea where the accusation of stuttering 3D graphic from unless someone have too many bloatwares and background processes on their device. The device have a Mali-400MP4 gpu, it can handle modern combat at 720p. People needs to understand its outputting 3D graphic in HD, but thats the limitation of Android, it can't change to lower resolution.
For me it does not render some shade of gray correctly, but it seem to be a software issue, 720p AMOLED screen is still amazing compared to offerings from competitors, nothing come close when sunlight is involved. I think the Galaxy S III will be a good successor, they will use RGB matrix and hopefully have better quality control for the screens. It does seem to be a problem for Samsung lately, specifically International version versus American version that tends to have more issues.
nessqn said:
but i think htc is more reliable than samsung as far as hardware is concerned.wish note came from htc instead of samsung...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since when HTC started mimicking Apple and using metal in their phones I crossed them off my list (MOBILE devices are meant to be LIGHT) so I don't know the quality of their current phones but I see Samsungs as of very good quality. My last 3 smartphones have been the Galaxy S, Galaxy SII and now Galaxy Note (plus the Galaxy Tab 10.1) ZERO hardware problem with each and every one of them.
And I have dropped the 3 smartphones several times... (and I never use cases)
Occasionally.
I get the occasional overheating but it only happens once in a while or when I'm playing Fruit Ninja / FN Puss n' Boots or watching movies on MX video player. Stuttering happens sometimes but I don't really mind it, to be honest. The Galaxy Note really is a magnificent phone.
I posted this in the Note 2 forums aswell but I'm just curious as to what you guys think, having presumably had the phone for a while. I'm planning on getting a S4 that's brand new tomorrow as a swap for my Note 2 which I've had for 3/4 months. Any thoughts?
youguesswho said:
I posted this in the Note 2 forums aswell but I'm just curious as to what you guys think, having presumably had the phone for a while. I'm planning on getting a S4 that's brand new tomorrow as a swap for my Note 2 which I've had for 3/4 months. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it depends on your taste and needs. I prefer S4 as it is not that big, yet has a marvelous display and is fast enough for my daily use.
I did, am happy!
I did the switch after using Note 2 for over half a year.
I'm very happy with its size (got tired of holding Note 2) and its display.
Once official CM build for I9500 is released, I'm sure I'll be even happier.
Cheers!
As a person who did this, I'll help you decide with some simple questions.
Do you hate warm devices? The S4 gets hot compared to the almost always room temp Note 2.
Do you want to root it? No? Get it if the above doesn't bother you.
Yes? If you stay on stock kernel, then again, get it. If not, you might have some very annoying camera lag issues. If you don't use the camera a lot you'll live with it, but it might ruin some moments, or keep your friends doing awkward faces while the camera loads.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda app-developers app
MohammadAG said:
As a person who did this, I'll help you decide with some simple questions.
Do you hate warm devices? The S4 gets hot compared to the almost always room temp Note 2.
Do you want to root it? No? Get it if the above doesn't bother you.
Yes? If you stay on stock kernel, then again, get it. If not, you might have some very annoying camera lag issues. If you don't use the camera a lot you'll live with it, but it might ruin some moments, or keep your friends doing awkward faces while the camera loads.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 for Camera lag issue
What kind of lag issue? I was debating between the Note 2 and S4 and ended up with an S4. I am very happy with my decision. S4 has no camera lag issues and no issues anywhere else. I'm almost always on my phone doing whatever and no lags....yeah it gets hot from time to time but that's normal if your playing a big graphic and processing hogging game and/or always on the internet uploading and downloading.
Sent from the Nexus 7
I don't have a Note II to tell you the main differences, however I believe you should hold on to your Note until next S comes if you're really willing to change your device . My cellphone before S4 was a Xperia X10 Mini Pro lol (yea, it's from 2010), Note II is still a recent and nice device! However if you really want to change now I'll tell you my experience with GT-I9505:
Pros:
FAST AS HELL! Can run any game on it with no problems
Display is amazing, vivid colors and very sharp quality. Jaw dropping quality IMO.
Slim and light.
Easy to root, good developer forums (at least GT-I9505)
Installed AOSP 4.3 and is even faster now (GT-I9505G = GT-I9505)
Superb camera (dad has a HX-1 camera from Sony, because of the fast processor I was able to take 3-4 photos while he was taking one, however you can't compare quality lol, not that S4 camera is bad, it's one of the best now, but Sony HX-1 is a CAMERA, while S4 is a CELLPHONE)
Sound is fine (will discuss later about this one in *Cons*)
Cons:
Gets really hot
Battery don't last too long (6-9h with moderate usage)
Screen too bright
Speaker placed in the bottom (after using my Nexus 10 with front speakers you notice the difference, I see myself putting my S4 over something without the speaker touching the surface to get better sound)
The personal opinions:
Screen size - Depends of your interest, I found it the perfect size for me (I'm 190cm with huge hands lol)
Beautiful device overall - I think it is at least
Physical "Home" button - I'm looking at you HTC One
That's it, hope it clarifies a little. Closing up:
This review was based on my experience with GT-I9505, I don't know about the GT-I9500, however viewing from developer perspective I'd recommend you getting the GT-I9505, as it's similar to GT-I9505G and has official CM support .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PS.:
My experience reported was using TouchWiz Stock ROM (4.2.2), Google Edition 4.2.2 and AOSP 4.3, my current ROM is the AOSP 4.3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. Thank you guys for all the feedback, I am a pretty small guy to be honest with small hands, that was why I was compelled to get a smaller device without losing any of the software features and the S4 seemed the only viable option to me, however saying that, I think I'd be best off waiting, the overheating seems abit of a problem as I do make long calls daily and the lack of use of custom kernels without the camera bugging up is a bit of a shame as I was looking forward to using it alot. But anyway guys, thanks for the help !!
JOKERx2 said:
What kind of lag issue? I was debating between the Note 2 and S4 and ended up with an S4. I am very happy with my decision. S4 has no camera lag issues and no issues anywhere else. I'm almost always on my phone doing whatever and no lags....yeah it gets hot from time to time but that's normal if your playing a big graphic and processing hogging game and/or always on the internet uploading and downloading.
Sent from the Nexus 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does, but only if you use a custom kernel. The lag gets even worse when using third party apps, sometimes it even reboots.
Stock kernel doesn't cause these issues.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda app-developers app
The only time I've seen my S4 lag after a picture is if I have "Night Mode" on. After every picture it would say "processing." Once I turned that off, all the pictures that I've taken just snapped and kept it moving. I also have the review off. No point if your the type to take several pics and just keep the one that you like the most. That's what I normally do.