[q] user opinions on buying this phone - Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Heloo i would like to buy this phone but i dont know if its really a wise decison to buy this over the LG G2(my curent phone),could you help me if this phone is worth buyng it.
1.What are its weak parts?
2.Does the paint on plastic strip around the phone peele off in time?
3.IS the screen beeter or on par with the one on the G2?
4.Does the phone feel in hand sturdy and relaiable?unike my G2 that squeaks on light presuure on the plastic back and its very anoying
5.IS the sound quality good or better than the G2 through the 3.5 jack?
6.Hows the battery life?
7.Does it heat up much when doing demanding stuf like games and benchmark?
Thank you!
PS:I know there are many reviews on the internae but i think the best review is the user opinion.
Thank you again!

Strif3 said:
Heloo i would like to buy this phone but i dont know if its really a wise decison to buy this over the LG G2(my curent phone),could you help me if this phone is worth buyng it.
1.What are its weak parts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on what you're looking for. If you have a G2 I'm guessing you like overlays and the features they provide. The N3 has a ton of s/w features aimed at productivity and creation users centered on the S Pen. If you're one of them there is no phone that compares to the Note-series. Both phones have "gee whiz" features with things like motion control, Awake Stay, and the like. So if you like "stuff" the N3 has lots of it. If you're going to strip both phones of their features and use an AOSP-ish ROM than pick the device that makes you happiest. The N3 has a removable battery and expandable storage so keep that in mind as a possible benefit.
Also keep in mind that two philosophical issues affect the N3. To prevent gray market sales Samsung's introduced Region Lock which requires a device be initialized using a SIM local to its selling region before you can use it globally with different SIMs. There have been some issues where people have done that and run in to problems. The other is all Samsung devices now come with KNOX security s/w preloaded. It's benign when not used but Samsung moved the flash counter to it so when non-standard s/w is run on a KNOX-equipped device a flag is tripped that allows Samsung to know that and potentially withhold warranty support. There are long threads on both of those items if you want to learn more.
The speaker on the N3 is louder than the G2's but a bit thin and lacking in detail. If you're a big external speaker user you might want to test it in person to make sure it meets your needs.
2.Does the paint on plastic strip around the phone peele off in time?
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Click to collapse
Both the G2 and N3 are made of plastic so there's always the chance that long-term durability could be affected by handling. It's too early to tell.
3.IS the screen beeter or on par with the one on the G2?
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It's apples vs. oranges. The G2 has a great LCD display and the N3 has a great AMOLED display. Which do you prefer? They both have strengths and weaknesses. Here's a review of the N3's display.
http://www.displaymate.com/Galaxy_Note3_ShootOut_1.htm
4.Does the phone feel in hand sturdy and relaiable?unike my G2 that squeaks on light presuure on the plastic back and its very anoying
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Click to collapse
As sturdy as a plastic phone can be. Mine's certainly sturdy with no squeaks, rattles, or unnecessary flex. The back cover's paper thin plastic to accommodate being peeled off for battery, SIM, and SD card access. Some people hate that design others are fine with it.
5.IS the sound quality good or better than the G2 through the 3.5 jack?
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Click to collapse
The N3's better based on GSMArena's objective testing.
Audio quality
All three smartphones delivered almost spotlessly clean audio output so picking a winner here was quite hard. Still, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 managed to take the victory with its louder output, and slightly lower stereo crosstalk when headphones were plugged in. The LG G2 and the Sony Xperia Z1 are basically identical as far as their audio output is concerned. They perform excellently both with and without headphones but are let down by their uninspiring volume levels.​http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g2_vs_samsung_galaxy_note_3_vs_sony_xperia_z1-review-1000p7.php
6.Hows the battery life?
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It depends. I have a ton of syncs running and leave all Samsung's motion, air, and audio sensors active. I'm also in a crappy LTE coverage area. I get about 15-20% less battery life than I did on my non-LTE N2. I get about 5 1/2 hours of screen on time and the N3 easily lasts through a heavy use day. It also charges insanely fast so topping up during the day can get you through two days of use easily.
7.Does it heat up much when doing demanding stuf like games and benchmark?
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Click to collapse
Mine hasn't but I'm not a big gamer. It'll get warm when I'm background downloading while doing something resource intensive in the foreground but it’s never gotten hot.
i think the best review is the user opinion.
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Click to collapse
There's no shortage of opinions here. There are about a dozen people on the forum that post their displeasure with the N3 when the opportunity presents itself. Quite a few are former N2 owners. Weigh your own needs and hot buttons against the positive and negative comments this thread will attract and draw your own conclusions.

Thank you for the reply i forgot to metion how it feels int the pocket its a little biger than my G2?
About the screen i like lcd and amoleds its not such an important thing for me as long as the colors,the viewing angles and brightness are good i dont care if its amoled or lcd.
I saw on some threads here that the N3 has some problems with the home button is that true?
How is the GPS is it good?
Thank you!

Strif3 said:
7.Does it heat up much when doing demanding stuf like games and benchmark?
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Click to collapse
It does get hot during benchmarks, I did some tests and if you overclock the device the performance is worse due to heat.
Stock Hz undervolted got me the best results. 36k in AnTuTu.

Strif3 said:
Thank you for the reply i forgot to metion how it feels int the pocket its a little biger than my G2?
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Click to collapse
It feels fine once it's in my pocket but it's a little more work to get it in and out than my previous phone (Galaxy S1).
Overall I'm happy with the Note 3 there are a few frustrating niggles (e.g. the placement of the speaker means if you're playing a game on a landscape mode you end up covering it and blocking the sound) but the good far outweighs the bad.

Strif3 said:
i forgot to metion how it feels int the pocket its a little biger than my G2?
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Click to collapse
The N3 is a big phone so don't underestimate the size difference.

Well i played with the phone in my local store and i like it its nice and i like the s pen to,the width is ok it fits good in my hand though i have smal hands,only the hight is a liitle off but itsok to.

Strif3 said:
Well i played with the phone in my local store and i like it its nice and i like the s pen to,the width is ok it fits good in my hand though i have smal hands,only the hight is a liitle off but itsok to.
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Click to collapse
The one handed feature is really cool. It creates a smaller instance of the OS that's closer to either the left or right side. I use it when I'm going through airports or walking while using the phone at the same time.

Stop askin and start buyin haha...

Related

Rough edges, too hot, bad camera and visible pixel grid

I've recently purchased black HTC ONE. Although at first look device looks great (design is near perfection), I am really disappointed with its quality.
Build quality: both sides of the phone have rough edges - skin gets caught leaving white residue most of the time. Upper left edge of the screen is not fitted well - raised above the speaker grill
Really hot! It gets uncomfortable hot after few minutes of browsing over wifi - the screen gets warm as well! I also have GNote 2 and Iphone 4s and they get to such temperatures only after havy use when charging.
Camera is no good! (and yes I know how to take a picture) - pictures are noise (in relatively good light) and contain pinkish tint in center when focusing on white surfaces
Pixel grid (horizontal and vertical) is quite visible on the screen when jts turned off (this does not bother me), or on a mid day light and even indoors under some angles (and this is f-ing bothering me!)
I dont know did I get a really bad unit or this device is all looks and no quality...
ssasa said:
I've recently purchased black HTC ONE. Although at first look device looks great (design is near perfection), I am really disappointed with its quality.
Build quality: both sides of the phone have rough edges - skin gets caught leaving white residue most of the time. Upper left edge of the screen is not fitted well - raised above the speaker grill
Really hot! It gets uncomfortable hot after few minutes of browsing over wifi - the screen gets warm as well! I also have GNote 2 and Iphone 4s and they get to such temperatures only after havy use when charging.
Camera is no good! (and yes I know how to take a picture) - pictures are noise (in relatively good light) and contain pinkish tint in center when focusing on white surfaces
Pixel grid (horizontal and vertical) is quite visible on the screen when jts turned off (this does not bother me), or on a mid day light and even indoors under some angles (and this is f-ing bothering me!)
I dont know did I get a really bad unit or this device is all looks and no quality...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad unit, get a replacement. There seem to be quite a few (I'm waiting for my second - because of a borked plastic cut) but I've also seen perfect examples...
Don't have any of those problems, Black One, build date 27th May Tierra del Fuego sub-contractor (FA)
Just send it back. Obvious.
so u expect ur first wife to be all sweet and caring and lovey dovey and makes a sandwich every morning?
get real
shiningarmor said:
so u expect ur first wife to be all sweet and caring and lovey dovey and makes a sandwich every morning?
get real
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Click to collapse
So how many wives do you plan on trying to get?
That overheating issue you're facing is not normal, I believe. I have had a Galaxy S3 which got really hot after minimal usage, and the HTC One is great when it comes to that in comparison. You have to understand that aluminium soaks up the heat from the internals of the device, which is a good thing and a bad thing; it is perhaps bad because it can get a bit uncomfortable to hold while playing games, for instance, but at the same time it is good because it preserves the internals of the device and prolongs their life.
I have the a silver one and I do not face the problem with the edges. I read that the black one has a coating on it which makes it more prone to scratches, dings and chips than the silver one, so maybe that is the problem you're facing? I have also read that some of the earlier versions had gaps (like the screen not being fitted well, as you mentioned) but I am not sure about them. If you feel uncomfortable about the device, just go to the HTC service center and talk to them about it, perhaps they can sort you out a replacement if you're under warranty.
I cannot comment on the camera because I am by no means a photographer or even have a lot of experience with them, but it is suffice to say that I love the camera and I feel it is much better than my S3, sister's 4S and Dad's iPhone 5.
Yes I do expect here to be exactly as you've described. Maybe this is why my relationships does not last more than a year
I am also thinking of asking for another unit. But in my cowboy / banana country this really a hassle...
Nippero said:
So how many wives do you plan on trying to get?
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Click to collapse
maybe 3 xD
ssasa said:
Yes I do expect here to be exactly as you've described. Maybe this is why my relationships does not last more than a year
I am also thinking of asking for another unit. But in my cowboy / banana country this really a hassle...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahaha
ot : ur unit isnt normal. get it replaced
TarekElsakka said:
That overheating issue you're facing is not normal, I believe. I have had a Galaxy S3 which got really hot after minimal usage, and the HTC One is great when it comes to that in comparison. You have to understand that aluminium soaks up the heat from the internals of the device, which is a good thing and a bad thing; it is perhaps bad because it can get a bit uncomfortable to hold while playing games, for instance, but at the same time it is good because it preserves the internals of the device and prolongs their life.
I have the a silver one and I do not face the problem with the edges. I read that the black one has a coating on it which makes it more prone to scratches, dings and chips than the silver one, so maybe that is the problem you're facing? I have also read that some of the earlier versions had gaps (like the screen not being fitted well, as you mentioned) but I am not sure about them. If you feel uncomfortable about the device, just go to the HTC service center and talk to them about it, perhaps they can sort you out a replacement if you're under warranty.
I cannot comment on the camera because I am by no means a photographer or even have a lot of experience with them, but it is suffice to say that I love the camera and I feel it is much better than my S3, sister's 4S and Dad's iPhone 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not chipped or scratched. It looks quite nice really. However you can feal its edges scratching when you hold the phone. Nothing dangerous just bloody annoying - due to hype about build quality I had my expectations set high.
I am no photography expert I just take pictures with steady hand and in fair light - if my subject is the white wall, the pink tint is all over the middle of the picture
As others said probably very bad unit. I'll try to replace it on monday.
Definitely defective. I've been using the phone for the last hour browsing the net and checking email. Still cool to the touch. Not sure what the sharp edges are...
mine got pretty hot the first week i had it and the battery life wasnt very good but after having it for a while it seemed to have settled down and battery life is very good now
Itaintrite said:
Definitely defective. I've been using the phone for the last hour browsing the net and checking email. Still cool to the touch. Not sure what the sharp edges are...
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Cool to the touch? Do you have massive calluses on your hands that are impenetrable to heat? I don't know if I've read of anyone else describing this phone as cool to the touch when being used.
As for the OPs phone. Return it. I've got black One and it is so damn nice. If you aren't fully enjoying it, something must be defective. The casing certainly sounds like it is. The camera: I recently took a short trip and only brought the phone as my camera. Before, I didn't like the camera so much. After spending time with it, I grew to like it quite a bit. It isn't an amazing camera, but it still gets pretty good shots. Maybe your settings need some tweaking, or you got a really bad unit and the camera is defective as well.
Anyway, take it back. Get yourself a perfect One. :thumbup:
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
ataft said:
Cool to the touch? Do you have massive calluses on your hands that are impenetrable to heat? I don't know if I've read of anyone else describing this phone as cool to the touch when being used.
As for the OPs phone. Return it. I've got black One and it is so damn nice. If you aren't fully enjoying it, something must be defective. The casing certainly sounds like it is. The camera: I recently took a short trip and only brought the phone as my camera. Before, I didn't like the camera so much. After spending time with it, I grew to like it quite a bit. It isn't an amazing camera, but it still gets pretty good shots. Maybe your settings need some tweaking, or you got a really bad unit and the camera is defective as well.
Anyway, take it back. Get yourself a perfect One. :thumbup:
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, then fact that I'm in a room with AC probably helps too. But yeah, pretty cool to the touch. Not even warm.
Please don't feed the trolls
----------------------o('_')o----------------------
Sent from an HTC One with using xda app:
TrickDroid ROM 5.6
Bulletproof 1.10
ssasa said:
Yes I do expect here to be exactly as you've described. Maybe this is why my relationships does not last more than a year
I am also thinking of asking for another unit. But in my cowboy / banana country this really a hassle...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think a lot of us forget that not everyone has the opportunity to just walk in store and get a replacement.. There's a lot of downsides to ATT and Tmobile, etc. upsides are they will most likely exchange them until your happy. At least you dont have to accept a bad one..Keep mentioning zero gap til they bring one that applies I got lucky i guess and my first one is nearly perfect.
It sounds like yours is bad enough to do whatever you gotta do to get it replaced. Good luck,
Pixel grid? Do you mean you can see the digitalizer layer? This is quite normal on capacitive touch mobiles with thin glass
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app

Is the smearing issue hardware or software?

Is it? I've read about it and it seems it's an issue with the AMOLED Samsung chose for this phone, but that it can be solved with other RGB settings, slightly cutting back on the true blacks and whites.
if you are so much troubled by it, then by all means feel free to do so
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Rewrote the OP, lol. I always write stuff I don't mean when I'm a bit angry. It's just that I'm tired of constantly having phones with issues. I exchanged the piece of crap One for this phone.
Hey Shawty. I tried the MEA update and personally couldn't see any snaring although some people claim it's still there. I must be blind because I looked for it.
Still I went back to my old setup as some mods didn't work on the new rom. Personally it doesn't bother me as I rarely see it.
Sent from my GT-I9305 using xda premium
I can say from my experience that it is software related. When I first got the phone I noticed it immediately, on menus etc. I installed an app that was suggested on some other threads about this topic which like you said changes something to do with RGB levels (I don't actually understand the issue/fix myself). Since the MEA update it has been less of a problem, I don't get it on the settings menu for example. But in another app (Light Flow) I still get a bit of smearing.
Theshawty said:
Look, darling. I appreciated the One but the fact that it had so many flaws was bothering. It heated up beyond what one would call reasonable and actually got too uncomfortable to hold and the capacitive keys were blue-ish when they should have been white (I even compared it to my brother's One).
I agree that the One is superior to the S4 in many ways like for instance the speakers, the premium feel and a few other aspects.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry but have to refute this nonesense about the One heating up. The One does not heat up unless you're using it plugged in and proper battering it with a 3D game or something, and even then to call it hot is stretching matters. Warm to the touch is the best i've managed with it. Now the S4, that gets bloody hot, too hot to touch.
As for the issue at hand, can't be sorted as it;s inherent with all Amoled displays including S4, S3, etc.
Flashmore said:
BTW. the heat from One's aluminium body is not an "issue" its normal since alloy is an excellent conductor of heat, better to rid the heat than reflect it like plastic, the heat is no way impacting performance or otherwise.
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I am perfectly well aware of that metal is an excellent conductor or heat and of course that is a good thing, but the heat was an issue, for me and taking into consideration HTC's previous history, I didn't want another One because I am sure it would have had several flaws as well. I returned to where I feel the most safe (and sound) which would be Samsung.
We'll see where the future leads me.
Flashmore said:
As for the blue-ish buttons, come on, don't talk trash, that is such a nit pick ridiculous comment!
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Click to collapse
I didn't like that, especially not when all other One's I saw had a bright white light (lol, rhyming ).
biffsmash said:
Sorry but have to refute this nonesense about the One heating up. The One does not heat up unless you're using it plugged in and proper battering it with a 3D game or something, and even then to call it hot is stretching matters. Warm to the touch is the best i've managed with it. Now the S4, that gets bloody hot, too hot to touch.
As for the issue at hand, can't be sorted as it;s inherent with all Amoled displays including S4, S3, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So just because your HTC One doesn't heat up, you're calling everyone else off as liars? The One I had must have been faulty because it actually got HOT and very uncomfortably so by not doing anything special. It got varm by just randomly scrolling around and got hot when I played 20 minutes of Candy Crush.
<------------------------------------------------------------------------>
I am not a Samsung fanboy, though, but there was only one phone I wanted and that was the HTC One. It disappointed me and I turned to the S4. Should that prove to be a disappointment as well, I don't know what to do.
Thread cleaned.
Strictly keep it on topic. No trolling. No sarcasm.
You are entitled to your own opinion, but you do need to respect other's too.
Theshawty said:
I am perfectly well aware of that metal is an excellent conductor or heat and of course that is a good thing, but the heat was an issue, for me and taking into consideration HTC's previous history, I didn't want another One because I am sure it would have had several flaws as well. I returned to where I feel the most safe (and sound) which would be Samsung.
We'll see where the future leads me.
I didn't like that, especially not when all other One's I saw had a bright white light (lol, rhyming ).
So just because your HTC One doesn't heat up, you're calling everyone else off as liars? The One I had must have been faulty because it actually got HOT and very uncomfortably so by not doing anything special. It got varm by just randomly scrolling around and got hot when I played 20 minutes of Candy Crush.
<------------------------------------------------------------------------>
I am not a Samsung fanboy, though, but there was only one phone I wanted and that was the HTC One. It disappointed me and I turned to the S4. Should that prove to be a disappointment as well, I don't know what to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good for you, I have both devices right in front of me.
I actually had an H-One replaced for thinking it was overheating, however after receiving the new one it has the same heat omission and it isn't really "uncomfortable" come on S4 gets hot too when multitasking.
The aluminium body is supposed to get hot its what aluminium does when a large battery presses against it fuelling a hard working CPU, mind you I dont believe you weren't working the CPU and it merely "got hot doing nothing special"(as for battery life comparing the two the 'One' has better battery life, mind you I'm using stock battery S4)
Plastic doesn't transfer heat nearly as well hence the worse battery life and most likely reduced life of the phone, not to mention the cheap look and feel. I don't expect my post to last here as it seems some biased mods refuse to allow any opinions to remain that may be even slightly objective towards S4, don't get me wrong I still really like the S4, oh well, care factor!
BTW I am not calling anyone a liar, however if you think your post is more truthful than mine then I guess you're judging people without hearing their opinion!
Theshawty said:
I am perfectly well aware of that metal is an excellent conductor or heat and of course that is a good thing, but the heat was an issue, for me and taking into consideration HTC's previous history, I didn't want another One because I am sure it would have had several flaws as well. I returned to where I feel the most safe (and sound) which would be Samsung.
We'll see where the future leads me.
I didn't like that, especially not when all other One's I saw had a bright white light (lol, rhyming ).
So just because your HTC One doesn't heat up, you're calling everyone else off as liars? The One I had must have been faulty because it actually got HOT and very uncomfortably so by not doing anything special. It got varm by just randomly scrolling around and got hot when I played 20 minutes of Candy Crush.
<------------------------------------------------------------------------>
I am not a Samsung fanboy, though, but there was only one phone I wanted and that was the HTC One. It disappointed me and I turned to the S4. Should that prove to be a disappointment as well, I don't know what to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
high end performance comes at a cost... do not expect a quad core cpu to be cool also give it some time till samsung s4 software is really optimized because its far from being fully ready
Flashmore said:
Good for you, I have both devices right in front of me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good for you.
Flashmore said:
I actually had an H-One replaced for thinking it was overheating, however after receiving the new one it has the same heat omitting and it isn't really "uncomfortable" come on S4 gets hot too when multitasking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There you go again. You don't think it's uncomfortable, but I do. Yeah, the S4 does get hot, but at one spot only, the upper part of the phone, though it doesn't get all around hot like the One does.
Flashmore said:
The aluminium body is supposed to get hot its what aluminium does when a large battery presses against it fuelling a hard working CPU, mind you I dont believe you weren't working the CPU and it merely "got hot doing nothing special"(as for battery life comparing the two the 'One' has better battery life, mind you I'm using stock battery S4)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe what you will, I cannot force you. I know the truth, the real truth. I wasn't working the CPU when it got hot, unless playing around iwth the phone means working the CPU a lot. It got blazingly hot by playing games.
Flashmore said:
Plastic doesn't transfer heat nearly as well hence the worse battery life and most likely reduced life of the phone, not to mention the cheap look and feel. I don't expect my post to last here as it seems some biased mods refuse to allow any opinions to remain that may be even slightly objective towards S4, don't get me wrong I still really like the S4, oh well, care factor!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Biased? Haha, oh the irony of this post.
Theshawty said:
Good for you.
Biased? Haha, oh the irony of this post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha too, there's no irony when nobody knows the truth, anyway I guess ignorance is bliss, no offence however I think you're right. Piece!
Regards
flashmore
Theshawty said:
Is it? I've read about it and it seems it's an issue with the AMOLED Samsung chose for this phone, but that it can be solved with other RGB settings, slightly cutting back on the true blacks and whites.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don´t have this anymore on latest MF8 on 9505.

Anyone else having trouble deciding?

I'm having a hard time deciding what my next phone will be. I'm stuck between the Xperia Z1 and the Note 3. I really like how big the note 3 is but at the same time the camera and waterproofing in the xperia is very attractive. How are you guys coping with this decision?
systoxity said:
I'm having a hard time deciding what my next phone will be. I'm stuck between the Xperia Z1 and the Note 3. I really like how big the note 3 is but at the same time the camera and waterproofing in the xperia is very attractive. How are you guys coping with this decision?
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Click to collapse
Same here. I really wanted a waterproof phone. Maybe they will have an Active version without watering down the specs.
goodwinod said:
Same here. I really wanted a waterproof phone. Maybe they will have an Active version without watering down the specs.
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Click to collapse
That would be very exciting. Here's hoping.
systoxity said:
That would be very exciting. Here's hoping.
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Click to collapse
Can you explain to me why that's important to you? Waterproofing that is? Have you had problems with getting your phone wet in the past? What appeals to you in that you will pass on a phone that's not waterproof? Just wondering...
bossei said:
Can you explain to me why that's important to you? Waterproofing that is? Have you had problems with getting your phone wet in the past? What appeals to you in that you will pass on a phone that's not waterproof? Just wondering...
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Click to collapse
Yeah no problem, there's quite a few reasons why waterproof seems attractive to me. I live in Fl and i often have to contend with rain/sweat. I ride a motorcycle and run outdoors on the regular. I guess all that boils down to peace of mind (i damaged a S2 canoeing and got caught in the rain a few times with the Note II no damage though thankfully). Also i think it'd be pretty cool to grab some pictures under water of course.
Problem is, if i'd never owned the note 2 i would have hopped on the z1 no problem. But i really liked its large screen. I have big ol hands (the note 2 almost looks normal when i'm holding it). Also the large screen is very easy on the eyes. I also regularly used the stylus.. . Wish i could buy them both.
systoxity said:
Yeah no problem, there's quite a few reasons why waterproof seems attractive to me. I live in Fl and i often have to contend with rain/sweat. I ride a motorcycle and run outdoors on the regular. I guess all that boils down to peace of mind (i damaged a S2 canoeing and got caught in the rain a few times with the Note II no damage though thankfully). Also i think it'd be pretty cool to grab some pictures under water of course.
Problem is, if i'd never owned the note 2 i would have hopped on the z1 no problem. But i really liked its large screen. I have big ol hands (the note 2 almost looks normal when i'm holding it). Also the large screen is very easy on the eyes. I also regularly used the stylus.. . Wish i could buy them both.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you that makes perfect sense.
Im torn between Z-ultra and Note-3. Leaning towards the Z-U... becuase of the screen size. We'll see, i have to see them in person 1st...
Only trouble I'm having is deciding which variant to go for 3G or LTE, which is going to see the most community input, what's the battery life between the two etc....
Even if they made a waterproof N3, is the SPen waterproof as well? And, no, I'm not about to go test mine.
If the z1 comes to att I'll probably go with that just bc I haven't had a Sony and two the specs and looks are love
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
hockeyfan said:
Even if they made a waterproof N3, is the SPen waterproof as well? And, no, I'm not about to go test mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha i doubt the s pen is waterproof. You could probably dunk it a bunch and it will work for a while but it does have some metal parts inside that would suffer some oxidation in the long term.
RavenY2K3 said:
Only trouble I'm having is deciding which variant to go for 3G or LTE, which is going to see the most community input, what's the battery life between the two etc....
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Click to collapse
Thats a good point, I think i read somewhere that the s800 has more processing power and less battery drain. I can't cite that though. Someone chime in if they know? I think i would get the lte one even if battery life was a smidge shorter.
cholepuree1 said:
Im torn between Z-ultra and Note-3. Leaning towards the Z-U... becuase of the screen size. We'll see, i have to see them in person 1st...
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Can you wield that phone? It looks big even by my standards.
Anon9mouz said:
If the z1 comes to att I'll probably go with that just bc I haven't had a Sony and two the specs and looks are love
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
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I have not had a sony either. My recent experience with a lumia 1020 have made me really appreciate good cameras on phones though. The z1 seems like the ultimate compromise of features. idk though...
systoxity said:
I'm having a hard time deciding what my next phone will be. I'm stuck between the Xperia Z1 and the Note 3. I really like how big the note 3 is but at the same time the camera and waterproofing in the xperia is very attractive. How are you guys coping with this decision?
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I know 100% that the Note 3 is the phone for me because a) The specs are monstrous and b) it's the only viable option for someone who wants to use a stylus seriously (In the immediate future / present market). I'm using a capacitive stylus on the (2012) Nexus 7 and it just doesn't cut it. The new Note 3 is going to allow me to ditch my Epic 4G Touch and Nexus 7 in one fell swoop while increasing my productivity
No other phone comes close in my search - although I LOVE stock android so I'm quite tempted by the prospect of a new Nexus phone, but I'd rather have the epic stylus functionality.
My only debate right now is which carrier to go with - The Sprint voice/data networks have been garbage for me over the last 2 years here in Colorado. (I'm debating between Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T - Verizon is prohibitively expensive)
systoxity said:
haha i doubt the s pen is waterproof. You could probably dunk it a bunch and it will work for a while but it does have some metal parts inside that would suffer some oxidation in the long term.
Thats a good point, I think i read somewhere that the s800 has more processing power and less battery drain. I can't cite that though. Someone chime in if they know? I think i would get the lte one even if battery life was a smidge shorter.
Can you wield that phone? It looks big even by my standards.
I have not had a sony either. My recent experience with a lumia 1020 have made me really appreciate good cameras on phones though. The z1 seems like the ultimate compromise of features. idk though...
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But what's hard to leave camera aspect and unlocked bootloader is the HTC one for them having super low light sensor plus HTC giving u access to unlock bootloader something that's gonna be a tough cookie on all new phones that's out and will come out for att except HTC almost why I kinda wanna go HTC one max but still idk. Plus I wanna get a phone with a good dev community so I can build for it. So idk what to get. G2, Z1, N3, 1Max, MotoX. I'm just bored with my black 64 gb HTC one I need something new to play with
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4
No, no trouble deciding. After using the (original) Note for the past two years, there was no question that my next phone would be a similar size. I find it to be as large as possible w/o being too difficult to handle or fit in my pocket. I think the Mega would be too big (not to mention it's inferior specs). Personally, I would be surprised if they introduced an "Active" version. Not just because of the s-pen itself, but because of the hole the s-pen fits into. It's just another possible water entry point that would have to be addressed. Besides, the note is marketed as more of a business device vs. the S4. It doesn't seem like there would be as large of a market for a waterproofed Note vs. S4. FWIW, I ride a motorcycle too. Although I'm more of a fair weather rider, I have gotten drenched on several occasions, and it's never been an issue for my current Note. The phone does get wet while in my pocket in a storm, but it's not really the same as getting submerged.
dscline said:
No, no trouble deciding. After using the (original) Note for the past two years, there was no question that my next phone would be a similar size. I find it to be as large as possible w/o being too difficult to handle or fit in my pocket. I think the Mega would be too big (not to mention it's inferior specs). Personally, I would be surprised if they introduced an "Active" version. Not just because of the s-pen itself, but because of the hole the s-pen fits into. It's just another possible water entry point that would have to be addressed. Besides, the note is marketed as more of a business device vs. the S4. It doesn't seem like there would be as large of a market for a waterproofed Note vs. S4. FWIW, I ride a motorcycle too. Although I'm more of a fair weather rider, I have gotten drenched on several occasions, and it's never been an issue for my current Note. The phone does get wet while in my pocket in a storm, but it's not really the same as getting submerged.
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Yes to the screen size. I feel like you nailed that subject. Its just the right size. I also doubt they will release an active version of the note 3. Not because of the pen silo though, where the silo fits the pen doesn't have to interact with any electronics, therefor the silo could be part of a unibody shell without having to introduce any seams into the design.There are plenty of other reasons why making an active version of the note would be challenging though...
For me i think its going to come down to who offers me the best price/package. Z1 or Note 3. I'm looking to purchase outright full price on att lte network and i'm getting antsy. I don't want to wait too long. I think the longest i'd be willing to wait is until nexus 5 reviews come out.
On the topic of waterproof of the xperia. Even though it's a great function and I was very tempted with it on the ultra z.
There was a YouTube video I have seen last night about how the screen of ultra z would not response if it's fully immerse in the water. Somehow the water makes the screen unresponsive. I'm not too sure if it's the same with z1 though.
It might also be a pain to constantly making sure there's no dust building up around and under the flaps so to keep the waterproof function working 100%
Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app
Valid points, i saw that video too. I wonder how they advertise it taking pictures under water... I bet they only use the physical camera button. Cant wait for more reviews on all these phones.
RavenY2K3 said:
Only trouble I'm having is deciding which variant to go for 3G or LTE, which is going to see the most community input, what's the battery life between the two etc....
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Assuming you are buying for the use in the US (snapdragon processor), the phone is tri-band, it supports both GSM and LTE.
bossei said:
Can you explain to me why that's important to you? Waterproofing that is? Have you had problems with getting your phone wet in the past? What appeals to you in that you will pass on a phone that's not waterproof? Just wondering...
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My note 1 made it all the way through my rafting trip (I was tracking our 5 day trip with gps). Then I got home and was pre-soaking my pants prior to washing them and it was in the pocket. It was a sad day. I've had to use my gs2 for about a month while waiting for the note 3.
And yes, the spen still work. I tried it on my note 10.1.
systoxity said:
I'm having a hard time deciding what my next phone will be. I'm stuck between the Xperia Z1 and the Note 3. I really like how big the note 3 is but at the same time the camera and waterproofing in the xperia is very attractive. How are you guys coping with this decision?
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Yep my choice as well. I am not so certain on the Note 3 size though & the Z1's camera is a very big plus point for it.

So I just used a 5x for the first time. Nexus 5 user here

Ps: big text incoming... I should write novels not Internet forum posts! Bear with me pls.
I've been kinda wanting to replace my Nexus 5 for a while now.
Things that annoy me are the battery that doesn't last that long - doesn't make it through the day if I happen to use it a bit more than the occasional message and photo. And the camera... I have taken freaking fantastic photos with this phone! Even though so many people complain, and fore sure there are way better cameras, Google Camera's HDR+ works wonders!
However.... Quite frequently I loose quick shots because the phone takes forever from 0 to Photo-snap! Focus is slow and unreliable...
Other than those two things, I really can't complain! Specially for the price! 400€ 32gb bright red model. Kinda cheap and unique as **** as you don't really see many screaming bright red phones around.
Still.... I want a reliable camera and a battery that lasts the day even when I use the phone at will.
So I started looking...
Galaxy S6 => awesome hardware! (even though the battery is kinda iffy) but failWiz makes it a no go for me!.. I was nearly going for it when I found out you can't even use alternative keyboards freely because Samsung's ram manager keeps pushing them out.
LG g4.. Meh camera ain't that fantastic, just has a great manual mode.
Nexus 6p ... Seems cool! But it's too big, and now that it's seemingly crappy internal structure design has been revealed... I'm not looking forward to pay over 630€ for a phone whose design had corners cut.
So I considered the 5x. Even though I hate the fake front speaker grill
It kinda checks all boxes.
But today, to my surprise I found one on exposition on a local electronics shop. First I was like "wow cool!" then after playing around with it for a while and comparing it to my N5 I was more like "Meh... Not paying 530€ for this."
The camera looks awesome, even though it didn't seem to snap pics that fast (was in low light ambient)
But it doesn't really perspire quality.
If it'd cost here the same it costs in the states, sure. Good deal!
But for this price... Doesn't seem worth jumping from the Nexus 5 to the 5x.
Did I miss something? What makes this phone fantastic?
I wanted to love it....but I walked away far from in love.
Yeah... Unless your N5 is crapping out, you really have no reason to replace it.
Only reason why I'm thinking the 5x is because after two years, it has some light wear and tear that drives my ocd nuts, as do a couple of hairline cracks at the sim tray and the volume rocker.
All I would expect from the 5 to the 5x is an improved camera, maybe slightly better battery, slightly improved SoC... And nexus imprint... Other than that, its the same phone. Which isn't a bad thing. The N5 was/is a great device, and if u add the above mentioned features, its worthy of a slightly bumped up price from it's predecessor
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Yeah mine is all cracked too (the plastic around it) and none of the cracks apparently related to falls o.o
First one was the between the audio-jack and the screen. One day... there was a crack there!.. awesome lol
Now there's another one bellow the volume rocker and one next to the sim-tray as well. Top notch built quality!! xD never complained cuz of the price...
The thing about the price bump is that the price bump in Europe isn't because of extra hardware, otherwise it would have the same bump in the States. No - it's most probably because google felt like joining the bandwagon of ripping off ppl in Europe! lol... Taxes? Sure there are more taxes here and import taxes, but not to cover that much difference in price I don't think.
So it makes it kinda hard to justify the price even if I was shopping for a phone from scratch, not for a swap.
If you want a fingerprint scanner and a better camera, but that's about it. Larger screen too. I really like my 5X, it replaced my S6 edge and I'm much more pleased with the 5X. My old man is using my original nexus 5, so I couldn't take that from him, but he's pleased with it.
I got used to using a fingerprint with the S6E and since Android pay wants a secure lock screen, it just made sense for me to get the 5X over finding another 5. But I'm in the States and it's cheaper here, so that helped with the decision too.
SrPintas said:
Yeah mine is all cracked too (the plastic around it) and none of the cracks apparently related to falls o.o
First one was the between the audio-jack and the screen. One day... there was a crack there!.. awesome lol
Now there's another one bellow the volume rocker and one next to the sim-tray as well. Top notch built quality!! xD never complained cuz of the price...
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Oh yeah... I have the one by the audio jack too lmao.
Nobody ever claimed the n5 had good build quality. It's always been described as feeling "cheap" and "plastic". I always thought mine might have came from minor drops until I read that virtually everyone has them lol.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
It's like an N5 that's improved in every way IMO. The downsides being it's physically larger and a bit more expensive.
Biggest improvements are battery life and the camera image quality.
However some examples of the more unexpected improvements that you notice once you start using the device for a while:
Charge speeds. I've not charged over night even once yet as a 30 minute charge is enough to get through a day (roughly 50%).
Skin temperature. This device stays much cooler than the N5 especially during lighter usage such as Streaming Netflix and browsing. Battery temperatures remain consistently cooler than the N5 at all times, especially gaming.
Fingerprint sensor and ambient display: Together make it feel like you're interacting with the device in a whole new way. No need to use the power button ever.
How does the battery fair on a daily basis?
N5 is terrible even dose working it's magic while the phone is idling is not enough for it to make it alive in the evening if I use it a fair amount at some point during the morning.
SrPintas said:
How does the battery fair on a daily basis?
N5 is terrible even dose working it's magic while the phone is idling is not enough for it to make it alive in the evening if I use it a fair amount at some point during the morning.
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Click to collapse
It's awesome. I don't need to disable a single thing and my run times are similar to my N5 that had just about everything disabled.
It might only have an extra 400mAh but it feels like an extra 1000mAh. Part of that is because of Android 6.0 and Doze though.
Most of my results are in the 4-6 hours SoT range across 20+ hours. Lowest is 3 hours SoT across 20+ hours with weak signal mobile data usage and gaming. 50% manual brightness with most software features enabled.
Examples:
http://imgur.com/a/gVuT3
http://imgur.com/a/UhqdL
Sounds pretty good.
I rarely (never) see even 3h sot, much less 4 :'D
Sounds like I saw what the N5x has on offer pretty well.
The thing screwing it up is the EU price adjustment being even worse than it was with the N5
Ok, long post too... bear with me...
So, I had the exact same issues as you described. I loved my N5 and I've been using it daily for the past 2 years or so. The main reasons I wanted to change phones was battery life and the cameras, both rear and front facing. I do agree with you when you say that the N5 snapped some fantastic shots though. HDR+ really works wonders.
I considered a lot of options such as the Moto X Style/Pure, Nexus 6P, LG G4, Xperia Z5, Galaxy S6 or the OnePlus 2, but they're just too physically big. Can't carry around a phone that big. I'd have to buy new trousers because I wouldn't be able to fit it in any of my pockets
Also, Z5 and S6 are way too expensive and I find it morally wrong to spend so much money on a phone... personal thing...
After a lot of reading and thinking, I did get the 5X in the end. I'm in the UK so I paid slightly less than 530€ (£350 which is around 485€). I must say that I'm definitely happy with the upgrade.
As for the camera, when you say it doesn't perspire quality, you're completely wrong. The camera on this phone is FREAKING amazing, the quality is outstanding and the focus is lovely! The sensor captures a LOT of detail! I mean, A LOT OF DETAIL! Can't really say about the colours cause I'm colour-blind (lol), but I find them spot on (a little bit on the dark side perhaps but nothing to worry about, you can always bump up the brightness in edit mode). The aperture is quite good which makes the macro mode fantastic as well (depth of field related). Even though I got some decent shots with the original N5, this camera is on a completely different level, quality wise! As for speed, I find the camera app a little bit to slow at times but this is a software issue rather than an hardware one. The focus is fast and accurate. Most likely the app slow down will be addressed in a future app update.
Front facing camera is also quite decent. Wide angle is awesome for selfies and it also captures a lot of detail. Coming from the 1.3MP camera on the N5, this one is a welcome improvement, trust me!
As for battery life, don't get your hopes up. Don't get me wrong, battery usage is way better than the N5 and it does last a full WORKING day (which I wouldn't get out of the N5... I'm a very heavy user) but it's no Z3/Z5 compact. I'd say you can get 30/35% more usage time on the 5X. While it might not seem a lot but I've been getting a lot more Screen on Time and standby usage has also improved. I feel like doze works way better on the 5X than on the N5, probably due to the revamped hardware (note that always on sensors on the 808 SoC are much more battery efficient). Quick charge works wonders too! Charge it for 10/15 minutes and you're good for another 4/5h of usage. Perfect for when you have a night out, just charge it for 10 mins before leaving work and you're good to go!
Chipset-wise, while it might not seem a worthy upgrade, I have to say that the 808 performs exceptionally well. The 64bit architecture DOES MAKE a difference although by looking at the specs on paper you won't really tell. Even though my N5 was mostly snappy, it would lag and struggle at times. I've yet to experience that on the 5X and I have the exact same apps/setup I had on my N5. Definitely an improvement on performance too.
As for the rest, it's pretty much the same experience as the N5. Build quality, android experience, sound (no stereo speakers, bummer, but it's the same as the N5 so...), screen quality. I was happy with what I had and I'm happy with what I have now
By the way, two features I didn't care much for were the fingerprint sensor and the ambient display. While they may not be deal breakers, both things are quite a nice to have. Regarding the fingerprint sensor, its position is perfect and it works almost flawlessly! Also it's fast... like, insanely FAST! The ambient display helps battery and it works good, not great but good (doesn't always kick in perfectly). I'm guessing this could be addressed on a future software update as well. Again, it's not a deal breaker but it's definitely a great addition to an already good phone.
Sorry for the long post, hope it helps
Wow
Don't apologize for the long text! Not only I don't mind reading but that's exactly what I was hoping to find: someone in a similar situation!
I wasn't aware the price was lower in the UK! Neat... Might be worth importing if I travel or someone close does. Any chance of a insurance on purchase for damage or theft?
Oh and regarding what I wrote about it not traspiring quality. After I read again what I wrote I though it might be confusing because I didn't change subject. I meant the device itself, not the camera, when I wrote it didn't transpire quality and thus didn't feel worth the price.
Also jumping from a N5, where do you put the quality at? The one I used had a gigantic anti-theft alarm dongle glued to it's back so I couldn't really tell.
The vibration engine felt way better even though I could only test it by inputting a not-recognized finger print!
The buttons seemed very nice even though I've read bad things about them on several places
In norway you can get a carrier lock discount, witch makes the price of the phone itself the same as in the us. No option to do that where you are buying it?
SrPintas said:
Wow
Don't apologize for the long text! Not only I don't mind reading but that's exactly what I was hoping to find: someone in a similar situation!
I wasn't aware the price was lower in the UK! Neat... Might be worth importing if I travel or someone close does. Any chance of a insurance on purchase for damage or theft?
Oh and regarding what I wrote about it not traspiring quality. After I read again what I wrote I though it might be confusing because I didn't change subject. I meant the device itself, not the camera, when I wrote it didn't transpire quality and thus didn't feel worth the price.
Also jumping from a N5, where do you put the quality at? The one I used had a gigantic anti-theft alarm dongle glued to it's back so I couldn't really tell.
The vibration engine felt way better even though I could only test it by inputting a not-recognized finger print!
The buttons seemed very nice even though I've read bad things about them on several places
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Click to collapse
I got the 32Gb by the way, 16Gb is £300 although I wouldn't recommend 16Gb to anyone given the fact that there's no micro sd slot...
It is possible to get an insurance, yes. I guess it's something like £12/mo but I don't know what it covers (probably 1 screen replacement, theft I don't know... check carphone warehouse for more details). Also, I don't know if you'll be able to do it since you don't live in the UK.
Quality wise, I'd say if you feel like the N5 has a cheap build quality, you'll have the same opinion about the 5X. This phone doesn't have an aluminium unibody neither it does have gorilla glass 4. It is not an iphone 6s/htc m9/6P/etc, they had to cut costs somewhere I guess. It won't win any design awards either, that's for sure. Having said that, if you feel ok with the N5, you'll notice no difference handling the 5X. If you (because you're upgrading to a new device) expect the new phone to have a more premium feel (as "they" put it and has been taunted pretty much everywhere...) you won't get that from the 5X.
Vibration engine is sometimes annoyingly loud and tbh, not quite strong. But does the job I guess, I feel it vibrating in my hand and in my pocket, I've yet to miss a call cause I didn't feel it vibrating plus, I don't think that will be a reason to/not to buy the phone.
The button are, well, buttons... I've seen people complaining about the N5 having ceramic buttons and the 5X plastic ones. My thought about that is... who cares? Because of the fingerprint sensor I'm using a power button a lot less and the volume rocker has a rather nice position as it's placed towards the centre rather on the top of the phone. I find it convenient because the headphone jack is on the bottom so, when listening to music, my phone is faced down in my back pocket and I can easily adjust the volume without hassle.
In my opinion, I don't really care about aluminium unibody bull****. It gives a premium feeling, ok that's fair enough, if you're into that. Although if you're into that, you'll probably, won't be looking at the 5X Also, I rather have a phone that won't give me an heart attack when (notice the "when" rather than "if"!) I drop it
I'm there with you.
"Premium" quality comes with ups and downs.
I'm a but into design so I like a good looking device just like I nice a well designed car.
However I also drop em once in a while xD Nexus has proven incredibly durable (think I'm lucky too), I doubt a S6 or iPhone would survive some of the drops the n5 did.
When i asked about quality and feeling I didn't mean to compare with the more design oriented devices. But compare it with the N5 and other plastic chassi phones. The 5x sure is plastic, but it felt more "solid" in my hand than the N5. But I can't be sure cuz of the alarm dongle that was stuck to it.
On the buttons... So what if the n5 has ceramic?... Nice touch, but they are have some play. 5x's seemed more solid even if not "clickier" like most people seem to like
HabueN said:
In norway you can get a carrier lock discount, witch makes the price of the phone itself the same as in the us. No option to do that where you are buying it?
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I wish. But so far no carrier has it or has announced anything regarding it
SrPintas said:
How does the battery fair on a daily basis?
N5 is terrible even dose working it's magic while the phone is idling is not enough for it to make it alive in the evening if I use it a fair amount at some point during the morning.
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Click to collapse
Have you tried replacing your original phone battery? Mine was getting pretty bad and I replaced it with a new one bought off ebay a month ago. I now comfortably get a day and a half of moderate use. SOT time around 3.5 hours and doze is doing wonders compared to Lollipop. When kept overnight (11:00 pm to 6:00 am) the battery loses only 3% and I will take that any day!
I think people need to understand that a lithium ion battery will start falling down in performance considerably when approaching its life limit. Now comparing to the N5X I don't consider it worth the upgrade but will most likely switch to the next Nexus in October 2016.
sshariff said:
Have you tried replacing your original phone battery? Mine was getting pretty bad and I replaced it with a new one bought off ebay a month ago. I now comfortably get a day and a half of moderate use. SOT time around 3.5 hours and doze is doing wonders compared to Lollipop. When kept overnight (11:00 pm to 6:00 am) the battery loses only 3% and I will take that any day!
I think people need to understand that a lithium ion battery will start falling down in performance considerably when approaching its life limit. Now comparing to the N5X I don't consider it worth the upgrade but will most likely switch to the next Nexus in October 2016.
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I've thought about it. But kinda dozed off the idea when I didn't know which battery to choose =P
I replaced the battery on my N5 two months ago so I speak out of experience. It has gotten better but 5X's battery still performs better than a new battery on my N5.
Battery life is never linear as it depends on each person usage. I personally have everything on all the time... I rely heavily on Google's services like location tracking, location based reminders and I "need" a always-on data connection. Given this premise, my battery is bound not to last as long as other peoples' but I think starting to turn features off in order to preserve battery is not the way to go. I want to fully experience my phone and I'm aware that may cause battery drains. That's why I have a power bank ;pp
Regarding design, I'm very picky too, trust me. I do, however prefer minimalistic designs and both the N5 and 5X suit my design obsession. Again, this is also a matter of personal taste...
SrPintas said:
Also jumping from a N5, where do you put the quality at? The one I used had a gigantic anti-theft alarm dongle glued to it's back so I couldn't really tell.
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Won't ask any questions, and if u answer, I'll say I never knew u. Lol
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
H0tep said:
Won't ask any questions, and if u answer, I'll say I never knew u. Lol
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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Ahahahah xD
It was in exposition in a major electronics shop and stuck to the counter with an alarm dongle and "chain" cable.
Didn't really use it at home or something with the dongle still attached xD

Why I'm returning my G5, after 5 days

In short, the G5 feels poor, for a flagship. I knew about some of these issues beforehand but I didn't think they would bother me as much. I've never returned a phone before.
I'm coming to it from a Samsung S6 Edge and iPhone 6. I can include the Nexus 5 and even the HTC One X in here too. They all felt a lot better, smoother and cleaner.
I wanted the G5 + Hi-Fi Plus to replace the phone + audio player combination I've gotten used to (most recently, Sony Walkman NWZ-ZX2).
I still haven't received my Hi-Fi Plus. But even if it was great (it is essential, for me), it wouldn't make up for everything else.
It feels like there is a lip when you swipe from the side of the screen. It's not smooth glass like an iPhone, S6/S7 Edge, or Nexus 5. It doesn't feel nice.
The chrome trim around the back has hideous gaps. The bottom of the phone doesn't align along perfectly along the sides. I think this is shocking in this day and age. I can imagine Steve Jobs slapping you in the face if you tried to release something like this at Apple.
The fingerprint scanner doesn't always work and seems to be worse than my iPhone and the S6 Edge.
The battery life is mediocre, even without always-on display. With lighter than average use I can go a day. I would expect this to be reduced with the Hi-Fi Plus. I don't want to carry two batteries and I don't want to be swapping batteries until this one becomes suboptimal. But by that time I will probably want a new device.
The supposedly metal body feels like plastic, so what's the point of it? It's not as though plastic phones fall apart or melt in time. Moreover, this prevents wireless charging.
Audio quality through the standard headphone socket is dull. The fact that something can play 24-bit audio doesn't mean it will sound great.
The tapered top of the phone means that I can't use a screen protector. In the long term, this is not a good idea, especially without a case.
The fact that the Hi-Fi Plus makes it a little bigger means that I can't use a case.
I think I'll get the HTC 10 when it's released, because the S7 Edge isn't a worthwhile upgrade over a 128GB S6 Edge.
I had similar build quality concerns. You can actually see some of these things in review photos and videos of you know what you are looking for. A friend of mine has already exchanged his first G5 due to build quality.
BTW, what does the M10 have over the S7E that makes it worth the upgrade and the S7E not? Just curious.
Wow, I've had a totally different experience. My build quality is perfect much to my surprise. The seams along the modular edge are spot on. The fingerprint scanner is spot on. Faster than my S7 and on par with the Nexus 6P.
The screen lies smooth to the side and I like the curved top and bottom as I really don't use screen protectors anymore. The gaps on the chrome are antenna lines, at least they are not all over the phone. As far the finish it's a coating. I like it as it has better grip than my S7 edge or any metal/glass phone and I have no blemishes thankfully.
I can't comment on the headphone audio as I use LG Tones and the sound has been great coming from Bluetooth.
As far as the M10 it will be no where near as good as the S7 or even this. Why? Because HTC has lost its identity and produces a mismosh of tech. Smaller screen, added a home button and remove its defining feature the front facing speakers. Blah. Ill skip it.
I'm sure Steve Jobs has already rolled over in his grave with the crap Apple has been pushing out for the last few years. Innovation stopped with his illness and unfortunate death. They have been far too stagnant. From antenna gate to bending phones to buggy os releases there are plenty of bad quality control issues at Apple, no company is exempt.
Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk
Well to be fair to the HTC 10 it presumably will have a better DAC in it than the stock SD820 DAC that the S7 and G5 has. But at the same time the SD DAC which has been notoriously awful over the years is much improved. Definitely good enough for most people or cheap gym headphones. I would also give a slight nod to Sense over touchwiz and LGs new abomination of an iphone setup.
I am Coming from the HTC m7 and htc models before the m7, after one week i am still fascinated from the design and the quality of the the G5. Battery is ok could be better but ok. i am not more then 24 h away from a power supply and can still use some powerbanks on tours. the Launcher i use for years now is Lightning Launcher so i never have to care bout sense or other original used launchers by the manufacturer of my phone. till now the phone is top for me.
let me see if the sound module can beat the boomsound of HTC and if it will get rooted for some framework and so on.
For me, the back seam is not straight in terms of height. The seams along the side don't align either.
I think in part I'm used to devices impressing me in the hand. The One X felt amazing. The Nexus 5 felt very clean. The S6 Edge looked fantastic (although the Edge was pointless).
These things wouldn't bother me so much if I kept the phone in a case, but this won't happen.
Even without sound quality considerations, I much prefer the S7/Edge/HTC 10. I can get a separate DAP (I'm considering Onkyo DP-X1 but waiting for it be released in Europe, for warranty reasons).
The one clear advantage of the HTC 10, for me, is that you can use the microSD for app storage. I found that I'd used up all the space on the G5 after saving a lot of Spotify music for offline access. It felt like a step backwards from a 128GB S6 Edge in this regard.
Mines perfect. I adore this device. Sorry to hear your device sucked.
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Bye, and dont let the door hit you in the arse on your way out.
If you're that much of an audiophile.... I don't even know why you'd consider a phone to play audio. Just my 0.02.
Fingerprint scanner is spot on for me.. Even when I'm dirty at work, it still picks it up. My S6 Edge+ would pick it up 10% of the time when my hands were clean.
Sure, I went through 8 G5's before I settled. Is this one flawless? No. It's slightly off flush. Do I care? Not really... It's in a case.
Do I expect perfect QC for a $700 phone? Sure. But it's not going to happen until manufacturing returns to this country. Will that happen? Nope.
Overall, I'm loving this phone. Displays nice, clear, and smooth. UI is great... Probably moving back to nova, but the styling and icons are beautiful. The grip without a case is great for a metal phone. Due to the coating, for sure.
It just feels and looks nicer than the S6 and S7 IMO. Had the M10 not had a physical home button, I would've considered it. Nothing says classy like a buttonless face.
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Rauch said:
If you're that much of an audiophile.... I don't even know why you'd consider a phone to play audio. Just my 0.02.
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Because its not asking too much to want above average quality without having to carry multiple devices. Im not expecting it to rvial my fiio x3 but it should at least be passable for the gym etc.
Rauch said:
ISure, I went through 8 G5's before I settled. Is this one flawless? No. It's slightly off flush. Do I care? Not really... It's in a case.
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Click to collapse
You went through 8 then immediately claim you dont care? Sounds like you are trying to convince yourself that you dont care not us.
Rauch said:
IDo I expect perfect QC for a $700 phone? Sure. But it's not going to happen until manufacturing returns to this country. Will that happen? Nope.
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Click to collapse
I know right, it really sucked when they stopped making smartphones here right? Whats that? They have never been made here? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
Really though, how can you even try that excuse? The G5 is made the same way the s7/iphone is made. Cheap asian labor but you dont see these issues plaguing them do you? This notion that made in china = garbage is so ignorant and shortsighted. It dont matter where its made the manufacturer can set the quality standards its like this in every country no matter what they are making.
Exactly. I don't want to carry two devices all the time. Especially in the summer.
The Hi-Fi Plus could make the G5 compete with DAPs that cost roughly the same.
The ZX2 was good but it was stuck on Android 4.2. The DP-X1 is still not forthcoming for me. So I need something. I sold the S6 Edge and my iPhone doesn't have enough memory for much music.
Yes, some of these issues are due to quality control. Others are just very bad design choices.
I'm still having problems with the fingerprint scanner. I tried rescanning carefully but it hasn't improved.
I'm also a little sceptical about the fast charging estimates. I think they're underestimated.
Aeneas said:
The one clear advantage of the HTC 10, for me, is that you can use the microSD for app storage. I found that I'd used up all the space on the G5 after saving a lot of Spotify music for offline access. It felt like a step backwards from a 128GB S6 Edge in this regard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you know that one can change storage too sd card thou: In spotify go to settings > scroll down to storage > choose sd card
And problem solved!
notinterested said:
Because its not asking too much to want above average quality without having to carry multiple devices. Im not expecting it to rvial my fiio x3 but it should at least be passable for the gym etc.
You went through 8 then immediately claim you dont care? Sounds like you are trying to convince yourself that you dont care not us.
I know right, it really sucked when they stopped making smartphones here right? Whats that? They have never been made here? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
Really though, how can you even try that excuse? The G5 is made the same way the s7/iphone is made. Cheap asian labor but you dont see these issues plaguing them do you? This notion that made in china = garbage is so ignorant and shortsighted. It dont matter where its made the manufacturer can set the quality standards its like this in every country no matter what they are making.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If quality of music is your biggest concern at the gym, you've got some other issues at hand. You should become more focused on your workout and sweating away that fat instead of worrying how good your music sounds.
Yeah, I went through 8 because the moment you pull them out of the box the flaws were that noticeable. Beyond that, no big deal.
Ignorant and short sighted? No. Compare tools made in China vs. Made in america, germany, or Spain. Big difference. Or more importantly - copper and steel pipe and fittings. Tell me there's no quality difference between something made with cheap labor vs. Something made here. The fact I can crack a 2" black iron fitting with an 18" pipe wrench is enough to see there is a difference. Than you factor in dimensions and threading differences.... Get out in the real world and realize there is a huge quality difference between cheap labor and expensive labor.
Oh, I'm sorry.... Did you forget about about the admitted iphone 5S manufacturing defects? Could be sworn there was something wrong with the 6's as well!
Open your eyes kiddo.
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Rauch said:
If quality of music is your biggest concern at the gym, you've got some other issues at hand. You should become more focused on your workout and sweating away that fat instead of worrying how good your music sounds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What? That makes no sense AT ALL... Music is a motivator, when your music sounds like ass its a distraction. You must not go to the gym.
Rauch said:
Ignorant and short sighted? No. Compare tools made in China vs. Made in america, germany, or Spain. Big difference. Or more importantly - copper and steel pipe and fittings. Tell me there's no quality difference between something made with cheap labor vs. Something made here. The fact I can crack a 2" black iron fitting with an 18" pipe wrench is enough to see there is a difference. Than you factor in dimensions and threading differences.... Get out in the real world and realize there is a huge quality difference between cheap labor and expensive labor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats a cute analogy ill give you another one.
Compare the iphone and the galaxy s7 to the G5. All are made in the same place 2 are considered to be very well made one has problems like crazy.
get out in the real world and realize all phones are made in cheap asian countries and only one has these glaring issues and you will see a flawed design for what it is. Your argument holds no water whatsoever.
Rauch said:
Oh, I'm sorry.... Did you forget about about the admitted iphone 5S manufacturing defects? Could be sworn there was something wrong with the 6's as well!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must be joking right? Those where design flaws antennagate was bad design not bad production. The iphone 6 bending was bad design not bad production.
Rauch said:
Open your eyes kiddo.
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Click to collapse
Open my eyes? Your argument is that the G5 is messed up because its "made in china" every other smartphone on the planet is too and they are just fine... Stop being so stubbornly ignorant.
BudaBang said:
I hope you know that one can change storage too sd card thou: In spotify go to settings > scroll down to storage > choose sd card
And problem solved!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. I was going to say that.
But yes g5 has micro sd slot.
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notinterested said:
What? That makes no sense AT ALL... Music is a motivator, when your music sounds like ass its a distraction. You must not go to the gym.
Thats a cute analogy ill give you another one.
Compare the iphone and the galaxy s7 to the G5. All are made in the same place 2 are considered to be very well made one has problems like crazy.
get out in the real world and realize all phones are made in cheap asian countries and only one has these glaring issues and you will see a flawed design for what it is. Your argument holds no water whatsoever.
You must be joking right? Those where design flaws antennagate was bad design not bad production. The iphone 6 bending was bad design not bad production.
Open my eyes? Your argument is that the G5 is messed up because its "made in china" every other smartphone on the planet is too and they are just fine... Stop being so stubbornly ignorant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bro, you make some solid points
Baxter you know I don't speak Spanish.
Aeneas said:
The one clear advantage of the HTC 10, for me, is that you can use the microSD for app storage. I found that I'd used up all the space on the G5 after saving a lot of Spotify music for offline access. It felt like a step backwards from a 128GB S6 Edge in this regard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spotify - How to store cache on external SD
People should learn how to use google.
---------- Post added at 10:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:00 AM ----------
Wow, lots of people managed to do something you couldn't.
Sound isn't that bad, I listened to a few tracks quickly on spotify on my sennheisers and it was on par with other phones I've tested.
Could be tweaked a bit with viper when we get root but I'm satisfied.
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