My Note 4 is coming and I have some questions - Galaxy Note 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi friends, I have a Samsung Galaxy Note since 2012 and I used to love it. It was fast, big, it had a good camera, an almost perfect screen (The first HD Super Amoled screen) and the amazing S-Pen. It went from 2.3.5 Gingerbread to Android 5.0 Lollipop (Unbelievable). But yes, after 3 years of heavy using it, it started to show problems. The camera stopped working fine, It didn't focused anymore, the S-Pen started malfunctioning (moving elements of the screen without even touching it), the USB board went bad (including the microphone and usb jack) and the screen has burn-in issues. Then I assumed that was time to change it. Now I'm looking for the new flagship, the Note 4 (which I'm going to buy in January). So I read almost every review of it, every video and photos taken with his camera and everyone says that the phone is almost perfect (I mean almost because the 80% complains about the Touchwiz Layer in the OS, which I love and I don't have any problem to live with it) and doesn't have any flags. So I came here to ask to the people who already owned it and have some daily experience with the device what are their thoughts, problems and good things about it. Also some little things that I'm a bit worried:
-How good the camera is?
-It's early to ask because no one had this phone for more than 4 months, but does anyone experienced screen burn in? And how looks the screen in direct sunlight?
-What parts of the phone are metal? Only the frame or the whole body? And how feels it? It's good to handle or still feels like cheap plastic?
-What about the phone duration? Anyone had scratches on it? How bad they're? Please if you can add some photos of them, because the phone isn't even released here in Argentina and they arent any covers or protectors for the it so I need to stay for around 3 months with a "nude" phone.
Sorry for too many questions, but I really need to know how good this phone is because the price is really high. Thanks!

galaxynote2 said:
Hi friends, I have a Samsung Galaxy Note since 2012 and I used to love it. It was fast, big, it had a good camera, an almost perfect screen (The first HD Super Amoled screen) and the amazing S-Pen. It went from 2.3.5 Gingerbread to Android 5.0 Lollipop (Unbelievable). But yes, after 3 years of heavy using it, it started to show problems. The camera stopped working fine, It didn't focused anymore, the S-Pen started malfunctioning (moving elements of the screen without even touching it), the USB board went bad (including the microphone and usb jack) and the screen has burn-in issues. Then I assumed that was time to change it. Now I'm looking for the new flagship, the Note 4 (which I'm going to buy in January). So I read almost every review of it, every video and photos taken with his camera and everyone says that the phone is almost perfect (I mean almost because the 80% complains about the Touchwiz Layer in the OS, which I love and I don't have any problem to live with it) and doesn't have any flags. So I came here to ask to the people who already owned it and have some daily experience with the device what are their thoughts, problems and good things about it. Also some little things that I'm a bit worried:
-How good the camera is?
-It's early to ask because no one had this phone for more than 4 months, but does anyone experienced screen burn in? And how looks the screen in direct sunlight?
-What parts of the phone are metal? Only the frame or the whole body? And how feels it? It's good to handle or still feels like cheap plastic?
-What about the phone duration? Anyone had scratches on it? How bad they're? Please if you can add some photos of them, because the phone isn't even released here in Argentina and they arent any covers or protectors for the it so I need to stay for around 3 months with a "nude" phone.
Sorry for too many questions, but I really need to know how good this phone is because the price is really high. Thanks!
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- The Camera is fine, in my opinion, but that probably depends on the persons preference and use.
- I can't say I have experienced any burn-in, but the screen is okay in direct sunlight; however, if you angle your phone to inspect the glass in sunlight with the screen on, I notice a reddish tint all over with that blurryness you would experience if you were in a well-lit city at night without glasses when you need them haha :silly:
- Admittedly, the phone feels a tad delicate, but that's what cases are for! I have been using an s-view case without a screen protector since purchase and it still looks like-new! If you aren't going to use a case for your phone though, a full metal body might be better.
- With my s-view case and no screen protector, my phone has no scratches - that I can see. Unless you carry your phone in the same pocket as your keys and other objects, you will be fine :3 Unless you carry sand in your pocket Phone duration seems to vary among different models though. I am using a 910V (?) and I get anywhere from 4~6 hours of Screen-on time. The stand-by time is the best part though imo. I can usually go 2 days or more without a charge.
edit:
The red tint usually happens if I angle the phone on purpose I leave my brightness settings on automatic and the screen is always clear (as it would be at nighttime) with the sun directly over me.

JippleStar said:
- The Camera is fine, in my opinion, but that probably depends on the persons preference and use.
- I can't say I have experienced any burn-in, but the screen is okay in direct sunlight; however, if you angle your phone to inspect the glass in sunlight with the screen on, I notice a reddish tint all over with that blurryness you would experience if you were in a well-lit city at night without glasses when you need them haha :silly:
- Admittedly, the phone feels a tad delicate, but that's what cases are for! I have been using an s-view case without a screen protector since purchase and it still looks like-new! If you aren't going to use a case for your phone though, a full metal body might be better.
- With my s-view case and no screen protector, my phone has no scratches - that I can see. Unless you carry your phone in the same pocket as your keys and other objects, you will be fine :3 Unless you carry sand in your pocket Phone duration seems to vary among different models though. I am using a 910V (?) and I get anywhere from 4~6 hours of Screen-on time. The stand-by time is the best part though imo. I can usually go 2 days or more without a charge.
edit:
The red tint usually happens if I angle the phone on purpose I leave my brightness settings on automatic and the screen is always clear (as it would be at nighttime) with the sun directly over me.
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Thanks for the fast answer! And how do you feel using this phone? Do you have any complain or something that didn't liked about it?

galaxynote2 said:
Thanks for the fast answer! And how do you feel using this phone? Do you have any complain or something that didn't liked about it?
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If I had any complaints, the s-pen would convince me that it's worth it so I'm pretty biased xD

The phone is just fine. But u should buy the qualcom varients as this is my 3rd note 4. Its qualcom but backside 4g+ is written. Its true if u see the display from an extreme angle you will see red tint but its normal for me cause almost nobody watch the display from 170 or 180 degree. Qualcom chipset has better ram and bettery management over exinos one. And the phone really looks premium. Not only looks but u will feel it when you touch it. No problem seeing the display at direct sunlight. And it does not matter if they use gorilla glass 10 it will have scratch if you do not use screen protector or flip cover. So be careful.

Related

[Q] What are shortcomings on DHD ?

What are the main shortcomings on DHD ?
Battery life - it can least for 24h - enough for me
Sound quality - "call trick" made things up
Camera lens and blur ?
Is it now fixed ( I'm planning to buy a phone in 2 weeks ( in this Shop where i want to buy it came before 2-3 weeks ago) ?
This is my main concern, so if u now good news it will be good :/
Greetings from Sarajevo
Higher pixel resolution, coating on the screen against fingerprints&better protection in sunlight, better build quilty (The battery/simcard plastic thingy's) frontcamera, multicoloured LED notification lights.
That would be it. I am happy with the battery life.
I would say is the battery issue only..
As far as build quality goes, you're better of getting a plastic phone.
The metal is great, but those covers just make me wanna die.
I got a cheapo tpu silicon case off eBay for my dhd and its the best case I've ever had for a phone, it adds a bit to the thickness of the phone but its not obtrusive. I can get a day of heavy usage using cm7 and mm's battery fix. Call quality is great, although speaker volume is on the low side.
Others ?
I don't have any issues with my DHD anymore. The sound problem and battery life was fixed with a custom rom, sim & battery covers fit perfect and the camera lens/blur issue was fixed with a warranty repair (this problem is found only in the first batch of phones?). The screen is everything i need (yes i've used iphone 4 and galaxy s), a higher resolution wouldn't make such a big difference and I like the colors more than the amoled screen colors.
mesut19 said:
Higher pixel resolution, coating on the screen against fingerprints&better protection in sunlight, better build quilty (The battery/simcard plastic thingy's) frontcamera, multicoloured LED notification lights.
That would be it. I am happy with the battery life.
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What phone doesn't get fingerprints on it's screen?
I just want a higher resolution display it makes world difference. Look at iPhone 4 the icons looks like beautiful painting.. and need a front camera video calling becomes useless in DHD
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
So, problem with camera is solved on new models after January 2011 ?
Hawks556 said:
I don't have any issues with my DHD anymore. The sound problem and battery life was fixed with a custom rom, sim & battery covers fit perfect and the camera lens/blur issue was fixed with a warranty repair (this problem is found only in the first batch of phones?). The screen is everything i need (yes i've used iphone 4 and galaxy s), a higher resolution wouldn't make such a big difference and I like the colors more than the amoled screen colors.
What phone doesn't get fingerprints on it's screen?
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Well before this I had a 3GS. That had a coating which was really nice because the fingerprints weren't getting visible. The Ipad has a special kind of coating to.
You could probably buy some kind of spray for it but for a crown-jewel product of a manufacture like HTC it should be a 'must'

How to avoid screen aging?

I have my Galaxy Note for 10 weeks and after using it always with 100% brightness there are aging effects.
Specially at blue backgrounds, but also at white and gray I can see the home screen icons, the clock and some buttons from jelly defense (I played jelly defense 3 weeks daily 2 hours) shining darker. (you can see it on the photo)
Now my Galaxy Note is in service for screen changing.
But what can I do in the future to avoid this aging effects? 80% brightness, 90% brightness?
Samsung didn't know this problems (I'll not believe it).
Has anyone practical experience with this problem?
Typically Blue pixels age the fastest. So pick a warm/red background. Avoid 100% brightness. Use auto if possible. Avoid leave screen on for prolonged period. Avoid static text or icon on the screen for too long. Basically the same care you would do to a Plasma TV except even the plasma TV screen(around 80,000 to 100,000 hrs) lasts 10 times longer than the AMOLED screen (estimated around 10,000 to 20,000 hrs).
Looks like you've discovered amoleds dirty little secret. I avoid pixel burnout by using launchers that auto hide the notification bar as well as browsers that allow you to hide the navigation bar such as opera. Opera let's you browse in fill screen mode.
I often refrain from using apps that show static images for long periods of time. I try to use the browser for everything that can be done through the regular Web portal of a site.
There is no way of getting around static images in apps unless the Dev accounts for it. Some devs are aware of amoled burn out and have options to hide navigation bars.
Ultimately you have to be mindful of static images and make sure to either avoid them on your screen for prolonged periods of time or remember to rotate your screen.
This is why I'm not looking forward to virtual buttons on ICS. It will destroy amoled screens for sure. Hopefully Samsung will retain physical button(s)
10 weeks is a pretty short life time, My friend's Nexus One (1yr++) does not have the very slightest hint of screen aging why my the galaxy S2 that I used for just 2 months already had the AM/PM burned in.
Its normal for OLED screens to age but it should not be this fast, this is probably why apple is not looking into OLED screens as the quality and or lifespan could be problematic.
There are some manufacturing defects. Some screens are just fade faster than others. But in general, if you know how to take good care of your screen, it will last a long time. My old Galaxy S lasted over a year without any noticeable burn-in. My new Galaxy S2 has been 4 months w/o any problem.
foxbat121 said:
There are some manufacturing defects. Some screens are just fade faster than others. But in general, if you know how to take good care of your screen, it will last a long time. My old Galaxy S lasted over a year without any noticeable burn-in. My new Galaxy S2 has been 4 months w/o any problem.
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like the part where you say "noticeable"
no matter how much you try to take care of it. It will happen. Its already there. (Depends to which degree)
My advice apart those ones about hiding the element that are always present.
Do not look for a screen burn in. Or do not look at the ****ty quality of the AMOLED. When you would look on for example on grey/ brown background easiest to spot when going to the marker you would notice the differences between the different parts of the screen. Its not perfectly even from the time its build. The color is displayed in different shades usually presenting itself in "lines".
Had my Note for 1 hour and I noticed it. Brand new.
But then again I know what to look for (proud owner of Galaxy S) and where to look for it.
I bought this device for the resolution and power. Not for the screen build quality
When I say 'noticeable', I meant to use screen test patterns. Last time I did that with my Galaxy S, I don't see any burn in with the test patterns at all. But I agree one should not purposfully sort after the burn in. It will always be there. But I also don't need live in panic. The great contrast of the screen (or infinite black) outweights any shortcomings it has. Side by side with an iPhone 4/4s, I simply can't stand the foggy looking screen of the LCD on iPhones. Every iPhone owners I encounter liked my SAMOLE screen better.
PAGOT said:
But then again I know what to look for (proud owner of Galaxy S) and where to look for it.
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Hello fellow Galaxy S owner, This is the phone that brought up my standards and expectation for a SAMOLED device. I never saw any lines/uneven screen brightness and other garbage on my Galaxy S, even on greys. So this has brought up my expectation for a very high level which was crushed by the Galaxy Note's screen.
PAGOT said:
I bought this device for the resolution and power. Not for the screen build quality
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Good for you, I bought the device as a while package with the top concern about screen build quality and as an HD playback device which it does not meet the purpose
Just a quick tip I picked up from someone else on this site (I forget now who it was, sorry). Change your clock from 12 to 24 hour every now and then (and visa versa), it shifts all the icons along a little
This is both an interesting and depressing post to find. I was so excited to order my International Note soon, but now I'm super paranoid about screen aging. I've read so much conflicting information about it online, I don't even know what to believe anymore.
Featherbeard said:
This is both an interesting and depressing post to find. I was so excited to order my International Note soon, but now I'm super paranoid about screen aging. I've read so much conflicting information about it online, I don't even know what to believe anymore.
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In terms of lifespan, LCDs still trump amoleds. That's a fact you'll have to live with.
No screen technology is perfect. SAMOLED for the moment has the problem that pixels decrease in brightness with ussage. So try to minimize the amount of light you get off the screen. That will also give you more battery life.
Try to use black backgrounds, and white text on black background if the application allows it. Of course if you spend 3 hours a day on a game with static icons and menus, that will wear some pixels more than others and you'll end up with something like the OP.
If you go looking for small variations of color, you're going to find them. But the superior brightness and contrast of a SAMOLED screen wins me over. Even when I know its effemeral and will degrade with time. But anyway, who keeps a phone more than 2 years?
Yeah, but I just found this information for the first time today, which is why I'm so depressed. I'm a digital artist so having a nice little on-the-go sketchpad has me super excited, but also worried because of the screen. Expansys tells me there's a 2 year warranty, but I don't know how that would work on an international phone if the screen goes bad...
---------- Post added at 02:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:45 PM ----------
vcespon : Yeah, I normally keep the brightness on my Atrix down quite low anyways. The max brightness setting is *blindingly* bright. As for the 'who keeps a phone more then 2 years", I had my iphone 3gs for quite awhile thank you very much. That and if I spend 600-700 bucks on this baby I want it to last! If I get at the very least a year to a year and a half out of the screen I'll be somewhat happy, though closer to 2 would be better obviously. I wonder what the long-term outlook is for the life of these screens anyways. Does anyone know the mean-time-before-failure for them?
I would also try using black backgrounds or dark themes on as many apps as possible also. Like tapatalk or k9 for instance.
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
Featherbeard said:
I wonder what the long-term outlook is for the life of these screens anyways. Does anyone know the mean-time-before-failure for them?
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I think there are some references how long the pixels "live". You should google. Even though Samsung said that they used new materials to build the displays.
I can tell you one thing you get used to the inferior screen in time.(Few rants not and then) So I wouldn't worry about that. If it really fails you. Meaning someone else will notice something wrong on the screen no just you. Claim warranty
Also to pointing out. There is shor-term memory effect as well. I think I already posted some bad quality pics here about that from my SGS. > http://goo.gl/URYzm I do not remember if this is a burn it or just the memory effect. I think its the memory bla bla. Second pic is best.
Thanks for the information! I think I remembered someone saying that the short-term memory effect gets better over time as well. I'm mostly worried about the screen quality as I plan on doing a lot of sketching on it, which kind of sucks because it'll most likely be using a light-colored background then. :\ I wonder if the AT&T version will have the exact same screens or if they'll be a slightly updated version. I guess not considering AMOLED is still AMOLED.
PAGOT said:
I think there are some references how long the pixels "live". You should google. Even though Samsung said that they used new materials to build the displays.
I can tell you one thing you get used to the inferior screen in time.(Few rants not and then) So I wouldn't worry about that. If it really fails you. Meaning someone else will notice something wrong on the screen no just you. Claim warranty
Also to pointing out. There is shor-term memory effect as well. I think I already posted some bad quality pics here about that from my SGS. > http://goo.gl/URYzm I do not remember if this is a burn it or just the memory effect. I think its the memory bla bla. Second pic is best.
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Featherbeard said:
Thanks for the information! I think I remembered someone saying that the short-term memory effect gets better over time as well. I'm mostly worried about the screen quality as I plan on doing a lot of sketching on it, which kind of sucks because it'll most likely be using a light-colored background then. :\ I wonder if the AT&T version will have the exact same screens or if they'll be a slightly updated version. I guess not considering AMOLED is still AMOLED.
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You worry too much. And you do not even have that phone yet.
First of all not sure how its in your country, but here you can return in if you dont like it in a week I think.
Also if it becomes really apparent you really can go to a service center. I do not remember someone saying that samsung refused to change the screen.
Also I was ranting here already a year ago about the Galaxy S. I hate SAMOLED soo much since I got the SGS (18 months ago). I own an iPhone 4 and love retina and SLCD. And yet bought the Galaxy Note as well (despite the fact I knew how faulty it will be and how I will hate it )
Hey, I'm paranoid! I *really* get upset when I get a device that either isn't stable or has something wrong or defective about it. (Especially something that costs this much!) I'm in the US and am debating ordering through Expansys (USA), and I've heard they have I believe it was a 2 year warranty, but I have a feeling I'd have to send it to Expansys and have them take care of it if something went wrong. I can't see Samsung handling an international phone's repair in the US?
Aren't we strange with how we buy our gadgets? We know we will hate something and yet still buy it.
Featherbeard said:
Hey, I'm paranoid! I *really* get upset when I get a device that either isn't stable or has something wrong or defective about it. (Especially something that costs this much!) I'm in the US and am debating ordering through Expansys (USA), and I've heard they have I believe it was a 2 year warranty, but I have a feeling I'd have to send it to Expansys and have them take care of it if something went wrong. I can't see Samsung handling an international phone's repair in the US?
Aren't we strange with how we buy our gadgets? We know we will hate something and yet still buy it.
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All oled displays suffer from amoled burn out. Not much you can do.
vcespon said:
Try to use black backgrounds, and white text on black background if the application allows it.
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Here you can see my homescreen. There is already white text on black background.
But I can see the shadows of the big clock and all icons. The shadows are the white parts of the homescreen; for example the "S" of my S-Banking-App is very visible as a black shadow in all other apps with lighter background (Internet-Browser, ebook-Reader etc..).
And the homescreen is visible only for a few minutes, because when I want to use an app I directly start the app. I don't look so much time to the homescreen and my Galaxy Note goes after one minute in standby mode.
That means only 10 minutes/day homescreen with 100% brightness is enough to damage the screen visible after 10 weeks?
Okay, playing Jelly Defense 2 hours a day at 100% brightness is not so good, but the problem is not the time, because a few minutes looking to the homescreen has nearly the same aging effect.

How the curved screen feel for everyday use?

I am considering buying a S7 edge but I am really put off by the curved screen. Everytime I look at the phone in some shop, for just few minutes, the design looks beautiful for sure... but when actually looking at stuff inside the screen like images, some Apps, etc it really look bad to me with everyting distorted/curved at the edges.
Anyone else had this feeling? do you get used to it after few days of usage? or for most people it looks ok since the beginning?
I would for sure buy the normal S7 if it was 5.5"
Thanks
I have the S7EDGE. To me i only bought it for two things, looks and bigger battery. I even disabled all edge features. Its easy to use. Content sure wraps around the edges but its not annoying to me. And the size of the phone is great. Extremely compact for the 5.5 screen it has.
A curve is a distorted straight line, this wil never change. Personally I have no issues with it, I do see what u mean but I consider it a property of the curved edge and it doesn't hinder me in any visual aspect when watching a video or browsing. It also doesn't add anything to the phone for me in terms of usability (I went for looks ) so going for the edge-less version is a good choice also. The bigger battery was also what made me choose the edge.
I came from a Galaxy s5, to the SG7E. Chose the edge for the bigger battery and to give the something-different a try.
I've had the phone for about 3 weeks now and am pretty happy with it.
It's true that the edge of the display will slightly distort image edges but I don't find myself distracted by that at all in normal phone use - web, email, sms, taking pics/video, viewing pics/video, using navigation (Google Maps, Garmin Viago, Locus Pro).
What I have NOT done yet is any gaming, in particular with the Gear VR, so no opinion on that yet.
Its just great. Im not distracted by the edges at all. Furthermore, I love the effect it creates. Even just a facebook app looks more interesting to browse.
tacchan23 said:
but when actually looking at stuff inside the screen like images, some Apps, etc it really look bad to me with everyting distorted/curved at the edges.
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That's the point It's like an infinity pool where the water or pixels goes over the edge (hue hue), and that's pretty much the whole "thing" with it. If you're not into the edge, then get the regular "flat" S7. I love the edge though, even though I've disabled every edge feature.
Just should probably check it out in-store once or twice more to see if you like it or not, but I suspect you do like it. Also, there is a small learning curve to learn how to use the curved screen. It does have palm rejection, so it'll detect when your palm rests on the screen while you're using it, but it's just a piece of software, meaning it's not perfect, so you'll get some miss-clicks here and there, but you'll quickly learn how to hold the phone.
Overall, I do not regret getting it. It's pure tech porn.
The second reason I bought this phone for was the fact that it's the narrowest 5.5" phone in existence. And it can't be like this if not curved. First reason is the battery life.
Cst79 said:
The second reason I bought this phone for was the fact that it's the narrowest 5.5" phone in existence. And it can't be like this if not curved. First reason is the battery life.
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Yeah, the phone is pretty small for its display size, so no complaints there!
A little
When I first used my s7 edge I too noticed the weird distorted kinda 3d effect near the edges, but you get used to it really fast and when you do those videos and pictures look truly amazing, the in hand feel is great and even though I have large hands barely suffer from the accidental presses. Furthermore if you do find it an issue you can use a case, I personally use spigens tough armor which brings great protection without adding an unpractical amount of bulk.
In conclusion do not worry about it, this is a great phone and you will not regret it
Thanks for the replies, I will try to play with it a bit longer in some shop.
By the way I also don't feel the benefit of "the screen being 5.5 but not wide as other phones" (which I also read in many reviews). Of course I understand the meaning behind this, but in the end the curved edges are at least in part (maybe 50%?) wasted screen not used "properly", so I can't really say I have a real 5.5" screen (and so of course the phone is less wide and more comfortable to hold)
tacchan23 said:
Thanks for the replies, I will try to play with it a bit longer in some shop.
By the way I also don't feel the benefit of "the screen being 5.5 but not wide as other phones" (which I also read in many reviews). Of course I understand the meaning behind this, but in the end the curved edges are at least in part (maybe 50%?) wasted screen not used "properly", so I can't really say I have a real 5.5" screen (and so of course the phone is less wide and more comfortable to hold)
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Sure, I get that, and I guess that's true, but I didn't really buy the Edge for the 5.5 inch panel. I bought it for its design, and the 5.5 inch is just a bonus to me. I had an even bigger device prior to the Edge, so the Edge is tiny to me, but again, I already knew that and I don't personally care about "wasted space". I get what you're saying though.
But yeah, go and check it out in a store again and see if it grows on you or not. If not, maybe take a look at the flat S7. It has a smaller screen (5.1"), but maybe it'll fit you better. I have no idea

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
I've used my phone for about a week now, and I just love it. The phone is great, quality, screen color, brightness, comfortable in the hand, great photo quality, nice sound. My only BUT is MIUI, but well, for the moment I use NOVA.
I have been using this phone for a month now but I have noticed a left-right wobble in the screen. Is that normal or I need to get it checked from xiaomi. The wobble just ruins the premium overall experience with the phone.
harmeet_randhawa5 said:
I have been using this phone for a month now but I have noticed a left-right wobble in the screen. Is that normal or I need to get it checked from xiaomi. The wobble just ruins the premium overall experience with the phone.
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I think that's normal, I've seen it reported on a couple of the video reviews. That's the price you pay for a slider mechanism and no notch. A small price, imo.
After the first 12 hours, I'm very ambivalent about this phone. I absolutely love the display, it gorgeous to look at, very nearly bezel-less, and much sharper than my previous Samsung AMOLED (albeit an old one). What I don't like is the weight and the slippery surfaces. It's a bit better with the cover on, but what's the point of a flashy ceramic surface if it's only usable with a case over it? I realize this is a general problem with pretty much every high-end phone, not just this one, and I suspect that people who don't like plastic are the same ones who worry about themes.
Recieved mine 3 days ago.
I think it's good. Coming from a Mix 2, it's a refined version of the concept working pretty well.
Mine has also this left-right wobble, it's not wobbly.. you can push it to the side a little, if you push it but it makes a litte.
Been using mine for a few days now, and I'm getting used to the increased size. Using gestures helps a lot with general ease-of-use, particularly with one-handed operation. I can't see any wobble issues with mine, but the sliding mechanism is quite stiff compared to what I've seen in the videos, so maybe I got one that's a bit tighter. The speed of the thing is something to behold, booting takes a few seconds, and even running a TWRP backup is super-fast at a couple of minutes at most.
She's a hefty beast of a phone. I often use my phone to read in bed and having an oled display should be nicer for my eyes but even at the lowest brightness it is still fairly bright. The phone is quite heavy. I notice a tad wobble without a case if I am pushing the top right corner. I do not use the front facing camera. Not at all. MIUI is smooth but it has numerous bugs some of which make me frustrated. The main bug is that gboard will not allow me to use a personal dictionary. Other users on MIUI phones suffer the same bug. Still unresolved (there is a bug-ticket) Another bug includes the inability to keep Edge Gestures open. The gestures baked in are nice but being primarily bottom edge gestures it makes you(read me) hold the phone much lower and exacerbates the weight of the device.
Battery performance is excellent. The assistant button is awesome. You can map it. I find myself using google assistant way more because of it.
I will be unlocking and adding a custom ROM as those two bugs make my everyday use of the device harder than it should be. Especially the keyboard. It is incredibly frustrating when I need to type names and places in Japanese because of it.
I came from the mi mix 2 (gifted to my wife) and I also use the Redmi 4x. Both solid phones thanks to the community of developers. Xioami isn't available in my country so if something breaks I am SOL. However, I feel Xioami products are worth the risk.
tl/dr: Solid phone. Heavy. Fast. MIUI is good. But depending on the usuage bugs can be frustrating.
invisiblewave said:
After the first 12 hours, I'm very ambivalent about this phone. I absolutely love the display, it gorgeous to look at, very nearly bezel-less, and much sharper than my previous Samsung AMOLED (albeit an old one). What I don't like is the weight and the slippery surfaces. It's a bit better with the cover on, but what's the point of a flashy ceramic surface if it's only usable with a case over it? I realize this is a general problem with pretty much every high-end phone, not just this one, and I suspect that people who don't like plastic are the same ones who worry about themes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I felt the same way about using the cover, but I purchased a transparent protective film for the back and the screen, and I took away the slippery issue and allowed the phone to look like it had nothing on. It looks gorgeous!
alexisjmz said:
I felt the same way about using the cover, but I purchased a transparent protective film for the back and the screen, and I took away the slippery issue and allowed the phone to look like it had nothing on. It looks gorgeous!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you post a link to what you used? I'm now using the phone without the cover, since it makes a surprising difference when trying to wedge it into the pocket of my workout shorts, but I'm scared to death of dropping it every time it's in my hand.
invisiblewave said:
Can you post a link to what you used? I'm now using the phone without the cover, since it makes a surprising difference when trying to wedge it into the pocket of my workout shorts, but I'm scared to death of dropping it every time it's in my hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KN36KFM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A30R5FB6PSKP9L&psc=1
If you're looking for a hard shell, these won't do, but it will provide some grip and scratch protection. Hope it helps.
alexisjmz said:
I used this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KN36KFM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A30R5FB6PSKP9L&psc=1
If you're looking for a hard shell, these won't do, but it will provide some grip and scratch protection. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I may well give that a try. I highly doubt the ceramic will scratch, it's harder than the glass on the front, but I definitely need more grip. Once it's on, is there any way to get it off easily?
invisiblewave said:
Thanks, I may well give that a try. I highly doubt the ceramic will scratch, it's harder than the glass on the front, but I definitely need more grip. Once it's on, is there any way to get it off easily?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it's a protective film, it isn't that hard to remove.
is there a SUPER NIGHT SCENE MODE? or was that the Night Scene Mode
Is this a good phone? Happy day to day use? Is the headphone adapter decent? Does anybody LOVE this?
ToneLa said:
Is this a good phone? Happy day to day use? Is the headphone adapter decent? Does anybody LOVE this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do, now I have vanilla Android on it! The hardware is outstanding, the software it ships with I found difficult to use. Now I no longer have MIUI on it, it's by far the best phone I've ever owned. It performs like a flagship, but at nearly half the price of most of its competitors, and it's visually gorgeous. I can't comment on the headphone adapter since I don't use cables other than for fastboot operations.
invisiblewave said:
I do, now I have vanilla Android on it! The hardware is outstanding, the software it ships with I found difficult to use. Now I no longer have MIUI on it, it's by far the best phone I've ever owned. It performs like a flagship, but at nearly half the price of most of its competitors, and it's visually gorgeous. I can't comment on the headphone adapter since I don't use cables other than for fastboot operations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great! I'm likely to go for a custom ROM / not MUIU myself so it's great to hear the hardware is top notch.
I think this is my next phone. Still a bit curious about how custom ROMs deal with the excellent camera and the slider, but that's not necessarily an immediate concern.
Happy to see it get some love! I might get the jade one, and put the EU ROM on it
invisiblewave said:
I think that's normal, I've seen it reported on a couple of the video reviews. That's the price you pay for a slider mechanism and no notch. A small price, imo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you better describe this "wobble"? I don't think I understand what you are referring to. I'm just curious. I have the phone since two weeks ago and don't see anything weird in the screen.
Marcelocohenarg said:
Can you better describe this "wobble"? I don't think I understand what you are referring to. I'm just curious. I have the phone since two weeks ago and don't see anything weird in the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you haven't noticed it, just forget about it. There's nothing wrong with my screen either. The hardware is rock solid, the software leaves a lot to be desired, imo.
Mi MIX 3 is the best android phone I have had so far and I went through all versions of Samsung Galaxy and Google. I am using my global version with stock launcher on T-mobile LTE with no connection issues.
1. Display is just perfect, bright and beautiful with no ugly front camera cutouts.
2. Sliding the phone by default opens the selfie camera, but customizable to any other app.
3. There is a separate button on the side of the phone (like Bixby), which is completely customizable as well.
4. I love how fast the finger print scanner works in this phone. Overall phone operation speed and app launching/operation is faster than my Google Pixel 2 XL and Galaxy note 9.
5. Always on display (AOD) works as expected most of the time (it tends to move up on the screen and turns off in low light conditions).
6. There is a small message indicator light which flashes white light.
7. There is a Edge Glow (similar to Samsung Galaxy phones) feature which is supposed to only work when you receive notifications and AOD is off. I noticed the glow on occasion with AOD on and now I am using a android app "Always On Edge - Edge Lighting" to further customize and use the feature.
8. The phone ships with a plastic phone case/10W wireless charger base/Type C-3.5 mm adapter cable.
9. Camera in this phone is one of the best in the business (especially in low light).
10. Battery appears to be on the smaller side but I have had no issues with moderate use (over 60% left from morning to bed time).
11. Ceramic back is beautiful but a fingerprint magnet ; I am still using the phone without a case, which makes it a bit slippery; I placed a back protector clear film which did not help with the fingerprints but a bit easy to hold.
12. Phone is ~10 grams heavy compared to the Samsung Galaxy note, but it has a great balance and well made feel. You will notice it in the front shirt pocket for few days after the initial use (especially with a case).
13. There is a small movement of the screen in the top left corner (when you tap), due to the slider mechanism, which is barely noticeable.
14. MIUI launcher/ software is very smooth and I never felt the need to root the phone and install vanilla android version. I just changed the defaults for the browser/text apps to google. There is a drop down menu similar to any android with a screenshot toggle.
15. MIUI gives you only two sound options Regular (audible ring)/Silent. Silent mode can be programmed to vibrate; I wish Xiaomi makes it simple with sound/vibrate/silent modes with next SW update. There is a Do not disturb (DND) mode which can be programmed.
16. The stock "vibration intensity" is very low compared to Samsung or Google phones. It is easy to miss a notification or call when the phone is inside the pocket especially with a case. I don't know if any apps can let you change the vibration intensity without rooting.
17. So far, I love everything about the phone which is made better than any other android at any cost. If I drop the phone and break the display, I may not easily find a replacement screen in the local store. For ~$550 phone cost compared to ~$900 I spent on Samsung/Google phones, I am taking that risk.

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Hi as the devices are out in the German speaking countries, some initial comments from my side. I am coming from different devices including Fold 1, N20U and the one with the i, just as a background. My main daily driver in the last 12 months was the Fold 1 which I absolutely loved, that's why I ordered the Fold 2 on the first day.
- Overall a real 2.0 version of a 1.0 product I loved. A lot of improvements
- The small screen is a lot better, I was using the small Fold 1 screen quite often and liked also typing on it, as I swype heavily, and the short distances make it really quick. That advantadge is still there, but smaller, on the other side typing of words which you can't swype like passwords is easier now due to the additional screen real estate.
- The quality of the small screen has significantly improved from my point of view in terms of brightness and clarity
- I hated the small screen for only being able to arrange three apps in the permanent row at the bottom, and it is 5 now! Big improvement
- Audio is incredible, I also had the Mi10 which was the king in that category from my point of view, Fold2 equal or better. Incredible loud. Don't forget to turn Atmos on.
- I treated the Fold 1 very carefully for a couple of weeks, until I found out that nothing happens - actually my 1 year old Fold 1 is in best condition although handled like any other phone. I am in the same phase now with the Fold 2 - I am worried
- I have the Aramid standing cover and I don't like it. It looks cheap and covers only a part of the device, additionally it is more instable on a desk than without it. I am planning to switch to the leather cover
- Training the face recognition is so incredibly fast (1-2 seconds) that I think this cannot be save....
- You have to switch the large display to tablet mode in order to get tabs in the browser or multi window in outlook, this setting is only visible if you have the display open. Took me time to find it. Only then the large inner display makes real sense
- I am a heavy user of the small display and mainly use the large one for media consumption, which results in something like 60/40 usage small/big. With this setup, the battery seems to be fantastic, although to early to provide any detail. The German magazine CHIP made exactly that test and came to incredible runtime with the small display.
- The haptic of the whole thing made a big step forward compared to fold 1, especially the hinge. Real great feeling.
- Not really a dealbreaker, but strange: The flashlight is the weakest I had on a phone for years
- I am everything but an expert for smartphone cameras, more the point and shoot average user. Photo quality seems great to me, but look for better experts to talk about that. The usability is great, fast and responsive
- Generally, same comment applies to N20U and S20U, I think the OneUI made big steps forward in the last two years. Especially looking at the whole eco system with watch and earbuds, the whole user experience is now really great and close to an other phone (can' remember the name, someting with an i as far as I remember)
This are my initial impressions. I am happy with my purchase up to now.
Digging the Samsung Notes app on the big screen. Obviously doesn't support S-Pen but finger writing works surprisingly well.
Sent from my SM-F916U using Tapatalk
So after 5 days, thoughts...
First of all, the delivery was surprisingly on time, (never bought directly from Samsung Germany before) so that was a good start with the experience.
I wasn't overly impressed with the unboxing though. But still, unwrapping the warnings of was a good feeling. Then closing the device for the first time was a "wooow" moment. Coming from the Fold, that hinge feels so sturdy and worthy. I guess I played around, opened , closed the device for a minute or 2 before booting up the device.
It's screen protector in and outside are perfectly fine for the moment. The inside feels a bit "rubbery" and cheapish if I may say so, but it does the job fine.
The big screen is bright enough and clear enough for the everyday use. Regarding the flex mode, I do not give much about it. It's not mature enough yet to use it fully IMHO.
The outer screen, geez I use it a lot. I already used it quit often on the original Fold, but this upgrade is an enlightening. One hand usage, swiping my messages away. A quick look at social media is lovely, reading quickly any article is OK.
The build in general is sturdy, mature and a joy. I have the Mystic Black version. No need to tell anyone it's a fingerprint magnet. It's slippery as well.
And that's what annoys me a bit. I don't care they didn't put any extras in it this time. I mean, you just spend 2000 euro/dollar on a device. Then 60 Euro shouldn't be that big of a problem either. But they should've had it available in shops, online etc to get a case, cause you want to protect it, and this Mystic Black version is slippery as an eel.
I need a case or skin for this version.
But the conclusion is, samsung nailed it, to give us a 2000 euro experience, that feels like a 2000 euro device.
Did I need they phone? No, do I wanted the phone? Yes. But can I go back to a "normal" phone after 2 generations of foldable phones? Probably, but difficult it'll be...
After heavily utilizing my Mystic Black Fold 2 for a weekend, here are some of my thoughts below. I'll try not to repeat common things that I've read here or seen in reviews, but overall, I'm loving this device and having a pocketable large screen!
- The narrower front screen is surprisingly easy to type on, even without swiping. I have nubs for thumbs and I was shocked that I wasn't producing typos left and right.
- The visibility outside for both screens is pretty good, though the inside screen suffers from high reflectivity when outside in the sun. It doesn't affect you as much if you're looking straight on and slightly closing the hinge to angle the display helps.
- This device is so slippery it continually falls out of my pocket when I get in my car or sit at an angle. Where are you Fold 2 cases?! So far no damage but there have been a couple close calls.
- I have tried to be extra careful with this device but the inside screen protector is scratched up. I only notice it at certain angles under bright light but it makes me sad. I'm tempted to remove the inside screen protector but I'm not sure the ultra thin glass would hold up any better.
- The power button is a bit awkwardly placed for my hands and I found that I was constantly swiping up/down on it by accident which opened/closed the notification shade so I turned off that gesture.
- Speaking of that power button, it's tough to feel the button when attempting to scan my fingerprint but that could be due to me being used to face unlock with my iPhone 11 Pro and Pixel 4XL. I'm sure this will become more natural over time and the fingerprint scanner is mighty quick.
- I haven't found many widgets I like as they're not yet optimized for the screens (this includes some of the Samsung apps which surprised me). Many take up a lot of room on my homepages but then have small/compressed text/images. Hope this improves over time.
- I love the ability to be able to have multiple apps open but I initially got confused (and frustrated) with the Android split screen multi-tasking. I hope to be able to take advantage of this more as I use the phone.
- Very minor gripe but I wish there were more stock live wallpapers like how Google provides with their Pixels.
- Not sure if anyone else is encountering this but when I open to the bigger screen, there's a click that happens if I press down on the hinge on a bit. I found that opening to the larger screen by applying more pressure with the tips of both thumbs prevents this.
- Sometimes I get "disoriented" over which screen orientation I'm on when using the larger screen (i.e. is it currently in portrait or landscape?).
- When I have the device open in landscape, I like to keep the speakers on top both to project the sound a bit better and b/c the back half with the camera is a bit more grippy compared with the front screen (I took off the front screen protector).
- Haven't had any issues using Samsung Pay with this device.
- This device is amazing when you're out shopping with a significant other and need to keep the kids entertained with the large screen and loud-ish speakers!
Needs a TOTAL makeover!
I love it yeahhh!
My absolutely favorite phone is ... Nokia e90 Comunicator. I had this 3 times ln the past. Still have one Nokia e7 in perfect condition. I had also Htc Z . My first Android. I love foldables because... I love it, just love this Wow effect and of course more functionality. Bar phones looking like soaps. Even bigger and bigger Soaps!
propov8 said:
I love it yeahhh!
My absolutely favorite phone is ... Nokia e90 Comunicator. I had this 3 times ln the past. Still have one Nokia e7 in perfect condition. I had also Htc Z . My first Android. I love foldables because... I love it, just love this Wow effect and of course more functionality. Bar phones looking like soaps. Even bigger and bigger Soaps
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Click to collapse
Love the Nokia Communicator. And even flashbacks to the Psion Organiser that I still have in a drawer somewhere.

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