From the S5 to the Note 5! [Verizon] - Galaxy Note5 General

Hello, hello!
I got the Note 5 on Friday and, I have to say, it's a wonderful phone. I started out on the G1 waaaaaay back when so I've been through a few
The Note 5 is pretty dang awesome. I had a ... hmmm... was it Alliance rom? I think? On the S5 and loved the phone but I was due for an upgrade and decided to go for it. I can't go into super technical details on things but, man. so good. the display is gorgeous, the camera is beautiful and really really really fast (as in click-snap) and the whole phone is just smooth. I've yet to run into any lag despite all the various programs I run. The WiFi has been great and solid and just a titch strong than the S5 for me. I can be in my car outside the house and still get a little bit of a signal whereas the S5 wouldn't. The speaker is okay. It's loud enough and I appreciate that it's not on the rear of the device any more but it's not super great.
Wireless charging is very good. I have the $15 chargers from Amazon (Yoo something or other) and a slim Ringke case that's more to protect the camera lens than anything else. Battery life is... uhhh... it's okay. Definitely burns through battery faster than my S5. I haven't really messed with the pen since that's not a huge thing for me but I do doodle so I'll probably grab Sketchbook and try it out. I like that it's at least a little pressure sensitive.
The fingerprint scanner! It actually works! I tried this briefly on the S5 when I first got it and immediately turned it off. On the Note 5, I actually have it as my (corporate policy required) unlock mechanism. I trained it with my right thumb vertically and it'll read it vertically or horizontally. The only time it's failed has been my fault so far. I honestly really like it. It's very quick at reading the fingerprint.
So, yeah! I see a lot of negative posts and figured I'd chime in with what I liked. I should note that I wasn't bummed out by the lack of SD card. I don't install a huge amount on the phone and I periodically move off photos into long term storage. However, lack of battery removal does suck so I'll see how that goes. Not a huge deal breaker as long as it doesn't give me crap.

the olny thing you may be missing out on with the verizon note 5 is samsung pay http://www.zdnet.com/article/verizon-may-support-samsung-pay-in-the-u-s-or-it-may-not/

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http://forum.xda-developers.com/note5/general/note5-user-reviews-opinions-t3190343
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[Q] S4 vs Note 2

I already got 2 S4 coming, but question is, I keep reading around in different threads that maybe the Note 2 is a better device than the S4, a few people who've already got their S4 are saying that the S4 does not compare to the Note 2, my wife wanted the note 2, and I talked her out of it....man I am in deep shi$ if she gets wind of any of this....and she reads a few areas here in xda...I smell the dog house coming
Throw out a few opinions...PLEASE! save me
TheAxman said:
I already got 2 S4 coming, but question is, I keep reading around in different threads that maybe the Note 2 is a better device than the S4, a few people who've already got their S4 are saying that the S4 does not compare to the Note 2, my wife wanted the note 2, and I talked her out of it....man I am in deep shi$ if she gets wind of any of this....and she reads a few areas here in xda...I smell the dog house coming
Throw out a few opinions...PLEASE! save me
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I have never used a S4 (I do own a Note 2) and based on specs alone the S4 wins (full hd display with almost twice the pixel density and dual quad core processors). Good news is, if your wife really wants a Note 2 you should be able to easily sell your S4, buy a Note 2 and pocket a few hundred bucks.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
JB910 said:
I have never used a S4 (I do own a Note 2) and based on specs alone the S4 wins (full hd display with almost twice the pixel density and dual quad core processors). Good news is, if your wife really wants a Note 2 you should be able to easily sell your S4, buy a Note 2 and pocket a few hundred bucks.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
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Thank you for that advice, spec wise is what I sold her on, but there a few people out there bashing the S4.
I am going to keep her out of the forums until she gets the S4 in her hand, she has a note 1 now.
My wife has a note 2 and the only thing to be envious about is battery life. After using the s4 for a week or two now, I'm always taken back on the screen quality of the note 2. It's no where near as good as the s4. Same goes for ergonomics, camera and so on. You made the right choice, don't listen to trolls and ask yourself, if the note 2 is so much better, why are their fan base posing in the s4 section?
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2
robstunner said:
My wife has a note 2 and the only thing to be envious about is battery life. After using the s4 for a week or two now, I'm always taken back on the screen quality of the note 2. It's no where near as good as the s4. Same goes for ergonomics, camera and so on. You made the right choice, don't listen to trolls and ask yourself, if the note 2 is so much better, why are their fan base posing in the s4 section?
Sent from my Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 2
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Once the S4 gets some stable custom roms out with custom kernels I am sure the S4's battery life issues will be a non factor. I run Jedi Master 13 with Saberkernel 23 on my Note 2 and the speed and battery life of the rom blows the Note 2 stock rom out of the water. You are right, people are just trolling. Based on the S4s specs it is a superior phone.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
Thanks guys, I kinda knew the G4 had better graphics, on the battery side, the Note gets her some serious time. I think I made the right choice, seen a few posts where some of the G4 users are selling them off now. wow. Don't remember, but I think this issue came up when the G3 was released also. man, I can not wait till I have that phone.
thanks, much appreciated!!!!
TheAxman said:
Thanks guys, I kinda knew the G4 had better graphics, on the battery side, the Note gets her some serious time. I think I made the right choice, seen a few posts where some of the G4 users are selling them off now. wow. Don't remember, but I think this issue came up when the G3 was released also. man, I can not wait till I have that phone.
thanks, much appreciated!!!!
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Really, only get the Note if you need the s-pen features and plan to actually, you know, take notes on the thing. Otherwise, go for the newest shiny.
burhanistan said:
Really, only get the Note if you need the s-pen features and plan to actually, you know, take notes on the thing. Otherwise, go for the newest shiny.
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That's exactly what my wife and I discovered. She came from the LG Lollipop to the Note2, and she was ecstatic about this thing, even though she "hated touchscreen phones" (mostly due to her experiences a long time ago with the Motorola Backflip, and the HTC Pure ... I don't blame her). She loves the Note2 because of the huge screen and low DPI (yet the picture is very clear and sharp at 720p) - excellent for texting and navigating around. She has no problems with a touchscreen now! Oh, and the camera is pretty good on the Note2 as well, with a snappy shutter time and extras like slo-mo video and such.
When she saw my S4, she was actually somewhat jealous! We've been comparing the devices side-by-side for a couple weeks now, and we've determined that the S4 is overall a much better phone. The primary exclusion to this statement is that the Note2 has the S-Pen, which is a really, really nice feature - for those who really use it. She uses it rarely to doodle or take some notes when she doesn't feel like dealing with the onscreen keyboard, so it would not be a huge loss for her if it were gone.
The sacrifice of .5in of diagonal screen space is noticeable by comparison, but the 5" screen the S4 has will still outshine nearly any other smartphone - especially at 1080p.
Lastly, I will comment on the covers. We purchased the official Samsung flip cover for her device, primarily because it was too difficult to find a third-party cheap-knockoff that actually included the NFC antenna. They exist now, but they were hard to come by when we were shopping. At least the S4 doesn't include the NFC antenna as part of the battery cover. >_<
I purchased the S-View cover at the nearest corporate AT&T store (30mi away or so in the next town) because I wanted it on Day-One (I had my phone on Day-Negative-One, and I was eager to buy the silly cover). After shelling out $60, I drove home with the shiny S-View cover, and I once again made my wife jealous. While she'll admit that the S-View window is a tad gimmicky, she both finds it "really cool!" and actually kinda useful for every-day use.
So, just as burhanistan stated: if you have a great need for the awesome S-Pen that the Note2 provides, buy it. Otherwise, the S4 certainly competes to be the best phone ever created to-date (IMHO).
She has been reading this thread at work, the pen she said is a plus, I think I got her leaning toward the G4, you guys are helping a bunch. I like the idea of the earlier reply, sell the G4 if she is not happy, get her the note 2 and save some $$$.
Or just keep it, and pass it on to some devs to help out with the rom progress, that would be my contribution to the cause.
This seriously is helping, cause she is seeing it from other people who have the phone and have been using it already.
Thanks
Aou said:
That's exactly what my wife and I discovered. She came from the LG Lollipop to the Note2, and she was ecstatic about this thing, even though she "hated touchscreen phones" (mostly due to her experiences a long time ago with the Motorola Backflip, and the HTC Pure ... I don't blame her). She loves the Note2 because of the huge screen and low DPI (yet the picture is very clear and sharp at 720p) - excellent for texting and navigating around. She has no problems with a touchscreen now! Oh, and the camera is pretty good on the Note2 as well, with a snappy shutter time and extras like slo-mo video and such.
When she saw my S4, she was actually somewhat jealous! We've been comparing the devices side-by-side for a couple weeks now, and we've determined that the S4 is overall a much better phone. The primary exclusion to this statement is that the Note2 has the S-Pen, which is a really, really nice feature - for those who really use it. She uses it rarely to doodle or take some notes when she doesn't feel like dealing with the onscreen keyboard, so it would not be a huge loss for her if it were gone.
The sacrifice of .5in of diagonal screen space is noticeable by comparison, but the 5" screen the S4 has will still outshine nearly any other smartphone - especially at 1080p.
Lastly, I will comment on the covers. We purchased the official Samsung flip cover for her device, primarily because it was too difficult to find a third-party cheap-knockoff that actually included the NFC antenna. They exist now, but they were hard to come by when we were shopping. At least the S4 doesn't include the NFC antenna as part of the battery cover. >_<
I purchased the S-View cover at the nearest corporate AT&T store (30mi away or so in the next town) because I wanted it on Day-One (I had my phone on Day-Negative-One, and I was eager to buy the silly cover). After shelling out $60, I drove home with the shiny S-View cover, and I once again made my wife jealous. While she'll admit that the S-View window is a tad gimmicky, she both finds it "really cool!" and actually kinda useful for every-day use.
So, just as burhanistan stated: if you have a great need for the awesome S-Pen that the Note2 provides, buy it. Otherwise, the S4 certainly competes to be the best phone ever created to-date (IMHO).
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You have a pic or a link to the cover?
I had both but returned my S4 & switched back to my GN2 since I'm changing carriers. At first it was hard to get use to since I was so use to the GN2.
I rarely use the spen but the big screen & not having to charge every night with the GN2 is awesome.
I was getting about 20-22hrs w/ 5-7hrs screen time with my S4.
I do admit being able to use the phone with one hand is cool but typing was a little awkward since I'm so use to typing with 2 hands on my GN2.
Now that I'm back to my GN2, I'm not sure if I want to get the S4 when the 32gb for TMO comes out but knowing my habit of always wanting the latest gadgets, I'll probably do get it. Lol.
-Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2
TheAxman said:
You have a pic or a link to the cover?
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Click to collapse
This YouTube video shows it in action, but I think it's French or something (dun car, not English). Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8mQOrk2DBg
Here' my experience with the S-View cover:
If you do not have a password/pattern/number lock on your lock screen (simply set to swipe-to-unlock), just opening the S-View cover will turn on and unlock the device. You open it, and it's ready-to-use immediately.
Closing the lid will lock the device for the most part, and for the next 10 seconds or so, it will show the time and notification icons (and battery/signal/etc) through the little window. After 10 seconds, the device shuts off. You can power it back on like this with the power button, but it doesn't unlock it until you open it again.
The window itself appears to be made of glass. It's fairly nice - I was half expecting it to be crappy plastic. If it's not glass, it's really nice plastic.
You can answer or decline incoming calls through the glass when it rings with a swipe of a little round icon one way or the other. Pretty neat, but if you have the touch sensitivity all the way down, you might have a slight trouble using this feature. I haven't tried it since the OTA update, so they may have improved that!
You can hang up an existing call in a similar fashion.
The flip cover itself needs some time to "break in". When you first put it on, it will not lay flat onto the glass of your phone without some convincing, or being held in place by your pocket. After enough use, or a day or two, it gets much better. Don't think the cover is defective from this, it's just too tight in the "hinge" at first, but will loosen up with use.
Occasionally, if I have the cover flipped backwards for long periods, it somewhat emulates the same effect as the above point. It will shy away from the screen for a brief while, and then return to normal. I suspect after several more weeks, this will go away entirely at this rate.
One thing that I really do like about this cover: Because it replaces the battery cover of your phone, it adds virtually no bulk to the phone. It is very slightly thicker, and I can tell you that I appreciate it for one reason: The normal battery cover is inset, such that the camera lens sticks out the furthest, and when placing the device on a flat surface, it rests on the edge of the camera lens. On the S-View flip cover, the new back sticks out just a hair past the camera lens, so it no longer rests on the camera anymore. I take a lot of pictures, so I like to keep my camera lens immaculate.
The glass window will get rather dirty, especially if you shove the phone against a greasy head. Not a big deal, just use a microfiber cloth once in a while and some screen cleaner to get it shiny again.
The normal covers have no window, and so when you open it all the way (flipped around backwards), you can't use the rear-facing camera! With the S-View cover, it lines up such that you can use the camera straight through the glass on the cover. A nice touch, really. Because I take a lot of close-up shots and other detailed pictures, I choose not to flip the cover all the way around, because sometimes the window is dirty. So I just flip it downwards or whatnot.
The flip cover, even when purchased through AT&T, does not have AT&T's logo on the back, like the normal battery cover. I like it that way better. Even better: the front shows "Galaxy S4" near the bottom, and makes it a lot easier to show that you have a really, really cool phone.
I hope this all helps if debating whether to drop $60 on the S-View cover or not. Generics are starting to become available, but I don't know anything about the quality, etc.
---------- Post added at 12:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:30 PM ----------
RMXO said:
I had both but returned my S4 & switched back to my GN2 since I'm changing carriers. At first it was hard to get use to since I was so use to the GN2.
I rarely use the spen but the big screen & not having to charge every night with the GN2 is awesome.
I was getting about 20-22hrs w/ 5-7hrs screen time with my S4.
I do admit being able to use the phone with one hand is cool but typing was a little awkward since I'm so use to typing with 2 hands on my GN2.
Now that I'm back to my GN2, I'm not sure if I want to get the S4 when the 32gb for TMO comes out but knowing my habit of always wanting the latest gadgets, I'll probably do get it. Lol.
-Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2
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I didn't mention battery at all, but you bring up a point. The Note2 has excellent battery life, there's no doubt about that. The S4 has "good" battery life in my experience, especially coming from the S2. People are saying that battery life has improved with the OTA update recently, but I haven't had a good chance to test that out. Freezing bloatware has really been a big help to increasing the battery life, regardless.
My S4 easily lasts the day, and can last two days with moderate/intermittent usage. I think the OTA update may have improved the battery life significantly, but I will have to test this out over the next couple days. Also, keeping it on Wi-Fi where available seems to be the best way to conserve battery life in my area.
Went from the note 2 to s4 pre update, ui fluidity was the only issue. I addressed it with nova launcher and the options in the developers setting, which made the ui very fast. Update addresses that issue and everything else on the s4 is better and my battery life is very comparable. I get 20+ hours with 4+ hours of screen time easily and I'm sure it will increase with roms and kernels.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium
porkaysi said:
Went from the note 2 to s4 pre update, ui fluidity was the only issue. I addressed it with nova launcher and the options in the developers setting, which made the ui very fast. Update addresses that issue and everything else on the s4 is better and my battery life is very comparable. I get 20+ hours with 4+ hours of screen time easily and I'm sure it will increase with roms and kernels.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda premium
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Thanks, I needed this one....
I had the Note 2 for a week before I traded it for the S4. They are both awesome devices, but imo the S4 was the right choice for me. Much easier to carry it in your pocket. Battery life not as good, but that was expected. Cant go wrong either way. Go to the store and play with them both.
qbanlinxx said:
I had the Note 2 for a week before I traded it for the S4. They are both awesome devices, but imo the S4 was the right choice for me. Much easier to carry it in your pocket. Battery life not as good, but that was expected. Cant go wrong either way. Go to the store and play with them both.
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funny you said that.. we just got back from the mall...saw them both....the wife agreed on the S4...so I am safe..for now....she will be ok when it arrives Monday. thanks...I showed her a few of the posts here...thanks to you all....very good imput.
TheAxman said:
funny you said that.. we just got back from the mall...saw them both....the wife agreed on the S4...so I am safe..for now....she will be ok when it arrives Monday. thanks...I showed her a few of the posts here...thanks to you all....very good imput.
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She made a wise choice, I have a Note 2 and would gladly trade it for a S4. I don't even use my Spen, I got it last September because it had the best guts and it's a Samsung. Never buy a HTC. PITA software and very unforgiving. Buy Sammy, Odin is your friend. Enjoy your S4's!
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
JB910 said:
She made a wise choice, I have a Note 2 and would gladly trade it for a S4. I don't even use my Spen, I got it last September because it had the best guts and it's a Samsung. Never buy a HTC. PITA software and very unforgiving. Buy Sammy, Odin is your friend. Enjoy your S4's!
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
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I had a htc hd2...it was a nightmare..to flash roms...a win phone..dual boot crap..rock solid...hard to deal with...hehe i ask her..how much are you really use that pen..also the res on the s4 was SWEET...they had the perfect wallpaper on that demo...i showed her she said ok. so when she gets that new rom on it...she won't even mention the note. its on now.
as far as the G3...i love the damn thing..my son is keeping his...so i will be hanging around here for awhile still...sold 2 keeping 1...

M8 First Impressions from an S4 Convert

Tired of the chipping chrome paint and backplate of my still-works-fine S4, I decided it was time to try something new because I apparently have too much disposable income and an awful addiction to new phones. Here are some first impressions I've had with the device in the few hours I've been able to play with my shiny (literally) new factory unlocked gunmetal grey HTC One (M8).
Hot damn does it feel solid. Like I could use it as a weapon should someone ever try to mug me for it.
It's tall, son! Half an inch or so taller than the S4. Not a problem for me, but I can see where it would generate complaints from folks with smaller hands.
Wow that was a long first boot. Even the girls at the T-Mobile mall kiosk were shocked at this. Can't say I've ever had a phone take that long without me screwing up a flash.
Getting T-Mobile's LTE in Detroit on the thing it seems. 22Mbs down. I'm OK with this.
I forgot how much I hated having on screen buttons over the S4's capacitive ones. This really stands out to me since so much space is devoted to them. If feels like 1/5 or 1/6 of the screen is simply OS chrome elements. I can't wait to get Xposed and the immersion module on this (or better, a rom like PA).
The swipe gestures to unlock it sounded really cool at first, until I noticed that every time I tried to pocket the phone, I was unlocking it. a
Is it just me, or is the stock font just huge? I mean, I get the accessibility case here, but man...
Sense is a ton less annoying than TouchWiz (in the brief time I tried to roll with it). Specifically, I always hated the way Samsung perverted the notification shade with toggles. I can't, however, seem to find any compelling reasons to keep it outside of the swipe gestures, but I'm not sure how much I'm going to care about those anyhow. Time will tell, right?
Ok, the gestures thing where you can turn the device and hit the volume button to get into the camera without first unlocking your phone is awesome.
The camera isn't as bad as I've read. A few shots of my kids inside the mall I went to get a new sim card was poorly lit and the shots came out as expected for an Android device. Granted, I haven't printed them or shared them on Facebook, but that's why I have a 5D Mk III
God this thing feels great in my hand. I've read some say the gunmetal version is a little more "slick", but it doesn't seem any better or worse than the S4.
Someone was complaining that the metal from the case where the speakers go and the glass don't seem to be super flush. I can see what they're saying, but I can't say this bothers me outside of the gross abominations that groove will contain after a few months of use. I feel dirty just thinking about it.
Yeah, the sound is a lot better than the S4. No, it's a metric asston better. Since we're using metric, you know that's a scientific statement.
Blinkfeed is, um, cute? I mean, I already had Flipboard so I don't see what the fuss is about other than access from the homescreen, but it's not like I'm going to rock out a stock launcher anyhow.
The buttons are very subtle in the build. Not in a bad way, but it'll take time to get used to their positioning.
Bah! Why doesn't this have every rom ever for it yet! It's almost been two weeks, damnit! #fakerage
I think I'll give it another hour of play time before I void my warranty.
Thread closed,
I have closed this thread as it will very quickly become both a phone comparison and rom comparison thread, which are against forum rules.
Any issues please let me know,
Ghost

Would you buy it again?

Now you've had the phone for a while and got to check out the camera, speaker battery life and everything else that matters to you. Would you recommend or buy the GS7E again?
mwatson said:
Now you've had the phone for a while and got to check out the camera, speaker battery life and everything else that matters to you. Would you recommend or buy the GS7E again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup definitely an awesome phone... It does have a few bugs but software updates should fix most of it.... Samsung does still have some shady quality control still... I've had to return my phone twice.... One I got had a pink screen and one phone had a dead microphone..... I thought this is the first Galaxy I wouldn't have to return but after a day or two people kept telling me they couldn't hear me talking.... I've had to return every Galaxy phone since the S2 at least once
Galaxy S7 edge
Still would recommend it without batting an eye. Beautiful phone, nice battery life, neat performance, nice camera... it has its quirks, like the fingerprint magnet the back is or the rare performance drops without apparent reason, from which it recovers immediately luckily. It's not perfect, but as it is atm it's definitely worth the money.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
I would buy it again.
Since using the Device, i have fallen in love with features that are so novelty it's unreal.
Small little gimmicky things like the Always on Display notifications down the side.
Love bezeless!!!!
Love the feel of the screen, Maybe its coming from a Reto phone, but the glass feels super silky!!! my fingers glide across so nice.
No more juttery thumbs and fingers when a little hot / sweaty !!!!!
It feels like a really premium phone (Does make me squint a small knocks or drops though)
I still cannot get over the Snappyness, Battery life and overall performance.
I was Slightly disappointed by the Audio, But nothing a simple root cannot fix (Thanks Viper)
I am coming down in Screen Size too (Something i really didnt want to do)
And i like the smaller screen, Feels more natural.
One down side about the device.
Is one handed mode SHOULD Disable the Edges from being Touch sensitive.
I cannot use it one handed properly without activating the Edge touch!
(Maybe Xposed Module)
Not a major issue, and something my hands will adjust to over time.
Oh and how bloody slippy the phone is!! Christ!!! i have caught the phone so many times as its slipped out of my own hands!!!
I had the S6 Edge right when it first came out, and was not happy with it, had it for 3 months and changed to Xperia Z3+ Dual, no issues there.
I bough the S7 Edge, and no regrets at all, beautiful phone, great battery, no heat issues, best screen I've ever had, etc., the only issue I've had with this one, is that it will restart itself for no reason every 10 days or so, it restarts pretty fast, however I don't know what to make of that.
I would definetly recommend this phone to anybody.
Absolutely. I've had no problems with mine, other than notifications on AOD not working correctly. It's possible that's down to something I did, since they worked in the beginning. But I've turned AOD off anyway, so not a big deal.
Everything else is working fine. Like what I believe to be the vast majority of owners, I've had no issues with battery, phantom key presses, sounds, or anything else.
Absolutely, never thought a phone can grow on me so quickly with no major draw backs. I fell in love with the design.
The software is sublime, works as it should, fast and smooth. Not a single crash since i started using the phone. I use the auto restart feature, so the phone is always in top shape for when i use it.
I just can't fault it yet, i can almost feel the love that went into creating it, just setting on a table, it begs you to pick it up.
I would recommand it in a heart beat
Honestly, the only reason I jumped on this phone was the promo for the Gear S2 or VR. Never really thought I'd own another Samsung phone. otherwise. I had the S3 for a few months and got rid of it. Felt like a CHEAP kids toy... (Loved my S2 though). I've been an HTC fan for most of my Android years, and the metal case is really hard to beat. But, I am really digging this phone. It looks and feels great, runs very nice, and I really like the very toned-down touch wiz. The camera takes AMAZING shots IMO, very clear, the screen is incredible, and it's very fast. I can also run this thing for however long in my VR with pretty much zero heat problems. My HTC One M8 got SUPER hot after about 10 minutes in my Cardboard. I'll def be passing on HTC for a while. Overall, this is a great phone. And I'd buy/recommend it again.
Hell yea. Great phone. Wish I decided earlier for it to get VR though.
I would recce it yes, with qualifications.
Very happy with the upgrade from the GS5 for myself, not sure how much an upgrade it is from say a GS6 Active though for example.
Would buy it 100 times over! The closest to a perfect phone for my taste. I see no drawbacks for me.
Sent from my SM-G935F using XDA-Developers mobile app

Can i have some feedback from the S8 owners?

I'm planning to buy S8 next week, so i wanted to hear some opinions, impressions, experiences from the people who already own this phone.
I tryied the phone at the store, it looks nice, it feels nice and it works great, but i would still like to hear what it's like on the daily basis, how's the battery life, does it lag after some time....etc
And one more thing. I've noticed some red tint at the top border, was it just me, or other people noticed the same thing?
Thanks.
I would honestly describe this phone as being the closest phone to perfect that i have ever owned! The only flaw is the finger print scanner! Battery life is very good! Display is excellent, Ergonomically its probably one of the best phones on the market! Likewise the camera is great! There is nothing bad about the device! If someone was to suggest they prefer another handset over the s8 however then iam sure it would purely be personal preference as oppose to choosing it because its better then the S8! Even the software on the S8 is massively improved over previous versions!! But....... just my opinion!!
Blaalad12 said:
I would honestly describe this phone as being the closest phone to perfect that i have ever owned! The only flaw is the finger print scanner! Battery life is very good! Display is excellent, Ergonomically its probably one of the best phones on the market! Likewise the camera is great! There is nothing bad about the device! If someone was to suggest they prefer another handset over the s8 however then iam sure it would purely be personal preference as oppose to choosing it because its better then the S8! Even the software on the S8 is massively improved over previous versions!! But....... just my opinion!!
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Click to collapse
Thank you.
As for the fingerprint reader, what exactly you don't like about it? It's location, accuracy, speed, or something else?
mildj84ns said:
Thank you.
As for the fingerprint reader, what exactly you don't like about it? It's location, accuracy, speed, or something else?
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Click to collapse
Location mostly! Haven't even really bothered using it as a result! Tried it out initially and seemed accurate etc but the location just makes using it awkward and its just not as convenient for unlocking the device quickly as it was when we had it on the front! All samsung had to do was place it under the camera as oppose to right beside it and it would be alot better! The haptic feedback home button is pretty cool and actually kinda reminds me of using the finger print sensor on the s7 as you can essentially just press where the home button would of been and it unlocks the device! The downside being of course that anyone can do so as its not an actual security feature!!
I got my S8 approximately 3 weeks ago. I've just come from the iPhone 7 I find the S8 Amazing and it is very sleek. The software is pretty good and very customisable, the battery life is brilliant. The only problem is Samsung have this annoying thing called Bixby which is a siri want to be. It is not possible to deactivate or disable it. The only way to work around this you have to freeze it. Had some random bugs with the Bluetooth. Otherwise amazing phone.
I've had mine around 3 weeks. I have the Samsung clear case so I have no problem with the fingerprint sensor. I'll be putting a DecalGirl skin on so when I'm using the Rhino Bumper I'll still have a tactile nudge. Came from an International S6 (actually the same one you seem to have). Bit better battery life, no lag, amazing screen. I was surprised at how comfortable it is to hold and I'm happy to have an SD card again. I was hesitant to give up my S6 after it got Nougat as it was like a new phone. Can't imagine going back now.
One of the best devices this year... It's a Star on XDA!
It's an amazing phone. Best one I've ever had. I've had it since 4/18. Finger print location doesn't bother me at all. You'll love it!
Perfect. I did configured the fingerprint sensor but I dont use it much. I prefer the iris scanner, its fast. The rest you read it already. Screen, features, hardware, design, battery, you wont regret it
mildj84ns said:
I'm planning to buy S8 next week, so i wanted to hear some opinions, impressions, experiences from the people who already own this phone.
I tryied the phone at the store, it looks nice, it feels nice and it works great, but i would still like to hear what it's like on the daily basis, how's the battery life, does it lag after some time....etc
And one more thing. I've noticed some red tint at the top border, was it just me, or other people noticed the same thing?
Thanks.
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Click to collapse
I have the international variant so experience may vary. I love it. Not the biggest fan of the fingerprint scanner position but after a couple days, it became natural. It's very smooth. Smoother than the S7 I'd have to say.
Battery life is amazing. Can easily get over a day of life, even 2 days sometimes. I haven't experienced any lag over time.
The red tint you noticed was probably burn in. That's the only problem I understand with the phone since it's an OLED display. I keep mine in immersive mode and use gestures for the navbar instead (I prefer it actually).
There was an issue with some displays at launch having a red tint which was resolved through software update.
Here my review. It has some profanity so if u don't like hearing cursing don't watch. But it's pretty popular on YouTube at 29k views
You will get used to fingerscanner location and it will not bother. Also useless bixby button can be remapped without root, so no prob here too.
Great phone!
Fps works fine and is ok to reach on my s8 but not for me on the + model.
Face recognition and iris scanner works fine.
The new Samsung Experience Ui is slick and fast.
I'm in the uk so have the exynos version.
The display just pops.
For me the dimensions of the s8 hit my sweet spot and it's really comfortable to hold.
The s8+ version for me was just too big and to me felt top heavy.
It's as slippery as any other glass form factor phone.
I'm using....
Samsung Screen Protector- the film type.
Black Dragon dbrand back skin.
RhinoShield Bumper.
Success100 said:
Here my review. It has some profanity so if u don't like hearing cursing don't watch. But it's pretty popular on YouTube at 29k views
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Click to collapse
That's exactly what i wanted to know, a daily experience and overall impressions.
Great video man :good:
Only issue with my S8: Display light shines through right under the earpiece. Someone else noticed that?
Apart from that the phone is close to perfect for me.
Do not forget THE SCREEN SCRATCHES VERY EASY.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
I get a consistent 5 hours of screen on time every day. And as the other guy noted this screen does scratch easily. I had a buddy that scratched his pretty bad and had no idea how he did it. Haven't scratched mine yet after a couple weeks with no screen protector though. I came from a 6S+ and a note 5 before that and I'm pretty happy with this phone after flashing my unlocked Verizon version to an unbranded Canadian firmware.
uk neverlocked has problems "emergency call only"
I recommend to you that you buy the french version
http://www.expansys.fr/samsung-galaxy-s8-64gb-midnight-black-origin-eu-301130/
I had a s7 edge which is dead last week when trying to put it in water :'(. So I bought s8. So thats what I find:
1/ I really didn't like the unlock features.. the fingerprint sensor is in the back so it is just useless (ps you can save 4 fingers but I dont know how my 4 fingers can access to the fingerprint). The iris scanner cannot be used if the phone is a little bit far (in the car for exemple when you are driving I used to unlock my s7 directly with finger). To be able to unlock your s8 when its far you must use face recognition it is quick but it is useless at night because it uses camera. (Ps1: you cannot see your lockscreen before/without unlocking. Ps2: you cannot use iris and facerecognition at the same time so you must choose night compatible or far compatible).
2/ the screen ration is just so bad.. videos/apps/games are not adapted with display ratio so the phone will show two black bars at the top and at the buttom of the screen + the nav bar is, in the most cases, present in the screen and dont disappear automatically so there is no sense of "infinity screen" and I cant feel it.
3/ the battery takes more time with my s7 edge then my new s8.
So I really felt that s7 edge was better (for me) but samsung should not tell people that phones are water resistant because its not always true. (Sorry for bad english).
Waelby said:
I had a s7 edge which is dead last week when trying to put it in water :'(. So I bought s8. So thats what I find:
1/ I really didn't like the unlock features.. the fingerprint sensor is in the back so it is just useless (ps you can save 4 fingers but I dont know how my 4 fingers can access to the fingerprint). The iris scanner cannot be used if the phone is a little bit far (in the car for exemple when you are driving I used to unlock my s7 directly with finger). To be able to unlock your s8 when its far you must use face recognition it is quick but it is useless at night because it uses camera. (Ps1: you cannot see your lockscreen before/without unlocking. Ps2: you cannot use iris and facerecognition at the same time so you must choose night compatible or far compatible).
2/ the screen ration is just so bad.. videos/apps/games are not adapted with display ratio so the phone will show two black bars at the top and at the buttom of the screen + the nav bar is, in the most cases, present in the screen and dont disappear automatically so there is no sense of "infinity screen" and I cant feel it.
3/ the battery takes more time with my s7 edge then my new s8.
So I really felt that s7 edge was better (for me) but samsung should not tell people that phones are water resistant because its not always true. (Sorry for bad english).
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Great mini review
I'll keep in mind everything you said.
Thanks.
P.S.
Your English is fine.

Ergonomics (in-hand feel)

Please, no "that's what she said" jokes. Rate this thread to express how you think the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 feels in-hand. A higher rating indicates that it's comfortable to hold for long periods of time, even in one hand. Resist the urge to say "TWSS" just now. Seriously.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
I had a good hour hands on time today at Samsung 837. I like the feel. It's a more professional feel. Premium all the way around. Solid. Sturdy. These are just a few words to describe how it felt. Slightly larger than the S8+ (current device) I get my free Note 8 sometime in September. From the sound I should get it a few days or maybe a week before normal consumers. Feel free to ask my any questions. I'll be glad to answer what I can.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
pestilencec11 said:
I had a good hour hands on time today at Samsung 837. I like the feel. It's a more professional feel. Premium all the way around. Solid. Sturdy. These are just a few words to describe how it felt. Slightly larger than the S8+ (current device) I get my free Note 8 sometime in September. From the sound I should get it a few days or maybe a week before normal consumers. Feel free to ask my any questions. I'll be glad to answer what I can.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How bad is the fingerprint reader placement? I've come to like the simplicity of the front mounted fingerprint reader (easier to unlock my phone when it's on my car dock). And what do you think of Bixby?
pablomoca said:
How bad is the fingerprint reader placement? I've come to like the simplicity of the front mounted fingerprint reader (easier to unlock my phone when it's on my car dock). And what do you think of Bixby?
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Click to collapse
I assume it depends on the size of your hand. I already have 2 TPU cases and its going to be a non-issue for me because I have somewhat large hands. My current device is the LG V20 and with it side by side to the Note 8 cases the V20 can completely eat the Note 8.
pablomoca said:
How bad is the fingerprint reader placement? I've come to like the simplicity of the front mounted fingerprint reader (easier to unlock my phone when it's on my car dock). And what do you think of Bixby?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fingerprint sensor is a none issue for me. I have probably smaller than average hands. It's a little further than the S8+. We had a chance to speak to the leader software dev for Bixby. I got put on the spot and was asked how I liked it. I told them that I understand that it's still being developed and will get better with time. They didn't accept that and so I said day to day tasks it still needs help and Google is much faster and more accurate with the results. He said thank for the feed back and that they are working tirelessly to make just as good if not better than Google voice. Iris is near instant and same with the FP sensor.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
pablomoca said:
How bad is the fingerprint reader placement? I've come to like the simplicity of the front mounted fingerprint reader (easier to unlock my phone when it's on my car dock). And what do you think of Bixby?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's my concern as well. I think the scanner is too far up and for Samsung to say they listen to their customers is really taking the biscuit, because this has and is an issue with the s8+. They don't care as long as as it's design happy for them to be honest.
I have a large enough hand that I can reach my thumb to the other side of the screen on a large phone.
The Note 8, felt great in my hand, as a former Note 7 owner (I still have one but stopped using it) this phone simply builds on the Note 7 feel, the phone is sturdy, anything that moves only because they engineered it to. It feels refined and looks great. I can't help but want to throw a case at it the minute I receive mine.
However, the placement of the fingerprint reader makes little sense to me.
The fact that it's off to the side isn't even the issue, it was simply difficult to locate, sure I'm sure i'll get used to it, but I currently have the V20 and it took me no effort to locate the scanner in the back to turn on my screen.
I wish the Note 8 fingerprint scanner was also a button.
I would read a comment from Donald Trump on this topic
I was in the store today, wanted to compare to my 6p. It's barely taller and a smidge thinner, was surprised it's so small. Next to the Galaxy 8+it's almost the same size but without the rounded corners. Very manageable if you've been using a large phone
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Samsung is buying back Note 7 at full price no questions asked
Ryuichi.Aig said:
I have a large enough hand that I can reach my thumb to the other side of the screen on a large phone.
The Note 8, felt great in my hand, as a former Note 7 owner (I still have one but stopped using it) this phone simply builds on the Note 7 feel, the phone is sturdy, anything that moves only because they engineered it to. It feels refined and looks great. I can't help but want to throw a case at it the minute I receive mine.
However, the placement of the fingerprint reader makes little sense to me.
The fact that it's off to the side isn't even the issue, it was simply difficult to locate, sure I'm sure i'll get used to it, but I currently have the V20 and it took me no effort to locate the scanner in the back to turn on my screen.
I wish the Note 8 fingerprint scanner was also a button.
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Click to collapse
you are in luck if you want to sell your Note 7 as samsung is currently buying them back for around 800 no questions asked. i didn't send mine in either and i just sold it via craigslist to a guy who is about 3 hops from samsung. now, you can't get 800 for it yourself - has to be shipped specially and has to get to the right dealer but, this is a quiet little factoid that is not very well known and i thought i would post it here. i got 380 for mine - it helps offset the note 8 i pre-ordered.
serusaert said:
you are in luck if you want to sell your Note 7 as samsung is currently buying them back for around 800 no questions asked. i didn't send mine in either and i just sold it via craigslist to a guy who is about 3 hops from samsung. now, you can't get 800 for it yourself - has to be shipped specially and has to get to the right dealer but, this is a quiet little factoid that is not very well known and i thought i would post it here. i got 380 for mine - it helps offset the note 8 i pre-ordered.
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That's crazy, is that really true? So what do I need to do, call Samsung?
Ryuichi.Aig said:
That's crazy, is that really true? So what do I need to do, call Samsung?
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Click to collapse
i don't think so - i'm pretty sure you have to sell to a person who deals in phones. i found a dude on craigslist specifically looking for them. he resells them to someone who resells them to a dealer that then ships them to korea. like i said, this seems to be a quiet thing - i don't think you would have much luck trying to approach samsung directly, but you never know.
if you do look on craigslist for phone buyers, be safe - only meet them where there are cameras and people. it's a good sign if they are just as careful as you.
serusaert said:
i don't think so - i'm pretty sure you have to sell to a person who deals in phones. i found a dude on craigslist specifically looking for them. he resells them to someone who resells them to a dealer that then ships them to korea. like i said, this seems to be a quiet thing - i don't think you would have much luck trying to approach samsung directly, but you never know.
if you do look on craigslist for phone buyers, be safe - only meet them where there are cameras and people. it's a good sign if they are just as careful as you.
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Click to collapse
I reckon calling Samsung is absolutely worth a try. It's a product recall due to safety concerns. I wouldn't be surprised if they took it back at full price.
If you bought the phone via a third party, you should probably try them first.
Nothing to lose, right?
Back to the topic 'in hand', just received my Note and while I love the phone overall it's WAYYY too big in the hand. Can't reach anything (I have probably normal sized hands), and it's two hands all the way. Real disappointment. Even this keyboard on the screen looks like it's for the hard of sight, it's so large. Almost the size of my kindle. Oh well, will be returning and going back to my S8...
alexkaye said:
Back to the topic 'in hand', just received my Note and while I love the phone overall it's WAYYY too big in the hand. Can't reach anything (I have probably normal sized hands), and it's two hands all the way. Real disappointment. Even this keyboard on the screen looks like it's for the hard of sight, it's so large. Almost the size of my kindle. Oh well, will be returning and going back to my S8...
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Click to collapse
use swiftkey for keyboard and resize it smaller or just resize the Samsung keyboard
Is it very slippery?
Don't have the phone yet, but I bought a case. The case is almost exactly the same width as my Note 4 in a Commuter case. It's about a half an inch taller. I'm more concerned with the width, so glad that it is what I'm used to. Now I just need to get the phone, so that I can put it in the case.
Anyone else think the phone feels heavy? Came from a note 3 and this thing feels way heavier to me.
I will say wish the phone was wider. Overall the phone feels well balanced to the point you don't have to hold it tight.
Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
I owed any note for eu avaible. Actuelly note 4. Yesterday my 8 arrived. Im sorry but its a complete design (handeling) failure. The benefit of the note seriaes was to use thw spen to do notes, sketches etc. For this you need space to do the input. For this reason you need some kind of widthnees of the inputplace. Any of the manual notebooks, sketchbooks or any other kind note papers, even postit, do have an format like din, 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 but nothing you are doing your notes on is 16:whatever...

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