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The Tab is my first Samsung product after several HTC android phones, Magic, Hero, Nexus, all have had top notch visual build quality and good screens.
Tab1, gaps between screen and frame right above the speakers, seemed a little much but decided I could live with it. At a friend's house the first night and throw the Tron trailer onto YouTube, looked awesome but that is when I noticed it, a bright faulty pixel smack dab in the middle or the screen, visible on all brightnesses with medium to black backgrounds. Exchanged.
Tab2, excellent visual build quality, Haptic keys seem a little finicky compared to my Nexus, screen is pretty good, no defective pixels, back-lighting is a bit uneven but really you only notice it under unrealistic viewing conditions, full brightness in a dark room, I can live with it. Completely unresponsive after failed flash, cannot help but wonder if it would have booted at least back into download mode if the battery was able to be cycled. Exchanged
Tab3, visual build quality is pretty good, rim around screen seems a little lower in the bottom left corner but otherwise fine. Back lighting is good, dim faulty pixel in lower left corner, visible in low light with 50%+ back light but pretty much unnoticeable under normal usage, I think I can live with it. Haptic keys seem noticeably better than Tab2.
Feeling a little introspective after "bricking" my first device after multiple dozens of flashes of different HTC models for myself and friends. Wondering about the pros and cons of non replaceable batteries and the overall build quality of Samsung device as I didn't really care for the GalaxyS phones that Bell, Telus and Rogers picked up.
Where does one draw the line with lack of build perfection in our gadgets, I mean I'm not perfect myself and overall I feel that perfection is an unrealistic goal to strive for so how can I demand that of the stuff I buy. Anyone have any thoughts about build quality, where do you draw your must exchange or return lines?
Well, I don't take a micrometer to the case, for one thing.
Can't really blame Samsung for a bricked device, they didn't make it for enthusiasts to tinker with, they made it for consumers. The bad flash was totally on you.
And the back cover DOES come off, for that matter, couple of video teardowns out there, it's not that hard, it reassembles just fine, there weren't even any warranty seals though technically it voids it. So does flashing, yet you still exchanged it at no cost to you but some time. Think about that for a bit.
HTC (and more importantly their carriers) have probably had more than enough bricked returns over the years, which is why the mid-year and onward HTC devices started getting more and more locked down. I wouldn't be surprised if they are as tight as a Motorola and Sony next year.
Samsung is still going Wild Wild West with their ROMs, but I don't expect that to last either, the carriers will make them clamp down the firmware tighter in the future just to avoid the customer service issues.
And finally, if you had a Tab with capacitive keys more ****ed up than a Nexus One (which has the most ****ed up capacitive keys in the history of ****ed up capacitive keys), you got a rare one indeed.
gotta say, the haptic keys on mine are great! Really responsive. Sounds like you were just very unlucky!
I have to agree that the OP is unlucky. I picked up my T-Mobile Tab the 10th (release day) and I have not had a single issue with it. Mine has been rock solid.
Posted from Samsung Tab
A good reply deserves a thoughtful response.
Croak said:
Well, I don't take a micrometer to the case, for one thing.
heheh no micrometer, just fingers, when you grope 3 tabs over the course of a few days you can feel the subtle differences, the lip around the screen is pretty distinct.
Can't really blame Samsung for a bricked device, they didn't make it for enthusiasts to tinker with, they made it for consumers. The bad flash was totally on you.
Sorry if I came across that way, definitely not blaming Samsung, as per Clubtech its looking like the bad flash was due to older Odin which is totally my fault, I've flashed a lot of gear over the years and usually the tools are dedicated flashers for a particular firmware, or as long as the device is recognized you're good to go with your current flasher, I guess somewhere along the course of my Odin flashing research I guess I spaced out on the need to always use the most current version, especially with the fresh fresh firmware.
And the back cover DOES come off, for that matter, couple of video teardowns out there, it's not that hard, it reassembles just fine, there weren't even any warranty seals though technically it voids it. So does flashing, yet you still exchanged it at no cost to you but some time. Think about that for a bit.
Oh I know I got a nice freebee with the over the counter Tab exchange, I thought about it quite a bit as I was driving from south granville to coquitlam to exchange it , whoever gets that Tab as a refurb though will get a very nice one.
Sure the battery can come out but it's not like you can just pop the back off, swap the battery and carry on. I was more musing about the pros/cons of design, with my friend's iphone if he forgets to charge he is kind of sol until it charges enough to leave the house with whereas I can just power down the Nexus and pop the spare battery in.
HTC (and more importantly their carriers) have probably had more than enough bricked returns over the years, which is why the mid-year and onward HTC devices started getting more and more locked down. I wouldn't be surprised if they are as tight as a Motorola and Sony next year.
Samsung is still going Wild Wild West with their ROMs, but I don't expect that to last either, the carriers will make them clamp down the firmware tighter in the future just to avoid the customer service issues.
Its quite possible, although the HTC dev community rises to all challenges. I would probably not buy Moto due to their antagonistic relationship with their customers. Although people have complained about Samsung's firmware releases in the past they seem to be on the right track right now, its such a bad joke that Sony is just releasing 2.1 for the x10, even Dell managed to jump from 1.6 to 2.2 with the streak.
I've got to give one to Samsung here, their Galaxy S/Tab line is so easy to carrier unlock it is kind of startling. Frankly I'd prefer to always buy truly unlocked devices off contract like the Nexus (amazing how high the resale value is on this phone) in the future, although the future isn't looking too bright in this regard, hopefully the google flagship devices with always be more enthusiast friendly.
And finally, if you had a Tab with capacitive keys more ****ed up than a Nexus One (which has the most ****ed up capacitive keys in the history of ****ed up capacitive keys), you got a rare one indeed.
lol, the keys on my Nexus are quite fine, and really the keys on Tab2 were totally usable, just required more of a deliberate touch, whereas the new Tab seems to be a bit more responsive, I'd be happy with either though, again these are just observations that come with handling multiple devices over a short period of time
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After reading all of the crappy review for the transformer, it looks as if 50% are happy 50% are not.
I am wondering if the problems are occurring in batches because I just ordered mine from American TV and it will probably be here tomorrow or the next day.
A lot of the problems I have found are from the batches that have already been purchased and I don't know what to think.
Two things:
When asus was first bringing these to market, it could the problems are coming from they just naturally skimped on manufacturing quality because they are so damn cheap. Or they had a bad batch to get them to market quickly.
Asus could also just had normal manufacturing quality before and NOW since there is a high demand, newer units may experience worse manufacturing quality. Or they could be better because they knew of the problems.
Hope its not too confusing, what do you guys think? Newer units = worse quality? Older Units = better than newer?
i think logically you could expect the first units to have the most problems, however, we dont know if asus had enough complaints, or realized that there are defects (if there are--aside from software side) to be able to retool and make changes during the assem process to produce better revised hardware.
I actually gave this exact topic a lot of thought a few days ago, i thought about everyones complaints and how it was hit/miss it seemed, and i wondered whether the people that are complaining were truly the "first" adopters and got REV 1 hardware. Obviously, since they are playing with the tab and most of us are anxiously awaiting its arrival i would assume it just may be the case. Heres to hoping that these little glitches were an easy fix at the factory level (but knowing how they operate i doubt its a simple/cheap/quick process, which makes me doubt that the tabs that me and you will receive this week will be any diff from the ones recieved by the people last week and the one prior. the time frame is just too small, but then again, anythings possible).
slowhatch said:
i think logically you could expect the first units to have the most problems, however, we dont know if asus had enough complaints, or realized that there are defects (if there are--aside from software side) to be able to retool and make changes during the assem process to produce better revised hardware.
I actually gave this exact topic a lot of thought a few days ago, i thought about everyones complaints and how it was hit/miss it seemed, and i wondered whether the people that are complaining were truly the "first" adopters and got REV 1 hardware. Obviously, since they are playing with the tab and most of us are anxiously awaiting its arrival i would assume it just may be the case. Heres to hoping that these little glitches were an easy fix at the factory level (but knowing how they operate i doubt its a simple/cheap/quick process, which makes me doubt that the tabs that me and you will receive this week will be any diff from the ones recieved by the people last week and the one prior. the time frame is just too small, but then again, anythings possible).
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Definitely have to agree. My guess they are the same and it is so difficult for Asus to actually respond to problems and transfer a fix to the manufacturing of the units. The only real thing I am worried about is the light bleed/dead pixels.
Moreover, the problem seems to be 50-50 and my estimate came from the assumption that there is manufacturing quality loss through increase production speed to meet the high demand. I tend to believe this because of the poor quality control. I am assuming (after reading the post about the guy receiving a 2.2 model) is that they do perform screen quality checks, to a certain extent. Some may have just slipped out.
Lets just hope we get a solid model.
I tend to side with the second poster...it's all about quality control....how many get out the door without their defects being noticed OR....being flagged as a defect.
I've worked around assembly lines all of my life...25+ years and I can understand some defects got through unnoticed....but the question is: when were they noticed and what steps were taken to prevent the same issue from occurring again?
And the second point is valid also....speed equals a mindset of "this one little corner-cutting decision won't make that big a deal in the long run...."
Unfortunately, rushing things to market to fill orders at a breakneck pace means that issues are more likely to get by...that's a fact of life.
When cash is on the line...decisions get made that might not otherwise gotten made.
I hope mine comes today without the glaring errors that I've seen here...crossing my fingers...
My only real complaint is the light bleed. I know it isn't the only device that's had this problem. I remember when I was reading the Evo 4G forums it had a similar problem when it first came out and recently the iPad2 had light bleed issues too.
The light bleed isn't a huge deal, but it is distracting while watching certain tv shows and movies imo.
I've had 3, first one was the very first batch in the UK, arrived mid April or thereabouts. The next one was around the end of April and the the latest one I received around the 6th of May.
1) Mid April
Some lightbleed on 3 of 4 edges. Perfect screen in terms of pixels. Imbalanced speakers. No sleep of death in 2 weeks or so. No gap in glass.
2) End April
Terrible lightbleed. 14+ stuck pixels (I gave up counting). I think the speakers were imbalanced too. No sleep of death, but only used it for a few minutes. No gap in glass was noticed.
3) Start of May
Some lightbleed, probably akin to 1. Around 8 or so stuck pixels, seen on black screen. Perfectly balanced speakers. Had 1 incident of the sleep of death within 5 days. Glass does not fit perfectly on left hand side (gap of 1-2mm allowing dust inside and glass to be lifted by nail)
Had I known what would happen I would now gladly stick with the first! So, from this small sample it seems that in my case the earlier devices were better in some ways but not in others. We'd have to have a huge sample to be able to answer definitively. I still love the tablet though.
I have a first US batch version and it's fine.
This is why I just ordered the Acer. I got mine and had some light bleed. It got worse. The creaking got worse. Now there is a small piece of dust under the screen. It is not very noticeable except on white background but it worries me that in 6 days of ownership it is getting worse. I now see a dust spec under the camera glass.
The edges of all the ports are razor sharp and can take off skin.
I love the weight the price and the ups screen but the build quality is very disappointing. If it was only the light bleed from day one I would keep but I can't handle how much more has happened in 1 week of ownership.
I got a 32 DB Livonia using coupons from staples for only 40 dollars more than a 16gb Asus cost me. The screen in store was quite good. The build quality seemed much better and despite the added weight it seemed more comfortable. To hold given the curved shape. If availability were better maybe I would exchange my Asus but no stock around.
in the end I might just opt for the new galaxy tab as it seems to be most like the load in size and weight.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Just received
I just got the TF in the mail today. It is nice.. but there are some drawbacks from the xoom that I miss.
Xoom felt nicer in my hand and had that led notification. But the screen on the TF is WAAY better.
I do have light bleed in small sections, not terribly noticeable. Speakers are fine. no dead pixels, yet. not really a creaky sound, just when I press harder than normal on the screen. No glass misaligned. I will seal up the beast with a vinyl cover. Screen is responsive, no probs yet.
A bit disappointed
I received my TF this Thursday and was so very happy. After unwrapping it I pressed the power button and I got nothing. I thought OMG it's not working. Then I thought, maybe they didn't have time to charge the battery. So I charged it. I checked on in within a hour and pressed the button and it came on. I began to play with it and realized that after the TF wasn't in use for more than 5 mins the power button whenever pressed didn't wake the TF up... SO i pressed and pressed.. nothing.. so I waited about 30 sec after a press of the button and it came on.. After going thur this over and over I figured it was a defect and I RMA'ed it. I'm hoping that they didn't just push out a product that will have a lot of issues...
Here's my two cents:
Got my TF from Fry's in LA on May 5th. 32GB don't know manf date.
For light bleed - minimal sround the left lower edge and upper right edge. Dark room, bright up full, about a 1mm bleed - very slight and almost unnoticible.
Running latest update with no issues, just updated again today with no issues.
Sometimes after a long sleep it won't power back up with the power button, so I press the vol down and pwr at the same time (shut down) and it shuts down and restarts fine...Seems a sw glitch.
Other than that it's an awesome machine!
Dock - arrived on the 12th. charged up fine, docked fine, no mouse, brick or other issues other than the backspace key is touchy (actually not touchy -takes some effort), but all other keys work well. I think I'll RMA it later depending on how many show in production (I can live with this for now).
Case - had to cut a small hole in bottom to allow charging while case is closed. Otherwise great.
I hope this helps.
BTW, I don't follow these threads too much, so if you need something please PM me.
I feel like I've said this before, but I'm honestly surprised to hear of all of these issues. Mine doesn't seem to have any of them. No gaps around the screen, the glass fits perfectly, the casing for the tablet seems sturdy and doesn't budge at all. There's very little noticeable light bleed, if any. I've never had anything like a "Sleep of Death". I couldn't be happier with the quality of this beast.
EDIT: I should mention I have a 32GB version that I purchased from TigerDirect on Wednesday, got it this past Thursday.
My tablet and dock were among the older units. I had only one instance of SOD and the green screen with the camera issue which has been fixed via firmware update.
The tablet itself appears to be of high build quality,the bezel is secure, no gaps around the screen seal, no dust,no dead pixels,very minimal light bleed that I had to actively look for.
no problems to speak of
eGoing on 2 weeks ownership using various each day.
The only thing a few times I've come back to an unresponsive unit. Then I just held power button down 10 seconds and then rebooted. I take that with a grain of salt.
But. I am not going to update software for another week or so. Until I read more positive reviews
Many problems with mine
I ordered mine from The Best Buy batch on May 22nd, and it came with a not-smooth not-particularly-responsive screen; it then got two light leak spots, the clock disappeared from the menu bar once, and it bricked when I ran the 3.1 update. I sent it back, but I wonder, are the screens really not as smooth or responsive as the Xoom or Acer A500?
The screen started to behave in a weird way after installing CM13, it just flickers at low brightness, I thought it was a cm related issue so i flashed a stock marshmallow rom, but it didn't help=( could it be the marshmallow thing? or is the display dying? I'm also thinking it might be a battery issue... Can't check it right now.
I'll flash a lollipop rom to see if marshmallow is the culprit here.
Thread closed. It's pixel burn. Turns out amoled does not live too long. Very disappointed, my next choice is certainly not gonna be amoled
I think that I am going to heavily disappointing you.
Just received my new (used phone purchase) an S5 G900F, this worked all ready for two years in Switzerland, and today, technically this is in fantastic condition.
The first owner it seems that he did had good training at using and coexist with portable electronic devices.
Many others, them using their S5 as this to be a hammer, or exposing it to the elements (under the hot sun), or having it this dancing alone in a car compartment at any road bump, them they do looking for trouble.
Additionally any one sacrificed IP67, so him to use cheap cases and cover from eBay, he is also looking for trouble.
Before you even thought to defend your self by using text, just post four pictures of your phone exterior condition, so other to judge your skills at coexisting with portable devices.
neverbeenfrustrated said:
...Turns out amoled does not live too long....
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Not heard of this. I am also sure this is news to the millions of amoled owners. Any published study or online ref that amoled not lasting vs other screen types? Are there thousands of other amoled owners who have started threads here or in other forums with similar conclusions? This would surely be a well known issue if that were the case.
I did not start the thread to start a holy war between amoled lovers and haters, I myself have only used amoled smartphones my whole life. Later this day I'll post some photos so you can see in which condition my phone currently is. Speaking honestly I must admit that I have let it fall carelessly around 10 times for the period of 1.5 years, but the height from which the phone fell was always too little, it fell from my bed on to the floor about a few inches... Although it was once exposed to tap water by my careless reading of Samsungs manual, cuz I thought it was waterproof when in fact the only water that it can take was lil drops of rain.. I'm fully satisfied with the phone, it has served me greatly. But I am still disappointed
I am Blogger working for four years by following the sector of test and measurement equipment for electrical parameters.
In this planet most first implementations of OLED display over a multimeter, this caused even to me mixed feelings after performing some benchmarks / product review testing.
I was forced to seek even an opinion from a CEO him working in this industry.
Burn in of OLED's is a known problem
I had 3 used Galaxy S5 in 3 months, all of them were facing the same problem : Flickering screen on low brightness ( not caused by me I bought them like that )
I can tell that the device itself is so fragile and you must not ever drop it or you'll pay for your careless.
taoufiqlak said:
I had 3 used Galaxy S5 in 3 months, all of them were facing the same problem : Flickering screen on low brightness ( not caused by me I bought them like that )
I can tell that the device itself is so fragile and you must not ever drop it or you'll pay for your careless.
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i bought mine used 8 months ago, phone is over 2 years old, i dropped it hard multiple times, i do have a cheapo plastic bumper case for it, no problems, yet. fragile, idk.
my daughter bought it new 1 year ago, she got the flickering, got a new screen under warranty, luck of the draw
I have a S5 with flickering Brightness in Low Brightness, Too.
I dont use in High Luminosity conditions like Sun, Outdoor, Etc
And is normal to me.
Same problem here. Often green flickering too. And have to press power button many times to wake phone from standby.
Internet is full of this problem, even YouTube is full of that.
I will never buy a Samsung smartphone again.
Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?
Jess813 said:
Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?
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I love it...it's compact and super sturdy. Built well. I have no issues with the camera...they've updated it several times and I'm not a professional photographer. It comes with an unlockable bootloader and they said during their AMA source will be released in the next week or two. Development will be there. For such a unique device I have no qualms with it at all.
I came from the Pixel XL and dont regret it at all. I'm really excited about the future of this device. Although Essential had some issues on launch they have really stepped things up regarding customer support, communication and updates. Having them involved in the community (Reddit AMA) says a lot about how they feel about us, the customer. The build quality is superior to anything I've ever held and I change devices about every 6 months. It will take a lot from a future device to get me to switch from this. Since the updates I've had really good luck with the camera, even at night. If I were you I'd go for it!
I have a Pixel XL and an Essential - while the build quality of the Essential is top notch (feels really well weighted IMHO) and the edge to edge display really impresses, there are a few things that really annoy me.
- Placement of the hardware buttons (I keep reaching for the power button only to hit the volume buttons)
- Touch sensitivity is all over the place. Many times it does not register when I press on the screen, forcing me to do this multiple times. Given the amount of time we spend interacting with our phones, this can get pretty frustrating.
- General stutters & slowdowns. For a near-stock Android phone, this phone is really laggy when performing certain actions. It just grinds to a halt for a second or two. My Pixel XL or OnePlus 5 do not ever do that.
- Buggy software. I've noticed that the camera app will randomly freeze, forcing me to close it and reopen. I've noticed the same thing when interacting with the system settings.
- Camera: The Pixel XL camera (and app) blows this away. The Essential one is slow to focus, slow to switch modes etc. And the image quality is not comparable to the Pixel XL.
I know most of these issues could probably be fixed with tons of s/w updates, but I am not sure people want to wait and be the beta testers for this phone. For now, IMHO, Pixel XL > OP 5 > Essential PH-1. Having said that, the phone shows a lot of promise but we will need to wait and see if they can deliver on their promises.
rajeshr said:
I have a Pixel XL and an Essential - while the build quality of the Essential is top notch (feels really well weighted IMHO) and the edge to edge display really impresses, there are a few things that really annoy me.
- Placement of the hardware buttons (I keep reaching for the power button only to hit the volume buttons)
- Touch sensitivity is all over the place. Many times it does not register when I press on the screen, forcing me to do this multiple times. Given the amount of time we spend interacting with our phones, this can get pretty frustrating.
- General stutters & slowdowns. For a near-stock Android phone, this phone is really laggy when performing certain actions. It just grinds to a halt for a second or two. My Pixel XL or OnePlus 5 do not ever do that.
- Buggy software. I've noticed that the camera app will randomly freeze, forcing me to close it and reopen. I've noticed the same thing when interacting with the system settings.
- Camera: The Pixel XL camera (and app) blows this away. The Essential one is slow to focus, slow to switch modes etc. And the image quality is not comparable to the Pixel XL.
I know most of these issues could probably be fixed with tons of s/w updates, but I am not sure people want to wait and be the beta testers for this phone. For now, IMHO, Pixel XL > OP 5 > Essential PH-1. Having said that, the phone shows a lot of promise but we will need to wait and see if they can deliver on their promises.
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I also don't think everyone is experiencing all these bullet points.
I agree it took a little bit to adjust with the volume and power buttons, they are flipped unlike my Nexus.
Touch sensitivity, I mainly only notice that on the border of the screen. I'm assuming this is setup this way so your hand doesn't accidentally touch things when holding the phone since the borders are so minimal.
Personally I haven't noticed any stutters or slowdowns. It runs butter smooth.
Software has pretty much been fixed on my end since their last few updates.
Again, this is maybe just my experience, but I wouldn't assume everyone is seeing the same issues. There are quite a few happy campers from reading through the other threads.
I think you will enjoy the phone a lot. Coming from a Nexus, your phone will feel way less clunky with these screen borders.
Jess813 said:
Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?
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I would be a bit skeptical of the source of the phone.
I'd trade but you want to know source.
He would still be inside the return window.
He could sent the Essential back and get a PXL and have change back.
Personally I would do it. The Pixel XL will be replaced in a couple weeks and therefore will be harder to sell if you want to upgrade. Also, I have asked for an RMA and then changed my mind twice on this darn Essential phone because every time I feel this strange connection with it. I want to root for Essential. This sounds silly, of course. I have the S8, have had the G6 and all the other flagships before, but this phone is to me the Nexus device of 2017. I had the Pixel and Pixel XL and while I loved the software and camera, once you hold the Essential phone then the Pixels will have laughably huge bezels and will feel five years old in your hand.
So, the camera. I have taken some awesome outdoor shots and I have also taken some that look like they were from a 2014 Moto X. There is no consistency with this camera. I want to believe in it and I have seen what it is capable of, but when I reach for my S8 the experience blows the Essential away. The camera app freezes on the Essential and is extremely slow. If anyone disagrees, then I completely respect that but I will ask if you have compared it to the best of 2017 devices? That said, the best compromise I have found is this: install the Google Pixel camera and set the power button quick launch to launch that camera. Then leave the default camera app icon in the normal place. So now, I can quickly launch the fool-proof Google camera when I need to snap a quick image, but I can take my time with the Essential camera when I have that time to give. I have a 7 month old son and trust me, he ain't waitin' for that damn Essential camera to load!
TL;DR - I would make the trade.
-Collin-
Man, I'm thinking about returning my Pixel 2 XL for an Essential. Wanted the Essential but then all the bad reviews of the camera and what not turned me away. It is literally half the cost of the P2XL with the price drop. It's nice to have one of, if not the best camera, but I feel silly paying $1000 for this phone when I can get a brand new phone with similar specs for half the cost. Not to mention the disappointing screen issues.
I like to run custom stable ROMs which is why I'm looking at these two phones and the P2XL will certainly have more development. I'm not even sure if the Essential has sold enough to have any decent development. I would hate to be stuck with a phone that ends up getting no development. I guess that's what makes the Pixel worth a grand. I never buy brand new phones and always look for deals on Craigslist but this time I thought I'd pull the trigger on something brand new.....the experience was meh.
I am in a similar boat as you (except I have a pixel). If this phone get done development I might pull the trigger. Partly because at least for me, the whole rom game on the pixel is just a nightmare thanks to the two boot slots. I REALLY miss the simplicity of the nexus. But I get it that having the two slots makes things great for stock users but I have soft bricked this phone so many times. If this phone can be simple like the nexus days (once the images come out) I am really tempted. Also depending on when oreo gets dropped
My previous phone was a LeEco Le Pro 3, bought it last year during a black friday sale, it was released almost 2 months before that sale. No roms or any development at that time, but a couple months later a bunch of great roms were available. I think is just a matter of time, be patience, also, we have stock android, why the hurry to flash a new rom?
b316kane said:
I am in a similar boat as you (except I have a pixel). If this phone get done development I might pull the trigger. Partly because at least for me, the whole rom game on the pixel is just a nightmare thanks to the two boot slots. I REALLY miss the simplicity of the nexus. But I get it that having the two slots makes things great for stock users but I have soft bricked this phone so many times. If this phone can be simple like the nexus days (once the images come out) I am really tempted. Also depending on when oreo gets dropped
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The PH-1 has two boot slots just like the Pixel.
I don't remember hearing that. Are they doing the automatic updates too? I figured it was unique to pixels
I am sending back a Pixel 2 XL and getting the Essential
30 day return policy from Amazon right? I'm just gonna get an Essential use them both for a week and make a decision
I have an Essential. It is a solid phone and performs well. However (and this is going to sound strange), it is an unbelievably slippery phone. I took their word that it was made of space-age materials and was drop-resistant, and I didn't get a case. It slipped out of my pocket the second day I owned it while I was sitting down. Screen cracked and it is $200 to replace.
There are really no quality cases available, so I would wait to see if there is going to be any aftermarket support before buying an Essential.
Jess813 said:
Hey guys I came across see guy locally that is VERY interested in trading his Essential for my Pixel XL, I must admit that I'm intrigued by this phone but very worried about all the negativity surrounding it. Can you guys give me your honest opinion since you guys are current users?
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Click to collapse
Just be sure the one you are trading for is not locked to Sprint, unless you're on Sprint of course.
appleguy2 said:
I have an Essential. It is a solid phone and performs well. However (and this is going to sound strange), it is an unbelievably slippery phone. I took their word that it was made of space-age materials and was drop-resistant, and I didn't get a case. It slipped out of my pocket the second day I owned it while I was sitting down. Screen cracked and it is $200 to replace.
There are really no quality cases available, so I would wait to see if there is going to be any aftermarket support before buying an Essential.
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There are a number of decent cases available. I'm using the Incipio NGP Pure:
https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Incipio-Shockproof-Polymer-Shock-Absorbing/dp/B076H16TWP
A lot of people like the Tudia cases, especially the new one that just came out with the glass back.
The complaints about the Incipio is that it doesn't work with glass screen protectors... Well 99% of the glass screen protectors available for this phone don't fit right anyways... What I ended up getting was the Incipio Plex Plus Flex... which they claim is flexible glass (I think it's just plastic) but either way, it fits with their case and is invisible on the phone. I managed to snag it on a Black Friday sale because it's kinda expensive for a screen protector, but either way, my phone is now fully protected and looks excellent. I can post pictures if you're interested.
To preface this, here comes a wall of text.
I have evolved from not knowing how to even use a Galaxy S3, to being able to unlock/root/flash/repair my previous Nexus 6, all thanks to the members here, so thanks for all the help, and for reading this!
I am a construction worker by trade, so my phones need to be able to hold up to water, dust, and drops, which means I always have a case on it, and most of the time a screen protector. I do my best to keep them safe, but it doesn't always work out that way. My S4 broke 2 days after I bought it because it dropped on a concrete floor, and my first Nexus 6 fell out of my pocket from 30 stories up when I was in a safety harness hanging off the side of a highrise skeleton. This phone seems to be built pretty well, and feels good in my catcher's mitt-sized hands. I am having a little trouble typing in portait mode, but I am just attributing that to a different size screen and keyboard location relative to the way I hold the phone. I put an Otterbox Defender on it, but haven't decided whether I want a screen protector or not.
Speaking of that, the screen is decent. It isn't great by any means in my opinion, and toggling the Vivid Color setting on and off makes it go from meh to ok. I am not looking for Samsung-esque saturation, but I will echo what has been said about the colors seeming washed out. I am also having a bit of touch response issues, where I have to tap on the same thing multiple times to get it to respond and do what I am asking. Hopefully it is just me not being dexterous enough with my inputs, and not the phone itself. This is why I am unsure about the screen protector, since I think that might make things worse. Also, I have noticed that when backing out from a settings menu, my weather app opens, even though I haven't tapped on the weather.
I turned off the squeeze for Google Assistant already, and the always-on display since this phone will spend a lot of time in my pocket and I am extremely active all day, so I don't want them constantly turning on and wasting battery, or activating and me not knowing it.
I watched some YT videos of music/soundtracks I like, to see if the dual speakers really made a difference, and while it does sound good, to my untrained ears it didn't really sound all too different.
I took a few pictures of my kids and my dog, and they do look fantastic for sure. That is definitely an improvement over my Nexus 6.
To be honest, I am a little disappointed.
Maybe some of you more knowledgable members can shed some light on how I can fix these issues, if it is at all possible?
Thanks!
My previous phones include the Nexus 5, Nexus 6p and now the Pixel XL (I will not be getting the pixel 2 XL.)
I can't comment much on the screen response as I've never experienced the issue on any of the aforementioned devices.
As far as a screen protector, I don't use them. The glass technology used on premium smartphones has come a long way. They're pretty difficult to scratch. However, taking into consideration your line of work, it may not be a bad idea.
In my honest opinion, all previous Nexus/pixel devices have had washed out displays. Especially coming from a Samsung Galaxy which is notorious for saturated and vibrant colors, you're definitely going to notice it.
To combat the color issue on the 6p, I flashed ElementalX kernel and used the EX kernel manager to turn up the color saturation by about 15%. It made a world of difference and the display was much more pleasurable to view. Maybe give a custom kernel with optimized saturation/hue settings a try.
Thank you for the review!
I went into a Verizon store two days ago as was extremely underwhelmed by the Just Black Pixel 2 XL, particularly due to hardware. I was kind of expecting Nexus 6P or HTC level build quality/ in hand feel.
I have been doing my best to talk myself back into liking and wanting a 2 XL; basically repeating to myself what Dieter from the Verge said in his Pixel 2 review " The Pixel 2 and 2 XL are not the nice dining room table where you lay out the fancy silverware for your guests, they are the kitchen counter where you actually eat."
"A lot of phones are designed for one thing above all else, to give you a dazzling first impression. The Pixel 2 does not go in for all that. In fact the first hardware impression is not going to blow your hair back, but then you start to use it and you notice those little things and the software is fast and helps you be more productive."
In my mind he is saying "the hardware is average, but the software makes up for that and makes the Pixel 2 XL a great device in-spite of it lackluster hardware."
So your comment of "To be honest, I am a little disappointed."
Really hit home for me! Being brutally honest with us; what exactly is causing you to be a bit disappointed with your new Pixel?
jj3699 said:
Thank you for the review!
I went into a Verizon store two days ago as was extremely underwhelmed by the Just Black Pixel 2 XL, particularly due to hardware. I was kind of expecting Nexus 6P or HTC level build quality/ in hand feel.
I have been doing my best to talk myself back into liking and wanting a 2 XL; basically repeating to myself what Dieter from the Verge said in his Pixel 2 review " The Pixel 2 and 2 XL are not the nice dining room table where you lay out the fancy silverware for your guests, they are the kitchen counter where you actually eat."
"A lot of phones are designed for one thing above all else, to give you a dazzling first impression. The Pixel 2 does not go in for all that. In fact the first hardware impression is not going to blow your hair back, but then you start to use it and you notice those little things and the software is fast and helps you be more productive."
In my mind he is saying "the hardware is average, but the software makes up for that and makes the Pixel 2 XL a great device in-spite of it lackluster hardware."
So your comment of "To be honest, I am a little disappointed."
Really hit home for me! Being brutally honest with us; what exactly is causing you to be a bit disappointed with your new Pixel?
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Click to collapse
I got to use it a good amount last night and this morning, and I would say the thing that bothers me most is that it isn't leaps and bounds better in every way than my 3-year old Nexus 6, aside from the camera.
I am still having the touch response issues, and the constant opening of the weather is bothering me. It seems like there are software bugs that need to be worked out for sure.
The screen is bothering me more and more. It looks like there is a film over it that you just can't get off.
It might be going back, which sucks, because I don't know what else to get.
a.demarco, did you get your 2 XL from a Verizon store or from Google?
It might be that you just got a bad phone and hopefully they can switch it out for you.
I am in similar boat, as to I am unsure what else to get.
I feel like the 2 XL is one of best options out there, but I do not really want that option lol.
I am going to head to Verizon store later today to see if I like the LG V30 hardware and if I do I might end up getting that and running the Pixel launcher on it.
Very similar to what was done on this video.
https://youtu.be/cDC2amW1vlU
jj3699 said:
a.demarco, did you get your 2 XL from a Verizon store or from Google?
It might be that you just got a bad phone and hopefully they can switch it out for you.
I am in similar boat, as to I am unsure what else to get.
I feel like the 2 XL is one of best options out there, but I do not really want that option lol.
I am going to head to Verizon store later today to see if I like the LG V30 hardware and if I do I might end up getting that and running the Pixel launcher on it.
Very similar to what was done on this video.
https://youtu.be/cDC2amW1vlU
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Click to collapse
Preorder from Verizon... The software glitches are driving me nuts. Every time I leave the Settings menu by pressing the back button, it opens up the weather. I am still having to tap on something multiple times to get it to respond as well. Have done 2 factory resets already, and nothing has changed.
I really don't want the S8+ or the Note8...
a.demarco said:
Preorder from Verizon... The software glitches are driving me nuts. Every time I leave the Settings menu by pressing the back button, it opens up the weather. I am still having to tap on something multiple times to get it to respond as well. Have done 2 factory resets already, and nothing has changed.
I really don't want the S8+ or the Note8...
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Click to collapse
Yes, I would definitely be talking that bad boy right back to the Verizon store and asking them if they can swap it out!
Same, I can definitely do without any Samsung products lol!
So I am thinking V30 or Essential phone; but at the same time I really do not want those either haha... man I wish HTC had their stuff together and was making phones like they did back in Droid Incredible days!