Database Users

How reliable is the Oneplus One now? (March 2016)

After weathering the storm of chaos as huge crowds rushed to get the One, hearing countless horror stories of failing phones and terrible support, and waiting for (hopefully) all hardware problems to rear their ugly faces, I'm at a loss now--in March 2016--as to whether or not buying a used phone, said to work perfectly by the seller and has been tested enough by natural selection, would be a good idea if I can only return DOAs.
I'm calling on everyone here not to post just epic sob-stories; instead, if you had an issue (hardware, software, firmware, or other) please post what it was, when it showed up (how much use, any possible user error that may have caused it), whether it was fixed (and if it was, what it was fixed by), how long it lasted, what ROM/software version you were on, and any other important info.
Thanks so much in advance; I really like the specs and the original reviews, but just can't be sure if it got back up after falling flat right out of the gate.

I got a oneplus one. I love it!. Soon as I got i t I rooted and flashed CM13. NO ISSUES WITH IT AT ALL.
Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

dreamwave said:
After weathering the storm of chaos as huge crowds rushed to get the One, hearing countless horror stories of failing phones and terrible support, and waiting for (hopefully) all hardware problems to rear their ugly faces, I'm at a loss now--in March 2016--as to whether or not buying a used phone, said to work perfectly by the seller and has been tested enough by natural selection, would be a good idea if I can only return DOAs.
I'm calling on everyone here not to post just epic sob-stories; instead, if you had an issue (hardware, software, firmware, or other) please post what it was, when it showed up (how much use, any possible user error that may have caused it), whether it was fixed (and if it was, what it was fixed by), how long it lasted, what ROM/software version you were on, and any other important info.
Thanks so much in advance; I really like the specs and the original reviews, but just can't be sure if it got back up after falling flat right out of the gate.
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Nearly 2 years and no regrets..

I only got this phone at the end of 2015 and I haven't regretted a bit, ever. It's an amazing phone, I never had any problem with it. The metal around the screen is the only thing that wears out, it's not awful but it as some scratches, and I'm very careful. Believe me, for the price, this is still the best budget phone you can get

I have the ability to get it for as low as $180 here in the US. I know that is quite a good deal compared to the original price, but with the OPX having been released with similar specs and such I'm not quite sure I fully grasp whether or not this price is a steal, or just a good bargain. Thoughts?

Absolutely hate it. I regret trading my Nexus 6 for it. My data has been spotty and I keep getting random reboots. Today, I was using the GPS and Google Maps lost the ability to connect to my phone's mobile data during the commute. Completely overshot my destination, thanks OnePlus!

billybobchongo said:
Absolutely hate it. I regret trading my Nexus 6 for it. My data has been spotty and I keep getting random reboots. Today, I was using the GPS and Google Maps lost the ability to connect to my phone's mobile data during the commute. Completely overshot my destination, thanks OnePlus!
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When it comes to data, I'm not too worried as I use tracfone (so I'm not really used to the convenience of data on the go) and have great coverage around here--unless it is so significantly worse than the Nexus 6 so as to cause a steady 3-4 bars on one to equal intermittent service on the other.
For the random reboots, when did they start? What ROM? When do they happen?

dreamwave said:
I have the ability to get it for as low as $180 here in the US. I know that is quite a good deal compared to the original price, but with the OPX having been released with similar specs and such I'm not quite sure I fully grasp whether or not this price is a steal, or just a good bargain. Thoughts?
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On paper, the OnePlus One and OnePlus X may seem similar, but it's only so much.
The OPO features (as compared to the OPX)
> a higher-tier variant of the Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) @ 2.5ghz
> a larger 5.5in LTPS (IPS LCD) display (screen size is subjective, some people prefer smaller)
> better band support for US Carriers (the OPX lacks necessary bands)
> a better rear-facing camera (capable of 4K DCI/UHD recording) and can be vastly improved with Sultan's modifications
> WIFI AC + Dual band (2.4/5.0ghz)
> a larger 3100mah battery
> NFC (the OPX doesn't have NFC, seriously)
But most importantly, the OPO is sustained by one of the largest dev communities ever, right here at XDA. Even after OnePlus/Cyanogen discontinues official support for the device, the community will keep it alive and strong for a VERY long time. The OPX lacks this kind of love and support. Unsurprisingly, OnePlus themselves seem to be neglecting the OPX.
The OPX features (as compared to the OPO)
> a more portable 5in AMOLED display
> a better front-facing camera
I might sound biased, but that is justified by everything I've just listed. It's clear who's the winner here.
Spec sheets for reference:
http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_one-6327.php
http://www.gsmarena.com/oneplus_x-7630.php

JimJ2Mz said:
On paper, ... camera
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Thanks for the insight. I kind of wonder why it's so cheap when it's so competitive with other phones of the time. The Galaxy s5 seems to go, used, for between $250-300 while the OPO goes for between 200-225 normally. I get that last generation phones can go down in price, but it seemed unexpected that it didn't even out to pretty much the same used price as most of those other phones. I was just thinking there must be something I was missing.

dreamwave said:
I kind of wonder why it's so cheap when it's so competitive with other phones of the time. The Galaxy s5 seems to go, used, for between $250-300 while the OPO goes for between 200-225 normally. I get that last generation phones can go down in price, but it seemed unexpected that it didn't even out to pretty much the same used price as most of those other phones. I was just thinking there must be something I was missing.
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This is expected. The Galaxy S5 is a Samsung device and as with all popular brands, these devices can go for a high price, from when they're released to even a few years later.
The OnePlus One was OnePlus' very first device and it was named "The Flagship Killer" for a reason- that reason being it had the same specs as popular flagship devices (ie. Galaxy S5, Xperia Z3, HTC One M8) but costed much less than they did. This is why the OPO, new or used, continues to be sold for lower than any other popular flagship device.
As a note, OnePlus claims that they barely made any profit at the time due to selling the OPO for such a low price, but they actually had a lot of backup from their overseeing company, OPPO.
Trust me (and everyone here), the OPO is still an amazing device. Everything about it screams high quality.

dreamwave said:
When it comes to data, I'm not too worried as I use tracfone (so I'm not really used to the convenience of data on the go) and have great coverage around here--unless it is so significantly worse than the Nexus 6 so as to cause a steady 3-4 bars on one to equal intermittent service on the other.
For the random reboots, when did they start? What ROM? When do they happen?
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Running Sultan's CM13 - had similar issues with CM12. Switched to CM13 because Sultan was actively developing it. Tried other roms but I didn't like them as much as Sultan's rom. Charging is also atrocious - 2 hours to go from 10% to 100% with the stock cable and charger.
The funny thing is, I had full bars and data, GMaps just couldn't connect until I restarted the phone.
I had three reboots in the past hour. One with the phone laying on my desk. Another while scrolling through GroupMe. The final after I took a screenshot of my lockscreen. I don't use xposed or any other customization app.

Best phone ever released till date, we can edit ANDROID to the core.. I am using since aug 2014, only thing i regret is camera compared to todays phones but even it lives it up to the mark

well!! it is reliable enough ...

I've had this device since November 2014 and going strong. This device is one of the best purchases I've ever made in terms of a device. Unless I cause damage to it or there are new band support that's needed in the near future, I might actually try to keep this device until end of 2017.
I've really have had no issues with this phone, probably my only real gripe is the lack of OIS support.
You really can't go wrong with the OnePlus One.

Being a phone junkie, I jumped at the chance for a flagship killer, and do not regret it. Looking at all the phones we have today, this one still stacks up great, and outperforms my buddies lg v10 (which was what I was going to get, but couldn't justify the price) in a lot of areas (mostly stupid golf games), though all his hardware is top notch.
This device is affordable, and still runs as smooth as day one. Dev community awesome. I had the slight yellow tinge when it first came out, but it's gone. I had another friend of mine buy the op2 just cause he liked my phone so much but wanted the dual Sim...
Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

I'm looking to jump back in with a OPO after a year, has the touch screen issue been addressed? I had the issue on two OPO's. Very great device otherwise!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MiguelSassoon said:
I'm looking to jump back in with a OPO after a year, has the touch screen issue been addressed? I had the issue on two OPO's. Very great device otherwise!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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That was one of the things I was wondering: there were a lot of people having problems with the touchscreen, they apparently had a firmware fix but I still saw some reports of problems afterwards. Haven't seen any recently, but no real discussion about what was the issue, whether there were some people with hardware problems AND some people with firmware problems or if there were just firmware problems. I think I might have seen something on their forums but I honestly don't trust that place with the reports of censorship and all the fanboys dismissing problems.
EDIT: Just found this thread that describes what causes the issue. Definitely an involved process, but at least it suggests a problem other than just faulty-digitizer roulette. I hate the lengths that Oneplus goes to to try and hide this kind of thing. They could gain a lot more support if they were just transparent about their fumbles and mistakes instead of trying to sweep stuff under the rug and waiting for it to create a scandal.

dreamwave said:
That was one of the things I was wondering: there were a lot of people having problems with the touchscreen, they apparently had a firmware fix but I still saw some reports of problems afterwards. Haven't seen any recently, but no real discussion about what was the issue, whether there were some people with hardware problems AND some people with firmware problems or if there were just firmware problems. I think I might have seen something on their forums but I honestly don't trust that place with the reports of censorship and all the fanboys dismissing problems.
EDIT: Just found this thread that describes what causes the issue. Definitely an involved process, but at least it suggests a problem other than just faulty-digitizer roulette. I hate the lengths that Oneplus goes to to try and hide this kind of thing. They could gain a lot more support if they were just transparent about their fumbles and mistakes instead of trying to sweep stuff under the rug and waiting for it to create a scandal.
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Yeah, I remember reading about that .. Hoping they fixed the issue as I'm contemplating purchasing one new from OnePlus.

Just wanted to follow-up on my post from yesterday, OP.
I'm now on rooted stock COS12.1 - latest update, as of yesterday night. Only rooted apps I use are AdAway and TiBu (might not justify root tbh haha). But it's still not that great. The phone was definitely much smoother with Sultan's rom, with occasional hiccups. Just tried to do a raid in COC and the phone went unresponsive until I locked the screen but I had to resort to rebooting to make it actually work. It actually froze on the "rebooting" screen and I had to hard reboot.
For reference, I've had the phone since September 2015 and have been holding out for this year's Nexus but I might have to bite the bullet and pick up the 6P. My phone timeline is as follows: LG MyTouch, HTC Sensation 4G, Moto G 1st Gen, Nexus 6 and OnePlus One. Favorites have been Moto G and Nexus 6.

buy opo, leave opx....look around here on developments for both devices and u know why i say opo

Should I get this instead of OnePlus 3T?

I was set on a OnePlus 3T but this is one sale right now and I LOVE the audio capabilities of this thing. I have a rooted OP1 and have run CM for a couple years. It sounds like this phone isn't as far along as the OP3 when it comes to Roms etc... Correct? Any good Roms with everything working? One with theme customization would be nice too. Being used to perfectly working CM etc. would I regret getting this or should I go for it? Are there good Rom alternatives? I used to be one who would tinker with my phone a lot but these days I want a ROM thati like and just works and don't have to worry about it.
One other thing. It has been a long time since I've had a phone with an SD card slot. Can that storage be used as internal storage? On my Shield TV I can make one huge pool of storage with all the external storages plugged in.

effluent said:
I was set on a OnePlus 3T but this is one sale right now and I LOVE the audio capabilities of this thing. I have a rooted OP1 and have run CM for a couple years. It sounds like this phone isn't as far along as the OP3 when it comes to Roms etc... Correct? Any good Roms with everything working? One with theme customization would be nice too. Being used to perfectly working CM etc. would I regret getting this or should I go for it? Are there good Rom alternatives? I used to be one who would tinker with my phone a lot but these days I want a ROM thati like and just works and don't have to worry about it.
One other thing. It has been a long time since I've had a phone with an SD card slot. Can that storage be used as internal storage? On my Shield TV I can make one huge pool of storage with all the external storages plugged in.
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You could have just looked at the ROM section of the forum to find your answer. We currently have one CM ROM, and it's not "perfectly working". It's a WIP.
You should buy the OnePlus 3T. The dev community for the Axon7 won't ever be as big as OP, and it seems that's what you care about.

Hola
I was interested in this A7 since it was announced earlier this year due to the amazing hardware and audio capabilities.
Fast forward 3 months or so since I have it, I can say that it delivers on the hardware in most aspects. The issues with this phone in my experience:
1. Camera ain't the best but just ok. Don't consider this phone if camera is important to you.
2. The hardware capacitive buttons are too close together and up to now it is tough to use the back and recents. This can somewhat be managed by using on screen navigation buttons which is available from one of our kind Devs who added it to a stock firmware based ROM.
3. There is no minute vibration controls. It is either on or off. On simply provides a hard, and relatively long vibration, annoying when typing. Yes you can turn it off on your keyboard but I still prefer it on regardless.
4. The single biggest issue for me is the lack of stable third party ROMs like RR, Pure Nexus, multiROM, DU, and the like. Also no full kernel is available yet - I see a Dev was able to provide 1 kernel but it is a work in progress and for that we are most grateful to the Dev. Another Dev, Unjustified Dev, took the time and effort to provide us an instance of CM13.1 but it has major issues with audio and mic. We know that Unjustified Dev has put a lot of time into trying to get the audio working better but due to the proprietary drivers related to audio it is also a work in progress. A few others have been trying to also help but mic is still iffy at this point. So if third party ROMs are your thing then this ain't a phone worthy of your money.
5. So frustrated I was with the initial lack of stable third party ROMs that I went ahead and purchased the OnePlus 3T, man that brand can attract Devs. I used the OnePlus for a few weeks but because I missed the dual front facing speakers of the A7, I went back. By this time another Dev was able to provide a very stable stock firmware based ROM with a few additional tweaks while keeping the audio features intact. I now use the A7 with Xposed and it is now OK. I am still hoping that our brilliant Devs will be able to get us a stable CM instance and I know they are still sacrificing time and effort into trying to provide us something.
6. I go back occasionally to my 3T to play with the latest iterations of some custom ROMs, but audio is the missing feature on the 3T.
Hope this helps you. I can't really pronounce on the other items you raised.

Get the A7 ... Great hardware & software improves (literally) daily!

OP3(T) has poor carrier support in the US. US model of Axon 7 is better tailored to US networks.

The Axon 7 is due to get an upgrade to Nougat in January 2017. I'm sure there will be many fixes to known problems that come with it.

QAM said:
Hola
I was interested in this A7 since it was announced earlier this year due to the amazing hardware and audio capabilities.
Fast forward 3 months or so since I have it, I can say that it delivers on the hardware in most aspects. The issues with this phone in my experience:
1. Camera ain't the best but just ok. Don't consider this phone if camera is important to you.
2. The hardware capacitive buttons are too close together and up to now it is tough to use the back and recents. This can somewhat be managed by using on screen navigation buttons which is available from one of our kind Devs who added it to a stock firmware based ROM.
3. There is no minute vibration controls. It is either on or off. On simply provides a hard, and relatively long vibration, annoying when typing. Yes you can turn it off on your keyboard but I still prefer it on regardless.
4. The single biggest issue for me is the lack of stable third party ROMs like RR, Pure Nexus, multiROM, DU, and the like. Also no full kernel is available yet - I see a Dev was able to provide 1 kernel but it is a work in progress and for that we are most grateful to the Dev. Another Dev, Unjustified Dev, took the time and effort to provide us an instance of CM13.1 but it has major issues with audio and mic. We know that Unjustified Dev has put a lot of time into trying to get the audio working better but due to the proprietary drivers related to audio it is also a work in progress. A few others have been trying to also help but mic is still iffy at this point. So if third party ROMs are your thing then this ain't a phone worthy of your money.
5. So frustrated I was with the initial lack of stable third party ROMs that I went ahead and purchased the OnePlus 3T, man that brand can attract Devs. I used the OnePlus for a few weeks but because I missed the dual front facing speakers of the A7, I went back. By this time another Dev was able to provide a very stable stock firmware based ROM with a few additional tweaks while keeping the audio features intact. I now use the A7 with Xposed and it is now OK. I am still hoping that our brilliant Devs will be able to get us a stable CM instance and I know they are still sacrificing time and effort into trying to provide us something.
6. I go back occasionally to my 3T to play with the latest iterations of some custom ROMs, but audio is the missing feature on the 3T.
Hope this helps you. I can't really pronounce on the other items you raised.
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Thanks. Fortunately I don't care much about camera quality. With dev stuff really I can get by as long as I can root it and have at least a stockish rom that completely works.
One thing I do like now is the ability to customize the notification LED to change colors based on different things. Would this be possible with this device?
It really infuriates me that almost all devices come out with one mono speaker. It seems like stereo speakers of any kind at least should be standard at this point. Then again I'm one who wishes these phones had physical keyboards because After seven or whatever years I still can't type worth a crap on a screen.

ZTE is a ****ty company with crap software. And the community development for this device is almost non existent (except for a few guys that are doing their best with what they have).
But you get front facing speaker and great audio (with awful support, though).
ZTE is so bad as a company that they dont even let us discuss about the Nougat update. You'd think they learn something after the last update that broke the power managment of the device and couldn't fix anything since launch , but no... 3 months now since the last update and we dont get a proper fix.
So, back to topic. Go with the OP3T, you get a better device, with better support and more resell value.

yamils said:
ZTE is a ****ty company with crap software. And the community development for this device is almost non existent (except for a few guys that are doing their best with what they have).
But you get front facing speaker and great audio (with awful support, though).
ZTE is so bad as a company that they dont even let us discuss about the Nougat update. You'd think they learn something after the last update that broke the power managment of the device and couldn't fix anything since launch , but no... 3 months now since the last update and we dont get a proper fix.
So, back to topic. Go with the OP3T, you get a better device, with better support and more resell value.
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Not sure what to believe. I have also heard that OP has the worst support and ZTE's is better. I've never had any problem with any phone or needed any support really outside of me messing stuff up with rooting etc.
I saw one review from August talking about the A7's great power management. Are you saying that no longer works?

yamils said:
ZTE is a ****ty company with crap software. And the community development for this device is almost non existent (except for a few guys that are doing their best with what they have).
But you get front facing speaker and great audio (with awful support, though).
ZTE is so bad as a company that they dont even let us discuss about the Nougat update. You'd think they learn something after the last update that broke the power managment of the device and couldn't fix anything since launch , but no... 3 months now since the last update and we dont get a proper fix.
So, back to topic. Go with the OP3T, you get a better device, with better support and more resell value.
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The Axon 7 has a 2 year warranty vs. 1 for the OP3T so the support argument is not clear-cut.

flamingspartan3 said:
The Axon 7 has a 2 year warranty vs. 1 for the OP3T so the support argument is not clear-cut.
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We are clearly talking about a different type of support.
Anyways, in my country I dont have neither OnePlus nor ZTE support so I really dont care about warranty.

effluent said:
I was set on a OnePlus 3T but this is one sale right now and I LOVE the audio capabilities of this thing. I have a rooted OP1 and have run CM for a couple years. It sounds like this phone isn't as far along as the OP3 when it comes to Roms etc... Correct? Any good Roms with everything working? One with theme customization would be nice too. Being used to perfectly working CM etc. would I regret getting this or should I go for it? Are there good Rom alternatives? I used to be one who would tinker with my phone a lot but these days I want a ROM thati like and just works and don't have to worry about it.
One other thing. It has been a long time since I've had a phone with an SD card slot. Can that storage be used as internal storage? On my Shield TV I can make one huge pool of storage with all the external storages plugged in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am the same as you. Personally I don't think CM adds much compared to stock providing you already use a different launcher. I personally use blinkfeed launcher from HTC on all my phones (and it has custom theming) and I can tell you that with that I don't need any other ROM as I feel the settings menu on the Axon 7 is great. Initially the software had some mild annoyances but with the latest update I am perfectly happy (and nougat update should fix the last remaining issues in January based on what ZTE said).
I think the OP3T is also a strong device, but you would be trading off gorgeous QHD display and amazing sound with slightly better battery life, which I personally don't use, since the Axon 7 charges in 70 min.
Personally I don't feel it makes sense to buy a full HD device going into 2017, as I want to be able to use good quality VR. Also on AMOLED displays which have a pentile screen arrangement 1080p is more like 900p in terms of sharpness. QHD look more like 1200p.
The only case where I would recommend the OP3T is if you are a non VR hard-core gamer and need extra performance as 1080p display can help squeeze more performance, but in most games the difference won't be that noticeable.

yamils said:
ZTE is a ****ty company with crap software. And the community development for this device is almost non existent (except for a few guys that are doing their best with what they have).
But you get front facing speaker and great audio (with awful support, though).
ZTE is so bad as a company that they dont even let us discuss about the Nougat update. You'd think they learn something after the last update that broke the power managment of the device and couldn't fix anything since launch , but no... 3 months now since the last update and we dont get a proper fix.
So, back to topic. Go with the OP3T, you get a better device, with better support and more resell value.
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Click to collapse
I completely agree with this guy. I'm blown away by how poorly ZTE have managed things, and their support is borderline non-existent. If the 1080p screen of the OP3/T wasn't a borderline deal breaker for me (VR) I would have attempted to return this phone. If I had to pick a phone right now I'd buy a OP3T, and that's even considering that the DAC on the A7 is a big deal for me which leads me to my next point...
You say the DAC is a big deal for you, well I should let you know that the Hi-Fi DAC it doesn't seem to work in anything but ZTE's default app which is absolute trash with less than bare-bones functionality and it's very buggy.
Edit: I forgot to clarify one point; why "1080p" is so pixelated for VR. It's because AMOLED panels are advertised as false resolutions due to a legal loophole; there isn't legal standard. They use a pentile pattern meaning they have 1/3rd less subpixels, and as much as Samsung's engineers will tell you that it effectively looks the same to the human eye, it absolutely does not, even at extreme density such as "1080p" on a 5.1" display, or even "1440p" on this 5.5" display. On flat colours I can see the pentile pattern.

yamils said:
We are clearly talking about a different type of support.
Anyways, in my country I dont have neither OnePlus nor ZTE support so I really dont care about warranty.
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For me warranty is a decision factor. The fact that ZTE offer 2 year warranty even for unlocked devices is a plus, even if I don't feel a need to unlock right now. The fact that Nougat update will be very fast coming already in January is also a plus.

Only if you are in the US, consider the Axon 7. Anywhere else, including the US, OnePlus is a reliable option.

People complain about the ZTE software. I love it. Had it for 3 days and no complaints. I live outside the US and it works fine on our 4G networks in Trinidad.
The screen and the speakers are two things the Axon 7 trumps over the OP3T. And a visual and listening experience to me is reason enough to get this phone over any other. amoled 1440p and front facing stereo speakers PLUS memory card support and a great battery? Its a no brainer, get this phone

^ I've never really had much of an issue with the cosmetics of skins. The Honor 5x I am replacing is about as heavy a skin as you can get these days and I didn't mind it. People always hate on it because it rips off Apple (ZTE does a bit of that too). Of course I found Google Now launcher, and have since move on to Action launcher, which is just awesome.
It was between the One Plus 3T and the Axon 7. The price is what ultimately did it for me. I got the A7 for $325 shipped on Jet.com, when I called to ask a question and the woman gave me a $15 off code. That's over a $100 difference in price with very comparable specs (even without the code it was going to be $340 shipped). I care about roms, but only after ZTE will EOL the phone. And with prices coming down, and value like this at around the $200-300 price point, I might not even keep it that long.
ZTE needs to make an impression on the US market. Or at least they want to. They did the hardware right this time. Now they just need to do the update dance. Honor (Huawei) committed to two years. These two brands appear very similar in software thinking and other areas. Given the Azon 7's two year warranty, I think the are probably going to also commit to two years of updates, stated or not. It only makes sense. And it also makes sense to announce that. Or anything. Maybe I missed it.
This phone is highway robbery at $325. I might have considered the $100 more if the 3T were waterproof.

Avantiel said:
People complain about the ZTE software. I love it. Had it for 3 days and no complaints. I live outside the US and it works fine on our 4G networks in Trinidad.
The screen and the speakers are two things the Axon 7 trumps over the OP3T. And a visual and listening experience to me is reason enough to get this phone over any other. amoled 1440p and front facing stereo speakers PLUS memory card support and a great battery? Its a no brainer, get this phone
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Yeah, I was happy the firts couple of weeks too.
Let us know when you start to get annoyed with the bugs.

If you want good Dev, ROM support., go with 3t. That is my biggest disappointment with the A7. This could change in the near future but it may not. Don't get me wrong, the A7 is a really good phone but if I had to choose again, I would sacrifice resolution and SD card for more Dev support.

azpatterson3 said:
If you want good Dev, ROM support., go with 3t. That is my biggest disappointment with the A7. This could change in the near future but it may not. Don't get me wrong, the A7 is a really good phone but if I had to choose again, I would sacrifice resolution and SD card for more Dev support.
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I don't see much changing as far as dev support goes for the Axon. With the death of CM it becomes even more unlikely that devs are gonna pick it up for development. It's about 6 months since release now and there is barely anything for the Axon so we'll have to be really optimistic to see anything change now. The main difference here is not aftermarket support, but the support from the in house devs of OnePlus and ZTE. And OnePlus is way more mature in that aspect. Mifavour is not half as bad but it will eventually wear you down.

Is the V20 still worth buying for <$200 USD

Hi, long time XDA user here. I'm currently using a OnePlus X. I was considering springing for the new OnePlus 6, but I really shouldn't spend that much money right now. I saw that the V20s (a phone I was interested in previously) are very affordable now and I imaging for 200 bucks I can push my upgrade down the road for a bit, maybe until the OP6+ comes out. I've had an LG phone before and liked it , but it's been quite a few years.(Windows Mobile fellas, not even Windows Phone)
1. Is the V20 still viable, does it run well with current apps and networks?
2. How is the ROM support doing nowadays, and is the rooting process in general still possible from the firmware that currently ships on the phone? (I'm not sure what LGs stance on bootloader locking is)
3. Do custom roms make use of the secondary screen at all?
4. What are the phone's weakest points or biggest annoyances today? As in, what hasn't really stood the test of time?
Thanks for any info you can provide me.

Kevin1a said:
Hi, long time XDA user here. I'm currently using a OnePlus X. I was considering springing for the new OnePlus 6, but I really shouldn't spend that much money right now. I saw that the V20s (a phone I was interested in previously) are very affordable now and I imaging for 200 bucks I can push my upgrade down the road for a bit, maybe until the OP6+ comes out. I've had an LG phone before and liked it , but it's been quite a few years.(Windows Mobile fellas, not even Windows Phone)
1. Is the V20 still viable, does it run well with current apps and networks?
2. How is the ROM support doing nowadays, and is the rooting process in general still possible from the firmware that currently ships on the phone? (I'm not sure what LGs stance on bootloader locking is)
3. Do custom roms make use of the secondary screen at all?
4. What are the phone's weakest points or biggest annoyances today? As in, what hasn't really stood the test of time?
Thanks for any info you can provide me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The v20 is basically end of life, bootloader unlocking and root, is dicey depending on the variant you buy, development slowed down to a trickle for some time, common issues include, poor cell reception, screen retention, bad mics, the v20 is still waiting for Oreo and the phone was released over two years ago and probably will never see another os upgrade after that. Currently second screen only works on stock based roms.
Sent from my LG-H910 using XDA Labs

cnjax said:
The v20 is basically end of life, bootloader unlocking and root, is dicey depending on the variant you buy, development slowed down to a trickle for some time, common issues include, poor cell reception, screen retention, bad mics, the v20 is still waiting for Oreo and the phone was released over two years ago and probably will never see another os upgrade after that. Currently second screen only works on stock based roms.
Sent from my LG-H910 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info. This is exactly what I was looking for.

cnjax said:
The v20 is basically end of life, bootloader unlocking and root, is dicey depending on the variant you buy, development slowed down to a trickle for some time, common issues include, poor cell reception, screen retention, bad mics, the v20 is still waiting for Oreo and the phone was released over two years ago and probably will never see another os upgrade after that. Currently second screen only works on stock based roms.
Sent from my LG-H910 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't say that with the active development of Lineage OS and Any Kernel.
Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

cnjax said:
The v20 is basically end of life, bootloader unlocking and root, is dicey depending on the variant you buy, development slowed down to a trickle for some time, common issues include, poor cell reception, screen retention, bad mics, the v20 is still waiting for Oreo and the phone was released over two years ago and probably will never see another os upgrade after that. Currently second screen only works on stock based roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This sums it up. Seems the v20 is dead. Maybe oreo will bring more development but I doubt it since a lot of people have moved on

WhiteWidows said:
I wouldn't say that with the active development of Lineage OS and Any Kernel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yeah lineage that half baked os that's unofficial and you lose main features of the phone and have to flash constant updates or use work arounds to have basic functionality, yeah that's development right there.
Sent from my LG-H910 using XDA Labs

LG V20 Still A good Phone
Well maybe you would like a different perspective. I fist laid eyes on the LG V20 in a Verizon store about a month ago but they would not sell it to me because it is not made anymore. So I just purchased an unlocked version from B&H in New York. My first attraction to this phone is the second screen which i think is extremely useful. Then i noticed that the LG V20 has a removable back panel so you can replace the battery. I have been looking for that ever since my NOTE 4 bricked two years ago. in the interim I had a Motorola Pure X which took a look for me to part with. SO that was all I needed to make the choice to buy it. now i do not have to carry a battery brick or make sure i am near a charger all day. i can carry a spare battery in my pocket. Next fringe benefit was finding out that this phone has 3 cameras, 1 front facing and 2 rear, one of them being a wide angle lens. But the love keeps getting better... add to that a removable SD card up to 256 GB or more when they come out with one, fingerprint censor, 64 GB phone and you have a pretty serious contender. I love this phone. I love it so much i but another one. Actually at the moment i have 3. Oh and yes, probably one of the only phones left that has both a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a type C charging port. The Audio and DAC units in this phone is better than most high end audio gear that you would find in a music studio, and i am a musician. I have heard of complaints about the camera quality, but to that i say if you want pictures with that kind of quality, go out and buy a Nikon! Also i have heard that manufactures are moving away form 3.5 mm jacks and removable batteries because they want to make the phones more water proof. Bull Hockey!! Are people so obsessed with phones that they cannot leave the thing alone for a 10 minute swim. The real reason is because the manufacturer doesn't want you keeping a phone more than 2 years so they make the batteries last only that long and if you cannot replace the battery, you need a new phone. (or you can go the route of trying to put a new battery in your phone and butcher it to death).
Long story to say do not count the LG V20 out yet. it is a superb phone, has many features that a lot of other phones just do not have. I am very pleased with both of mine and i love the second screen.
The only bad experience i have had is that in order to get Verizon's Visual Voice mail, i had to purchase a Verizon version, and the front camera crapped out after a week. It was supposed to be new, but the box looks like it has been ridden around the world, so i doubt it was new. SO i am sending that back but still have both of my unlocked US996's.

cnjax said:
The v20 is basically end of life, bootloader unlocking and root, is dicey depending on the variant you buy, development slowed down to a trickle for some time, common issues include, poor cell reception, screen retention, bad mics, the v20 is still waiting for Oreo and the phone was released over two years ago and probably will never see another os upgrade after that. Currently second screen only works on stock based roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like, how is December 2016 is more that 2 years ago? Kid, are you sane? More so, Shap 820 even didn't existed more than 2 years ago, it is still actual chip not legacy like some 810, and 835 is pretty much == 820 rebranded and repainted
---------- Post added at 06:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:09 PM ----------
Kevin1a said:
1. Is the V20 still viable, does it run well with current apps and networks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, because it's powered by SD820, not Snap 430 or 600 or something
Kevin1a said:
4. What are the phone's weakest points or biggest annoyances today? As in, what hasn't really stood the test of time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The weakest point is battery somewhat degraded over time, I could have like 7hrs SOT on Wifi on the start but now after cold winters it shows its age and gives me around 4.5...5 SOT on same router. but battery is exchangeable easily and I hope to buy more fresh one
Some people claim they got screen retention, it's more visible the more southern country you live and more brighter you must set you screen to

I still am keeping it as a backup phone but I am using a different DD. I did take it on a trip though with the 10800 ma battery I have for it. I'm running a stock 918H and it still fairly fast. The SD card and headphone jack are nice too. Still a good buy at $150 or so

I love the second screen and the DAC but being forced to run the stock ROM is a PITA as it's very sluggish. I have a Mi A1 that runs circles around the V20 in terms of performance, which is sad. Meanwhile, if you try to solve the lag, running Lineage OS defeats the purpose and outweighs the benefits of the phone as you won't have the DAC, second screen nor full camera functionality.

Absolutely it is worth it. You can pick up a V30 with a slightly faster processor, and slightly better camera (and that is debatable) for $250. However, you will lose the replaceable battery, the second screen, the IR blaster.
The people that say they are having performance problems have hardware issues. Even stock non-rooted, runs plenty fast, but if you use Alpha ROM, and debloat all the carrier bullsh** then it runs like a beast.
-- Brian

runningnak3d said:
Absolutely it is worth it. You can pick up a V30 with a slightly faster processor, and slightly better camera (and that is debatable) for $250. However, you will lose the replaceable battery, the second screen, the IR blaster.
The people that say they are having performance problems have hardware issues. Even stock non-rooted, runs plenty fast, but if you use Alpha ROM, and debloat all the carrier bullsh** then it runs like a beast.
-- Brian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have hardware issues. The stock ROM (de-bloated or not) is well known to be sluggish. As I stated in my post, the phone is completely different if running Lineage at the cost of the unique functionality. Aside from many people complaining of the performance under stock as being sluggish, this guy describes it perfectly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZl2GpxekrQ&t=3s

So I have a slow phone? Holy crap! I had no idea!
Stop spreading FUD, and learn how to do things like disable rctd, ccmd, logging, CPU throttling...
-- Brian

runningnak3d said:
Absolutely it is worth it. You can pick up a V30 with a slightly faster processor, and slightly better camera (and that is debatable) for $250. However, you will lose the replaceable battery, the second screen, the IR blaster.
The people that say they are having performance problems have hardware issues. Even stock non-rooted, runs plenty fast, but if you use Alpha ROM, and debloat all the carrier bullsh** then it runs like a beast.
-- Brian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
runningnak3d said:
So I have a slow phone? Holy crap! I had no idea!
Stop spreading FUD, and learn how to do things like disable rctd, ccmd, logging, CPU throttling...
-- Brian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your sarcasm isn't appreciated and I'm not spreading fud - this is fact. I've done lots of tweaking and no amount of it will fix what LG did to the stock ROM. You're acting as if I'm the only person who has pointed out the shortcomings of the V20. The fact is, it is a fantastic phone with bad execution of the OS by LG. To be clear, I still use mine but it will soon be retired to secondary usage as my Mi A1 is way better as a DD.

No, I am sure there are plenty of others out there complaining as well -- that also don't know the first thing about how to get the most out of their phone.
Is the V20 the end-all / be-all? Nope, but it is the last great flagship phone that was released. Everything since is just a waste of money.
-- Brian

We just bought our T-mobile V20's this year. Great phones for about $150 in excellent used (hard to tell they were used) condition. Great photos and DAC, among other things. We couldn't find anything comparable for that price, new or used.

Mine is still great. Stock, unrooted, H990DS with a zerolemon 10000mAh extended battery. The image retention doesn't bother me - it's not permanent. I use the widescreen camera a lot, and charge the device once every 3-4 days. The IR transmitter sees plenty of use too, as does the DAC and the dual SIM.
There's nothing else that fits my needs. Dreading when it dies.

I just got me V20 H918 in excellent condition with 3 batteries and 4 cases for $185 shipped. I've come from G4 which started to have GPS lock issues, sometimes. My LG G3 GPS is no longer working at all. lol. Not sure what's up with that. Was this fixed in v20 or is this just tear and wear on GPS chip or something?
My main attraction point is camera manual controls and i mean white balance K numbers and mic for loud concert recording as well as removable battery and i prefer bigger screens and 5.7 upgrade from 5.5 on G4 is welcomed too. Oh and DAC was other feature that attracted me as well. What's weird that G4 concert recording was terrible but G3 was fantastic. Never distorted. Hoping V20 has great mic like G3 did. Let me know your thoughts.
I will NOT buy a phone if it doesn't have removable battery as i refuse to spend $800 on phone every few years and be forced by manufacturers due to profit.
Don't know any other manufacturer that lets you do white balance in K values. I wish aperture would be f=1.6 or f1.5 but had no complains with 1.8 on G4. Kinda sucks wide angle is f2.4, as it should be 1.8 or lower. It seems ppl use that camera more often. I guess night shots in standard angle is to use.
Thought about pixel but don't have manual control like LG does. If you guys have any suggestions on used phone <$250 that blows V20 out of water please let me know. I use to be Samsung Galaxy lover but since LG introduced manual controls i switched. There was pro photographer article on G4 camera so ppl that think iphone or samsung has better camera u should read that article. But let me know if there is something better.
P.S
In process of rooting it as i need it for kernel auditor for screen colors profiles (Vomer DeepRich) and kernel i/o scheduler control and kin screen and lux too, among few more other apps. Came with 10u so downgraded to 10p, bootloader unlocked already. Next will be laf exploid root method.

I just reflashed the excellent Alpha ROM on my V20 and managed to rid myself of a significant portion of the sluggishness I mentioned by getting rid of Magisk. I'm not sure what was going on but Magisk was definitely slowing everything down on my V20. Recommend if you buy this phone to stay away from Magisk or at least keep this is mind if you intend to root.

im on Mi A1 right now and im planning also to switch to V20.

Considering Purchase of LG V20 - Your Thoughts?

Looking at purchasing a V20 and just wanted people's opinions on the phone (those who already own it and are using it). I can get a new one for $230 from a legit seller on eBay so I'm seriously considering it. Right now I have an iPhone 8+ with AT&T but I'm missing my Android and it would be nice to have a user replaceable battery and not be stuck with a phone whose battery dies after 2 years or so.
I'm also wondering which model to buy? The new one on eBay is a H190, but I've read in places that the US996 is also a good model. I might actually consider rooting this phone so which model would be easiest to root?
Thanks.

dougdraws said:
Looking at purchasing a V20 and just wanted people's opinions on the phone (those who already own it and are using it). I can get a new one for $230 from a legit seller on eBay so I'm seriously considering it. Right now I have an iPhone 8+ with AT&T but I'm missing my Android and it would be nice to have a user replaceable battery and not be stuck with a phone whose battery dies after 2 years or so.
I'm also wondering which model to buy? The new one on eBay is a H190, but I've read in places that the US996 is also a good model. I might actually consider rooting this phone so which model would be easiest to root?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I would never suggest someone to buy the LG V20. And since you're currently an iOS user owning an 8+ this would reinforce me to not suggest the phone even more. I own a V20 (H990DS AME) & I'm using it to write this. It's been with me for almost 2 years & boy it throttles A LOT. I'm still on Android nougat waiting for the Oreo update. Other V20 models have gotten the Oreo update (Verizon, AT&T, All international H990DS except AME I think etc.). So to summarize things up, I do not recommend this phone as it will be a pain most of the time i.e. cons >>>>>>>>>>> pros. Screen burn ins, too much lags, bad battery life, slow performance, extremely slow software support, laggy camera, outdated design (at least that's what I think now), and the useless second screen that LG THINKS they implemented the software correctly for it (Oreo doesn't change the way it works, meaning it's still the same) >>>>>>>>>>>> Hi-Fi Quad DAC (The only good thing I can think of in the V20).
PS: NO root for Android Oreo on the V20 since it just came out 1 year late woohoo! So you'll have to wait until a root comes out.

dougdraws said:
Looking at purchasing a V20 and just wanted people's opinions on the phone (those who already own it and are using it). I can get a new one for $230 from a legit seller on eBay so I'm seriously considering it. Right now I have an iPhone 8+ with AT&T but I'm missing my Android and it would be nice to have a user replaceable battery and not be stuck with a phone whose battery dies after 2 years or so.
I'm also wondering which model to buy? The new one on eBay is a H190, but I've read in places that the US996 is also a good model. I might actually consider rooting this phone so which model would be easiest to root?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's the deal. If you plan on rooting your phone...get it. Custom ROMs really make this phone shine. Us996 is unlockable and rootable. The H910 is rootable up to a certain point, double check on that as it's not my model. If you're going to keep the phone stock..it's OK. You're going to get some lag over time. I'm on an LS997, rooted it was great (broke that one), and now I'm on stock ? Oreo. It's good for a daily driver for the most part. Love that I can pop and swap batteries as well as sd cards -- quad DAC and ir blaster are also a big plus. Long story short, it's ok stock but you will deal with screen burn (pretty much fixed if rooted) and lag. I know iOS is pretty solid and is fluid, but the things I CANT do with that phone drive me absolutely nuts. That's why I always go back to Android. If you root your phones definitely get it. Can't beat the features for that price brand new. You can pick them up even cheaper used. The guy above me obviously didn't root his phone and I'm sure he'd be singing a different tune about the phone if he did. I say get it, especially if you're gonna root it. If not it's a decent option for the price.

Foreigner1 said:
Honestly, I would never suggest someone to buy the LG V20. And since you're currently an iOS user owning an 8+ this would reinforce me to not suggest the phone even more. I own a V20 (H990DS AME) & I'm using it to write this. It's been with me for almost 2 years & boy it throttles A LOT. I'm still on Android nougat waiting for the Oreo update. Other V20 models have gotten the Oreo update (Verizon, AT&T, All international H990DS except AME I think etc.). So to summarize things up, I do not recommend this phone as it will be a pain most of the time i.e. cons >>>>>>>>>>> pros. Screen burn ins, too much lags, bad battery life, slow performance, extremely slow software support, laggy camera, outdated design (at least that's what I think now), and the useless second screen that LG THINKS they implemented the software correctly for it (Oreo doesn't change the way it works, meaning it's still the same) >>>>>>>>>>>> Hi-Fi Quad DAC (The only good thing I can think of in the V20).
PS: NO root for Android Oreo on the V20 since it just came out 1 year late woohoo! So you'll have to wait until a root comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this. Wouldn't recommend it either. You'd be better off with another device.

Foreigner1 said:
Honestly, I would never suggest someone to buy the LG V20. And since you're currently an iOS user owning an 8+ this would reinforce me to not suggest the phone even more. I own a V20 (H990DS AME) & I'm using it to write this. It's been with me for almost 2 years & boy it throttles A LOT. I'm still on Android nougat waiting for the Oreo update. Other V20 models have gotten the Oreo update (Verizon, AT&T, All international H990DS except AME I think etc.). So to summarize things up, I do not recommend this phone as it will be a pain most of the time i.e. cons >>>>>>>>>>> pros. Screen burn ins, too much lags, bad battery life, slow performance, extremely slow software support, laggy camera, outdated design (at least that's what I think now), and the useless second screen that LG THINKS they implemented the software correctly for it (Oreo doesn't change the way it works, meaning it's still the same) >>>>>>>>>>>> Hi-Fi Quad DAC (The only good thing I can think of in the V20).
PS: NO root for Android Oreo on the V20 since it just came out 1 year late woohoo! So you'll have to wait until a root comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you even considered a custom ROM? All of your gripes are pretty much eliminated by using one..
---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:52 PM ----------
aakashverma0007 said:
I agree with this. Wouldn't recommend it either. You'd be better off with another device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're on stock?

zeusofyork said:
Have you even considered a custom ROM? All of your gripes are pretty much eliminated by using one..
---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:52 PM ----------
You're on stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. I've tried custom roms. Things are a lot better with them.

zeusofyork said:
Have you even considered a custom ROM? All of your gripes are pretty much eliminated by using one..
---------- Post added at 12:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:52 PM ----------
You're on stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No actually I haven't tried custom ROMs, and I don't know much about them. However, recently I did start looking into them, but as I can see that installing custom ROMs will remove some functionality in the V20. Things like the second screen &/or the fingerprint scanner (Also what about the Hi-Fi Quad DAC? Will it still work?).
What custom ROM would you suggest as the best one for the V20 (H990DS)?

Thanks for the replies everyone. So if I wanted to go back to Android can you recommend a good phone? I hate the new curved screens on everything and it seems all the phones are starting to look alike. I should have stuck with my Note 5, but oh well live and learn, lol. I was only considering the V20 because of the replaceable battery, SD card and of course Android.
Just out of curiosity, what's your opinion on the V30?

Foreigner1 said:
No actually I haven't tried custom ROMs, and I don't know much about them. However, recently I did start looking into them, but as I can see that installing custom ROMs will remove some functionality in the V20. Things like the second screen &/or the fingerprint scanner (Also what about the Hi-Fi Quad DAC? Will it still work?).
What custom ROM would you suggest as the best one for the V20 (H990DS)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those only apply if your using an lineage/resurrection/aikp ROM and from the last I read lineage has second screen support ...ish. I think there's a way to get quad DAC working in lineage too. You'll have to read it though. I can't root my phone because of ARB but before I broke my last v20 I loved running custom ROMs . If you use a stock rooted ROM you can debloat and tweak the system for performance. Again on custom stock based ROMs all features still work. Go through the ROM recovery thread and look to see what works best for you.
---------- Post added at 03:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:47 PM ----------
dougdraws said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. So if I wanted to go back to Android can you recommend a good phone? I hate the new curved screens on everything and it seems all the phones are starting to look alike. I should have stuck with my Note 5, but oh well live and learn, lol. I was only considering the V20 because of the replaceable battery, SD card and of course Android.
Just out of curiosity, what's your opinion on the V30?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No second screen no removable battery...meh I'll stick with my v20. Like I said if you root it and put a custom ROM on it's in my opinion a far better phone than those available. The newer ones may have water resistance fingerprint scanner in screen etc...but those arent what made me choose a phone. The v20 has everyhing i wanted. As the v30 I hear it's a decent phone.

zeusofyork said:
No second screen no removable battery...meh I'll stick with my v20. Like I said if you root it and put a custom ROM on it's in my opinion a far better phone than those available. The newer ones may have water resistance fingerprint scanner in screen etc...but those arent what made me choose a phone. The v20 has everyhing i wanted. As the v30 I hear it's a decent phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How difficult is it to root the V20? I'm a complete n00b when it comes to rooting and from little I have read on it, it seems quite daunting.

dougdraws said:
How difficult is it to root the V20? I'm a complete n00b when it comes to rooting and from little I have read on it, it seems quite daunting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not incredibly difficult. There's literally a thread with step by step instructions. It was harder than rooting my note 5 and note 4, but impossibly so.

zeusofyork said:
It's not incredibly difficult. There's literally a thread with step by step instructions. It was harder than rooting my note 5 and note 4, but impossibly so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would you have a link to that thread?

dougdraws said:
Would you have a link to that thread?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't search cause I'm on mobile but if you go to the news and development threat you can search the dirty santa rooting g method or laf method depending in the variant.

The v20 is a very nice phone. In fact I bought another one. It has a SD slot, 64gb onboerd, IR blaster and removable battery. It's worth it just for those features. Mine does not throttle. Neither one does. I just wish people would not buy phones that take away features, it just encourages the phone makers to keep taking them away. As a result, next time I buy a phone, I'll be forced to but an inferior product to my v20's [emoji852]️
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

The V20 is a fine device, yes even today so the naysayers and ne'er-do-wells in this thread automagically telling anyone to avoid it - considering everything it offers that can't really be found on most if any of the flagships available today - is a bit ludicrous. It gets the job done just fine, Oreo is now available for it (save for the US996 but that could become available any day now whenever LG gets around to it), and of the variants out there I would say - if you're in the US - the best variant to get is the T-Mobile H918 model which allows for easy bootloader unlocking, Oreo is now out (and we just got our first security patch for that a few days ago), it has some custom ROMs available that get good reviews (but you will lose some functionality, the second screen support is barely there but it does exist to various degrees, both Nougat and Oreo), and of course all the other good things about the phone are great.
The Snapdragon 820 even in spite of being a lowly quad core SoC is still damned powerful and fast. The 4GB RAM is more than enough today, there are a multitude of tweaks and custom kernels to improve things, TWRP is actively developed for the V20, and the device just works. Yes it has some screen retention issues at times, on some people's devices it's more noticeable, on others - like on mine - it's just not something to focus on nearly as much as some people do. The 820 does hardware accelerated h.265 8 and 10 bit decoding too so that's a plus if you're a media hound like a lot of people too.
$230 for a used V20 is kinda steep - I paid $110 for my H918 from an eBay seller and it was shipped to my door for that much, no issues so far aside from the rear camera having some focus issues but I resolved that by buying a new camera module and I'm good to go so I've put $138 into my V20 and it works damned near flawlessly at this point.
H918
- Easily unlocked bootloader
- Installing TWRP is fairly idiot proof as well
- Rooting is possible but a bit more complex in methodology, it's actually easier to just flash a pre-rooted stock ROM and probably faster too
- Stock rooted Oreo 20g and you can roll back to Nougat with no issues (at least up to the present time, nobody knows if T-Mobile might alter the ARB variable at a later time)
- Latest Vulkan GPU drivers (I don't really need them since I don't play games or do much that ever even kicks the GPU into action but I figured it can't hurt to install 'em)
- High Impedance mode for the DAC is enabled permanently because I changed a variable in build.prop so it was always on regardless of the headset/IEMs I use
- I use UAPP (USB Audio Player PRO) to always use the ESS DAC (and not the Snapdragon DAC as part of the SoC) for all audio playback of local files and streaming audio from Shoutcast-capable streams
- IR blaster is something I use quite a bit - my Wife is deaf and sometimes we'll go to places that have TVs like a doctor's office lobby or something similar and they rarely enable the closed captioning or subtitles on their TVs so, I do it myself so my Wife can keep up with what's going on even in spite of their inconsiderate attention to details
- Modified thermal config file to ensure I get minimal lag and throttling - using the CPU Throttling Test app I get no less than 83% throttling (not much at all really) after 15 minutes of testing, with the stock thermal conf it'll throttle down as low as 45% depending on temps
- mk2000 kernel which improves performance and battery life (modified stock kernel)
It just works for me, but as I said, you can find a great V20 for a lot less than $230, absolutely. Hell, Woot.com was selling refurbs a few weeks ago for $140 iirc, a lot of people pounced on those when it happened according to what I had read about the deal.
It's a fantastic piece of hardware, but not it's not perfect, nothing ever is. For the price, and for what it offers, it's still pretty damned hard to beat even today.

dougdraws said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. So if I wanted to go back to Android can you recommend a good phone? I hate the new curved screens on everything and it seems all the phones are starting to look alike. I should have stuck with my Note 5, but oh well live and learn, lol. I was only considering the V20 because of the replaceable battery, SD card and of course Android.
Just out of curiosity, what's your opinion on the V30?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just out of curiosity, what's your opinion on the V30?[/QUOTE]
I actually have a v30 plus at home and it's amazing. Display is gorgeous and an AMOLED panel. Battery life is good. Camera's great. Has HiFi DAC. Doesn't have screen retention issues.
The reason I'm not recommending v20 is because it's a 2016 flagship that doesn't really perform like a flagship on stock rom in terms of performance. It probably won't be getting Pie update.
For 230 dollars, if you don't mind rooting, it's a good device.
What's the cost at which you're getting V30?
Though it doesn't support removable battery.

dougdraws said:
How difficult is it to root the V20? I'm a complete n00b when it comes to rooting and from little I have read on it, it seems quite daunting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting on the H918 (T-Mobile) version isn't that hard. You use a FWUL (Linux) and run 3 commands. Really easy and safe. The other models can vary but if you know how to use cmd even a little bit, it shouldn't be that hard. If you need help just ask on here.

Foreigner1 said:
I own a V20 (H990DS AME) & I'm using it to write this. I'm still on Android nougat waiting for the Oreo update. Other V20 models have gotten the Oreo update (Verizon, AT&T, All international H990DS except AME I think etc.). Screen burn ins, too much lags, bad battery life, slow performance, extremely slow software support, laggy camera, and the useless second screen that LG THINKS they implemented the software correctly for it (Oreo doesn't change the way it works, meaning it's still the same). Hi-Fi Quad DAC (The only good thing I can think of in the V20).
PS: NO root for Android Oreo on the V20 since it just came out 1 year late woohoo! So you'll have to wait until a root comes out.
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Click to collapse
FYI: https://forum.xda-developers.com/v20/development/rom-h990ds-oreo-flashable-t3853735
There's flashable Oreo stock and custom rooted ROMs available for almost every variant.
Also, all of those problems are eliminated by a custom ROM and Kernel. It's a process, yes, but the phone essentially becomes something else entirely.
Also also, we've got second-screen support on ResurrectionRemix (this is most up to date) and LineageOS, both with the stock ROM kernel or a custom one (I maintain the second-screen Gamma kernel).
The DAC/Camera/etc. all work as they do on stock.

got it for 2000 hkd. still using wetarom....is fast as hell and the battery last forever... the only down side is it requires some tweaking and tuning..

masondoctorjt said:
The v20 is a very nice phone. In fact I bought another one. It has a SD slot, 64gb onboerd, IR blaster and removable battery. It's worth it just for those features.
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Bottom line
I just wish people would not buy phones that take away features, it just encourages the phone makers to keep taking them away. As a result, next time I buy a phone, I'll be forced to but an inferior product to my v20's [emoji852]️
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Amen
What's happened is at some point the customer stopped mattering any more only the company stock holder. All these companies copy things that make Apple suck they never try to emulate what makes Apple great.
dougdraws said:
Looking at purchasing a V20 and just wanted people's opinions on the phone (those who already own it and are using it).
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I'm on stock since i didn't want to bother with rooting. The phone does what i want. I don't have screen retention since i have brightness down. I suspect its caused by high brightness all the time. Some people can't see the screen unless its 70% bright. Mine is usually in the 20s or 30s unless its outdoors
I got it because of the camera i had on the G4. Liked the interface. The wide angle is useful. Starting to be copied by Samsung & Huawei
I don't use headphones but I hear its got a good DAC. Reason i don't have headphones is because increasingly where would i plug them into in the future
Still on N, and everything works fine. I avg 4-5h SOT on wifi and a spare will double that in a snap. No high end phone can match that and likely never will. Mid rangers with 600 series CPUS & thick batteries might.
I find the second screen useful. Only way to quick launch the camera while listening to something
I'm not too bothered with speed. Computers spend most of their lives waiting for people to tell them what to do. This phone runs cool maybe its because it throttles past a certain temperature. That's good as i live in the tropics and it can get warm here.
I'm actually nervous about Oreo that it might break something so i'm not in the slightest bit bothered about not having it yet.

G6 any good in 2020?

I have some option between G6, V30 and Nokia 8.
While the V30 and Nokia 8 have better specs (mainly SD 835), they're also significantly expensive. Also Nokia 8 is quite hard to find.
For reference I can get
G6 for around 90-100$
V30 for around 160-180$
Nokia 8 for 150-160$
I'm mainly leaning towards G6 due to it being cheaper, so this is what I want to know; Is the G6 any good in 2020? Can you do some light gaming on it?

Go with the V30, it no brainer above mentioned.

DuringSummer said:
I have some option between G6, V30 and Nokia 8.
While the V30 and Nokia 8 have better specs (mainly SD 835), they're also significantly expensive. Also Nokia 8 is quite hard to find.
For reference I can get
G6 for around 90-100$
V30 for around 160-180$
Nokia 8 for 150-160$
I'm mainly leaning towards G6 due to it being cheaper, so this is what I want to know; Is the G6 any good in 2020? Can you do some light gaming on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
G6 is fine. Just don't update to Pie, even if it is available.
Oreo runs fine, takes decent photos (although v30 is better). Slight lag but not really a problem.
Screen is perfect size
I still have mine after 2 1/2 years. Battery is starting to show its age, but still basically gets through the day

Also, make sure you get a version that can be unlocked if you like to tinker

Agree.
It shipped with the leading edge hardware for the time, still competitive today. I bought my lg g6 because it is the best bargain for the power and performance (very good screen, great camera, very good performance, etc).
Don't update to 9.0 if you want to access the root through known 8.0 vulnerability and don't have a model that's easily rooted (h873 for example).
The ones that have easy root have the latest xda firmwares posted - just make sure it's unlocked.
You'll want to hunt down the specific models that have the quad high quality audio dac if you love great music, or the lg g6+ model (had more ram I believe and the dac).
Used models - check the audio jack when you get it. It has the rare issue where the metal contact visible from above might get bent out of shape, resulting in poor/no audio with headphones.
A very gentle bending with a sewing needle fixes that usually.
LCD does have slight temporary burn in.
E.g. If kept on a web page without scrolling glut a long time on high brightness, then display a gray screen, you can see the faint text ghosting for a little bit. Goes away quickly, and usually never visible. I'm thinking it's partially due to the always on display option and the nature of the lcd used.
Main camera is really good - high detail and quality.
Wide camera is good, lacks the optical stabilization (only digital stab.) and fine detail of the main camera, but very handy and good daylight.
Manual mode is great - can set it to take 30 second shots on a tripod at night and get like-day shots.
Overall, if you've used the lg g2, like that but better.
And still very fast and useable today for gaming, web, etc.

evertking said:
Also, make sure you get a version that can be unlocked if you like to tinker
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Can G600L be unlocked? Or at least rooted?

adorable said:
Agree.
It shipped with the leading edge hardware for the time, still competitive today. I bought my lg g6 because it is the best bargain for the power and performance (very good screen, great camera, very good performance, etc).
Don't update to 9.0 if you want to access the root through known 8.0 vulnerability and don't have a model that's easily rooted (h873 for example).
The ones that have easy root have the latest xda firmwares posted - just make sure it's unlocked.
You'll want to hunt down the specific models that have the quad high quality audio dac if you love great music, or the lg g6+ model (had more ram I believe and the dac).
Used models - check the audio jack when you get it. It has the rare issue where the metal contact visible from above might get bent out of shape, resulting in poor/no audio with headphones.
A very gentle bending with a sewing needle fixes that usually.
LCD does have slight temporary burn in.
E.g. If kept on a web page without scrolling glut a long time on high brightness, then display a gray screen, you can see the faint text ghosting for a little bit. Goes away quickly, and usually never visible. I'm thinking it's partially due to the always on display option and the nature of the lcd used.
Main camera is really good - high detail and quality.
Wide camera is good, lacks the optical stabilization (only digital stab.) and fine detail of the main camera, but very handy and good daylight.
Manual mode is great - can set it to take 30 second shots on a tripod at night and get like-day shots.
Overall, if you've used the lg g2, like that but better.
And still very fast and useable today for gaming, web, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank You!

"Koren model of the G6 can't be unlocked, only H870 european version and US977 unlocked version. But root is possible in H872, H870 and US977. If you flash another version ROM you can brick your device or may work but with some errors, it is recommended to not do it. "

What about H872? I've heard it is unlocked?

this is an awesome phone for the money but...
I just lost my g6( h872? T-mo?) last week. I bought it off Craigslist on a whim, normally I do heavy research first. I thought I could root it easy, but it turned out to be way more with than I was willing to go through in the end. ( I think because it was updated)
I play COD mobile everyday, I had a iPhone 7 when cod mobile came out which I bought on another whim from a buddy, knowing that I could sell it pretty fast once I was done with it. It played cod pretty smooth but at the time there's no controller support and I knew I could link a controller to Android so I bought the G6.
I never got it to run smooth on the G6 I saw that other people had problems playing pub g and what not. I de bloated it as much as I could without root. Tried disabling and force stopping every app I could. part of the reason I bought it is the ant tutu benchmark was better than iPhone 7 I was using, so I assumed it would be as smooth.
my phone had problems with the headphone jack with static I never tried to fix it wasn't a big deal I only use it when I plugged it into my car. If I wasn't using the Bluetooth. Also I did have the moisture detection problem which became a nuisance. (The phone annoyingly warned you that it detects moisture in your charging port and it stops you from charging) one user on here actually had sent his back and they repaired it LG saying that it was a hardware problem.
I just picked up a pixel two for $80 with the spygen case and a screen protector and this thing is fast and smooth and it's got two large speakers on the front, even though I normally play with headphones. , I just got done playing Battle Royale warfare f****** no problem. I can play on much higher settings and it's much smoother than my G6 was.
I did get a smoking deal because the corner was cracked on the back which I don't give a crap about. But ifhad not found this I was going to buy a G7 off of eBay there's a few on there between $90 and $120 that are factory refurbs. I saw at least one that offered a return policy if there was a problem with it.
That being said when I lost my g6, I reactivated my iPhone 7 just to find out that had a hardware problem with the radio. Every couples hours it says no signal, so I bought the pixel 2 just to have a good phone. I may or may not keep it, I didn't really check the features, I think the G6 and G7 over a lot more features. I didn't check to see if this had wireless charging, also I don't think this takes a memory card (I just bought this).
I noticed on phone arena it whatever, the G6 didn't have VOLTE? Not sure...I wouldn't say it had the best call clarity.
I may still buy one of those g7s off of eBay and then see which one of these phones I want and sell the other one.
Edit: also unlocking the screen/phone wasn't smooth for me, maybe I was doing it wrong. Lack of power button sux.

Why people recommend not update to Pie? just for root purposes?

RealALCoL said:
Why people recommend not update to Pie? just for root purposes?
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Click to collapse
You get better battery but worse performance
Edit: it might be the other way around

LeeTG3 said:
You get better battery but worse performance
Edit: it might be the other way around
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Click to collapse
Fortunately, I have better performance and the same worse battery :silly:

RealALCoL said:
Why people recommend not update to Pie? just for root purposes?
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Click to collapse
Because people are TOO LAZY to do the proper factory reset after the upgrade, which should be done ALWAYS after major OS upgrade.
My G6 is running Pie since it was available and I can only say that it made this phone much, much better. Overall smoothness, headphone audio quality... quite a lot of improvements. And battery life is great, too.

How to get sim card configuration settings? Cause no call no data, service is blocked.