Anyone come from an S5? - Verizon Samsung Galaxy S7 Questions & Answers

So I made the mistake of trying to replace the charging port on my S5 myself, and when I put everything back together, the screen is unresponsive. Shoulda just stuck with backup batteries.
Anyway, now I'm debating paying $150 to fix the screen or biting the bullet and getting an S7 on eBay for ~$350. Since I'm really only looking for stock/debloated, which I can get on the S7, I feel like I'm only losing removable batteries (which sucks), but getting a better... everything else... for about $200 more than I'd have to pay anyway to fix my S5.
Is there anything eke I'm not thinking of that I'm gonna lose coming to the S7? Any issues I should check buying on eBay? (Like if it's already on Nougat, problems rooting). And... are you liking the upgrade?
Looking for opinions/suggestions.
Thanks!

arl16 said:
So I made the mistake of trying to replace the charging port on my S5 myself, and when I put everything back together, the screen is unresponsive. Shoulda just stuck with backup batteries.
Anyway, now I'm debating paying $150 to fix the screen or biting the bullet and getting an S7 on eBay for ~$350. Since I'm really only looking for stock/debloated, which I can get on the S7, I feel like I'm only losing removable batteries (which sucks), but getting a better... everything else... for about $200 more than I'd have to pay anyway to fix my S5.
Is there anything eke I'm not thinking of that I'm gonna lose coming to the S7? Any issues I should check buying on eBay? (Like if it's already on Nougat, problems rooting). And... are you liking the upgrade?
Looking for opinions/suggestions.
Thanks!
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I upgraded from the S5, the one that was able to have the bootloader unlocked through that exploit found about a year ago.
I have the edge version since the battery life was much bigger. I think the stock S5 battery was 2800mah and the S7's is 3000mah while the S7 edge is 3600mah. That was my biggest decision maker right there.
I miss the ability of using a good tempered glass screen protector (since I have the edge) and the IR blaster but other than that this phone is worth the upgrade.
I had root and Xposed but now I'm running 100% stock. Took me a while to get used to but root in my opinion wasn't worth it for the lag and loss of battery life.
It's nice to have wireless charging built right in instead of a new back cover or chip you had to place inside of the phone. I actually bought a 3D printer just to make a case that would fit with the wireless charging cover and now it just collects dust.
Just out of curiosity, how is the screen unresponsive? Does it turn on at all? Or does the touchscreen just not work?

Hey @Outbreak444 - thanks for responding.
Yeah, I was thinking about the Edge for that very reason. Battery life isn't really an issue on a day to day basis, but on trips, it's huge for me.
I went to the Super Bowl a few years back, and people were cramming around any outlet they could find to get their phones juiced - we ended up not seeing some friends for hours after the game because their phones were dead. I've been at all day tailgating for night time college games and watched the same thing. And golf trips - using GPS on the phone, and then wanting to go out boozing after a round? Nightmare for some guys - I pop in a new battery and I'm good to go. So I'm having a hard time convincing myself to drop that feature alone.
I've done some Xposed stuff in the past, but I'm at the point now of just wanting debloated stock, which I've had with little to no lag, and pretty decent battery life (which again, isn't too big an issue with extra batteries.)
Oh, and the screen does come on and looks fine, but all I can see is my lockscreen - can't even type in my security pin. Completely unresponsive to touch. If you've ever opened one or seen a video of someone doing it, I know I knicked the ribbon in the top right corner that connects the screen to the motherboard - like seriously, a couple mm tear = screen dead. I guess Samsung really didn't want me in there - it's like 1mm from the edge of the screen - way too easy to hit.
I'm also wondering why the price on the S7s have dropped this fast - even with the S8 coming soon, I thought they'd still be upwards of $450-$500. Low demand from the Note debacle?
So I'm still wondering, other than a better camera and better internals, what features would entice me to step-up. I kinda feel like phones have gotten to the point of computers - as long as you've got a fast internet speed, incremental processing power in the device is getting less and less important.

Related

Upgrading from Note 4 to V20

After a few serious issues occurring with my Note 4, i just finished a claim with Assurion and after some back and forth, they offered me the V20 at my request. They couldnt guarantee that it would be brand new or refurbished but it still came with a 1 year warranty.
Im surprised that Assurion stepped up and gave me the phone i wanted. Friggin AT&T just wanted to sell me a new Next 24 or 30 month plan for more than i was paying a month for my note 4. So for $112 deductible Assurion is sending me the V20 and ill continue paying off my old Next 28 plan for the remaining 10 months.
Dam note 4 kept shutting off at 35% battery level ever since the Marshmallow update, screen burn in from extended GPS use, GPS not getting a fix intermittently and the screen separating from one side of the phone (looks heat related to me, as the phone would get pretty dam hot when sitting in the cradle on my dash).
Had the phone for a little over a year and all was fine until the Marshmallow update, then within the last month or so, i noticed these other issues.
Im hoping that i wont miss the S pen much. Only used it to write on pictures once in a great while and hopefully a wireless charging cover will become available.
Any other Note 4 users who made the switch, happy with your V20?
I had a note 4 before my s7 and now have a v20 and honestly the v20 is awesome. much better than both. much faster. no touchwiz lag which idc what people say, is very present on the Verizon s7. either way, it's a really fast phone with a great camera. you'll like it.
Sent from my LG V20 US996
jayochs said:
I had a note 4 before my s7 and now have a v20 and honestly the v20 is awesome. much better than both. much faster. no touchwiz lag which idc what people say, is very present on the Verizon s7. either way, it's a really fast phone with a great camera. you'll like it.
Sent from my LG V20 US996
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Thanks i was reading another thread where someone was complaining about using it in landscape mode while driving and having part of the screen cut off. Have you seen this and are you able to see the dialer when using the phone in landscape mode?
I still have my rooted and tmobile activated n4 and runs strong.
I got v20 and can't live without root. Rooted yesterday, got few apps and runs really fast. Still havent activated yet.
I wish we have good debloaded deodex ROM and working xposed.
It's a tottaly different phone than n4. I have to used to power button at the back. Also one thing buther me I can use kodi in multiwindow view (kodi on the top and browser at the buttom) to fully utilize my screen. Other than that is awesome phone.
Sorry for my EN.
I switched from the Note 4 to the V20. I really really like the V20. The second screen is my favorite thing.
The LCD is fine except the backlight night time use slightly annoys me. However if I am in a room with some external light then the LCD backlight isn't noticeable.
Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk
LOTL said:
After a few serious issues occurring with my Note 4, i just finished a claim with Assurion and after some back and forth, they offered me the V20 at my request. They couldnt guarantee that it would be brand new or refurbished but it still came with a 1 year warranty.
Im surprised that Assurion stepped up and gave me the phone i wanted. Friggin AT&T just wanted to sell me a new Next 24 or 30 month plan for more than i was paying a month for my note 4. So for $112 deductible Assurion is sending me the V20 and ill continue paying off my old Next 28 plan for the remaining 10 months.
Dam note 4 kept shutting off at 35% battery level ever since the Marshmallow update, screen burn in from extended GPS use, GPS not getting a fix intermittently and the screen separating from one side of the phone (looks heat related to me, as the phone would get pretty dam hot when sitting in the cradle on my dash).
Had the phone for a little over a year and all was fine until the Marshmallow update, then within the last month or so, i noticed these other issues.
Im hoping that i wont miss the S pen much. Only used it to write on pictures once in a great while and hopefully a wireless charging cover will become available.
Any other Note 4 users who made the switch, happy with your V20?
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I made a GPS fix in the galaxy note 4 thread. The pins arent making good contact anymore or are oxidized too much. I'm keeping the note 4 for s pen and the camera, when handy. Prefer note4 pics in auto mode for micro detail at work.
I had a Note Edge which I loved. I especially liked the rounded Edge display with lots of apps and notifications on it. Also liked jotting notes with the stylus. I had the Note 7 briefly and didn't like the aspect ratio of it. Felt too tall and skinny to me. I'm very happy with the V20. The 2nd screen on top pretty much does what the rounded Edge display did. The only thing I miss from the Note Edge is the stylus.
I switched from the Note 7. Actually I like the V20 better than the Note 7. Hard to believe but true. It's an awesome phone that will do everything a Note will and more

Broke screen - $150 fix or $350 S7

So I made the mistake of trying to replace the charging port on my S5 myself, and when I put everything back together, the screen is unresponsive. Shoulda just stuck with backup batteries.
Anyway, now I'm debating paying $150 to fix the screen or biting the bullet and getting an S7 on eBay for ~$350. Since I'm really only looking for stock/debloated, which I can get on the S7, I feel like I'm only losing removable batteries (which sucks), but getting a better... everything else.
Looking for opinions/suggestions.
Thanks!
Ultimately it's your personal preference, but for what it's worth I've changed a few screens on androids before (HTC, Samsung, & Moto) and it's tedious as hell, but it's not all that difficult. I don't have a very steady hand so it's a little aggravating to work with all the small pieces. Look up a guide on youtube and see if it's something you'd like to attempt.
I just bought refurbished s5 for 150 on amazon . LooKs new. Ide go that route.

Why does the V20 suck so badly?

Okay so i dont know if this should be posted here, so if it belongs elsewhere please feel free to move it mods. I tried to post in the "real life reviews" but couldnt find a spot to submit a new thread there.
I hate the v20. I've had it since October when i was forced to give up my Note. I wanted to trade it in for the S7 edge but that wasn't available, and i liked what i'd heard about the v20 so i went ahead and went for it. Me and my wife both upgrade at the same time so we both got the v20, after trading in the Notes.
At first it was fine enough. I did enjoy the cameras on the phone quite a bit. Amazing cameras. but then the glass shattered over the two lenses (without so much as a drop) and the exposures became terrible. So the camera was ruined for me. I could have mailed it away to LG but i dont have a second phone and i can't be without mine for 2 weeks while they do repairs so i just have to deal with it. The screen got small scratches on it over time, which really surprised me. I have never had a single device going all the way back to the G1 that has gotten scratched. I dont know if this phone uses gorilla glass or not, but thats another issue.
The battery life sucks. Most days by lunch time my phone is under 15 percent. I've done everything you can think of to solve the problem, but nothing works. New roms, battery savers, efficiency stuff..i've tried it all. It just sucks.
The phone has a million other issues but i won't get in to those now. Long story short, i'm EXTREMELY tempted to get the new S8 plus but i'm gonna wait on the note because i really love that stylus...
Am i alone? does anyone else feel this way? I really hate it because i've never had an android phone i disliked. But i must regretfully admit, that this one sucks.
How do you feel?
First of all, you broke your phone and didn't fix it. Not wise. Second, use the phone for what it is designed around; swappable batteries. They last all day. You are apparently using apps that drain your battery. When that happens, you just pull off the back and swap with a fresh one. That alone sets this phone apart from the rest. Third, you should protect your screen with a tempered glass protector. 10 bucks can change your world. All of your problems are self inflicted it seems...that's what really sucks!
Yea, I'm gonna echo FreakyFrank.
It's not a huge battery given the size of the screen, so get a swapper. Especially given your load it's a wise idea.
Second, check the battery section under Settings and see where your battery is going to. Perhaps you need to remove an app or to that are abusing the juice.
Next, even if you rock case-free, you should still get a tempered glass screen protectors. There are good ones out there for well less than $10 (I got the Spigen and love it).
In short, the V20 sucks for you. Perhaps you've already optimized your phone and it's still not a good fit. That happens. Each phone is a set of trade-offs based on the purpose of that phone as determined by the manufacturer. Some of these make some phones not as optimal for a given person as it would be for others.
@thatisandwas
You couldn't find a temporary replacement phone to use if you'd sent your V20 away for repair? That strikes me as a poor excuse.
And a LG V20 Battery Charging KIT BCK-5200 doesn't cost a lot so thats your second gripe shot down. I bet if it was a non-removable battery you'd be wishing for the old days of removable batteries.
Over 6 months ownership of such a shi**y phone that has a "million other issues" and the only thing you've done is log in here to whinge about it.
Sell your V20, get another phone, and start formulating a rant about its faults 6 months down the line.... Happy days
Edit: you should change "the" to "my" in the thread title...
I'm really (not really) sorry to hear that V20 didn't work out for you quite well. So the morale of the story is
1. Fix your phone once it's broken.
2. always carry a spare phone just in case (at least, $100 cheap android phone)
3. never ever used a phone naked even if the phone is tough or rugged. put on a case and a tempered glass screen protector.
4. take advantage of the phone's main feature (in this case, removable battery).
LOL i +1 all of these posts.
In addition to the following:
-The camera lens replacement is already out there for sell . Ebay, amazon, you name it. And it doesnt cost practically a thing.
-How many user apps do you have? how many of them are constantly synchronizing? How long do you use your phone with heavy battery consuming apps such as ... Well. Facebook alone is a big consumer (it synchronizes a lot). I currently have 93 user apps. from which 28 of them are constantly synchronizing. Not to mention that i play fun run arena for an hour or 2 a day. and my battery last about 4 - 5 hours with screen on. or even up to almost 3 days with screen off and some of the app synchronizing.
But still, i think 6 month is really too late to be writing a thread like this lol!
LOL I Should have expected these responses. The thing is, i shouldn't have to pay money to fix camera glass. I've never had a camera glass break on me, ever. I'm very careful with my devices. I've had dozens of android phones. Never had any of these issues with any of them. Its clearly a design flaw that the glass shatters and you guys are just like "but a new one" as if thats a perfectly acceptable solution. It shouldn't break in the first place. The battery management could be any number of things. I've tried nothing but stock apps. I've had android OS in battery usage exceed 100%. I've now installed a new rom and am getting better battery life, but it still isn't great. I don't want to carry spare batteries. I want my battery to last from 8-5 then i can charge it on the drive home enough to last until it gets to my bedside charger. I don't think thats a very huge ask. But it dies before lunch time most days.
You guys all make good points, and yes i could remedy some of these problems with the suggestions. But you have to admit the camera glass is piss poor design on LGs part. I mean come on? It just shatters with regular usage?
thatisandwas said:
LOL I Should have expected these responses. The thing is, i shouldn't have to pay money to fix camera glass. I've never had a camera glass break on me, ever. I'm very careful with my devices. I've had dozens of android phones. Never had any of these issues with any of them. Its clearly a design flaw that the glass shatters and you guys are just like "but a new one" as if thats a perfectly acceptable solution. It shouldn't break in the first place. The battery management could be any number of things. I've tried nothing but stock apps. I've had android OS in battery usage exceed 100%. I've now installed a new rom and am getting better battery life, but it still isn't great. I don't want to carry spare batteries. I want my battery to last from 8-5 then i can charge it on the drive home enough to last until it gets to my bedside charger. I don't think thats a very huge ask. But it dies before lunch time most days.
You guys all make good points, and yes i could remedy some of these problems with the suggestions. But you have to admit the camera glass is piss poor design on LGs part. I mean come on? It just shatters with regular usage?
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I think i stated on another thread that i was starting to think that it is just a percentage of v20 that has that defect. You know how many times i have dropped my phone or even threw it to the wall by accidrnt (sure it did have a poetic revolution cover) but still, the pressure should have broken the camera glass by now. Nevertheless, mine still intact. And i have 6 month already with the phone. Another thing i have done that i believe it may causes the glass to break out of nothing, is to be on really cold and hot weather. Yet... Thr glass still not broken. (between 24 F and 106 F temprtstures >> oklahoma lol)
"The phone has a million other issues but i won't get in to those now...." < world of difference > "But you have to admit the camera glass is piss poor design on LGs part. I mean come on? It just shatters with regular usage?"
You could be right about the lens debacle but your OP was a tad OTT don't ya think...?
rubiicon59 said:
"The phone has a million other issues but i won't get in to those now...." < world of difference > "But you have to admit the camera glass is piss poor design on LGs part. I mean come on? It just shatters with regular usage?"
You could be right about the lens debacle but your OP was a tad OTT don't ya think...?
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Yes it is over the top. I mean the thing is i have loved ALL my android phones. They all have a "soul" to them tha makes me like them for their own reasons. I can't put my finger on it exactly but it just feels like something is majorly lacking with the v20 compared to my others. I mean does no one agree with me at all on any of the points i made?
Well I inferred understanding what you mean regarding the lens, lots of others have complained about if too.
But I stand by what I said in post #4.
So now I'm interested what you're going to do with your V20.... keep or ditch?
rubiicon59 said:
Well I inferred understanding what you mean regarding the lens, lots of others have complained about if too.
But I stand by what I said in post #4.
So now I'm interested what you're going to do with your V20.... keep or ditch?
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I'm gonna keep it for the time being. I don't hate it so much that i'm willing to spend more to get the s8 plus. But i will more than likely replace it when the note 8 rolls around....after waiting for 30 days after launch, for obvious reasons I can only imagine a large number of people came to v20 after giving up their note 7. I wonder how many of us will end up going to the note 8???
Yep I get your reasons... I think now we're on a similar page.
I've only had my V20 two days so I'm still exploring but so far I'm really pleased with it. Every phone manufactured has good and bad points so I try to take each one on its own merits and flaws rather than making comparisons. More so this time with switching manufacturers.
I've only had one LG in the past, the KF750 Secret, and I really liked that. But there will be no Note for me.
Anyway good luck with your V20, and your next phone too.
And get that lens fixed man
I love my v20. Last phone made with sensibility in mind. Removable battery, IR blaster, and SD slot. Only thing lacking is water resistance, but there are solutions for that. Plus I have 100+ apps installed and mine still lasts all day and then some.
Sent from my LG-V521 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Not exactly on topic (I guess) but as someone who is fully committed and stoked about the V20, I stopped and checked out the S8 the other day. I will say it looks really awesome. Samsung did a fantastic​job with the display.
But it still stands, like others say. The V20 is probably the last phone you can get with such a great feature set. I don't want to buy a new phone every year, other year, week, whatever. I want a phone that will last. Removable battery plus an LCD (not AMOLED) will truly last.
As a iphone user with the 7 Plus being my last and trying out the V20 it does kinda suck. battery life is pretty terrible for a newer model phone, I wanted to give android another shot but it still is not as polished as IOS is.
Sounds to me like you didn't do your research before buying the V20.
LG's V series of phones are meant to be the last of the "oldschool" style cellphones with expandable storage AND a removable battery with Phillips head screw construction. The idea is that when your battery dies, as others have stated, you pop off the back cover and pop a new battery in. Speaking of which, the other users are definitely right about having too many apps running. I have unlocked my bootloader and installed LineageOS (stock android), which could be a factor in my better battery life, and usually get close to 48 hours of moderate to heavy usage per charge. Battery aside, if something breaks, you simply buy the spare part online and replace it yourself. The replacement camera glass is only around $25 and takes about 10 minutes to swap.
I definitely do agree with you that the camera glass is a bit fragile, however, I doubt it broke from just the softness of your touch. If you dropped your phone even just once, it may have broken then, which is a bit ridiculous being that it's the camera glass...But if you had gotten the S7 Edge and dropped it once, there's a very, very good chance the the entirety of your front or back glass would have shattered (or both - the whole phone is glass) so you really should not be complaining about this.
But all comments aside, definitely go with the upcoming Note if you have the dough and are unsatisfied with the V20. I'd love to grab the new Note but I'm just a broke college student (hence why I got the V20. Cheap repairs =P ).
Anyway, best of luck phone hunting in the future!
I appreciate all the responses. I did definitely do a lot of research before buying the v20. Getting the sweet ear buds for free that i'm using as i type this was a big reason why i got it. I agree that it is good in its own merits, such as expandable storage/removable battery. I won't settle on the camera glass though, that's BS on LG's part and the fact that they still haven't acknowledged in publicly as a defect is disappointing to me. I've used LineageOS for a few weeks, and frankly i'm AMAZED if you're actually getting upwards of 48 hours use. Thats insane. I'm super lucky if i get til 5 with any juice left.
thatisandwas said:
I'm gonna keep it for the time being. I don't hate it so much that i'm willing to spend more to get the s8 plus. But i will more than likely replace it when the note 8 rolls around....after waiting for 30 days after launch, for obvious reasons I can only imagine a large number of people came to v20 after giving up their note 7. I wonder how many of us will end up going to the note 8???
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The V20 is a powerhouse and can hold its own against the rest. No phone will be perfect and its all about preference. However, I too gave up my Note 7 for the V20. I will be definitely going back to the Note series.
thatisandwas said:
I appreciate all the responses. I did definitely do a lot of research before buying the v20. Getting the sweet ear buds for free that i'm using as i type this was a big reason why i got it. I agree that it is good in its own merits, such as expandable storage/removable battery. I won't settle on the camera glass though, that's BS on LG's part and the fact that they still haven't acknowledged in publicly as a defect is disappointing to me. I've used LineageOS for a few weeks, and frankly i'm AMAZED if you're actually getting upwards of 48 hours use. Thats insane. I'm super lucky if i get til 5 with any juice left.
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You must have the screen on and be using the phone most if not the whole 5 hours.
Plug it in. If you don't have ac\dc available - get a nice power bank.
The camera glass is only $6.69 on eBay with the adhesive part and the glass.
Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/282431684616

Planning to buy 6P from Craigslist, How to make sure I'm not getting a faulty one?

I've read about the faulty battery issue, and sudden reboots/bootloop issue.
Is there a way to minimize the risk, if I can check the device physically?
Checking the manufacturing date? Checking how many hours are left under "battery" in settings?
Any advice would be appreciated, Thanks!
Don't buy this phone. There are so many issues with this thing. My network signals all of a sign went kaput (the network chip got fried go figure!). No I'm stuck with a giant iPod. Save your money and buy something else (serious advice).
I agree, don't buy this phone used. You have no way to test the battery and other issues might appear.
My phone is a year old and I have already gotten a couple of sudden shutdowns. In addition people often complain that they can't hear me and my voice is intermittently muffled.
i wouldn't recommend getting this phone used, especially this late in the game... you can't just ignore all the issues being posted
I stumbled across this because I am buying a used 64gb 6p on eBay right now (7- 22- 2018). My research shows that if one comes across a survivor of the bootloop death (which can be overcome by disabling the 4 large cores, why bother) AND one is willing to eventually buy a $15 battery kit and can use a heat gun effectively, the Nexus 6p is THE best phone right now for no more than $150. The 128gb can be had for $180. If one buys one manufactured later than 2/2016, the battery lasts longer and supposedly some other minor bugs were fixed.
For $150 even if you only get one year from it I believe it's worth it. Phones now are so expensive unless your signing your life away on a plan.
Battery problems, heat and lag issues. Can't wait to upgrade to Pixel 3 or anything else. I wouldn't recommend spending money on this peace of ... I loved the phone when it worked as supposed to, but now it just don't. Oh, and microphone problems when using speakerphone are also common.
I bought mine on ebay 64 gb for 150, it had a bad battery so i got them to refund $50. i paid like $15 to fix it been working absaloutey fine for 5 months so far. No lag at all for me or random reboots, all my cores work,signal works fine, and so do calls . I dont really know how it is on stock i have been on abc rom and franco kernel the whole time and loving the phone
This might be irrelevant to OP but here's my 2 cents
I bought one (exterior is almost mint) a few weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. I got it for $100 (from a guy that badly needed some money to go on holiday ) and honestly, I would say it's comparable to new mid range $300+ phones, even surpassing them in some regards - camera, software support, build quality, design, "feel". I'm not even sure why I bought it, since my trusty Z2 is still holding on, I guess I couldn't resist that price.
I knew what I was getting into, I read about all the problems beforehand, but I figured if it didn't get the bootloop till now, it probably won't. Also, I ordered a new battery off Aliexpress the day I got the phone. Screen On time used to be 2-3 hrs with random shutdown at 15-5%, now after replacement I'm getting ~5 hrs. Great success.
So for the 3 people out there looking to buy this phone, you can expect:
-bad battery life and random shutdown (just get a new one, they're dirt cheap)
-minor burn-in of the navbar (I notice it on white backgrounds only)
-getting warm after using it a while BUT it's a lot better after replacing the battery
-yellowish tint of the screen (I notice it since I'm coming from a cold LCD)
+camera performance comparable to flagships, especially with the Pixel camera app
+sexy design
+great build quality
+smooth overall
+very potent double speakers
+VERY fast charging with the original charger
I bought a used 128gb from a "refurbish" mill for $150 on eBay. It went dead after 2 days. Total battery/system failure and no joy with the charger. I got a free return shipping label and a full refund.
The same day I resolved to buy from an individual who can answer questions. If the seller couldn't tell me the manufacture date they were dropped from the watchlist. My research seemed to indicate that units made after 2/2016 were the ones to get.
I bought a 64gb made in 10/2016 from a guy on eBay for $100. It's in better than near mint condition. Google announced the end of the Nexus brand the same month so this has to be one of the last made. Everything is perfect (including Oreo 8.1) except that AccuBattery reports 60% battery health. I concur with all that skullzhunter said.
I already planned to change the battery, but 60% health will buy me some time before I have to track down a heatgun. The battery kits are cheap and contain all the special tools for the job.
I'd like to hear from skullzhunter what the date of manufacture is on his phone (for others, boot into recovery and select "barcodes"). Also, were you able to remove the top and bottom covers intact? I imagine the trick is to apply enough heat. The question is, how much heat is TOO much? Any tips on re-installing those little covers with future access in mind?
Lawrencetate1 said:
I bought a used 128gb from a "refurbish" mill for $150 on eBay. It went dead after 2 days. Total battery/system failure and no joy with the charger. I got a free return shipping label and a full refund.
The same day I resolved to buy from an individual who can answer questions. If the seller couldn't tell me the manufacture date they were dropped from the watchlist. My research seemed to indicate that units made after 2/2016 were the ones to get.
I bought a 64gb made in 10/2016 from a guy on eBay for $100. It's in better than near mint condition. Google announced the end of the Nexus brand the same month so this has to be one of the last made. Everything is perfect (including Oreo 8.1) except that AccuBattery reports 60% battery health. I concur with all that skullzhunter said.
I already planned to change the battery, but 60% health will buy me some time before I have to track down a heatgun. The battery kits are cheap and contain all the special tools for the job.
I'd like to hear from skullzhunter what the date of manufacture is on his phone (for others, boot into recovery and select "barcodes"). Also, were you able to remove the top and bottom covers intact? I imagine the trick is to apply enough heat. The question is, how much heat is TOO much? Any tips on re-installing those little covers with future access in mind?
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Interesting trick with the Barcodes, seems my phone was manufactured in November 2015.
The operation was more difficult than I expected, but I managed to remove the covers with minor marks. You have to be VERY patient and careful, and you don't necessarily need a heat gun, a hair dryer will do. I don't think you can apply too much heat really, the frame will quickly get much hotter than the glass/plastic pieces but it cools down just as quick. Just heat it up until you can't touch the aluminium, there's nothing you can damage.
A trick that I unfortunately discovered after putting everything back together would be to use a sticker/vinyl skin to lift the covers from the corners (after heating), instead of digging in the gaps - as there are no gaps really.
So other than a hair dryer, you will need a 1.5 philips screwdriver, some thin plastic pieces to keep the screen assembly from snapping back into the case when you pry it open, and most importantly the thinnest strongest piece of metal you can find.
I used some tiny 3M double sided sticky strips to stick the pieces back and kept some of the old glue as well, I removed the gunky parts only. I think there are different glues used for top and bottom, the one on top being easier to reuse, but the bottom piece kinda sinks in the hole, so you need to leave just a little bit and press really hard so it snaps into place. I think it will be 10x easier to remove them now if I ever need to.

planning on getting a 2nd v20 as a spare

I like the phone but 2 issues I HATE
I kept having firmware issues
https://forum.xda-developers.com/v20/help/swapping-batteries-boots-to-firmware-t3783724
my screen is bleeding and has burnt images on it at certain times.
my screen broke on the rear cameras and after time has made the main camera not focus and the IQ has degraded, even after using alcohol to clean the glass.
im curious if they had a recall on that
im going to get a 2nd v20 to use a main phone and keep my current as a backup. reason? battery swapping!!
it saved my ass soo much and has made my life so convenient. I keep the extra battery in my wallet, swap while im walking and go back to 100%.
my usb c charging socket doesnt work well anymore. after about a month, the cable wouldnt stay inside connected. I have to use a rubber band and stretch it to the top of the screen to keep it in. and QC 3 is not working anymore
why arent there more phones with battery swapping? the least they could do is make the new v30/40 with BIG batteries. I dont want to have a cable connected to my phone like iv drip at a hospital
Actually I was also thinking about getting a second V20 as a spare one bc this phone is absolutely the best I've had so far. But I'm pretty sure my phone won't be broken so soon. Dropped about thousand times with only few damages at the corner. Nothing special. It's so f...ing physically reliable! All new flagships wouldn't had resist these drops bc of their Glas building. Always had a Glas to protect the display though. The Phone is still working perfect so I decided not to get a second one. But in your case that sounds like a good choice. In Germany you can import a new V20 from the US for about 200 dollars. Imo you can't get a better phone for that price! Im using a 75 Euro LeEco Le 2 running Miui as my spare phone. The value for that amount of money is so incredibly awesome! Maybe this one.. But if my V20 will be broken some day I'll definitely going to get another one! Remember all the good reasons to buy this, for example DAC, wide angle camera back and front, military reloablitoly, SECOND screen which I like the most, swappable battery, knock on, price under 200 dollar. Yes this phone this is absolutely the best. (at least for my usage)
Jogg3r said:
Actually I was also thinking about getting a second V20 as a spare one bc this phone is absolutely the best I've had so far. But I'm pretty sure my phone won't be broken so soon. Dropped about thousand times with only few damages at the corner. Nothing special. It's so f...ing physically reliable! All new flagships wouldn't had resist these drops bc of their Glas building. Always had a Glas to protect the display though. The Phone is still working perfect so I decided not to get a second one. But in your case that sounds like a good choice. In Germany you can import a new V20 from the US for about 200 dollars. Imo you can't get a better phone for that price! Im using a 75 Euro LeEco Le 2 running Miui as my spare phone. The value for that amount of money is so incredibly awesome! Maybe this one.. But if my V20 will be broken some day I'll definitely going to get another one! Remember all the good reasons to buy this, for example DAC, wide angle camera back and front, military reloablitoly, SECOND screen which I like the most, swappable battery, knock on, price under 200 dollar. Yes this phone this is absolutely the best. (at least for my usage)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed!
I have 2 v20 a us996 and f800k love both of them no issues with any of them.......
OMG, I also did it! An hour ago I bought a spare one. But this time with dual sim. The H990N. For just 180 Euro new & sealed! But why?? This phone is almost unbreakable. Never mind..

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