Database Users

Will the S4 be the last Samsung Smartphone you buy?

Sadly due to all the crap Samsung is doing atm with it's smartphones I've decided to part ways with my S4 while it still worth something, & that will be my last Galaxy S i buy.
As from now on the only Android smartphone i will buy will be the Nexus range, as i want the freedom to do what i want with my Smartphone, without having to worry about warranty problems should something go wrong with the hardware, that is not the fault of a custom rom or kernel.
I'm using my trusty little Nokia 800 as backup now until the Nexus 5 32gb launches which i'll be ordering as soon as it shows up on the Play Store in the UK, I'm just hoping now the camera & video recording quality is at least on par with the Galaxy S3 this time around unlike the Nexus 4 which tbh had a terrible camera.
The S5 can be the best thing since slice bread, but with all the lockdown Samsung is currently doing it might aswell rename itself Apple.
Anybody else also plan on ditching Samsung due to the way they are going?

ixon2001 said:
Sadly due to all the crap Samsung is doing atm with it's smartphones I've decided to part ways with my S4 while it still worth something, & that will be my last Galaxy S i buy.
As from now on the only Android smartphone i will buy will be the Nexus range, as i want the freedom to do what i want with my Smartphone, without having to worry about warranty problems should something go wrong with the hardware, that is not the fault of a custom rom or kernel.
I'm using my trusty little Nokia 800 as backup now until the Nexus 5 32gb launches which i'll be ordering as soon as it shows up on the Play Store in the UK, I'm just hoping now the camera & video recording quality is at least on par with the Galaxy S3 this time around unlike the Nexus 4 which tbh had a terrible camera.
The S5 can be the best thing since slice bread, but with all the lockdown Samsung is currently doing it might aswell rename itself Apple.
Anybody else also plan on ditching Samsung due to the way they are going?
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FOr me Yes and no I love the TW features and pure android is smooth and fast but again its boring as well....When i say TW features I aint talking about the gimmicky ones but the useful ones like the camera, and others I am tempted to buy the nexus 5 but as my s4 is just 2 months old and especially after the brilliant job samsung has done with the 4.3 update am not sure I will stick to the S4 atleast till the S5 arrives

Updating my phone to 4.3. Heard that It is smooth and that's what I want. Sometimes I think to get Nexus 5 but then I realize how useful TW features are to me.
I've used Xperias (for a year or so) and even iPhone (for somedays) but none satisfied me as much as S4.
The most important thing that keeps me on Samsung is the Camera. Features + Quality. Yes, I'm sticking to Samsung

Definitely. I've had the S2 for 1.5 years and then the S4 for six months. I'm thoroughly bored of the Galaxy S range now. Gonna switch to some other OEM for the next phone. Or a nexus maybe if it doesn't compromise on screen, battery life and camera.

100% no samsung for me in the future. With no sources for exynos and all the knox ****, I am fed up. I could live with TW but the fact its laggy even with 2 gb ram and an octa core processor, I think I will look at other options.
Cheers!!
sent from my S4 (9500 international)

I hate Samsung and their current Knox implementation, turning them into Apple basically. Also I feel their AMOLED technology is nowhere near perfect (low brightness, unreadable under direct sunlight compares to LG screen or Iphones). However, no other phone in this current generation I can switch into. Newest releases contains so many flaws that are such a deal breaker for me: LG G2 without micro sd; Iphone 5s with terrible iOs 7; Xperia Z1, well, let's just say that it doesn't even ring any bells around. All and all, as much as I loathe my s4, I still have to stick with it because there is no other viable alternative that suit my needs currently. Probably won't be using s5 and try to avoid samsung like a plague next generation.

I went with the S4 GPe, and didn't look back. I looked at the Nexus 4, and it lacked features that I needed; no LTE, no 1080p screen, not enough storage or MicroSD to make up for the lack of storage, and no removable battery. Even the Nexus 5 won't have a removable battery, and while 32GB is an improvement, i need at least 48GB for my usage (I have 80GB on mine).

count me in.... i'm fedup with all samsung crapness... next will be a sony or a nexus for me

I'm done with Samsung definitely my next is gonna be something else, not because I think they suck or I'm against their practices but cause I've been using Samsung exclusively since the Galaxy S up till my current S4 and I think I need a break from Sammy!

AsterFenix said:
I hate Samsung and their current Knox implementation, turning them into Apple basically. Also I feel their AMOLED technology is nowhere near perfect (low brightness, unreadable under direct sunlight compares to LG screen or Iphones). However, no other phone in this current generation I can switch into. Newest releases contains so many flaws that are such a deal breaker for me: LG G2 without micro sd; Iphone 5s with terrible iOs 7; Xperia Z1, well, let's just say that it doesn't even ring any bells around. All and all, as much as I loathe my s4, I still have to stick with it because there is no other viable alternative that suit my needs currently. Probably won't be using s5 and try to avoid samsung like a plague next generation.
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iOS 7 isn't all that bad tbh from what I've seen of it, my sister just got herself an iPhone 5s, so like anything i had to have a good look at it & at one point i was actually tempted to get myself a 32Gb iPhone 5S, but the screen abit on the small side for my liking.
The camera on the otherhand is brilliant, really have to give Apple credit for this, the camera functions itself is very basic not many options to mess with, but soon as you take a picture 99% of the time the images are spot on & even stay looking decent in low light aswell, something i found impossible to do on the S4 was to get a decent image in low light as most of the time it came out as a blurry mess due to the camera lag, which the 5s doesn't have a problem with.
If the iPhone 6 has a bigger screen & iOS 8 allows widgets then i might be slightly tempted to switch next year & just have a Nexus 2014 tablet for my Android fix.

I'm new to Samsung. Can somebody tell me what the knox implementation is?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

As long as they keep releasing phones with Google Edition roms available, I'll stay with Samsung. 1080p amoled + sdcard + switchable battery + decent camera + stock android = almost the perfect device for me (performance could still be better, but that is mostly an android problem (and don't give me **** about how your phone isn't lagging because it is, you just might not perceive it)).

Yup Sony for me next time. I've had every Galaxy S since the S1 but Samsung have really put me off.
Sent from my GT-I9505

Give me a nexus with an awesome camera, Bluetooth 4, beep n go, and a memory card slot and I'll give up Samsung.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Maybe is my Last, i'm taking a Sony device
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda app-developers app

I'll definitely stick to samsung, take note that this is just my personal opinion.
I like touchwiz, for me it's very simple, i've had the xperia z for a couple of months, s4 camera i would say is far better, and i don't like the way the sony launcher is. And definitely the screen on the sony ones has not impressed me at all, i even owned an xperia tx but on all sony is prone to quick scratches even the sony z1 has the same screen compared to samsung's screen, which are much better.
The only drawbacks i have against samsung is about the plastic body, and chinese manufacturers can easily make a copy of the phone!
well despite the fact that for the i9500 in terms of rom development is slow, i prefer stock rom! it's very stable!
so i will definitely stick to samsung unless s5 mess things up
i would then move to an htc phone maybe! :3

kesh9293 said:
I'll definitely stick to samsung, take note that this is just my personal opinion.
I like touchwiz, for me it's very simple, i've had the xperia z for a couple of months, s4 camera i would say is far better, and i don't like the way the sony launcher is. And definitely the screen on the sony ones has not impressed me at all, i even owned an xperia tx but on all sony is prone to quick scratches even the sony z1 has the same screen compared to samsung's screen, which are much better.
The only drawbacks i have against samsung is about the plastic body, and chinese manufacturers can easily make a copy of the phone!
so i will definitely stick to samsung unless s5 mess things up
i would then move to an htc phone maybe! :3
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People on about knox bootloader etc being implemented and that samsung have locked there bootloaders,yeah its a blow but then again we have to remember that Sony,Lg and HTC also lock there bootloaders so its nothing new,yeah Sony screens arnt that great anymore,they look a bit washed out now,T was nice device,I loved my T before it got beer damage,in my opinion the Hardware of the s4 isnt to bad,yeah it is plastic which is a let down but the software is the issue,its heavy due to all the bloatware,slim roms work really well but is it my last Samsung phone,we shall see,at the moment i think HTC one is best alternative,the only thing that gets my back up with Samsung isnt with the s4,thats surprising but with the Galaxy Camera,lovely device but its like theyve forgoten it already ,no updates for past 6 months

jaykresge said:
I went with the S4 GPe, and didn't look back. I looked at the Nexus 4, and it lacked features that I needed; no LTE, no 1080p screen, not enough storage or MicroSD to make up for the lack of storage, and no removable battery. Even the Nexus 5 won't have a removable battery, and while 32GB is an improvement, i need at least 48GB for my usage (I have 80GB on mine).
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Same here. Removable battery is priority #1 for me. SD card slot is a very close second. I also like the shape/profile of the GS4 over Nexus devices, but that is a minor concern compared to the previous points. LTE is also very nice, but not a necessity for me. If a Nexus device had removable battery and SD card, I'd probably choose it.

If there is another high end phone with removable battery, sd card slot, ir blaster and a Qualcomm SOC I will buy non Samsung.
But those things are more important than anything else.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

Keep S4 for a while.
S4 is good choice. I have octa core version and with litlle work new jb 4.3 can be rooted and debloated. Knox applications should be removed ,possibly with aromafm in recovery before booting.

Galaxy note 10.1 2014 after one year

I have owned note about one year, still play it every day, and find new functions and hidden features now and then.
Note 10.1 is so a versatile device that you can never take full advantage of it.
It is still the king of tablets at the end of 2014, and is the most underrated device in 2014(just see all the reviews at Android blogs.)
Note 10.1 is everything,
It is my camera, note 10.1 has the best camera among tablets (although most commentators just dismissed it as no so useful, and ipad air 2 suddenly changed their opinions)
It is my GPS, my note is wifi version, but can still be used as navigation device without data connection, and save phone a lot of battery power.
It is my noting and sketching book. Thanks to Lecture notes and Papyrus, I seldom use paper and pencil now. Paperless world isn't just a fiction.
It is my laptops, using Debian Jessie in chroot, and s-pen as mouse, I enjoy my geek life in two great world, Android and Linux.
I am waiting for note 10.1 2015,
64 bits computation
Multitasking perfectly implemented ( note4 already showed it)
flawless bluetooth connection
metal and slim frame
13M camera.
These are what I expect.

They should just update the software on the 2014 and we should be good but Sammy takes waaaaaay too long.

The screen still blows me away. I've owned a crapload of tablets and nothing else is really in it's class when you consider the usefulness of the SPen on something this size.
Unfortunately, Samsung is just awful with software, so a decent newer ROM is probably as good as it gets. I don't see anything out there I'd rather have.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Has there been any rumors for when we will get Lollipop?

Before the 2016 election.

http://www.techradar.com/news/mobil...spotted-in-samsung-s-own-app-listings-1270810
Waiting for this to be released. I skipped 2014 version and still on the first generation. But its too sluggish these days,,,,, Need a replacement soon.

So far, so good. Been using it for around 6 months. I have the WiFi version, which I will sell soon and get me an LTE version.
I am very happy with it. Owning an iPad Air also, make me think that the iPad is only for my wife and some fun games. Nothing else.
On the other hand, the Note has been proven a beast of a tablet. I hook it up with a BT mouse & keyboard, use Screen Mirroring to my TV and I have a nice laptop
Only thing that bothers me, is the somewhat laggy scrolling through the home pages. Hope it wont be like that with the LTE version.

aalupatti said:
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobil...spotted-in-samsung-s-own-app-listings-1270810
Waiting for this to be released. I skipped 2014 version and still on the first generation. But its too sluggish these days,,,,, Need a replacement soon.
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I think Samsung are stepping-back and re-evaluating their products. They got killed on Galaxy S5 and having way too many Tab lines last year. I don't expect a new Note 10.1 until they can either put an 810 or their own 64bit chip in it. It will have their new look per the alpha and Note 4 lines (I immediately covered my 2014 Note 10.1 with a case, that fake stitching slippery plastic back is awful). I think we may see the new Note 10.1 (2015) around when the Tab Pro and Note 12.2 came out last year (1st quarter).

It is still cheaper to buy a Galaxy note 10.1 2014?

Bought the 2014 edition from dustinhome in norway for around $200 couple of weeks ago. was a great buy and comming from the 2012 edition its a decent upgrade.
(i know its a somewhat old thread. but i love this thing)

leyvatron said:
They should just update the software on the 2014 and we should be good but Sammy takes waaaaaay too long.
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they shouldn't play evil and they have to release our device's kernel codes ASAP,and we are fine without their trashy Touchwiz thing and their no worthy support

renux said:
they shouldn't play evil and they have to release our device's kernel codes ASAP,and we are fine without their trashy Touchwiz thing and their no worthy support
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Define fine, one of the primary reasons to buy this tablet was/is the proper use of its size (multi-window) and the S-pen. And while S-pen support in AOSP is kind of good, multi-window support (which IMO is even bigger deal, in all tablets actually) is nowhere to be found.
I'm with you, AOSP is better than any OEM rom, but AOSP mostly cares about phones, has very few (if any) tablet specific characteristics...

Stevethegreat said:
Define fine, one of the primary reasons to buy this tablet was/is the proper use of its size (multi-window) and the S-pen. And while S-pen support in AOSP is kind of good, multi-window support (which IMO is even bigger deal, in all tablets actually) is nowhere to be found.
I'm with you, AOSP is better than any OEM rom, but AOSP mostly cares about phones, has very few (if any) tablet specific characteristics...
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ive seen some efforts to implement multi window!
for example Resurrection rom is among em:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal.../sm-p601-cyanogenmod-12-0-unofficial-t3052009
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61619511&postcount=379
not installed or tested it yet, ive downloaded it some days ago ,and still backing up my device so i can format it... not sure how itll do

renux said:
ive seen some efforts to implement multi window!
for example Resurrection rom is among em:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal.../sm-p601-cyanogenmod-12-0-unofficial-t3052009
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61619511&postcount=379
not installed or tested it yet, ive downloaded it some days ago ,and still backing up my device so i can format it... not sure how itll do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the heads up . I will probably try it in the following days ...

I never really liked multiwindow, so I'm fine with AOSP, multi-window always got me to windows that were too small for me, but that might be my eyesight...

To bad the build quality is junk. My display ribbon came loose a few times now and I decided to leave it at home now.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

opitzs said:
I never really liked multiwindow, so I'm fine with AOSP, multi-window always got me to windows that were too small for me, but that might be my eyesight...
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Split-Screen basically splits the screen into two 7-inch screens, most phones (for example) are way less than that. Also the best use that I've found for it is to merely "minimize" a window. That's especially useful if it something that can't properly run in the background like youtube, so I have youtube playing, doing my thing and if I listen something that may need my attention then I simply drag the "minimized" youtube down. One last use is that when an app refers to another the original is not "closed". For example my file manager points to a doc file, when I press to open, it opens on a split screen (almost like on a PC), basically letting me to choose on whether I'd "maximize" it (all the while the file browser is still open) or "minimize" it for later use. This "omni-presence" of windows makes things much faster and direct to me than simply using the recents panel (alt+tab equivalent), although it has its issues too.
Of course the above cannot be done with "drawable" windows (like the ones that exist in AOSP roms) or the ones that can be "drawn" by the S-pen in TW roms. Like you I find them useless as those mini-windows are way too small for proper interaction.
To sum up, multi-window (mostly of the split-screen variety) is an acquired taste. For the first few months I never used it, but once it becomes part of one's "work flow" it's hard to go back. In fact lack of (proper) split-screen is what has kept me away from AOSP for this device. Every single of my devices (other than Note tablet) have been using AOSP before long...

http://www.youmobile.org/blogs/entr...-Lollipop-Update-Confirmed-and-In-development

Is this still worth picking up? I see no 10.1 2015 or 2016 on the horizon. I played with the Tab A with s-pen and while I liked the size and features the screen is a big disappointment. Having a note 5 I guess you just get used to a clear screen. I see that 5.1.1 is out and hoping for good reviews and better battery life.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

If you get a good deal and care for the pen I would think it's still worth it! I got mine summer last year and am mostly happy with it! There is also still very good support from devs like @joshndroid who's providing us with temasek's unofficial CM13 for the tablet. Still has some issues, but I'm confident there will be a well running CM13 for it eventually. I was also very happy with temasek's CM12.1 version for it (am considering to go back to that until some of the CM13 issues are sorted). I cannot tell you much about the stock lollipop experience, as I never really used that.
I have to say that for me the ability to run a full desktop linux on it is what makes it most useful to me.
There are now a few reasonably priced windows tablets with pen support, in particular something like the Cube i7 Stylus which is pretty interesting (I'm not talking about higher classed devices like Surface or Lenovo's Thinkpad Yogas as they play in a different price league). But you should probably be able to pick up a used Note for still much cheaper and get a very nice experience.

Galaxy Tab S2 thoughts?

Just watched a benchmark comparison between the S and S2 and the S2 appears to be a dud. Only like 52000 on antutu. My Nexus 6 with snapgragon 805 scores higher than that. why samsung did not use the same exynos they put in the S6 is beyond me. What do you guys think about it? Supposed to be out by end of the month from what I read.

Still faster then most of the world has but should be a little better for a flagship. I'm happy that i don't need to upgrade this year!

But still the fastest tablet, yes they could use the S6 cpu, but why would they do that?
They are selling tablets to make money not to please their customers.

The YouTube video I watched showed it has double the scores than the original tab s... What's your point OP?

samsung will not sell a tablet that will outclass it's flagship phones, tab S2 is lucky enough to receive a core from S6 compared to our tablet which didn't even receive the S5's 5422 which is HMP capable (all cores firing) yet pushing a larger screen resolution 1440p.
Tab S2 could be worth the upgrade only if
1) they retain or make the screen reso higher
2) better camera WITH flash (why dont they use a bigger camera on a bigger device? )
3) forget being super thin, we need battery!!
4) (personal preference) thinner bezel on all sides
perhaps somewhere down the road, we'll see a tab S edge LOL

My only gripe is that they forgot support for our tab S! Where are these damn updates!

I don't think the specs are too bad. I like the new ratio 4:3 I primarly use the tablet to browse and read, "watching videos" comes third, (and I certainly won't watch complete movies. )
I love that the tablet is as light as possible, I hope it won't affect the battery too much
Yes the S2 should've received the new S6 cpu... But on the other hand, will it make any practical differences instead of a number in a benchmark? I doubt it.
They saved money by not implementing a flash. Which is a pitty for a flagship. But on the other side I don't think I ever made more than 10 photos with my old tablet.
Price is unfortunately not cheap, you pay a flagship price.

drmodify said:
My only gripe is that they forgot support for our tab S! Where are these damn updates!
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Remember the Tab Pro?
That hasn't seen one major OS update. Released a few months earlier than the Tab S. Samsung needs to support their tablet line up.
Sent from my LG-VS980 using XDA Free mobile app

Found this today:
http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-tab-s2-initial-impressions-632447/
Specs for those who haven't seen (this is a review of the import model so USA specs might be different?)
Exynos 5433 Octa-core SoC
3GB of RAM
32 or 64GB of on-board storageand
8-megapixel rear, 2.1-megapixel front camera set-up (no front flash)
Android 5.0.2
and features
Same “touch-based” fingerprint sensor used in the Galaxy S6
MicroSD
9.7-inch variant includes a 5,870mAh battery - the 8-inch variant a 4,000mAh power-cell
4:3 aspect ratio- 2048×1536 SAMOLED display
I JUST bought my Tab S a few days ago knowing this was going to be formally announced within my 15 days return policy period. But I got the 8.4 Tab S on sale for $299 at Best Buy, which I think it a great price point. It would take OUTSTANDING battery life and some kind of totally revamped touchwiz or stock android option with the newest snapdragon for me to switch I think.

I don't want any updates, I could be on official lollipop but i decided to stick with kitkat that is super stable, no way am i going to upgrade to lollipop as it has too many bugs, that out-way the new features.
Yeah, I noticed that the Tab Pro owners are still on kitkat, I have been posting on their forum warning them about lollipop if they get version v5.0.2
If we get Android M, I will wait for any problems to show before i upgrade or not.
John.

Samsung just dump a product within a year. Hate to say it but I find that's why people buy Apple plus the residual sales values.
So as Samsung copy everything Apple can't they also copy software support.

Tinderbox (UK) said:
I don't want any updates, I could be on official lollipop but i decided to stick with kitkat that is super stable, no way am i going to upgrade to lollipop as it has too many bugs, that out-way the new features.
Yeah, I noticed that the Tab Pro owners are still on kitkat, I have been posting on their forum warning them about lollipop if they get version v5.0.2
If we get Android M, I will wait for any problems to show before i upgrade or not.
John.
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I personally love the Lollipop update !
Particularly the recent updates coupled with my SkyHigh kernel make it so much faster, smoother and stable than KK.
That's what we do here at XDA, we don't want to hear whining, we want to be proactive and try improve on it
So what other "bugs" if you haven't bothered to upgrade ? Some found on other websites and forums have mentioned poor RAM management, but this has been the "norm" for most Samsung devices and TW. My kernel goes someway to addressing that.
As far as Tab-S2 goes - I'm really disappointed in the SoC (amongst other hardware). Not premium at all....

Not everybody want to flash their Tab S due to warranty ect, A lot of people have reported problems with official lollipop v5.0.2, all i am saying is they should wait for any problems to be revealed before upgrading.
It`s great that you found a lollipop rom that works for you.
John.
UpInTheAir said:
I personally love the Lollipop update !
Particularly the recent updates coupled with my SkyHigh kernel make it so much faster, smoother and stable than KK.
That's what we do here at XDA, we don't want to hear whining, we want to be proactive and try improve on it
So what other "bugs" if you haven't bothered to upgrade ? Some found on other websites and forums have mentioned poor RAM management, but this has been the "norm" for most Samsung devices and TW. My kernel goes someway to addressing that.
As far as Tab-S2 goes - I'm really disappointed in the SoC (amongst other hardware). Not premium at all....
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Click to collapse

Tinderbox (UK) said:
Not everybody want to flash their Tab S due to warranty ect, A lot of people have reported problems with official lollipop v5.0.2, all i am saying is they should wait for any problems to be revealed before upgrading.
It`s great that you found a lollipop rom that works for you.
John.
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Click to collapse
Users should make up their own minds rather than taking advice from someone who (by admission) hasn't bothered to try themselves.
For those that worry, the latest LL firmwares far exceed the old KK firmwares as far as stability and smoothness in it's stock state. Take it from someone whom has flashed both stock and customized KK and LL firmware for T705.
It's easy to find out yourself and just as easy to downgrade via Odin without breaking warranty.
But things can always be improved upon (depending on point-of-view) and modified with options. Why ? Because this is XDA-DEVELOPERS, not sammobile.com.
Anyway, sorry OP for the OT.

So what lollipop rom and kernel do your recommend, I have an UK T800.
John.
UpInTheAir said:
Users should make up their own minds rather than taking advice from someone who (by admission) hasn't bothered to try themselves.
For those that worry, the latest LL firmwares far exceed the old KK firmwares as far as stability and smoothness in it's stock state. Take it from someone whom has flashed both stock and customized KK and LL firmware for T705.
It's easy to find out yourself and just as easy to downgrade via Odin without breaking warranty.
But things can always be improved upon (depending on point-of-view) and modified with options. Why ? Because this is XDA-DEVELOPERS, not sammobile.com.
Anyway, sorry OP for the OT.
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my tablet use always 60% movie, 20% browsing/reading news, 20% gaming.
I don't think 4:3 will do much good for me.

I just got this little beast yesterday. I live in Thailand where it was released about 4 days ago, i paid exactly $451 for the 32gb LTE 8-inch version. In the past 5 years that i have been on and off samsung devices, this is the first time that i notice a smooth, lagless touchwiz experience. Actually, before i even buy any samsung devices i make sure they have been in the market a few months, and there a few customs roms out. This time around samsung did a good job cutting down on the bloatware and the new redesigned touchwiz is surprisingly good.
The 4:3 ratio is perfect for me as i will be using it mainly for school.
The only thing i am concerned about is battery life, The Huawei Ascend Mate 7, a 6-inch phablet, has a 4100mah battery. This 8-inch tablet has a 4000mah battery.
Samsung claims:
9 hours of LTE web browsing,
10 hours of WIFI web browsing
14 hours of video.
Here are my stats for the first 5 hours:
Turned on with 55%,
after 5 hours it was sitting at 10% with 3 hours of SOT,
somewhat heavy usage downloading apps, setting it up, installing everything, and testing it.

That oled display is going to kill your battery for school work, all that white gulps down the power, you would gave been better off with an lcd display that does not care what colour the screen is.
Check to see if your apps/browser has an night mode that turn white to black, If your prefer white just keep the brightness low to save as much power as possible.
John.
Edgrr000 said:
I just got this little beast yesterday. I live in Thailand where it was released about 4 days ago, i paid exactly $451 for the 32gb LTE 8-inch version. In the past 5 years that i have been on and off samsung devices, this is the first time that i notice a smooth, lagless touchwiz experience. Actually, before i even buy any samsung devices i make sure they have been in the market a few months, and there a few customs roms out. This time around samsung did a good job cutting down on the bloatware and the new redesigned touchwiz is surprisingly good.
The 4:3 ratio is perfect for me as i will be using it mainly for school.
The only thing i am concerned about is battery life, The Huawei Ascend Mate 7, a 6-inch phablet, has a 4100mah battery. This 8-inch tablet has a 4000mah battery.
Samsung claims:
9 hours of LTE web browsing,
10 hours of WIFI web browsing
14 hours of video.
Here are my stats for the first 5 hours:
Turned on with 55%,
after 5 hours it was sitting at 10% with 3 hours of SOT,
somewhat heavy usage downloading apps, setting it up, installing everything, and testing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Tinderbox (UK) said:
That oled display is going to kill your battery for school work, all that white gulps down the power, you would gave been better off with an lcd display that does not care what colour the screen is.
Check to see if your apps/browser has an night mode that turn white to black, If your prefer white just keep the brightness low to save as much power as possible.
John.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought so too, My next option was the iPad mini. I'll just use this one for now and see how well it performs, and when the new iPad mini comes out, i'll decide which is better.

Oled display are really best for Video the colors look amazing and power used when playing a video is lower than any lcd tablet according to power consumption group tests.
John.
Edgrr000 said:
I thought so too, My next option was the iPad mini. I'll just use this one for now and see how well it performs, and when the new iPad mini comes out, i'll decide which is better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

S5 better than S6?

I am downgrading simply because of Cyanogenmod and bigger battery. Good idea or no?

I bought S5 due to CyanogenMod support, removable battery and microSD card slot. Those 3 things were deal breakers for me, when i was choosing my new phone. S6 have amazing specs, and it will be a much much faster device than S5. I heard, that first alpha build of CM was released for S6, but it will take a long time, before it's going to function properly. If you can't live without CM (like me ) and you need that bigger battery (which you can always replace with a spare one ) it is a good idea to downgrade, but if you are thinking about more future-proof phone, which will last longer, i'd go with S6.

luki7151 said:
I bought S5 due to CyanogenMod support, removable battery and microSD card slot. Those 3 things were deal breakers for me, when i was choosing my new phone. S6 have amazing specs, and it will be a much much faster device than S5. I heard, that first alpha build of CM was released for S6, but it will take a long time, before it's going to function properly. If you can't live without CM (like me ) and you need that bigger battery (which you can always replace with a spare one ) it is a good idea to downgrade, but if you are thinking about more future-proof phone, which will last longer, i'd go with S6.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So should i downgrade? I head people having yellow tint in the screen is that true? and can i watch a full hd move on it without charging? and does cm support lte for s5?

shotgun10ga said:
So should i downgrade? I head people having yellow tint in the screen is that true? and can i watch a full hd move on it without charging? and does cm support lte for s5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I heard about that yellow tint, but people who had that, simply went to their seller/Samsung service with their warranty and they mounted a new display. Fortunately, i haven't got that tint.
You can watch FHD movies without charging, i dunno what's the problem ( or i'm too sleepy, and i can't understand english at this moment :/ excuse me xd )
Yes, CM supports LTE.

That is a purely opinionated question and I'm anxious to see all of the replies to this one but in my opinion the S6 is of course a faster device but I'm with Luki7151 on this. I prefer the S5 because it has:
1.) Removable Battery which comes in handy especially if you're a modder.
2.) Expandable memory which is really the biggest deal breaker for me.
3.) S5 has USB 3.0 port. Don't know why they went back to the 2.0 small port on the S6.
4.) S5 is water resistant
My girlfriend got the S6 and there's nothing my S5 can't do that hers can. In fact, my S5 has more features since hers is stock and I'm running S6 edge custom rom lol. There has also been numerous occasions where I'd watch 3 movies in FHD back to back with screen brightness turned all the way up and still did not have to charge my phone.

For me the possibility to use a micro SD (128 GB) is a very good reason as well!

S6 has USB 2.0 port, because it was a standard in smartphone technology. I can only only list two devices which had USB 3.0 port: Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S5. Probably it was too odd for Samsung to have two major devices with those USB 3.0 ports, while any other phone had standard 2.0 port, so they reverted it back to old standard.
I cannot say, that S5 is fully IP67 certified (30min to 1m of water), because i have never merged my phones . Although, i can say that it is water resistant, because it survived, when i was cleaning it up under stream of water.
Last but not least. Remember! Flashing an AOSP rom like CyanogenMod, will have some consequences. You won't be able to use fingerprint scanner, heart rate sensor or some Touchwiz related features like one-handed mode or download booster, but for this price, you will get (in my opinion) the fastest running rom on S5, which i have ever flashed

I'm currently using TW Revolution V5.2 and can tell you everything works including finger print scanner and download booster and it is an S6 Edge port so you'll have the S5 with the S6 features if you want a rom with all the stock working features. The rom is in the international section if you wanna try something different out.

is the S5 still a good choice today?

Hello folks.
I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone. Things that are important to me:
high quality screen
processing power
decent storage
Things that aren't that important to me:
camera
I have a price limit of $150. Given the above, I am looking at:
Moto E4
Galaxy S5 (refurbished)
Galaxy J3 Emerge
Moto G4 Play
All of them have 5" screens, but the S5 has the highest resolution (the rest are 1280x720). The S5 also has the highest clock rate.
My concern is that the S5 is using technology from 4 years ago, while the rest are more recent. Should that be a concern, or is the S5 the best option here?
Thanks!

mrfeh said:
Hello folks. I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet is to post this question within one of the following threads that is specific to your question.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1846277
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1620179
Good Luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I DO NOT provide support via PM unless asked/requested by myself. PLEASE keep it in the threads where everyone can share.

yes
mrfeh said:
Hello folks.
I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone. Things that are important to me:
high quality screen
processing power
decent storage
Things that aren't that important to me:
camera
I have a price limit of $150. Given the above, I am looking at:
Moto E4
Galaxy S5 (refurbished)
Galaxy J3 Emerge
Moto G4 Play
All of them have 5" screens, but the S5 has the highest resolution (the rest are 1280x720). The S5 also has the highest clock rate.
My concern is that the S5 is using technology from 4 years ago, while the rest are more recent. Should that be a concern, or is the S5 the best option here?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in my opinion, for this expense and one of the best!

I use a Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo and everything works fine.
2 weeks ago there was an update for the S5 over OTA. It is still alive and good.
In USA the normal S5 is still a smartphone that is one of the bestsellers.
I have no need to get another phone.
And the original S5 is better than my neo.
Gesendet von meinem SM-G903F mit Tapatalk

I would go with the S5...
Amoled screen, wireless charging, fingerscan...16mp cam..
Put LOS or RR and youll get the best deal...
Or try a xiaomi mia1

Hello, had a galaxy s5 for around 3 years. My unit had a bit of a network issue, which sullied my experience, so be careful when buying a refurb!
Also, if processing power is important to you, you should note that it has constant slowdowns/stutters and, though not as often, crashes. It also heats up pretty quick and has mediocre battery life, draining pretty fast with any decent usage. The chipset really does not hold up compared to mid range chipsets now imo. Near the time I upgraded, it became nearly unusable for a bit whenever i turned the wifi on, though a factory reset and a sparser app library has alleviated the worst aspects of using the phone. It might be powerful specwise, but in irl use I find newer midrange chips outperform it in day to day use.
I recently upgraded to a redmi note 5 (china) and it was an upgrade in every way. From build to smoothness to battery life (and both cameras but you don't care about that). It also has the 6' display while retaining the same width as my s5, thanks to the 18:9 display. The aspect ratio is great in all apps that aren't games and in general UI use. It also has oreo out of the box and will get updates in the future, unlike the s5.
The redmi 5 plus(china) could also be a replacement that's cheaper, but I can't vouch for the screen on that one. The redmi note 5 has a bright lcd that looks really good. It's not amoled, but the transition hasn't bothered me at all, it's quite excellent! I've gotten compliments on the screen from many friends who have seen it in person as well.
So, yeah, look into the phone and see if your budget can be adjusted. Shoot for the 3/32 GB which is a steal imo. Oh, and it has a micro sd card slot, just like the s5, so storage won't be an issue. Another plus with these phones is that they actually have a fingerprint scanner that's not trash - another thing from the past that does not hold up.
I looked up the prices for these phones and they seem to be out of the 150$ budget, so, if the budget is rigid you might want to look into the redmi note 4, which can be found for 160$ and has all the same internals as the redmi 5 plus. I cannot vouch for how good the screen is, but it's 1080P IPS LCD. I would personally consider it a better phone to buy than the Galaxy S5 as well (working fingerprint scanner, larger screen, equivalent if not better chipset usability wise).
Anyway, I'm not really as knowledgable as most people in xda but I am a s5 owner, so I figured I'd chip in and try to help.

While S5 is still a nice phone, it is not worth buying one at this time. The best option would be to get current/last year mid end phone. Look at the local market websites, maybe there are good deals. Xiaomi redmi 5 plus is nice phone for low price, also redmi note 4 is nice phone too, you will get better peformance than S5, or at very least the same, more ram, much better battery life due to bigger battery and better chipset, you will get android updates.

S5 is still a great phone.. Do not buy refurbished.. you can find great deals on Ebay.. My cost $110 no dings, or dents or scratches.. Phone actually had very little call time on it.. Moto's IMOP are junk.

Hi ,
I personally think you should go for a newer phone like Honor 8. The main problem i would have with an S5 is the fact that it only has 16GB internal memory. Apart from that it is still a great phone.
With those 16 GB you will always struggle if you want to install many applications and keep Whatsapp data on your phone.

loomax12 said:
Hi ,
I personally think you should go for a newer phone like Honor 8. The main problem i would have with an S5 is the fact that it only has 16GB internal memory. Apart from that it is still a great phone.
With those 16 GB you will always struggle if you want to install many applications and keep Whatsapp data on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does support SD Cards up to 128 GB though. I'm a kinda heavy user and never had problems with storage, always around 3-4 GB free in internal. Though I did put my games on my card obviosly (there was some app that does this, I forgot name).

i picked mine up monday for 45$. cracked rear camera glass. still takes photos fine.
anyway, i love the thing. i went from an s7 to an iphone 7 then to and old moto then to this. i love the effing thing. i get 2 days in low power mode with the original battery. im hunting for a parts phone now.
the s5 has issues from what ive heard but so far, im running fine.

After 2 weeks using the S5 of my wife I have to reverse my opinion. I installed latest lineageos 14.1 on it and it works like a charm. With lineageos there is still a lot of internal memory left for apps. Bluetooth which is often a problem for custom roms seems to work pretty well.

I've actually recently bought an S5, and although it is not the best option, the support for it has been huge over time and its still going on with amazing roms like AEX or CrDroid.
The only part I dislike is the storage, because yea 16GB are little to me. And the fact that it is refurbished is good contrary to what people assume, because, then that means its already fixed, you wont have to go through that pain as you would with a new one waiting to fail, that's how it is, you have more chances of a new one having issues than a refurbished one because that one already had them and its already fixed. On the other hand, "refurbished" doesnt always mean "it broke and we fixed it", usually its because people return it to the store, the package is open, they cant sell them as new, even if theres nothing wrong with it, it automatically falls to the "refurbished" category and not many people think of that.
Now, the Moto G4 is actually a better option, it has a good performance, but you should opt for the Plus version with 32GB internal
So, I'd recommend the G4 Plus, if you cant buy that, then the S5 is the way to go

S5 is still going strong.
I would not change it, but I need a dual SIM phone now.
So if you can get one, go for it.
However, I am not aware of CDMA capabilities or tested it, sorry. I have European model...

My uncle gave me his old S5 back in January to replace my dying S4 LTE-A, and with LineageOS 15.1, it feels like a brand new phone

im now rooted and running the latest lineage 14.1 and its awesome.
12 hours of battery, 4 hours of SOT and no issues. these nougat kernels are pretty nice. lol
people talking about storage, flash Lineage, have a clean sd card in and use the SD card as adptive storage. it shows it as all internal storage and works like a charm.

Bodisson said:
S5 is still going strong.
I would not change it, but I need a dual SIM phone now.
So if you can get one, go for it.
However, I am not aware of CDMA capabilities or tested it, sorry. I have European model...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would you recommend the S5 as a backup to the Note 4?

I still have an S5 as a backup phone. Main phone Xiaomei Redmi Note 4x which I bought due to its superior battery life. The S5 imo is still good as backup phone and has an excellent camera (if you stick to TouchWiz based roms).

mrfeh said:
Hello folks.
I'm looking to replace my current cell phone. It needs to be an unlocked CDMA (Sprint) phone. Things that are important to me:
high quality screen
processing power
decent storage
Things that aren't that important to me:
camera
I have a price limit of $150. Given the above, I am looking at:
Moto E4
Galaxy S5 (refurbished)
Galaxy J3 Emerge
Moto G4 Play
All of them have 5" screens, but the S5 has the highest resolution (the rest are 1280x720). The S5 also has the highest clock rate.
My concern is that the S5 is using technology from 4 years ago, while the rest are more recent. Should that be a concern, or is the S5 the best option here?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello!
I can definately assure you that:
A. Off the phones you have listed AND
B. Your stated price range
The S5 is your choice!!
It is amazing!! You will not be dissapointed! Unlimited battery life (multiple batteries), screen resolution, clock speed etc etc.
I am currently typing from one! Lol, I have the OnePlus 3 and my good ol' trusty S5! Some tips:
You stated about being older firmware (S5 is marshmallow) whilst others are nougat..... The S5 is one of the most developed phones ever! even still!!! In literally 5 minutes and little knowledge you can flash a custom recovery and then a custom ROM, no root needed. I have used the S5 since the early days and have used pretty much EVERY rom, honestly!
I can suggest resurrection remix as THE most customisable, they have features beyond any other! They have 100% stable nougat build and Oreo also, I use them both. In fact we have multiboot so can run 2 ROMs at once just choose at boot!
We have lots of kernels if you choose to root like myself, this way you can have 2.1 amp quick charge, boot windows or Linux on PC from phone, double battery time, gaming performance and over clocking to 2.84 GHz!!!! The phone is a beast!! It is reliable as hell too! I have had mine rooted for 4 years, overclocked and its given me no worries....And waterproof with a removable battery!!!!!!
Hope this helps, any questions at all please ask, happy to help

ErbDroid said:
Hello!
I can definately assure you that:
A. Off the phones you have listed AND
B. Your stated price range
The S5 is your choice!!
It is amazing!! You will not be dissapointed! Unlimited battery life (multiple batteries), screen resolution, clock speed etc etc.
I am currently typing from one! Lol, I have the OnePlus 3 and my good ol' trusty S5! Some tips:
You stated about being older firmware (S5 is marshmallow) whilst others are nougat..... The S5 is one of the most developed phones ever! even still!!! In literally 5 minutes and little knowledge you can flash a custom recovery and then a custom ROM, no root needed. I have used the S5 since the early days and have used pretty much EVERY rom, honestly!
I can suggest resurrection remix as THE most customisable, they have features beyond any other! They have 100% stable nougat build and Oreo also, I use them both. In fact we have multiboot so can run 2 ROMs at once just choose at boot!
We have lots of kernels if you choose to root like myself, this way you can have 2.1 amp quick charge, boot windows or Linux on PC from phone, double battery time, gaming performance and over clocking to 2.84 GHz!!!! The phone is a beast!! It is reliable as hell too! I have had mine rooted for 4 years, overclocked and its given me no worries....And waterproof with a removable battery!!!!!!
Hope this helps, any questions at all please ask, happy to help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello.
Please make recomendation for Nougat and Oreo firmwares