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I´ve been thinking about getting a tablet lately but I cannot make up my mind about getting either the 7 Plus or the 7.7. I can get the 7 Plus here in Brazil for around us$400 and the 7.7 for us$750 (almost DOUBLE the price!). I know the super amoled screen must be an incredible joy to watch movies but is the screen on the 7 Plus bad? I used to have the Atrix and I hated how faded the screen looked when watching movies when compared to the GSI amoled screen. I now have a GSII and the screen is just perfect.
Other than the screen is there really anything else that can justify the price difference? I mean, the 7.7 has a little bit more memory and a little bit more battery time. I´m having a hard time paying almost double the price just for the amoled benefit.
Well, for that price difference it's not worth it IMO. However, the screen size and quality is definitely a plus for the 7.7. You would say it's only .7", but it makes a pretty big difference.
And think about it: are you really going to watch that many movies on a tablet? I have the 7.7 and am very happy with it, but I think the 7 plus does the job as well for less cash. At the time I got mine there weren't any decent options in the 7-8" range in Romania, but if I had to buy it now, I would think twice.
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using Tapatalk 2
I have a 7 plus I will probably sell. For me:
1. The increased screen size and resolution really makes it worthwhile
2. Having integrated LTE was just too good for me to pass on.
-Rob
By itself, the 7.0+ is certainly a great little device that you can get for a reasonable price now.
But, compared to the 7.7 the screen on the 7.0+ just suuuuuucks. It makes a huge difference in user experience.
The resolution is what sold me on the 7.7. Coming from an N7000 I was not willing to go back to a lower resolution plus I remember hating the Gtab 7 1.0's resolution for web browsing back when I had one.
I tried the 7 Plus for about two weeks. I liked it, it did what I needed, but switching between that and my Galaxy Nexus really made the screen quality show. I also hated that when I downloaded apps they would most always be set to the phone app vs tablet because of the screen resolution. Changing the density didn't fix this at all. After trying a second time with a Tab 2 this passed Sunday, I gave up and ponied up for the 7.7. I can say i'm happy, even with paying nearly 3 times as much as I had for the 7 Plus or Tab 2.
First of all if you are looking for 7+ then I suggest you wait a bit until Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 announced. Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is a step down version of 7+, but you really want to compare it before making your decision.
Nevertheless, if budget is not your major concern then go for 7.7. It worths every penny you spent.
There is a huge difference, battery and screen are the biggest. It is best to go to Fastshop and see for yourself. They already have the hard cover at the online store.
九千. said:
First of all if you are looking for 7+ then I suggest you wait a bit until Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 announced. Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is a step down version of 7+, but you really want to compare it before making your decision.
Nevertheless, if budget is not your major concern then go for 7.7. It worths every penny you spent.
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Tab 2 7 is already out. I've already bought and returned one from Best Buy. The 7 Plus feels better in hand IMO. ICS is obviously nice.
九千. said:
..if budget is not your major concern then go for 7.7. It worths every penny you spent.
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+ 1
It mainly depends on your use case. Where I live, the prices are even worse and the difference is even more marked, yet I went for the 7.7 instead of the 7 plus.
The screens made a difference for me as I use it to rate my photography and the 7 plus simply does not do the same job as the 7.7 when it comes to color and tone accuracy. The 7 plus is not bad, but it's nowhere near close.
The 1280*800 resolution on the 7.7 compared to the 1024*600 on the 7 Plus makes a huge difference. The original Galaxy Tab 7 had a screen resolution of 1024*600 and I would not buy anything with that resolution now. Also, the 7.7 uses Super Amoled Plus which is another great advantage. If you can afford it go for the 7.7.
Thanks for all the comments, guys. I think I will wait for a while and see what the market has to offer. With all the quad core devices out there I feel that maybe the 7.7 is a bit overpriced (specially when compared to the yet to be launched Toshiba 7.7 tablet...which is a quad core with a super amoled screen...plus a mini usb port).
I had the 7+ for about 3 days and took it back and picked up the 7.7 for about $125 more. Well worth the upgrade for that price, but nearly twice the cost, I doubt I'd do it.
Resolution (1280x800), Super Amoled screen, 5100mAh battery (last long!), lighter in weight (eventho it is bigger!), Faster processor (1.4MHz) and so on.
Absolutely worth it, that extra resolution on Super Amoled Plus is sex for my eyes. I had the original GT, the Tab Plus, and when i got this to try out due to having LTE I couldn't bring myself to send it back.
I guess it's a different story if you are budget limited.
This tablet is freakin' awesome. Its fast, great battery life, gorgeous screen. Honeycomb is the only drawback
I'm about to sell my Nexus 10 to buy a smaller tablet. The Nexus 10 is great but it's too big to use comfortably daily. Playing games is almost impossible and holding the tablet in portrait it's too uncomfortable.
I've narrowed it down to the new Nexus 7 or the upcoming LG G Pad 8.3. I prefer the LG because 8 inches seems to be the perfect screen size for gaming, video playback, web browsing and PDF reading.
The Nexus 7 has great price, updates, great stock experience and it's already available. But I feel I would get tired of the small screen too quickly. Reading PDFs would be almost impossible, as well as web browsing.
I've been thinking about it for days and still can't decide.
Do you guys that own the Nexus 7 feel the screen is too small after a few months with it? I'll be using the new tablet at home always. I think the LG is great because it's the first 8 inch tablet with 1080P screen. The snapdragon 600 inside is also better and the battery is bigger also, but I know I wouldn't get updates. This wouldn't be too much of a problem if the tablet works for me. I think I could keep an 8 inch tablet longer than a 7.
No. In fact I think the size is perfect. Its wide enough to hold in one hand comfortably (portrait). It fits in my front jeans pocket (barely). Big enough to do whatever on.
The N7 uses an under clocked S600. It has updated cores and GPU. I don't know why they called it an S4 Pro. So speed wise you will see very little difference.
LG never supports their products. It will probably come out with 4.2.2 just as we're getting 4.4. They have horrible update schedules. You're lucky to get one OS update before EOL. Development on them are also lacking. They usually come locked without an easy way to unlock. The LG G2 is rooted by a special method but remains locked.
It will probably never see an update past 4.4
I wouldn't pick a LG device unless I gave it several months to settle and see where it ends up with updates and dev. They make some great hardware but really botch up the software and support. The G2 seems like a great phone out of the box but will be left in the dust in a few months. Take your chances with their tablet but think about one thing:
How well will you like it in a year when the N7 has the latest and greatest Android (5.0?) and cool ROMs and mods, and you're stuck on an iffy modified stock rom with no support?
I left the Nexus line once, and it was rough.
The 7" is very nice because you want to downsize for toting. It fits easier into your coat pockets and lighter. 7 and 8 inches aren't that different unless you are comparing. Standalone you won't even notice the difference.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Actually the N7's 7 inch display isn't too small for PDF and web browsing. Given its retina grade PPI, words are crisp even when they are zoomed out. I've been using it for my classes which I read PDF PowerPoint slides on daily basis, and I am happy with it. :good:
7 inch is also the largest you can get for comfortable 1 hand use with portrait mode. 8 inch tablets has to be held with 2 hands even in portrait.
You lay down, put tablet on your belly. Can be held with one hand...
So size doesn't matter.
Reading? n7 is good... No more headaches.
Oh well go with n7 and next year maybe a nexus8 will come out.
It sounds like you've answered your own question, you find 7" tablets to small. Both are excellent tablets, you can't really go wrong with either of them.
I've not used a Nexus 7 but have used a Galaxy Tab 2 7" and I thought the size was great for what it was, small, pocketable but 7" tablets are rather small for day to day use (they're fine for reading PDFs though, Kindles are even smaller).
Personally I find 10" tablets to big.
For me the iPad Mini is pretty much the perfect tablet size but Apple products interest me not. I was interested in the Galaxy Tab 3 8" but oddly for Samsung their Galaxy Tab specs are low. I understand both the Galaxy Tab 3 8" and LG G Pad 8.3 are roughly the same size and crucially aspect ratio as the iPad Mini.
It's the wider nature of 8" tablets that interest me and of course the LG G Pad 8.3 is a much better tablet than the Galaxy Tab 3 8".
Sure I doubt LG will upgrade the version of Android much (if at all), their track record is poor but you know what Android 4.2.2 is already a decent version of Android and it's not as if Android 4.3/4.4 add much.
Yes not getting Android 5.0 (possibly) would irk me but it's all about the size and aspect ratio with a tablet for me and 8" tablets are the "sweet spot". Plus I like the look of QSlide, it doesn't look as useful as Samsung's Multi-Window but is the next best thing. Being able to display two apps at once on a tablet is genuinely useful.
p.s - IMO this whole phones/tablets not getting the latest Android version is overrated, you've still bought a decent product (hopefully) and the past few Android upgrades have been minor anyway. Android 4.0 came out 2 years ago!
Reading is amazing especially with Play Books on N7
Sent from my MIZ Z1 using Tapatalk 4
I think the LG is better. But nobosy knows when it will be released..
I had the Nexus 7(2013) and returned it because of the nonfunctional GPS and random reboot issues. From what I understand, the GPS now works, but the reboot issues persist, and some still complain of multitouch issues.
I've got the LG G2 and it's the best phone I've ever owned. With that said, I'm looking forward to the G Pad. The Q-Pair software looks really slick, in that you can tether to your phone(supposedly any Android phone) for a data connection with one click. It will also send and receive texts and phone calls from a connected phone.
As to the comments about one handed use, the G Pad is a hair under 1/2" wider than the Nexus 7, thanks to the thin bezel. LG supposedly studied average hand sizes to come up with comfortable overall dimensions.
I'd say if you want the bleeding edge latest-greatest version of Android, and can live with the smaller screen, Asus build quality, and random reboots, go with the Nexus 7.
If you don't mind slow or no software updates, but want a bigger screen, most likely superior build quality, and hopefully no random reboots, go with the G Pad 8.3. That said, I'd still wait for it to hit the market to see if any serious issues surface.
I'm in the same situation as you. I currently have the nexus 7 and love the screen quality and all. It's good for reading super small texts but I've always felt like 8 inch screen was the perfect size. I'm waiting to see when the lg comes out and the price. If it's $299, that's a bargain and I'm probably gonna sell my nexus 7 and get the LG. I'm not too worried about software with the LG because I know I'm gonna end up rooting it and installing AOSP on it eventually.
Also I feel like the nexus 7 doesn't have a great build quality. my nexus 7 most likely has a grounding issue (ie: I have touches not registering when I place it flat on my bed or table) but who knows maybe lg will have the same problem. I would say wait for lg to come out, play with it, then make your decision
LG is terrible with releasing updates for their products. I'd actually wait a bit to see if the dev community does anything for it. I had a phone from them that they basically stopped doing updates for a month after it was released, rendering it useless. I had bought it on the basis that they were going to release an update for it, and after a year, they didn't.
My Nexus 7 2013 have been great, and have neither multitouch or random reboot issues. If the Gpad can be rooted/unlocked/restored as easily as Nexus 7 and have a Dev community just as large I might consider it. Otherwise I prefer the Nexus 7.
I have an N7 2013 running PA to get the Tablet UI, which I feel works much better than Phablet mode (lots more real estate).
I do feel the N7 bezels are a waste and would much prefer an 8" tablet with much smaller bezels. I had an iPad mini before the N7 (my wife has it now!) and as much as iOS is boring, it worked much better as a tablet in terms of its size. So I'm thinking the LG would close that gap.
Like others, however, I feel it would need to be BL unlockable to make the switch. I have hope only because it's a WiFi only device, thus no carriers to be beholden to.
LG G Pad 8.3 to be available October 14th in Korea and other markets by the end of the year.
Price: 510$.
Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.
I love the new N7. I just got rid of my iPad 3, it was big and of course boring. I'm not experiencing any of those issues, I rooted and unlocked it straight outta the box, still running stock ROM. It's great for web browsing and everything else of course. I personally think this is the best tablet on the market. You can't go wrong with price, usability and support from Google and XDA.
For on the go, I like the 2013 N7. My 2012 got really laggy even after the update. There are a few bugs still with the touch response, but its better now. Ill still use an iPad 3 at home, mainly because the wife prefers Apple. The LG looks like it could be nice, but not for the rumor prices.
It's really about the tradeoff you want to make. The new N7 is great and it wins where Nexus devices win: frequent updates, freedom to flash and competitive pricing. If you're a person (like me) who likes to muck about a lot, there's no alternative. With non-Nexus devices, I think you have to ask yourself if you're potentially comfortable with that device as-is for the entire time you own it. If it never got a new feature or the newest OS base and the like, would you be satisfied with the purchase? If you feel good saying yes to that, it sounds to me like the screen size is a big feature for you, so I'd go that way. If you're putting your faith in an OEM to fix or improve software, there's history to support the conclusion that you will generally be disappointed, as a rule of thumb. Just go into the purchase with your eyes open to that likely scenario and you'll be fine.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Today I went to a store to try again the Nexus 7 and I think I'm sold. Great screen, great materials, very nice to hold with one hand, stock android, etc. Then I tried the Note 8.0 and Tab 3 8.0 and they felt heavier and my hand got tired much quickly than with the Nexus 7. Screen was not that bad, but comparing touchwiz to stock on the Nexus 7 showed me again stock is better for a tablet.
I'm not gonna wait for the LG. Will try the Nexus 7 for a week and see how that goes.
Fistly, for comparing, we must try in hand G8.
I bought a month ago N7 lte, and now thinking to try G8, and if it will be the same in tactical feelings i prefer 8 inch vs 7 inch.
10 inches is big for mobility, 7 - small for reading. 8 - best compromise.
And of course, price is one more important factor.
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.
This tablet is great. Bought it today to replace my Nexus 10, which is a great tablet but I just can't use it comfortably holding it for hours. Too heavy and big. Playing games was impossible, as doing almost everything else.
I wasn't quite sure about 7 inches, but after a couple of hours playing with the device I can say it's great. It's AWESOME being able to hold the tablet with one hand for long periods of time without problems.
The screen is even better than the one in my Nexus 10: more bright and better colors. It just pops out.
The performance is great also. It may be slightly slightly faster and more fluid. It's great having such a good GPU: the adreno 320. I've gotalso more RAM available now, since with the Nexus 10 we were losing more and more RAM with every update Google released. They were giving more memory to the GPU and in the end I only had 500MB free. Now I have 1,2GB! This is after all apps installed and everything obviously.
It's so light and comfortable. In the end this is the most important feature.
I'm super impressed with the quality of the speakers! So loud and clear! I got the 32GB model for 249. Great price.
I can definitely see that Google has put more care in the software performance of this device than on the Nexus 10. Performance is consistent, no lags, no reboots or freezes for now. Even touch response is better than on the Nexus 10. Trust me.
I can finally play games comfortably and do everything without having to hold in my hands such a huge tablet. No more 9 inch tablets or bigger for me thanks. Even 8 inches seems big now. I actually tried the Note 8.0 and Tab 3 8.0 on the store before buying the Nexus 7 and they weren't as comfortable to hold as the Nexus 7. The plastic was horrible and it slips out of my hands. Touchwiz didn't perform half as quick and smooth as stock on the Nexus 7.
This is the best experience I've had with Android definitely. Can't imaging how Google will be able to improve this hardware anymore in the next versions. The materials are excellent, screen can't be better, loud speakers... and I'm even getting great battery life.
Now just waiting for 4.4. So happy right now. Selling my Nexus 10 this week.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
That's the conversion price. you can't go off of that because the US price will be different from the won price. example: the note 8 has the same won price as the lg g pad but only costed $400 in the US. the ipad mini was 640,000 won (vs 650,000 for note 8 and lg g pad) and only costed $329 in the US. only way to tell the true cost will be to wait until they release that info for the US, which is after South Korea so next!
I have been absolutely in love with my Note 2014 since I bought it, and with the help of this forum has been just about the perfect tablet for the last couple of years. But the battery has been struggling lately, and then a little while ago the s-pen broke, and it was impossible to find an OEM replacement. The crappy knock-off s-pen I was able to find online was pretty much unusable, and since I use my Note for handwritten notes and documents almost exclusively, took all of the fun out of the tablet for me. So I went looking for a replacement. I thought about just getting a new Note 2014 off amazon, but I thought it might be good to get something that will run 6.0+. I tried the Nvidia Shield K1, since it has a stylus, but I returned that after just a couple of days. The stylus was terrible, and palm rejection was spotty at best. Then I started looking at the Tab A 10.1 with an S-pen. I was concerned about the resolution mostly, but I went ahead and bought it. Initially, I thought I had made another mistake. The new Samsung Notes app just flat out stinks. Its trying to be an Evernote, and by trying that lost everything that made S-Note such a great program for me. I was about ready to return the Tab and just go back to my dying Note 10.1 when I stumbled across the apk for the updated S-Note. Installed that and I am happy as a clam! Quite a few improvements over the Note 10.1 version, but it imported all my old notes perfectly. I love the new s-pen functionality, and the resolution has not bothered me near as much as I thought it would. I'm sure if I took my Note out and laid them side by side I would notice the difference, but for my use it has not detracted from the tablet at all. The main complaint I have, and that others have made, is that for some ridiculous reason Samsung chose to put the speakers on the same side. That's ok if you are using the tablet in portrait, but who watches any kind of media with the tablet in portrait. So in landscape all the sound comes from the same side. Baffling. But other that that, it has been a great replacement for the Note 10.1. At lease until Samsung gets a clue and comes out with a Note 10.1 2017 edition!
I've been trying out the Tab A 10.1 with S Pen today, and I also really like it, and with Marshmallow it feels a lot more responsive than the Note Pro I've been trying out. But like you said, those speakers! Not only are they on one side, but they sound terrible and don't get loud enough. Still, I could forgive that if they were at least on both sides. After 15 minutes of watching video, I'm noticing a bad discomfort in my right ear (had the speakers facing that way) that I've never felt using myriad of proper stereo tablets I've had, even given that they're relatively quiet. So, I'm sending it back, as well as the Note Pro (thing is more unwieldy than I'd hoped) and hoping the Like New $200 10.1 2014 edition I saw on Amazon doesn't disappoint.
Any other issues with the 10.1 2014 beside the battery and broken pen?
Just wishing if somebody could make a port of tab A 10.1 rom for note 10.1 2014. But I know its practically impossible. So, just a wish.
Tab A 10.1 2016 with S Pen needs an OEM cover/case....the one advertised as an accessory for this tablet is actually for the Tab A 2016 (without S Pen) - which doesn't have the same dimensions. The cases on eBay and Amazon are less than desirable.
I sent mine back. It is a great device, but so is the 2014. A couple of things I didn't like: 16gb model only, speakers on one side when watching in landscape, 'soft' buttons aren't backlit....and absolutely no good options for a case. I also missed the 'swipe' to open the multi-window options, it was just fewer clicks to get everything set up.
I loved the battery (which was phenomenal) and the new/improved SPen functionality. The screen was great - I couldn't tell/see the lower resolution.
It is a great device, just not worth the money to upgrade.
I see the specs the resolution and ppi are lower, less ram?. Do you actually notice any differences?
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
radpp16 said:
I see the specs the resolution and ppi are lower, less ram?. Do you actually notice any differences?
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
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I didn't have any complaints as far as resolution or performance. Mine were fairly aesthetic (no case, lack of backlit buttons, etc.). If my Note weren't still running fine, I would have kept it. People who say it isn't a 'true' Note haven't tried it. The note functionality was fine - actually had some slight improvements over the 2014.
The resolution is half the 2014. It's very visibly different.
But at least it's a semi decent tablet with a SPen. Hopefully it will get released in a few more markets next year.
jeremyr62 said:
But at least it's a semi decent tablet with a SPen. Hopefully it will get released in a few more markets next year.
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What is the point of buying it over a Note 2014 though? You can find those dirt cheap on ebay these days.
For software updates you can always use CM. I honestly don't get Tab A, there is not one thing that it is better than a 3 year old tablet (that can also be found for less).
Battery life and improved SPen functionality are the TabA's advantages over the Note 2014. I disagree with RojoNinja's comment on resolution being 'visibly different'. It wasn't to my eyes and I had them side-by-side. My wife (who had no idea of the respective resolutions) even commented that the Tab A's screen looked better to her.
I have to admit to struggling with the idea of stepping back on the #'s in the specs was irritating but the screen was fine. The sound wasn't. When you watch a video, you usually watch it in landscape, When you watch in landscape using the Note 2014, there is a speaker on the left and on the right. When you watch with the Tab A in landscape, both speakers end up on one side, giving it a 'mono' sound.
One of my earlier complaints (the lack of an 'official' case) has been resolved.
I've had second thoughts on returning it based on the crappy (and getting worse) battery life of my Note 2014, it's the sound issue and curiosity about what lies around the corner that keeps me with my 2014.
In my experience finding a new or decent secondhand Note 2014 is not easy. They go for good money on Ebay in the UK at least. I replaced mine in the summer and paid a lot more for it than I did the first time around. So a new version with similar(ish) specs is OK in my book. Except it isn't released in UK/Ireland yet, and may not be.
ckelly33 said:
Battery life and improved SPen functionality are the TabA's advantages over the Note 2014. .
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That is interesting to know actually. Never used Tab A, merely seen its specs. So how much SoT are you getting? After much tweaking, in medium to low brightness I'm getting 8 hours on average (some more some less) with my Note 2014, distributed over a 2-3 days of use (before charging again)
Mind you it's 6 AH (TAB A) vs 8.2 AH (Note 2014). I realize that Tab A has much less power hungry components which may explain the better battery. Still real life results would be interesting to know (by those that actually own the thing). Thanks.
jeremyr62 said:
In my experience finding a new or decent secondhand Note 2014 is not easy. They go for good money on Ebay in the UK at least. I replaced mine in the summer and paid a lot more for it than I did the first time around. So a new version with similar(ish) specs is OK in my book. Except it isn't released in UK/Ireland yet, and may not be.
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BTW may I ask why you needed a replacement for? Generally it is the battery that wears and ... tears eventually, but it's easy/cheap to replace. Have you experienced another one of your components going bad?
I put some huge scratches into the (soft glass) screen which I couldn't live with. The battery life was bad too. Much better in the new one. Screen protector mandatory IME.
I was worried about the reduced screen resolution, but I haven't noticed a difference at all. I was especially worried about how the resolution might affect the clarity of handwriting with the s-pen, but that has not be a problem at all. After more than a month with it I am totally satisfied.
cliemonster said:
I was worried about the reduced screen resolution, but I haven't noticed a difference at all. I was especially worried about how the resolution might affect the clarity of handwriting with the s-pen, but that has not be a problem at all. After more than a month with it I am totally satisfied.
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Cliemonster - can you answer Steve's SoT question (above). I returned my Tab A (for reasons unrelated to dissatisfaction).
ckelly33 said:
Cliemonster - can you answer Steve's SoT question (above). I returned my Tab A (for reasons unrelated to dissatisfaction).
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Sorry for the late reply! The holidays are always a busy time. On days with heavy use, which for me means several hours of note taking via S-note, emails, a good hour or so of ebook reading, reading through the Wall Street Journal for the day, etc, I usually don't fall below 50%. I don't do a lot of streaming video, so I can't comment on that, although I do watch Grand Tour on Amazon Prime on my tablet and for an hour show it doesn't seem to bleed the battery dry. I'll check the exact usage next time I watch an episode.
sam_khan said:
Just wishing if somebody could make a port of tab A 10.1 rom for note 10.1 2014. But I know its practically impossible. So, just a wish.
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Why impossible!
---------- Post added at 09:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 PM ----------
cliemonster said:
I have been absolutely in love with my Note 2014 since I bought it, and with the help of this forum has been just about the perfect tablet for the last couple of years. But the battery has been struggling lately, and then a little while ago the s-pen broke, and it was impossible to find an OEM replacement. The crappy knock-off s-pen I was able to find online was pretty much unusable, and since I use my Note for handwritten notes and documents almost exclusively, took all of the fun out of the tablet for me. So I went looking for a replacement. I thought about just getting a new Note 2014 off amazon, but I thought it might be good to get something that will run 6.0+. I tried the Nvidia Shield K1, since it has a stylus, but I returned that after just a couple of days. The stylus was terrible, and palm rejection was spotty at best. Then I started looking at the Tab A 10.1 with an S-pen. I was concerned about the resolution mostly, but I went ahead and bought it. Initially, I thought I had made another mistake. The new Samsung Notes app just flat out stinks. Its trying to be an Evernote, and by trying that lost everything that made S-Note such a great program for me. I was about ready to return the Tab and just go back to my dying Note 10.1 when I stumbled across the apk for the updated S-Note. Installed that and I am happy as a clam! Quite a few improvements over the Note 10.1 version, but it imported all my old notes perfectly. I love the new s-pen functionality, and the resolution has not bothered me near as much as I thought it would. I'm sure if I took my Note out and laid them side by side I would notice the difference, but for my use it has not detracted from the tablet at all. The main complaint I have, and that others have made, is that for some ridiculous reason Samsung chose to put the speakers on the same side. That's ok if you are using the tablet in portrait, but who watches any kind of media with the tablet in portrait. So in landscape all the sound comes from the same side. Baffling. But other that that, it has been a great replacement for the Note 10.1. At lease until Samsung gets a clue and comes out with a Note 10.1 2017 edition!
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Can we ask any developer to make a rom from tab a 10.1 2016 with s pen to note 10.1 2014.
Not a great advance in the state of art
cliemonster said:
I have been absolutely in love with my Note 2014 since I bought it, and with the help of this forum has been just about the perfect tablet for the last couple of years. But the battery has been struggling lately, and then a little while ago the s-pen broke, and it was impossible to find an OEM replacement. The crappy knock-off s-pen I was able to find online was pretty much unusable, and since I use my Note for handwritten notes and documents almost exclusively, took all of the fun out of the tablet for me. So I went looking for a replacement. I thought about just getting a new Note 2014 off amazon, but I thought it might be good to get something that will run 6.0+. I tried the Nvidia Shield K1, since it has a stylus, but I returned that after just a couple of days. The stylus was terrible, and palm rejection was spotty at best. Then I started looking at the Tab A 10.1 with an S-pen. I was concerned about the resolution mostly, but I went ahead and bought it. Initially, I thought I had made another mistake. The new Samsung Notes app just flat out stinks. Its trying to be an Evernote, and by trying that lost everything that made S-Note such a great program for me. I was about ready to return the Tab and just go back to my dying Note 10.1 when I stumbled across the apk for the updated S-Note. Installed that and I am happy as a clam! Quite a few improvements over the Note 10.1 version, but it imported all my old notes perfectly. I love the new s-pen functionality, and the resolution has not bothered me near as much as I thought it would. I'm sure if I took my Note out and laid them side by side I would notice the difference, but for my use it has not detracted from the tablet at all. The main complaint I have, and that others have made, is that for some ridiculous reason Samsung chose to put the speakers on the same side. That's ok if you are using the tablet in portrait, but who watches any kind of media with the tablet in portrait. So in landscape all the sound comes from the same side. Baffling. But other that that, it has been a great replacement for the Note 10.1. At lease until Samsung gets a clue and comes out with a Note 10.1 2017 edition!
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I have managed to get a new battery installed in the Note 10.1 2014 and my stylus is still in a great condition. This morning, the tablet got one of the very rare software updates (mostly security, I would think), but it likely indicates that Samsung has not entirely abandoned it. The processor is still quite fast.
I've been using a Galaxy Tab S 8.4 for a couple of years and I've been mostly happy with it. My tab has developed hardware problems and now crashes a lot. I'm thinking of switching to a different 8" pad with more recent firmware. Did anybody switch from a Tab S to an M3? Can you tell me the pros and cons off the M3 compared to the Tab S?
The Galaxy Tab S is the best tablet I've ever had. The only cons that I had with it is that the Exynos chip, unless you got the better Snapdragon variant. What largely disappointed me with the M3 is how the screen was calibrated, this is a bit subjective but I prefer the look of the basic mode on the Galaxy Tab S. If you've been in the adaptive mode then I doubt you'll dislike how the display looks. The M3 has bit of heft on weight in comparison to the Galaxy Tab S. The OS is purely disappointing and the DPI isn't similar to a tablet, so the UI of the M3 looks like it's a big phone. GPU performance isn't that big of a leap. What's really great on the M3 is its speaker. It's an absolute bliss listening to it. Also, build quality is a lot premium than the Galaxy Tab S. In my opinion the only route you'll have is to purchase the expensive Galaxy Tab S3 or a cheaper 1080p tablet from Lenovo, the Lenovo Tab 4 8 plus which has a snapdragon 625. You probably have the same dilemma as mine, I was spoiled by the 16:10 aspect ratio of the Tab S that I couldn't purchase any tablet with a 4:3 aspect ratio or I could be wrong.
Thanks, that's just the kind of information I was looking for. You're right, I like the aspect ratio on the Tab S and I don't want to switch to a tablet with a 4:3 ratio. It's really a shame that tablets don't seem to get much attention and that there are so few to choose from. I couldn't get by without my tablet.
Guess I'll have to compromise one way or another.
I loved my Tab S and when it took a nose dive off the kitchen side I instantly went to buy the same model for two reasons. Firstly, tablets haven't evolved much in the past couple of years and I didn't like the ratio of the Tab S2 and S3. However, when I saw that the Tab S was still north of £200 and not far south for second hand I decided to research into something newer. Main requirement was the screen ratio of the Tab S
Agree with everything mentioned above but will also add that the bonus of the bulk is 3 days battery versus 1 day on the Tab S along with a premium feel.
Overall I am really happy with the M3. The Nougat update removes the over sized phone GUI and improves the feel of the tablet massively. That said if I'd bought the M3 as an upgrade to the Tab S if think I would have been disappointed as it's not a marked improvement but certainly didn't want to return it once I started playing. BTW if you leave it in phone mode Google Assistant apparently !!
Development is limited but the Firmware Finder app does a pretty good job of releasing beta firmware and providing tools to install them.
Got a decent screen protector, case (although, dodgy colour) and hard tip stylus if you need recommendations
Tough call. I'm still hoping I can get my Tab S working well again, but if I can't, I may give the M3 a try. Thanks for the suggestions. I may be back soon.
I never had a Tab S but i did and still have a Tab Pro 8.4. The M3 is a great replacement honestly. The screen is bright and responsive. The speakers are a huge upgrade. The new UI 5.0 is decent. I wish there was more development for linage or similar builds, but you can still root this tablet if you want. I currently don't have mine rooted, and only reason I would right now is to enable the 5mhz AC band in the US. Otherwise, the original build is fine. Compared to the Pro 8.4 the finger print access is huge and the overall speed of the tablet make it night and day. I was able to get the 64gb internal storage one on sale from Amazon for a little over $275 so feels like a huge value to me compared to similar samsungs. I would wish there was not only more development but more 3rd party cases and such. Otherwise it is an amazing tablet and the only real option in the 16:10 situation. The new tab pro 8 4 has been gimped for all us models with only 16gb and 2 gb of ram.
oh hey
I'm in a similar position - I've had my Tab S 8.4 since it launched 2014, and since the S2 came out as 4:3 I've been looking for a "better" tablet, and not been able to find one.
(Why do Samsung always do this - First Galaxy Note 16:10, everything else 16:9, first Galaxy Tab S 16:10, everything else 4:3, why, why, WHY)
Reading a lot of reviews and opinions on this M3 when the S3 came out, didn't leave me overly impressed. But it's nearly 2018 and there STILL isn't a better tablet (eye heart amoled), and this is the closest it comes if you want an 8.4 inch, 16:10 Tablet that takes SD cards. 32GB & 3GB RAM is starting to ware thin so I'm going to take the plunge. Wish me luck.
EDIT: Actually, scratch that. I'm used to (circa-2010) HTC and current Samsung forums full of roms and changes - there doesn't even seem to be any customs ROMs for this tablet? If we hit Jan 2019 and this is still the only option, then I'll go for this. I seriously hope not.
Samsung loads useless software you can't disable. Huawei is a much cleaner. I stay away from Samsung now. Had a galaxy tab pro, yes the big one. Samsung makes good hardware, just buy the package disabler on play store. I like the Huawei, I can hold in one hand & read easily.
I had and still have the Tab S, well my daughter and son-in-law use it now. Development on this tablet is the only negative that I see. That and I am not a fan of the UI, but I just load Nova and bam, best tablet ever. I used to Root and Rom all the time, but android mostly does everything I want now, and you can remove most of the programs you don't use anymore. I was waiting to see if Google was going to release and 7 or 8 inch tablet and they didn't so this is perfect for me. Powerful, good battery and fits in my back pocket when I head to Starbucks.
I originally bought the Tab S to use as a light-weight alternative to a laptop while traveling, but then I found that with the long battery life, I was using it every day. I'm traveling now, but I'm going to take the plunge and get an M3 when I'm back home.
woody1 said:
I originally bought the Tab S to use as a light-weight alternative to a laptop while traveling, but then I found that with the long battery life, I was using it every day. I'm traveling now, but I'm going to take the plunge and get an M3 when I'm back home.
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Do it do it!! BTW I wanted the LTE version but Amazon only had it from 3rd party resellers in Spain. Amazon Germany have it sold by Amazon and will ship to the UK (providing that's where you are based)
telsims said:
Do it do it!! BTW I wanted the LTE version but Amazon only had it from 3rd party resellers in Spain. Amazon Germany have it sold by Amazon and will ship to the UK (providing that's where you are based)
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No, I'm in the US. I'll have to see where I can buy it here.
woody1 said:
Tough call. I'm still hoping I can get my Tab S working well again, but if I can't, I may give the M3 a try. Thanks for the suggestions. I may be back soon.
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Seriousle, the M3 is the best tablet that I had. I also have the Samsung Tab S3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014. The M3 is much faster than the Tab S3, by a substantial margin. Both are excellent tablets, and the Tab S3 targets different uses and users but for sheer compatibility and speed, the MediaPad M3 cannot be beat.
I also have a Tab S 8.4 and I love it. But it's a 2 years old tablet and the battery capacity is not as good as the first times.
So my first choice is M3. But I also have a OnePlus 3. I don't want to carry 2 charger so I'm looking for a type-c tablet. M3's micro usb charging slot is the only negative thing for me.
I'm also looking for a tablet that will go for 2-3 years at least.
kamajikaciya said:
I also have a Tab S 8.4 and I love it. But it's a 2 years old tablet and the battery capacity is not as good as the first times.
So my first choice is M3. But I also have a OnePlus 3. I don't want to carry 2 charger so I'm looking for a type-c tablet. M3's micro usb charging slot is the only negative thing for me.
I'm also looking for a tablet that will go for 2-3 years at least.
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Can't you just use the same charger with a different cable? I use a dual USB charger that I use to charge multiple devices. I can charge either my Android devices or my wife's Apple stuff just using the appropriate cable.
Helllo !
My previous tablet was a tab S 8.4. Media pad M3 is much better but I only miss the amoled screen .
woody1 said:
Can't you just use the same charger with a different cable? I use a dual USB charger that I use to charge multiple devices. I can charge either my Android devices or my wife's Apple stuff just using the appropriate cable.
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I cannot use the Dash Charger (DS) with my Samsung TabS 8.4
I tried many different cables but DS do not charge it. I'm not sure if I'll be able to charge any other devices with DS bye th way.
My main reason for switching away from the Tab S 8.4 was the internal storage. Since it was upgraded to Marshmallow, updating apps became a pain because of the low space. Apart from the faster CPU, I thought the S2 & S3's were more of a downgrade. I've since switched to the Mediapad M3 64GB version and love it. I rarely travel with my laptop nowadays.
I like the fact that Huawei allows you to unlock the bootloader and rooting wasn't very hard. I haven't upgraded to nougat yet. I wasn't sure if the rooting procedure changed but mostly because Xposed wasn't available for Nougat yet. Now that Xposed is now available (https://www.xda-developers.com/official-xposed-framework-android-nougat/), I'll look into upgrading.
One caveat about the US version. For some reason, the 5GHz wifi radio was disabled. However, I was able to re-enable it via a tweak to a configuration file but it required root to do it. I'm not sure if it's still disabled with Nougat.
I made the jump and got the Mediapad a few days ago. One of the reasons I decided on the Mediapad was that I read that Huawei allowed the bootloader to be unlocked. As I've discussed in some other threads, I've been unable to get an unlock code from the Huawei website. Yesterday, I sent Huawei an email requesting an unlock code and I got a reply back saying that Hauwei US does not provide unlock codes and that unlocking would invalidate my warranty. WTF? They have a website to provide unlock codes, but they say that they won't allow it? Does anybody know what this means?
woody1 said:
I made the jump and got the Mediapad a few days ago. One of the reasons I decided on the Mediapad was that I read that Huawei allowed the bootloader to be unlocked. As I've discussed in some other threads, I've been unable to get an unlock code from the Huawei website. Yesterday, I sent Huawei an email requesting an unlock code and I got a reply back saying that Hauwei US does not provide unlock codes and that unlocking would invalidate my warranty. WTF? They have a website to provide unlock codes, but they say that they won't allow it? Does anybody know what this means?
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Solved?
Seems like currently (August 2018) the options are Huawei Mediapad M5 or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4.
I still use my Nexus 9 a lot but the speed and deteriorating battery life is starting to become a daily frustration. I still like the tablet and always did, but it's time to upgrade. Four years is reasonable enough considering the price I bought it for in 2014. I really considered the Galaxy Tab S3 last year but decided to hold out.
The Tab S4 is clearly the best Android tablet right now but £600 for the lowest model feels obscene considering the Nexus 9 was half that.
So enter the Mediapad M5 (either the 8 or 10 size), which is a more realistic price but I'm not sure how good the community will be long term now given recent Huawei controversy. Also the Kirin 960 is slower than the Tab S4's Snapdragon 835 (which should have been 845 but whatever). Also no headphone jack.
Anyone else in a similar position?
I recently bought the xiaomi mi pad 4 to replace my Nexus 9. Nice little tablet and cheap as the same time.
I have tried many Android tablets and never considered an iPad. But now I have got an iPad 2017 since I need an iOS device for work. I must admit I was wrong about the iPad. Absolutely the best tablet I have tried. So smooth UI and web browsing. Google's apps work really good and other popular apps are more tablet optimized than on Android. Outstanding battery life. For it's price I think the iPad is hard to beat.
And I think it's amazing that the iPad Air that launched with iOS 7, soon five years ago, will get iOS 12.
dape16 said:
I have tried many Android tablets and never considered an iPad. But now I have got an iPad 2017 since I need an iOS device for work. I must admit I was wrong about the iPad. Absolutely the best tablet I have tried. So smooth UI and web browsing. Google's apps work really good and other popular apps are more tablet optimized than on Android. Outstanding battery life. For it's price I think the iPad is hard to beat.
And I think it's amazing that the iPad Air that launched with iOS 7, soon five years ago, will get iOS 12.
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The iPad just won't do what I want a tablet for unfortunately. I usually throw a bunch of movies on a USB stick and watch on the road. But other than that, they are pretty nifty.
I'm planning on waiting for me Chromebook Tablets. Currently I'm eyeing the HP x2 .. but we will see what comes out. ChromeOs but able to run Android apps.
madbat99 said:
The iPad just won't do what I want a tablet for unfortunately. I usually throw a bunch of movies on a USB stick and watch on the road. But other than that, they are pretty nifty.
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Ipad/iphone are able to use specific usb stick just like OTG.
Or did i get you wrong?
ronald_loulan said:
Ipad/iphone are able to use specific usb stick just like OTG.
Or did i get you wrong?
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You're right, I forgot about that. Expensive sticks though.
madbat99 said:
You're right, I forgot about that. Expensive sticks though.
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Actually is not that expensive, at least i got mine around 20usd.
It have micro sd/ sd card as storage so you can expand it up to 128GB if not mistaken.
Mine have Lightning,micro usb and usb port, quite good as it can be use for android and IOS too...
I am still trying to decide what to do.
I like the HP X2 Detachable chromebook, but felt it should have more than 32Gb of storage, and I'd also prefer a 10" screen rather than 12.3"
The S3 was ruled out last year due to no real development for it. Plus those backwards Samsung buttons.
S4 is really pricey and you have to deal with the samsung lock down on the bootloader.
Currently I've supported this on Indiegogo
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/...ntertainment-bluetooth-computers/x/19180545#/
It's not the best spec wise but it's got the same screen as the S4 and at $219 it's hard to beat Plus XDA say that they are working with Alldocube to ensure it's developer friendly.
https://www.xda-developers.com/alldocube-x-10-5-inch-android-8-1-oreo/
Of course I'm also waiting to see what happens with the upcoming ChromeOS tablets. Rumors point to 3 coming out in the fall.
I still use my N9 almost every day. I love the form factor of it and the 4:3 ratio screen is great for ebooks or magazines.
And if you don't mind not having youtube the latest 8.1 builds are pretty nice for it. I'm using AICP at the moment.
NaterTots said:
I am still trying to decide what to do.
I like the HP X2 Detachable chromebook, but felt it should have more than 32Gb of storage, and I'd also prefer a 10" screen rather than 12.3"
The S3 was ruled out last year due to no real development for it.
S4 is really pricey and you have to deal with the samsung lock down on the bootloader.
Currently I've supported this on Indiegogo
alldocube-x-tablet-for-high-quality-entertainment-bluetooth-computers
I still use my N9 almost every day. I love the form factor of it and the 4:3 ratio screen is great for ebooks or magazines.
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I hear ya, I've looked into the Alldocube as well, but the CPU is too inferior to consider. Plus the battery life may not be very good with that CPU. They only claim 8 hours [so realistically looking at 5-6]. Everything else sounds good.
Mi Pad 4 Plus was just released last week. It is looking pretty good. Has a fingerprint reader which the non-plus didn't have. Xiaomi has good software support, I owned a Redmi Note 4 and really enjoyed it.
10" screen, at 1920x1200. But the battery has been tested for 19+ hours, which is pretty spectacular. CPU is decent.
Right now the price is a bit higher than it should be, retails for $279USD in china, china dealers are at $359USD right now, but I expect it to drop in the coming months. At MSRP price I would buy it.
I picked up a refurbished HP Pro Slate 8 a few months ago. At this point I only care for 4:3 or 3:2 screens and I want them to be pocketable. 8" 4:3 fits in my back pocket. And I like buying second hand so they are cheap and essentially disposable. Because lets not kid ourselves - these things are worthless / failing in a few years no matter what.
Otherwise for anything bigger I would strongly suggest a second hand Surface Pro 4/5. You can get real work done on those and they are super fast.
heywtf said:
Seems like currently (August 2018) the options are Huawei Mediapad M5 or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4.
I still use my Nexus 9 a lot but the speed and deteriorating battery life is starting to become a daily frustration. I still like the tablet and always did, but it's time to upgrade. Four years is reasonable enough considering the price I bought it for in 2014. I really considered the Galaxy Tab S3 last year but decided to hold out.
The Tab S4 is clearly the best Android tablet right now but £600 for the lowest model feels obscene considering the Nexus 9 was half that.
So enter the Mediapad M5 (either the 8 or 10 size), which is a more realistic price but I'm not sure how good the community will be long term now given recent Huawei controversy. Also the Kirin 960 is slower than the Tab S4's Snapdragon 835 (which should have been 845 but whatever). Also no headphone jack.
Anyone else in a similar position?
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I replaced my battery and its good as new.
Bought recently Huawei M5 10.8 for about 300€ - nice new tab, not sure what to do with my N9 now but I feel your pain, its slow and sluggish.
I went ahead and purchased a Mi Pad 4 Plus. It is pretty darn good!
Took a little bit to get everything setup [this being XDA, installing the google services shouldn't be hard at all].
Screen is great, performance is great. Battery life is outstanding. Having a fingerprint reader is essential for me, have read lots of complaints how face ID unlock is terrible for tablets. Fingerprint works flawlessly on this.
The speakers are a bit tinny, but they are very loud.
Overall, 2 days in and I have nothing bad to say about it. Oh, and it cost less than half the price of a Samsung Tab S4! MSRP is $279 USD. Is still selling above that right now, but it is still worth it!
Lumberjack_Plaid said:
I went ahead and purchased a Mi Pad 4 Plus. It is pretty darn good!
Took a little bit to get everything setup [this being XDA, installing the google services shouldn't be hard at all].
Screen is great, performance is great. Battery life is outstanding. Having a fingerprint reader is essential for me, have read lots of complaints how face ID unlock is terrible for tablets. Fingerprint works flawlessly on this.
The speakers are a bit tinny, but they are very loud.
Overall, 2 days in and I have nothing bad to say about it. Oh, and it cost less than half the price of a Samsung Tab S4! MSRP is $279 USD. Is still selling above that right now, but it is still worth it!
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Mipad4 outstanding tablet but the biggest drawback is sound speakers. It's bottom of the tablet not front Like Lenovo Tab 4 or Huawie Media Pad 5 or Samsung A 10.1(2018).
Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk
sheenswizner said:
Mipad4 outstanding tablet but the biggest drawback is sound speakers. It's bottom of the tablet not front Like Lenovo Tab 4 or Huawie Media Pad 5 or Samsung A 10.1(2018).
Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk
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If one were to buy mipad4 plus or m5, i would strongly recommend m5 pro with comes with 4 speakers, bigger battery, mpen and desktop mode..
been nagging oneplus to make something to replace my N9 every time I catch em posting on twitter
Just got a Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 yesterday. Unlocked the bootloader but will stay on stock until they stop OTA's. Overall size much more akin to my Nexus 7 which I had replaced with the Nexus 9. Sadly never did think the 9 lived up to expectations.
M5 has great build quality and while I have not had it for very long it leaves the N9.......in....the.....dust.
N9 will be heading over to SWAPPA once I am sure M5 rocks.
I picked up an Amazon Fire 10" (current model) a year ago when they were on sale for $100. After enabling Google Play Store on it, I ended up using it and ignoring my Nexus 9 for a year. The Fire was inexpensive and therefore not as big a risk at the gym, and it did everything I needed. I even stuck with the Fire launcher and found it usable. Recently I picked up the Nexus 9 again and found the two reasons I had set it aside -- reduced but still reasonable battery life, and inexplicable "lockups" where the tablet stopped responding despite the screen still being on, requiring a long power button press reboot. I like the slightly smaller size factor (fits my man bag, the Fire doesn't). Thinking about rooting and putting a new ROM on board. But the Fire 10" is surprisingly usable and not much of a compromise for me.
This thread is literally my thoughts. I've been looking to upgrade for a while.
As echoed above though, replacing the battery the other day has vastly improved it and given me another year out of this old knockabout
It's an easy swap too.
I was on here looking for a new ROM.