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It is time for a new phone, my Moto X Style (Pure) on T-Mobile is getting a bit long in the tooth.
1) storage is only 16GB so even with the few apps I use, I have to clear cache to update apps (photos, videos, etc all goto the SD Card)
2) signal is crap at times and call quality suffers
3) Lenorola is starting to slack on Android update time frames, they use to be quick with the last two Moto X and now they are getting behind (even with security updates)
I am on T-Mobile and I mainly do alot of audio (BT), some pictures and video, and the rest is just FB, Email, Text, Web Browsing
My choices are to go with the V20 and root it to get a few apps that I need
or wait and order a Pixel XL (128GB) and ride the google update train again.
I was faced with the same decision.. 16GB is just a non-starter for me, and I couldn't wait for the 128GB version to become available. Also Google's hardware didn't completely impress me.. I picked up the V20 coming from the Note 7.. honestly my plan is to run with it until the Note 8 comes out more than likely. I think the Google phone will have a longer lifespan and obviously quicker updates.. but I needed a phone and couldn't wait for the 128GB version to come out. Also the price difference was pretty significant compared the Verizon's price on the V20.. so that was a factor as well.
Overall the V20 didn't 'wow' me like the Note 7 did.. but its still a very good phone and for the $650 or so I got it for I am happy.. I don't think the Pixel XL would have wowed me either to be honest after having the Note 7 though.
The last LG phone I had was the G4 and that was a bit of a let down.
Since I am on T-Mobile coming from a Moto X Pure (3rd Gen) I won't get any trade in value at all (keeping it as a backup)
It is $30 a month for the V20 on T-Mobile, or I buy the Pixel XL and get $325 in credit over 24 months which will take away some of the hit over time for the Pixel XL
I am leaning to the V20 right now, especially because of how on top of updates LG has appeared to become. I just hate the bloat, hopefully there are good fixes for that or someone later releasing a cleaned up stock rom
I was faced with the same problem
Pick the Pixel for:
- better camera (especially video stabilization)
- fast updates and longer lifespan
- better one-handed usage
- fluid software experience
- looks (subjective I know, but I kinda like it and it has no camera hump)
Lg v20 for:
- removable battery
- better sound experience
- military grade drop protection
- manual camera mode if that's your thing
- expandable storage
- second screen is useful sometimes
I obviously went with the v20. Unlocked bootloader on T-Mobile and root on it fixes some software problems. Although I wouldn't complain if I had went with the Pixel either
I'm currently facing the EXACT dilemma.
After reading your comments, I think I might pick up the T-mobile version of the V20 instead.
Since we still do not have an official V20 root for the Canadian model.
Looks like I am leaning to the V20 as well. Mainly for the camera, screen, audio.
Even if we get a stock cleaned up ROM later then it would be perfectly fine.
Not sure about your options in your part of the world, but here in New Zealand the pixel XL is $1400 while i bought the V20 for $900. So yea, no explanation needed
Pixel is a ugly ass phone.
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers mobile app
---------- Post added at 01:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:42 AM ----------
I loved my Nexus 6
Sent from my LG-H918 using XDA-Developers mobile app
I came from the nexus 6P which I loved to this phone and to honest I love the battery life and everything it has to offer so far. Up in Canada they are offering the B&O H3 headphones plus 200 off which was 799 for the whole package which is a wicked deal
I have the Tmo V20 and I didn't feel like there was much bloat...well compared to AT&T's devices. Coming from the N7 my only gripe is the low light pictures come out gainier than the N7. I hated the edge screen on the N7 but I really dig the second screen on the V20. The screen isn't as saturated as an AMOLED screen, but in everyday use I don't notice it. Done call the V20 ugly, but I honestly love the looks. Of course most people throw a case on their device, so does that even matter?
Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk
If you listen to BT audio a lot stop hesitating and go get the LGv20 and grab a pair of BT headphones with Aptx support (lgv20 one of only a couple phones that support it.) I have these and they are awesome.
https://www.amazon.com/Monster-SuperSlim-Bluetooth-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B015EGRK9S
Honestly paying that much for a mere 128 gb is outrageous. For $400-500 like the old Nexus phones... sure I might be convinced to give up the extensive list of V20 features some of which were not even present in the Note 7. I see the Pixel XL like the Android version of the IPhone 7's business model: add a camera that's nice but doesn't blow the others out of the water anymore, give it a short shelf life with limited storage and non-removable battery (so that you MUST upgrade after 12 months), put a lot of emphasis on zippy when the competition are pretty zippy already. Overall a pretty meh exterior design like the V20 and Iphone7. The Note is prettier but that finger print magnet back is a chore and I had enough of TouchWiz lagging down the experience compares to the V20.
I have a YouTube Red account. With a 250 GB Samsung micro SD ($70 eBay) and 64 GB on board I have so much content I don't know what do with.
I picked up two new TVs on black Friday. I use the V20 IR blaster with both. Same for the Kinivo HDMI splitter, no more fumbling with that little easy to lose clicker.
The V20 has Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, which the others don't have, is like one of the best V20 features. I use a 3.0 Anker PowerCore+ 10k mAh power bank ($40 Amazon) with an iOrange-E type C cable and the V20 absolutely flies from 40%-80%.
The second screen is probably the most useful feature I can switch to different songs on Amazon music app, use it as the zoom wheel in video recording, allows for more fluid app switching than interrupting the main screen just to use the multitasking soft button. And the quad DAC actually drives my V-Moda M100s. I wanted to test this against the Note 7 but the Fire Department said no can do homey. And rumor is no more headphone jack on new Samsungs. You'll have to spend $300 on Bluetooth Bose headphones with as good a sound as upper mid tier wired cans.
Honestly...even if V20, Note 7, iphone 7 and Pixel XL were all priced the same it would be a no brainer for me as far as useful features I rely on every day.
For me, it was a price per gb difference, and a looks thing. I came off an S6 Edge, and for me, the Pixel looks like an iPhone minus the home button. Yeah, it's on 7.1, and will get updates sooner (but I'm on Verizon so it's bound to be slower no matter which one). The smaller capacity model would never work for me, I download too many movies and stuff for that. My Edge was 64 and that was a decent balance between saving until I downloaded it off to the computer. Plus I get the expansion slot for more just because you never know. Could care less about the removable battery, but to some it's a plus. The camera seems to be subjective on video reviews, between people that prefer one over the other. I use a DSLR for anything important, so it's not a deal-breaker for me, and it takes pictures just fine for my eyes anyway. I didn't buy it as a camera, I bought it as a phone. And I know the LG G2 I had was rooted pretty quickly if memory serves, and just browsing seems like we've got a good group tackling that now (missed that on my S6). So in the end, the cost savings, and the aesthetics won me over between the two, with everything else basically being a wash either way. Plus, coming from the other phone, every time a gal looks at it, they always seem to say "Wow that's big". Simple pleasures, but it never gets old
By the way, NetFlix now has downloads. As does Amazon video and YouTube Red. I see no win with a phone that kills micro SD.
I bought V20. And I love myself for that decision.
Mahendra Dhaker said:
I bought V20. And I love myself for that decision.
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Click to collapse
Believe it or not I returned the S8 and got mine. I'm freakin stoked by what LG has to offer. This my 1st non samsung phone and its rooted.
I ended up selling my V20 it was glitch fest everywhere even after several factory resets and the batter drain was bad.....I do miss the extra camera and the DAC but outside of that I love the S8+. This is my first Samsung phone since the note 3.
dakunclear said:
I ended up selling my V20 it was glitch fest everywhere even after several factory resets and the batter drain was bad.....I do miss the extra camera and the DAC but outside of that I love the S8+. This is my first Samsung phone since the note 3.
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Click to collapse
I am kind of on the same page. I jumped on the v20 from a note 4. My note 4 had less bugs, better battery life, and a better screen. "Auto" picture quality was much better on the note.
Things i will miss about the V20/Pros
~ Full manual camera controls and the wide angle lens
~ DAC
~ Second display
~ Build Quality
~ Removable Battery
***Biggest complaint by far is Battery life.. From my Pokemon Go experience specifically, my Girlfriend has a iPhone 6s. My note 4 battery life was better than hers. My V20 is literally half that of hers now. Same apps installed across both phones. Phone gets HOT.
I have the U11 since inception along with the S8 (exynos variant) and Oneplus 5. I really regret buying it since I cant even sell it now. I'm left with the choice of selling my other two phone and use this :/
KeepItzRoot said:
I have the U11 since inception along with the S8 (exynos variant) and Oneplus 5. I really regret buying it since I cant even sell it now. I'm left with the choice of selling my other two phone and use this :/
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Click to collapse
And would you like to explain why you don't want to use u11 and keep other devices instead?
Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
What don't you like about the phone? I just got mine and I'm enjoying it so far. Only thing is aftermarket support isn't that great.
Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk
melihcarter said:
And would you like to explain why you don't want to use u11 and keep other devices instead?
Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
The battery life isnt as good, samsung did some vodoo to make their battery last while viewing youtube, the Oneplus sometime beat the S8 if not on par with it. The lack of 3.5mm is such a hassle, I have my personal in-ear monitor, I use it to listen to music, and everytime I go somewhere I have to carried a pigtail. The phone is so much wider to hold with one hand, granted the oneplus 5 isnt far off, but it is bigger, with a case, I feel like its almost the same as my LG V20. One handed usage is such a pain. Not a big deal to me but when it comes to photography, its hit or miss, sometime it over expose sometime it doesnt. Oneplus have this issue too but the S8 really is a happy medium.
The ****ty thing abuot S8 is the damn bixby functionality. Touchwiz has come a long way, and Its awesome now, but bixby need to die. Oneplus is a good phone with top spec, but their screen cannot touch the S8 amoled, viewing it side by side the S8 just trump the oneplus screen. the U11 have good screen, better than the oneplus 5, in this regard.. Seems like every year HTC push out a phone that doesnt WOW or excite you, just leaving you in a state of euphoric until many of it quirks find it way back to the phone....SHame really, fallen from grace down to here.
KeepItzRoot said:
The battery life isnt as good, samsung did some vodoo to make their battery last while viewing youtube, the Oneplus sometime beat the S8 if not on par with it. The lack of 3.5mm is such a hassle, I have my personal in-ear monitor, I use it to listen to music, and everytime I go somewhere I have to carried a pigtail. The phone is so much wider to hold with one hand, granted the oneplus 5 isnt far off, but it is bigger, with a case, I feel like its almost the same as my LG V20. One handed usage is such a pain. Not a big deal to me but when it comes to photography, its hit or miss, sometime it over expose sometime it doesnt. Oneplus have this issue too but the S8 really is a happy medium.
The ****ty thing abuot S8 is the damn bixby functionality. Touchwiz has come a long way, and Its awesome now, but bixby need to die. Oneplus is a good phone with top spec, but their screen cannot touch the S8 amoled, viewing it side by side the S8 just trump the oneplus screen. the U11 have good screen, better than the oneplus 5, in this regard.. Seems like every year HTC push out a phone that doesnt WOW or excite you, just leaving you in a state of euphoric until many of it quirks find it way back to the phone....SHame really, fallen from grace down to here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before I got mine I did a ton of research. Went to a MeetU event, checked it out in Sprint stores and saw tons of reviews. I knew the stuff I had to live with like the dongle for headphones. Sorry you don't like the phone. I'm assuming you can't return it anymore?
Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk
You are more than welcome to your opinion but why on Earth can you "not sell your phone"?
I like the phone at the moment.I think it will be a problem to resell it because not so many people are using HTC.Nobody from my friends are using HTC.iPhone and Samsung addicted ?
The only thing I regret about the U11 is its size, but I didn't have any way to test it out before purchasing. It's difficult for me to use with one hand. I still have a couple of weeks to return it for a refund, and really the only newer phone that intrigues me is the Essential. But that device feels like a gamble in a few ways.
I don't see why you would have any problems selling the U11. You may not receive as much as you paid for it, but somebody will buy it. Someone bought my 10 a few weeks ago (with several accessors) for $475 very quickly.
No, I made an informed decision and went with the best option for me.
I like that the phone comes with a USB DAC, I like the sapphire blue glass, I use the squeeze feature multiple times in a day, the only thing I've got slight reservations are the change to the warranty stance over unlocking the bootloader and their updates not being fast enough.
E.g. the new update indicates the display sensitivity issue is fixed and yet the 001 WWE users will probably be waiting another month.
But then again, I'd rather have this device over any of the others currently in the market.
KeepItzRoot said:
The battery life isnt as good, samsung did some vodoo to make their battery last while viewing youtube, the Oneplus sometime beat the S8 if not on par with it. The lack of 3.5mm is such a hassle, I have my personal in-ear monitor, I use it to listen to music, and everytime I go somewhere I have to carried a pigtail. The phone is so much wider to hold with one hand, granted the oneplus 5 isnt far off, but it is bigger, with a case, I feel like its almost the same as my LG V20. One handed usage is such a pain. Not a big deal to me but when it comes to photography, its hit or miss, sometime it over expose sometime it doesnt. Oneplus have this issue too but the S8 really is a happy medium.
The ****ty thing abuot S8 is the damn bixby functionality. Touchwiz has come a long way, and Its awesome now, but bixby need to die. Oneplus is a good phone with top spec, but their screen cannot touch the S8 amoled, viewing it side by side the S8 just trump the oneplus screen. the U11 have good screen, better than the oneplus 5, in this regard.. Seems like every year HTC push out a phone that doesnt WOW or excite you, just leaving you in a state of euphoric until many of it quirks find it way back to the phone....SHame really, fallen from grace down to here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life not good?
10 hours screen on time on stock is easily achieved on the u11?
Wow.... Your expectations must be very high
p50kombi said:
Battery life not good?
10 hours screen on time on stock is easily achieved on the u11?
Wow.... Your expectations must be very high
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Click to collapse
10 hours...did you shut off everything, turn screen brightness to 0? I can barely get it past 4 hours.
I use my phone typically with everything on, and auto brightness on. I never have a problem with the oneplus 5 or S8 last beyond 5 hours.
Doughnut said:
No, I made an informed decision and went with the best option for me.
I like that the phone comes with a USB DAC, I like the sapphire blue glass, I use the squeeze feature multiple times in a day, the only thing I've got slight reservations are the change to the warranty stance over unlocking the bootloader and their updates not being fast enough.
E.g. the new update indicates the display sensitivity issue is fixed and yet the 001 WWE users will probably be waiting another month.
But then again, I'd rather have this device over any of the others currently in the market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont have sensitivity issue. All phones works well as far as audio goes, I power my HD800s with a proper DAC/AMP not with a phone DAC/AMP. I cant see any in-ear monitor that cant be power (and power well) with any of these phones, its 2017.
KeepItzRoot said:
10 hours...did you shut off everything, turn screen brightness to 0? I can barely get it past 4 hours.
I use my phone typically with everything on, and auto brightness on. I never have a problem with the oneplus 5 or S8 last beyond 5 hours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the megathread, there's screenshots in there. Not from myself but other users
borgsta said:
You are more than welcome to your opinion but why on Earth can you "not sell your phone"?
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Click to collapse
seems like no one wants it. It depreciate alot! I had this problem with the HTC 10 too, but being a tech/phone (dummy) I bought another HTC :/
p50kombi said:
Check the megathread, there's screenshots in there. Not from myself but other users
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Click to collapse
thats the thing, phone usage is based on user to user. I am using the phone the same as my 2 other phones and it cant hang. You can go to any phone thread and there are people making ridiculous claim about their SOT, even in the S8. ask how they do it and they throw out a bunch of things they did such as turning down brightness to 0, some even put phone on airplane mode -_- c'mon man.
Im not which region your in OP, but in UK, you can trade your U11 to CEX for £415 against something else in store or £345 cash in hand.. and I think GAME do something similar.. Or eBay about £350-450 , which isnt the best, but if you dislike it that much.. then better some kind of cash than nothing...
The only thing I dislike about the U11 is that f**king News Republic is forced upon us if we want to use BlinkFeed, and your battery problem is caused by "News Republic" which powers BlinkFeed.. I actually really loved BF on the M8 and M9, it was useful, but Ive noticed that on the U11, NR is constantly waking the CPU when phone is sleeping and when your not even using BF at all, bit like UpDay used to be on the S7E. Im actually force to disable both BF and NR... and install G .Newsstand instead. Also, even when you "unfollow" a topic. like Football, or Chinese Politics.. it actually doesnt work.. I STILL those Newsfeeds
Now to me, BF was a great part of Sense UI.. and disabling it, is a bit like not using the Stereo Speakers or the camera.. its a major part of HTC phones.. So Im not happy either.. When HTC went stock Google to reduce the Bloat on their phones, why didnt they just bake Google News and Weather or Newsstand as BlinkFeed..
Other than NR... I love the U11 and my G6, but these 2 are my last Android phones.. my next phone is an Iphone 7 plus..
Battery life is very good. But excellent with a custom kernel. Get about 7 hours of on screen time.
KeepItzRoot said:
thats the thing, phone usage is based on user to user. I am using the phone the same as my 2 other phones and it cant hang. You can go to any phone thread and there are people making ridiculous claim about their SOT, even in the S8. ask how they do it and they throw out a bunch of things they did such as turning down brightness to 0, some even put phone on airplane mode -_- c'mon man.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not though... It's brightness set at 50 at auto, normal usage and even social media apps..
I don't use my phone that much that I can claim 10 hours screen off time, but my phone easily reached 2 full days of my normal usage and 6 hours screen on time during that time...
Loving mine thus far. Coming from the S7, my battery life and performance has been pretty dang good. Even before S7 root, it is noticeably better. When considering the S7 root situation of having to use an engineering boot/kernel, and the mess it made with the battery life/performance...it's night and day.
The lack of headphone jack is somewhat disappointing. In reality I don't find myself needing headphones as often any more now that I'm done with college and all that jazz. The only other complaint I have is the lack of accessories for it.
KeepItzRoot said:
The battery life isnt as good, samsung did some vodoo to make their battery last while viewing youtube, the Oneplus sometime beat the S8 if not on par with it. The lack of 3.5mm is such a hassle, I have my personal in-ear monitor, I use it to listen to music, and everytime I go somewhere I have to carried a pigtail. The phone is so much wider to hold with one hand, granted the oneplus 5 isnt far off, but it is bigger, with a case, I feel like its almost the same as my LG V20. One handed usage is such a pain. Not a big deal to me but when it comes to photography, its hit or miss, sometime it over expose sometime it doesnt. Oneplus have this issue too but the S8 really is a happy medium.
The ****ty thing abuot S8 is the damn bixby functionality. Touchwiz has come a long way, and Its awesome now, but bixby need to die. Oneplus is a good phone with top spec, but their screen cannot touch the S8 amoled, viewing it side by side the S8 just trump the oneplus screen. the U11 have good screen, better than the oneplus 5, in this regard.. Seems like every year HTC push out a phone that doesnt WOW or excite you, just leaving you in a state of euphoric until many of it quirks find it way back to the phone....SHame really, fallen from grace down to here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
* Battery - my SOT is 6hrs. More than any other phone I had used except for the Mi Mix(9-10hrs). Lots of FB, Viber. Regular text messages and calls. some games.
* 3.5mm - you can't complain about this. You had to know from the start that HTC U11 didn't have one.
* Camera - excellent for me.
* This phone is very fast and smooth I have no complaints whatsoever.
Having my two phones on pre-order and back ordered has given me time to reflect on dropping 2k on two phones.
But the more I thought about the more it makes sense. Anyone else in the same boat as me?
Still rocking my s7 edge on u firmware. Tbh my phone is still plenty fast with 0 bloat. Even with u firmware battery has taken a hit. Below are my reason for skipping:
1. Battery life - I understand trying to rebrand image not having a flaming brick. But to have $1000 flagship phone have less capacity than the s8+(3500) and s7 edge (3600) is inexcusable. Although they say battery is more efficient, I am sure a year from now or sooner, people will start complaining once the device has been burned in.
2.. Finger print reader location. If not in display, then I rather theyimplement into screen or power button in side.
3. Audio. For a 1k music should pristine with a quality dac and dual speakers.
4. Not compatible with 600mhz spectrum. Again for this price it should be future proof with new spectrum. Big miss imo.
5. Price.1k for a phone? Really ? I can buy a one plus or v30 with a decent tablet for that price
These are my gripes what about everyone else.
icugotit2 said:
Having my two phones on pre-order and back ordered has given me time to reflect on dropping 2k on two phones.
But the more I thought about the more it makes sense. Anyone else in the same boat as me?
Still rocking my s7 edge on u firmware. Tbh my phone is still plenty fast with 0 bloat. Even with u firmware battery has taken a hit. Below are my reason for skipping:
1. Battery life - I understand trying to rebrand image not having a flaming brick. But to have $1000 flagship phone have less capacity than the s8+(3500) and s7 edge (3600) is inexcusable. Although they say battery is more efficient, I am sure a year from now or sooner, people will start complaining once the device has been burned in.
2.. Finger print reader location. If not in display, then I rather theyimplement into screen or power button in side.
3. Audio. For a 1k music should pristine with a quality dac and dual speakers.
4. Not compatible with 600mhz spectrum. Again for this price it should be future proof with new spectrum. Big miss imo.
5. Price.1k for a phone? Really ? I can buy a one plus or v30 with a decent tablet for that price
These are my gripes what about everyone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol what do you want a rocketship? Jesus! Future proof? Do you want the economy to drop?? Its because of ppl that hold on to old things that make economy go down... imagine if this was future proof, ppl don't upgrade already with crappy phones (looking at the note 3 and note 4 users that held on for that long)...JUST IMAGINE IF IT WAS FUTURE PROOF! Holy ishhhhh!! Samsung sales would go down... that's why i don't blame when companies makes phones go bad when new ones come out because ppl wanna hold on and stall sales.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
What I said was very conservative and resonable.
I did not mention sketchy irsis scanning,non removable battery, no IR.
Asking for bigger batteries when phones from a year ago had them is not a rocketship demands . It's the equivalent to Tropicana changing from 64oz to 59oz serving while charging the same or higher price.
Not rocketship when s7edge was one of first phones that supported 700mhz radio which prolongs the life of device.
I guess I like a good value and have received that in times past from samsung devices.
Same.. I didn't order yet but was thinking do I really need it right now... Yes a miss having a note. But this phone really is close to what I paid for my laptop. I really hate this s7 but still paying it off.. Maybe I'll wait also for the note 9 to come out.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
icugotit2 said:
Having my two phones on pre-order and back ordered has given me time to reflect on dropping 2k on two phones.
But the more I thought about the more it makes sense. Anyone else in the same boat as me?
Still rocking my s7 edge on u firmware. Tbh my phone is still plenty fast with 0 bloat. Even with u firmware battery has taken a hit. Below are my reason for skipping:
1. Battery life - I understand trying to rebrand image not having a flaming brick. But to have $1000 flagship phone have less capacity than the s8+(3500) and s7 edge (3600) is inexcusable. Although they say battery is more efficient, I am sure a year from now or sooner, people will start complaining once the device has been burned in.
2.. Finger print reader location. If not in display, then I rather theyimplement into screen or power button in side.
3. Audio. For a 1k music should pristine with a quality dac and dual speakers.
4. Not compatible with 600mhz spectrum. Again for this price it should be future proof with new spectrum. Big miss imo.
5. Price.1k for a phone? Really ? I can buy a one plus or v30 with a decent tablet for that price
These are my gripes what about everyone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't have bought this device if the reports on battery life had not been so good. A bigger battery would have been nice, but as it is it keeps up with the S8. I don't think TMO will have that 600 mhz deployed in Portland (boy we could use it), so I'm not worried about that. I kept my Note 7 so I was just going to get a full refund then pay the hundred dollars extra to get this. Then the offer came along and I'm making out like a bandit! Half price, hell yeah!
Sent from my SM-N950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Well to each their own! I'm absolutely loving the phone so far but I can see how these reasons can deter people from purchasing. Also I'm coming from a note 4 so this is a pretty major upgrade for me!
Battery is a huge improvement. Even though only about 200mah bigger, it last almost twice the amount of time. The 600mhz also isn't a big deal for me since I get great service and it's not estimated to roll out withinthe next 1-2 years anyways. I don't really understand people's issue with the fingerprint scanner. I don't see how you could smudge the camera unless you're dragging your finger across the back since it's not even directly next to the lens.
Also for 30 bucks a month it made it much more attainable for me.
If I didn't get the help with T-Mobile while in between Note 7 and Note 8 then I would of purchased the LG V30 this year. This year is a good year for good high end devices. You don't need to go for Samsung devices or $900 + devices.
I am happy with the Note 8. Though next year I will be looking at what all Android device manufactures are making before making the next purchase.
Good for you man I was considering it but are we for real its a a fricking phone and its $1000 ? Can it fly or make you teleport in the end its a phone and I dont like that phones ate getting so expensive . Thank you for opening my eyes.
icugotit2 said:
Having my two phones on pre-order and back ordered has given me time to reflect on dropping 2k on two phones.
But the more I thought about the more it makes sense. Anyone else in the same boat as me?
Still rocking my s7 edge on u firmware. Tbh my phone is still plenty fast with 0 bloat. Even with u firmware battery has taken a hit. Below are my reason for skipping:
1. Battery life - I understand trying to rebrand image not having a flaming brick. But to have $1000 flagship phone have less capacity than the s8+(3500) and s7 edge (3600) is inexcusable. Although they say battery is more efficient, I am sure a year from now or sooner, people will start complaining once the device has been burned in.
2.. Finger print reader location. If not in display, then I rather theyimplement into screen or power button in side.
3. Audio. For a 1k music should pristine with a quality dac and dual speakers.
4. Not compatible with 600mhz spectrum. Again for this price it should be future proof with new spectrum. Big miss imo.
5. Price.1k for a phone? Really ? I can buy a one plus or v30 with a decent tablet for that price
These are my gripes what about everyone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All understandable concerns. But in practice I haven't found any of them to be that bad.
The battery is considerably better than any phone I've had previously. And I've had quite a few. iPhones , notes, nexi, the pixel, and both the V10 and v20. The lgs had by far the worst battery life, the iPhones, would get me through most of a day even the 6s plus would be under 10% if not dead when I would plug in at the end of the day. My Pixel and S7 don't make it. They all have to be plugged in as I wind down the day. The note 8 is incredible. I brought it down below 10% once on the first charge just to let it do one full cycle. But even with 6-7hrs SOT I'm still in the 20 or 30% range at the end of my day.
I bought a 5500mah battery case just for shiggles, I won't have to charge my phone for 3 days with the case on. But really I wouldn't let the battery hold you back.
I do agree with the fingerprint reader, both the LGs and the Pixel had the finger print reader in the middle of the back, which is a lot more convenient for the way I hold my phone but I've adjusted to the off center higher up placement. But it's still awkward.
The dual speaker miss is I guess a personal concern. I almost never use the speakers on my phone, I'm either connected to a Bluetooth headset or Bluetooth speaker and those have their own DAC. Which is also I guess why the phone DAC doesn't bother me either. If you listen a lot to headphones and want premium sound you'd probably use an amp anyway.
Also this phone isn't really all that much more expensive than previous notes. The note 4 and 7 were about $850. The note 8 is not cheap but I feel it is in line with current pricing. There are definitely nice phones for less, but they all lack the Wacom digitizer and stylus. Which definitely adds to the cost of development and materials and more importantly takes up space, leaving less room inside the phone, hence the smaller battery. And let's not forget, a very very large majority of people who had the note 7, are getting their phone for 525ish. So it's not really even a $600 phone. T-Mobile did BOGO so for about 1200 after all is said and done you end up with 2 phones. That's after taxes and adding a line. So again about $600.
600mhz would have been nice, but around me, it won't be available till late 2019. I'll have a different phone by then and band 12 is still being rolled out, which is supported. So while it's a nice to have, it's not a killer for me.
I was in a similar boat, my unlocked was backordered out into October and during that time I started convincing myself I didn't need the phone, but on release day I walked into tmobile and walked out with 2 note 8s and boy am I glad I did. I'll sell the second and I've already sold the S7 I was going to trade in. I still have the pixel and an iPhone 6s to play around with for when I want to run Oreo or whatever comes next since my one gripe with Samsung is how long it takes to get updates. But this easily became my daily driver. And I haven't looked back yet.
Thanks!
Thanks man needed to hear that. Very similar experiences. Audio was trash with the s7 and purchased a dragon fly black DAC a while back. I just went ahead with BOGO and am getting an additional 100GF.
(https://slickdeals.net/f/10560148-t...note-8-bogo?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1)
Curious as to how much you got for your s7 ? Putting mine up for sale and will sell the 2nd note 8. Thinking outof pocket cost should be around $200.
Thanks everyone .. made me a believer :good:
Notasaurus said:
All understandable concerns. But in practice I haven't found any of them to be that bad.
The battery is considerably better than any phone I've had previously. And I've had quite a few. iPhones , notes, nexi, the pixel, and both the V10 and v20. The lgs had by far the worst battery life, the iPhones, would get me through most of a day even the 6s plus would be under 10% if not dead when I would plug in at the end of the day. My Pixel and S7 don't make it. They all have to be plugged in as I wind down the day. The note 8 is incredible. I brought it down below 10% once on the first charge just to let it do one full cycle. But even with 6-7hrs SOT I'm still in the 20 or 30% range at the end of my day.
I bought a 5500mah battery case just for shiggles, I won't have to charge my phone for 3 days with the case on. But really I wouldn't let the battery hold you back.
I do agree with the fingerprint reader, both the LGs and the Pixel had the finger print reader in the middle of the back, which is a lot more convenient for the way I hold my phone but I've adjusted to the off center higher up placement. But it's still awkward.
The dual speaker miss is I guess a personal concern. I almost never use the speakers on my phone, I'm either connected to a Bluetooth headset or Bluetooth speaker and those have their own DAC. Which is also I guess why the phone DAC doesn't bother me either. If you listen a lot to headphones and want premium sound you'd probably use an amp anyway.
Also this phone isn't really all that much more expensive than previous notes. The note 4 and 7 were about $850. The note 8 is not cheap but I feel it is in line with current pricing. There are definitely nice phones for less, but they all lack the Wacom digitizer and stylus. Which definitely adds to the cost of development and materials and more importantly takes up space, leaving less room inside the phone, hence the smaller battery. And let's not forget, a very very large majority of people who had the note 7, are getting their phone for 525ish. So it's not really even a $600 phone. T-Mobile did BOGO so for about 1200 after all is said and done you end up with 2 phones. That's after taxes and adding a line. So again about $600.
600mhz would have been nice, but around me, it won't be available till late 2019. I'll have a different phone by then and band 12 is still being rolled out, which is supported. So while it's a nice to have, it's not a killer for me.
I was in a similar boat, my unlocked was backordered out into October and during that time I started convincing myself I didn't need the phone, but on release day I walked into tmobile and walked out with 2 note 8s and boy am I glad I did. I'll sell the second and I've already sold the S7 I was going to trade in. I still have the pixel and an iPhone 6s to play around with for when I want to run Oreo or whatever comes next since my one gripe with Samsung is how long it takes to get updates. But this easily became my daily driver. And I haven't looked back yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
icugotit2 said:
Having my two phones on pre-order and back ordered has given me time to reflect on dropping 2k on two phones.
But the more I thought about the more it makes sense. Anyone else in the same boat as me?
Still rocking my s7 edge on u firmware. Tbh my phone is still plenty fast with 0 bloat. Even with u firmware battery has taken a hit. Below are my reason for skipping:
1. Battery life - I understand trying to rebrand image not having a flaming brick. But to have $1000 flagship phone have less capacity than the s8+(3500) and s7 edge (3600) is inexcusable. Although they say battery is more efficient, I am sure a year from now or sooner, people will start complaining once the device has been burned in.
2.. Finger print reader location. If not in display, then I rather theyimplement into screen or power button in side.
3. Audio. For a 1k music should pristine with a quality dac and dual speakers.
4. Not compatible with 600mhz spectrum. Again for this price it should be future proof with new spectrum. Big miss imo.
5. Price.1k for a phone? Really ? I can buy a one plus or v30 with a decent tablet for that price
These are my gripes what about everyone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
icugotit2 said:
Thanks man needed to hear that. Very similar experiences. Audio was trash with the s7 and purchased a dragon fly black DAC a while back. I just went ahead with BOGO and am getting an additional 100GF.
(https://slickdeals.net/f/10560148-t...note-8-bogo?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1)
Curious as to how much you got for your s7 ? Putting mine up for sale and will sell the 2nd note 8. Thinking outof pocket cost should be around $200.
Thanks everyone .. made me a believer :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I sold it for 250. I still had the box, charger and headphones in original wrapping though. Not sure if that made a difference or was just a nice to have for the buyer. I have chargers coming out my ears and never use the in box headphones, so they just sit there. My S7 as also mint because it didn't get much use with all the other phones I was swapping between and always kept it in a case.
icugotit2 said:
Having my two phones on pre-order and back ordered has given me time to reflect on dropping 2k on two phones.
But the more I thought about the more it makes sense. Anyone else in the same boat as me?
Still rocking my s7 edge on u firmware. Tbh my phone is still plenty fast with 0 bloat. Even with u firmware battery has taken a hit. Below are my reason for skipping:
1. Battery life - I understand trying to rebrand image not having a flaming brick. But to have $1000 flagship phone have less capacity than the s8+(3500) and s7 edge (3600) is inexcusable. Although they say battery is more efficient, I am sure a year from now or sooner, people will start complaining once the device has been burned in.
2.. Finger print reader location. If not in display, then I rather theyimplement into screen or power button in side.
3. Audio. For a 1k music should pristine with a quality dac and dual speakers.
4. Not compatible with 600mhz spectrum. Again for this price it should be future proof with new spectrum. Big miss imo.
5. Price.1k for a phone? Really ? I can buy a one plus or v30 with a decent tablet for that price
These are my gripes what about everyone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having used the Note 8 for about a week now, here are my experiences:
1. According to reports, the Note 8's battery life is as good as or even better that the s8+. And compared to my Note 7 (3500 mAh), the Note 8 (3300 mAh) lasts WAY longer and has a longer Screen on Time. I usually had to charge the Note 7 at around 7-8 pm (20% battery), but with the Note 8 I hit 20% at around 11 pm. And compared to my last daily driver, the Note 3, the Note 8 is 10000000x better. I lose 20% every 30 minutes on the Note 3 while in use, on the Note 8 it's more like 3-4% every 30 mins.
2. I actually prefer the rear placement for some reason. This was one of my biggest worries when the phone was announced, but I'm having no problems with it so far. Ironically, I used the iris scanner as my main unlocking method for the Note 7, but I seem to be using the fingerprint scanner more on the Note 8. Maybe it's because the 8's scanner is vertical while the 7 was horizontal and you get more finger real estate with the 8. I remember having to tap the Note 7's scanner 2 or 3 times before it would register, while on the Note 8 it's been once (very rarely twice) to unlock.
3. Yeah, Samsung speakers suck. It's been that way for all the Notes and all the Galaxy S phones. Even my Nexus S had crappy speakers. So yes, I agree that the Note 8 has crappy speakers as usual.
4. Not really a concern for me. According to the T-Mobile rollout map, my area won't have the 600 spectrum until 2020, so I'll probably have the Note 10 or 11 by then. Plus, what a lot of people who complain about the 600 mHz miss is that TMo also has the 700 mHz spectrum and the Note 8 has the antenna for it. Both share the same advantages of lower-frequency radio waves. Compared to my Note 3, which barely gets 2 bars, the Note 8 is constantly 4-5 bars.
5. Yeah, agree with you on this one as well, $1K is a bit much. The only reason I got the Note 8 is because Samsung only wanted $580 for it. ($425 discount and $70 iphone 5s trade in) That's cheaper than any flagship phone coming in the next year even with Black Friday discounts.
I came from a t-mobile note 5, held off getting the note 7, coz for me new gadgets tend to have bugs, true enough it happened, but now my daughter's note 3 is having problems, then t-mobile had a note 8 zero down and $40+ a month jump on demand with just $7.50 up front for shipping, so no brainer for me, sold the note 3 to pay off note 5 and gear s2. Now between note 5 vs 8 worlds apart, 8 battery excellent for the last week I've used it, Wi-Fi on, Bluetooth on, aod on 7pm to 7am, 3 email sync every 30 minutes, facebook sync, weather screen, hd widgets ever 30mins refresh, 3-6 calls ranging from 20 mins to over an hour, I play games, brightness 55%-60, fully charged at 1230am it's 1020 pm already and I still have 32% battery. Yes i know I should have held off a little longer but 2 years no new phone, upgrade bug got me. ?
I don't use the finger print sensor just for camera shots, don't use facial recognition, I use iris scanner but mostly I use pattern with pin code as its faster for me to open it. I don't use phone speakers to listen to music coz I know most mobile phones speakers are crappy especially if you have a good home theater set up, I always use a good set of headphones, I guess just have fun with the new toy. Try to bargain or wait for one with your carriers if they have a good promo.
Sent from my SM-N950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I did the BOGO deal and everything eventually worked out.. TMobile tried to screw me though and not pay off Verizon when we switched
Sent from my SM-N950U1 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Its one thing to blindly buy a 1k phone, because you are a fan of a company's products, but its another thing to actually assess the product's value in relation to the price. I did not buy the note 8. I received it free through the tmobile deal buy one get one free. Tbh, if it were me gauging the price of this phone to be $700-800 for all its combined features. I sure as hell would have not coughed up 1k for this thing. Hell you could very well buy yourself an s8+ for cheaper with a note stylus and save a ton more money. People like to jump up and down claiming the s-pen is worth the $200-300 mark up compared to the s8+, but when it comes down to it majority do not even use the damn thing (surely not worth that markup price either).
In addition, scrutinizing the company for the price in relation to the actual product is a good thing. Consider what apple is doing for their new iphone, it has taken away essential phone feature (headphone jack) forcing people to buy the accessories to use headphones, finally implementing fast charge that require additional accessory purchases and marking up the phone for 1k. This is because they are aware that their fan-base that blindly buy their new products is so large that they can sell the same with implementing less. The last thing we want are android companies doing the same unsavory business models. All in all, I highly respect OP's opinion and choice.
kja4kc said:
Its one thing to blindly buy a 1k phone, because you are a fan of a company's products, but its another thing to actually assess the product's value in relation to the price. I did not buy the note 8. I received it free through the tmobile deal buy one get one free. Tbh, if it were me gauging the price of this phone to be $700-800 for all its combined features. I sure as hell would have not coughed up 1k for this thing. Hell you could very well buy yourself an s8+ for cheaper with a note stylus and save a ton more money. People like to jump up and down claiming the s-pen is worth the $200-300 mark up compared to the s8+, but when it comes ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree mostly, I don't think I could really get myself to pay so much for this phone of I had to pay full price. It's getting ridiculous! The Note 7 prior owner discount was a big plus because I was going to use the full refund from my Note 7 and just pay the extra 100 dollars out of pocket. Now I'm keeping the entire refund and paying half with a qualifying device turned in, an option I like better since ideally I'd like this phone to be priced close to 600 dollars. Then there is always the fact that to date the Note series is still in a class of its own. Yes, I do use the pen.
1. The battery life hasn't been of an issue to me. This is coming from a person who (very briefly) owned an S8+ with a larger battery, as well as a Pixel XL (still own it) with a slightly larger battery. I have no clue what magic research sauce Samsung employed behind the scenes in the Note 8 battery design, but it works, and it works well, in spite of the bigger and bright as hell screen. I haven't had any battery complaints at all in terms of average usage (streaming, web surfing, email management, social media updates, etc). I am easily getting 4-5 (and sometimes with conservative use 5.5-6) hours of screen on time. The device doesn't even really warm up, either, except under the utmost heaviest of loads.
2. The fingerprint sensor, while still inopportunely placed, is an improvement over the sensor on the S8+. The sensor is inlaid some and distanced a bit more from the camera/flash modules. I don't use it as my main biometric, but it is there when I do use it and accurate enough.
3. Samsung has always had lousy external speakers...but then again I live a lifestyle that isn't necessarily conducive to carrying around my smartphone on my shoulder like a boombox, either, so yeah. It is a bit w/e.
FYI y'all, if you did a JOD you can return your phone if in good condition to any T-Mo store at anytime to cancel the lease
TheAnarchist1 said:
1. The battery life hasn't been of an issue to me. This is coming from a person who (very briefly) owned an S8+ with a larger battery, as well as a Pixel XL (still own it) with a slightly larger battery. I have no clue what magic research sauce Samsung employed behind the scenes in the Note 8 battery design, but it works, and it works well, in spite of the bigger and bright as hell screen. I haven't had any battery complaints at all in terms of average usage (streaming, web surfing, email management, social media updates, etc). I am easily getting 4-5 (and sometimes with conservative use 5.5-6) hours of screen on time. The device doesn't even really warm up, either, except under the utmost heaviest of loads.
2. The fingerprint sensor, while still inopportunely placed, is an improvement over the sensor on the S8+. The sensor is inlaid some and distanced a bit more from the camera/flash modules. I don't use it as my main biometric, but it is there when I do use it and accurate enough.
3. Samsung has always had lousy external speakers...but then again I live a lifestyle that isn't necessarily conducive to carrying around my smartphone on my shoulder like a boombox, either, so yeah. It is a bit w/e.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get good battery life too as long as I use the phone. My standby battery usage is wack though.
Sent from my SM-N950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Just getting some thoughts from long time samsung users! I've owned every Note series and S6edge,7edge and S8 and S8+! I love the Samsung phones, good quality and features! But it seems like they all look the same except for a few different features on different models! And locking the bootloaders on US models kinda pushed me over the edge to switch!
After research of 6" phones with good specs, I came across the Oneplus 5t with 8gb ram and 128 int. storage for $549! Factory US unlocked that works with Tmobile well and an unlockable bootloader! No bloatware and probable the smoothest, fastest stock phone ive ever owned! Developers are coming out of the woodworks and Roms are starting to appear! Im a flashaholic and im ready to do some flashing on this awesome phone
Any other Sammy users taking the leap to other phones for more options and ofcourse unlocked bootloaders?
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I had a one plus one before - I liked it, and it still works fine. However, I have kids, and photos are important. Nothing, no iPhone, no other phone matches the photo quality. IPhone owners are asking what phone this is. Also samsung has taken off its heavy skin and minus Bixby, it's almost perfect! (I just turned Bixby off). Also, I don't trust Oneplus One anymore after their recent data collection issue.
i all so had a one pluse be for but one pluse is missing a lot of things that got me away from it and that is samsung pay and water proof on the phone all so there updates are slow
Snow755 said:
i all so had a one pluse be for but one pluse is missing a lot of things that got me away from it and that is samsung pay and water proof on the phone all so there updates are slow
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Click to collapse
Yep, I forgot to mention s8 is waterproof, and I use samsung pay, A LOT!
So here is my take on S8 vs. One plus (and even Iphone X)..
1. After YEARS of rooting, and customizing ROM, I landed on the S8 and have no need for anything. I feel now like i own an Iphone..
2. Yes, in term of hardware - S8 is a level by its own. Stability, sturdiness, size, features - a winner in every category.
3. T-MO with S8 for me is a winner. I travel a lot out of country, and this phone works literally ANYWHERE. text, data plan, the works. With Whatsapp / Skype I am connected 24/7 with people, to a point I need to apologize not taking calls at my middle of the night local time. It is ALWAYS ON ! Never had it before with ANY phone of mine, and not willing to experiment.
4. Camera - Exceptional pics at low light. Good flash , quick response, what can one ask that isn't there..
5. Weight - Lighter than most. Easy to carry.
6. Battery - out of the box i get enough juice for business use. Charging an hour while on the laptop runs deep.. Quick charge and wireless is just working..
7. Screen - Just perfect.
Out of boredom I play in stores with all sort of phones.. even if they were free, they are not impressive..
Just my $0.02 from an old pal who has some 15 years of work with smart phones, and probably have tried them all...
I was a long time Galaxy owner. I've had all of them up to the 6. I jumped ship to the OnePlus 5. a few weeks later, I find myself missing Sammy... Looking into the 8 or the 8+. The OP5 isn't water"proof", and there are no waterproof cases. With 4 kids under 7, that's actually an important feature I miss. I went with the OP5 because it's 128GB/8GB RAM, and easy to play with different ROMs, but that's not enough to warrant keeping if the kids get ahold of it and get it wet.... Now to look into 8 or 8+ for TMo...
It looks like the S8 Active supports the 600mHz band... hmmmm....
Hi all! I currently have a nexus 6p as my daily driver and came from a nexus 6. I am running into some issues with the 6p and got to looking at other phones. My criteria is:
32gb storage minimum
usb-c charging or qi if micro-usb
good battery life
nfc
good camera (photos and videos)
no/minimal bloat ware (stock launcher also, no TouchWiz)
can be bought around $250 (used is ok)
fingerprint scanner is a plus
It looks like the ph1 meets all my requirements. I have found one slightly used for under $250. I really like the 128gb storage as I do YouTube videos using my phone sometimes and the extra space comes in handy. So my question is this: should the ph1 be a good device for me? I have been using nexus phones since the galaxy nexus and own them all except the 5x. I'm on AT&T. If there is a better phone that meets the requirements I'm all game to look at it. If I can't find a replacement phone soon I'm going back to my n6. This n6p is driving me crazy with the crap battery life, missed notifications, and phonecall black screen bug.
Thanks in advance for the input.
*edit* just found a pixel 128gb model certified refurb for same price. Which one would you get?
I've had my ph1 for only a couple of weeks now but I am loving this device. I rooted it but still running the stock operating system. I use Nova launcher just because I like the options in it but the stock launcher is pretty smooth as well. The camera takes great pictures especially compared to my htc 10 I came from. I go back and forth between the stock camera app and a modded Google camera app. Both seem to work great. Battery life is amazing for me. Easy lasts all day with 3-4 hours of screen on time. I had to charge my 10 a minimum of twice a day. I don't put this on charge until the very end of my day after I've been running the hotspot for a couple of hours. I'm not sure how it would compared to the pixel though. Security and software updates come pretty frequently. I've been getting the May security patch update for a few days now but since I'm rooted I can't except the OTA. Not sure if this will help your decision but that is my take on the ph1 so far.
I won't be a lot of help as I only picked up my PH-1 last night and have been playing with it at the office this morning. That said, I owned a 32GB Pixel XL prior to my current S8 and loved that thing. The main thing I felt it lacked was the always on display, which the PH-1 also lacks. When I got my S8 I decided to give wireless charging a try, don't know how I lived without it. The PH-1 doesn't have that either, although neither does the Pixel line.
The 32GB became an issue as I think only about 23GB was actually usable on my XL. Local carriers ran a deal last Nov and I picked up the S8. It's a solid phone, but I miss stock Android so I started looking at 128GB XL's. A deal came up on a PH-1, I was curious, so I pulled the trigger. It seems nice so far but if I'm being honest, I'd take a 128GB XL over it for the same price. The camera on it was amazing, better than the PH-1 stock camera for sure. I haven't sideloaded the Google camera app, so can't comment on that.
Hope this was a little helpful.
kameleon25 said:
Hi all! I currently have a nexus 6p as my daily driver and came from a nexus 6. I am running into some issues with the 6p and got to looking at other phones. My criteria is:
32gb storage minimum
usb-c charging or qi if micro-usb
good battery life
nfc
good camera (photos and videos)
no/minimal bloat ware (stock launcher also, no TouchWiz)
can be bought around $250 (used is ok)
fingerprint scanner is a plus
It looks like the ph1 meets all my requirements. I have found one slightly used for under $250. I really like the 128gb storage as I do YouTube videos using my phone sometimes and the extra space comes in handy. So my question is this: should the ph1 be a good device for me? I have been using nexus phones since the galaxy nexus and own them all except the 5x. I'm on AT&T. If there is a better phone that meets the requirements I'm all game to look at it. If I can't find a replacement phone soon I'm going back to my n6. This n6p is driving me crazy with the crap battery life, missed notifications, and phonecall black screen bug.
Thanks in advance for the input.
*edit* just found a pixel 128gb model certified refurb for same price. Which one would you get?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PH-1
kameleon25 said:
Hi all! I currently have a nexus 6p as my daily driver and came from a nexus 6. I am running into some issues with the 6p and got to looking at other phones. My criteria is:
32gb storage minimum
usb-c charging or qi if micro-usb
good battery life
nfc
good camera (photos and videos)
no/minimal bloat ware (stock launcher also, no TouchWiz)
can be bought around $250 (used is ok)
fingerprint scanner is a plus
It looks like the ph1 meets all my requirements. I have found one slightly used for under $250. I really like the 128gb storage as I do YouTube videos using my phone sometimes and the extra space comes in handy. So my question is this: should the ph1 be a good device for me? I have been using nexus phones since the galaxy nexus and own them all except the 5x. I'm on AT&T. If there is a better phone that meets the requirements I'm all game to look at it. If I can't find a replacement phone soon I'm going back to my n6. This n6p is driving me crazy with the crap battery life, missed notifications, and phonecall black screen bug.
Thanks in advance for the input.
*edit* just found a pixel 128gb model certified refurb for same price. Which one would you get?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're talking about the first gen of Pixel phones, then definitely get the Essential PH-1, it's more up to date in terms of processing power, feels rock solid (doesn't bend), uses ceramic back, which holds up well (according to various YouTube drop tests) as opposed to glass found on the Pixel, uses titanium rather than aluminum, so doesn't dent or scratch as easily.
Probably one of the best Android devices to own if you want consistent monthly security patch and os updates, definitely up there with the Pixel quality of os update support (I'm also hearing Razer phone is good for that as well). With Essential you also get a very elegant design, no ugly chins or huge bezels. Excellent cameras, just get a Google camera app if you find the stock essential one a bit lacking. Battery life is very good, can't say how it compares to a pixel, but I'd imagine it's not too different. I've installed Resurrection remix on the PH-1, and use it as a daily driver, this ROM really unlocks this device's full potential. Third party development is definitely there and growing. I'll say this much, if you enjoyed your Nexus devices, which I'm sure you did, you will love the Essential PH-1, it's not a generic copycat phone, but rather one of those devices that excite. With a pixel, well you get a very iPhonesque design and pretty much the same stuff as Essential plus more Google stuff I'm sure, don't know, never got one. My last two phones were the Nexus 6 and Nextbit Robin, both were and still are excellent phones to this day, but after checking out the Essential in person, I just couldn't not buy it. It definitely has that Nexus vibe to it
I just made the jump from a Nexus 6P to a PH1 a few weeks ago when bestbuy and amazon had them on sale for $400 and am on AT&T.
Overall the phone is solid though you can tell that it's not popular as your options for accessories such as screen protectors and cases are very limited.
Battery life is great, all day at work connected to my watch via bluetooth and I drain maybe 15-20%, my 6P would have drained 70% in that same time frame with the same usage. It's not an AMOLED screen which I do miss but it is a very bright LCD and seems to be fine in the car so overall I don't mind.
Haven't had any issues with AT&T other than a certain deadspot near the mall which was also an issue on the 6P so that's more AT&T's problem.
Bootloader unlock was smooth and rooting with Magisk was easy too so if you are coming from a Nexus device and want something simple to deal with this should fit the bill.
This phone has gotten so much better in the time I've owned it, the support is incredible. It is my favorite phone all around I've ever owned I think. My only issue is the camera, and with gcam it is half decent. Overall a great phone!