A question for Note 5 owners who previously owned Note 4 - Galaxy Note5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I know the title sounds weird lol but I actually would like to know what are the first impressions of comrades that owned Note 4 previously and switched for the new Note 5. Is the difference that great? I personally own the note 4 and I can tell yes, the note 5 feels a lot better in hand and performance wise on my end. Maybe because my Note 4 was the snapchat quadcore variant instead of the exynos? I am not sure but I definitely prefer the note 5. It makes me happy by just looking at how vibrant and crisp the display is.

Note 5 performance blows the 4 away. Night and day. And battery life is much better as well.

harlenm said:
Note 5 performance blows the 4 away. Night and day. And battery life is much better as well.
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Click to collapse
Fully agree
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A

ambervals6 said:
Fully agree
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A
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Click to collapse
I agree as well..also it feels much better in hand. I have zero regrets

If you can live without the memory expansion and removable battery, the Note5 is MUCH better than the Note 4 in every other aspect.

The build quality is better for sure. The battery life doesn't "blow away" by any means, so don't think it will for a second. The performance is better but nothing to make you think foolish for still owning a Note 4.

shollywood said:
The build quality is better for sure. The battery life doesn't "blow away" by any means, so don't think it will for a second. The performance is better but nothing to make you think foolish for still owning a Note 4.
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Click to collapse
The battery life is more than great... I get like 6 hours of screen on over a 20 hour day. That's excellent, and certainly at least 30% better than my Note 4 was. And the performance is day and night difference. The Note 4 lagged everywhere. The Note5, not at all so far.

Thank you all for the feedback. Im putting my hand on the note 5 today as I just received the black sapphire 32 gb phone. Will provide my experience after a day of my typical usage. It looks really promising before i even start using it.

So I have been testing the note 5 for a full day yesterday and it does really feels much smoother and fun to use than the note 4. The display makes you happy by just looking at it. It outperforms note 4 in playing heavy graphic demanding games and it is really fun using social media with. I like this device too much that I am not using my iphone 6 plus for the whole day, even for call quality I preferred the note 5. The design feels so premium in hand as well. I like the device.

It's simply better in every respect than the 4. My wife still has the 4 and it looks so dated to me. I used the move as an opportunity to go 'cloud' on everything and it hasn't impacted me one bit. In fact, it's more secure as an SD can be removed from a stolen device whereas a loss device can be remotely reset or can't be logged into. Battery has been fine although I tend to nervously charge at every opportunity! It's faster, snapier, smoother, more responsive, better screen, lighter, thinner and easier to hold, and the ability to unlock we just by touching the home button is the biggest benefit ever (as my work forces lock every time the device times out). It's by far the best device I have ever owned. And it looks fantastic!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using XDA Free mobile app

Not being facetious, but what was your (previous posters) setup on the N4? Rooted, custom ROM, Xposed, etc?

harlenm said:
Note 5 performance blows the 4 away. Night and day. And battery life is much better as well.
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Click to collapse
I should have quoted you guys earlier when I asked the question above, but I'll ask it again... What was your N4 setup? Were you rooted, running a custom ROM, using Xposed, etc? And are you rooted on your Note 5? If not, do you plan to be?
ambervals6 said:
Fully agree
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See above
NiquiSE said:
I agree as well..also it feels much better in hand. I have zero regrets
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Click to collapse
See above
KarimSalloum said:
If you can live without the memory expansion and removable battery, the Note5 is MUCH better than the Note 4 in every other aspect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See above
ekerbuddyeker said:
It's simply better in every respect than the 4. My wife still has the 4 and it looks so dated to me. I used the move as an opportunity to go 'cloud' on everything and it hasn't impacted me one bit. In fact, it's more secure as an SD can be removed from a stolen device whereas a loss device can be remotely reset or can't be logged into. Battery has been fine although I tend to nervously charge at every opportunity! It's faster, snapier, smoother, more responsive, better screen, lighter, thinner and easier to hold, and the ability to unlock we just by touching the home button is the biggest benefit ever (as my work forces lock every time the device times out). It's by far the best device I have ever owned. And it looks fantastic!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See above
Commandermadi said:
So I have been testing the note 5 for a full day yesterday and it does really feels much smoother and fun to use than the note 4. The display makes you happy by just looking at it. It outperforms note 4 in playing heavy graphic demanding games and it is really fun using social media with. I like this device too much that I am not using my iphone 6 plus for the whole day, even for call quality I preferred the note 5. The design feels so premium in hand as well. I like the device.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your responses. Just trying to put your comments in perspective.

ATT stock rom, unrooted. Same on both devices.

All I have to say is that it took a couple of OTAs for the note 4 to have the bugs and smalls problems ironed out. The Note 5 was amazing out of the box. I am very happy with my note 5, although my note 4 is my second favorite phone

second consecutive day using the Note 5 and it is really much better than my Quad-Core Snapdragon Note 4.

polish_pat said:
All I have to say is that it took a couple of OTAs for the note 4 to have the bugs and smalls problems ironed out. The Note 5 was amazing out of the box. I am very happy with my note 5, although my note 4 is my second favorite phone
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Click to collapse
Speak for yourself. The AT&T Note 4 had hit or miss GPS that was made better and worse but never good with multiple updates. One of the updates caused my battery life to drop by about 15% and it was never awe inspiring to begin with. The W8 versions are practically carrier unmolested which is why your experience is probably different than mine. I loved my Note 4; there was nothing out there that I thought was better. But, at least the way I use it, the Note 5 is in a different league.

Mine was stock at&t. I forgot about that awful gps. I even got a replacement from att because of it.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using XDA Free mobile app

BarryH_GEG said:
Speak for yourself. The AT&T Note 4 had hit or miss GPS that was made better and worse but never good with multiple updates. One of the updates caused my battery life to drop by about 15% and it was never awe inspiring to begin with. The W8 versions are practically carrier unmolested which is why your experience is probably different than mine. I loved my Note 4; there was nothing out there that I thought was better. But, at least the way I use it, the Note 5 is in a different league.
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Click to collapse
So we're still talking about stock unrooted?
I just say this because I'm considering my next device, and I know some people with N5's that are happy with their purchase, and I know some who aren't. It seems to boil down to this: Comparing a stock N5 to a stock N4 is obviously no contest, as Samsung doesn't optimise their devices to their full potential... (Gotta love planned obsolescence) But as a rooted N4 user running a custom ROM that transforms my entire user experience, I wonder if the performance chasm that is being described is truly that vast...
Edit: And I have held the N5 in hand... I'm certainly not bashing it - it's a beautiful device. But I feel Samsung left so much on the table, and didn't really improve a device that was poised to truly dominate the market.

Well I was a nay-sayer to the Note 5 (I was going to avoid it at ALL costs). That was until my Note 4 speaker blew (factory warranty replacement) but since they didn't have any Note 4's in Stock where I went they told me that I was getting a Note 5 for free. I was hesitant and was going to deal with the blown speaker until they could get me a Note 4. However, the person at the store convinced me to at least take the Note 5 in the meantime and at least give it the 14 day trial. So, I did... I must admit I love it, I don't miss the SD card slot, though I am still looking into a secure cloud service. I have noticed the reception I get from the tower (Sprint service) is way stronger than the Note 4 I had in the same locations, and side by side comparisons with my wife's note 4 holds true to that statement as well. I have never been one to switch out batteries, so that was never an issue anyways.
TL;DR: Note 5 > Note 4 IMHO
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

petegunns01 said:
So we're still talking about stock unrooted?
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Click to collapse
Yep. I connect to secure networks that don't allow rooted devices on. I also didn't want to obliterate Samsung Pay and other apps that can't be root cloaked that read device status.
But as a rooted N4 user running a custom ROM that transforms my entire user experience, I wonder if the performance chasm that is being described is truly that vast...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you're able to mimic the same custom environment on the Note 5 it'll still blow your Note 4 out of the water. Software can't take the place of a more modern and powerful SoC, uber fast memory and storage, and more streamlined and lighter stock apps and UI (assuming you're using any).
And I have held the N5 in hand... I'm certainly not bashing it - it's a beautiful device. But I feel Samsung left so much on the table, and didn't really improve a device that was poised to truly dominate the market.
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Click to collapse
What's really left design wise? The display sets the shape of the device so the only thing to play with is bezel size and depth. To support wireless signals and control weight material choices are metal, glass, and plastic. So no matter who makes a phone it's going to be a slab of glass on the front and made out of metal, glass, and/or plastic. HTC's dual front speakers didn't sell phones. LG's bizarre control placement and KnockOn didn't sell phones. Sony's waterproofing didn't sell phones. Apple's 8MP camera, iterative designs, lack of expandable storage, and fixed battery didn't prevent phones from being sold. Welcome to the "mature" smartphone market.

Related

A better Alternative.

Hi there after watching the unpacking event, and reading the full specs I dont really see much of an upgrade.
Yes they have added some good additions like the fingerprint scanner which is awesome, but alot of the other additions wont be used on a massive scale by all users.
Hardware wise, wasnt too inpressed on these either really, would of liked to see an octa-core version, plus the battery isnt too much of an upgrade.
But Ive found a clone version which in my eyes is better, comes with octa-core, looks exactly the same
http://www.goophone.cc/phones/goophone-s5.html
Again this is only my opinion, and of course others will feel different which is there right to do so.
I may even change my mind once ive got my hands on one and have a play, but as for right now, im quite disappointed with the S5.
And I am a Galaxy User myself currently having the Galaxy S3 and soon will have the Note 3 also.
Thanks for reading.
I'm sure this cheap knockoff will be worth every penny.
I wouldnt give you $100 for that phone ROFL. No 4G data (3G only), knockoff CPU, bigger battery 2800mah then the S4 2600mah with less talk time then the S4.
would be great but no lte? i'd like to try before I bought one haha.
It's so hard to find a flagship phone that looks good, has a replaceable battery and microsd slot.
martindar said:
would be great but no lte? i'd like to try before I bought one haha.
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Hmmm... No LTE is a deal breaker. 3G is barely good enough to stream YouTube vids, and sometimes it won't even stream at all on 3G.
---------- Post added at 08:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:17 PM ----------
initial_k said:
It's so hard to find a flagship phone that looks good, has a replaceable battery and microsd slot.
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Click to collapse
No, it's not at all. The Note 3 is AMAZING! You should check it out.
The Note 3 in a 5 inch form factor would be perfect (spec, looks and feel). Why couldn't they make a Note 3 Mini?
I already own the Note 2 and it's a big too big now and it weight a lot. I currently have the HTC one and while the metal body is great, it feels like you're holding a brick.
Yes I do understand that it doesnt have all the features of the original and of course the price represents that. But I just wasnt really impressed with the S5 so far. As I said my opinion may change once ive had an hands on experience with the device. Its thoughts at the moment.
Nick Fury said:
Hi there after watching the unpacking event, and reading the full specs I dont really see much of an upgrade.
Yes they have added some good additions like the fingerprint scanner which is awesome, but alot of the other additions wont be used on a massive scale by all users.
Hardware wise, wasnt too inpressed on these either really, would of liked to see an octa-core version, plus the battery isnt too much of an upgrade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't you think users will use the improved camera (a major update - not just in megapixels) and the water proofing? The improved screen with higher and lower brightness? Yes the puls-rate monitor is a bit gimmicky but unlike ALL the "air" features of S4 these functions will improve every users daily use with the phone.
Kudos for Samsung for not focusing on the one-time-wow-factor and instead improving the users daily rutine.
Yes of course i did like that they did add what users wanted. And of course everyone is going to have there own opinion of the device,
initial_k said:
It's so hard to find a flagship phone that looks good, has a replaceable battery and microsd slot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And an unlockable bootloader on a carrier that actually has service where I need it.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Well, cell phones have reached that plateau where you can't really add anything anymore. Add too much, people cry about bloat and gimmick. Add too little, and you get this... The heck are you guys doing that you need an octocore?
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Trentors said:
Don't you think users will use the improved camera (a major update - not just in megapixels) and the water proofing? The improved screen with higher and lower brightness? Yes the puls-rate monitor is a bit gimmicky but unlike ALL the "air" features of S4 these functions will improve every users daily use with the phone.
Kudos for Samsung for not focusing on the one-time-wow-factor and instead improving the users daily rutine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking of everyday average users..90% won't even notice the camera is improved over the s4, so that argument doesn't work IMO.
I won't even comment on the "higher and lower brightness" because that is just lolol. Sounds like iPhone users trying to sell things android has had for years.
I'm sorry, but people are grasping when defending this phone. What I can't figure is how websites like android central praise samsung for making Touchwiz closer to vanilla android and less gaudy....but How?? They put a freaking camera shortcut on the lock screen and gave us a white battery icon, otherwise the rom grew by about a GB over the s4 and is more bloated than ever. They are following the apple footprint by locking the phone down and offering extremely minor upgrades, but I don't blame them because they still make millions by working less because people still buy this stuff like it's the best thing ever.
Note 3. That's innovation. This phone does everything. Maybe the Note 4 will arrive with features worthy of an upgrade. The normal people can have the s5 because commercials told them it was cool.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Plus not to mention that the galaxy s5 rom will take 8gb of internal space. Bloatware much. So in essence buy the 16gb version to save money. Only have 8 gb of free storage space.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Rippley05 said:
Speaking of everyday average users..90% won't even notice the camera is improved over the s4, so that argument doesn't work IMO.
I won't even comment on the "higher and lower brightness" because that is just lolol. Sounds like iPhone users trying to sell things android has had for years.
I'm sorry, but people are grasping when defending this phone. What I can't figure is how websites like android central praise samsung for making Touchwiz closer to vanilla android and less gaudy....but How?? They put a freaking camera shortcut on the lock screen and gave us a white battery icon, otherwise the rom grew by about a GB over the s4 and is more bloated than ever. They are following the apple footprint by locking the phone down and offering extremely minor upgrades, but I don't blame them because they still make millions by working less because people still buy this stuff like it's the best thing ever.
Note 3. That's innovation. This phone does everything. Maybe the Note 4 will arrive with features worthy of an upgrade. The normal people can have the s5 because commercials told them it was cool.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you really suggesting that users won't notice they take less crappy photos? That their phone is better in direct sunlight?
How exactly is Note 3 innovation? What new features did it bring that it's predecessor did not have besides the usual performance bump?
what intrigues me is the fact the s5 uses wifi and data at the same time when using the web be great to see how that works and if it really makes a difference should imagine its pretty fast?
Nick Fury said:
Plus not to mention that the galaxy s5 rom will take 8gb of internal space. Bloatware much. So in essence buy the 16gb version to save money. Only have 8 gb of free storage space.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Click to collapse
Actually you get 10,6 GB of free storage. The "2 GB" was MWC stuff on it.
Oh and I think the 128GB microSD card support does kind of help, no?
Wait for Galaxy note 4. I am sure sammy will give us good surprises
Sent from Note 3 (The beauty & beast)
sohebq said:
Wait for Galaxy note 4. I am sure sammy will give us good surprises
Sent from Note 3 (The beauty & beast)
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Click to collapse
ahh yes that is true
but a friend of mine told me
"if you keep waiting for something better, you will end up waiting forever"
at the end of the day people will keep praising samsung and choose to buy it after finding out that the new HTC One will have only 2600mah battery and non removable and oppo find 7's 2k screen is washed out and you can't tell difference with 1080p screen anyway. not to mention lg g3 will have a very powerful processor like the snapdragon 805 but still laggy. i predict in the end samsung still wins although i hope i'm wrong. cheers

Upgrade from Note 3

Hi I have a Note 3 with me and I got a Note 4 during Cyber monday and I also have a T-Mobile gc for 100 off. Also T-Mobile is buying back my Note 3 for 325. So my cost for the Note 4 is 325 (650-325 Trade in credit) I am confused now as is it worth it to spend the extra money now. Can people who have upgraded from Note 3 to Note 4 comment on this.
A couple of things about me.
Wife has a iphone 6 plus and we take pics with the 6 plus so I can live without a not so gr8 camers.
I dont game at all.
I love the Spen and take notes also browse the web a lot o my phone.
I went from the 3 to 4. The s pen on the 4 is better. I draw etc and it works so much nicer. I also like the upgraded software for the pen.
sent from my GN4 N910T 4.4.4 stock rooted
That's good to know, I don't draw but I like to write with the pen. other than that how is the rest. The writing is really nice on the Note 3 also. Overall how is tue performance of Note 4 805 processor?
Another thing is we are also going to get 64 bit processor Soon- And the Note 5 next year will definitely have 64 bit processor. So I am really confused is it worth while to wait or upgrade and more over my Note 3 is in good condition.
Well all I can say is everything I do feels faster. Chromecast video play better. I do a mix of reading, watching videos, games, drawing, writing and replaced my PC with the note line. The Note 4 only has 2 things I don't like. I don't need QHD, it makes on screen elements a little to small in Ingress. The other is they didn't keep the temperature sensor. Other then those two minor issues I can't find issue with it.
I can't wait to see some custom ROMs over the next few months. I have owned a lot of phones and tablets and by far the Note 4 is my favorite. I do use Nova launcher since I can't stand the limits in TW.
sent from my GN4 N910T 4.4.4 stock rooted
Well I know the s6 was supposed to cone with new chip set but they stopped that. Nobody knows what note 5 will come with. 32 works great so is 64 gonna be better. Who knows. Samsung don't even know yet. They still have no real idea till they fix issues with s6 and then maybe focus on 5.0 for note 4 then get back to building note 5
BAD ASS NOTE 4
It's probably an unpopular opinion to have in this forum, but i'm a little disappointed I spent the money to upgrade. It's not to say the Note 4 isn't a great phone, out of anything out there right now it's an easy pick for me, but it is in no way a significant upgrade from the 3. There are some very slight improvements, the screen for one. The screen on the 3 was already stellar, so it's hard to achieve a major upgrade here. The camera gets slightly more detail, although the photos are noisier and have more sharpening added to them (possibly the reason for the added noise?). The battery life is worse, not by a significant amount, but it is still worse for me. I notice no speed difference at all, if one exists it's too slight for my level of perception. The speaker is worse, maybe not in quality, but in placement. The build is nicer, definitely feels higher quality, but this is perception too, the Note 3 was already proven to be quite tough. I keep my phone in a case, so that's ultimately not much of a benefit to me either. The fingerprint scanner I don't use, tried it and it often required multiple swipes, seems easier to just enter a code. The new white/cyan color scheme is atrocious, and I don't know what the hell they were thinking doing this on a phone with an AMOLED screen. Black backgrounds make MUCH more sense, not just to take advantage of high AMOLED contrast, but to conserve battery power also.
All in all, I regret spending $400 to upgrade, but the Note 4 is still an awesome phone. If I had been upgrading from an S4 or a Note 2, something along those lines, I think I would have a lot less regret about the money spent. Ultimately it depends on how much you want the slight improvements.
I came from an s4. Not a note 3.
But, I can tell you this phone is awesome. It's the "it" phone. And, will be for a long time.
Take the money for the note 3 and take the plunge.
My path has been g1and a wing, g2, s2, s3, s4, note 4.
I wouldn't have considered a note up until now because of the lack of development.
But, now. It's awesome. And, we are so lucky it's not locked down like the other carriers.
PS
We won't hate you because you admitted you have an iPhone.
Android_Monsters said:
I came from an s4. Not a note 3.
But, I can tell you this phone is awesome. It's the "it" phone. And, will be for a long time.
Take the money for the note 3 and take the plunge.
My path has been g1and a wing, g2, s2, s3, s4, note 4.
I wouldn't have considered a note up until now because of the lack of development.
But, now. It's awesome. And, we are so lucky it's not locked down like the other carriers.
PS
We won't hate you because you admitted you have an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We have the iPhone and there are some things which the iPhone is better, but again per me it all depends on what you do with the phone..
T mobile offered you 325 for your note 3? Last time I checked it was 190.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
T mobile offered you 325 for your note 3? Last time I checked it was 190.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I believe it is still there and also sprint offers the same you may match the trade in value with them.
kgbeezr1 said:
It's probably an unpopular opinion to have in this forum, but i'm a little disappointed I spent the money to upgrade. It's not to say the Note 4 isn't a great phone, out of anything out there right now it's an easy pick for me, but it is in no way a significant upgrade from the 3. There are some very slight improvements, the screen for one. The screen on the 3 was already stellar, so it's hard to achieve a major upgrade here. The camera gets slightly more detail, although the photos are noisier and have more sharpening added to them (possibly the reason for the added noise?). The battery life is worse, not by a significant amount, but it is still worse for me. I notice no speed difference at all, if one exists it's too slight for my level of perception. The speaker is worse, maybe not in quality, but in placement. The build is nicer, definitely feels higher quality, but this is perception too, the Note 3 was already proven to be quite tough. I keep my phone in a case, so that's ultimately not much of a benefit to me either. The fingerprint scanner I don't use, tried it and it often required multiple swipes, seems easier to just enter a code. The new white/cyan color scheme is atrocious, and I don't know what the hell they were thinking doing this on a phone with an AMOLED screen. Black backgrounds make MUCH more sense, not just to take advantage of high AMOLED contrast, but to conserve battery power also.
All in all, I regret spending $400 to upgrade, but the Note 4 is still an awesome phone. If I had been upgrading from an S4 or a Note 2, something along those lines, I think I would have a lot less regret about the money spent. Ultimately it depends on how much you want the slight improvements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for taking time to explain it. I do feel same but I also think by upgrading we will have a newer device and also the warranty is now extended to one more year. Look at this this way say if we were to sell our note 3 end of 2015 we would hardly get anything out of it but by selling note 4 at least we get 300 so our upgrade might be only 25..... That is where I have the whole confusion.
My Note 3 battery barely makes it to the end of the day. I am not rooted and don't want to as I use a lot of soft card for cash back. I definitely don't want to loose that.
steve_togo said:
Yes I believe it is still there and also sprint offers the same you may match the trade in value with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh right this must be for folks that are not existing t mobile customers .
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Limeybastard said:
Oh right this must be for folks that are not existing t mobile customers .
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope I am an existing customer. Did you check online.. What device do you have.
steve_togo said:
Nope I am an existing customer. Did you check online.. What device do you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had checked. I upgraded from a note 3 to a note 4 a few weeks back actually. That's why I sold mine on craigs list for funnily enough $325 as T Mobile were offering peanuts.
By the way well worth the upgrade. Think of it a refinement at its best.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
I had checked. I upgraded from a note 3 to a note 4 a few weeks back actually. That's why I sold mine on craigs list for funnily enough $325 as T Mobile were offering peanuts.
By the way well worth the upgrade. Think of it a refinement at its best.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How much did you pay and how many days has it been.
steve_togo said:
How much did you pay and how many days has it been.
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Click to collapse
11/13 I beleive it was bought usual price whatever it was. I think 750 plus tax.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
T mobile offered you 325 for your note 3? Last time I checked it was 190.
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah my friend just got a good deal I think is was a little bit less but I guessing phone still sells
BAD ASS NOTE 4
steve_togo said:
Thanks for taking time to explain it. I do feel same but I also think by upgrading we will have a newer device and also the warranty is now extended to one more year. Look at this this way say if we were to sell our note 3 end of 2015 we would hardly get anything out of it but by selling note 4 at least we get 300 so our upgrade might be only 25..... That is where I have the whole confusion.
My Note 3 battery barely makes it to the end of the day. I am not rooted and don't want to as I use a lot of soft card for cash back. I definitely don't want to loose that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good points, resale and warranty are valid reasons to trade up. My comments really focused on the complaints that I have with the phone as most other people have covered the high points, and of course there are many. It's subjective, obviously, but I don't think anything else out there at the moment surpasses it as a complete package.
I never owned a note 3 before. But I do own a 2012 Note 10.1 which I love very much. This Note 4 is even faster than my tablet and it really is impressive with everything I can do with it.
From Dante's Inferno via XDA Premium HD

Any Note3/Note4 people switch the N6? If so, reply within....

I am a long time Verizon customer, and after a horrible customer service issue yesterday......I am looking to switch to AT&T.
I've been on the Note 3 since October of 2013 and absolutely love the device. Since Vzw is so behind releasing devices, if I switch to AT&T I am open to two devices I am interested in.......the Note Edge and the N6. Anyone of you come from a Note to the N6, that has owned/used the N6 long enough to give me some feedback, pros/cons? I am reading a lot of negative when comparing the cameras......but am aware the N6 is vastly improved from previous. One thing I really am most concerned about is screen clarity. Just hoped for anyones direct feedback that came from a Note and is live with their N6.
Concerns:
Screen clarity,colors, overall brilliance. Samsung has been superior IMO for the last few years. My Galaxy S Fascinate, my S3, now my N3......all in my opinion had the best appearance than any comparable phone on the market at the time of their release. It is one of the biggest deciding factors I've base my devices around for the last several years. I don't want to go backwards if the N6 is noticeably less.
No external memory slot. Even though I've had an issue with the last 3 Samsung devices involving the SD card, its still nice to have that storage available, especially when storing ROM's and backup data.
No removable battery. Again going back to flashing ROM's, I'm used to devices with removable batteries.....which is critical in some cases needing to do a battery pull. Perhaps you Nexus fans can reassure me this is a non-issue.....
TIA
LXative said:
I am a long time Verizon customer, and after a horrible customer service issue yesterday......I am looking to switch to AT&T.
I've been on the Note 3 since October of 2013 and absolutely love the device. Since Vzw is so behind releasing devices, if I switch to AT&T I am open to two devices I am interested in.......the Note Edge and the N6. Anyone of you come from a Note to the N6, that has owned/used the N6 long enough to give me some feedback, pros/cons? I am reading a lot of negative when comparing the cameras......but am aware the N6 is vastly improved from previous. One thing I really am most concerned about is screen clarity. Just hoped for anyones direct feedback that came from a Note and is live with their N6.
TIA
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Click to collapse
I have the note 4 and gave it to my wife when the nexus came out. To be honest I regret it Note is way better display. Camera yes improved but Note is better then N6.
I had the Note 3 for a year. It was absolutely my favorite device I had owned yet. The Note series is great, one can't deny. I loved the large powerful device. I was so close to buying the Note 4, until I found out the Nexus 6 was coming with a 6" display. It was a no-brainer for me. I rarely ever used the spen so that wasn't a factor. I couldn't stand the idea of a rear facing speaker so the forward facing speakers on the N6 was a big plus. Power wise, well they are both power houses so no factor. Touchwiz vs pure Android, well for me pure Android was a big plus. Design of the N6 is very appealing to me. I don't have a preference, nor could I tell you the difference in the displays, They both look good to me. I can say from the Note 3 to the N6, the screen quality is at least as good. I have zero complaints with the camera. I mean it's a phone; if I want professional photos then I would use a camera. I guess in the end it's user preference but you asked for opinions/experiences so I thought I'd share mine. I don't regret nor even think about my decision to go with the N6. It's what I wanted.
Huge discussion here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6/general/note-4-vs-nexus-6-t2906800
NICEGYPT said:
I have the note 4 and gave it to my wife when the nexus came out. To be honest I regret it Note is way better display. Camera yes improved but Note is better then N6.
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Thanks.
b.huss2 said:
I had the Note 3 for a year. It was absolutely my favorite device I had owned yet. The Note series is great, one can't deny. I loved the large powerful device. I was so close to buying the Note 4, until I found out the Nexus 6 was coming with a 6" display. It was a no-brainer for me. I rarely ever used the spen so that wasn't a factor. I couldn't stand the idea of a rear facing speaker so the forward facing speakers on the N6 was a big plus. Power wise, well they are both power houses so no factor. Touchwiz vs pure Android, well for me pure Android was a big plus. Design of the N6 is very appealing to me. I don't have a preference, nor could I tell you the difference in the displays, They both look good to me. I can say from the Note 3 to the N6, the screen quality is at least as good. I have zero complaints with the camera. I mean it's a phone; if I want professional photos then I would use a camera. I guess in the end it's user preference but you asked for opinions/experiences so I thought I'd share mine. I don't regret nor even think about my decision to go with the N6. It's what I wanted.
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Good feedback. The first reply definitely was a pretty clear opinion, but I'm happy to see a counter for the N6 with yours. I'm definitely going to go hands-on in a store tonight, but for those of you who have the N6 I feel can give better feedback since you are more adapted already.
Getting ready to add two more concerns to my OP .........keep the replies coming. :good:
The N4 screen is brighter and cooler than the Nexus, but doesn't really offer any clarity benefit to me. It would be a better performer in direct sunlight though. I had both in hand for a couple weeks and in the end the Nexus was the right device for me. I prefer a stock android build and noticed many of the Samsung additions I either ignored or turned off. Your best bet is to think about the things that are important to you and then get some time in store with both to gain an understanding of how each devices handles those things. To me it came down to the fact that touchwiz just felt heavy (although it has come a very long way) and i wasn't really utilizing the S-pen the way i thought I would. I also like the ability to have access to factory images and the strong developer support within the Nexus community.
You cant go wrong with either though. I didn't dislike the Note, I just like the Nexus more
Tikerz said:
Huge discussion here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6/general/note-4-vs-nexus-6-t2906800
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Click to collapse
A ton of info surely in there, but that was pre-release for both devs. Surely there are hands-on replies in the current end, but that is a lot of sifting. I'll keep browsing it in daytime if I can't get what info I am content with here though, thanks. :good:
LXative said:
Thanks.
Good feedback. The first reply definitely was a pretty clear opinion, but I'm happy to see a counter for the N6 with yours. I'm definitely going to go hands-on in a store tonight, but for those of you who have the N6 I feel can give better feedback since you are more adapted already.
Getting ready to add two more concerns to my OP .........keep the replies coming. :good:
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I have no concern about the storage. I am on the cloud for years now. All my pic and music on the drive and good music. once I feel the storage are full which I never seen it I clear my storage.
Battery on the note 4 is better. You can get almost 5 to 5 and half hours SOT. On the other hand nexus will get about 4 hours SOT.
I haven't owned a Note, but I've played with a few. Most recently, I handled a Note Edge for a bit over the weekend. It is definitely a nice device. Did it have a bunch of features that made it a clear winner over the Nexus? No. The edge display, although a nice touch, felt rather gimmicky and overall not very useful. I also had problems with Touchwiz not responding properly to the stylus input. Maybe someone broke the stylus, but from what I've heard and seen about Touchwiz, my first impression was that it was bugging out. The rear-facing mono speaker sucks in comparison. Also I didn't notice anything special about the display.
In fact, I love the warmer color temperature of the Nexus 6. I'm surrounded by overly-cool LCD displays and fluorescent lighting in my office. The warmer colors of the Nexus 6 were a welcomed sight. Let's not forget that natural colors are actually warmer than your standard LCD display, and it's my opinion that the Nexus 6's display produces more true-to-life color than any of my LCDs, and the overly blue tint to Samsung devices.
There's no doubt that some may find the extra features of the Spen and Touchwiz interface a "better" experience, and some go ape**** over the changeable battery and SD slot, but are those few features worth the higher premium of a Samsung? No, not in my opinion.
I switched from Note 3 to Nexus 6. Enjoyed the Note 3 a lot, but there where some things I disliked a lot.
1) these capacitive buttons are horrible. When using mhl adapter with TV you have no buttons on TV. They take a lot of space. Display buttons extend the display when watching videos or looking at pictures.
2) touchwiz. great - these features like multi window. I used them twice because they really are cool, but never again.
3) I liked the spen a lot. But after switching to Evernote I simply stopped using it.
4) Samsung & updates. *shakehead* when Samsung releases 5.0 for Note 4, Google releases 5.1. Let's not talk about when update will come to Note 3 which is one year old. Yes - I know. There is a beta from India you can flash but if you NEED your phone, will you flash a beta? It is simply horrible, that a one year old device is not treated the same in regards of updates as the current flagship. Everybody who pays 700€ for his Note 4 today has to keep in mind, that his phone will be treated as "old" in just one year. And it is even worse with the updates for tablets.
the hardware Samsung makes is the best on the market, but I want to keep my phone longer then one year.
I have my Nexus 6 now and am quite happy with it.
Greetings,
Elmar
I bought the Note 4 at T-Mobile the day it came out and I returned it after 2 weeks.
At first, it was great. Loved all the S Pen features. But then, I started noticing lag and stuttering thanks to TouchWiz. I rooted and debloated it, but it still had lag that I wasn't comfortable with. Other people are saying they don't notice it, but I returned it and bought the N6 when it came out. And I haven't looked back.
I've had 2 of every note for my wife and I on at. If you absolutely need to flash and tinker go with the n6 its a great device. Otherwise I would stick with the note if you don't mind stock touchwiz. There is almost no Dev support on the 3 due to locked bootloaders and I don't think the 4 will be any better. All you can flash on the 3 is variants of stock and only with safe strap installed. Hashcode who developed safestrap no longer supports it so for the 4 there would need to be a new Dev working on things if that method will even work.
Tldr if you need to flash and mod go n6 if not go note 4. You have even less of a chance at Dev support on the edge. But they are all great devices!!
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
The Note 3 is what I have had experience with as I have owned it since it came out last year. I haven't gotten the chance to play with the Note 4 but what I can say is that the Note series never disappoints.
As far as the carrier goes I really wouldn't recommend going with AT&T or Verizon because if you are looking to root your phone and flash roms it will be a hassle to do because of the locked bootloader. I recommend you go on the T-Mobile network instead.
I say the Nexus 6 and Note 4 are great devices they both have the same snapdragon 805 chip among other things so the difference would be whether you want touchwiz or not.
DON'T FORGET if you can afford it, T-Mobile unlocked devices will work on att so there is that option. Also Verizon offer developer versions of the notes that aren't locked but are full price up front.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
I had the note 3 and 4 on vzw, got the note 4 on release day and had it till I got my n6 3 weeks ago. I loved my note devices but I noticed some lag on them over time not bad by any means but more like hiccups. Always put on Nova launcher bc I hated touchwiz. Screen was brighter on note 4 but I don't mind the n6 screen. Camera at night isn't as good but in daylight the n6 focuses faster than the note 4. For what I like the n6 is the phone for me.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
I own a T Mobile Note 4 and using on AT&T network. It works great with no issues.
I ordered a Nexus 6 with Friday delivery so can't fairly compare yet.
A few Note 4 things.
1. FireKat custom rom has made all the difference. It is stock TW tweaked to perfection. No lag and battery last 5 to 6 hours of SOT.
2. Screen on Note 4 is incredible.
3. We did get CM12 on Note 4.
I had a Note 3 until may of this year when I got my G3 which I still have. The Nexus is leaps and bounds past the Note.
TheAmazingDave said:
I haven't owned a Note, but I've played with a few. Most recently, I handled a Note Edge for a bit over the weekend. It is definitely a nice device. Did it have a bunch of features that made it a clear winner over the Nexus? No. The edge display, although a nice touch, felt rather gimmicky and overall not very useful. I also had problems with Touchwiz not responding properly to the stylus input. Maybe someone broke the stylus, but from what I've heard and seen about Touchwiz, my first impression was that it was bugging out. The rear-facing mono speaker sucks in comparison. Also I didn't notice anything special about the display.
In fact, I love the warmer color temperature of the Nexus 6. I'm surrounded by overly-cool LCD displays and fluorescent lighting in my office. The warmer colors of the Nexus 6 were a welcomed sight. Let's not forget that natural colors are actually warmer than your standard LCD display, and it's my opinion that the Nexus 6's display produces more true-to-life color than any of my LCDs, and the overly blue tint to Samsung devices.
There's no doubt that some may find the extra features of the Spen and Touchwiz interface a "better" experience, and some go ape**** over the changeable battery and SD slot, but are those few features worth the higher premium of a Samsung? No, not in my opinion.
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Click to collapse
The brilliance of the colors on the Galaxy phones is actually my preference. I am a hobby/amateur photographer, so I always have tons of my favorite pictures on my phone. Being you can actually control the tones/contrast settings.......that is all user interface, your preference. I've never noticed any blue tinting to any of my last several Samsung devices, interesting to hear that from another perspective. Thanks for posting up your experience, these are the kinds of posts I am looking for. :good:
theguardian99 said:
I switched from Note 3 to Nexus 6. Enjoyed the Note 3 a lot, but there where some things I disliked a lot.
1) these capacitive buttons are horrible. When using mhl adapter with TV you have no buttons on TV. They take a lot of space. Display buttons extend the display when watching videos or looking at pictures.
2) touchwiz. great - these features like multi window. I used them twice because they really are cool, but never again.
3) I liked the spen a lot. But after switching to Evernote I simply stopped using it.
4) Samsung & updates. *shakehead* when Samsung releases 5.0 for Note 4, Google releases 5.1. Let's not talk about when update will come to Note 3 which is one year old. Yes - I know. There is a beta from India you can flash but if you NEED your phone, will you flash a beta? It is simply horrible, that a one year old device is not treated the same in regards of updates as the current flagship. Everybody who pays 700€ for his Note 4 today has to keep in mind, that his phone will be treated as "old" in just one year. And it is even worse with the updates for tablets.
the hardware Samsung makes is the best on the market, but I want to keep my phone longer then one year.
I have my Nexus 6 now and am quite happy with it.
Greetings,
Elmar
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Click to collapse
Outstanding, this is a direct comparison for me.....since I'd be making the same change. And actually your 4 points directly relate to myself and my own preferences/experiences too. Thank you. :good:
XxKINGxX2580 said:
I bought the Note 4 at T-Mobile the day it came out and I returned it after 2 weeks.
At first, it was great. Loved all the S Pen features. But then, I started noticing lag and stuttering thanks to TouchWiz. I rooted and debloated it, but it still had lag that I wasn't comfortable with. Other people are saying they don't notice it, but I returned it and bought the N6 when it came out. And I haven't looked back.
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I've had a few hangups here and there, and started out swearing I'd remain stock/OTA only (like a lot of us on here do). After about 3-4 months, and the lack of updates (thanks Verizon), I rooted. Of course limited due to being locked down, but the experience even without AOSP based ROM's was much better than stock. And I've always used APEX Launcher to avoid TouchJizz. Glad to see the N6 answered your concerns though, definitely adds to the +++ side for me.
powdered_donuts said:
I've had 2 of every note for my wife and I on at. If you absolutely need to flash and tinker go with the n6 its a great device. Otherwise I would stick with the note if you don't mind stock touchwiz. There is almost no Dev support on the 3 due to locked bootloaders and I don't think the 4 will be any better. All you can flash on the 3 is variants of stock and only with safe strap installed. Hashcode who developed safestrap no longer supports it so for the 4 there would need to be a new Dev working on things if that method will even work.
Tldr if you need to flash and mod go n6 if not go note 4. You have even less of a chance at Dev support on the edge. But they are all great devices!!
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
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I like exploring different ROM's for sure. I really can't understand why carriers lock their devices down and offer little or no different customizations. It'd be a different story if they would see what changes the dev's make (that we want) and give OTA options of the same. Even as simple as a toggle for flashlight.......
jae2014 said:
The Note 3 is what I have had experience with as I have owned it since it came out last year. I haven't gotten the chance to play with the Note 4 but what I can say is that the Note series never disappoints.
As far as the carrier goes I really wouldn't recommend going with AT&T or Verizon because if you are looking to root your phone and flash roms it will be a hassle to do because of the locked bootloader. I recommend you go on the T-Mobile network instead.
I say the Nexus 6 and Note 4 are great devices they both have the same snapdragon 805 chip among other things so the difference would be whether you want touchwiz or not.
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I would be all over T-Mobile if they had service where I work. But T-Mobile has no data where I live OR work......so unfortunately it is not an option for me. I am limited to Verizon towers and AT&T towers only.
powdered_donuts said:
DON'T FORGET if you can afford it, T-Mobile unlocked devices will work on att so there is that option. Also Verizon offer developer versions of the notes that aren't locked but are full price up front.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
If my own ignorance to this option of T-mob device compatibility on AT&T networks, I would have purchased my last device from them. Verizon has stuck it to me hard with my Note 3 and their customer service, and being I paid outright for this Note 3......its going to be hard for me to justify dropping that cheese on another device outright. Definitely will keep that in mind though, maybe even if I decide to shop Swappa. :good:
nismo591 said:
I had the note 3 and 4 on vzw, got the note 4 on release day and had it till I got my n6 3 weeks ago. I loved my note devices but I noticed some lag on them over time not bad by any means but more like hiccups. Always put on Nova launcher bc I hated touchwiz. Screen was brighter on note 4 but I don't mind the n6 screen. Camera at night isn't as good but in daylight the n6 focuses faster than the note 4. For what I like the n6 is the phone for me.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
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:good:
martinezma99 said:
I own a T Mobile Note 4 and using on AT&T network. It works great with no issues.
I ordered a Nexus 6 with Friday delivery so can't fairly compare yet.
A few Note 4 things.
1. FireKat custom rom has made all the difference. It is stock TW tweaked to perfection. No lag and battery last 5 to 6 hours of SOT.
2. Screen on Note 4 is incredible.
3. We did get CM12 on Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should have bought the dev edition Note 3, but then again there is hardly any support on the Verizon end........so I'm actually glad I didn't. Still something to think about if I do shop Swappa.
Pilz said:
I had a Note 3 until may of this year when I got my G3 which I still have. The Nexus is leaps and bounds past the Note.
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Can you be specific as to what is so dramatic in the differences? If you have time, and don't mind? I'd love to hear what your experience has been. :good:
LXative said:
Can you be specific as to what is so dramatic in the differences? If you have time, and don't mind? I'd love to hear what your experience has been. :good:
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Click to collapse
The Note 3 was a good phone when I didn't know any better about Android when I bought it. The phone seemed fast compared to my S3 but it WS extremely limited in terms of modding which is what I hated. TW was always laggy for me (more noticeable when I used my Nexus 7 then used my Note 3). After a while it for extremely annoying to me that my Nexus 7 with its 1.7ghz process and 2gn or ram was faster than my 2.3ghz 3gb of ram Note 3. I was rooted running Nova launcher on it until I accidentally updated to kitkat. I lost root in the update and I decided that I would upgrade he phone when something better came along because the TW nonsense was not for me. I liked the dual window and the S pen was cool at first but then it became a gimmick. The physical home button started to click weird after 7 months and it was not ideal to use and felt primitive compared to the onscreen buttons of my Nexus 7 (2013)
I had mentioned modding earlier which is important to me especially with TW because there was a good amount of lag comparatively speaking. Others may have found the Note to EB fast, but have then use a Nexus or AOSP device and then use the Samsung. Its sad because it was nice despite its shortcomings. The camera focus was horrible in my Note, but when it did focus after much frustration it would take nice pictures. Now let's talk ergonomics, the Note is extremely boxy for a 5.7in phone. I like big phablets however the Note 3 was terrible to hold even with a minimal case. Then there was the camera which protrudes a good amount just like the S5, and Note 4 making a slim case a bad idea if you want to protect the camera lens.
My wife has the S5 and whenever I use it it's awful just like I recall my Note was. My wife used to love Samsung too, but she now likes the way Nexus devices are or any phones with on screen buttons and minimal bloat. (She's not s technology snob at all either) her phone lags and stutters even with the bloat disabled as much as possible. Back on topic with the Note 3 now, I decided that the physical buttons, non ergonomic design, bad camera focus, laggy software, slow updates, bloat galore and general lack of easy development/mods was too much. I then bought a G3 at the end of May last year and instantly loved it. LG's UI was nowhere near as heavy as Samsung's and the G3 became my favorite non Nexus devices. In fact I still use my G3 even thought I love my Nexus. I wasn't going to wait for the Nexus 6 or whatever I thought it would be called to come out because I was done with the Notes shortcomings. The best decision I ever made was to get rid of my Samsung phone. I like the Nexus and G3 and will get the G4 and Nexus phone next year unless LG screws up their nice design.
In the end it was more than one thing for me and I hopes this helps you. I don't hate Samsung, I just don't like their phones the way that I used to. I still have an awesome Samsung TV and LG TV in my house and a Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus (i7 mode) but I won't but another Samsung phone the way they are now.
I had the Note 3 for several month and before that a Note 2 for a good while - both on Verizon. Having grown tired of Verizon locking down their devices and Samsung pressing on with Knox, I decided to move on from both ... grabbed a Nexus 6 with T-Mobile back in the beginning of December. I admit I wasn't sure if I could deviate from the Note as I grew accustom to the Note series and all the great things it has to offer - screen, camera, having the SPen, Multi Window, Pen Window, etc. But, as I started to think about it, I realized I almost never used the SPen and Multi Window/Pen Window were very rarely used as well. After almost 2 full weeks with the Nexus 6 I can say without a shadow of a doubt I do not miss my Note 3 AT ALL! About the only thing I miss is the battery life - the Nexus 6, in my use/experience, has not even come close to what I achieved with the Note 3! (I'm not really worried about this as I'm sure the kinks will be worked out by Google/Moto to get better results).
Comparison of the (in my opinion) major factors:
- Screen: Turning off Adaptive Brightness on the Nexus 6 makes a HUGE difference (and is a must IMO) and , in my most humble opinion, puts it on par with the Note 3 display. However, the Note 3 still wins this contest ... The N6 screen gets plenty bright and visibility outdoors hasn't been an issue, but overall I think the N3 has a slight edge. Also, the feel of the screen is different on the N6. The N6 glass seems "stickier" (for a lack of a better word) ... My fingers slid across the glass easier on the N3 and it's definitely better at managing finger prints!
- UI: Hands down goes to the N6!! Absolutely no comparison! While I'm not a TouchWiz hater (I actually think it compliments the Note series well) I was never a huge fan. Yes, it has some useful features, but a vast majority I found to be gimmicky and never used them. All they did was clutter the settings menu and app draw. And there is no denying TW lags ... now it was never significant in my experience, but definitely noticeable! Now, 5.0 on the Nexus 6 absolutely beautiful and straight out flies! Multitasking it so fluid that it makes up for Multi Window - switch between apps using the recent key (or whatever they're calling it in 5.0) is smooth with quick transitions. Google added nice features (ambient display, battery saver, priority notifications - to name a few) that are, well useful! Granted other OEMs have used similar features them in the past, but they're baked in very nice in 5.0 ... not intrusive and easy to ignore).
- Battery: As I stated above, I had better results from my Note 3. The N6 gets me through the day, but if I was a heavy user I'd find myself needing to charge mid day for sure
- Sound: Nexus 6 is better in every category! Dual front facing speakers!! Nuff said LOL! Headphone jack output is better and louder in-call volume.
Feel-in-hand/Build: While slightly taller,wider and heavier the Nexus 6, after a few days of use, feels better in hand. I admit, the additional width took some getting used to (the height wasn't an issue for me), even though it's only slight difference in width, it's definitely a difference you'll notice. But like any new device, it becomes a none-issue after a few days. The curved back on the N6 makes the feel-in-hand great, but certainly makes things annoying if you're trying to use the device while it's laying flat on a hard surface. Although the same could be said for the Note 3 and it's protruding rear camera (never did understand that design!)
The build on the Nexus 6 is stellar!! Just a solid piece of machinery LOL There's no give to this thing at all! The N3 always felts kinda cheap to me ... it'd creek a little bit when holding it in a certain spot, the plastic didn't feel premium and it developed hair-line cracks in the plastic outer band around the SPen although it was never dropped/abused.
Camera: (DISCLAIMER: I AM IN NO WAY A PHOTOGRAPHER ... I ENJOY TAKING PICTURES, BUT TRUTH BE TOLD I DON'T KNOW MAY ASS FROM LEFT FIELD!!!) I may be the only one to say this, but I was never a fan of the Note 3 camera (I still feel the Note 2 camera was superior). I always had a tough time getting decent shots. However, towards the end of my run with the device I turned off the image stabilization feature (I think that's what it was called) and had MUCH better success! The Nexus 6, IMO, takes really good photos. Like any smartphone camera, it does better in the right conditions. But, with HDR on, I am finding the pics to be more than ample for my needs.
Depending on your wants and needs, I don't think you can go wrong with either device. In the end it all comes down to personal preference. At this point in my life, I wanted the latest, pure, unskinned Android OS, fast updates and a root/hack friendly environment (with great developer support). If those aren't appealing to you, than the Note 4 is probably the next best choice. I say go play with both a few time at a local store before making a decision ....

Am I too poor to be excited about the Note 4?

OK, I guess if I had infinite money, then I'd just go out and buy a new smartphone every year, but unfortunately I'm not. Though I will spend money on tech that I think are important, eg I bought a little xmas prezzie for myself in the form of a 51 inch plasma telly.
It's just that I already have a Note 2. I'd be paying a fair bit of money over 24 months to get a Note 4 and I just don't feel as excited by this piece of new tech as I "should be"? The screen isn't much bigger than the Note 2, which 2 years on still actually does everything I need it to do, though it has inexplicable slowed down a little than it used to be (maybe memory too full).
It just doesn't seem that revolutionary from the Note 2. My last 3 phones were Nokia N86, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy Note 2. And going to the Note 4 just doesn't as seem as revolutionary as the previous jumps?
I have mucho respect for you! I wish I could make a full 2 year run on a smartphone. I haven't found one that either didn't crash, smash, or just frustrate me to hell and back (or I fried rooting it). I actually liked my LG G2 and wouldn't have upgraded, but it hit the 6 month mark and the digitizer went haywire. 6 months. That's the least time any phone has lasted me. A year is average. So far, I'm not impressed with my Note 4, and may return it within the 14-day period. The battery life is truly unimpressive, the camera has focus problems, it lags all over the place, the interface is so...2010...the only thing that I really do like about it: SAMOLED. The Samsung displays are beautiful, and it doesn't hurt my head at all. My G2 gave me headaches. I may 'downgrade' or just try another device.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
I pulled the triger and after 2 years I switched from Note 2. You right, it is not a big jump like before ( originally switched from HTC G2 to Note 2 ) but there is not coming back to 720p screen for me. This one is a beast.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app
I had the note 2 for a full year right when it came out. I sold it after a year to get the g2. After a year with the g2, I'm so glad to be back to the note family, specifically the note 4. This phone is a beast, I can easily see myself keeping this one for a full 2 years!! It's definitely an upgrade over the note 2 by leaps and bound.
keithfrombm said:
i have mucho respect for you! I wish i could make a full 2 year run on a smartphone. I haven't found one that either didn't crash, smash, or just frustrate me to hell and back (or i fried rooting it). I actually liked my lg g2 and wouldn't have upgraded, but it hit the 6 month mark and the digitizer went haywire. 6 months. That's the least time any phone has lasted me. A year is average. So far, i'm not impressed with my note 4, and may return it within the 14-day period. The battery life is truly unimpressive, the camera has focus problems, it lags all over the place, the interface is so...2010...the only thing that i really do like about it: Samoled. The samsung displays are beautiful, and it doesn't hurt my head at all. My g2 gave me headaches. I may 'downgrade' or just try another device.
Sent from my samsung-sm-n910a using xda free mobile app
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Click to collapse
i am sorry to say this but you are lying! Troll alert!
I bought the note 2 when it came out and loved it but was getting some usb charge board issues about a month before the note 4 came out, i decided to pre order the note 4 and got it on release day and it's a superb phone the best I've ever owned and a good upgrade from the note 2 I think personally.
The screen alone is amazing.
@Rudy:
What specifically is he lying about?
Some people have reported battery issues, and it is a known fact that TouchWiz is somewhat laggy compared to other launchers/themes. Although it has been getting a lot better in recent versions and IME, I have almost no lag on my phone. Also if you check around quite a few people have been having an issue with their camera and focus issues.
His personal experiences with various phones are his own. Unless you were there to witness his usage of the phones.
Calling someone a troll and a liar without backing it up with verifiable facts from credible industry sources is in very poor form and very un-cool.
So either provide some backup with verifiable links to industry sources to prove him/her wrong, or quietly go on with your life and leave others be.
i upgrade on a 5 yr cycle. went to the note 4 910u from a nokia n8.
camera is slightly better (16mpx ois vs 12mpx), software is much better compared to symbian, storage is more (160GB vs 40GB), wireless charging and bluetooth and screen are better, lag is gone once i enabled dev mode with animations off.
i would not upgrade on less than a 4yr or 5yr cycle. thats the best ROI. if you have a note 2 stay with it until 2017/18.
Lol I cant stay on one phone more than 5 months
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
keithfrombm said:
I have mucho respect for you! I wish I could make a full 2 year run on a smartphone. I haven't found one that either didn't crash, smash, or just frustrate me to hell and back (or I fried rooting it). I actually liked my LG G2 and wouldn't have upgraded, but it hit the 6 month mark and the digitizer went haywire. 6 months. That's the least time any phone has lasted me. A year is average. So far, I'm not impressed with my Note 4, and may return it within the 14-day period. The battery life is truly unimpressive, the camera has focus problems, it lags all over the place, the interface is so...2010...the only thing that I really do like about it: SAMOLED. The Samsung displays are beautiful, and it doesn't hurt my head at all. My G2 gave me headaches. I may 'downgrade' or just try another device.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it isn't the same for everyone. For me battery is awesome on this phone 6h non stop heavy usage, over 2 days on moderate - this is double comparing to my previous phone which was Nexus 5. Touchwiz is s#*@= comparing to Google launcher tough, went straight to nova. Basically my opinion is: brilliant piece of hardware and very, very bad software. I hope someday we will get pure android rom.
jeanclaudevandamme said:
OK, I guess if I had infinite money, then I'd just go out and buy a new smartphone every year, but unfortunately I'm not. Though I will spend money on tech that I think are important, eg I bought a little xmas prezzie for myself in the form of a 51 inch plasma telly.
It's just that I already have a Note 2. I'd be paying a fair bit of money over 24 months to get a Note 4 and I just don't feel as excited by this piece of new tech as I "should be"? The screen isn't much bigger than the Note 2, which 2 years on still actually does everything I need it to do, though it has inexplicable slowed down a little than it used to be (maybe memory too full).
It just doesn't seem that revolutionary from the Note 2. My last 3 phones were Nokia N86, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy Note 2. And going to the Note 4 just doesn't as seem as revolutionary as the previous jumps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The simple reason is because you are not fully utilising the Note 2 and hitting the boundaries of the phone itself. If you were hitting the edges you would notice that the extra performance from the Note 4 would be awesome.
I change my phone every few months and the boundary i had was lack of wireless charging on my previous phone (sony z2 32gb 3gb). The Samsung S4 and S5 had terrible camera and the lack of the additional 1GB really hurt.
It took me 3 weeks to open my note 4 box and start using it because i was putting off transferring the data. All i have really got from S5/Z2 to Note 4 is the wireless charging.
A|ex said:
The simple reason is because you are not fully utilising the Note 2 and hitting the boundaries of the phone itself. If you were hitting the edges you would notice that the extra performance from the Note 4 would be awesome.
I change my phone every few months and the boundary i had was lack of wireless charging on my previous phone (sony z2 32gb 3gb). The Samsung S4 and S5 had terrible camera and the lack of the additional 1GB really hurt.
It took me 3 weeks to open my note 4 box and start using it because i was putting off transferring the data. All i have really got from S5/Z2 to Note 4 is the wireless charging.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would say that his approach is way more sensible than yours. You could have easily incorporate wireless charging to both xperia z2 and galaxy s5 for much less money than note 4 cost. If that was the only edge you were looking for you simply wasted your money.
torquadon said:
I would say that his approach is way more sensible than yours. You could have easily incorporate wireless charging to both xperia z2 and galaxy s5 for much less money than note 4 cost. If that was the only edge you were looking for you simply wasted your money.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sony Z2 has no wireless charging at all only the Z3 has but it does have 3GB
Galaxy S5 only has 2GB not 3GB (not enough)
actually from looking at some rumours about upcoming phones, I'd be interested in the next-gen Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the so rumoured Z4 ultra, with 6.4" screen and 1440p and stylus support. but that's just vapourware atm, CES will tell.
funnily enough, i just want a bigger screen in a new phone, like that is literally the top priority. the current z ultra is a year old so its processors/res etc rules it out. though it's not too expensive to buy outright now on ebay.
I've upgraded from a note 2 and the difference is significant. The upgrade in these camera alone was worth it.
I started saving money when i bought the note 2, so the note 4 was paid off as soon as it came out.
I am writing this message from my note 2,as it's a nice device to mess around with now, and I'm currently running Lollipop ?
EP2008 said:
I've upgraded from a note 2 and the difference is significant. The upgrade in these camera alone was worth it.
I started saving money when i bought the note 2, so the note 4 was paid off as soon as it came out.
I am writing this message from my note 2,as it's a nice device to mess around with now, and I'm currently running Lollipop ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lollipop on your note 2? Can you provide a link?
A|ex said:
Sony Z2 has no wireless charging at all only the Z3 has but it does have 3GB
Galaxy S5 only has 2GB not 3GB (not enough)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't check it for long time and didn't know that Sony resigned from wireless charging cover. My bad.
I'm not sure you understood his post. He didn't say that there is no difference, neither I did. All I am saying is, I believe his approach is more sensible. According to you 1gb ram and wireless charger is worth 600GBP, and for me it is not. Amount of people who will need that extra ram is relatively small, I updated from nexus 5 only because I could, not because it was by any means necessary. Both phones are more then capable of running any app from Google play smoothly, many of them would work better on nexus for that simple reason that Samsung apps use huge amount of ram/cpu and unless u root there is no way to disable them.
I was on the Note 3 and didn't had any plans to get the Note 4 as I thought it wasn't worth upgrading to.
But I haven't regret it a second! The quality of the phone is amazing! Better screen and better battery life. Love it!
/CK
I upgrade every two years. My previous phone was the note 2 and I'm thoroughly impressed. Everything, other than battery life, is a dramatic improvement. What really make this phone revolutionary upgrade from any other devise is gear vr. Think of all the advancements ever brought to the smartphone market and realize that nothing compares to gear vr.
Bruce lee roy said:
I upgrade every two years. My previous phone was the note 2 and I'm thoroughly impressed. Everything, other than battery life, is a dramatic improvement. What really make this phone revolutionary upgrade from any other devise is gear vr. Think of all the advancements ever brought to the smartphone market and realize that nothing compares to gear vr.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This plus imagine Note 4 + Gear VR + Gear S! Although Gear VR will not allow you to call or text when the user is wearing it, with Gear S, you could do that by talking to S-Voice! I have not tried this out personally - because I am poor, but it should work... right? :S That and advanced s-pen :3
But for the whole upgrading thing: If I were to upgrade my phone today - or within the year, I would go with the Note 4. If I were patient enough to wait a few more months, well, then clearly I wouldn't get the note 4 S: The way I see it though, technology has been upgrading crazy fast so it's no big deal if you're out of the loop lol
edit: I am biased though since I already own the note 4 + VR

Note 5, flip it or love it?

Hey XDA
Brief background, want to make this small post here.
Had the S4 for a year, actually enjoyed it for what it was worth, wanted out as soon as we knew for sure there was no root. Stock Touchwiz was just terrible on the 4.
I've never had the chance to own a Nexus device before, my carrier upgrades always came just before the Nexus devices were released, and I've been so ready to upgrade when it comes I jump on it.
This time around I stuck with my G3 for a while. I love this phone. I'm ready for new, and the phones coming out this year are not quite "notable"
I really have my eyes on the Nexus 6P - but US carriers not selling it means I have a decision to make. Got my dad the Note 4 earlier this year, he likes it. I like it the little bit I've played with it. I feel I could even use the Note 5 to replace my notebook in class for notes. ATT bootloader seems to be like the S4. Not much will come of bootloader unlocks with this phone.. It appears.
------
So I will upgrade through ATT, probably to the Note 5. Question is - stay with the Note 5 and learn to love it, despite the experiences I've had with Samsung, or flip it unopened on CL and order up the N6P....??
I really do not want a subpar camera to the G3, nor do I want a dull screen. Both devices seem on par, both no SD, battery not removable on the Note... Cameras both good..
Anyone here want the Nexus 6P?! Willing to get rid of your Note 5 for it?
The 6P looks sweet (literally and figuratively) but I'll never buy a smartphone with the Snapdragon 810. I already have a stove.
If i had a real need for a second phone, Nexus 6P will be my choice
I like Note5 as my main phone, S pen is really helpful, and makes you smart ?
Sent from my SM-N920C using Tapatalk
I see. Can anyone here tell me if it's valid to think you could completely replace a notebook and take notes in an 8 hour class day with the n5?
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
KarimSalloum said:
The 6P looks sweet (literally and figuratively) but I'll never buy a smartphone with the Snapdragon 810. I already have a stove.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone hasn't even come out yet, wait until someone can review it. There are phones with the chip that heat up a lot, and some that don't heat at all.
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
I've had the Note 5 for a few weeks now, it is an excellent all-around Android phone.
I think the Nexus 6p looks great too, has pros and cons like any phone.
I think the Note 5 is the better all-around device and is the premier flagship Android phone of 2015.
I don't think you could sit and take notes for 8 hours on this phone. Lol. Maybe you could, maybe not. I would never want to do that.
The Nexus 6p is using the SnapDragon 810 version 2.1 - heat issues have "supposedly" been resolved on that version.
Some things to consider with AT&T:
1) You can't root but you can use Samsung Pay
2) Resale value on AT&T branded Samsung phones (Android in general) are lower than other models like T-Mobile, due to the locked bootloader, they usually sell for less/resale for less.
So I don't think you want to take a risk and purchase the phone from them, only to sell it for less.
Worst come to worst, try it out, they should give you 14 days to try it and return it. Something like that.
HNIC215 said:
I've had the Note 5 for a few weeks now, it is an excellent all-around Android phone.
I think the Nexus 6p looks great too, has pros and cons like any phone.
I think the Note 5 is the better all-around device and is the premier flagship Android phone of 2015.
I don't think you could sit and take notes for 8 hours on this phone. Lol. Maybe you could, maybe not. I would never want to do that.
The Nexus 6p is using the SnapDragon 810 version 2.1 - heat issues have "supposedly" been resolved on that version.
Some things to consider with AT&T:
1) You can't root but you can use Samsung Pay
2) Resale value on AT&T branded Samsung phones (Android in general) are lower than other models like T-Mobile, due to the locked bootloader, they usually sell for less/resale for less.
So I don't think you want to take a risk and purchase the phone from them, only to sell it for less.
Worst come to worst, try it out, they should give you 14 days to try it and return it. Something like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True and true. I may end up doing that. Will be end of this month or next, don't want to make a payment to pay off my G3, got 4 months left but they usually let you swap with 2 left.
I want to try the N5, the S6 edge has a brilliant screen but not for me.
I just really have my heart set on this N6P. If I don't like what I get with the Note5 I may return it for a iPhone6S and sell that on CL. Should get more $$$ for it. Overnight myself a N6P and I'll be good to go.
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
It depends if you want stock Android or not. That's all it really comes down to cause the Note 5 has everything else the 6P has for the most part.
I personally can't stand stock Android, so I'm sticking with the Note 5. Stock Android is insanely boring and featureless compared to Touchwiz. And the Note 5 has the S-Pen.
WizeGuyDezignz said:
It depends if you want stock Android or not. That's all it really comes down to cause the Note 5 has everything else the 6P has for the most part.
I personally can't stand stock Android, so I'm sticking with the Note 5. Stock Android is insanely boring and featureless compared to Touchwiz. And the Note 5 has the S-Pen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed. That's true. I love vanilla Android. I wish the OnePlus 2 was a bit better... I'd sweep that in a heartbeat.
Touchwiz in my experience has been very Ram consuming and slow with the amazing hardware Samsung has brought to the table. It ruins the phone in my opinion. If course, the Note typically has better optimized software and useful features.
I lean more and more to the n6p every time I look at it. But again, ATT doesn't sell. Going to really suck
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
WizeGuyDezignz said:
It depends if you want stock Android or not. That's all it really comes down to cause the Note 5 has everything else the 6P has for the most part.
I personally can't stand stock Android, so I'm sticking with the Note 5. Stock Android is insanely boring and featureless compared to Touchwiz. And the Note 5 has the S-Pen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, I think somewhere along the line, maybe around lollipop, I started to enjoy the touchwiz version more because of all the useful features built in to the OS.
---------- Post added at 07:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 AM ----------
CoNsPiRiSiZe said:
That's true. I love vanilla Android. I wish the OnePlus 2 was a bit better...
Touchwiz in my experience has been very Ram consuming and slow with the amazing hardware Samsung has brought to the table. It ruins the phone in my opinion.
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had the Note 3, 4 and now 5. In my opinion, each iteration is slowly getting refined to be a better version compared to the last. If they keep this up, all the old stereotypes about touchwiz will eventually be obsolete.
HNIC215 said:
I've had the Note 3, 4 and now 5. In my opinion, each iteration is slowly getting refined to be a better version compared to the last. If they keep this up, all the old stereotypes about touchwiz will eventually be obsolete.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Old stereotypes are still there... yeah there's less bloatware but have you seen the RAM management on the Note5? Shameful.
Now that the V10 is out I would also consider that as an option. It looks fantastic.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using XDA Free mobile app
ekerbuddyeker said:
Now that the V10 is out I would also consider that as an option. It looks fantastic.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What V10?
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
CoNsPiRiSiZe said:
What V10?
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LG.
KarimSalloum said:
Old stereotypes are still there... yeah there's less bloatware but have you seen the RAM management on the Note5? Shameful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think RAM management can easily be fixed with a software update.
The Note 5 - even with this "RAM management" issue - is still the fastest, smoothest Note I've used. Hands down!
Software was never a strong suite for Samsung, however, they are learning. Fast enough for some people, slow for others.
It should only get better...
WizeGuyDezignz said:
LG.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Saw it... Not interested in the front screen thing, seems a bit gimicky...
But... Could be neat. I don't think I will wait that long until I upgrade.
HNIC215 said:
I think RAM management can easily be fixed with a software update.
The Note 5 - even with this "RAM management" issue - is still the fastest, smoothest Note I've used. Hands down!
Software was never a strong suite for Samsung, however, they are learning. Fast enough for some people, slow for others.
It should only get better...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, yet the track record shows Samsung will not upgrade the software's RAM consumption near as much as they could. They just don't have our interests at heart, rather the general public. After all we are a minority on XDA.
May settle for the Note5, will have to find time to go play with one in the store soon..
Otherwise I'll flip an iPhone 6S for the N6P... Ugh.
CoNsPiRiSiZe said:
I see. Can anyone here tell me if it's valid to think you could completely replace a notebook and take notes in an 8 hour class day with the n5?
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I say no. It may just be my writing, but I can only fit maybe 4-5 legible words across the screen in portrait mode, which makes for a lot of +New notes, or one lonnnnnnng one.
I've had my fun with it, but I am realizing it's just not convenient to try and pack a tablet into a phone, and use a phablet as a phone. I am now leaning more towards having a tablet for actual writing on, and a phone I can use easily in one hand for texting/emailing/calling.

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