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So Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is out of Google's kitchen, and us sugar fiends will have to wait until summer 2013 for our next big rush, which leads me onto the replacement for the Nexus 7, which given the cut-throat competition is a certainty.
So here are my dream specs, which are based on upcoming technology and some common sense!, give me this Google and you've got my money.
1) Bigger screen, but same size chassis as Nexus 7, thin bezels are sexy
2) Tegra 4 quad-core & 2GB RAM. Tegra 3 might not have been the most powerful beast, but it has served us well, and Nvidia game support is always a plus.
3) Resolution full HD - 1920 x 1080 and Miracast. You just know that the next iPad mini will retina up their screen, so lets not fall behind.
4) Faster I/O. Moving away from crappy eMMC to the newest µSSD SATA, which will result in two to three times the performance of current storage tech, as many N7 owners will tell you slow I/O really bottlenecks system performance.
5) With all this tasty hardware you need equally tasty software enter Android 5.0 - Key Lime Pie.
So would these specs tempt you to buy or are you happy enough with the 'old' Nexus 7?
Turbotab said:
So Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is out of Google's kitchen, and us sugar fiends will have to wait until summer 2013 for our next big rush, which leads me onto the replacement for the Nexus 7, which given the cut-throat competition is a certainty.
So here are my dream specs, which are based on upcoming technology and some common sense!, give me this Google and you've got my money.
1) Bigger screen, but same size chassis as Nexus 7, thin bezels are sexy
2) Tegra 4 quad-core & 2GB RAM. Tegra 3 might not have been the most powerful beast, but it has served us well, and Nvidia game support is always a plus.
3) Resolution full HD - 1920 x 1080, you just know that the next iPad mini will retina up their screen, so lets not fall behind.
4) Faster I/O. Moving away from crappy eMMC to the newest µSSD SATA, which will result in two to three times the performance of current storage tech, as many N7 owners will tell you slow I/O really bottlenecks system performance.
5) With all this tasty hardware you need equally tasty software enter Android 5.0 - Key Lime Pie.
So would these specs tempt you to buy or are you happy enough with the 'old' Nexus 7?
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Click to collapse
1. No the bezel is functional. Functionality over visual. I.E the iPad minis non bezeld display is a pain in the ass to hold one handed.
2. FCK Nvidia. Would rather have an S4. Or S5.
3. Seriously 1080p screens I can dig it but not necessary honestly. Our nexus 7 is already a retina quality display. And retina is a fancy zinger for high quality display.
4.SSD would be neat you got me there
5. Unlikely I'm sure we won't see it until the end of 2013. I would expect 4.2.x updates like gingerbread.
If this did come out for a reasonable price id possibly buy it. Can't say I wouldn't want to but hey this is just dreaming.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Why cant we just be happy with the device we have now..
Enjoy what you have now and not chase the future... You will never be able to be content with what you have other wise..
Come on Nexus 4 Erica Needs a new Phone...
erica_renee said:
Why cant we just be happy with the device we have now..
Enjoy what you have now and not chase the future... You will never be able to be content with what you have other wise..
Come on Nexus 4 Erica Needs a new Phone...
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Click to collapse
I'm enjoying my Nexus 7, this is just idle day dreaming, even typed this on my laptop rather than the Nexus to spare her feelings:laugh:
I will not upgrade. Why should I? Because with all the power that Nexus 7 has it will for sure be updated for a long time. Seriously, quad core Tegra 3 is a lot of power.
You people who update their phone/tablet every 9 months are something I don't understand. What is wrong with Tegra? I've had no problems with it by now. If your tablet needs to be on the top of benchmark result... why? Exynos may get 100 points more, or it opens an application 0.2 seconds faster but I will never spend so much money on it.
1. Decent camera on the back. I know (some) people don't see the use - but in small 7" devices, it could easily serve as a camera and analogue sharing device (showing the pictures you took, on a plane or whatever). If it had a camera, I would use it, and I would carry my N7 with me everywhere.
2. Built in kickstand. Surface has it. Make it happen and I <3 you.
3. Whatever is the fastest processor at the time of release. I don't care which chip. Use a Tegra, Exxnos, whatever. Don't care about the details. Fastest. period.
4. More storage space, but 16/32 is a good place at the moment. 32/64 would be more reasonable of course.
5. Move the power button away from the volume controls. I can't even count the number of times I've hit standby when I meant to hit VolUp. Maybe I need to pay more attention, but this could be easily relocated as well. Maybe bottom left or right, near the microUSB port?
6. The screen is fantastic as it stands. I'm not sure what can be improved while keeping this aspect ratio and screen size. It is plenty vibrant and bright enough (although the auto-brightness is too dark in most situations).
7. The back could be a bit grippy-er even. I like being able to hold it easily with one-hand while lying down. It is the best tablet-backing material I have ever felt, but it could be even better. Maybe a different texture could help /shrug.
8. Multi-color LED indicator light. Vibrator (whatever it is called) for haptic feedback.
9. Variable pressure stylus compatibility, pen sold separately to keep costs down.
10. Induction charging compatibility.
But lets get real - the Nexus 7 as it stands is an AMAZING device. I would not switch it for a slight upgrade (a la iPhone 4S to 5).
I'm good with the 7. Leave the bevels so we can hold the damn thing. The resolution is superb for a 7" tab. Resolution isn't that big of deal at this point in the game. All of that screen resolution requires a lot of umph that I'd rather put toward framerates and graphics. That like buying an iPad3 and feeling like a iPad2. Resolution on the N7 is perfect.
That said, faster/more memory (32/64), better display (brighter, Amoled maybe, something fancy), decent magnetic smartcover like Apples or N10, and of course a nice new fancy quadcore beef house.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
crackcaffeine said:
1. Decent camera on the back. I know (some) people don't see the use - but in small 7" devices, it could easily serve as a camera and analogue sharing device (showing the pictures you took, on a plane or whatever). If it had a camera, I would use it, and I would carry my N7 with me everywhere.
2. Built in kickstand. Surface has it. Make it happen and I <3 you.
3. Whatever is the fastest processor at the time of release. I don't care which chip. Use a Tegra, Exxnos, whatever. Don't care about the details. Fastest. period.
4. More storage space, but 16/32 is a good place at the moment. 32/64 would be more reasonable of course.
5. Move the power button away from the volume controls. I can't even count the number of times I've hit standby when I meant to hit VolUp. Maybe I need to pay more attention, but this could be easily relocated as well. Maybe bottom left or right, near the microUSB port?
6. The screen is fantastic as it stands. I'm not sure what can be improved while keeping this aspect ratio and screen size. It is plenty vibrant and bright enough (although the auto-brightness is too dark in most situations).
7. The back could be a bit grippy-er even. I like being able to hold it easily with one-hand while lying down. It is the best tablet-backing material I have ever felt, but it could be even better. Maybe a different texture could help /shrug.
8. Multi-color LED indicator light. Vibrator (whatever it is called) for haptic feedback.
9. Variable pressure stylus compatibility, pen sold separately to keep costs down.
10. Induction charging compatibility.
But lets get real - the Nexus 7 as it stands is an AMAZING device. I would not switch it for a slight upgrade (a la iPhone 4S to 5).
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Click to collapse
1. The camera was left out to keep the cost down, seriously, you look like a fool using a camera on a tablet, and when everyone already has a camera on their phone, having one on your tablet is just redundant.
2 kickstand would just bulk it up, I prefer a case.
3. The Tegra 3 is the fastest chip available, devs just need to optimize for it. As far as graphical quality goes, just put dead trigger next to nova 3. Dt was written for Tegra 3 and it looks just as good as anything you'd see on a console and is smooth, nova 3 (before the last update) ran terribly. Personally I would want to see a big jump, rather than a slight upgrade.
4. Agreed, I never understood the 8, I just got a 32 and I can't fill it, haha.
5. Disagreed, having it grouped together keeps it nice and tidy, and makes it easier to fiddle with one handed.
6. My 16gb did have trouble adjusting brightness, but they must have changed something, as my 32gb has a much better contrast and is much easier to see, esp in sunlight. Personally I have trouble keeping up with screen tech, but I think changing to super amoled would bump the price up ALOT.
7. I like the back, plus my tab spent half its time in the rubber case, nearly sticks to the wall.
8. Led would be good, I often have wished I could glance to see if there's any notifications rather than having to press the button.
As for haptic feedback, at first I thought it was odd it didn't have it, but the more I think about it, I think Firstly the tablet is too big for it, I don't know, it would be weird for something bigger than my phone to be vibrating away.
9. Styluses are old school, and even if they sell the pen separately, they'd have to have functionality in the tablet, which would unnecessarily raise the cost for people who won't use it. Google didn't make an Ipad killer by putting in stuff that only some people will use.
10. The n4 has it, it's only a matter of time. Personally pluging in a cable doesn't bother me, esp when I'm running out of battery and still want to use my n7, but it would be good for docks etc.
Personally the ONLY thing I feel that is missing from the n7 right now is hdmi or mhl, miracast is looking good but needing to buy a new tv or receiver is a pain.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Turbotab said:
I'm enjoying my Nexus 7, this is just idle day dreaming, even typed this on my laptop rather than the Nexus to spare her feelings:laugh:
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Her feelings.... I know a good therapist i can recommend you.. My girl friend used her to get over her old Heels that were GOD Awful and old....
Does SHE (your tablet)Have a name.. And i hope you have her in a Pink case... sheesh
1) Improve build quality. Use gorilla glass. Fix the damn screen lift for real. Make them more able to handle a drop without cracking/breaking/etc.
2) Keep all the current features - don't take anything out (like the smart cover ability and currently-unused pogo pins).
3) External SD (yeah, I'm dreaming...)
4) Inductive charging would be awesome.
JavaJunkay said:
I will not upgrade. Why should I? Because with all the power that Nexus 7 has it will for sure be updated for a long time. Seriously, quad core Tegra 3 is a lot of power.
You people who update their phone/tablet every 9 months are something I don't understand. What is wrong with Tegra? I've had no problems with it by now. If your tablet needs to be on the top of benchmark result... why? Exynos may get 100 points more, or it opens an application 0.2 seconds faster but I will never spend so much money on it.
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Click to collapse
I agree my phone is 3 years old. My Other tablet is nearly two years old and we still use it everyday.. Its acer a500.. i like the 7 in tab to fit my purse better.
I wouldn't upgrade, I love my nexus, but I don't use it enough to justify upgrading. I'll play some simple games, surf the web and play Netflix for the kids, so the current 7 is plenty for me.
Sent from my De-Sensed HTC Vivid using xda app-developers app
I think $200 is cheap enough for a yearly update. You can sell the old one for $100 to minimize cost. That doesn't mean you should upgrade, but whether you'd want to or not will be an indicator of Android's progress, ie if most peeps are still fine with their old N7s by this time next year, Android isn't moving fast enough.
My ideas for an N7B, mostly the little things:
. Keep $200 price point. One can quibble over N7's technical merits, but there's no illusion on why it's popular. That means that many of the MOTS in the OP should stay in the wishful realm. Remember that Kindle Fire will keep up the price pressure.
. Have a dedicated charging port for faster charging, and to allow using micro-USB for other things while plugged in. This would be a major problem for N10 with its slow charging, if the USB were actually useful for normal peeps (it isn't).
. Have micro-HDMI out. This is a major KFHD advantage over N7.
. Have dual-band, dual-stream MIMO wifi. This is a given, since starting with KFHD, tablets are getting this as a matter of course. Hopefully wireless connectivity will get more awareness, and we'll see 802.11ac or WiGig make an appearance.
. I'm fine with the Teg3 and screen, but N7B will probably get a low-cost version of Teg4 or equiv to keep up with the Joneses. I would not want the res to go higher as that will eat up more batt/SoC power. N10 already has this affliction, and hopefully Goog will take the lesson to heart.
. I'd say micro-SD slot, but I know it won't happen. Nexus devices need to be gimped so they can get the incredible bang/buck, and SD slot is the casualty.
. Outside of N7, I hope Goog fix the eco so more vendors sell Android tabs, and that non-Nexus tabs can get updates as quickly as Nexus ones. It's a sad testament when Android tabs are limited to only Nexus tabs. I'd like to have a 4:3 tab, and I know that won't happen with Nexus. This is on Google, not the vendors. It needs to figure out a better way.
In short, for hardware, I'd just like to see better connectivity, else the rest is fine. I'd like to see an improved eco (which doesn't necessarily mean more apps, although that would be a consequence). But most of all, I'd like to see a more capable OS, being able to do more than just consuming content and being a portable kiosk for Google Play Store.
I think a higher screen resolution is a very reasonable thing to ask for. Retina displays are GORGEOUS and I'd like to have a screen with that resolution or higher.
Micro HDMI
LTE support is also something that is missing.
Screen size is perfect the way it is.
Obviously the fastest processor at that time, but I'm not picky about which one
An LED notification light would be wonderful. Haptic feedback isn't needed
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
erica_renee said:
Her feelings.... I know a good therapist i can recommend you.. My girl friend used her to get over her old Heels that were GOD Awful and old....
Does SHE (your tablet)Have a name.. And i hope you have her in a Pink case... sheesh
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You may not have registered the hint of sarcasm in my post:silly:
bwassef said:
LTE support is also something that is missing.
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
Seriously? LTE in a tablet?
Kearkan said:
1. The camera was left out to keep the cost down, seriously, you look like a fool using a camera on a tablet, and when everyone already has a camera on their phone, having one on your tablet is just redundant.
2 kickstand would just bulk it up, I prefer a case.
3. The Tegra 3 is the fastest chip available, devs just need to optimize for it. As far as graphical quality goes, just put dead trigger next to nova 3. Dt was written for Tegra 3 and it looks just as good as anything you'd see on a console and is smooth, nova 3 (before the last update) ran terribly. Personally I would want to see a big jump, rather than a slight upgrade.
4. Agreed, I never understood the 8, I just got a 32 and I can't fill it, haha.
5. Disagreed, having it grouped together keeps it nice and tidy, and makes it easier to fiddle with one handed.
6. My 16gb did have trouble adjusting brightness, but they must have changed something, as my 32gb has a much better contrast and is much easier to see, esp in sunlight. Personally I have trouble keeping up with screen tech, but I think changing to super amoled would bump the price up ALOT.
7. I like the back, plus my tab spent half its time in the rubber case, nearly sticks to the wall.
8. Led would be good, I often have wished I could glance to see if there's any notifications rather than having to press the button.
As for haptic feedback, at first I thought it was odd it didn't have it, but the more I think about it, I think Firstly the tablet is too big for it, I don't know, it would be weird for something bigger than my phone to be vibrating away.
9. Styluses are old school, and even if they sell the pen separately, they'd have to have functionality in the tablet, which would unnecessarily raise the cost for people who won't use it. Google didn't make an Ipad killer by putting in stuff that only some people will use.
10. The n4 has it, it's only a matter of time. Personally pluging in a cable doesn't bother me, esp when I'm running out of battery and still want to use my n7, but it would be good for docks etc.
Personally the ONLY thing I feel that is missing from the n7 right now is hdmi or mhl, miracast is looking good but needing to buy a new tv or receiver is a pain.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
a. They shouldn't design the device based on a baseless assumption that people will use cases. Too many unknowns and too many variations to account for.
b. Tegra 3 is faster than the S4Pro? Anyways, whatever is the fastest next year, is the chip they should use. Of course software optimization is important, just look at the launch PS3 and 360 games vs current - but having the best processor will push the envelope of what is possible.
c. Maybe you're right about the stylus - but if it were available, if people were able to accurately manipulate tiny objects or switches with more certainty, new types of UI's can be developed. Look at Aparatus and Machinarium. Wouldn't it be awesome if you could accurately manipulate the levers and buttons? You're right in that it shouldn't be at the expense of driving hardware costs - tho I see a potential for future innovation.
Sure, stylii were used in crappy devices like the Palm, but they are also being used effectively in the Note 2 and by thousands of graphic designers through Wacom pads. Anyways, certainly don't drive up costs. I don't know if I can afford another $25.
d. If it will improve my quality of life ---- if it gives me a lifestyle benefit, ... that is the feature I want. Inductive charging is just that. It makes life easier. Plugging in a cable takes 2 seconds... as does picking up a pen and paper instead of launching Evernote. Is it possible to feed HDMI through the microUSB port? Maybe they can make an adapter that processes the signal into an HDMI output? /shrug. Big do-want on HDMI out though.
Thinking about this some more...
. Standardize a port & dock configuration for 3rd-party vendors to make interoperable docks, for keyboard/storage/battery/etc. This is key for accessory support. It also allows more productivity options. I don't want to have to buy a different proprietary dock for each device.
. Allow hardware vendors a cut of the 30% Play Store fee, as long as the device is updated to the latest OS. This would better incentivize vendors to update their old wares, more than the usual "it's a good thing for your users" lip service.
. Lend support to Cyanogenmod and similar roll-your-own-distro groups, so they can support more devices faster. Add incentives to hardware vendors where needed. Leveraging community work is a cheap way to spread adoption of the OS.
ÜBER™ said:
1. No the bezel is functional. Functionality over visual. I.E the iPad minis non bezeld display is a pain in the ass to hold one handed.
2. FCK Nvidia. Would rather have an S4. Or S5.
3. Seriously 1080p screens I can dig it but not necessary honestly. Our nexus 7 is already a retina quality display. And retina is a fancy zinger for high quality display.
4.SSD would be neat you got me there
5. Unlikely I'm sure we won't see it until the end of 2013. I would expect 4.2.x updates like gingerbread.
If this did come out for a reasonable price id possibly buy it. Can't say I wouldn't want to but hey this is just dreaming.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
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I believe in order to be retina a ppi requirement has to be met.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
I think "retina" is an Apple trademark. Didn't know you could trademark body parts... but whatever.
According to Apple, Retina goes from the high end of 326ppi (iPhone 4/4s) down to 227ppi in the Macbook Pro 13".
Nexus 7 is 216ppi so technically not retina.
Nexus 10 is 300ppi, just for comparison.
I figured it might be a good idea to share my thoughts on the Note 4, since I always put a lot of research into smartphone buying and someone might find it useful There are some of you that are still leaning toward different flagships all of the time (like I did!), so I hope this helps.
First of all I would like to mention that about a month ago I made up my mind to give up my LG G2 and switch to a new smartphone.
The Xiaomi mi4 came up first.
I liked the design, UI, price, specs. Everything about the mi4 is just above average, but thats about it. It didn't have that even slightest "wow factor" that I needed to push me to buying one. It's a very good phone, but the warranty would require me to send the phone far into the unknown in case something was wrong, I wasn't sure If I would pay tax as well. Nobody had the 64 gb model either (16gb and no card expansion, really?!). I decided that this would probably be a wise choice but it didn't offer anything more than what I already had on the G2, and in some cases, it was worse (camera). I passed.
My second choice was the LG G3.
So like always, I started researching, checking out different variants and prices, digging through the specs, looking for its strong sides and flaws. I liked the quad hd display at first, the SD 801 SoC, good camera with laser autofocus. The UI was a nice upgrade from the LG G2's cartoonish look. The 32 gb model seemed a good option with its 3gb of ram (although I didn't like the design as I wanted something different from the G2).
As I started to dig deaper though, I noticed that the display isn't all that awesome, as there is more to it than just resolution. I think they might have made the phone much better if they sticked to a 1080p panel and focused on other aspects like color reproduction, brightness, power consumption. I found out that the 801 chip is stretched to its limits (even over them..) with that display, which caused overheating, throttling and lagging in demanding tasks and games. I believe a smartphone should be able to handle anything you throw at it so I dumped the G3 from my plans.
Then the Z3 came up.
So again- researching, digging, looking at the cons and pros. I liked the design a lot better than the G3 (besides the plastic corners, although I can justify the reason they used them for). The display was beytter than the Z2, with very good brightness and color reproduction after making some adjustments to the stock settings. The audio quality is superb as well, the whole phone is waterproof and its battery life was very well above the current smartphones.
The camera in the Z3 is top of the line, but I didn't like how it overheats. Making the phone thinner wasn't necessary in my opinion and sony might have thought about the component allocation in the device, as putting everything in the top part of the phone wasn't too smart of a choice. The UI was something that I didn't like the most though. I know I could throw a custom ROM at it in a while, but I wasn't sure how that would work with the camera, battery life and other features sony offered in the stock ROM.
I almost made my mind up on the Z3, as it had everything I wanted and I could live with its cons but then the price came into my mind: 515 pounds including tax.
Thats the part the note 4 came into play.
I watched the Note 4 presentation: the phone impressed me in overall, I liked the design, UI, hardware etc. So I started digging again.
I've always wanted the best out of my phone, no matter if I was going to use all of the functions it had or not. I used my phone for calling, texting, making notes in google keep, gps, playing games, listening to music, browsing the web, taking pictures. Usually I endep up rooting it and putting a stock like ROM on it (although I used the stock LG G2 ROM all the way). The design of the phone was always important for me, thats why I had an iphone 4s and 5 for a month before ditching it cus of the awfully simple and boring OS.
The Note 4 seemed to be a very good phone that offered what I wanted and much more beyond that:
1. The display
It's resolution could have been not increased. Samsung could have stayed with a 1080p panel. But thats not whats important about this panel. This is what the DisplayMate test results are:
"The Galaxy Note 4 delivers uniformly consistent all around Top Tier display performance: it is the first Smartphone display to ever get all Green (Very Good to Excellent) Ratings in all test and measurement categories (except one Yellow for a Brightness Variation with Average Picture Level) since we started the Display Technology Shoot-Out article Series in 2006, an impressive achievement for a display. The Galaxy Note 4 has again raised the bar for top display performance up by another notch. "
The display is a window through which you interact with your phone, and it is a component that must be top of the line. There should be no compromise here. Samsung exceeded my expectations in this matter.
2. Performance
There are 2 variants of the Note as most of you know. I'm still having a hard time with both of them. At first I thought the Snapdragon is an obvious choice considering it was superior to all of the other chips last year.
But then the 64-bit affair came into place. Anyone would like their phone to be futureproof, and a 64-bit SoC would be a wise choice. The exynos and snapdragon chips offer pretty much the same performance. I tried looking at the benchmarks, real world usage, gaming, but one outpaces the other in different things and it is very hard to tell the difference. I believe the fluidity of the UI and overall performance must be taken into consideration the most, as I believe both chips will handle anything you throw at them when apps and games are optimized. The choice is either taking the 20nm exynos and hope for better battery life and 64-bit support OR the snapdragon one and expect better dev support.
I wanted the Exynos for the wolfson chip, as I like good quality music from my phone. I'll be using good headphones and PowerAmp so I figure I wouldn't notice much difference anyway. At least not enough to pay extra and import the exynos variant.
I'm pretty much set on the Snapdragon 805 as I believe the battery life should be good on both (the andreno 420 is powerful with lowered power consumption). Like I mentioned earlier I might change the ROM after a while if something good comes out. It's a matter of personal taste- NOT performance of the chips. Thats my opinion on the matter.
3. User Interface
Touchwiz was out of the question for me up until I saw the Galaxy S5 UI. I actually liked the flat style and functions it offered. The note 4 UI is pretty similar. I really like the S-Pen experience, it should be a great change for people who haven't used it before. I love taking notes and I'll use it often. I like the functions it offers, the selection in different UI elements, the ease of copy/pasting, more precise touch input.
Touchwiz has a lot of useless apps that I might not like, but I'm sure it will be possible to get rid of the ones you don't like later on, the dev community in here will surely help. I could go on about the stamina mode, multi-window, the ability to resize apps etc, but you've all seen that on videos. The most important fact for is that touchwiz had been improved, it is eye pleasing, smoother and faster than ever. It is the best custom android OS you can get atm.
4. Camera
On paper both of the cameras looked really good to me, but I wanted to wait and see the real world results. I wasn't disappointed. there were some early comparisions done, but some of them were pictures or videos not taken with the note 4, so getting a correct view at the performance was quite hard. We have these results now and the note camera is a top notch performer. I find day pictures top of the line, the details are there, colors are popping, OIS helps as well. 4k shooting isn't all that important to me but its a nice addition. The camera seems to be very capable and will perform great in a day-to-day user's hands as well in an experienced person ones.
You may find the night shots worse than of the lumia or z3, but thats just terribly trying to find a flaw to me. Come on- who the hell is going to photograph a piece of paper in the dark of the night!? insane. There are pictures taken with the note at night, i like how the lights aren't blurred and everything seems very crisp and detailed. Do remember what you'll be using the phone camera for, and the Note 4 delivers more than I want in those terms.
5. Battery life
Many people find this very important. I thought the Note 4 might get bad results cause of that screen so I checked out some vids of the LTE-A Galaxy S5 with the higher res display. The results were the same as the standars S5.
I am not sure if its the chip that is more power efficient, some power saving changes in the OS, or the screen, or maybe all of these at once, but the results people are having on the Notes they recently picked up are very pleasing to me.
Final words
I probably shouldn't, cause its so ridiculous, but I'll mention the gap gate as well- I don't give a crap about it. I wont even notice it. Especially with the case I'm going to put on the phone. And its something that samsung probably addressed already in the new batch of phones. There are other things I should maybe mention, but these 5 are most important for me. I really like the performace of the Note 4, its UI, functions, metal frame design, micro SD storage expansion, camera, battery, IR blaster and everything else that seems to be a full package that many will find good enough to put their money on. I surely will. On the black one of course
You have really done some good work digging up info and comparing them.
Just to add couple points to OP's excellent write up:
The battery life concern in #5 is actually addressed in already mentioned DisplayMate article, right towards the bottom it clearly states that the new screen, despite having larger number of pixels is more power efficient than 1080p screen of Note3 (0.05W for 50% and 0.2 W for 100% brightness), about 5 to 10% more efficient and Note 3 has proven itself to have very good battery life already.
The gap between screen and frame around might be by design, due to combination of plastic, glass and metal having different expansion rate due to temperature changes. My thinking is that if the phone was brought from very warm room into very cold outside, metal frame would cool and shrink much faster than the rest and could even possibly crack the glass, doing so. The gap possibly allows for contraction/expansion without doing any damage. Either way, outside of aesthetics, it doesn't affect anything and it's a non issue. Probably blown out of proportions as an attempt to shift attention away from bendgate.
pete4k said:
The battery life concern in #5 is actually addressed in already mentioned DisplayMate article, right towards the bottom it clearly states that the new screen, despite having larger number of pixels is more power efficient than 1080p screen of Note3 (0.05W for 50% and 0.2 W for 100% brightness), about 5 to 10% more efficient and Note 3 has proven itself to have very good battery life already
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Click to collapse
I think he was referring to the increased GPU load due to the higher resolution which is a valid concern.
But as it has already been said, even the S5 LTE-A with its Snapdragon 805 and QHD resolution has the same battery life as the regular S5 with Full HD and Snapdragon 800.
Still, it would be interesting to see the battery life on a Snapdragon 805 device with only a Full HD display.
I would prefer the note 4 to have a 1080p panel with the same characteristics. But how many people actually use their head before buying a phone? It's a spec war for android phones..
han4mi said:
I would prefer the note 4 to have a 1080p panel with the same characteristics. But how many people actually use their head before buying a phone? It's a spec war for android phones..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Normally I would agree that FHD 1080p would be more than enough. However, since the GN4 is going to host the Gear VR, with magnifying lenses, I'm happy it went for the QHD
Sent from my Surface Pro 3 using Tapatalk
Audio Quality
Thanks for taking the time for the write up.
One area I would really like to know about is the quality of the rear speaker.
The sound quality is much more important to me than the placement (and sometimes the rear placement actually helps when you put it on a flat hard surface). I ruled out the Note 3 because its speaker was worse than the Note 2 which is still my current phone. The Note 2's speaker is actually pretty decent if the 4's is equal or better I would be thrilled.
Any input?
ymmp said:
Thanks for taking the time for the write up.
One area I would really like to know about is the quality of the rear speaker.
The sound quality is much more important to me than the placement (and sometimes the rear placement actually helps when you put it on a flat hard surface). I ruled out the Note 3 because its speaker was worse than the Note 2 which is still my current phone. The Note 2's speaker is actually pretty decent if the 4's is equal or better I would be thrilled.
Any input?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same question, ´cause I am afraid, that speeker-quality will be on low level and I am used to fantastic stereo sound of my current htv one m8.
I think, the price for Note 4 ist extremly high. Meanwhile Samsungs flagships are playing in the same €-league with the latest iphons. So I want to hold it in my own hands first before buying it. In center of Europe the Note 4 will be available in about 2 weeks.
Maybe the new Nexus 6 has a better balance between price and specs. We´ll check it out.
Just read Phone Arena's review. Here's a quote:
"Unfortunately, the audio portion of the media experience isn't so spectacular. The single speaker of the Galaxy Note 4 is rather quiet and lacking any depth, making it sound thin and weak. It's not too bad, but it's far from the best we've heard"
How disappointing! The new Moto X is supposed to have an amazing front speaker. I just wonder if it is more like the Note 2 or 3.
I believe the speaker will be good enough to play the ringtone I choose. I prefer earphones+ Poweramp for my music. Like I said, it depends what you're expecting to use the phone for. The Note 4 meets my demands in key aspects and thats why I'm going for it. I don't want THE BEST PHONE. Such a phone does not exist. All of the flagships have their strenghts and weaknesses and a smart person would take the one with the most personally suitable set of features.
Hello,
Which is the best option?
The new Moto X will have a newer sock, probably a microSD slot and a slightly worst battery and smaller screen size.
Besides having a sock lesser optimized for 2k, Nexus 6 has amoled screen, which I think is not than power hungry and has a bit bigger battery.
Consider that both shares the same price range here in Brazil.
Csetoue said:
Which is the best option?
The new Moto X .....
microSD slot ; Slightly worst battery; smaller screen size.
Nexus 6 . . . .
amoled screen; bit bigger battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is subjective, but I try.
You may also consider:
- availability of factory images;
- portability; magnet sensor n6 can't switch off;
- wireless charging; camera m-pixels;
- the great dev support here;
- good kernels / Roms N6 now available;
- the screen resolution;
- the positive N6 posts of the M-preview.
NLBeev said:
It is subjective, but I try.
You may also consider:
- availability of factory images;
- portability; magnet sensor n6 can't switch off;
- wireless charging; camera m-pixels;
- the great dev support here;
- good kernels / Roms N6 now available;
- the screen resolution;
- the positive N6 posts of the M-preview.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was comparing the specs...
Processor
- Winner: M2015 Style?
N6 has the best SD 32bits out, but 808, maybe I think, is better because its 64 bits... Besides, the video processor is worse (418 vs 420 from N6).
Camera
- Winner: M2015 Style?
N6 has OIS, but M2015 has more MP... Dunno, really, which is better on real life.
Loudspeaker
- Winner: draw
Both has front stereo speakers. Dunno which has the cleanest and/or the loudest sound.
Screen
- Winner: Nexus 6
Amoled is better than TFT, and less power hungry.
Memory
- Winner: M2015 Style
M2015 Style has microSD.
Battery
- Winner: Nexus 6
It has QI charging and probably has more battery life (more mAh and amoled screen).
User experience
- Winner: ???
Will the M2015 Style have the same pure experience and smoothness than the Nexus 6, only adding the few Moto Apps?
After this comparison, I hasnt concluded anything.
Dunno how much better is SD808 than SD805... And, also, dunno if the user experience will be equal... The amoled and the probably better battery life lean me toward the N6.
i ABSOLUTELY love my nexus 6, really do. but at this point id wait for one of the new nexus thatll come out in a few months. if you like larger screened phones, theres the 5.7 inch option(all in theory, since google hasnt announced anything yet). but, if you cant wait, definitely nexus 6
Csetoue said:
After this comparison, I hasnt concluded anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of the comparisons require things to be known about the Moto X that we don't have information about yet. The battery life could be phenominal, or it could suck. The camera could be amazing, or it could be overhyped and end up garbage. The speakers could be the worst speakers on a phone in years. I mean, we really don't know at this point. On that note, what if there are major flaws with the device that we dont' know about, and may not until release. Display defects, camera defects, build quality issues or software bugs that looking at a spec sheet won't tell us.
Chipset. They are similar. Unless you are a really heavy user, or a gamer there probably won't be a noticeable difference between the two. We are at a point now where many devices perform similarly even though technically one is faster. The Nexus 6 is technically faster than the Nexus 5, but they perform similarly for most of the basic tasks people would do. Same with the Moto G which has a low end processor, but it should be able to send Snapchats, Instagram, and stream Spotify just as well as any device out now or coming in the near future.
One device isn't objectively better than the other, unless there happens to be a major problem with one. They each have their own pros and cons, most are subjective at this point. Only you know which ones matter most to you, and can make the decision using that information. Both are fine devices (once again assuming there is nothing majorly wrong with the Moto X), and I think a lot of customers would be happy with either.
Personally I would pick the Nexus 6 for 3 reasons.
The display, it being AMOLED and larger are both pluses to me. I have grown to love the 6" display, the bigger the better at this point.
It being a Nexus, gives me the ability to get updates quicker than other phones as well as it being easily rootable and ROMable.
Lastly, my carrier T-Mobile in the US officially supports the N6 meaning I get band 12 and wifi-calling functionality.
cupfulloflol said:
. . . about the Moto X that we don't have information about yet.
One device isn't objectively better than the other. . .
. . .carrier T-Mobile in the US officially supports the N6 meaning I get band 12 and wifi-calling functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree, it is a personal choice. It is difficult to say something about a phone that is not available yet,
In my view it is the subjective way of choosing.
OP wants probably make a choice by comparing phones.
cupfulloflol said:
The battery life could be phenominal, or it could suck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I presume battery life will be worse on M2015S than on Nexus 6, because it uses TFT and have a 3000mAh, while N6 has amoled and 3220mAh.
I dont think how could it be better, really. :angel:
cupfulloflol said:
On that note, what if there are major flaws with the device that we dont' know about, and may not until release. Display defects, camera defects, build quality issues or software bugs that looking at a spec sheet won't tell us.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agreed. :highfive:
cupfulloflol said:
Chipset. They are similar. Unless you are a really heavy user, or a gamer there probably won't be a noticeable difference between the two. We are at a point now where many devices perform similarly even though technically one is faster. The Nexus 6 is technically faster than the Nexus 5, but they perform similarly for most of the basic tasks people would do. Same with the Moto G which has a low end processor, but it should be able to send Snapchats, Instagram, and stream Spotify just as well as any device out now or coming in the near future.
One device isn't objectively better than the other, unless there happens to be a major problem with one. They each have their own pros and cons, most are subjective at this point. Only you know which ones matter most to you, and can make the decision using that information. Both are fine devices (once again assuming there is nothing majorly wrong with the Moto X), and I think a lot of customers would be happy with either.
Personally I would pick the Nexus 6 for 3 reasons.
The display, it being AMOLED and larger are both pluses to me. I have grown to love the 6" display, the bigger the better at this point.
It being a Nexus, gives me the ability to get updates quicker than other phones as well as it being easily rootable and ROMable.
Lastly, my carrier T-Mobile in the US officially supports the N6 meaning I get band 12 and wifi-calling functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the comparison is worthy because both gadgets aim at the same kind of user. The one which like pure android and large screens. Besides M2015S isnt already out, I think somethings are presumable.
Other things, I think that requires a clearer understanding about 32bits vs 64bits (which I dont have)... For example, I use Onenote and Evernote a LOT daily. Dont know if it will be smooth on both cellphones while I use heavy notebooks with many data on these apps.
Technically, I dont know if a 64bits processor will make such difference in that case, or if it just about a well fitted Android - which Im not sure, because it implicates in RAM usage and data processing (maybe the difference between SD808 and SD805 is so slight that even in that case, as you said, they will perform similarly).
Objectively, Im more concerned on SOT + big screen + smoothness using apps with many graphics and texts.
Just curious as to what other N6 owners are looking for in the next generation (the one after 6P).
Personally, there was not a compelling reason for me to give up my N6 for the 6P, so hopefully next years model will be more enticing for me to upgrade.
My Wish List:
Same screen size as N6
64/128Gb (32 just isn't enough anymore)
Fingerprint sensor
6P camera, or better
Snapdragon 820!
I would also love to be able to swap batteries, and put in expandable storage, but I'm not holding my breath for that. Also, I just cannot go back to a 5 or 5.5" screen, the N6 has it right (go big or go home).
an 820, and its free
priced at around 400$
SD 820
4gb ram
6" screen
front speakers
removable battery
physical button below screen
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
andy_n_ said:
Just curious as to what other N6 owners are looking for in the next generation (the one after 6P).
Personally, there was not a compelling reason for me to give up my N6 for the 6P, so hopefully next years model will be more enticing for me to upgrade.
My Wish List:
Same screen size as N6
64/128Gb (32 just isn't enough anymore)
Fingerprint sensor
6P camera, or better
Snapdragon 820!
I would also love to be able to swap batteries, and put in expandable storage, but I'm not holding my breath for that. Also, I just cannot go back to a 5 or 5.5" screen, the N6 has it right (go big or go home).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what you said... I totally agree with everything including the same screen size and removable battery, perhaps an aluminum body and they could make it little thinner. Also I like the curved back in my hand but sometimes I wish it would sit flat on a table so I could set it down on a table and it would stay still when I touch the screen. Oh ya... More RAM I believe the more the merrier when it comes to RAM.
-6" screen, prefer LCD but I can live with AMOLED
-SD 820
-4 GB RAM
-USB type C
-wireless charging
-improved camera, especially in low light conditions
-thinner top and bottom bezel
-front speakers that don't collect tons of dust and lint
-FM radio
-notification slider like OnePlus 2
why lcd?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
AhmadOkda said:
why lcd?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd rather not have to deal with burn in.
$500
Same soft touch plastic feel
6 inch screen
32, 64 and 128gb Configurations
Wireless charging and quick charge 3.0 through type C
Snapdragon 820
Fingerprint sensor
An RGB LED that works out of the box and supports custom colors better
3400 mAh + Battery
6p Camera or better
Sort of the basic list everyone has but, I thought I would chime in.
-small left and right bezels.
-Personally I'd love an excellent quality IPS display 4k? or 4k capable for videos or whatever 1080p scales great 2x2 4k pix = 1 1080p pix.
-screen doesn't need to nessecarilly get bigger...
-3D TOUCH almost forgot that.
-usb 3(.1) type-c.
-fingerprint sensor (built into the glass not likely I know).
-I'm ok with a 32gb storage but updated to NVMe >300mb/s >50k IOps. Apple has some nice results from this.
-faster faster faster encryption storage speed should be bottleneck not encryption.
-Qualcomm's best whether thats 820 or the 82000.
-MicroSD or some similar extra storage but treat it as separate as to not drag down performance with that NVMe storage (let me put my musics and those giant 4k videos on it).
-moar battery 4k screen = 4kmah battery?
-Front speakers of the upmost super duper quality.
-LED notification on the front since an LCD would kill ambient display kinda.
-IR thingy
-wireless charging with fast charging
Runnin' outa maybe almost pheasible stuff...
-a DAC?
-dual boot recoveries. (dual-boot the right word for that? probly not.)
-idunno 1000fps camera? (but srsly yea more slow mo c
-coffee maker
-wave hand over screen like moto x had.
-samsung pay-esque magnetic strip payments (i'd probably go unrooted for this)
-waterproof
-lazer pointer
-thought generator to think up more features...
I'd probably settle for a 820 in a n6p tbh Really would like that NVMe though.
A 4000 mAh battery for longer usage/standby time and T2W out of the box.
I am happy with nexus 6 for what it is at the moment but snapdragon 820 and 4000 mah battery would be my priorities.
How about a Nexus 6P only with a Nexus 6 screen?
Same sized screen. Base of 64Gb. Removable battery and/or SD card slot.
Wireless charging is essential, or I'd never consider it regardless of the other spec.
Charging/notification LED (that's actually supported).
Guarantee of no warranty issues if you choose to unlock the bootloader or root the device.
A really good camera.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Labs
bigbaluka said:
How about a Nexus 6P only with a Nexus 6 screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why ... The screen on 6p is better lol... Wtf
shayneflashindaily said:
Why ... The screen on 6p is better lol... Wtf
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bad I thought the 6P had a slightly smaller screen. I like the 6P but it's too narrow for me, I wish it was as wide as the Nexus 6.
Something not Huawei.
nexus 6x made by apple in california assembled in CHINA
- Something better looking than the visor
- Qualcomm's quick charging, not whatever the 6p has
- Dual SIM (huge outside of the US in many other countries)
- Wireless charging
- Waterproof
- OIS
- FM radio
- Hi-Fi audio driver
- Google built
So, basically I just described... A metal built Sony Xperia with QHD AMOLED, comfortable to hold, dual SIM, and stock Android that will be the first Pixel phone.
I am considering either getting A2 or Nokia 7 Plus.
The A2 has the same hardware platform but is considerably cheaper but there are a few things/questions that I am considering:
1. the updates on A1, if I read comments or on the A1 forum seem to be late and buggy. This is one of the major drawbacks for me as I want a stable device and I am afraid the same thing will happen with A2
2. on Nokia there seem a way to enable gcam without doing root on the device, on A2 I saw that root is needed... this would be a drawback as gcam seems to improve picture taking on many devices
3. How does the device feel in hand? Is it slippery? Is the camera bump annoying?
4. Any software/hardware issues reported so far? I read something about proximity sensor but other than that not much.
The reviews for the device aren't stellar. Most complain about nfc, jack and sd card. None of this are important to me, I care about updates and camera.
So, should I get the Nokia (better build, bigger battery, stable and fast updates, probably a bit better camera, gcam working, better screen, no PWM for brightness)
I'd like to hear your advices. Thank you for your time.
It'll be better if you buy the Nokia 7 plus Android One version! You'll get most the things needed in a flagship phone (not all) and it's better than Mi A2 in most of the time except the camera!
You should also bear in mind that Nokia phones have no official way of unlocking bootloader for now, so there won't be lot of custom development for their devices until HMD decide to provide way to unlock bootloader. And according to HMDs head twitter, they won't do it because of security (proof: https://twitter.com/sarvikas/status/910421837661790208)
There certainly are a ** lot ** of things to consider when buying a phone now-a-days.
One of the very first things I look at is appearance, and weight. So right off the bat, 2 knocks on the 7plus; it's gaudy looking with the faux gold trim, and it's 183 grams (and I thought 165 gram phones were heavy!).
I'm shocked you would say an issue with the Mi A2 would be build quality? I don't have mine yet, but the unibody construction of these devices, like the Huawei Mate SE, are as good as it gets. Could not feel more solid. There's a marked difference to how a device with a unibody and 2.5D raised glass feels compared to how a device (like the 7plus) that has a 'flat' band all around it, holding the top and the bottom panels together.
I much much prefer the rounded unibody, way more comfortable in the hand, less likely to slip. And the metal body of them isn't slippery.
Yes, the A1 has had some issues with updates / bugs. But the A2 already has the ota security patch / bug fixes for August available. Someone mentioned they seem to be doing better with the A2 and it may well be because it's Project Treble.
As someone else mentioned; Is the bootloader unlockable? That's right near the top of the list for me, if not the top. If the Nok is locked down (as said), it's off my list. At some point, and you might keep the phone that long, updates will stop. If you can't unlock it, then the phone is basically done.
As far as reviews go, actually the ones i've read, are stellar. Yes, the lack of nfc, expansion, no jack, are mentioned. They all mention it. I guess they have to or it won't be considered a decent review. But to me, I can live without them, not that much of a big. What is a big, and it's mentioned a lot in the reviews I've read, are the cameras. The f1.75 cams on the back will let in a ** lot ** of light. All reviews indicate they do well in low light (as you would expect), some even say the great cameras make up for the loss of the other items.
So what's important to you? I"m going with Android One is big, good cameras is really big, unlockable bootloader is huge, not too heavy helps to keep me from constantly pulling my pants up, available in black... I like black (not gaudy pls).
We all have our criteria don't we...
Build quality of the A2 is amazing. Feels like a flagship device. I was afraid how it would compare to my light Nexus 5x but man was I wrong. I loved it from the start
Custom roms were my main deciding factor compared to Nokia or bq even if there is no NFC or RGB notification LED. So I am ready to use the hardware until it breaks.
Headphone jack I don't care too much, get a fiio btr Bluetooth headphone amp and you are smartphone independent and can use your cable headphones which I won't change to anything purely bluetooth based unless Sennheiser comes out with some usb-c based ie80s.
SD card? You really need more than 64GB or 128Gb even? I am happy with the 64GB but depends a lot on what you are planning to do.
Oh I forgot the amazing camera. You can find some of my pics in the gcam thread. Guess I will upload a little camera showcase soon.
Thank you all for your thoughts.
@AsItLies I did not say there's an issue with build quality on A2. As you say, I am kind of convinced that it will fell better in hand as it is rounded, and that matters on big phones a lot. What I have noticed is that the camera bump is really big and that could make it wobble on the table.
So to set the list of pros and cons
A2
+ good feel in hand
- no way to use gcam without root and bootloader unlock which is something I don't want to do.
- no double tap to wake
+/- the software remains to be seen... A1 wasn't really great in that department
7Plus
+ double tape to wake
+ better screen quality
+ stable software with quick updates
+ google camera works without root
- like 25% more expensive
- not sure the looks in live preview with the copper accent.
- finger print scanner seems a bit too high, but A2 kind of looks at the same spot
- no notification led and glance uses battery since it has LCD
- bulkier and heavier
To be honest, I don't care for rooting the device. In 2 years, after no more updates, I am sure there will be other cheap alternatives to get.
Looks like you're not power user, doesn't need rooted device or custom ROM, etc. Based on this I recommend the 7 Plus, I think it's better than A2 for general usage. A2 to me strong in the community support and development since it has better value for budget phone.
7 Plus wins in many aspects, but A2 is slightly better at camera department based on some reviews I read. 7 Plus prices is very high compared to other mid range devices, I think if you have the money and can add few bucks more, you can buy flagship phone with Snapdragon 8XX instead of 7 Plus.
I care about:
1. updates - I have my concerns on updates given the previous history with A1.
2. camera - some say nokia is better, some say a2 is better. Probably nokia with gcam is better
3.handling- a2 seems to be more rounded, slimmer but has that huge camera bump what probably makes it wobble on table. Together with no double touch to wake makes it no so ergonomic.
Nokia kind of ticks most of the boxes really, however, a2 is 25% cheaper and may have life after 2 years with the community. At the price of 7plus, I could get a used pixel 2 for instance and that has better camera and updates.
Tough choice to make.
alinescoo said:
I care about:
1. updates - I have my concerns on updates given the previous history with A1.
2. camera - some say nokia is better, some say a2 is better. Probably nokia with gcam is better
3.handling- a2 seems to be more rounded, slimmer but has that huge camera bump what probably makes it wobble on table. Together with no double touch to wake makes it no so ergonomic.
Nokia kind of ticks most of the boxes really, however, a2 is 25% cheaper and may have life after 2 years with the community. At the price of 7plus, I could get a used pixel 2 for instance and that has better camera and updates.
Tough choice to make.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well hopefully you won't mind my version of your concerns, but always remember, these things are evolving and changing, due to experience. It's only natural with complicated things like this.
1. updates - While the A1 did run into a few issues, I'd say remember, this is a new thing for them. They'll probably get it right soon, evidenced by the August patch available now... and it's August! That's almost unheard of in itself.
2. Camera - I certainly like the Zeiss optics on the Nok, but Sony is no slouch either. Keep in mind the aperture of the 2 rear cameras on the A2 are f1.75. The Nok are f1.8 and f2.6 (for the optical zoom one). I don't know exactly, but the diff between the 1.75 and 2.6 is a Full Stop, if not more. That means, if u don't know, that the 1.75 will let in TWICE the amount of light. That's a huge difference, resulting in much better pictures.
The other thing re the GCam. I have a port on my LG G6 now. It's very good. Except it doesn't have all the features the OEM app has. For instance; taking a selfie in portrait mode, there is no timer. Also note the GCam ports won't use both lenses, as the pixel phones only have one lens. Some OEM apps use info from both lenses to create bokeh effects etc.
3. Handling - it is an individual thing for sure. My take on the camera bump is - I'd prefer it didn't have it, but I just don't set the phone down on the back (unless it's in a case). If I set it down I'll set it on the front. It's usually just in my pocket.
All cameras (except the G6!) have a bump, the A2 is just a bit bigger. Oh well. As far as double tap, for me... I've never used it, even once. Just use the finger print scanner.
Again! not knocking your concerns, they are valid for you, that's all that matters. Just giving a different perspective on them. Tomorrow, I may think differently! Haha, phones, they've become so complicated it's more and more time consuming to evaluate them. I've bought and sold so many lately, I never thought I would do that! I think I have a new addiction
About the handling, if you don't use a case with Mi A2, it is a bit slippery for me. The device is actually round but it is also thin. The metal at the back is very smooth and could be slippery for some.
And I think the cameras between two are not so different, depends on your taste. But the sensor with Nokia 7 Plus is larger so it should produce better images in low light.
@AsItLies thank you for your detailed info. I am very glad to receive info from an owner.
@Marciano09 thank you. To be honest, my comfort zone ends around the sizes of pixel 2, but the trend now is to have phones bigger and bigger so I guess I need to get used to it. So, bigger and slippery is not something that sounds comfortable. Nokia seems to have some ceramic back cover which probably improves handling but has rougher edges.
I saw some comparison videos on camera samples, sometimes I liked A2 ones, sometimes the Nokia ones. Nokia with gcam has some really nice photos where on xiaomi I depend on the OEM camera.
Really tough choice to make.
alinescoo said:
I care about:
1. updates - I have my concerns on updates given the previous history with A1.
2. camera - some say nokia is better, some say a2 is better. Probably nokia with gcam is better
3.handling- a2 seems to be more rounded, slimmer but has that huge camera bump what probably makes it wobble on table. Together with no double touch to wake makes it no so ergonomic.
Nokia kind of ticks most of the boxes really, however, a2 is 25% cheaper and may have life after 2 years with the community. At the price of 7plus, I could get a used pixel 2 for instance and that has better camera and updates.
Tough choice to make.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. they're both android one devices, sure, the nokia may not have as much dev support but it will get the same 2y official treatment because of android one.
2. both good cameras yep, the a2 will probably take some better nighttime pics, the nokia might be better at portrait mode.
3. forget about the double tap to wake... it's so much nicer to use the fingerprint to wake up instead! and yes, the a2 isn't stable on a flat table. even with the tpu case it still wobbles. the case helps, but it's still not standing nicely.
if you care about the price difference, go for the a2. but be aware that the a2 will drop in price over the next few months. this is the most expensive it will ever be. the nokia may have started to drop in price already.
the features that may point you to the nokia:
- nfc
- bigger battery
- 3.5 jack
- sd card support
- sturdier
a2:
- slimmer, lighter
- maybe better dev support (on the long long run however it's probably irrelevant since both phones are android one supported) - see LE
- maybe better night shots (it's still a phone however, and anything but the highest end flagships pale in comparison to real cameras - if you ask me never pick a phone based on cameras)
- cheaper (however expect the price to drop over the next months! this is the launch price)
did you consider/looked at the redmi note 5 pro (whyred)?
- already has some good custom roms (lineage)
- better battery
- 636 is a 660 running at a lower clock speed (even better use of battery)
- way cheaper
L.E.
- yes, the proximity sensor on the a2 seems a bit wonky, but not as bad as some reviews describe it
- updates are always a bit weird at first, android one is the fix for that (on both phones), only difference is the nokia had the time it needed to fix some already
- without a case yes, the a2 is slippery. use the included case from the moment you unbox it.
- yes, i own an A2, i love it and dont regret getting one, i recommend it to anyone looking to buy one.
- dev support...
*yes, it's very possible the a2 will get better unofficial support. however, and i don't know how i'm gonna say this without getting the full wrath of the forum thrown at me... that's irrelevant.
*you get a android one so you don't have to worry about the official support! you get one of these to be able to stay on the stock rom.
*either way you look at it, and in all honesty i really appreciate the work all the devs pull of unofficially for devices, thank you all and keep up the good work!
*however you cannot expect a handful of devs to be able to compete with google or big oem's. - again, this may seem like i am ungrateful, that's not the case. (only exception is when those oem-s choose to drop support). with android one they cannot do that even if they wanted to.
*both phones will get security patches and android updates for a minimum of 2 years. by then, regardless which one you buy you'll want a newer one that supports 6g or vr over lte or 5 cameras or a bendable screen. or whatever else gimmick they pull out of the hat by then. (if anything, i would be sorry for having to dump the nokia more)
I personally was debating between this or the 6.1 plus. I don't recall off hand what the deciding factor for me was. But I went with the a2 and it will be here Tuesday.
Nickdroid86 said:
I personally was debating between this or the 6.1 plus. I don't recall off hand what the deciding factor for me was. But I went with the a2 and it will be here Tuesday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
now that's a better comparison!
picked the a2 for the large screen and better cameras?
enjoy the new a2! and piece of advice... dont switch away from the standard android one for as long as you can. unlike the other xiaomi-s with miui, it's actually not a bad idea to stick to stock.
if you find the time share your opinions about it after a few days
Doing a little research and found on gsmarena u can not only compare phones, but also photo comparisons;
There are 3 categories it compares them in: Lowest ISO, Good Light, Low Light. There's some explanation of how they got their results, but they seem a bit vague (but at least they have SOME control they're doing).
An issue that comes up when comparing Cameras is some think it has to be an apples to apples comparison; Same ISO, Same Aperture, Same exposure time. They think that's the only way to have a true comparison.
But here's the thing; A comparison really should be 'take the best picture possible' for ea camera under the exact conditions and exact subject matter. That way, if one camera has pixel binning, it can use that. Or another camera has a wider aperture it can use that, etc.
But this does give 'some' idea of how the 2 phone cameras compare, it's pretty cool to fool around with, click in the design on the left to change what's focused on. Also note, the pictures do seem to indicate when a lense has a wider angle than another, noted by what's captured in the 'viewing box'.
https://www.gsmarena.com/piccmp.php3?idType=5&idPhone1=9140&idPhone2=9058
I think the build quality of A2 is very good but the metal back is really slippery. I have to use the TPU cover provided. After using the cover, the camera bump is not a big issue. The bump becomes much smaller.
I also considered Nokia 7 Plus but I think it's too bulky and heavy for me. As I don't need NFC and SD card because it's not my main phone, I can live with it.
The screen is vibrant and crisp. I really didn't expect that in such a low price phone.
Thank you all for your valuable informations. The price of Nokia 7 plus is around the same as a Pixel 2 (the smaller one) and I think I'll keep an eye on the market for a good deal. Pixel is more compact, has great camera and another 2 years of software updates.
Thank all again you for your time.
laviniu_c said:
now that's a better comparison!
picked the a2 for the large screen and better cameras?
enjoy the new a2! and piece of advice... dont switch away from the standard android one for as long as you can. unlike the other xiaomi-s with miui, it's actually not a bad idea to stick to stock.
if you find the time share your opinions about it after a few days
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will for sure. I love Android One software. I had it with my regular Nokia 6.1
Comparing 7 plus and a2 is like comparing apples to oranges (both are phones). In terms of price there is a stellar difference, if you can afford the 7 plus, better go for a pixel 1 (you said you wanted updates and camera), i personally bought a2 because it's cheap as hell and even if i'd be the richest person on the planet i would not pay more than 300 dollars for a phone.
Android is made for SD8XX, nomatter what these cheapsters hide under the lid (SD6XX) they will always hang, lag, overheat and die fast.
Component wise the a2 feels like a joke (sorry, copying the iphone x in this manner it's way beyond shame) and a toy for kids with the ir blaster (come on it's 2018) and the lack of nfc (if you're european you'll understand).
If you have the money buy the pixel 1, if you're a cheapster like the a2, go for it. I don't se the reason to buy the 7 plus.
strapabiro said:
Comparing 7 plus and a2 is like comparing apples to oranges (both are phones). In terms of price there is a stellar difference, if you can afford the 7 plus, better go for a pixel 1 (you said you wanted updates and camera), i personally bought a2 because it's cheap as hell and even if i'd be the richest person on the planet i would not pay more than 300 dollars for a phone.
Android is made for SD8XX, nomatter what these cheapsters hide under the lid (SD6XX) they will always hang, lag, overheat and die fast.
Component wise the a2 feels like a joke (sorry, copying the iphone x in this manner it's way beyond shame) and a toy for kids with the ir blaster (come on it's 2018) and the lack of nfc (if you're european you'll understand).
If you have the money buy the pixel 1, if you're a cheapster like the a2, go for it. I don't se the reason to buy the 7 plus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android is made for SD8XX? Each phone is optimized for it's precessor, among other hardware. Some better than others. The sd660 in my mi a2 is hanging in there up against my sd845 in my s9+ and the sd835 in my pixel 2 xl..