Is the N6 still worth it ? vs 5X ? - Nexus 6 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Long story short, my current phone is 3 years old.. and It's becoming unreliable..
I was gonna get the 5X.. but seeing the specs of the 6 made the decision tough...
The Nexus 6 is a lot more bang for buck.... You're getting a huge screen, a metal frame, OIS, NO USB C crab, 3 GB RAM, Water resistance, better speaker.
A fingerprint scanner would have been great, but for the price of the 6, I can't justify even spending extra 50$ to get the 5X.
I'm not sure though about the performance difference between the two. SD805 and SD808 don't look that different spec wise.
I'm just worried about the size though. I'm coming from a tiny 4.3 inch screen (i9100).. and I know this phone is huge that some people actually complained about its big size..
Currently it's sold for about 350$ (32gb version) in a local retailer here... Is there any cheaper deals out there for a new one ?

biascoblix said:
Long story short, my current phone is 3 years old.. and It's becoming unreliable..
I was gonna get the 5X.. but seeing the specs of the 6 made the decision tough...
The Nexus 6 is a lot more bang for buck.... You're getting a huge screen, a metal frame, OIS, NO USB C crab, 3 GB RAM, Water resistance, better speaker.
A fingerprint scanner would have been great, but for the price of the 6, I can't justify even spending extra 50$ to get the 5X.
I'm not sure though about the performance difference between the two. SD805 and SD808 don't look that different spec wise.
I'm just worried about the size though. I'm coming from a tiny 4.3 inch screen (i9100).. and I know this phone is huge that some people actually complained about its big size..
Currently it's sold for about 350$ (32gb version) in a local retailer here... Is there any cheaper deals out there for a new one ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can find it on places like swappa for alot less.
The size does take a bit to get used to. Not to much though.

zelendel said:
You can find it on places like swappa for alot less.
The size does take a bit to get used to. Not to much though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, It's a lot cheaper there...
XT1103 vs XT1100 !? Is there any difference beside the Bands ? They run the same rom/kernel, right ?

biascoblix said:
...The Nexus 6 is a lot more bang for buck.... You're getting a huge screen, a metal frame, OIS, NO USB C crab, 3 GB RAM, Water resistance, better speaker....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gotta ask what your beef with type-c is. I can't wait to embrace it personally, it's gonna make life way easier.

biascoblix said:
Yea, It's a lot cheaper there...
XT1103 vs XT1100 !? Is there any difference beside the Bands ? They run the same rom/kernel, right ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That depends on where you live. One is for the US and North America and the others is for the rest of the world. That depends on if you can connecto to 4g/3g where you are.
I got my not to long ago for 300. Not new but from a trusted source and cant be happier with it.

triguyrn said:
I gotta ask what your beef with type-c is. I can't wait to embrace it personally, it's gonna make life way easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mostly because too many people that are making them are using subpar parts. The tech will take a few years to take hold. I am in the same boat. I am in no rush to change. Right now I have one cable for all my devices. I dont want to have to carry another cable around.

triguyrn said:
I gotta ask what your beef with type-c is. I can't wait to embrace it personally, it's gonna make life way easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, currently for me... An Old USB port is much better... I won't have to buy and carry adapters with me wherever I go... Maybe in 2 or 3 years when USB C become more mainstream, I'd sure buy a phone with a USB C. But now, NO !
And the fact that some of the adapters being sold on Amazon can be considered deadly for your device and can cause problems is another downside...
zelendel said:
That depends on where you live. One is for the US and North America and the others is for the rest of the world. That depends on if you can connecto to 4g/3g where you are.
I got my not to long ago for 300. Not new but from a trusted source and cant be happier with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, the only difference is the bands... Okay, I'm looking into swappa right now... If I can't find a good one.. I'll just buy a new one from local retailer here... 350$ with a 1 year warranty...

biascoblix said:
Long story short, my current phone is 3 years old.. and It's becoming unreliable..
I was gonna get the 5X.. but seeing the specs of the 6 made the decision tough...
The Nexus 6 is a lot more bang for buck.... You're getting a huge screen, a metal frame, OIS, NO USB C crab, 3 GB RAM, Water resistance, better speaker.
A fingerprint scanner would have been great, but for the price of the 6, I can't justify even spending extra 50$ to get the 5X.
I'm not sure though about the performance difference between the two. SD805 and SD808 don't look that different spec wise.
I'm just worried about the size though. I'm coming from a tiny 4.3 inch screen (i9100).. and I know this phone is huge that some people actually complained about its big size..
Currently it's sold for about 350$ (32gb version) in a local retailer here... Is there any cheaper deals out there for a new one ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your brain and hands are used to the Nexus 6 size quite fast and after that there is no going back to a 5-5,5 inch screen imo. Besides the camera and fingerprint scanner the N6 is superior to the 5X , especialy the speakers are much better and i think the screen is very good.

gee2012 said:
Your brain and hands are used to the Nexus 6 size quite fast and after that there is no going back to a 5-5,5 inch screen imo. Besides the camera and fingerprint scanner the N6 is superior to the 5X , especialy the speakers are much better and i think the screen is very good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the camera that bad ?

biascoblix said:
Is the camera that bad ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With sufficient lighting the pics by the N6 are oke to good, the 5X`s camera is a bit better with low light conditions but not dramaticaly afaik.

OK, Thanks for your help guys..

biascoblix said:
Is the camera that bad ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not going to sugar coat it here, the Nexus 6 takes horrendous photos in low light in my experience. Other than that it's a great phone and I highly recommend it. The 5x on the other hand should take the same quality photos as the 6P since they have the same hardware. The 6P takes great photos and therefore so does the 5x, unless my logic is flawed somewhere.

triguyrn said:
Not going to sugar coat it here, the Nexus 6 takes horrendous photos in low light in my experience. Other than that it's a great phone and I highly recommend it. The 5x on the other hand should take the same quality photos as the 6P since they have the same hardware. The 6P takes great photos and therefore so does the 5x, unless my logic is flawed somewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a huge camera guy anyway. I'm more of heavy user though and somehow a gamer... I think the camera in general is more than decent, right ?
and the face that It has OIS is a huge plus for me, both 6P and 5X cameras are horrible in videos in term of shackiness

biascoblix said:
I'm not a huge camera guy anyway. I'm more of heavy user though and somehow a gamer... I think the camera in general is more than decent, right ?
and the face that It has OIS is a huge plus for me, both 6P and 5X cameras are horrible in videos in term of shackiness
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, it's acceptable. The issue that I have is the camera simply not letting enough light in in those dark situations. It's workable though, and in adequate lighting with HDR and OIS it makes it a good shooter. I absolutely love this phone and actually just ordered a replacement.It is going to have update support for a while and is a beastly device.

triguyrn said:
yeah, it's acceptable. The issue that I have is the camera simply not letting enough light in in those dark situations. It's workable though, and in adequate lighting with HDR and OIS it makes it a good shooter. I absolutely love this phone and actually just ordered a replacement.It is going to have update support for a while and is a beastly device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, I'm already getting ready to order it....
Can't wait to get my hands on it

triguyrn said:
Not going to sugar coat it here, the Nexus 6 takes horrendous photos in low light in my experience. Other than that it's a great phone and I highly recommend it. The 5x on the other hand should take the same quality photos as the 6P since they have the same hardware. The 6P takes great photos and therefore so does the 5x, unless my logic is flawed somewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol, but i disagree here very much. sure, the nexus 6 camera isnt as good as the n6p/5x camera, but so isnt the last iphones camera. the n6 actually has a very good camera, sure its not the best, but its far from anything id ever call horrendous. well, i guess i could if i never knew how to properly use a camera. but i do, know how to use a camera, and im calling it a fairly decent camera. just take a look at me google+ account if you want to see proof https://plus.google.com/+semeonkorsunsky

simms22 said:
lol, but i disagree here very much. sure, the nexus 6 camera isnt as good as the n6p/5x camera, but so isnt the last iphones camera. the n6 actually has a very good camera, sure its not the best, but its far from anything id ever call horrendous. well, i guess i could if i never knew how to properly use a camera. but i do, know how to use a camera, and im calling it a fairly decent camera. just take a look at me google+ account if you want to see proof https://plus.google.com/+semeonkorsunsky
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your photos do look great....
I've seen enough already... The Nexus 6 Camera with a Manual Camera app does take amazing photos...

coming from nexus 5, the N6 went for as little as 250 USD on amazon during the week after black Friday. I got it for 289$. Camera is good for a smartphone camera. the new camera app is much faster on everything. timely updates from Google or XDA. I would choose 5x because its a plastic LG anyway. if night pics and fingerprint are a must, you have other choices better then 5x at that base price.
the only con of N6 is dimensions, and that only your hands will complain. but your eyes will thank you. Also, as mentioned, there is no going back from 6 inch screen.

I haven't had my hands on the 5x or the 6p. I did come from the HTC One Max (after being my dd, the LCD died suddenly and so did the charge port). Bought a HTC One M7 as a replacement. Took time readjusting to a more common screen size. Then upgraded to the N6. I couldn't be happier. Plus, I've always been a Motorola fanboy. I came from an iPhone 4 and switched to a Droid 4. I like the feel of N6 and the ease of unlocking the BL and rooting. I actually have mine underclocked to 2.2ghz with custom hotplugging that uses only 2 cores most of time unless under heavy load. Camera is nice. It's not the best out there, but you can't argue with 13mp shooter. I installed the M9 camera apk and it works nicely as well. Only thing that will draw me away from the N6 in future years will be something of higher caliber that INCLUDES Expandable SD.
Did I mention the incredible battery life I get?

simms22 said:
lol, but i disagree here very much. sure, the nexus 6 camera isnt as good as the n6p/5x camera, but so isnt the last iphones camera. the n6 actually has a very good camera, sure its not the best, but its far from anything id ever call horrendous. well, i guess i could if i never knew how to properly use a camera. but i do, know how to use a camera, and im calling it a fairly decent camera. just take a look at me google+ account if you want to see proof https://plus.google.com/+semeonkorsunsky
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the majority of my photography takes place on Snapchat which has no manual mode and fairly poor Android support so, my experience has been different then yours. You have proved to me though if you use manual settings and put a little effort in, the nexus 6 can take pretty nice outdoor shots that are not horrendous. I'm sorry.

Related

I used to have a N4, compared to that, this phone is a stupid piece of....

...amazing hardware! I got my N5 a couple of days ago (bought at launch hour, used comGateway to forward it to India, takes time ) and so far I've been playing with it non-stop (have a few exams prep leaves ), and here are my impressions so far.
My background: I'm a huge Nexus fanboy, I own (or have owned) every Nexus device with the exception of Nexus Q and currently possess fully working Galaxy Nexus (16GB), Nexus 4 (16GB), Nexus 7 (2012, 16GB) and Nexus 7 (2013, 32GB) all bought more or less at launch along with a Galaxy Note and Galaxy S2. My device before was my N4 bought at launch and it was great, but I can't simply skip my temptation to get the new N5, so I did. I don't care about the price, I can very well afford a phone far more expensive. I buy Nexus devices because I love the pure stock experience they bring, it just somehow feels better to me.
Note: I've been using N4 exclusively before this for almost a year, so all my views are in relation to it.
My device: White Nexus 5, 32GB. Pure stock with an unlocked bootloader and rooted.
The Good:
Bigger, better screen! The screen is taller without being (much) wider, and it's gorgeous! I know some people are saying colours are washed out etc, but that's just the IPS display which I'm used to, plus when colour control gets modded into kernels that won't be much of a problem. It's a lot sharper than my N4 and definitely brighter]
Performance! It has the highest binned Snapdragon 800! Need I say more? It can smoke anything out their
Storage is a welcome improvement, sometimes I had to choose between games on my N4 but with double the storage I don't have that problem (atleast for a while )
Camera is a lot more improved than the one on N4, I haven't tested it too thoroughly but it's definitely improved especially in low light conditions
KitKat and GEL are a welcome change, I like the subtle UI improvements and I love the fact that BT audio and software audio levels are not two different things anymore, that used to drive me crazy
I love the white version's looks and build, I was torn what to get when purchasing this from the Play Store but decided to go with the white since it's different. The speaker grill adds a really nice touch IMO and back has a good feel to it. Personally I'd prefer a little more build, but with the ceramic sides and everything it's nice, definitely not cheap.
The Okay:
Battery life, meh. This was expected, it's slightly better than N4's but still not great. On my first run I was able to get out about 2 hours of SOT with 1 hour of GPS, 1 hour of audio over BT, and a lot of updating/downloading games. So that's not bad, N4 lasted me a day and I don't see N5 doing any worse, if anything it'll do better when I switch to custom kernels
Speaker is an improvement but nothing great
The Ugly:
Camera shutter lag, I absolutely hate this. Maybe I'm crazy or something but I hate that it takes a lot of time to click pictures, with the chance of entirely blurring out the picture when given to someone else. Hopefully something improves this
No always on listening , I was hoping for this feature from Moto X
TL;DR: Get the freaking device. It's awesome. And get it in white, seriously.
Lmao you got me with the thread title.
Very clever! Good thread!
Google should make a COMPLETELY new camera app, and upload it to the Play Store for everyone to enjoy. And they should do that quickly. Current camera app is terrible! (The shutter lag it because of the software, not the hardware)
Can 3rd party camera apps help or is this only a google issue?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
I see what you did there.
I'd get it, if it wasn't sold out EVERYWHERE in Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany.
Shealpi said:
I'd get it, if it wasn't sold out EVERYWHERE in Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See, that's why you stay awake till midnight of your country's time to place an order in US the moment it launches so that you can import it to your country
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Your thread title will surely gather greater intra-xda SEO. (Bringing more and more members confused by the title of the thread).
Please get it changed.
I agree.. Amazing phone! I came from a n4 and HTC one.. I just wish there was better speakers on this device. My one spoiled me!
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
dashing.sujay said:
Your thread title will surely gather greater intra-xda SEO. (Bringing more and more members confused by the title of the thread).
Please get it changed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see why that is a bad thing?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
you Win..
the game!!
chrisinsocalif said:
Can 3rd party camera apps help or is this only a google issue?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! Just found this last night and played around with it:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spritefish.fastburstcameralite
The quality is a little less than the regular camera, but there is zero shutter lag. The paid version is $2 and it allows you to tap focus and take nicer pictures when you want to. Will still need the standard camera for HDR+ mode (which takes excellent shots that this can't touch).
stremax said:
you Win..
the game!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hate you so much...
:crying::crying::crying:

Should i get a nexus 6?

Hello, i was wondering if its worth getting a nexus 6 sealed in box bought in june 2015 for 250. im just scared of the battery bulge problem, any advice will be great.
I'm using it for 2 years and didn't face any battery bulge problem, at least not yet.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
The phones dated march 2015 or later did not suffer the battery bulge problems.
Simplyeduardo said:
Hello, i was wondering if its worth getting a nexus 6 sealed in box bought in june 2015 for 250. im just scared of the battery bulge problem, any advice will be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quite a few people got phones with bad speakers. They make hissing crackling sounds when the battery gets to lower percentages. Mine does this and it's a minor annoyance. Everything else about this device to me is SWEET! I LOVE my Nexus 6, but it's roulette getting a device without the speaker issue. Like I said, minor annoyance and totally usable without too much issue, but noticeable nonetheless. Great phone however, love mine.
Simplyeduardo said:
Hello, i was wondering if its worth getting a nexus 6 sealed in box bought in june 2015 for 250. im just scared of the battery bulge problem, any advice will be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I would say Go For It...especially at that price!
I got my Nexus 6 in March of 2015 and Love It. So far it is the best phone I have owned so far. And that is say a lot since I previously owned the HTC EVO, HTC M7, and HTC M8.
Simplyeduardo said:
.... nexus 6 sealed in box bought in june 2015 for 250.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep your 250 and by a newer model.
In a few months their will be complete new Nexus models.
I am using N6 for about 2 years.
Out of the box the battery life wasn't enough for intensive use between 9 to 17. Cause the white user interface. I needed to unlock the bootloader and root the N6 to change the dpi and install layers and apps with a black background.
The N6 is good but the Google stuff is not.
Personally I would say for the next few months, try to put away $50-$100 each month until the new devices are released. While this phone is still operable for the age it is at, it lacks a few things such as fingerprint scanner and a nice camera. Not to mention the size, which can be off-putting for some.
My suggestion - Save your pennies and buy something with a Snapdragon 820+...That is at least my plan.
For 250.00 its still a solid option. The camera is fine and finger print scanner is not a huge deal. I would say it is a bit better then "operable". You will be looking at spending 600.00 to get the newest Nexus when it drops.
@smokinjoe2122: What do you define as "nice" in regards to the camera?
I personally find the camera to be quite excellent. It's no substitute for a dedicated camera if you have one. At the same time the best camera in the world will not help you if it's sitting in the camera bag when you need to get a picture.
Case in point, this picture would not have happened if I had to look for a dedicated camera in a bag. However, because I had my N6 on me, a seagull casually standing on a car was immortalized. But à chacun leur propre.
None of the things you mentioned, except for the size, are truly dealbreakers. The size can be intimidating, but to gain converts to the cause you simply have to time it right and hope they can keep an open mind. I managed to convert my roommate to a large-screen phone simply by letting her play with my N6 for a little while after I had gotten it. She got a Moto X Pure two months ago and couldn't be happier.
@Simplyeduardo, go ahead and spend the money, but you might want to invest in an OTG drive while you're at it. Especially if the phone only has 32GB of storage on it.
To answer your questions:
Comparing my Nexus 6 camera to my girlfriend's Nexus 5x, the difference is night and day, especially when it comes to HDR or low light pictures. There's also missing support for the latest features such as 4k video.
I also feel like finger print scanners are getting even more important for things such as Android pay and enterprise applications. If you've used an iPhone, many applications can be locked down with security only to be unlocked by the fingerprint scanner or pin. The Nexus 6 unfortunately will never have that technology (Sure you can use a pin, but FP is much better imho).
Lastly, the performance of this phone isn't the worst out there, but it defintely isn't the best. There's plenty of posts here and on Reddit that talk about performance issues, lag, stutters, ect. I for one can validate that, and I have a feeling it'll only get worse as Android will be designed to run better on the newer generation hardware.
So, do you spend $250 on a 1.5-2 year old phone, or do I put away another hundred to two hundred and get the newer generation Nexus or OnePlus 3?
my november 2014 bought n6 has an ever so slight buldge, with the back cover raised about 1mm(yes, barely). i bought mine for the full $650, plus tax. anyways, ive never even considered getting it relaced, as it does absolutely no harm to me or my use. ok, i cant use my n6 under water for sure, or water will get in..
but for $250, i wouldnt even think about it.
With all the development we have these phones are still relevant, and will be for quite some time. I used to trade up every 6 months to a year, but I have had this phone for almost 2 years now and see no reason to get a new one. IMHO a new phone wouldn't be an upgrade anyhow, we would have to wait on development. Just look at all the sweet mods and roms these awesome devs. Have created for us! There's something for everyone. Good luck, Happy flashing.
smokinjoe2122 said:
To answer your questions:
So, do you spend $250 on a 1.5-2 year old phone, or do I put away another hundred to two hundred and get the newer generation Nexus or OnePlus 3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Question in the singular. I only asked one.
The larger CCD pixels in the sensor do make a difference, I do admit. Especially if using the Google camera app as it is barebones. However, switch the camera app to one with manual controls and that advantage is lost, since it's possible to adjust not only the ISO of the camera, but how long the shutter stays open. If you adjust the ISO to 1600 or more, you improve the sensitivity of the CCD. If you can control the length of time the shutter is opened, more light is let in. Recording more light is the name of the game.
The camera is not a deal breaker. It's a good camera that gets better when coupled with the right software. 4K video is a non-starter to me, i.e. it's irrelevant.
Fingerprint scanners are a security hole, since you can be compelled to unlock your phone without need of a warrant. One of the reasons I DIDN'T spring for a 6P at Christmas 2015 was because of the fingerprint scanner. So, not a deal breaker.
As someone who has used Touchwiz, I'm very familiar with lag. I have yet to see any lag on this device. But not everyone is as fortunate as I am, I guess.
I still would recommend this phone over other Nexus devices. The 1+3 is a tougher sell.

Does Shamu have a worthy successor yet ?!

Hiya tech-mates !
I'd love to have your opinion.
I just asked myself, if my (underestimated)beloved Shamu needs to be replaced tomorrow, for any reason, (hope he won't, at least few years)
which phone could be as good as N6 was (and still is) nowadays ?
I.e. our shamu is being old little by little but still in race yet imo..
Got it since 2 years from now, and the more time passes, the more I like N6 !
-32/64bits transition is in a good way and almost finished (flagships). I think new SoCs (even more powerful) are still not as efficient as SD805 is. (without filling RAM with useless data or using an 32bits-adaptator which waste ressources)
-Cameras are quite better now
-Fingerprint scanner is a classic feature now (if you need it)
-Stock ROM "outdated" and security patch ends soon
-better StB ratio (not that much)
IMO, there's no device yet which beat the Shamu considering overall characteristics. And buying a new one will make me loose some beloved features I guess (screen size/type/quality, awesome dualspeakers, software fluidity, xda ressources/ROMS, Qi, LED)
If I need to buy a new phone today, I'll surely take a brand new N6 but i'll think about waiting for a OP5 or maybe chinese devices P10+/Mi Mix2/Mi 6+.
Which one would you choose ? (do your own suggestions)
(excuse my english, he's dirty)
I would recommend either waiting for the OP5 or getting the OP3T. I used to own the N6 but it ended in a tragic fate. So I decided to get the OP3T. Love it! Super fast, great camera, great battery, I love the fingerprint scanner, and the notification LED. The only downfall IMO is the speaker. It can easily be covered up and block sound. Other than that I would definitely recommend the OP3T or the OP5 if it it any good
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
baeren131 said:
I would recommend either waiting for the OP5 or getting the OP3T. I used to own the N6 but it ended in a tragic fate. So I decided to get the OP3T. Love it! Super fast, great camera, great battery, I love the fingerprint scanner, and the notification LED. The only downfall IMO is the speaker. It can easily be covered up and block sound. Other than that I would definitely recommend the OP3T or the OP5 if it it any good
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there any phone which have a speaker as good as the N6s one ?
So hard to leave that speaker :S
mesco38 said:
Is there any phone which have a speaker as good as the N6s one ? [emoji14]
So hard to leave that speaker :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can only think of the 6P or the pixel... (If you don't get one with the glitched out speaker...) But sorry. I can't think of anything, but I know what you mean. I definitely miss that
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
The new Google phones are to expensive .
OnePlus 3T or LG G6 are acceptable priced.
But my N6 - debloated and decrypted - is still fast and smooth.
I can wait...
mesco38 said:
Is there any phone which have a speaker as good as the N6s one ?
So hard to leave that speaker :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Axon 7 has very good sound, stereo speakers.
mesco38 said:
Is there any phone which have a speaker as good as the N6s one ? [emoji14]
So hard to leave that speaker :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixel XL speaker is much weaker (hah). Clear but sounds muffled compared to the venerable Shamu. Also only one speaker so the only stereo is through the headphone jack. Other than that, the Marlin is nice.
I read an article recently that Nokia (Yeah, read that correctly) wants to push the Nexus line back into existence. Or at least as close as possible, replicating the Nexus experience of little to no bloatware, and fast updates. My N6 is chugging along just fine right now, but I hope that Nokia follows through, because that just might be my new phone..
I've been watching for one, but there just aren't a lot of options if you like larger phones. What I need to see...
5.5" minimum screen size. 16:9. Might have to reevaluate if the ratios change much more. 1080p or better.
AOSP builds supported, no locked bootloader.
Better RAM/CPU/storage specs than the N6.
SD card. I don't care if the phone comes with 1TB internal, I want the damn SD slot. The manufacturing cost is about 20 cents, just put it in.
Forward facing speakers that sound decent.
Decent reception on TMobile LTE bands. Ideally supporting all US carriers, but Sprint/VZW are annoying.
Ideally, TMobile WiFi calling enabled.
Ideally, 4000+ mAh battery or user removable so I can get a bigger battery.
Ideally, flat screen so I can use tempered glass screen protectors.
Max price $500 US.
Oh yeah, no spontaneous combustion.
Axon 7 is the only one close. Flat screen and battery are not there, but the price is nice and performance is good. AOSP builds are fully functional now, thanks to the devs over there.
I know it's not a nexus-killer, but I just ordered a Note 5 to replace my Nexus 6. There's nothing that quite matches the beauty of Samsung, plus I just miss the S-Pen. Plus it'll be just enough smaller, thinner, and lighter enough that it won't feel big and bulky in my hand, as well as it being nice and balanced unlike the N6 which is noticeably bigger and heavier on the top than on the bottom.
The only things I'll really miss of the N6 are 1) 100% carrier compatibility 2) Stereo front speakers (oh man, no phone beats these) and 3) plain stock os, although that's starting to lag behind on speed (even though it gets faster antutu than lineage). Anyway. I'm pretty excited. And again, definitely not a nexus-killer in any way, but the Note 5 just has things I value more than getting a vanilla experience.
Besides, if Google is going to turn Apple and make an iphone-clone and also make it so I have to be unrooted/locked anyway in order to pass safetynet, I might as well move back to what's comfortable to use. Just my 2c.
NLBeev said:
The new Google phones are to expensive .
OnePlus 3T or LG G6 are acceptable priced.
But my N6 - debloated and decrypted - is still fast and smooth.
I can wait...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree and will wait too until he dies
N6 debloated, even encrypted, still runs everything perfectly smoothly and still have one of the best stereo dual speakers.. Autonomy is fine too, event after 2 years he's still running 1 day and half with normal/good use (no wifi, always on 4G, no gps, using youtube with or without earphones at least 1 hour)
alresave said:
The Axon 7 has very good sound, stereo speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, didn't know that phone, looks great. Stock ROM excepted, he really looks like a N6 "successor" (not really sure that SD820+4Go RAM+64bitsOS runs that much better than SD805+3Go RAM+32bitsOS - your opinion ?)(I don't trust benchmarks)
Heard something about alternative ROMs with him ? Will look after some xda forums
Anything about ZTE quality/updates/after-sales ?
ttabbal said:
I've been watching for one, but there just aren't a lot of options if you like larger phones. What I need to see...
5.5" minimum screen size. 16:9. Might have to reevaluate if the ratios change much more. 1080p or better.
AOSP builds supported, no locked bootloader.
Better RAM/CPU/storage specs than the N6.
SD card. I don't care if the phone comes with 1TB internal, I want the damn SD slot. The manufacturing cost is about 20 cents, just put it in.
Forward facing speakers that sound decent.
Decent reception on TMobile LTE bands. Ideally supporting all US carriers, but Sprint/VZW are annoying.
Ideally, TMobile WiFi calling enabled.
Ideally, 4000+ mAh battery or user removable so I can get a bigger battery.
Ideally, flat screen so I can use tempered glass screen protectors.
Max price $500 US.
Oh yeah, no spontaneous combustion.
Axon 7 is the only one close. Flat screen and battery are not there, but the price is nice and performance is good. AOSP builds are fully functional now, thanks to the devs over there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agreed.. SDCard excepted, got the same requirements
Hope there's a new phone soon (pixel2 ? but they don't seem to go on this way..)
Axon 7 looks great indeed
BlockOfDynamite said:
I know it's not a nexus-killer, but I just ordered a Note 5 to replace my Nexus 6. There's nothing that quite matches the beauty of Samsung, plus I just miss the S-Pen. Plus it'll be just enough smaller, thinner, and lighter enough that it won't feel big and bulky in my hand, as well as it being nice and balanced unlike the N6 which is noticeably bigger and heavier on the top than on the bottom.
The only things I'll really miss of the N6 are 1) 100% carrier compatibility 2) Stereo front speakers (oh man, no phone beats these) and 3) plain stock os, although that's starting to lag behind on speed (even though it gets faster antutu than lineage). Anyway. I'm pretty excited. And again, definitely not a nexus-killer in any way, but the Note 5 just has things I value more than getting a vanilla experience.
Besides, if Google is going to turn Apple and make an iphone-clone and also make it so I have to be unrooted/locked anyway in order to pass safetynet, I might as well move back to what's comfortable to use. Just my 2c.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SHAME ON U
SHAME2U
SHAMU !!
What's the interest turning GPhones into Apple-likePhones ?
mesco38 said:
...
What's the interest turning GPhones into Apple-likePhones ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Money! They want us to use Android pay. Banks don't like rooting; fear of fraud.
As the Moto X Pure was a nice update of what I loved about the N6, I was hoping that the 2017 Moto X would continue that line. Unfortunately, from the leaks we have seen, it looks more like an HTC phone or even an iPhone than the logical continuation of the N6. But the price points that MotoLenova are hitting are really tempting. I even think the G5 Plus would make a nice phone at that price. I'll see what they eventually release with the Moto X before I decide. I've just gotten to a point where the Pixels of the world are too expensive for what you get.
But like all of us here in the N6 forum, I am still rocking my Shamu.
NLBeev said:
Money! They want us to use Android pay. Banks don't like rooting; fear of fraud.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO, I don't think Android/applepay will last over time..
So insecure and new-gen credit cards are developped right now (with screen/digital pin or fingerprint scanner)
mesco38 said:
IMO, I don't think Android/applepay will last over time..
So insecure and new-gen credit cards are developped right now (with screen/digital pin or fingerprint scanner)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I can't think of other reasons why Google makes it more difficult to get root access.
G. doesn't even manage to create a dark UI.
I am beginning to dislike Google....
Hopefully there will be soon new credit-cards.
BTw Phone paying is recently introduced here in the Netherlands.
NLBeev said:
But I can't think of other reasons why Google makes it more difficult to get root access.
G. doesn't even manage to create a dark UI.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess, users who make last their phone 3+ years by rooting, installing customroms, changing screens and batteries themselves, is not worthy in this consumery society..
When you see how sheeps spend their money with iPhones, spending 1000€/years sometimes to get a 2years-late technology.. Com'on, "Think different"
NLBeev said:
I am beginning to dislike Google....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, same for me :crying:
At least stock android/G-devices
NLBeev said:
Hopefully there will be soon new credit-cards.
BTw Phone paying is recently introduced here in the Netherlands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here, in France, banks have already made an agreement among them, tu use a local payment service called "paylib". So they don't wanna introduce android pay. (but applepay is already working here..)
Fu**ing retarded country we are..
mesco38 said:
Totally agreed.. SDCard excepted, got the same requirements
Hope there's a new phone soon (pixel2 ? but they don't seem to go on this way..)
Axon 7 looks great indeed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SD is one of those things people seem to love or hate. There's no one right way, but there's also nothing saying you have to put a card in there if there's a slot. But if there's not a slot, you have no choice. As it's tiny, costs almost nothing, and harms nothing to have it, why not? Then everyone can have it however they like. Those digital packrats can have tons of storage, those who prefer not to have one just don't install one. The Axon 7 implementation is particularly nice, the SIM tray is a dual SIM and one of them can be an SD or a SIM. It can even be both, but that requires some modifications to the SD cards. IMO the only people to gain anything from it not being there are device manufacturers (sell overpriced higher capacity versions), and cloud providers trying to sell you storage.
Axon 7 is really the only device I could see buying right now. The LG G6 looks nice, but LGs history with bootloops and lack of service has me avoiding them. AOSP is not possible at the moment though, so G6 is out.
OnePlus 3T looks nice, screen is a bit small and no SD.
I really liked my Note 3, but Samsung is on a lockdown thing right now, and I won't buy a device I can't actually own. He who controls the software controls the device.
None have the removable battery, which would be nice, and all are a bit small on battery for me, but I can live with that. Nothing is perfect. I'm in no hurry at the moment, Shamu and the devs here are treating me well.

Is the OnePlus 3T still a great phone one year later?

Hello again! I've been looking at the OnePlus 3T for a while now, but I didn't want to jump the gun yet.
It was a steady $500 CAD here in Canada for a 64GB and I found a 128GB OnePlus 3T that comes with 2 cases,
for $480 CAD, now, the phone has been out for almost exactly one year now and it's only now $120 off, so this
leads me to my questions, should I go ahead and purchase it? Is it still a great choice, one year later?
As long as you don't need the fake bokeh effect that a dual camera setup gives, you won't regret buying this phone.
I've had mine since April and still love it. Even though that new Pixel XL 2 is tempting, I essentially will do the same thing on both phone and can't justify the money when my 3t is still running excellent
FadedAssassiin said:
.... Is it still a great choice, one year later?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is. I bought mine in December and it is one of the best purchases that I have made.
To elaborate, I have been mostly stock except for magisk root, and never faced any issues with this device. I use it for work and play, and it never disappoints. I would not change this phone except maybe for the iPhone X (but a $1000+ phone? screw that)
I came in late to the OP3/3T game and got mine in June of this year and haven't looked back since. Sure I 'want' a Pixel 2 XL but damn that price... The 3T has been amazing to me. I've got mine unlocked, using FreedomOS CE with Magisk, AdAway, Substratum (Ozone & Swift Dark), Nova Launcher with Prime & Google Companion, Google Pixel Dialer/Contacts, Google Pixel 2 Live Wallpaper and a slew of other minor things here and there. OnePlus gives you serious freedom and the devs are already pushing hard on custom O ROMs. If you're here on XDA you most likely enjoy tinkering and this phone will let you go above and beyond simply because of the great folks in the various forums and communities let alone the ease to do so because of OnePlus keeping it open.
Side note: You can get the fake bokeh effect easily by using Google Camera with a Magisk Module to fix the crash bug. Neat stuff but I just use the included OnePlus Camera myself.
How much more is the 5? I love my 3t and couldn't be happier with it.
CJ-Wylde said:
I came in late to the OP3/3T game and got mine in June of this year and haven't looked back since. Sure I 'want' a Pixel 2 XL but damn that price... The 3T has been amazing to me. I've got mine unlocked, using FreedomOS CE with Magisk, AdAway, Substratum (Ozone & Swift Dark), Nova Launcher with Prime & Google Companion, Google Pixel Dialer/Contacts, Google Pixel 2 Live Wallpaper and a slew of other minor things here and there. OnePlus gives you serious freedom and the devs are already pushing hard on custom O ROMs. If you're here on XDA you most likely enjoy tinkering and this phone will let you go above and beyond simply because of the great folks in the various forums and communities let alone the ease to do so because of OnePlus keeping it open.
Side note: You can get the fake bokeh effect easily by using Google Camera with a Magisk Module to fix the crash bug. Neat stuff but I just use the included OnePlus Camera myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do we get fake bokeh with Google camera? I use it and I'm not able to get it!!
srharshajava said:
How do we get fake bokeh with Google camera? I use it and I'm not able to get it!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's called Lens Blur
CJ-Wylde said:
It's called Lens Blur
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lena blur is not potrait mode!!
3T is still a great phone whose specs are being duplicated by major manufacturers.
srharshajava said:
Lena blur is not potrait mode!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it's not, it's a fake bokeh effect. It's not all that great, but it's all we have if using Google Camera.
FadedAssassiin said:
Hello again! I've been looking at the OnePlus 3T for a while now, but I didn't want to jump the gun yet.
It was a steady $500 CAD here in Canada for a 64GB and I found a 128GB OnePlus 3T that comes with 2 cases,
for $480 CAD, now, the phone has been out for almost exactly one year now and it's only now $120 off, so this
leads me to my questions, should I go ahead and purchase it? Is it still a great choice, one year later?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're probably going to get a lot of us fan-boy-ing about it. Do you have any questions about it in particular? As far as I'm concerned, it's the best phone I've ever had & may betray my normal cycle of purchasing phones (every 2-2.5 years) and just hold onto it.
You're super free with the software. People say it's "unbrickable" (though I just had the scariest experience of my entire custom-flashing-life of the last 7ish years, but it was resolved either way). No removable battery & expandable storage sucks dongers but that's the trend regardless. The specs are far beyond what's needed for a telephone if you ask me. The price for what you get in hardware + software freedom is craziness (in a good way).
The ONLY THING is if you really need amazing camera HARDWARE, then you should be looking at Samsung, Apple, or the new Pixels. That being said, there are many camera mods enabling you to use (on custom ROMs) the OnePlus camera, the Pixel camera with HDR+, the Snapdragon camera, and if you aren't already aware, learning how to use Manual mode can do wonders...
purplepenguin said:
You're probably going to get a lot of us fan-boy-ing about it. Do you have any questions about it in particular? As far as I'm concerned, it's the best phone I've ever had & may betray my normal cycle of purchasing phones (every 2-2.5 years) and just hold onto it.
You're super free with the software. People say it's "unbrickable" (though I just had the scariest experience of my entire custom-flashing-life of the last 7ish years, but it was resolved either way). No removable battery & expandable storage sucks dongers but that's the trend regardless. The specs are far beyond what's needed for a telephone if you ask me. The price for what you get in hardware + software freedom is craziness (in a good way).
The ONLY THING is if you really need amazing camera HARDWARE, then you should be looking at Samsung, Apple, or the new Pixels. That being said, there are many camera mods enabling you to use (on custom ROMs) the OnePlus camera, the Pixel camera with HDR+, the Snapdragon camera, and if you aren't already aware, learning how to use Manual mode can do wonders...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am just looking for a speedier phone than I have right now, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, which I am sure is a definite night and day difference in performance, the OnePlus 3T caught my eye back in February, and the price seemed quite good for such a stunning phone. I do have a few questions, how do you rate the fingerprint sensor? Is it fast or super fast, compared to maybe a iPhone 6S or 7, but that might be stretching it. How does the camera do at night? In a poorly lit room? Thanks for the reply!
SourPower said:
How much more is the 5? I love my 3t and couldn't be happier with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the late reply! The OnePlus 5 is going for $720 Canadian Dollars for the 64GB, whilst the used OnePlus 3T 128GB is going for $480 Canadian Dollars.
FadedAssassiin said:
I am just looking for a speedier phone than I have right now, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, which I am sure is a definite night and day difference in performance, the OnePlus 3T caught my eye back in February, and the price seemed quite good for such a stunning phone. I do have a few questions, how do you rate the fingerprint sensor? Is it fast or super fast, compared to maybe a iPhone 6S or 7, but that might be stretching it. How does the camera do at night? In a poorly lit room? Thanks for the reply!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm the wrong dude for both of those questions probably. I only messed with fingerprint a littttttle bit on my s5. Compared to that, OP3T is blazing fast.
For the camera, have barely used it honestly! lol Good luck!
FadedAssassiin said:
I am just looking for a speedier phone than I have right now, the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, which I am sure is a definite night and day difference in performance, the OnePlus 3T caught my eye back in February, and the price seemed quite good for such a stunning phone. I do have a few questions, how do you rate the fingerprint sensor? Is it fast or super fast, compared to maybe a iPhone 6S or 7, but that might be stretching it. How does the camera do at night? In a poorly lit room? Thanks for the reply!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am using stock OOS and the fingerprint is blazing fast.
Regarding the night camera, installing the Google modded apk is the way to go. It offers fantastic night shots.
Unleashed by ONEPLUS 3T rooted
Absolutely! I love it like a child. It's my baby.
I have often said to OnePlus that their customer's service should favorably compare to the phones they produce. Their customers service, in a word, is awful. It is somewhat heartening that it is getting better.
They produce a wonderful product. Their support leaves a little more time, I hope. I have never come across a situation quite like this. The quality of their products far exceeds their support. I think. in time that situation will change. They will improve or fail and that would be a shame.
XDA could learn a lesson from what I said about OnePlus. Their product is truth. Their support also leaves something to be considered.
CJ-Wylde said:
No it's not, it's a fake bokeh effect. It's not all that great, but it's all we have if using Google Camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Portrait mode (with dual camera) is fake bokeh also. Just not as fake. It's true, the Google lens blur often results in "fuzzy" edges on the subject, or obviously fake/cheesy looking Photo-chopped effect.
redpoint73 said:
Portrait mode (with dual camera) is fake bokeh also. Just not as fake. It's true, the Google lens blur often results in "fuzzy" edges on the subject, or obviously fake/cheesy looking Photo-chopped effect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's as good as we can get with the single-lens and OP / OP3T setup. I don't use it even though it's neat for up-close 'macro' like shots, but the fakeness of it does show through most of the time. I'm saving now to get another DSLR and do love my OP3T for quick on-the-go snaps. It is good for that, the picture quality is leaps above most phones out there, and for it's price point, not really anything to compare to it.
srharshajava said:
Lena blur is not potrait mode!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not literally, no. But "portrait mode" is just an Apple baloney marketing name for "fake bokeh effect". Now every phone manufacturer feels like they need dual camera and "portrait mode" (which I'm sure Apple is suing them for using that name). Even dual camera is just software trickery (in conjunction with dual camera) to fake a bokeh effect that will never be possible with the focal length of a smartphone camera.
Obviously, you won't get the exact same effect as a phone that has dual camera (OP5, iPhone plus, etc.).
---------- Post added at 12:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:12 PM ----------
FadedAssassiin said:
Is it still a great choice, one year later?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Back to the original question: I would say YES it's still a great phone.
I was unimpressed with the OP5, with its mostly incremental improvements, and the "jelly effect". We've actually seen a number of folks on this forum, looking to get a new phone, and opting for the 3T instead of the 5.
Of course there are other, impressive options (Pixel 2, Galaxy S8) with their own pros and cons. But of course they are quite expensive, and don't measure up to the shear value of the 3T; with its combination of build quality, value, and dev community here on XDA.
I don't find myself yearning for the "latest and greatest" phone yet. Maybe next year. The 3T is holding it's own quite well, and still a very solid and capable device.

Buy a Pixel 5 now or wait for Pixel 6?

Hey guys,
I wanted your opinion regarding the Pixel 5. How happy are you with the aesthetics of the device? How does it feel on hand and how does it feel in the pocket?
This year I've tried a bunch of phones and I want to switch to something smaller and that has good camera and good battery life. Currently I have a s21 Ultra which is a good overall phone but this thing feels like a brick, it's heavy when you carry it and if you have a good case the phone is even bigger and heavier. Tried a regular S21 but that again was a bit bulky and heavy when used with a good thick case.
I've been reading about the Pixel 6 (all rumors at this point) but it seems like they are going to increase the size in the 6 series. The smallest upcoming Pixel 6 you can get will be 6.3~6.4 inches and even though it will have upgraded cameras and better specs I think I would just avoid buying it because of the size.
What do you recommend? Should I just buy the Pixel 5 now or maybe wait until the 6 series are released and then make a decision ?
Absolutely NOTHING wrong with the Pixel 5. I LOVE mine.
That being said, no XL version. I didn't like that. I came from P2XL. I like bigger screens. I'll probably get the 6XL
xunholyx said:
Absolutely NOTHING wrong with the Pixel 5. I LOVE mine.
That being said, no XL version. I didn't like that. I came from P2XL. I like bigger screens. I'll probably get the 6XL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im trying to stay at a maximum screen size of 6". And I want the weight to be reasonable. Another phone that's getting my attention is the asus zenfone 8. Seems like the ergonomic king of all androids powered phones right now. But it's a tough call between the regular supported software of pixel vs Asus.
paul_cherma said:
Hey guys,
I wanted your opinion regarding the Pixel 5. How happy are you with the aesthetics of the device? How does it feel on hand and how does it feel in the pocket?
This year I've tried a bunch of phones and I want to switch to something smaller and that has good camera and good battery life. Currently I have a s21 Ultra which is a good overall phone but this thing feels like a brick, it's heavy when you carry it and if you have a good case the phone is even bigger and heavier. Tried a regular S21 but that again was a bit bulky and heavy when used with a good thick case.
I've been reading about the Pixel 6 (all rumors at this point) but it seems like they are going to increase the size in the 6 series. The smallest upcoming Pixel 6 you can get will be 6.3~6.4 inches and even though it will have upgraded cameras and better specs I think I would just avoid buying it because of the size.
What do you recommend? Should I just buy the Pixel 5 now or maybe wait until the 6 series are released and then make a decision ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I'm someone who shares somewhat similar views / opinions. Just changed from an lg v40 to a pixel 3, very happy with a smaller screen and less weight.
It absolutely is an individual thing, of course. Some constantly use their device, gaming, video's etc etc, and a bigger screen (read heavy) outweighs (punny) other aspects.
But if yer like me, really only use the device as a phone, take good pics occasionally, facebook a little, etc... AND carry it in your pocket always, then size and weight become prominent in the choice.
Seeing as google is going the 'bigger is better' route, I'd say a 3, 4 or 5 is where I'll be for years to come (thanks!! Lineage!). Basically, I just don't do enough screen / face time to justify a larger heavier phone.
But a 5 now? Naaah, it won't be long, with 5a and 6 becoming available, the price will drop. buy then.
cheers
paul_cherma said:
Im trying to stay at a maximum screen size of 6". And I want the weight to be reasonable. Another phone that's getting my attention is the asus zenfone 8. Seems like the ergonomic king of all androids powered phones right now. But it's a tough call between the regular supported software of pixel vs Asus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you will more than happy with the Pixel 5. It's a great device
AsItLies said:
So I'm someone who shares somewhat similar views / opinions. Just changed from an lg v40 to a pixel 3, very happy with a smaller screen and less weight.
It absolutely is an individual thing, of course. Some constantly use their device, gaming, video's etc etc, and a bigger screen (read heavy) outweighs (punny) other aspects.
But if yer like me, really only use the device as a phone, take good pics occasionally, facebook a little, etc... AND carry it in your pocket always, then size and weight become prominent in the choice.
Seeing as google is going the 'bigger is better' route, I'd say a 3, 4 or 5 is where I'll be for years to come (thanks!! Lineage!). Basically, I just don't do enough screen / face time to justify a larger heavier phone.
But a 5 now? Naaah, it won't be long, with 5a and 6 becoming available, the price will drop. buy then.
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The idea of switching to a smaller phone came to me after I was hiking and traveling with some friends for about 3 weeks and most of them had bought the Iphone Mini. I was surprised by how a tiny phone like that was pretty much on par with my s21U and some other top of the line expensive android phones that some other friends were using. It took good pictures, battery life was good, and even though I had a beast on me (the S21U) when we compared pics, battery life, browsing, app switching, etc, I saw very minimal differences. The damn thing feels like a toy when you hold it but it is such a good device. Now I can not use an Iphone as my daily driver, I don't hate their products, they're just not for me. The main criteria for me has always been
1. it has to be android OS,
2. must be root friendly
3. good battery and good pictures
Carrying the S21U around is kind of a pain in the butt lol. I can certainly use it with one hand as a tall person with big hands but it's so uncomfortable just carrying it around. And for the specs it has I was expecting more out of it... so far it has simply been a good device. I can't say I am impressed or wow-ed by it.
I think I'll wait for the 5a be announced and see it in person before making a decision but I am already 60% against buying it as it seems like they will up the screen size to 6.2 inches. The camera and processor will stay the same pretty much as the pixel 5 -> but it will be cheaper than a Pixel 5 so I'm not sure if that'll be enough for me to consider it. I'm definitely not waiting for the 6 series to be released though, at this point it seems "confirmed" that all the 6 series will be at the 6.3-6.4 screen size and up.
paul_cherma said:
The idea of switching to a smaller phone came to me after I was hiking and traveling with some friends for about 3 weeks and most of them had bought the Iphone Mini. I was surprised by how a tiny phone like that was pretty much on par with my s21U and some other top of the line expensive android phones that some other friends were using. It took good pictures, battery life was good, and even though I had a beast on me (the S21U) when we compared pics, battery life, browsing, app switching, etc, I saw very minimal differences. The damn thing feels like a toy when you hold it but it is such a good device. Now I can not use an Iphone as my daily driver, I don't hate their products, they're just not for me. The main criteria for me has always been
1. it has to be android OS,
2. must be root friendly
3. good battery and good pictures
Carrying the S21U around is kind of a pain in the butt lol. I can certainly use it with one hand as a tall person with big hands but it's so uncomfortable just carrying it around. And for the specs it has I was expecting more out of it... so far it has simply been a good device. I can't say I am impressed or wow-ed by it.
I think I'll wait for the 5a be announced and see it in person before making a decision but I am already 60% against buying it as it seems like they will up the screen size to 6.2 inches. The camera and processor will stay the same pretty much as the pixel 5 -> but it will be cheaper than a Pixel 5 so I'm not sure if that'll be enough for me to consider it. I'm definitely not waiting for the 6 series to be released though, at this point it seems "confirmed" that all the 6 series will be at the 6.3-6.4 screen size and up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can relate, for sure. Have never tried an iPhone but sincerely doubt it would work for me either. I hate the proprietary 'you're forced to do it this way, whether you like it or not'.
Agree, the 5a and 6's are going to be too big. Only reason I'd wait for them to come out is then, the p5 will drop in price. Then I'd get the p5
I really enjoy my pixel 5. Perfect size. I did really like the S20, however, I didn't want to give up root. Also, at the time it said that on Verizon I wouldn't get 5g with the Intl version, but I do believe that I would of gotten it (not that I've seen 5g even once in my area on the Pixel 5... but that's another discussion) As for battery/pictures, I haven't owned a Samsung in recent years, and this being my first Pixel, I am really impressed with the camera. And Battery for me is wonderful. I am not a heavy user, very minimal, not many apps, no social media, no gaming, etc. so my baseline wont be the same as yours, but the Pixel 5 fairs well considering its specs.
I can't imagine using a phone too much larger than the S21. My brother recently upgraded his S20. It's so, darn, heavy. I'd get used to it with time, but going from my P5 with a slim case, to playing with his S21 is difficult. I am considering the Pixel 6/S21/S22/others/ here soon, but if I am content with the P5, I'll be on it for as long as I can make it last..
I agree to wait for the 5a to be released, even the 6 if you can wait it out, as then the deals for a new one, or someone letting go of a lightly used one should be for a good price.
I usually get the latest phone each year but if the P6 is a millimeter over 6" I might have to skip it. The P5 at 5.7" is really the largest I'd like but 6 is max. It just won't fit in my running shorts or my saddle bag and would probably fall out of my pocket in the car. They really need to rethink the larger size or just go the standard/XL route so everyone is happy.
AsItLies said:
I can relate, for sure. Have never tried an iPhone but sincerely doubt it would work for me either. I hate the proprietary 'you're forced to do it this way, whether you like it or not'.
Agree, the 5a and 6's are going to be too big. Only reason I'd wait for them to come out is then, the p5 will drop in price. Then I'd get the p5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how much does google discount the older phone when they release new ones usually? I've never shopped for Pixel phones so I'm not familiar with their strategy. Right now Pixel 5 sells for $699 on their website
paul_cherma said:
how much does google discount the older phone when they release new ones usually? I've never shopped for Pixel phones so I'm not familiar with their strategy. Right now Pixel 5 sells for $699 on their website
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not positive but it should be discounted 100 to maybe 150, initially. So think about the cycle of the pixel 4, and where it is now. It was originally 799, but it's at 400 now and a 4a is 350.
Those are much more reasonable prices for the phone, imho. I have a pixel 3 and with lineage available, more than happy to use it until the price drops.
cheers
Pixel 6 is going to be a major jump in terms of design and camera hardware. I would totally wait for it.
svetius said:
Pixel 6 is going to be a major jump in terms of design and camera hardware. I would totally wait for it.
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And, playing devils advocate here, some would say the 'major jump' in design is a major jump backwards (they will be too big). Camera hardware is changing, that's a good thing always. But it's worth asking yourself; are u unhappy with the pics you get now? I mean, if you're not taking photos professionally, is this a difference (assuming there is one) that would matter to you?
cheers
svetius said:
Pixel 6 is going to be a major jump in terms of design and camera hardware. I would totally wait for it.
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I'd agree with the specs and design improvements, however, the OP didn't really seem that concerned with better this or that. He was concerned about the size and bulkiness of the device, which I am in the same boat. At 5.7" the P5 is simply the right size for a lot of folks. In the 9 months I've had it I've been totally satisfied with everything about it including battery life. Looking at 6.3 is a big difference. Now if they can keep the weight down and perhaps max it at 6.1 well that's a different story. And then there's the price. One caveat is the $699 price now of the P5. That needs to go on sale for $599. Then it's a buy without waiting imo. The next couple of months should be interesting as leaks are released.
It would have been nice if they kept the screen size for one of the 6 series phones to 6.1" maximum. Looks like they are upping that to 6.4". The big screen size alone is keeping me away from wanting to get one. Also Wonder if there will be a huge difference for point and shoot or daytime pictures between the 5 and 6... we'll see when they do the comparisons.
paul_cherma said:
It would have been nice if they kept the screen size for one of the 6 series phones to 6.1" maximum. Looks like they are upping that to 6.4". The big screen size alone is keeping me away from wanting to get one. Also Wonder if there will be a huge difference for point and shoot or daytime pictures between the 5 and 6... we'll see when they do the comparisons.
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And just like that I get an alert on my news feed that the P5 is out of stock across the board. I wonder what's going on. I'm hoping that there is a P6 and a P6 XL.
bobby janow said:
I'd agree with the specs and design improvements, however, the OP didn't really seem that concerned with better this or that. He was concerned about the size and bulkiness of the device, which I am in the same boat. At 5.7" the P5 is simply the right size for a lot of folks. In the 9 months I've had it I've been totally satisfied with everything about it including battery life. Looking at 6.3 is a big difference. Now if they can keep the weight down and perhaps max it at 6.1 well that's a different story. And then there's the price. One caveat is the $699 price now of the P5. That needs to go on sale for $599. Then it's a buy without waiting imo. The next couple of months should be interesting as leaks are released.
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I'm really hoping that they keep the screen size to a maximum of 6.1. From the leaks so far it seems that they are going for the big screen though. I'm using a s21U now, I like the camera, not exceptional but it's better than good imo. I really like the zoom capabilities of it also, they come in handy if you want to zoom to far away objects. But I'm getting tired of these big screen and heavy phones. It's sad that there's not many Android operated devices that have a good size and good specs and are root friendly.
paul_cherma said:
It would have been nice if they kept the screen size for one of the 6 series phones to 6.1" maximum. Looks like they are upping that to 6.4". The big screen size alone is keeping me away from wanting to get one. Also Wonder if there will be a huge difference for point and shoot or daytime pictures between the 5 and 6... we'll see when they do the comparisons.
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Click to collapse
Agree. Google will no doubt make improvements to the camera ability. Believe I've read the high res zoom will go from 2x to 6x. Great of course. But the closer you zoom in, the steadier you have to be, thus the exposure has to be quick, meaning the ISO has to be high (grain). During a bright sunny day it will probably work well.
Me personally though, I'll stick with my 40x zoom Canon pocket camera, if I'm going out to shoot birds or something. While sure, it would be nice to have a phone with more zoom power... do you need it? how often u gonna use that?
realistically speaking, it's a 'nice to have', but certainly not something I've ever thought I needed.
cheers
An alternative suggestion - get a 4a super cheap for now and see how the 5a and 6 pan out.
I have owned 4a and 5, moving to them from the S20. Both are excellent and while the differences between 4a and 5 might look significant on paper, they are barely noticeable in use. The 4a is quite the bargain.
What I liked:
-Size. Though I personally prefer a 6.2" screen (the OP6 was perfect), having it smaller was actually really nice instead of the giant bricks most phones have become.
-Camera. Even though the hardware isn't the greatest, the software makes the Pixel 5 take some damn fine photos for the price.
-Root!!!
There's some downsides to the Pixel 5 in my opinion.
-Under glass speaker (who in engineering thought this was okay?) This is insanely annoying and I can't fathom how anyone could deal with this, and is the main reason I returned mine.
-Piss poor hardware (it's slow, and noticably so).
-God awful Haptics.
-On mine, sometimes it would actually butt-dial people even though I had a finger print set up. Or it wouldn't answer calls even if I got answer 50 times (this doesn't mean this happens to every one, I firmly believe mine was possessed)
Your mileage may vary, and you may be okay with my gripes, but if it were me, I'd wait for the 6.

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