Note 8 or One Plus 5 - Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers

Hi, I need some advice on which device I am going to buy. I'm going to use this I guess 3 to 5 years as I dont replace my phone that often so this thread will help A LOT. I'm basing on some reviews, speed tests, but the two seems to be on par with each other. Price is/may kind of an issue here as I would love to use some of the money (if I buy the OP5) for the after sales and some personal stuff. However if the Note 8 is really "bang for the buck" then I'll gladly go with it. I also tried to search some issues. Here's what I found so far:
One Plus 5:
GPS Issue
Bluetooth Issue
Overheating issue
Jelly Effect in screen
Note 8:
Red tint in a lot of device
Light leak (lights leaking on the side of the phone not much of an issue for me)
If you have some issues with the phone, please feel free to reply. It would be appreciated a lot!
I also created Pros and Cons that might help me but I ended up more confused what to buy. Haha.
Pros for One Plus 5
Performance
Price
Dev Community as I love to mod my phone
Fingerprint Scanner placement + the scan speed is so fast
I've seen a lot of people who still uses OPO or OP2 which means that this device last long
The toggle above the volume like in iPhones
Customizable hardware buttons (I really love this one)
Cons for One Plus 5
Issues above as I really need the GPS and bluetooth, and I play heavy games.
No waterproofing
No Micro SD slot (I guess 128gb is enough but I would love to have the option of expanding more)
Pros for Note 8
SPen
Camera
Performance (but I've read OP5 has better. The 8gb ram may be the reason. But please feel free to correct me)
Display is a plus
Iris Scanner and Face Recognition (Is it accurate?)
Cons for Note 8
Samsung phones tend to slow down after months/years of using it.
Price
Body build is somewhat easy to crack due to glass body + curved edge
Samsung is a little bit strict when it comes to flashing Custom ROMS and I dont know if the SPen functionalities will be affected. (Please correct me here)
Fingerprint Scanner placement
I may be wrong with some of this but I've researched and this is what I've seen.
If this is a point to consider, I'm coming from a Xperia Z3Compact which didn't last long (I hated sony to the hell because of this) because of the digitizer issue. However, I enjoyed tweaking that phone. Now I'm forced to use my iPhone5s with jailbreak.
Note: Just to be clear, the devices in comparison are OP5 8gb/128gb and Note 8 6gb/64gb Exynos
Note: I'm posting this to each respective forum to have a fair discussion for each phone. I hope this is allowed. I also hope to help some people that have the same options with me.
Note 8 Thread: Link Here
OnePlus 5 Thread: Link Here
Thank you guys. After a long comparison, I'm going for the OP5 even with the rumors of OP5T. I just hate the back fingerprint scanner placements which is the trend now. And regarding with the bezels, I'm more into those phone with bezels on top and bottom for landscape usage. I've been trying the S8+, and some games that I play doesn't maximize or utilize the whole screen which leaves some part of the screen blank. However, the screen in the Note 8 is A1 dont get me wrong, but I'm more into the performance and the OP5's screen is enough. Thank you guys!

For me would have gone oneplus 5,cause that thing is crazy fast. However the jello, jelly put me right off. And the fact that oneplus 5,would not until now come out in the open about it, really bugged me and beggars belief!. You can see the problem as soon as you pick the device up, so that reason I went note 8 and it's been an amazing experience. I haven't played games on it yet, still enjoying just browsing, multimedia, taking photos of my munchkins etc.

I had the oneplus 5 like 4 phones ago and it was great. No issues whatsoever, no jelly or any of the other issues you mentioned tbh. Bang for bucks it is the best phone you can get. Great for flashing and whatnot. That being said the note 8 has so much more added value and the exynos has a dev community that should keep you flash happy for years to come...

marvi0 said:
For me would have gone oneplus 5,cause that thing is crazy fast. However the jello, jelly put me right off. And the fact that oneplus 5,would not until now come out in the open about it, really bugged me and beggars belief!. You can see the problem as soon as you pick the device up, so that reason I went note 8 and it's been an amazing experience. I haven't played games on it yet, still enjoying just browsing, multimedia, taking photos of my munchkins etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah yes, the jelly effect. I've also heard it too and seen it in facebook. That thing also prevents me in purchasing this device. However, some owners claimed that their device has small to no signs of jelly effect in their device. So I think they have fixed it now, I wish. Thank you for your comment
mrnovanova said:
I had the oneplus 5 like 4 phones ago and it was great. No issues whatsoever, no jelly or any of the other issues you mentioned tbh. Bang for bucks it is the best phone you can get. Great for flashing and whatnot. That being said the note 8 has so much more added value and the exynos has a dev community that should keep you flash happy for years to come...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. I heard that Snapdragon version is more strict in terms of tweaking than the Exynos version. Thank you for you reply!

lazygeniuslanz said:
Hi, I need some advice on which device I am going to buy. I'm going to use this I guess 3 to 5 years as I dont replace my phone that often so this thread will help A LOT. I'm basing on some reviews, speed tests, but the two seems to be on par with each other. Price is/may kind of an issue here as I would love to use some of the money (if I buy the OP5) for the after sales and some personal stuff. However if the Note 8 is really "bang for the buck" then I'll gladly go with it. I also tried to search some issues. Here's what I found so far:
One Plus 5:
GPS Issue
Bluetooth Issue
Overheating issue
Jelly Effect in screen
Note 8:
Red tint in a lot of device
Light leak (lights leaking on the side of the phone not much of an issue for me)
If you have some issues with the phone, please feel free to reply. It would be appreciated a lot!
I also created Pros and Cons that might help me but I ended up more confused what to buy. Haha.
Pros for One Plus 5
Performance
Price
Dev Community as I love to mod my phone
Fingerprint Scanner placement + the scan speed is so fast
I've seen a lot of people who still uses OPO or OP2 which means that this device last long
The toggle above the volume like in iPhones
Customizable hardware buttons (I really love this one)
Cons for One Plus 5
Issues above as I really need the GPS and bluetooth, and I play heavy games.
No waterproofing
No Micro SD slot (I guess 128gb is enough but I would love to have the option of expanding more)
Pros for Note 8
SPen
Camera
Performance (but I've read OP5 has better. The 8gb ram may be the reason. But please feel free to correct me)
Display is a plus
Iris Scanner and Face Recognition (Is it accurate?)
Cons for Note 8
Samsung phones tend to slow down after months/years of using it.
Price
Body build is somewhat easy to crack due to glass body + curved edge
Samsung is a little bit strict when it comes to flashing Custom ROMS and I dont know if the SPen functionalities will be affected. (Please correct me here)
Fingerprint Scanner placement
I may be wrong with some of this but I've researched and this is what I've seen.
If this is a point to consider, I'm coming from a Xperia Z3Compact which didn't last long (I hated sony to the hell because of this) because of the digitizer issue. However, I enjoyed tweaking that phone. Now I'm forced to use my iPhone5s with jailbreak.
Note: Just to be clear, the devices in comparison are OP5 8gb/128gb and Note 8 6gb/64gb Exynos
Note: I'm posting this to each respective forum to have a fair discussion for each phone. I hope this is allowed. I also hope to help some people that have the same options with me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I a solution for you to avoid those listed "issues" if you decide to buy a Note 8.
Just find a open box or used one and inspect it fully before handing over the money.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

marvi0 said:
For me would have gone oneplus 5,cause that thing is crazy fast. However the jello, jelly put me right off. And the fact that oneplus 5,would not until now come out in the open about it, really bugged me and beggars belief!. You can see the problem as soon as you pick the device up, so that reason I went note 8 and it's been an amazing experience. I haven't played games on it yet, still enjoying just browsing, multimedia, taking photos of my munchkins etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Limeybastard said:
I a solution for you to avoid those listed "issues" if you decide to buy a Note 8.
Just find a open box or used one and inspect it fully before handing over the money.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've read that solution too haha. And that's a good one. But is there any reason to consider Note 8 for OP5?

lazygeniuslanz said:
I've read that solution too haha. And that's a good one. But is there any reason to consider Note 8 for OP5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't answer that question as I don't have any experience with the OP5, to be honest.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

lazygeniuslanz said:
I've read that solution too haha. And that's a good one. But is there any reason to consider Note 8 for OP5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a personal decision. Only you can weigh the pros and cons of each phone... and you seem to have done a great job of listing them.
The SD card is the dealbreaker for me. I carry about 200 GB of hi-res music. At this point, that's difficult to replicate any other way that doesn't involve paying even more for music I already own.

I've had the oneplus5, now currently have the note 8.
The reasons that made me return the oneplus 5 were as follows
- The jelly screen ....once you see it, it'll bug you forever
- The camera in my opinion wasn't all that..the lack of OIS was really annoying. Videos were shaky as hell! (It was improved with software stabilisation, bit it wasn't anything compaired to realtime optical stablisation
I really wanted to like the phone, it's so cheap for what you get and I love how oneplus allow you to root and mod away.
You need to decide what you'd want from your phone

Thanks but.. some of your "CONS" are off. You didnt go with the majority. On some cons.

note 8- tons more features
one plus- easier to mod
its just that simple; YOU decide whats important to YOU

In 3 or so years you probably won't want a phone with all that bezel. I'll venture out and say if you want a phone that won't feel obsolete sooner than later do to design get the note 8 hands down (or s8+).....imo
Sent from my SM-N950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app

louforgiveno said:
In 3 or so years you probably won't want a phone with all that bezel. I'll venture out and say if you want a phone that won't feel obsolete sooner than later do to design get the note 8 hands down (or s8+).....imo
Sent from my SM-N950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the Note 8 has a higher chance of being obsolete. Reason being the 8GB RAM of the OnePlus 5; it will probably become standard on all devices in 2018 or 2019.
It's not like all that extra screen gives you extra functionality that you won't have if your device has bezels. So I don't see why a device with bezels would become obsolete.
Design is really the last thing you should look at when making your decision. You're gonna use one of those devices, not stare at it and admire its design. You're probably gonna put a case on it anyway, so that whole design aspect flies out the window.

Pwnycorn said:
I think the Note 8 has a higher chance of being obsolete. Reason being the 8GB RAM of the OnePlus 5; it will probably become standard on all devices in 2018 or 2019.
It's not like all that extra screen gives you extra functionality that you won't have if your device has bezels. So I don't see why a device with bezels would become obsolete.
Design is really the last thing you should look at when making your decision. You're gonna use one of those devices, not stare at it and admire its design. You're probably gonna put a case on it anyway, so that whole design aspect flies out the window.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I respect your opinion but I think you're off a smidge. If design were not important there would be no iPhone X. Expect large bezels to be frowned upon in the 2 years. Bezels will get smaller that's just a fact. 8gb is overkill how will OEMs justify the 8gb when Apple does wonders with 3. 6gb will remain the maximum and 4gb the standard. We might see 8gb again but it sure won't become the norm.
Now I know that I referred to Apple as a reference for both arguments but for better or for worse Android sets trends and they cement it. It's just facts.
Design is the reason why many great devices were overlooked this year IE HTC U11 and Sony Xperia Zx1 or whatever (Saw it, laughed, moved on) I agree with you that in the end, Greater scheme and all, it doesn't matter as beauty is subjective but...
8gb standard? Maybe for Chinese OEMs. Bezels? They're flying out the window as we speak ?

douger1957 said:
That's a personal decision. Only you can weigh the pros and cons of each phone... and you seem to have done a great job of listing them.
The SD card is the dealbreaker for me. I carry about 200 GB of hi-res music. At this point, that's difficult to replicate any other way that doesn't involve paying even more for music I already own.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, thats a lot of music you have there. I can't even fill my 32gb from my z3c hahaha. Thank you sir!
Ry2mkk said:
I've had the oneplus5, now currently have the note 8.
The reasons that made me return the oneplus 5 were as follows
- The jelly screen ....once you see it, it'll bug you forever
- The camera in my opinion wasn't all that..the lack of OIS was really annoying. Videos were shaky as hell! (It was improved with software stabilisation, bit it wasn't anything compaired to realtime optical stablisation
I really wanted to like the phone, it's so cheap for what you get and I love how oneplus allow you to root and mod away.
You need to decide what you'd want from your phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the camera in OP5 kinda sucks at videos. I've watched many camera reviews against Note 8 and boy that OP5 videos are shaky but I think they can do better after software updates. However the stills from OP5 looked good that it made the OP5 worth it atleast at good lighting. Don't get me wrong, the Note 8 outputs are better but I guess it doesn't justify the price differences.
Zeblade said:
Thanks but.. some of your "CONS" are off. You didnt go with the majority. On some cons.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you means sir?
wase4711 said:
note 8- tons more features
one plus- easier to mod
its just that simple; YOU decide whats important to YOU
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see, thank you sir!
Pwnycorn said:
I think the Note 8 has a higher chance of being obsolete. Reason being the 8GB RAM of the OnePlus 5; it will probably become standard on all devices in 2018 or 2019.
It's not like all that extra screen gives you extra functionality that you won't have if your device has bezels. So I don't see why a device with bezels would become obsolete.
Design is really the last thing you should look at when making your decision. You're gonna use one of those devices, not stare at it and admire its design. You're probably gonna put a case on it anyway, so that whole design aspect flies out the window.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mrnovanova said:
I respect your opinion but I think you're off a smidge. If design were not important there would be no iPhone X. Expect large bezels to be frowned upon in the 2 years. Bezels will get smaller that's just a fact. 8gb is overkill how will OEMs justify the 8gb when Apple does wonders with 3. 6gb will remain the maximum and 4gb the standard. We might see 8gb again but it sure won't become the norm.
Now I know that I referred to Apple as a reference for both arguments but for better or for worse Android sets trends and they cement it. It's just facts.
Design is the reason why many great devices were overlooked this year IE HTC U11 and Sony Xperia Zx1 or whatever (Saw it, laughed, moved on) I agree with you that in the end, Greater scheme and all, it doesn't matter as beauty is subjective but...
8gb standard? Maybe for Chinese OEMs. Bezels? They're flying out the window as we speak
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey you guys calm down haha I agree that the design may be obsolete but I think I value the performance than the design itself. I don't want to use a good design phone but stutters or lags even a bit specially when its priced in an almost 1k. But good points guys! :good: :fingers-crossed:

Thank you guys. After a long comparison, I'm going for the OP5 even with the rumors of OP5T. I just hate the back fingerprint scanner placements which is the trend now. And regarding with the bezels, I'm more into those phone with bezels on top and bottom for landscape usage. I've been trying the S8+, and some games that I play doesn't maximize or utilize the whole screen which leaves some part of the screen blank. However, the screen in the Note 8 is A1 dont get me wrong, but I'm more into the performance and the OP5's screen is enough. Thank you guys!

Related

Galaxy Note 4 to OP3T

I have seen numerous mentions of Note 4 owners in the threads of this sub forum mention that they are considering a purchase of a OP3T coming from a Galaxy Note 4. I am one of those individuals that has done this and I'd love to hear other peoples thoughts on why they held on to there Note 4's for so long? And why this particular model of Oneplus has gotten us to consider leaving our expandable storage, removable battery larger screen, etc?
For me, the development was there with the Note 4 (if you got yours early enough to unlock the bootloader and root/rom it up). Now with the death of the Nexus line and the Note 7 fiasco, I was looking for an upgrade that offers great current specs and customizability. I guess you could say that "I settled" (pun intended) on Oneplus for this move. On top of all of that, this will be my first Oneplus device and I like the idea of a reasonable pricing structure that Oneplus provides with it's larger storage option. I personally think that they have remained competitive in the industry and I'll be more than happy to shell out the small amount extra to have these upgrades to the original OP3.
I realize that there is a Note 5 to OP3T thread but it didn't quite match what I've been seeing, so many times in the threads, as far as upgrade popularity. So I wanted to start this thread to get an idea of what other Note 4 owners thought.
I'm going from a Note 3 to a OP3t. I'd been looking nonstop for months for a gently used Note 4 to hold me over until the next note release but I just can't wait that long, and people want $400+ for a used note 4 that's still locked to a carrier. So for $639 I went with the 128gb model. No need for expandable storage at that point, all I ever use the SD on my N3 for is when I flash a rom and want to do a twrp backup. I'll just grab a USB-C flash drive for that and use it when I need it. Don't care about removable batteries either, never once swapped a battery on a smartphone. Besides, with this new dash charge thing, I shouldn't have to anyway, right?
It's still a little pricey, but for an unlocked handset with 128gb storage, and a flagship level processor I think it'll be a good purchase.
Point by point. The screen size I assume it would be roughly the same, But downgrading from 4K to to just FHD would help on the battery life by a large margin. Unless you have specific use for VR and very large screen resolution which most people don't, then stepping back to FHD seem like a batter idea.
Removable battery, I only see two reason for replaceable battery. One is for swapping out battery when you ran out and two is in case of emergency, then ability to fully remove power like you drop a phone in a pond/toilet. At this point in time, and in my experience, these larger new phone get a very good battery life, and many can be remedy via powerbank And ever since I have a mobile phone, I never have water issue. So, I'm willing to take that risk.
Expandable storage, to tell the true I still would prefer to have that option even with the 128GB model. But the fact is life is not perfect, and I can get by w/o it. Digging a little deeper, there are a few things that I considered. First off, you have 128GB option, and if you think about it most people don't need more than that. If you are currently using a 128GB SD card and still not satisfy, then OP3T may not be for you either. Second is speed, most smartphone w/ microSD card slot are never going to be that fast; while many don't need that much speed, it improve thing like game loading. Most apps will not need to store data on the SD but for games, you have a blob(OBB) sitting on the large space and some time on SD card, which can slow things down considerably. Another thing is a simplification, well I view this one as a trade off. As a geek I don't care much whether things goes on internal memory or external SD, as long as I know where everything is and how to back things up. This is not an issue for me. But having just one large storage area does simplify thing for most people, it also means easier to back thing up. Considering the faster NAND means faster transfer speed for backing up stuff out of the phone also.
In term of custom ROMs and stuff, the true is yes there is option to the bootloader unlocked Note 4, but it's never near the level of OnePlus. If you look at CyanogenMod web site, you can see that the most up to date for Note 4 is CM12.1, while even OPO is up to 14. Sure there are other AOSP ROM in the XDA, but at some point you want things to be just stable and at the minimum up to date security patches. This can complicate things if you have to jump from ROM to ROM just to keep the security patch up to date.
Well set your priorities and decide. I obviously own a Note 4, that's why posting in this topic. Going for OP3T will give you better battery life. Significantly faster fingerprint sensor. Probably a little better camera (I am not sure about this camera part, the sensor is pretty small in comparison with Note 4, but its a newer sensor!), Dash charging, which is the best charging technology out there, and Oxygen OS with lots of dev support (though that's for OP3, not T), needless to say almost any skin is better than TW.
What will you lose in the process then? I think video quality, the video samples from OP3 were really average, no fine details! Asking several Samsung users tells me that call quality on OP3 isn't as great! Note 4 has excellent call quality. GPS accuracy is also not as good! There is the touch latency, 65 ms on Note 4 vs 95 on OP3, and then the last thing, the Pentile 1080p display. I couldn't care much about the resolution, but its Pentile, so not 1080p at first place! But if Anand's chart of OP3's screen calibration is right then the saturation and colour accuracy should be much better on the OP3 than Note 4.
That's all. I myself am really torn. My Note 4 is already on sell on eBay. I am torn between Pixel XL and OP3T. While the former's price is unnecessarily huge, OP3T's price is a no brainer. Don't know yet really.
ithehappy said:
But if Anand's chart of OP3's screen calibration is right then the saturation and colour accuracy should be much better on the OP3 than Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did see that article from Anandtech as well, but that option was in developer settings. Do you know if this option was finally in the normal setting and if it is a default now?
someone0 said:
I did see that article from Anandtech as well, but that option was in developer settings. Do you know if this option was finally in the normal setting and if it is a default now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's still under developer settings and it also might not stick after a reboot, got this response after asking the same in OP3 WhatsApp group. That's not cool
Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk
ithehappy said:
It's still under developer settings and it also might not stick after a reboot, got this response after asking the same in OP3 WhatsApp group. That's not cool
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can only hope the initial stock ROM on 3T have that fixed and be a default, since it will be different (newer) than the OP3 at this moment. From what I see on the reviews, there is some UI changes as well.

No innovation from one plus 5

The expectation from one plus 5 was high, when it was being released. It seems that one plus is not putting any innovative ideas in their UI or overall system experience. They should at least put some new ideas to their user experience. Please vote and let them know...
think you're being a little harsh mate, there are a lot of qualities which add up to an experience that you don't get from any other device.
Speed: The fastest phone there is, bar none.
Audio: Loudest phone i've ever had, couple that with viper audio and it's even louder
Battery: Best battery i've ever had on any phone including the note 4 which was supposed to be superb.
Screen: Jelly effect aside (i don't get this problem) 1+ going for a 1080p screen is the way it should be, a 2k screen on a 5 inch device? What is the point.
Build: Strong casing covering the phone and a non bendy screen
Software: For the first time ever, I've actually contemplated not rooting my device (it's rooted now btw ) Reason being is you can theme and change things which you can't on other devices.
Camera: Ok this one is a bit of a sore subject, I actually rate the camera, i've took some superb shots with it.
Charging: phenomenally quick charging, bested by none. (Thanks @3DSammy )
Overall when you put this together you get a package which very few can compete with
coolom1983 said:
The expectation from one plus 5 was high, when it was being released. It seems that one plus is not putting any innovative ideas in their UI or overall system experience. They should at least put some new ideas to their user experience. Please vote and let them know...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not everyone agrees with you. When you speak of user experience, do you mean something like TouchWiz? No thanks. As close to stock as possible is what people in this forum prefer.
dladz said:
think you're being a little harsh mate, there are a lot of qualities which add up to an experience that you don't get from any other device.
Speed: The fastest phone there is, bar none.
Audio: Loudest phone i've ever had, couple that with viper audio and it's even louder
Battery: Best battery i've ever had on any phone including the note 4 which was supposed to be superb.
Screen: Jelly effect aside (i don't get this problem) 1+ going for a 1080p screen is the way it should be, a 2k screen on a 5 inch device? What is the point.
Build: Strong casing covering the phone and a non bendy screen
Software: For the first time ever, I've actually contemplated not rooting my device (it's rooted now btw ) Reason being is you can theme and change things which you can't on other devices.
Camera: Ok this one is a bit of a sore subject, I actually rate the camera, i've took some superb shots with it.
Overall when you put this together you get a package which very few can compete with
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing I'd add to your list is the phenomenal Dash charging. Just today or yesterday XDA posted a comparison of various brand's charging technologies and the OnePlus Dash charging came out on top. When I bought the OP5 and first charged it that was the very first thing that WOWed me. I definitely agree with the rest of your list. Maybe add the OnePlus companies cooperative attitude to developers with a TWRP recovery available by the end of the very first weekend after release. Its my Nexus series replacement. As times gone by (I ordered the OP5 two hours after the streamed announcement), OOS with multiple OTA releases and its general almost stock experience has reinforced my confidence in this purchase.
OP5 to me is the Nexus that I've missed.... It's speedy and utilitarian... The pixel didn't appeal to me and I think maybe alot of the og Nexus fans too....
If you don't like Nexus, I'm guessing you won't like OP....
Couldn't disagree more with the OP. This is the best phone I've ever owned. And the UI is basically vanilla android but with see very useful additions. The kind of additions I used to flash custom ROMs to get.
I was a successful customer of one plus 3 and 3T... I loved these 2 very much as these were best of their time.... Except dual camera setup which is still not as stable as it should be and Dash charger, I do not see big differences in from previous ones...
Undoubtedly it is good phone but not the best of his time... So many bugs still present in software.... No beta update for one plus 5.... No latest security patches... Even my op3 has latest security patch as compared to my one plus 5..
You do realize it is a small company and they kinda have to update 3 phones now. This takes a bit o time. Besides, they probably invest most of their resources on the Oreo update now.
Do you really think Samsung offers better updates?
As for the differences between last year's model and this year's model - there never is a big differences between those. Generally speaking. They are more like incremental upgrades.
Let's take the S7 and S8. The biggest difference is the screen and that's pretty much it.
In my opinion, one should always skip one phone generation to get the best results. If you had the 3T, there was no reason to get the 5 now. It's better to wait for the 6 as that may be a better upgrade. Same applies to Samsung, LG, HTC and everything else.
coolom1983 said:
The expectation from one plus 5 was high, when it was being released. It seems that one plus is not putting any innovative ideas in their UI or overall system experience. They should at least put some new ideas to their user experience. Please vote and let them know...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You expect OnePlus to innovate? They've barely been around for five years.
Quit dreaming and buy an iPhone or a Samsung.
3DSammy said:
The only thing I'd add to your list is the phenomenal Dash charging. Just today or yesterday XDA posted a comparison of various brand's charging technologies and the OnePlus Dash charging came out on top. When I bought the OP5 and first charged it that was the very first thing that WOWed me. I definitely agree with the rest of your list. Maybe add the OnePlus companies cooperative attitude to developers with a TWRP recovery available by the end of the very first weekend after release. Its my Nexus series replacement. As times gone by (I ordered the OP5 two hours after the streamed announcement), OOS with multiple OTA releases and its general almost stock experience has reinforced my confidence in this purchase.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree with the charging it's not of this earth.
Added
---------- Post added at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:07 AM ----------
coolom1983 said:
Undoubtedly it is good phone but not the best of his time... So many bugs still present in software.... No beta update for one plus 5.... No latest security patches... Even my op3 has latest security patch as compared to my one plus 5..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please compare this to another phone and put the the other ahead!! What phone out ever has no problems? The fact that your 3 is still getting updates in a timely manner is a good thing.
The reason why we got a OnePlus is partly because we prefer as close as possible AOSP experience with a few value added enhancements
If you're into UI and stuff, you're definitely looking the wrong phone and should consider what Samsung or Xiaomi has to offer instead
Download a launcher.
This thread so dumb I thought I am browsing the OnePlus forums
Sent from my OnePlus3T using XDA Labs
MSF Jarvis said:
This thread so dumb I thought I am browsing the OnePlus forums
Sent from my OnePlus3T using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahah , yeah.
Damn people, they want stupid gadget but dont want to pay for it.
For many people, the op5 is perfect because it's simple, still have capacitive button ( which make the android signature imo), simple = the parts will be cheap on ebay, and we dont pay for stupid random gadget.
NO! REMOVING 3.5mm jack is NOT innovation.
Why spend $$$ to get a fcking edge screen that will cost 500$ to replace ?
IP67 , when 95% of people wont get close to water with their phone, and 99% of them never drop their phone in water anyway.
op5 is innovative in a way that they give you high spec with minimal parts. Imho, this make a durable phone (5-6 years easy), and as we can notice, the earth need a break of overconsuming rightnow.
Coming from a Pixel XL, the design of this phone is much better; feels much nicer in the hand and isn't as heavy.
There is tons more development available for this device compared to the XL, and for a company that is so young, they are doing an amazing job.
Yeah, the camera didn't live up to the hype, but it's not a horrible camera by any means.
I am getting the same user experience as my Pixel XL, and even better than the XL in some areas as well - all for significantly less than what I paid for the XL.
That being said, I definitely don't think it's reasonable to say there is no innovation, despite the 5 looking similar to an iPhone. The iPhone's design isn't bad at all in my opinion, so that carries over to the 5.
All in all, I'm really loving this phone and I do not regret selling my XL to get this I am open minded and will see how the Pixel 2 is though, but just in terms of development, I don't know if I'd switch back.
MSF Jarvis said:
This thread so dumb I thought I am browsing the OnePlus forums
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just people having their say. Sometimes the worst questions or ideas for a thread become extremely popular.
Otherwise why are people posting here
---------- Post added at 09:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:01 PM ----------
rickysidhu_ said:
Coming from a Pixel XL, the design of this phone is much better; feels much nicer in the hand and isn't as heavy.
All in all, I'm really loving this phone and I do not regret selling my XL to get this I am open minded and will see how the Pixel 2 is though, but just in terms of development, I don't know if I'd switch back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly can't see the pixel 2 having anything ground breaking that would make me want to move over.
The camera will be great but OS and performance, stamina and build will be very similar.
Tbh I can see the 1+5 beating it in terms of speed.
Guess we'll see.
Plus if the pixel goes for a 2k screen then you'll see how much of a benefit a 1080p screen gives you in regards to performance and battery longevity.
coolom1983 said:
The expectation from one plus 5 was high, when it was being released. It seems that one plus is not putting any innovative ideas in their UI or overall system experience. They should at least put some new ideas to their user experience. Please vote and let them know...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmmmmm - I vote that that you would be better off trading in op5 and get this
Sent from my OnePlus5 using XDA Labs
i always viewed oneplus devices as extremely minimal. I know, you know and oneplus knows that if you want an innovative UI you can download it from the play store. Think of the thing as a modular phone on the software side. I like the thing because it works really well and charges nice and fast doesnt slow down and remembers every app right where i was unless the app itself has a background refresh built in. Its a good phone and should be treated as such.
sure, it's innovative! you get to choose between Wifi AND cellular data. the screen protectors lay perfectly flat on the screen, which is also flat. this phone is small! it fits perfectly in all kinds of pockets. the screen lights up in the dark so you can see it at night. you can install multiple applications without removing the old ones. on top of all that - wireless discharging!
seriously, you are living in the era of the Jetsons (assuming you're old enough to remember that show). splitting hairs about a company's R&D standards is so moot when you have a super [email protected]$$ computer in your pocket. just don't buy it! or return it! move along!

Help me migrate from iPhone 6s Plus

Good day and a happy new year. I am considering a switch from apple again and this is my target device. The things i need your help deciding are the below, in order of priority (for me) :
-Thermals. I have been switching between iphones and androids for many years. And so far all androids i owned (most samsung devices) tend to heat up even with the most normal of uses. My last switch from s7 edge to Iphone 6s Plus was purely due to that. You could feel the device back heating just from surfing on wifi indoors. Please advise how the Note 9 performs in this task.
-Camera . It is widely said that Note 9 camera does not handle motion at all . For example , shooting a person that moves or an animal, will surely result in a blurry photo. Just how bad is the situation ?
-Background applications resource usage . In my last experience with android (s7e 7.1) just about any application could run any way it wanted and hog resources/battery without any consent whatsoever. I get the benefits of multitasking but if the trade off is me losing control of what is going on i need to take it in consideration. Please advise how the Note 9 performs in this task (current android version it runs atm).
-Storage speed . iPhones over 6+ are using nvme type flash storage wich is stupid fast. I cannot find any nand benchmarks for the note 9 exynos model. Any info on that? Also what type of nand does it use(very important for future proofing).
-Processor .I n my region the only note 9 available is the one with exynos (SM-N960F). how does it perform compared to the snapdragon variant ?
-GPS . As you may have heard, iPhone GPS accuracy and lock speeds are out of this world. Is note 9's performance in this area satisfactory? (again for the exynos model).
- Any one here switched from iphone to note 9 ? Maybe you could share something that you would consider useful to know beforehand ?
So sorry to hit you with that wall of text but for me €800+ for a phone is kind of a big deal (for my current financials). That is mostly why i had to rule out the XS Max in the first place (€1350+ where i live).
Camera wise the IQ from the N9 is quite a bit better, and in Pro mode i have no issues with movement. The screen on the N9 is in another league. Resource use wise, yes Samsung has a lot of junk but it's easy enough to delete (even system) junk even on an unrooted phone, and even the ones you keep you can control each app individually for resource use (mobile data, battery). Processing wise the iPhones have always been solid but the N9 is very slick to. I've had mine a month and no heating issues at all not even a little. Battery life wise i get 7odd hours off SoT and about 60 odd hours between charges. Best phone I've ever had, and the SPen functionality is amazing!
Exynos is at least as good as Snapdragon, probably a bit better actually if you read the forums. GPS is very good I've had no issues.
I had an iPhone 7 a few years back but it cannot compete at all with the N9 imho.
Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
Well to be fair compare e iphone 6s plus to the note 9 is a hit pointless.... Any category you will se better performance l. Software wise S9 and note 9 are the android phones from Samsung that will never slow down at all. Then leaves the software experience that android and apple offers that should be where you make your decision...
brunotuga said:
Well to be fair compare e iphone 6s plus to the note 9 is a hit pointless.... Any category you will se better performance l. Software wise S9 and note 9 are the android phones from Samsung that will never slow down at all. Then leaves the software experience that android and apple offers that should be where you make your decision...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why is it that they will not slow down at all ?
In my experience all androids start to slow down after the 6-8 months mark.
I had my S8+ for over a year and never saw any decrease in performance, i cleared dalvik cache every once in a while and never saw any performance drop.
Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
I currently am using both the Note 9 snapdragon version and the iPhone xs max and BOTH phones are very fast. Without hitting every point I'll try to answer the overall questions you have. For me the one thing I like better about the iphone is the physical size of the phone. I like that it's a touch thicker and wider, just feels a bit better balanced in my hand but that's it. I have not had any issues with my Note getting warm, even a little bit. I use Package Disabler from the play store and freeze the apps, even processes which I don't want taking up resources on my phone. I think I paid a couple of bucks for the app but it works well. The photos I've taken with the phone have been fine but I'm not taking pictures everyday. I just can do so much more with my Note, the secure folder is almost like having a second phone plus the s pen can't be beat. I try new ios devices when they come out but I always get bored with them after a few weeks which is not the same feeling I get with Android. I will say ios feels a lot more Android like with the latest version then it did a few years ago but it's still too boring for me. The best analogy I've heard is ios is for people that like to play checkers and Android is for people that like to play chess.
Hope that helps,
Try the Note 9....end of story!
Birdsfan said:
I currently am using both the Note 9 snapdragon version and the iPhone xs max and BOTH phones are very fast. Without hitting every point I'll try to answer the overall questions you have. For me the one thing I like better about the iphone is the physical size of the phone. I like that it's a touch thicker and wider, just feels a bit better balanced in my hand but that's it. I have not had any issues with my Note getting warm, even a little bit. I use Package Disabler from the play store and freeze the apps, even processes which I don't want taking up resources on my phone. I think I paid a couple of bucks for the app but it works well. The photos I've taken with the phone have been fine but I'm not taking pictures everyday. I just can do so much more with my Note, the secure folder is almost like having a second phone plus the s pen can't be beat. I try new ios devices when they come out but I always get bored with them after a few weeks which is not the same feeling I get with Android. I will say ios feels a lot more Android like with the latest version then it did a few years ago but it's still too boring for me. The best analogy I've heard is ios is for people that like to play checkers and Android is for people that like to play chess.
Hope that helps,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
galaxys said:
Try the Note 9....end of story!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so very much mate..
Just one last question.
How much truth do all this fuss about blurry photo hold ? is the device hardware/software really that bad at shooting moving objects? i hear that ppl cannot even get nice photos of grass/pet furr etc . that is my only gripe.
I also use Note 9 and iPhone XS Max. The only thing I really love with the Note 9 is the secure folder function and the split screen for two apps at the same time. That’s alone make me keeping my Note.
The camera in the iPhone is better in every aspect and that is when using auto mode. Don’t have the time to fiddle with pro mode. And the problems with fur and other details in photos are really there so not that impressed with the Note camera.
The pen is nice but I don’t use it that much as I thought I would as I find the Note 9 screen to narrow to really use it in a good way for notes.
They are both really speedy devices and haven’t had any slowdowns in them. Both flying, sure the Note can have some micro lag sometimes but nothing that disturbs me.
The battery holds up much better in my iPhone with the same usage pattern but the Note still has a pretty nice battery. The speakers are much better in the iPhone. But they are not bad on the Note.
And the gesture navigation on the XS is outstanding as is Face ID. I miss this two things very much when using the Note
I have the exynos version and the snapdragon is said to be better on battery and speed
chris2busy said:
Thank you so very much mate..
Just one last question.
How much truth do all this fuss about blurry photo hold ? is the device hardware/software really that bad at shooting moving objects? i hear that ppl cannot even get nice photos of grass/pet furr etc . that is my only gripe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not had any issues with taking pictures, as I stated I don't take pictures every day but I do take my fair share of them. I was recently in Southern Germany/Austria and Hungary for an extended trip and I took many photos without any problems using my Note exclusively. I do agree with easycure1974, the battery on the iphone xs max is better, I still have about 60 to 70% left in my Note at the end of the day but maybe 70-80% left on my iphone. Both are very good but the iphone has better battery management.
Thank the both of you very much.
To be honest XS MAX is the one i wanted, but the cost is very close to double of that of the note 9. and it definately is not 2x better.
Yet again , thank you. i will most probably just on the note wagon soon !
chris2busy said:
Why is it that they will not slow down at all ?
In my experience all androids start to slow down after the 6-8 months mark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well to be fair my S8 didn't slow down my S9 plus never lost a beat and never had a app crash n9 the best phone all the S9 plus good with the large battery brighter screen and a pen.
Had iPhone 6s iPhone 7 plus 8 and iPhone x and n9 for me is the whole package.
I've switched from the iPhone 7 plus to this phone and the difference is day and night. You cant even compare the two at all. My battery is insane. Background operations are managed very well to the point where my SOT hits 7.5-8 hours easily. This phone is literally the best phone you can buy now a days. The only thing I miss is iOS and it's cleaner design. I can't wait for the note 10. Options are endless on this phone. I've had literally zero issues for the 2 months I've had this phone. And now the android pie release this month will make it even better. You won't regret it if you're not hooked to the apple "ecosystem"
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
K-alz said:
I've switched from the iPhone 7 plus to this phone and the difference is day and night. You cant even compare the two at all. My battery is insane. Background operations are managed very well to the point where my SOT hits 7.5-8 hours easily. This phone is literally the best phone you can buy now a days. The only thing I miss is iOS and it's cleaner design. I can't wait for the note 10. Options are endless on this phone. I've had literally zero issues for the 2 months I've had this phone. And now the android pie release this month will make it even better. You won't regret it if you're not hooked to the apple "ecosystem"
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice ! Good to hear ! Battery backup is very important for me too !
Btw i am not wealthy enough to be "hooked" on the ecosystem
I mean i do buy music/apps/books alot, from itunes but the iPhone is about the only apple device i have (no watches,tablets,laptops,desktops,tv,routers etc).
chris2busy said:
Nice ! Good to hear ! Battery backup is very important for me too !
Btw i am not wealthy enough to be "hooked" on the ecosystem
I mean i do buy music/apps/books alot, from itunes but the iPhone is about the only apple device i have (no watches,tablets,laptops,desktops,tv,routers etc).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll love the battery life on this phone. And good on not being hooked. Same here. I never buy anything other products beside an iPhone every once in a while. But I always go back to android. This time this note is hooking me with its goodness. I don't even miss iPhone. ::highfive::
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
K-alz said:
You'll love the battery life on this phone. And good on not being hooked. Same here. I never buy anything other products beside an iPhone every once in a while. But I always go back to android. This time this note is hooking me with its goodness. I don't even miss iPhone. ::highfive::
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He would love the iPhone XS Max even more The battery on that is even better in real life usage and the camera is so much nicer. But Android and the Note is fun to use
easycure1974 said:
He would love the iPhone XS Max even more The battery on that is even better in real life usage and the camera is so much nicer. But Android and the Note is fun to use
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure. I just cant justify the $1100 for that phone.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
If you plan on taking pics of your furball babies you will be disappointed.
chris2busy said:
Thank you so very much mate..
Just one last question.
How much truth do all this fuss about blurry photo hold ? is the device hardware/software really that bad at shooting moving objects? i hear that ppl cannot even get nice photos of grass/pet furr etc . that is my only gripe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
If you plan on taking pics of your furball babies you will be disappointed.
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh...well that is not good. so the lens is not capable of sharp pictures? e.g. it cannot shoot individual hair ?
Would a pic like the attached be impossible e.g? (the hair of pets is an example, it could likewise be same for strands of grass, hair of ppl in photos etc)
Something like that would come out not so good. There is a dedicated thread sub section about camera quality.
chris2busy said:
Oh...well that is not good. so the lens is not capable of sharp pictures? e.g. it cannot shoot individual hair ?
Would a pic like the attached be impossible e.g? (the hair of pets is an example, it could likewise be same for strands of grass, hair of ppl in photos etc)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Samsung galaxy note 20 ultra
Yes this is great phone i already using it great company
So far I have to say this phone is on its way to becoming the New GOAT. Build quality is stellar, i don't mind the camera bump, small sacrifice for a better shooter. Plus I always rest my finger against it. But that being said, it's pretty much the perfect phone IMO.
The display, the smoothness, the cameras. If I can get 6h + SOT on top of that it'll definitely become my GOAT Samsung phone. Dethroning the Note 7 who dethroned the Galaxy S4 Google play edition but I digress.
I don't see myself moving to another phone any time soon.
Sent from my SM-N986W using XDA Labs
Initial thoughts after final setup:
Going from a A20 ultra to a Note 20 ultra, I think this phone just looks and might even perform better. The feel in the hand, the fingerprint reader, everything seems to run smoother. I'm loving it so far.
My main concern is the battery life with heavy use. I've tweaked the settings a bit, so I guess I will have a better idea after a few days of use. But so far so good! :good:
I just received and configured my Note 20 Ultra. It's so similiar to Note 10+ but faster. Software looks almost the same. I already have 1 software update with security patch from 1st of August
edit: what is annoying is that pen is from the other side it's inconviniet if you are using right hand to operate and hold your phon in your left hand
It's an incredible phone. So much smaller than my first mobile phone 35 years ago. How far we have come since Palm first put a PDA and mobile into the same unit. Luv, Luv, Luv.
PS. The Beans are wonderful. So nice to not have a bud sticking into my ear canal.
PPS. Now I have to wait all over again for my Tab S7+.
advocate2 said:
It's an incredible phone. So much smaller than my first mobile phone 35 years ago. How far we have come since Palm first put a PDA and mobile into the same unit. Luv, Luv, Luv.
PS. The Beans are wonderful. So nice to not have a bud sticking into my ear canal.
PPS. Now I have to wait all over again for my Tab S7+.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, I remember those. My first phone was a brick phone with a battery that lasted an hour if you were lucky, and a hand calculator sized screen. Times have changed indeed. It's amazing.
a Lefty's dream!
duchian said:
I just received and configured my Note 20 Ultra. It's so similiar to Note 10+ but faster. Software looks almost the same. I already have 1 software update with security patch from 1st of August
edit: what is annoying is that pen is from the other side it's inconviniet if you are using right hand to operate and hold your phon in your left hand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have waited on the Note series for a while. What finally took my commitment was finding out the s pen is on the left. As a lefty, this is the most convenient placement I can imagine.
Anticipate that the placement will change back to the right in the next iteration after feedback from rightys.
If the s-pen was on the right, it would be perfect. Fingerprint scanner is brilliant now, screen is unreal, battery life is phenomenal, speed is beyond belief... Perfection. Good luck topping this, Samsung
Love this phone! It's definitely my favorite phone ever. It just barely beats my love for the OnePlus 8 Pro. I like the form factor of this phone better with less display curves. Plus all the tons of software features. However the colors and brightness on the OnePlus 8 Pro are better.
AndroidPurity said:
Love this phone! It's definitely my favorite phone ever. It just barely beats my love for the OnePlus 8 Pro. I like the form factor of this phone better with less display curves. Plus all the tons of software features. However the colors and brightness on the OnePlus 8 Pro are better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you elaborate further on the brightness? Everything I've read says the Note 20 Ultra has a brighter screen than the OnePlus 8 Pro, and the rated nits value is quite a bit higher. It might only go up to highest brightness in adaptive mode and being outside? IDK, but you're the first person I've seen say this.
Roland Deschain said:
Can you elaborate further on the brightness? Everything I've read says the Note 20 Ultra has a brighter screen than the OnePlus 8 Pro, and the rated nits value is quite a bit higher. It might only go up to highest brightness in adaptive mode and being outside? IDK, but you're the first person I've seen say this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
==========================
This is the best way I have of describing my N20U screen brightness.
On a no cloud sunny day, I can take my phone out and see the screen perfectly. No more having to turn to use my body for shade and my hand to see the screen.
I am 69 with mild Adult onset Macular Degeneration. This phone is fantastic for me with auto brightness enabled.
I hope that helps.
duchian said:
edit: what is annoying is that pen is from the other side it's inconviniet if you are using right hand to operate and hold your phon in your left hand
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't agree more. After owning note 2,3,4,7,8, and 9 with the pen on the right it will take some getting used to.
Battery life is also a bit meh coming from a Poco F2 Pro but it's good enough to get me to the end of the day so I can live with it.
Apart from those two factors I love this thing. Even at 60hz the screen is very bright and vibrant. It's very responsive, plenty quick enough for day to day tasks, and I've got the inferior Exynos model since that's all my country gets.
Camera is also beast. Low light isn't quite as good as my P30 Pro but it's still pretty impressive compared to a lot of smart phones out there. One thing it does have over the p30 is that it's much faster to grab focus so much better for quick snaps.
great phone, super screen, great that the diagonal has become larger, very convenient !!!
I bought note 20 ultra it is most bs phone i ever use it
No complaint in the overall experience
I've had Note 1, Note 3, S7, S10+ and now N20U from HK with Snapdragon. I've only had it two days, but I'm very happy with the phone. Big £ savings vs UK Exynos are icing and a cherry on top of the cake.
Having pre ordered the phone and having used Notes 3,4,7, 8 and now the 20 Utra 5G with 512gb internal storage; I wanted to wait to make a judgement call but I can say while there are things I like about the phone, I don't think it is what I expected and I am done with Samsung products.
I mean they have tried un-successfully to get rid of the micro sd card slot so then they go after the head phone jack. They skimp on the 120Hz display at full resolution. I mean there are a number of things for a flag ship $1549 phone that just say crap. I was interested in a watch and a tab s7 also. but that isn't going to happen.
I've owned a number of Samsung devices in the past, including Notes 8 and 9 as well as an S10e provided by my company. The Note 9 is, to me, an icon and the last no holds barred, everything but the kitchen sink, no compromises, Note. I do a lot of mobile photography and have always gravitated toward devices that had impressive camera/audio/video capabilities as well as feature-filled in other areas. I wanted to get my hands on the Note 20 Ultra but wasn't willing to relinquish my still pristine Note 9 for the pre-order trade in discount. So I waited for the software problems to get sorted out and the prices to come down. I regularly scanned the Offer Up and Swappa websites until I was able to a factory unlocked 512GB model from a good seller at a great price. This device is a juggernaut of power, form, function, features and fun. I found it not to be too much larger than my Note 9 which fits oh so nicely in hand in its Caseoloy Paraxell case. The camera and video set up is a mobile photographer's dream. I've utilized Google Pixel software apks (GCam) on all of my devices going back to my LG V20 and the stock cameras work so well that I have found no need to port one this time out. This is just overall a top notch piece of tech that does so many things and does them well. It is a quality, powerful, feature-filled piece of technology that will fulfill your needs, whether it's mobile photography, work productivity or content consumption/creation and everything in between. I'm glad I added it to my lineup.
Hardware is great ! With a few greed related exceptions, ( Like Non-Removable Battery, No Audio Port,etc... ) Scamsung's Locked Bluetooth codec really burns my ars !
It could Do/Be so much more/better if they would just fix the Hardware/Firmware lockdown BS.
Coming from a Rooted Note3, this is a really bad experience trying to do anything with this thing, Nothing works without agreeing to some sort of sketchy user agreement. No one is making any usable apps any more, Most of the Best Developers have quit bothering with Android. Even simple widgets don't even work anymore
I DO NOT OWN this over priced phone, They Do ! And they do/steal what ever they want to/from it !
They forced Assdroid 11 in the middle of the night with a corrupt image, I was forced to send it back to them to get it re-flashed. Now None of the apps I was using on version 10 will work on ver. 11.
I will NEVER buy another assdroid, scamsung again. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone either.
Sad that almost all the hardware/software makers are using these creepy/greedy tactics to spy,steal & dictate what you should do. No other choices out there any more ...
Soon you will have to log in just to wipe your ass ! & they Will be counting your turds.

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.
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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
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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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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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