Considering upgrading from LG v20 (some Qs) - Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers

I've been with LG about 2 years now and I miss my stylus of the note 3. However the audio quality of the v20 does make an impression.
My concerns with the phone is this:
- glass body, can it take drops? I am getting conflicting reports that it's really fragile and other reports it's one of the toughest.
- battery life, will it last all day without a charge whole connected to Bluetooth? One of the big perks of the v20 is you can get extended batteries which I then don't have to worry about a stupid mid day charge. I use a clip portable speaker at work in which it will be connected to most of the time to play music.
- Camera speed. Does the camera have shutter lag? I've seen quality videos on YouTube and it seems pretty good in that category probably better than this v20.
- the biggest problem I have by far with Samsung is all the junkware they install. Can most of this stuff be disabled without root? (i.e. Package Disabler) I rooted my note 3 just to get it running smoothly but those were better days where root was pretty easy to do.
- stylus performance, is it like writing on paper or is it laggy? My son has a stylo 3 and while it works ok it's not responsive like my note 3 was.
With so many top notch phones out now the choice is harder than ever. Especially since there is no removable battery flagship phones.
Thanks for any comments or suggestions. [emoji2]
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Glass body = fragile. Corningware claims GG5 can survive a 6 foot drop onto rough surfaces 80% of the time. My wife dropped her S8+ about 6 inches into a stool at the gym and cracked the screen. I saw it happen.
GG5 is also very soft. It scratches very easy in my experience. So plan on a case, a good screen protector, and just treat it like...well...GLASS. LOL.
Battery life is very good. I listen to music via Bluetooth earbuds for about 1.5 to 2 hrs at the gym, while receiving text messages, emails, and FB messages and usually only lose a couple a few percent in battery. But I've never left it off charger and on BT all day though, so I don't know. Id say just get you a wireless charger to set it on.
Camera is AMAZING. No lag that I've noticed. 2x OPTICAL zoom, not digital. And the Pixel2 camera has been ported. I love it.
As far as junkware... I'm a Nexus/Pixel guy. I've had a few Sammy's and use to agree about Touchwiz and Sammy apps. Now, I like the Samsung Experience software and the native Samsung apps. They integrate so smoothly, and the exclusive S-Pen features are really nice. But if you have to debloat, a search here will tell you how to do it
I don't see any lag in the S-Pen. I love using it just for navigating, but also for Smart Select, copy and paste ANYTHING, taking notes, etc...
Your best bet is to find a friend with one or go to Best Buy and just play with one. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Mr. Orange 645 said:
Glass body = fragile. Corningware claims GG5 can survive a 6 foot drop onto rough surfaces 80% of the time. My wife dropped her S8+ about 6 inches into a stool at the gym and cracked the screen. I saw it happen.
GG5 is also very soft. It scratches very easy in my experience. So plan on a case, a good screen protector, and just treat it like...well...GLASS. LOL.
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Click to collapse
To be fair... The galaxy S8 is totally different to the Note 8, and yes the S8 is easy to smash. The S8s corners are so round
However I've not seen this with the Note 8. (But ofcourse glass is glass) it's just the S8 is so damn easy to smash, comparison is unfair
OP - Maybe check out Jerryrigeverything's durability test on YouTube, he does scratch tests on there too, personally I never use a screen protector and have never scratched any of my GG5 smartphones. But that's down to the user really and how you treat it.
I gave my S7Edge to the misses and she's scratched the hell out of it in a couple weeks :laugh:
IMHO though I think the Note8 is hands down the best on the market at the moment, and I'm not hoping much for the S9 but may upgrade to a Note 9
(Pre-ordered mine and had it for a few months now)

I left the V20 to go back to Samsung with the Note 8
My best phone so far by far!
Glass body, I use a good silicone skin the covers the corners with enough buffer that I'm not worried. I also suggest at least a curved plastic screen protector if not a good curved tempered glass although I haven't seen much on the market that actually fits properly.
As for battery life, I'm always near a QC 2.0 Charger at home / office / in car so I just charge when I can. It really depends on your screen on time, that's usually the culprit. I never bothered with a second battery for the V20 and both these phone have Quick charging so invest in a portable Aukey or Tronsmart QC power bank.
The camera has really no lag in comparison with my previous phones: V20 / Note 7 / S7Edge / Note 4 / S4.... It opens quick and shoots quicker, slower with flash of course. Love the 2x optical zoom. I found the V20 to take inferior pictures and the wide angle skewed edges to be quite annoying.
Not going to root this phone. I like it the way it is. I use Nova Launcher which is smooth and trying out MS Launcher currently, also nice.
Stylus is my main reason for returning back to the Note series. I was very turned off with the Note 7 recall so I ended up with LG. The stylus is great with nice software implementation. It's not paper but writes accurately.
Hope this helps.
Larry ( Montreal Canada)
evo4g63t said:
I've been with LG about 2 years now and I miss my stylus of the note 3. However the audio quality of the v20 does make an impression.
My concerns with the phone is this:
- glass body, can it take drops? I am getting conflicting reports that it's really fragile and other reports it's one of the toughest.
- battery life, will it last all day without a charge whole connected to Bluetooth? One of the big perks of the v20 is you can get extended batteries which I then don't have to worry about a stupid mid day charge. I use a clip portable speaker at work in which it will be connected to most of the time to play music.
- Camera speed. Does the camera have shutter lag? I've seen quality videos on YouTube and it seems pretty good in that category probably better than this v20.
- the biggest problem I have by far with Samsung is all the junkware they install. Can most of this stuff be disabled without root? (i.e. Package Disabler) I rooted my note 3 just to get it running smoothly but those were better days where root was pretty easy to do.
- stylus performance, is it like writing on paper or is it laggy? My son has a stylo 3 and while it works ok it's not responsive like my note 3 was.
With so many top notch phones out now the choice is harder than ever. Especially since there is no removable battery flagship phones.
Thanks for any comments or suggestions. [emoji2]
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I came from a V20 to the Note 8. It's like driving a Honda Civic then driving a Porsche.

As long as you are not planning to drive headphones with huge impedance, you should be fine with the Note 8; the DAC is not extravagently mediatised but it is no slouch.

Related

All the Reviews - Share your thoughts

I can't see any other thread covering reviews on the Huawei P10 Plus at the moment.
My review will come soon but in the meantime my wife is using the phone and penned her thoughts along with some camera shots. She is not a tech person so she does get candid sometimes on her views
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2017/04/29/huawei-p10-plus-first-impressions-and-camera-samples/
Surprised nobody else has added any other reviews yet.
Anyway here's mine. I also included a comparison with the P10 to P10 Plus in terms of specs. Any questions just ask.
https://gavinsgadgets.com/2017/05/0...iew-with-the-new-upgraded-leica-rear-cameras/
I will put my 2p worth in.
I came from an LG G4. I was an LG fan for a long time until they started being funny with who got what on the new phone's.
So. I came to the p10 plus. Has everything I'm looking for. Big battery. Massive onboard storage and a great camera.
So far I am very impressed. Battery life is still settling down so can't really comment on it at the no but it seems to be lasting a day with about 4hrs sot and that's most of the day on a poor 4g signal.
I expect it to improve once I have a play with APS and settings etc.
The phone is quick. No lags at all. Plays all the games I can throw at it with ease.
The camera is lovely. Really really nice. It proper impressed me. Even though I managed to smash the glass covering the lenses. (I walked into the corner of a steel table at work) I am still getting great images.
It is a tad bigger than the G4. That being said; it is so thin it is very easy to use one handed.
The UI I really like. I find it straight forward to use and actually quite pleasing on the eyes.
I have opted to use the finger print scanner as my nav keys.
Took 30 mins to get used to it and I love it.
Finger print scanner is as fast as a fast thing on a fast day out.
Binned the head phones that came in the box as I have my own preferred set. Music is crisp and clear and big. Perfect. In fact the only way to get music on Poweramp to sound better would be with Viper4android.
Anyway. That's just some ramblings from an LG convert.
Need to now find a replacement rear glass lol.
bagedntaged said:
I will put my 2p worth in.
I came from an LG G4. I was an LG fan for a long time until they started being funny with who got what on the new phone's.
So. I came to the p10 plus. Has everything I'm looking for. Big battery. Massive onboard storage and a great camera.
So far I am very impressed. Battery life is still settling down so can't really comment on it at the no but it seems to be lasting a day with about 4hrs sot and that's most of the day on a poor 4g signal.
I expect it to improve once I have a play with APS and settings etc.
The phone is quick. No lags at all. Plays all the games I can throw at it with ease.
The camera is lovely. Really really nice. It proper impressed me. Even though I managed to smash the glass covering the lenses. (I walked into the corner of a steel table at work) I am still getting great images.
It is a tad bigger than the G4. That being said; it is so thin it is very easy to use one handed.
The UI I really like. I find it straight forward to use and actually quite pleasing on the eyes.
I have opted to use the finger print scanner as my nav keys.
Took 30 mins to get used to it and I love it.
Finger print scanner is as fast as a fast thing on a fast day out.
Binned the head phones that came in the box as I have my own preferred set. Music is crisp and clear and big. Perfect. In fact the only way to get music on Poweramp to sound better would be with Viper4android.
Anyway. That's just some ramblings from an LG convert.
Need to now find a replacement rear glass lol.
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That's a great summary. Thanks for sharing.
My thoughts after a little over 1 week of full use:
Battery
I've been happy with it overall in the very short term - with very limited SOT usage, I've usually got ~70% battery life when I'm hope at 6-7pm at night after taking off charge at 7am. I have read degradation of Huawei batteries is more 'evident' than other brands and the battery length may drop fairly quick, but I'll wait until that happens. My only concern is the battery drains a little too easy when is basic sleep/standby mode if there's pending icon notifications/LED flashes.
Size/Screen/Resolution:
I've moved over from the LG v20 with a 5.5" TFT 2K display, which is the same for this device. The body design is much smaller compared to the LG v20 despite the same screen(5.5"), so its much more comfortable in hand. Using the Huawei supplied clear case makes the phone, in my opinion, fairly slippery with its rounded edges. The diamond cut finish is very nice (I've got the champagne gold version), but blemishes, if you have oily fingers 9etc) will still show up outside of fingerprints and smudges that are otherwise hidden. Just throw on a clear RINGKE FUSION case and be done with it! I can't really see any difference in the LG and Huawei 2K displays; would've preferred AMOLED, but I believe the icons/colours/resolution as just as crisp, so no real complaints.
LED notification light:
This was a highly attractive feature to come back to for Huawei, but the LED light is FAR TOO SMALL. Even behind a front-facing white panel, some colours don't come through properly when using a 3rd party app like lightflow. The 'always on' is not 'always on' rather is a very VERY slow flashing over a period of time. There is DEFINATELY a "happy medium" they could reach between their Mate 9/P10 Plus LED and the Blackberry Bold LED's in my opinion...a very useful feature.
Infrared:
Another great feature to have in a smartphone as a universal remote replacement. It works flawlessly. Even if you can't find your device in the list of pre-programmed devices, you can teach the IR as it has an inbuilt sensor of its own to learn and program specific keystrokes from your other IR remotes.
Camera:
First I'll say this: I've had two dozen smart phones in the last 7 years and say that each branded camera iteration across all brands ALWAYS has a big 'pro' with 1 or more 'cons'. Iphone 6/7's take some of the better still images with accurate colour reproduction and crisp details; despite its low MP rating and aperture. LG probably has the best video-rendering ability when taking FHD video (or at least from the LG G4 and v20 when I tested) and most other branded cameras EITHER excel in low light but suffer around clarity/crispness in details regular daylight photography, or vice versa - which is where the P10+ sits. The camera is nice in well-lit areas, but really struggled with 'grain' and excessive ISO in low light. I've yet to test much of the video to provide a review on that. Just accept every phone - MP/aperture aside, is going to have something great about it, but also something it does very poorly compared to the competition.
EMUI 5.1:
I'm new to Huawei with both the Mate 9 and P10 Plus. is there a difference between 5.0 and 5.1? I don't really notice it. Didn't take much 'getting used to' coming from a mostly android background. I did have to change the settings to APP DRAWER as a preference as well as removing the fingerprint sensor as a preference for swipe/back/home etc, as that's just foolish. I prefer the softkeys, but that's just me.
Loudspeaker and Call Qaulity
The loudspeaker is too quiet...and even at low volume settings, there's too much noise or speaker vibration, probably one of the worst loudspeakers I've used in recent memory. However, the audio split over 2 speakers actually reproduces quite well and the 3.5mm audio jack with basic headphones works as expected, nothing special. Call quality is also not worth much of a mention. It's very clear, I don't really notice anything negative about it...nor should I, this is supposed to be a high-end flagship
Internal storage speeds, Benchmarks and 6GM RAM
Sorry guys I'm not much of a benchmarker myself. So...if it takes an extra 2.1 seconds (or whatever) for the same data file to copy over USB or transfer between SD to internal storage vs a competitor phone etc, I really don't care. Yes, it sucked to learn Huawei cut corners on the internal storage with EXTREMELY poor quality control measures, but I've not had a problem with my phone and copying data to/from the device. I've also not really much of a speed/reactional/buffer difference when playing games from a 6GB RAM phone to a 4GB RAM phone using the same chipset. You'd have to be a very VERY high-end demanding user with 20-30 apps open simultaneously to see the real benefit of have 6GB memory, as I certainly can't see it.
Happy to take any questions or do some basic tests. I'm currently using the B126 latest software updated with an unlocked bootloader and TWRP installed. I have NOT rooted the phone yet, as there's NO point until I can get full system access.
RoOSTA

What I Love and Hate about my new OnePlus 5!

My OP5 has replaced my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge which unfortunately was dropped and shattered the front glass. It's expensive/difficult to replace the glass on these so I treated myself to a new phone. So this is what I Love and Hate about my new OnePlus 5!
Love
The Snapdraggon 835 -The phone is Fast and bang up to date in connectivity support.
Fast storage and lots of memory- More Speed
No bloatware and streamlined Android -Contributes to the speed and simplicity.
The silent/DnD slider button -No more taking my phone out and turning the display on to switch it to silent! Fantastic.
Fast responsive finger print unlocking.
Solid Home button -Sooner or later the push down home buttons on galaxies start to wear causing rocking, noises/rattles, missed clicks etc because of their frequent use. Hopefully nothing to wear out here.
The deep blacks and saturation from the AMOLED panel
3.5mm jack -Can still use my headphones without an adapter.
Battery -Amazing battery life and the DASH charge is great too.
USB C -So easy to plug in the charger in the dark now.
Gorilla Glass 5 -better drop resistance, the gorilla glass 4 on my Galaxy S7 drop failed
Glass on one side. Feels less premium in a way, but reduces the weight of the phone. This means less force when it falls and less chance of shattering the screen. However metal dents and scratches easily.
Hate
The Camera. So much hype and so much disappointment. Good on paper and for taking 'benchmark' photos. But very poor in real world phone usage. The S7 camera is WAY better. I'm so disappointed I gave it it's own thread.
Only 1080P screen. Also if the brightness is turned up I can see 'noise' on the display. Also get some weird distortions when scrolling. Viewing angle is good, but not excellent. Automatic brightness control is also hit and miss. The S7 was much better. A big downgrade on the S7 display in all areas.
Design is good. But it doesn't look as nice as say a galaxy S8
Having DRM issues, such as reduced quality Netlix streaming. I hope this gets sorted soon.
Sound is loud, but quality is average.
Not waterproof
No SD Card support. Who really wants two sim card holders? Make the other slot for an sdcard like Samsung.
Price. £450 is not a value bargain like the old versions. You can buy a Samsung S8 on Amazon for £550 now.
In a nutshell. It's a mid range phone in regards to features and design, but with high end performance. I don't think it's a bargain. I think the price is about right for what you get.
Sometimes I ask myself why do people actually upgrade from S7 or equal??
The S7/S7 edge is only one year old. I think it's also nonsense to upgrade from S7 to S8 for example.
What do people expect to get? A whole new smartphone experience? Ppl knew the specs right from the start, before they bought it. Of course a 1080p screen will be worse than a QHD.
It's not waterproof, you knew that. It has no SD-Slot, you knew that as well.
For the smoothness and the speed to exist, as well as the great batterylife, there need to be some things that can't be amazing as well for this price. And it's not even bad on this phone.
I understand disappointment, but it's mostly because people expect too much from a phone that is only 1 year younger than the one they own.
I'm coming from a Nexus 5 and I'm totally happy with the OP5. My gf has a S7 edge. They are both good phones. The Samsung might have a better camera, but the Android experience and smoothness is GALAXIES better with the OP5.
Sometimes ist also about people's priotities.
Just my 2 cents. Hope you'll enjoy your new device
Gesendet von meinem ONEPLUS A5000 mit Tapatalk
I don't think you can add lack of water proofing and no SD card slot and only 1080p to the list of hate since you should have known this already but continued to purchase the phone.
bamfsig45 said:
I don't think you can add lack of water proofing and no SD card slot and only 1080p to the list of hate since you should have known this already but continued to purchase the phone.
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Click to collapse
If he truly does hate the feature, or lack of, why can't he put them on the list? It's HIS list.
sireniankyle said:
If he truly does hate the feature, or lack of, why can't he put them on the list? It's HIS list.
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Because I said . honesty though, I just hate complaints on lack of features when it was a known fact prior to purchase. So I'm going to stick to my opinion on the subject.
bamfsig45 said:
Because I said . honesty though, I just hate complaints on lack of features when it was a known fact prior to purchase. So I'm going to stick to my opinion on the subject.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is possible that he thought he could look past it, but ended up failing at it. idk. All I can say is that it has happened to me. Mostly with iPhone, but that is a whole other beast.

still worth buying?

My s7 edge is pretty busted up and I need a new phone ASAP. Is the note 8 still worth buying? I'm between it and the s8 plus. I hear the s9 is coming out in a few months or something. Are there any known defects I should be aware of so I can inspect the phone when I get it? I'm weary because I had the note 7 and that a fiasco that was.
I LOVE my Note 8. I've had it for about a month, and had an S8+ before that. The S8+ and the N8 are very similar, actually. The N8 has a 0.1 inch bigger screen with less rounded corners. It is bigger, thicker, and heavier than the S8+, but also feels more solid and premium.
The N8 has 2GB more RAM and a dual lens camera with 2x optical zoom. But the S8+ has a bigger battery.
The real differentiating factor is the S-Pen. Some people use it everyday, others never take it out of the phone. I personally use it more and more.
The S8+ is cheaper for basically the same experience, and I was very happy with it, but I found a great deal on a used N8, so I bought it. I think it's worth every penny over the S8+. But I wound up keeping my S8+ as a backup phone anyway, so now I have both. Either one is a worthy upgrade to the S7 Edge.
As far as defects to look out for? There were issues with the S8+ screen having a red or pink tint. The bigger issue was the one that had UNEVEN tinting. So check out the screen and make sure it's true white and even all across. I don't believe the N8 had that same problem, or at least it was not as prevalent.
Now, do you get the S8+, the N8, or wait for the S9+? Here are my thoughts:
True the S9+ is a couple months away, so you could wait for it. But then when it releases, the Note 9 will be just a couple months away, so you could wait for it. But then what about the S10? Etc... There is ALWAYS something better right around the corner.
Honestly, the S9+ looks like an incremental upgrade. Dual camera and 6GB of RAM. Both of which are available in the Note 8 now. It will have a slightly faster SD845 processor and faster Iris scanner (reportedly), but not sure if that's worth the wait.
My opinion: get the Note 8. It already has the extra RAM and the dual lens camera. If you shop around, you can get a used one fairly cheap now, almost as cheap as an S8+. Cheaper in my case, actually.
Get the Note 8. Big boys phone (or girl)
S8/S9 etc are brilliant and all... But they just seem... Oh I don`t know. Boring is the wrong word.
"Samey" is maybe the right word.
There may be marginally higher specced phones round the corner, but when isn`t there?
Get the note. It seems more "grown up". And it will be worth more come upgrade time than a s8+
I am really enjoying mine. And I`m strictly a Moto fan (at least what moto was before Lenumptys bought the brand)
Thanks for the responses guys.... I actually just watched some s9 videos and yeah there's nothing about it that blows the note 8 out of the water. I don't really care about the finger print sensor because I plan on using the iris scanner mostly. Are there any good screen protector that work with the note 8 curves screen though? I want to get a good one on it as soon as I can.
DeMi-GoD said:
Thanks for the responses guys.... I actually just watched some s9 videos and yeah there's nothing about it that blows the note 8 out of the water. I don't really care about the finger print sensor because I plan on using the iris scanner mostly. Are there any good screen protector that work with the note 8 curves screen though? I want to get a good one on it as soon as I can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using these film ones from Amazon on 2 Note 8's and a S8 + and we are happy. I'm not a fan of the glass ones because of the dot matrix effect and what not.
I hope the note 9 has 8 GB Ram, if not will wait for Note 10.
DeMi-GoD said:
Thanks for the responses guys.... I actually just watched some s9 videos and yeah there's nothing about it that blows the note 8 out of the water. I don't really care about the finger print sensor because I plan on using the iris scanner mostly. Are there any good screen protector that work with the note 8 curves screen though? I want to get a good one on it as soon as I can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For film, I've used Spigen protectors and they were great. For glass, one of the more popular full adhesive screen protectors is Whitestone Dome. Zagg also has a new one that looks promising. Finally, there were a few cheap ones that were absolute garbage for me, lol... Check out the accessories threads for more info.
sefrcoko said:
For film, I've used Spigen protectors and they were great. For glass, one of the more popular full adhesive screen protectors is Whitestone Dome. Zagg also has a new one that looks promising. Finally, there were a few cheap ones that were absolute garbage for me, lol... Check out the accessories threads for more info.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whitestone see thread with people dealing with lot of pealing idk bro.
Nick216ohio said:
Whitestone see thread with people dealing with lot of pealing idk bro.
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Click to collapse
I have it on mine and it's perfect, but yes I've read about some people having issues...Then again, I've read negatives about every TGSP! Works for me, but buyer should always research of course
Apologies for off-topic.
No doubt Note 8
If you look at my older posts..I had a Galaxy S7 Edge too. It's motherboard got fried on it's own lol. So I had to buy a new phone. I was confused with N8 and S8 too..and in my country the price difference was just around 80-90 dollars so I went with Note8. Also I am using it completely stock. No Screen Protection and only the transparent case that I got inside the box. I have learned one thing about phones in today's world...Whenever you buy a new phone, just unsubscribe from all the tech channels and newsletters as they keep pushing about the latest and greatest phones,which makes you feel that your phone is somehow outdated now. So just buy a phone and forget that newer phones exists.That way your phone will be brand new for more than 5 years.
sefrcoko said:
I have it on mine and it's perfect, but yes I've read about some people having issues...Then again, I've read negatives about every TGSP! Works for me, but buyer should always research of course
Apologies for off-topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just busting your chops ha. Yeah nothing perfect. I am not loyal to brands. Only stand by whats best for protection. I like tech 21. But to some customer service blows. Screen protector good, but way to many steps to install. Case I love ❤
Gonna order it today. Which color do you guys prefer? I think the gut said black or gray
DeMi-GoD said:
Gonna order it today. Which color do you guys prefer? I think the gut said black or gray
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which brand?
Note 8. My only options are black or the gray.
DeMi-GoD said:
Gonna order it today. Which color do you guys prefer? I think the gut said black or gray
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Black for me but it's a personal preference. If you get a case or something maybe consider that color too so they match. Really up to you though
I bought a exynos duos. It has a premium phone but
- aod drains a lot of battery so I'm pretty angry because it has not sense turn it off to get better sot.
- edge lighting doesn't work too... so bad because if you can't use aod at least edge lighting...
- I really don't know how to get 6 hour or more sot... tried everything (black theme, turn everything off, medium psm, worst resolution, etc).
- the virtual keys burns the pixel of the screen so u have to set auto hide
- Samsung support [email protected]#^ks
- most snote features disabled
Btoh:
- not matter if you use performance mode every day... it uses the same amount of battery life but slightly improve sound and screen visualisation; 2% more of battery usage.
- the phone is a monster: excellent camera, ultra fast...
- spen really nice
If note's problems don't get fixed with Oreo update consider think if really want to buy 1000 dollar smartphone and can't use it main and unique features. Also if you think to use mpsm to get more battery b life it will be like to buy a car and walk to work because use to much gasoline...
Btw... grey is the best colour
Conito11 said:
I bought a exynos duos. It has a premium phone but
- aod drains a lot of battery so I'm pretty angry because it has not sense turn it off to get better sot.
- edge lighting doesn't work too... so bad because if you can't use aod at least edge lighting...
- I really don't know how to get 6 hour or more sot... tried everything (black theme, turn everything off, medium psm, worst resolution, etc).
- the virtual keys burns the pixel of the screen so u have to set auto hide
- Samsung support [email protected]#^ks
- most snote features disabled
Btoh:
- not matter if you use performance mode every day... it uses the same amount of battery life but slightly improve sound and screen visualisation; 2% more of battery usage.
- the phone is a monster: excellent camera, ultra fast...
- spen really nice
If note's problems don't get fixed with Oreo update consider think if really want to buy 1000 dollar smartphone and can't use it main and unique features. Also if you think to use mpsm to get more battery b life it will be like to buy a car and walk to work because use to much gasoline...
Btw... grey is the best colour
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a duos (950FD) too, but without burn-in issues, and I always get 6-7 hours SOT... Maybe a rogue app draining your battery there. Also, can you explain more about why your edge lighting doesn't work?
sefrcoko said:
I have a duos (950FD) too, but without burn-in issues, and I always get 6-7 hours SOT... Maybe a rogue app draining your battery there. Also, can you explain more about why your edge lighting doesn't work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edge lighting issue is not just mine... take a look on Google and you will see that is a extended problem throw users. Edge lighting simply don't works on turned off screen or on.
About battery drain... just a few apps installed and I tested with and without aod stuff. Without it 6 hours at max: with it 4 max (6% usage). Also with aod deep sleep has a few % running.
Conito11 said:
Edge lighting issue is not just mine... take a look on Google and you will see that is a extended problem throw users. Edge lighting simply don't works on turned off screen or on.
About battery drain... just a few apps installed and I tested with and without aod stuff. Without it 6 hours at max: with it 4 max (6% usage). Also with aod deep sleep has a few % running.
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Click to collapse
My edge lighting works with screen turned off for incoming text messages.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
My edge lighting works with screen turned off for incoming text messages.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just with message app... no other one... but the settings allows all apps...

is Note 9 is bulky in your hand ?

i was in confusion to buy note 9 or oneplus 6t , when hold n9 in hand it feels heavy , i just want to know the experience of n9 users that are you able to hold and use it for long time ?
You get used to the size and feel of the phone where others will feel super light. It's like if you drove a sedan all your life then you get a truck it will feel huge. But eventually you adapt to the change.
alwynjoshy said:
i was in confusion to buy note 9 or oneplus 6t , when hold n9 in hand it feels heavy , i just want to know the experience of n9 users that are you able to hold and use it for long time ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
daniel4653 said:
You get used to the size and feel of the phone where others will feel super light. It's like if you drove a sedan all your life then you get a truck it will feel huge. But eventually you adapt to the change.
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the answer, you encouraged me to buy note 9 . i see you have 6t also which one you like most ?
I took my S5 and N9 in each hand, closed my eyes, and started "feeling" the differences. Swapped them between hands and continued. I have to say, if I would not see them, or feel the textures or sides (or checked their length or weight balance differences), I would not be able to tell quickly which one is which. In my hands, Note 9 feels no bulkier than S5.
I read news with N9 during local train trips (about 15 minutes), which are about the longest continuous activities I do with phones (except long calls, which are rare for me). I haven't noticed any bulkiness or hand getting tired in that (relatively) short amount of time.
When it comes to pockets, N9's significantly longer length does matter. S5 can fit fine in my jeans front pocket (though it does create a hole on one spot over time), N9 does not fit in the same orientation/properly. So, N9 is bulkier in that sense. Though I wouldn't put N9 in front pocket even if it fit, as those pockets seems to collect "hard" dust over time (or something), leading to surface wear on the corners of the phone.
It's a bit heavy, but in a good way. It's more tall than bulky.
At times I have a bit of trouble reaching things, but not unacceptably. I am 5'8" and my hand from wrist to tip of middle finger is approximately 7.5"
The phone is a little heavy feeling when not in a case and very "slippery". I've got an "Otterbox like" hybrid case and love it and I've got medium hands......
Having gone two and a half days on a 90% charge I'll live with it. Not to mention 512+256 and really good mountain cell signal
alwynjoshy said:
i was in confusion to buy note 9 or oneplus 6t , when hold n9 in hand it feels heavy , i just want to know the experience of n9 users that are you able to hold and use it for long time ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My previous device was an LG V20 so the Note 9 does not feel too heavy to me at all. It has a nice quality feel to it and feels "just right" in my hand.
Not bulky. It's relatively thin/narrow, and it feels very premium. It's a little bit tall, slippery and on the heavy side though.
That's something I had to adjust to when I switched from a Pixel 2 XL (at first, my little finger would hurt after using the phone for a prolonged period of time. The Pixel 2 XL is 26 grams lighter and the paint finish helps to have a better grip).
Even if the Note 9 looks great, my advice would be to get a good case. It feels like (and it is) a luxury phone. Better protect it than be sorry later
alwynjoshy said:
i was in confusion to buy note 9 or oneplus 6t , when hold n9 in hand it feels heavy , i just want to know the experience of n9 users that are you able to hold and use it for long time ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a lot more comfortable than the s7e that I got and used for two years (3m for the note 9) - even one hand. I had even hand pain sometimes from the s7e after extensive use, something I never got on my note 9. Both naked, never used a case/screen protector on both.
No problem. I actually have the 1+6
I had the 1+6t but didn't like the in display fingerprint scanner. The fact that you have to turn on the screen for the scanner to work seems odd when I'd rather have on on the back of the phone which is more reliable. But i equally enjoy my 1+6 because it's such a smooth phone, lightweight, great looks, and camera is pretty good on it. Battery is about 1hr SOT less than the Note 9.
alwynjoshy said:
Thanks for the answer, you encouraged me to buy note 9 . i see you have 6t also which one you like most ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
Maybe some time in the gym is in order for you all. ?
It IS heavier than say an S9+, but I don't consider it heavy. I'm on my phone all day, and I never even think about the weight of it. Like others said, it's slippery without a case and pretty tall, so it can make one-handed operation awkward. More than anything, this trend of thin phones and no side bezel makes using it without a case difficult. There's nothing to really hold on to and it's slick, so it's easy to drop.
That's why I put it in a cheap clear TPU case and use it that way. Protects against scratches and light drops, but adds little to no bulk.
I had been using OP6 prior to this, still have it. First day I felt this was heavier and difficult / awkward to handle (considering my last note was note 4), was just a matter of a day and I'm pretty comfortable with it. Used it with the cover that came in the box first couple days, then changed too neo hybrid (makes it more bulky) but in a good way (feels sturdy).
Loving the great battery life on the Note 9 compared to OP6. Used to get between 4 to 6 hours of screen time on OP6. With Note 9, I average around 1 hr per 10 percent of battery (in case the standby times aren't too long) otherwise you can expect 10 to 20 percent going towards a day of standby + 8 hours of screen on. Do note, I'm a heavy user with dozen apps running thr background, Slack, Asana, Aqua mail (for emails), Whatsapp & Facebook.
It's a great phone overall, other than the fact it was difficult getting used to N9 being slightly less responsive than the OP6 (with Android Pie).
So far, so good!
I don't think it is that bulky. I came from Essential phone and weight wise it is just a little heavier, but not by much. it is of course much much longer.
I still carry it in my front pocket.
Not as big as you expect it to be, far more manageable than say an iPhone X's max for example.
I'll second the lack of responsiveness Vs the OP6. The Note feels more premium but the OP just flies in the comparison.
Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
Note 9 feels tall, narrow, top heavy, dense and slippery. The 6T feels wider, lighter, also slippery.
One thing for sure, my 6T does *everything* faster but Note 9 just does things better. Higher resolution, bigger battery, wireless charging , headphone jack, stylus, and a few others.
To me, Note 9 is the better phone without considering price. Performance for the price, much better value from OnePlus and I think that's their goal.
With a heavy heart, I finally sold the OP6 so I could dedicate myself to Note 9. First few hours post the transaction were tough (I get emotionally attached to mg phones lol), all good now and Note 9 from here on all the way.
I switched to the note 9 from the Huawei Mate 20 X. If anything is bulky that Mate 20 variant is the most bulky. Note 9 now seems perfect sized.
I think it's way too heavy when compared too all previous Note phones. It is the heaviest. That's the reason why I skipped and got a Pixel 3 XL.
Sent from my Pixel 3Xl using XDA-Developers Legacy app
rezapatel said:
With a heavy heart, I finally sold the OP6 so I could dedicate myself to Note 9. First few hours post the transaction were tough (I get emotionally attached to mg phones lol), all good now and Note 9 from here on all the way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually did the opposite yesterday, I gave back the Note 9 to someone else to test in my team and will keep the 6T for awhile. The fact that Android Auto doesn't work in my car with the Note 9 is a rather big problem (I bought a car with android auto specifically because I love using it). The second reason is the infinity display. Looks absolutely amazing, but I keep accidentally clicking stuff all the time. I seem to do better with a flat display and a slightly smaller/lighter phone.
Nic2112 said:
I actually did the opposite yesterday, I gave back the Note 9 to someone else to test in my team and will keep the 6T for awhile. The fact that Android Auto doesn't work in my car with the Note 9 is a rather big problem (I bought a car with android auto specifically because I love using it). The second reason is the infinity display. Looks absolutely amazing, but I keep accidentally clicking stuff all the time. I seem to do better with a flat display and a slightly smaller/lighter phone.
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Click to collapse
I was in 2 minds until someone bid on the Oneplus - I was so heavy hearted selling the phone that I could have flipped anytime during the transaction haha. Since the decision had valid pros and cons each side, I left it to fate for whichever to fetch my target price. Even though I experienced a little more than usual BT connectivity issues initially with N9 & my car, it's all settled now. Kinda starting to enjoy the phone now, knowing this is the only option lol. Battery life + sound + better vibration + xposed (something still good about O) + good screen seem to reasons enough to not be super whinny. Gluck with your decision!

General Initial S21 Ultra impressions

My preordered, brand spankin' new Galaxy S21 Ultra came in on Wednesday, and here are my initial impressions (coming from a Galaxy S20+):
- The overall design is really as beautiful as what you see in early reviews on YouTube. The camera bump just melts into the overall design. Nicely done, Samsung! Having said that, as soon as you slap a case on it, you don't really see it.
- It's a bit annoying that the camera bump means the phone won't lay completely flat on a table and will rock a bit. That's something I really haven't noticed with my old Galaxy S20+.
- This thing is heavy! It's only 1.5 oz heavier than my old Galaxy S20+, but you can definitely feel it.
- The screen is absolutely gorgeous. It's cool that you can do 120 Hz at the full WQHD+ resolution.
- The U.S. version definitely does not come with a preinstalled screen protector, just a film that you pull off. I chose to add the ESR Liquid Skin Screen Protector (item B08QJ4XCH1 on Amazon). Yes, the screen has Gorilla Victus glass, which can definitely take a beating, but I like having a basic layer of protection against scuffs, micro-scratches, and the like. I can't stand a phone screen that's anything less than pristine.
- Adaptive motion smoothness works really well. Everything is buttery smooth. I don't really play games on this thing, but I'm sure this makes a big difference in day-to-day use as well. Now you don't have to choose between high refresh rates and screen resolution.
- The official Samsung silicone case is actually quite nice, with just the right 'grippiness'. I got it free as part of the $200 Samsung credit for preorders. What I especially like is that this case also covers the actual camera bump (minus the camera lenses, of course)---something that many other cases, including my usual go-to, the Speck Presidio Grip, don't do; they just have one big hole there. I had already ordered the Speck Presidio Grip, as I do for all my phones, but I may actually use this Samsung case instead.
- The fingerprint reader is much more responsive than on my Galaxy S20+. I basically never used it on my Galaxy S20+, since it was just too finicky, but it's much faster and reliable on the S21 Ultra. Having a more reliable fingerprint reader is nice, given that we're wearing masks a lot nowadays, so face recognition isn't as useful. Nothing beats Smart Lock, though, where proximity to my Watch3 basically keeps my phone unlocked.
- To me, the absence of a microSD card slot is not a huge deal. I opted for the 256 GB S21 Ultra (was only $50 more), so that gives me plenty of storage space (for me, at least). My Galaxy S20+ has 128 GB plus a 256 GB microSD card, but I only used about half of the phone storage and a fraction of the SD card storage, so 256 GB is plenty for me.
- I have yet to play with the camera thoroughly, but I really like what I'm seeing so far, especially when zooming. Having 3x and 10x optical zoom rocks!
- Battery life seems excellent. That has never been much of an issue for me, since I'm typically close enough to an outlet to top off my phone if necessary (in the car, for example). My phone battery rarely goes below 60%. S21 Ultra battery life seems at least as good as for my Galaxy S20+.
- I also got one of those SmartTags for free as part of the preorder. I'm struggling to find a use case for it. I've attached it to my car keys, but that's mostly because I can't think of anything else. To me, it seems like a solution in search of a problem (but I may well completely miss the point).
All in all, I'm very happy with my Galaxy S21 Ultra, and I'm planning to keep this phone for a while (after cycling through several phones in 2020).
--Ron
I've had mine for 2 days now. The first day the battery life was bad but that is normal. Today so far I've had an hour of screen on time and I'm at 88%. That is pretty good. You can see that I will have good sot by time this phone dies today. I am happy with that.
I upgraded from an Note10+ and got myself a S21 Ultra 256GB. I own the device for about 48hours and so far the battery, screen and camera are the main points that have improved dramatically.
Battery lasts me way longer than Note10+ and it only the second cycle
Screen is very sharp and vivid
And cameras,damn, that zoom is amazing
Edit: Exynos model (EU variant)
you're on the SD version, guys? any overheating problems? seems there's a lot reported on Reddit. waiting for my carrier here in the Philippines to get this. getting a tab a too as part of the preorder freebies. excited but that overheating stuff is quite concerning. went with OnePlus after the S3 and it felt liberating . hope i don't get disappointed now
Anyone faced Auto restart problem on this phone yet?
I have faced the issue 2 times in till now.
dutch_in_seattle said:
.
- I also got one of those SmartTags for free as part of the preorder. I'm struggling to find a use case for it. I've attached it to my car keys, but that's mostly because I can't think of anything else. To me, it seems like a solution in search of a problem (but I may well completely miss the point).
--Ron
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I intend to use it on checked luggage. I can see it being very useful for that.
maxq1 said:
you're on the SD version, guys? any overheating problems? seems there's a lot reported on Reddit. waiting for my carrier here in the Philippines to get this. getting a tab a too as part of the preorder freebies. excited but that overheating stuff is quite concerning. went with OnePlus after the S3 and it felt liberating . hope i don't get disappointed now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the snapdragon version and haven't had any issues with overheating.
Pls all, provide always what chip in your phone, Snapdragon or Exynos, also what storage did you choose. Thanks.
nightoo said:
Pls all, provide always what chip in your phone, Snapdragon or Exynos, also what storage did you choose. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if anyone is not sure which chip they have (as they're not aware of the country codes), they can just install CPU-Z from the Play Store (free app - I use it on PC as well) and it'll tell them ALL of their phone's specs right away.
I can't believe I'm still waiting for mine. I ordered it the moment the 256 was available (Sprint/T-Mo) and it's on back order until the 17th at the earliest.
dutch_in_seattle said:
- The U.S. version definitely does not come with a preinstalled screen protector, just a film that you pull off. I chose to add the ESR Liquid Skin Screen Protector (item B08QJ4XCH1 on Amazon). Yes, the screen has Gorilla Victus glass, which can definitely take a beating, but I like having a basic layer of protection against scuffs, micro-scratches, and the like. I can't stand a phone screen that's anything less than pristine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Isn't there a preinstalled screen protector underneath that film that you pull off? Look around the front facing lens.
pathaniliyas said:
Anyone faced Auto restart problem on this phone yet?
I have faced the issue 2 times in till now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turn it off in battery settings

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