Related
My current cell phone is the Nexus 1. I'm rooted and running the latest stable version of Cyanogen mod. My phone has a constant alert regarding memory running low and it gets really slow at times. Battery life is good, but my charge plug is a little broken (usb cable falls out if you shake it around while plugged in).
My dilemma is on what to buy...
I love the specs, size, upgradability, and stylus that the Note has to offer. The Note is a huge upgrade from the Nexus 1, but at the same time I really want a tablet. I mainly use my nexus 1 to watch movies and play games. I barley use it to actually make a phone call or browse the internet. I think a tablet would make this experience much more enjoyable compared to the Note, but at the same time the screen on the note is so large that maybe it would be acceptable enough for my needs...
I can always use my nexus 1 to make phone calls and returns txts while using the Transformer prime to watch movies, play games, and surf the web via tethering, but I can't carry the Transformer with me everywhere I go like I could with a Galaxy Note.
To those with the Note. Is it a suitable device for gaming and movie watching? Would you prefer to use a tablet for these tasks or is the Note surprisingly comparable?
There are other factors involved as well. I'm on T-Mobile and will only have 2g if I get the Note. The Note is also ~$700 off contract compared to the Transformer which is $500 and would be able to tether off my 3g HSPA Nexus 1.
I have a bunch of trade offs and I'm having trouble deciding what will be best. I'm hoping you guys can help me out.
I was wondering the same thing and ideally I'd like to try them both in person to make that decision but I may end up getting both. They are both the most innovative of their respective form factors IMO.
Reading Amazon reviews among others you see people saying they use their other devices including tablets to a far lesser extent now that they have the SGNote so it might seem logical to consider it first if you're on a tight budget but I still find it hard to believe it could replace the Asus Transformer Prime especially with its dock when not highly mobile.
Good luck & let us know what you decide..
---------- Post added at 04:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:01 PM ----------
BTW I doubt I would consider the SGNote for T-Mobile, 2G is too slow IMO.
Its pretty suitable for movie watching, I just bought this phone as my portable media device but I think the transformer prime would give a better over all experience as the screen is bigger, the only realy benefit SAMOLED gives is deeper blacks.
EarlZ said:
Its pretty suitable for movie watching, I just bought this phone as my portable media device but I think the transformer prime would give a better over all experience as the screen is bigger, the only realy benefit SAMOLED gives is deeper blacks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds right, curious if the SAMOLED's less than natural colors ever bothers you, they seem to bother me on the lower resolution SAMOLED phones but a bit less on the same res but lower pixel density Tab 10.1 screen (I prefer Transformer's IPS for a tablet)? -Thx
Hello,
I have an iPad 1 at home as well as a SG Note. So I'd say I could help you with your little dilemma
Actually I have to say that watching a movie with 5.3'' screen is not that comfortable. So if you really want to watch movies in first place I'd tell you to buy the Transformer Prime.
On the other hand you have your phone always with you so you could watch movies or series whenever wherever - as you said you won't have the Prime always with you.
But since I bought the Note my iPad lies at home nearly all the time not being used much - the Note is big enough to surf on the internet and movies are watchable as well - even though its not as comfortable as it is using the iPad.
But you have to think about the battery life as well; even though the Note has an awesome battery life, watching movies will kill your battery pretty fast....
So - to come to a conclusion - best is to buy both but the Note will be more useful since you'll always have your phone with you!
Let me know about your final decision
why not wait for the asus padfone, best of both worlds. at the moment, its still using a tegra 3 quad core 1.5ghz chip with 1gb ram and 12 cuda core gpu.
Why not pick up an evo view (sprint's version of the flyer) for under $250. 7" screen, 32gb on board. Screen is nice and bright. I ditched all my other tablets outside of the touchpad and pretty much carry it everywhere. Should be getting honeycomb soon which will bring more functionality to the scribe pen too.
Sent from my SPH-D700
Souai said:
why not wait for the asus padfone, best of both worlds. at the moment, its still using a tegra 3 quad core 1.5ghz chip with 1gb ram and 12 cuda core gpu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do like that Asus is not afraid to innovate but I'm not sold on the Padfone's compromises & rumored price point ($800-$1000), if something happens to your phone the tablet becomes a paperweight.
I think the slim Transformer Prime with its battery-port extending slim keyboard is more innovative without compromises at competitive pricepoints. Redundancies in hardware+cloud based software-data should work well unless the budget is tight and user is willing to accept compromises in form & function.
I still would enjoy a projector in my handheld like the Samsung Beam but I don't think it ever made it out of Singapore but let see what happens at the next CES & MWC..
New information regarding a Google Tablet within the next 6 months just came out today. This definitely makes me lean more toward the note right now. Anyone using it on T-Mobile's network? How is the 2G?
Screw it! I decided to go with the note. I should have it delivered it my door tomorrow (I love amazon prime).
I'm going to stick with tmobile for now. If the 2G gets to be unbearable then I'll suck it up and cancel my plan and move to AT&T.
Thanks everyone for their replies in this thread.
seeking said:
Screw it! I decided to go with the note. I should have it delivered it my door tomorrow (I love amazon prime).
I'm going to stick with tmobile for now. If the 2G gets to be unbearable then I'll suck it up and cancel my plan and move to AT&T.
Thanks everyone for their replies in this thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If Google didn't buy Motorola they should have backed Asus with their innovative Transformer Prime. They are using Samsung for its Nexus line so they should support the Transformer Prime more, maybe Asus could have hit their target dates better. Their tablet market share is still not taken seriously vs their dominant smartphone market share.
2012 looks like it will offer higher res tablet displays than currently available. SGNote has same 1280 x 800 res as Transformer Prime which is enough for the web but graphics will benefit from higher res.
How often are you in Wi-Fi?, why put up with 2G-what are you paying at T-Mobile?
Good luck & upload a YouTube video with your experience if you can..
A Google backed Asus tablet would be a dream come true for me.
I'm almost always around wi-fi so I'm not really concerned with the 2g. I had accidentally disabled 3g on my Nexus 1 some months back and it took me about a month to notice. My monthly bill with t-mobile is about $80 per phone (3 smart phones on the family plan), but I actually have a special deal where I get more minutes and cheaper data from being a loyal customer (15+ years) for the price of a lesser plan.
My brother was about to cancel his plan (he's on my family plan) to get the Galaxy Nexus on verizon, but they offered him a $4.99 Galaxy S II to stay. He took the offer. That level of customer service is not something I dont really want to leave. My line is due for an upgrade next November which should be right around the time the new quad-core phones are being released (and a new nexus maybe), so I'm going to try and wait it out.
seeking said:
A Google backed Asus tablet would be a dream come true for me.
I'm almost always around wi-fi so I'm not really concerned with the 2g. I had accidentally disabled 3g on my Nexus 1 some months back and it took me about a month to notice. My monthly bill with t-mobile is about $80 per phone (3 smart phones on the family plan), but I actually have a special deal where I get more minutes and cheaper data from being a loyal customer (15+ years) for the price of a lesser plan.
My brother was about to cancel his plan (he's on my family plan) to get the Galaxy Nexus on verizon, but they offered him a $4.99 Galaxy S II to stay. He took the offer. That level of customer service is not something I really want to leave. My line is due for an upgrade next November which should be right around the time the new quad-core phones are being released (and a new nexus maybe), so I'm going to try and wait it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/atandt-abandons-t-mobile-merger-plans/
It had been expected but now it's official..unclear how such a deal would have affected the SGNote for you but there were rumors that T-Mobile may abandon the US market if the deal did not go through. T-Mobile is $ 4 Billion dollars wealthier so I doubt it will happen soon & they have time to reassess.
If you are mostly on Wi-Fi as am I it won't be the same issue but it'll likely annoy you when you're not obviously.
Let us know how you like it..
Yea, I will definitely post my feelings on it. I'm sure there are other Tmo guys out there wondering if its worth the loss of 3G, but something interesting about the AT&T merger news is that part of the deal if it didnt go through was that TMo would get to use AT&Ts 3g bands. If this is true, and they implement it fast enough, I might have a 3G note after all.
seeking said:
Yea, I will definitely post my feelings on it. I'm sure there are other Tmo guys out there wondering if its worth the loss of 3G, but something interesting about the AT&T merger news is that part of the deal if it didnt go through was that TMo would get to use AT&Ts 3g bands. If this is true, and they implement it fast enough, I might have a 3G note after all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really-source? The following suggested the opposite (if it had gone through):
http://www.androidguys.com/2011/03/21/att-statement-tmobile-customers-replace-3g-handsets-merge/
Did you get it from "Sold by Global Mobiles and Fulfilled by Amazon for $650.98 or OEM Shop for $636.90" + $3.99 overnight Prime shipping? You can still return it within 30 days for a refund minus return shipping if unsatisfied for whatever reason right?
So, now that we saw the Note II & Nexus 4. What do you guys think of it.
I currently have a T-Mobile Note II that I bought out of contract for 707$ after tax's. I was wondering if I should return it get the LG Nexus 4 16GB with the Nexus 10 tablet.
Please give me your feeedback and let the fight begin.
Thanks!
- Zam
PS: I'm sorry if I posted on the wrong section/area. Please do direct me if anything.
Zamizzle said:
So, now that we saw the Note II & Nexus 4. What do you guys think of it.
I currently have a T-Mobile Note II that I bought out of contract for 707$ after tax's. I was wondering if I should return it get the LG Nexus 4 16GB with the Nexus 10 tablet.
Please give me your feeedback and let the fight begin.
Thanks!
- Zam
PS: I'm sorry if I posted on the wrong section/area. Please do direct me if anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me that would be a no brainer....support for Samsung's Exynos is already near the end and I hate TouchWiz. To be able to essentially get a phone and a top of the line tablet for the same price....WOW! I too toyed with getting the Note 2, but after seeing this device and the price, theres no way.
I was considering the note 2 as well, but the nexus devices are quality and for the price of them combined, i might as well get both the N4 and N10 together. Can't wait till they're ready to ship!
This is my dilemma.
Note II has LTE, expandable storage, replaceable battery, and S-Pen.
Nexus 4 has frequently updated stock Android, wireless charging, and is off-contract.
Now I have to decide whether or not to cancel my AT&T Note II pre-order.
it all comes down to "Screen Size" after using my Note II for a week i find it hard to go back to my 4.6' devices, im so used to the extra screen space i get with the Note II.. and the S Pen features..
But far as hardware i don't think your losing here.. they both have 2gb of ram, quad-core processors. But you lose your LTE speeds on the Nexus 4, (Not that T-Mobile has LTE anyway)
The question is:
Do you want to stick with Touchwiz and its features and a 5.5inch screen?
or have pure stock Android 4.2 but lose Touchwiz features and 5.5inch screen, expandable memory, and battery
YoungAceAtlanta said:
it all comes down to "Screen Size" after using my Note II for a week i find it hard to go back to my 4.6' devices, im so used to the extra screen space i get with the Note II.. and the S Pen features..
But far as hardware i don't think your losing here.. they both have 2gb of ram, quad-core processors. But you lose your LTE speeds on the Nexus 4, (Not that T-Mobile has LTE anyway)
The question is:
Do you want to stick with Touchwiz and its features and a 5.5inch screen?
or have pure stock Android 4.2 but lose Touchwiz features and 5.5inch screen, expandable memory, and battery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You see my only problem is loosing the 5.5 screen and it does not have an expendable memory.
The main reason I bought the Note II was because I work as a Visual Specialist and I can put my concept book in it.
I bought the Note II straight out of contract for 707$ T-Mobile with the 30$ 5GB internet, unlimited text, and 100 minutes.
If I return that I can get the Nexus 4 16GB with the Nexus 10 Tablet. Use the Nexus 10 tablet for my concept book.
OMG SO HARD TO CHOOSE.
this is the same decision I am trying to make, at the weekend I ordered a sim free note ii on Amazon, as soon as I saw this announced, I cancelled my order.
with the Note ii the main selling point for me is the HUGE screen, I don't really care about the S-pen, although I guess it could come in handy when playing DrawSomething.
I currently have a Samsung Galaxy SII running Cyanogenmod 9 stable, I really like the phone, but I'm not a fan of touchwiz, which is one of the main reasons I am running CM, also it took Samsung longer to release ICS than it did the Cyanogenmod team, so for speed of updates, the Nexus gets some extra points here.
other than the size, the specs aren't that different, similar resolution (different type + size) screen, quad core CPU, 2gb memory, 16gb built in storage.
couldn't they just give me a 5.5" Nexus, than I would be happy, but am I going to notice a 0.8 inch difference all that much?
I'm trying to take price out of the equation, and decide what phone I would prefer regardless of the cost and even then its difficult!
This is my debate too but with the 3G non LTE version of the Note II...
Custom roms will be plenty on the Nexus 4 and no issues with updates...and quad core Krait > quad core Exynos A9...Samsung really should of put in quad core A15s to compete with the Krait chipsets.
If Nexus 4 had LTE I would have no dilemma.
In my country there is no 4G yet, Everything everywhere will be releasing theirs in a month or so, but its so expensive with stupid caps that I am not going to bother, and its only available in a few cities, so if I decided to go with the note it would be the 3g version anyway.
That was my dilemma sorta lol I have the gs3 and was planning on getting the note 2 but now I think I'm going for the n4 and n10. I had the gn and I loved it and the no sd was not an issue
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Wow! exact same boat!!!! I just paid $710 for my Note 2 and having serious regrets at this point and thinking of returning. Only because I soon realized that $700 for a phone is sickening..
Options I considered...
1. Take back to tmobile for $50.. one manager tried to say $75 so watch out for shady managers.
2. Ebay the phone... you may get $700+ for it but expect around $20-40 in estimated fees (ebay and paypal) plus the risk of the buyer being shady and paypal pulling the money out of your account.
3. Craigslist... I wouldnt trust the money or the people looking to pay $700.
Why to sell:
$700 way to much for a phone
Touchwiz is garbage, admit it, its confusing as hell.
We are about a month away from getting the multi window support.
The phone is too large, yea it may fit in a pocket but in reality its does not handle naturally.
You can buy the nexus 4 and the Nexus 7 for the same price you paid for the note 2 (no brainer)
At this point, eat the $50 and just return it... better yet, sit on it for a few days and return it after the Nexus 4 reviews come out. I plan on dumping the phone especially since I love my smaller screen (vibrant) and always up to date firmwares you will bet getting from google.
Would you choose the Galaxy Note II with Microsoft Surface Pro
or
LG Nexus 4 16GB with Nexus 10 32GB Tablet.
No brainer. Nexus 4 all the way. Even more if you like to flash roms.
djluis48 said:
No brainer. Nexus 4 all the way. Even more if you like to flash roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But would you jump ship from Grandfathered Unlimited LTE from VZ?
Uchmanpj said:
But would you jump ship from Grandfathered Unlimited LTE from VZ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
VZW isnt an option LTE or no LTE, so point seems moot.
Take back the note and get the nexi devices.
They are open devices and you can go flash crazy on them. Which is why you're on this message board, correct?
Personally, I don't like the idea and background of the phablets. They are just too big for me. Also, I'm kinda anti samsung for now. I haven't been happy with the build quality or material quality of my GNex.
but the LG build quality will be similar, or not? its all plastic.
and will this adapter for additional storage also work for the n10? just want to make sure, cause $100 extra for 16GB is just too much.
Lawls, if anyone has ever worked in a phone store, you'll know LG makes ****, to the point android can't fix their problems. Samsung was terrible too, but since Samsung went android/windows, it has been amazing. I'd get the tablet. I recently got a note 1, and put a aosp 4.1.2 ROM on it and love it(went from galaxy nexus). I want the note 2, but at $700, yeah its pretty steep, but hey, quad core, what do you expect? With that all said, I loved my g2x, but have heard many complaints that never hit me, except it killed my Sim card.
End rant.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 10 version 2.8
matistight said:
Lawls, if anyone has ever worked in a phone store, you'll know LG makes ****, to the point android can't fix their problems. Samsung was terrible too, but since Samsung went android/windows, it has been amazing. I'd get the tablet. I recently got a note 1, and put a aosp 4.1.2 ROM on it and love it(went from galaxy nexus). I want the note 2, but at $700, yeah its pretty steep, but hey, quad core, what do you expect? With that all said, I loved my g2x, but have heard many complaints that never hit me, except it killed my Sim card.
End rant.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 10 version 2.8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gorilla glass 2 is all around the N4.
I am reading a lot of bemoaning with regards to what is considered poor battery life on the Nexus 4 based on comparisons made by Anandtech's review, and I feel that people are forgetting the golden rule of smartphones. That rule being that every phone has at least one 'fatal flaw' that you have to accept when you finally purchase that device. I feel like this thread will put things into perspective for those who just want to have it all. Reality is what it is, I'm not saying you should settle and give in to sub-ideal phones, but hey if you need a phone you need a phone, ideals and wishes won't make phone calls or grab your emails for you.
Let's start with the iPhone 5. Firstly, it's iOS and all its annoying ecosystem that surely every Android enthusiast has distaste for in some way or another. I'm pretty sure that rules it out alone and causes us think "Well who cares how long the battery lasts if I hate using the thing. Pass." It does have great battery life on LTE, quality construction, more accessories than you can shake a stick at, etc etc, but it's still iOS. No LTE in my area either but hey not the phone's fault.
Onto the HTC One X, which is a good phone in many regards but still has those 'fatal flaws.' It costs $465.50 (6 months after launch) unlocked which isn't too heinous but it isn't pentaband GSM keeping you from 3G/HSPA+ on T-mobile or whatever random 1700 band International carriers there are in the world. Also has frequent wifi antenna problems for many. It only sports 1 GB of ram. It is not pure Android, HTC Sense is hated by many, can be replaced with a custom rom, which is very good. Curious how the HTC one X (1800 mah) did better than the S3 (2100 mah).
Motorola Razr M. I rather like the physical feel of this phone, but with 4.0 ICS, nowhere to buy it unlocked, 1 GB of ram, and less dev support than these other phones I wouldn't consider it strongly.
Next the Motorola Razr i. Only has 4.0.4 ICS, 1 GB of ram, $498.50 unlocked also with no 1700 band support. Screen is probably not in the HTC One X leagues either.
Skipping a few brings me to the Motorola Photon Q. Obviously this thing is only for QWERTY lovers, of which I am not. Hey it probably kicks ass though if that's your thing. Oh but wait, you can only get it from carriers which means you'll be signing a contract. Wuh-oh no dice, that ain't nice.
LG Optimus G... Locked bootloader. (I held one and went "eww" but that's a personal thing), A year after ICS was released, Jellybean has been out for months, and yet LG releases this 'flagship' phone with ICS, tsk tsk. No 1700 band, 545.50 Unlocked. Only one of the versions has a micro-sd slot too, bizarro.
Galaxy S3! Personally the T-999 T-mobile Galaxy S3 is my personal choice over the Nexus 4. BUT Problems?!!? For me it was price at $550, the build quality of the phone, and the physical big home button. I've read too many reports of them cracking on their own (while in Otterbox Defender cases or whatever other big boxy tank armor people buy) because of the crappy plastic used and also overheating during usage or charging. A phone's screen shouldn't break on it's own sitting on your desk. Those issues are rather personal so really the problem is price for a 6 month old phone.
Anyway enough of this, there are many things which aren't negatives to some and other things that definitely are negatives that I haven't included, such as motorola camera quality or something along those lines.
Honestly, where can you buy a 299 or 349 dollar unlocked smartphone with the latest hardware (except that 5" panel on the HTC DNA), latest Android OS which is also vanilla, predictably tons of dev support, and isn't a plastic pile of junk? Although the Nexus is lacking LTE, enough storage for many, less than best battery life, and whatever other gripes there are out there. Also the benchmarks are meh, personally I could care less how fast it runs a benchmark. There gets to be a point where speed no longer matters, sort of like the difference between 100 FPS and 400 FPS when playing a video game or watching a movie. I mean if the phone can load apps faster than the Optimus G by .001 seconds who really cares? It's about real world usage to me, not benchmark scores. That's me though and I realize that isn't everyone's opinion.
So anyway if someone wants more storage and awesome battery but doesn't care about being forced into a contract, they won't mind getting a Razr Maxx HD. But if another person wants to avoid contracts, have the freedom to use their phone internationally even, with the latest operating system the Nexus 4 is the best bet because of the price with the S3 tailing behind it due to custom roms.
Someone could assign a point value to every category and rate phones across the board, but the amount of points per category, or rather the importance of certain traits over others, is totally independent for each person out there shopping for a device.
Long story short here, every phone has its drawbacks and issues, it's a question of which has the least amount of flaws when weighing the needs/desires of the consumer.
The Nexus 4 does the best job of fitting my needs, but it isn't perfect. I doubt any phone ever will be, but that's beside the point. The point is what is here and now available to chose from. The point is that battery benchmark graph that I can't link due to lack of posts. I would have never bought a Nexus 4 like I did if the price wasn't so good. If it were 600 dollars I would have passed and held out for custom roms to keep me afloat on the latest version of Android.
(If you're pissed I made a thread about this don't reply telling me that. Just let it sink to the bottom of the forum to rot and die.)
Thanks and happy phone hunting.
The optimus g has basically the same hardware specs and gets great battery life. Is it wrong to expect the n4 to get somewhere in the same ballpark? N4 appears to have just average battery life which is odd. I still plan on getting it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
I wish I could want an iPhone because honestly I'm tired of rooting and tweaking and iPhone gets great battery no matter what you do.
But I love stock android and honestly I feel like I am chasing a dream. First android phone was epic touch 4g then I rooted awesome battery and ICS skins. Then ICS came out battery life was crap and issues. Ran that way for months. Then jellybean waiting for Samsung kernel horrible performance. Sprint data slow as crap. Then got a gal nex no 4g now slower 3g. LTE is a mile away and it is slow.
Then nexus 4 announced no sprint version leaving sprint for T-Mobile now trying to buy four nexus 4's for the family must wait again.
So at this point if battery life sucks so be it I'm stuck chasing a dream.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Fataldesain said:
I wish I could want an iPhone because honestly I'm tired of rooting and tweaking and iPhone gets great battery no matter what you do.
But I love stock android and honestly I feel like I am chasing a dream. First android phone was epic touch 4g then I rooted awesome battery and ICS skins. Then ICS came out battery life was crap and issues. Ran that way for months. Then jellybean waiting for Samsung kernel horrible performance. Sprint data slow as crap. Then got a gal nex no 4g now slower 3g. LTE is a mile away and it is slow.
Then nexus 4 announced no sprint version leaving sprint for T-Mobile now trying to buy four nexus 4's for the family must wait again.
So at this point if battery life sucks so be it I'm stuck chasing a dream.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me, the iPhone sucks without jailbreak. Especially when you are used to Android (even Stock Android) you will miss so many options. You will miss the tweaking (just because iOS sucks already). And btw, the iPhone is small as sh**.. so no wonder it's battery will last longer. How ever, browsing/writing textes is a pain in the ass on the iPhone.
Had the iPhone 3G (omfg) and the 4S.... glad I could sell them on ebay to some brainfart.
And btw: Once you get to jailbreaking your iPhone it's all problems and annoying work.
Battery is a pretty big one for me, as well as storage.. lte not so much, waiting a while to decide but I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a note 2 little more expensive but I can prolly get the woman to let me spend my own money on it :good:
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
Don't really need 4G.
See, the problem with the iPhone is, that it's an Apple product.
Apple-Hate aside, what people must realize, if they are in an area that offers 4G connectivity, it will also offer FULL 3G connection. The hypothetical max of HSPA+ is 42mb/s which if you're lucky, you can get close to. Also, TheVerge got 5Mb/s in a Metropolitan area, which is more than sufficient. I leech off StarBucks wifi, getting 450 KB/S and can watch HD video and anything I realistically need.
Please tell me someone, who uses 100% of their 4G.
Yeah once your used to android its hard to leave but my thing is since the iPhone 4 apple has had a smooth working phone with great battery. I have used about 10 android phones and honestly the iPhone 4 runs better than most and it is three years old.
Now things are getting better because the specs are crazy in all these phones. But sometimes I envy the apple sheep because they think they have the best and are satisfied with it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Hi Everyone! Former Android user/enthusiast who still remembers the good old days of the Droid X. That device was so much fun, especially with the various mods, etc. Having been on iOS for the last several years (mainly because of the iPhone camera quality and great support for Exchange) - I'm now growing frustrated and bored with Apple. I enjoy my 5S, but it's getting stale.
That aside, I was targeting the Nexus 6 as my next device but unfortunately it still hasn't made it's way to VZW and I'm not even certain it's coming soon (or at all). I want to consider the Note 4, but TouchWiz and some of the lag is really frustrating. Although, it is a great device overall.
For those who have used and/or own these devices and some of the others, what would you recommend? Is my best Plan B option the Note 4? Perhaps something else? Camera quality is a huge factor for me and something to be considered. Lollipop is desirable as well.
Thanks so much for any feedback. For what it's worth, I need to remain on VZW so other carriers are not an option.
If you can afford to, buy the nexus 6 at full price from Google or Moto. Moto even has a credit option. Nexus 6 works fine on vzw, I'm using one now.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Or buy one outright from T-Mobile like it did and works perfectly on Big Red.
You're on a Nexus fanboy site Here are my thoughts.
Nexus 6 - I'd at least try it, get one anyway you can. I got a 32gb blue from Moto and then returned it after my GPS 64 gb blue arrived, before the 14 day return window. I love it. All will work out of the box with an activated VZW nano sim so make sure you have that first before you switch to an N6. Everything seems to work well. Lollipop is nice although not all apps play nice. Unlock bootloader and root no problem. VZW hasn't messed with it at all which is a nice change, great phone.
Note 4 - TW, well what can I say, it may lag, you get all the Note stuff like Multi Window, stylus, etc.. The Nexus is almost the opposite of the Note as far as complexity. VZW locks this tighter than any other phone. If camera is your thing, from what I have read it may be a little better than the Nexus but not much (I am not a camera guy so I can not help here).
All, thanks for the replies thus far. I know bias and logic will steer towards the Nexus 6 at all costs. In general, I'm looking to exhaust all options and possibilities before pulling the trigger, especially if I have to dish out more money. But the N6 is so appealing
jn1520 said:
All, thanks for the replies thus far. I know bias and logic will steer towards the Nexus 6 at all costs. In general, I'm looking to exhaust all options and possibilities before pulling the trigger, especially if I have to dish out more money. But the N6 is so appealing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your options are,
1) Motorola: Financing through 6/12/18 months or outright buy the device.
2) Google Play Store: Outright buy the device.
3) Carrier stores (TMo, AT&T, Sprint): Be wary on whether or not its carrier locked, can always unlock it but requires extra $$. Depending on whom you get it from, you may need to stay with that carrier for 1 month.
4) eBay/Craigslist/Swappa.
In my opinion, select the one that has it available asap. Christmas time is coming and deliveries won't be made before Christmas soon.
You mention the fun you had on the x modding. That ain't gonna happen on the Note. Great phone if your are happy stock.
Hi, Note 4 team
*** For anyone considering or thinking of a Nexus 6 ***
I realized very recently that the Nexus 6 is just not the phone that everyone is hyping it up to be.
I've been a loyal and die-hard Nexus fan since the Galaxy Nexus but also have always liked Samsung phones - particularly the Note.
In December 2014 I bought a Note 4, unlocked it and used it for a month until I was offered a great deal on a Nexus 6. I knew I was going to get one or the other but for some reason the Nexus hype bit me. I unloaded my Note 4 within 2 days and got the Nexus 6 and the honeymoon period didn't last long at all. The phone is a spec beast but that's about all it's got going other than the obvious "first to update" thing. While Lollipop is a joy to use, I can wait until the official release is out for NA Note 4 variants. I really don't miss any part of it and as for my usage, it didn't offer much over Kit Kat.
The phone is awkward to hold. I'm only 5'7" and can comfortably hold and use the Note 4 whereas the Nexus 6 is slippery and strange. That extra little bit of size on the Nexus 6 really kills it for me. After only a month of using the Nexus 6, I had to sell it and go back to the trusty Note. The Nexus was hard to sell too because there are only a specific group of people who really want it and know what type of phone it is. I realize after my month away from the Note 4, I should have never gotten rid of it in the first place. Even within the 1 month with the Nexus, I couldn't handle the size and I had to resort to using a spare iPhone 5 I have lying around. It really was a pain.
I'm glad to be back with a Note 4 and it feels normal again.
tldr; Bought a Note 4. Used it for a month and sold it to get a Nexus 6. Used the Nexus 6 for a month and realized it sucked. Went back to Note 4.
so its the size which forced you to switch back?
I love how good the note 4 feels in my hands and it feels like a solid phone.
I've used notes since the note 2 and don't think I will buy a different type of phone unless Samsung really mess up the formula.
bala_gamer said:
so its the size which forced you to switch back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Size and software. With size it also was the shape of the phone. Rounded was nice and the dimple did help a bit but I didn't feel comfortable holding it and typing with one hand like I do with the Note. Also, I kind of felt that with the Note 2, you get the large screen with added features. Spec-for-spec, the two phones are nearly identical. Add in the S-Pen and some TW features and you have a more fully-featured, well rounded phone.
I also find the camera to be better on the Note 4 - camera is a huge point for me and I fell for the Nexus hype again just like I did on the Nexus 5. They touted that the Nexus 5 camera was top notch but once I got it, it was really sub-par. Same with the Nexus 6 - the focusing was very slow and AI was just not there (I'm used to fast-focusing as I use a Canon 5D Mark 2 with fast primes) and the Note 4 really picks it up when you turn off HDR. It's not iPhone speed but it's way better than the Nexus, hands down.
I had a Galaxy S5 in my hands which I decided against because I really like the size and build of the Note.
I have both as well & the N4 does feel more comfortable to use.
The getting the latest updates thing that sells the Nexus, is it really all that?
I had the N5 & it didn't get all that many updates, the M8 got just as many, if a little later.
If lollipop is anything to go by, maybe getting the update first isn't such a good thing. Pure Android is very nice I do agree & TW is somewhat ghastly but with Nova Launcher on it's fine. Google's launcher is pants too. I use Nova on my N6 also. That permanent Google search bar is stupid, as is the stock dpi.
I do like the N6 but the N4 is far more palatable & feels more luxury in the hand.
@home said:
I have both as well & the N4 does feel more comfortable to use.
The getting the latest updates thing that sells the Nexus, is it really all that?
I had the N5 & it didn't get all that many updates, the M8 got just as many, if a little later.
If lollipop is anything to go by, maybe getting the update first isn't such a good thing. Pure Android is very nice I do agree & TW is somewhat ghastly but with Nova Launcher on it's fine. Google's launcher is pants too. I use Nova on my N6 also. That permanent Google search bar is stupid, as is the stock dpi.
I do like the N6 but the N4 is far more palatable & feels more luxury in the hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're exactly right about Nova Launcher. I've been using Nova Prime for a long time (maybe since I got my S2) and it's well worth it. My favorite is having 7 small dock icons.
On Nexus 6 Bluetooth quality is very poor compared to other top smartphones. Note 4 has very good quality with Headset and Car Hi-Fi.
This is good to know as I've been tempted recently to switch to the Nexus 6 myself. What's stopped me so far is that the 32gb Nexus retails for the same price as the Note 4 in my country. Factor in the extra features you're getting on the Note 4 then the Nexus starts to look like much worse value for money. I'd go back to the OnePlus One over the Nexus 6 any day of the week. The OPO is a much more worthy successor to the Nexus 5 in my opinion as it represents what the Nexus always has in the past - value for money.
Actually the only reason I went from the OnePlus to the Note 4 was band 28 lte, but now that I'm here I am really ☺.
After 2 months of use my Note 4 (SM-N910F) on 4.4.4 KK (stock) from a Note 3 (SM-N9005) on 4.4.2 KK (stock)
Pros:
- Camera, a lot better in all scenarios, Focus, Low Light, detail, was a very big jump and probably because of OIS (main reason to upgarde from Note 3 for me)
- Display, some people say 1080p to QHD dont see diference, i see, its mucth brighter and crisp and beautiful
- Desing of the Note 4 with metal edges, feel in the hand, very good looking phone
Cons:
- Battery, read a lot about display energy consumpsion, all wrong the battery drains a lot everytime i am using the phonne, 4 hours max screen on time
- UI general lag, 2.7GHZ?! The UI its very laggy, sometimes 1 sec to do what you want, compare to iphone 5S for example its a shame
- Sound, and dont understand why a top 2014 Samsung device like Note 4 dont have stereo speakers, the speaker on the back its very bad
- Bluetooth, i have a Samsung Gear and with the Note 4 some metters away one from the other and i got disconnected massage on my Gear
Sound, agreed that stereo speakers are overdue but I prefer the speaker on the back over the on the bottom of my old note 3. (which i covered many times just holding the phone)
Bluetooth, my gear live never disconnects if within ten meters (30ft) of my phone.
Lostex said:
On Nexus 6 Bluetooth quality is very poor compared to other top smartphones. Note 4 has very good quality with Headset and Car Hi-Fi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly didn't notice much difference in bluetooth quality. I stream through Google Play Music and bluetooth to a JBL Flip 2 and and Beats 2.0 Wireless and it sounds the same to me.
Oh another couple of things that were a minor annoyance that turned into huge ones...
The rounded back made the phone spin when it's on a table. This makes laying it on a table and using it impossible. It was especially annoying when I had an alarm set to wake me up in the morning, it would spin all over the damn place when I tried to snooze it.
Secondly, the power and volume buttons were way too close to each other. I'd always end up hitting the wrong button when I wanted to lock/unlock the phone or turn up the volume.
Again they were minor annoyances which I thought I'd be able to simply get over it and I didn't think it would really affect my usage like it did.
....and warranty!! OMFG you should see the stories on Reddit about Motorola's warranty. It's absolutely terrible and disgraceful.
If you weren't lucky enough to be able to get your Nexus 6 from the Play store and got it direct from Motorola or a carrier, you were pretty much screwed. People with white 64gb devices that had to claim warranty were offered replacements that were blue 32gb. Some cases took weeks to replace and when the replacements arrived, they were more damaged that the one that was supposed to be sent back.
Canadians were particularly screwed as they don't offer RMA replacement services. They only offer RMA repair and on top of that the rep told me that some Motorola Canadian repair depots don't have the documentation or training on how to repair Nexus 6 phones yet (I chatted online with a rep in late January - things might be different now).
SeraldoBabalu said:
....and warranty!! OMFG you should see the stories on Reddit about Motorola's warranty. It's absolutely terrible and disgraceful.
If you weren't lucky enough to be able to get your Nexus 6 from the Play store and got it direct from Motorola or a carrier, you were pretty much screwed. People with white 64gb devices that had to claim warranty were offered replacements that were blue 32gb. Some cases took weeks to replace and when the replacements arrived, they were more damaged that the one that was supposed to be sent back.
Canadians were particularly screwed as they don't offer RMA replacement services. They only offer RMA repair and on top of that the rep told me that some Motorola Canadian repair depots don't have the documentation or training on how to repair Nexus 6 phones yet (I chatted online with a rep in late January - things might be different now).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify warranty. In Europe if you call Google support that you have a problem wit any nexus during warranty period, first time they will replace it for factory refurbished device without any questions, so I wouldn't contact Motorola. Samsung offers something similar: you can go to shop you bought it and they will replace it for new device but only within first two weeks after purchase.
Now, please don't understand me wrong , I love Note 4 and wouldn't replace it for Nexus 6 but only because of replaceable battery and micro SD slot and because I can install CM12 on it. TW ROM may have more stuff in it but it doesn't come even close to responsiveness of nexus devices. I still have Nexus 4 and even on TW lollipop Note 4 is slower. I am not talking about performance in games etc, but about general responsiveness. On CM12 situation is other way around of course.
torquadon said:
Just to clarify warranty. In Europe if you call Google support that you have a problem wit any nexus during warranty period, first time they will replace it for factory refurbished device without any questions, so I wouldn't contact Motorola. Samsung offers something similar: you can go to shop you bought it and they will replace it for new device but only within first two weeks after purchase.
Now, please don't understand me wrong , I love Note 4 and wouldn't replace it for Nexus 6 but only because of replaceable battery and micro SD slot and because I can install CM12 on it. TW ROM may have more stuff in it but it doesn't come even close to responsiveness of nexus devices. I still have Nexus 4 and even on TW lollipop Note 4 is slower. I am not talking about performance in games etc, but about general responsiveness. On CM12 situation is other way around of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is only if you bought it from the Google Play Store. Some people had to buy from a carrier because Google was out of stock.
In terms of responsiveness, it feels the same for my usage. I don't sit there and measure how fast it goes when I swipe my finger - that is not how I use my phone. I play Leo's Fortune and Hitman Go... that's about as crazy as I get and it works well. I don't see any noticeable lag. So when you say it doesn't even come close, I think you don't know how close it really is because it's pretty damn close if not exactly the same. I'm speaking from experience with the Nexus 6 and not from what I heard someone say on YouTube.
SeraldoBabalu said:
This is only if you bought it from the Google Play Store. Some people had to buy from a carrier because Google was out of stock.
In terms of responsiveness, it feels the same for my usage. I don't sit there and measure how fast it goes when I swipe my finger - that is not how I use my phone. I play Leo's Fortune and Hitman Go... that's about as crazy as I get and it works well. I don't see any noticeable lag. So when you say it doesn't even come close, I think you don't know how close it really is because it's pretty damn close if not exactly the same. I'm speaking from experience with the Nexus 6 and not from what I heard someone say on YouTube.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sorry but you are wrong about warranty, according to EU law you can choose manufacturers warranty or shop warranty. So if you decide to use Google they will help you, I am not assuming, I have done it without any problems.
I wrote what I experience on my devices nexus 4 vs note 4 and nexus 5 which I didn't mention before. I didn't say you saying anything wrong so please hold your comments about YouTube and my knowledge to yourself, there is no need for that, I am entitled to my opinion (especially it is based on experience) same way you are to yours.
From my EXPERIENCE responsiveness is in order: tw kitkat note 4 ->TW lollipop note 4-> lollipop nexus 4 -> lollipop nexus 5 -> cm12 note 4. So I have to disagree: in my case it is not close (closer if I use Nova launcher tough). I can see it mostly when I scroll on fb or big websites, it is not micro lag it is noticeable lag.
I do not own nexus 6 and there is slim chance it is slower comparing to nexus 4 and 5.
I am not trying to prove you wrong, just saying what I observed. I t is absolutely possible you have entirely different experiences and neither of us is right
torquadon said:
I am sorry but you are wrong about warranty, according to EU law you can choose manufacturers warranty or shop warranty. So if you decide to use Google they will help you, I am not assuming, I have done it without any problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can you go through Google warranty if you didn't purchase the phone from Google? This is what I'm getting at. If you had to purchase the phone through a carrier - Google warranty will not help you here.
If you have not used the Nexus 6 as a daily driver then you, unfortunately, cannot speak from experience. I think you're just looking to be offended by something so I'll leave it at that. I'm not looking for an e-fight. Carry on, sir.
SeraldoBabalu said:
How can you go through Google warranty if you didn't purchase the phone from Google? This is what I'm getting at. If you had to purchase the phone through a carrier - Google warranty will not help you here.
If you have not used the Nexus 6 as a daily driver then you, unfortunately, cannot speak from experience. I think you're just looking to be offended by something so I'll leave it at that. I'm not looking for an e-fight. Carry on, sir.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been always buying my phones from carriers and twice I have them replaced by manufacturer. Once it was Nexus 5, they send me replacement without asking questions (although you are right it was LG not Google, although they still offered factory refurbished straight away no idea if it is standard policy tough, possible it has something to do with my carrier), and second time it was Sony Xperia S which went for repair and they gave me a new one after they decided it could not be repaired. So I will repeat again You are entitled to manufacturers warranty even if you bought it from carrier. Well at least in UK they offer it without hassle. What I am trying to tell is you will always have 2 options when you buy it from carrier, carrier as a seller and manufacturer. Also from what you wrote is not a policy problem, but supply problem and Motorola is not the first to face it. You can find plenty examples how Samsung fails to comply with warranty claims, this is just a part of mass production, and is especially visible within first few months after release.
Sir I am not looking for a fight either ( I believed that comment about YouTube was directed at me, therefore my response), I placed my comparison to 2 nexus devices I own, I said I do not own 6, I even said it is possible it is slower . My point is I love Samsung devices, software not so much. And that is where Nexus was always shining - pure os. There was always plenty of phones better made then nexus, but none of them offered the same software experience, and I believe it still stands ( I do not need to own n6 to know that, soft on n5 and n4 is the same). I am sure there will be plenty people, as I assume you are, who will prefer TW over pure android. I am just not one of them. I prefer to by note 4 and install cm12 rather then buying nexus 6 because I believe note 4 is simply better hardware.
Small correction : of course Xperia s was first