Come back to Android? - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 5

Was a long-time Android user with several various phones, then switched to an iPhone 5 for a short while, came back to Android with the Note 3 for a while (which I loved), but then switched to the iPhone 5s. After using that for a while I'm thinking about coming back to Android for good. I'm contemplating getting a Note 3 since I knew it so well - even had rooting & ROM flashing down with it. Though about the Note 4 but can't root it. Then thought about the Galaxy s5 or Galaxy s5 Active, but not sure if I want to go back to something I've had experience with it try something new.
I know, I'm kind of all over the place here. I just like trying new tech toys, but iOS 8 sucks and I think I'm done with it.
Would like to hear some s5 users' thoughts/ suggestions. Thanks.
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk

dustrho said:
Was a long-time Android user with several various phones, then switched to an iPhone 5 for a short while, came back to Android with the Note 3 for a while (which I loved), but then switched to the iPhone 5s. After using that for a while I'm thinking about coming back to Android for good. I'm contemplating getting a Note 3 since I knew it so well - even had rooting & ROM flashing down with it. Though about the Note 4 but can't root it. Then thought about the Galaxy s5 or Galaxy s5 Active, but not sure if I want to go back to something I've had experience with it try something new.
I know, I'm kind of all over the place here. I just like trying new tech toys, but iOS 8 sucks and I think I'm done with it.
Would like to hear some s5 users' thoughts/ suggestions. Thanks.
Sent from my iPhone 5s using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I love my S5 it's a fantastic device with great battery life a fantastic camera and with root I've debloated the apps I don't use. This of course is just my opinion as I'm sure you'll get others that don't like the S5. Yes bootloader is locked so no AOSP Roms but for me I prefer the stability of T/W.
"And on that bombshell it's time to end the show!" Sent from my VisionX powered G900A Rockin XKRomeBlue

Wait and buy a Nexus 6 when it is released.
S5 is a good phone but not worth using an upgrade. My opinion.
Got mine free from Samsung so it's a good free phone. [emoji622]

we own all of the above
My wife and I owned every apple and every s phone between us, her with the iphones me with the s phones.
First off lets talk batteries.
Her Iphone 5S lasts about 8hrs off the charger per day in 1 place without WiFi.
MY S5 is hitting 18hrs on powersave mode streaming Iheart radio in a moving semi truck 514 miles deep off istate 14hrs to 16hrs a day without WiFi UNPLUGGED. All I did else is turn off AT&T apps.
Memory.
I just ordered a 64gig 90mbps sd card.
her new Iphone 6 plus is still only 16gigs.
Freedom of files.
Her Iphones universally BLOCK us from transferring ANY file via USB. You MUST upload your personal information to Itunes then download it all back allowing ALL of it to not only use data but be stored someplace.
S5 has a fire wire USB and transferred over 20 gigs in less than 5 mins (without anyone else seeing my nudy pics.)
ROOTING!
We don't even want to try rooting hers cause she sold her sole to the company store.
I am rooted without triping KNOX and have adaway, root explorer, super user, WiFi tether, Titanium Backup, my choice of any recovery I want to add.
buttons.
Iphones don't have a back key. It's extremely frustrating!
Bluetooth.
All of our S phones have superior compatibility and sound quality over Bluetooth.
OTA
Up until last month Apple never gave her a bad update. Now she has to backup all her files to big brother apple again on iTunes and then reset her phone to fix it to 8.1.
If I get a bad OTA I just flash over a different one from XDA that's better.
These are some of the things I noticed. Hope it helps.

Related

Am I too poor to be excited about the Note 4?

OK, I guess if I had infinite money, then I'd just go out and buy a new smartphone every year, but unfortunately I'm not. Though I will spend money on tech that I think are important, eg I bought a little xmas prezzie for myself in the form of a 51 inch plasma telly.
It's just that I already have a Note 2. I'd be paying a fair bit of money over 24 months to get a Note 4 and I just don't feel as excited by this piece of new tech as I "should be"? The screen isn't much bigger than the Note 2, which 2 years on still actually does everything I need it to do, though it has inexplicable slowed down a little than it used to be (maybe memory too full).
It just doesn't seem that revolutionary from the Note 2. My last 3 phones were Nokia N86, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy Note 2. And going to the Note 4 just doesn't as seem as revolutionary as the previous jumps?
I have mucho respect for you! I wish I could make a full 2 year run on a smartphone. I haven't found one that either didn't crash, smash, or just frustrate me to hell and back (or I fried rooting it). I actually liked my LG G2 and wouldn't have upgraded, but it hit the 6 month mark and the digitizer went haywire. 6 months. That's the least time any phone has lasted me. A year is average. So far, I'm not impressed with my Note 4, and may return it within the 14-day period. The battery life is truly unimpressive, the camera has focus problems, it lags all over the place, the interface is so...2010...the only thing that I really do like about it: SAMOLED. The Samsung displays are beautiful, and it doesn't hurt my head at all. My G2 gave me headaches. I may 'downgrade' or just try another device.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
I pulled the triger and after 2 years I switched from Note 2. You right, it is not a big jump like before ( originally switched from HTC G2 to Note 2 ) but there is not coming back to 720p screen for me. This one is a beast.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app
I had the note 2 for a full year right when it came out. I sold it after a year to get the g2. After a year with the g2, I'm so glad to be back to the note family, specifically the note 4. This phone is a beast, I can easily see myself keeping this one for a full 2 years!! It's definitely an upgrade over the note 2 by leaps and bound.
keithfrombm said:
i have mucho respect for you! I wish i could make a full 2 year run on a smartphone. I haven't found one that either didn't crash, smash, or just frustrate me to hell and back (or i fried rooting it). I actually liked my lg g2 and wouldn't have upgraded, but it hit the 6 month mark and the digitizer went haywire. 6 months. That's the least time any phone has lasted me. A year is average. So far, i'm not impressed with my note 4, and may return it within the 14-day period. The battery life is truly unimpressive, the camera has focus problems, it lags all over the place, the interface is so...2010...the only thing that i really do like about it: Samoled. The samsung displays are beautiful, and it doesn't hurt my head at all. My g2 gave me headaches. I may 'downgrade' or just try another device.
Sent from my samsung-sm-n910a using xda free mobile app
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i am sorry to say this but you are lying! Troll alert!
I bought the note 2 when it came out and loved it but was getting some usb charge board issues about a month before the note 4 came out, i decided to pre order the note 4 and got it on release day and it's a superb phone the best I've ever owned and a good upgrade from the note 2 I think personally.
The screen alone is amazing.
@Rudy:
What specifically is he lying about?
Some people have reported battery issues, and it is a known fact that TouchWiz is somewhat laggy compared to other launchers/themes. Although it has been getting a lot better in recent versions and IME, I have almost no lag on my phone. Also if you check around quite a few people have been having an issue with their camera and focus issues.
His personal experiences with various phones are his own. Unless you were there to witness his usage of the phones.
Calling someone a troll and a liar without backing it up with verifiable facts from credible industry sources is in very poor form and very un-cool.
So either provide some backup with verifiable links to industry sources to prove him/her wrong, or quietly go on with your life and leave others be.
i upgrade on a 5 yr cycle. went to the note 4 910u from a nokia n8.
camera is slightly better (16mpx ois vs 12mpx), software is much better compared to symbian, storage is more (160GB vs 40GB), wireless charging and bluetooth and screen are better, lag is gone once i enabled dev mode with animations off.
i would not upgrade on less than a 4yr or 5yr cycle. thats the best ROI. if you have a note 2 stay with it until 2017/18.
Lol I cant stay on one phone more than 5 months
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
keithfrombm said:
I have mucho respect for you! I wish I could make a full 2 year run on a smartphone. I haven't found one that either didn't crash, smash, or just frustrate me to hell and back (or I fried rooting it). I actually liked my LG G2 and wouldn't have upgraded, but it hit the 6 month mark and the digitizer went haywire. 6 months. That's the least time any phone has lasted me. A year is average. So far, I'm not impressed with my Note 4, and may return it within the 14-day period. The battery life is truly unimpressive, the camera has focus problems, it lags all over the place, the interface is so...2010...the only thing that I really do like about it: SAMOLED. The Samsung displays are beautiful, and it doesn't hurt my head at all. My G2 gave me headaches. I may 'downgrade' or just try another device.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
Well it isn't the same for everyone. For me battery is awesome on this phone 6h non stop heavy usage, over 2 days on moderate - this is double comparing to my previous phone which was Nexus 5. Touchwiz is s#*@= comparing to Google launcher tough, went straight to nova. Basically my opinion is: brilliant piece of hardware and very, very bad software. I hope someday we will get pure android rom.
jeanclaudevandamme said:
OK, I guess if I had infinite money, then I'd just go out and buy a new smartphone every year, but unfortunately I'm not. Though I will spend money on tech that I think are important, eg I bought a little xmas prezzie for myself in the form of a 51 inch plasma telly.
It's just that I already have a Note 2. I'd be paying a fair bit of money over 24 months to get a Note 4 and I just don't feel as excited by this piece of new tech as I "should be"? The screen isn't much bigger than the Note 2, which 2 years on still actually does everything I need it to do, though it has inexplicable slowed down a little than it used to be (maybe memory too full).
It just doesn't seem that revolutionary from the Note 2. My last 3 phones were Nokia N86, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy Note 2. And going to the Note 4 just doesn't as seem as revolutionary as the previous jumps?
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Click to collapse
The simple reason is because you are not fully utilising the Note 2 and hitting the boundaries of the phone itself. If you were hitting the edges you would notice that the extra performance from the Note 4 would be awesome.
I change my phone every few months and the boundary i had was lack of wireless charging on my previous phone (sony z2 32gb 3gb). The Samsung S4 and S5 had terrible camera and the lack of the additional 1GB really hurt.
It took me 3 weeks to open my note 4 box and start using it because i was putting off transferring the data. All i have really got from S5/Z2 to Note 4 is the wireless charging.
A|ex said:
The simple reason is because you are not fully utilising the Note 2 and hitting the boundaries of the phone itself. If you were hitting the edges you would notice that the extra performance from the Note 4 would be awesome.
I change my phone every few months and the boundary i had was lack of wireless charging on my previous phone (sony z2 32gb 3gb). The Samsung S4 and S5 had terrible camera and the lack of the additional 1GB really hurt.
It took me 3 weeks to open my note 4 box and start using it because i was putting off transferring the data. All i have really got from S5/Z2 to Note 4 is the wireless charging.
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I would say that his approach is way more sensible than yours. You could have easily incorporate wireless charging to both xperia z2 and galaxy s5 for much less money than note 4 cost. If that was the only edge you were looking for you simply wasted your money.
torquadon said:
I would say that his approach is way more sensible than yours. You could have easily incorporate wireless charging to both xperia z2 and galaxy s5 for much less money than note 4 cost. If that was the only edge you were looking for you simply wasted your money.
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Sony Z2 has no wireless charging at all only the Z3 has but it does have 3GB
Galaxy S5 only has 2GB not 3GB (not enough)
actually from looking at some rumours about upcoming phones, I'd be interested in the next-gen Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the so rumoured Z4 ultra, with 6.4" screen and 1440p and stylus support. but that's just vapourware atm, CES will tell.
funnily enough, i just want a bigger screen in a new phone, like that is literally the top priority. the current z ultra is a year old so its processors/res etc rules it out. though it's not too expensive to buy outright now on ebay.
I've upgraded from a note 2 and the difference is significant. The upgrade in these camera alone was worth it.
I started saving money when i bought the note 2, so the note 4 was paid off as soon as it came out.
I am writing this message from my note 2,as it's a nice device to mess around with now, and I'm currently running Lollipop ?
EP2008 said:
I've upgraded from a note 2 and the difference is significant. The upgrade in these camera alone was worth it.
I started saving money when i bought the note 2, so the note 4 was paid off as soon as it came out.
I am writing this message from my note 2,as it's a nice device to mess around with now, and I'm currently running Lollipop ?
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Lollipop on your note 2? Can you provide a link?
A|ex said:
Sony Z2 has no wireless charging at all only the Z3 has but it does have 3GB
Galaxy S5 only has 2GB not 3GB (not enough)
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Click to collapse
I didn't check it for long time and didn't know that Sony resigned from wireless charging cover. My bad.
I'm not sure you understood his post. He didn't say that there is no difference, neither I did. All I am saying is, I believe his approach is more sensible. According to you 1gb ram and wireless charger is worth 600GBP, and for me it is not. Amount of people who will need that extra ram is relatively small, I updated from nexus 5 only because I could, not because it was by any means necessary. Both phones are more then capable of running any app from Google play smoothly, many of them would work better on nexus for that simple reason that Samsung apps use huge amount of ram/cpu and unless u root there is no way to disable them.
I was on the Note 3 and didn't had any plans to get the Note 4 as I thought it wasn't worth upgrading to.
But I haven't regret it a second! The quality of the phone is amazing! Better screen and better battery life. Love it!
/CK
I upgrade every two years. My previous phone was the note 2 and I'm thoroughly impressed. Everything, other than battery life, is a dramatic improvement. What really make this phone revolutionary upgrade from any other devise is gear vr. Think of all the advancements ever brought to the smartphone market and realize that nothing compares to gear vr.
Bruce lee roy said:
I upgrade every two years. My previous phone was the note 2 and I'm thoroughly impressed. Everything, other than battery life, is a dramatic improvement. What really make this phone revolutionary upgrade from any other devise is gear vr. Think of all the advancements ever brought to the smartphone market and realize that nothing compares to gear vr.
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Click to collapse
This plus imagine Note 4 + Gear VR + Gear S! Although Gear VR will not allow you to call or text when the user is wearing it, with Gear S, you could do that by talking to S-Voice! I have not tried this out personally - because I am poor, but it should work... right? :S That and advanced s-pen :3
But for the whole upgrading thing: If I were to upgrade my phone today - or within the year, I would go with the Note 4. If I were patient enough to wait a few more months, well, then clearly I wouldn't get the note 4 S: The way I see it though, technology has been upgrading crazy fast so it's no big deal if you're out of the loop lol
edit: I am biased though since I already own the note 4 + VR

Advice on Buying Nexus 6?

I'm basically wondering how the Nexus 6 is doing? Has the latest update to 5.1.1 worked well for people or does it feel old? Will it most likely keep getting updates through Android M too? My S6 Edge benchmarks amazingly but Touchwiz ultimately sucks even now that it's gone through a VERY cheap lipo surgery.
Constant redraws have made me resort to using Nova Launcher and the RAM management is atrocious, I'm actually in habit now to always open the multi-tasking pane and closing all apps whenever I go to open a new one (on an $850 phone!!)! And don't get me started with the damn backwards capacitive buttons ON THE BEZEL. I can't tell you how many times I accidentally pressed them while holding my phone sideways for games or even just taking pictures. Now I have to make sure to hold the phone awkwardly to not press them...
It's just frustrating not having your expensive phone's stock OS work well (HTC One M8 being a prime example of how to get stock right). I also absolutely love having Stock Android on my Nexus 9 so it'd be sweet having stock on both phone and tablet. My only worry would be if anyone knows if a newer big sized Nexus phone is around the corner or is the Nexus 6 still a legit phone and worth the pricetag?
Thanks in advance!
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Hendrycks said:
I'm basically wondering how the Nexus 6 is doing? Has the latest update to 5.1.1 worked well for people or does it feel old?
My only worry would be if anyone knows if a newer big sized Nexus phone is around the corner or is the Nexus 6 still a legit phone and worth the pricetag?
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Because a smartphone is a personal choice it is not easy to answer your questions. I will tell you what I did with my N6.
1. Rooted and flashed Franco's kernel.
2. Disabled not used Google apps.
3. Used build.prop editor.
Switched to tablet mode by changing the value LCD density from 560 to 384. Font size to huge.
WiFi scan interval from 15 to 200.
4. When available using apps with a black background.
Result is better battery life. And I hardly use my PC anymore. My N7-tablet is no longer needed.
Nexus 6 will get M and who knows after that? Quite possibly the next version. Then when support stops, we'll still get AOSP with a bit of dev work involved.
Samsung RAM management has always been bad. My S3 was terrible at it. They just cant get it right.
Stock = Whatever the phone comes with, so for the first part I assume you are referring to Touchwiz and Sense as Stock on those phones, but by the second part of your post when you say stock, it seems like you really meant Vanilla / Pure Android?
One of the reasons to buy a Google phone is that it is likely to be well-supported both by Google and by the community.
My last phone was a Galaxy S4. It was a very nice phone but I hated TouchWiz and Knox so I jumped ship and I've been very happy with my N6. As long as you are happy with a huge phone, you certainly don't need to worry about support.
Long time Samsung user (prev phone was S3). I looked long and hard at getting an S6, but too many disgruntled users (RAM, battery, and locked bootloader - although Rooting was achieved).
Looked at M9 and LG3 too. Hadn't really considered Nexus 6. Then after reading reviews and user comments, I bought an unlocked 64GB version for $549 ($150 off) on Amazon. Rooted it withing 30 minutes and had AT&T put a SIM in it.
Really happy so far (1 week in). Great battery life, fast, and no AT&T or Samsung bloat.
Also - I was off contract with AT&T, so I have 30 days with Amazon to return it if I want to.
I'm sort of in the same boat. I have about a month to decide if I want to go with this phone, the G4, or something else. Currently on an iPhone and while I like it, I miss Android. My first Android phone was the OG Droid from Motorola, so I'm leaning heavily to the Nexus.
While I'd love to get the 64GB version, it's just not in the cards at the moment to pay full price (just bought my wife a new road bike, and we're trying to save for a move), so I'll be using one of the 2 year upgrades on my AT&T account when it comes up next month.

This phone, G4, ? or wait?

Little bit about my Android history:
Had the OG Droid on VZW for a while and really loved the phone. It worked well and was a solid option.
Went to AT&T to get an iPhone for me and my wife...6 months later VZW got the iPhone and I wished I had never switched (had unlimited data on VZW, missed that boat with the carrier switch).
Used the 3GS for 2 years and liked, but didn't really love it.
Got a Galaxy S2 Skyrocket (the first LTE Galaxy) and loved it...at first. Went on a business trip and everything went to hell. Drained the battery twice in an 8 hour work day (had a decent signal), phone started rebooting randomly and heating up. Switched back to the 3GS for the remainder of the trip. Came home, flashed to stock and it was fine...until I went on vacation, then I had the same issues.
Used the 3GS until I got a 5S. Using that now.
Really want to get back to Android. I like it a lot and the Nexus seems like a solid phone. Do I switch to it, the G4, something else, or wait? Based on what I'm seeing, one of my lines has an upgrade available (I refuse to rent my phone through the installment plans), so I can use that upgrade to replace my phone.
I know this is really a decision for me to make, I'm just looking for opinions. Being that this is the Nexus 6 forum, I fully expect for it to win; and I'm ok with that
liquidzoo said:
Little bit about my Android history:
Had the OG Droid on VZW for a while and really loved the phone. It worked well and was a solid option.
Went to AT&T to get an iPhone for me and my wife...6 months later VZW got the iPhone and I wished I had never switched (had unlimited data on VZW, missed that boat with the carrier switch).
Used the 3GS for 2 years and liked, but didn't really love it.
Got a Galaxy S2 Skyrocket (the first LTE Galaxy) and loved it...at first. Went on a business trip and everything went to hell. Drained the battery twice in an 8 hour work day (had a decent signal), phone started rebooting randomly and heating up. Switched back to the 3GS for the remainder of the trip. Came home, flashed to stock and it was fine...until I went on vacation, then I had the same issues.
Used the 3GS until I got a 5S. Using that now.
Really want to get back to Android. I like it a lot and the Nexus seems like a solid phone. Do I switch to it, the G4, something else, or wait? Based on what I'm seeing, one of my lines has an upgrade available (I refuse to rent my phone through the installment plans), so I can use that upgrade to replace my phone.
I know this is really a decision for me to make, I'm just looking for opinions. Being that this is the Nexus 6 forum, I fully expect for it to win; and I'm ok with that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got the Nexus 6 on yesterday. The last Nexus I had was the Galaxy Nexus. I just came from the S6 and I couldn't be happier. The S6 was a disaster and the last time I checked the G4 still has root issues. Get the Nexus 6 and happy flashing!
v2.2v said:
I just got the Nexus 6 on yesterday. The last Nexus I had was the Galaxy Nexus. I just came from the S6 and I couldn't be happier. The S6 was a disaster and the last time I checked the G4 still has root issues. Get the Nexus 6 and happy flashing!
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I did read 1 comparison of the G4 with the Nexus last month when the G4 came out and in testing, though the screen on the G4 (according to the reviewer) was slightly better, and it had the removable battery and SD card capability the battery life on the Nexus 6 was far better (like 2 hours+ better).
That alone was pushing me to the Nexus 6 (still not convinced that my issues with my Skyrocket weren't due to the SD Card). Well, that was among the items anyway.
http://m.androidcentral.com/nexus-6-best-android-flagship-you-can-buy-today
There is always a better phone "due" buy a nexus today and 6 months something new comes out! But as of today. Nexus 6 is fire! And also next gen phones snapdragon 810 v.2.1. Nah thanks!
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

What's your next device? Note 7 or something else?

I'm assuming a lot of you are like me, and have had the Note 4 close to 2 years now- close to paid for... wondering if anyone is considering getting a Note 7 or something else and why?
I was all excited about upgrading to a Note 7 but the limited research I've done based on the S7 is the bootloader will probably be locked meaning no root, no roms, etc... so now I'm not sure if I just stick it out a while long with my Note 4 or look elsewhere for another device? (nexus ###?)
Comments appreciated.
Araltd said:
I'm assuming a lot of you are like me, and have had the Note 4 close to 2 years now- close to paid for... wondering if anyone is considering getting a Note 7 or something else and why?
I was all excited about upgrading to a Note 7 but the limited research I've done based on the S7 is the bootloader will probably be locked meaning no root, no roms, etc... so now I'm not sure if I just stick it out a while long with my Note 4 or look elsewhere for another device? (nexus ###?)
Comments appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a pain in the butt shopping for where to go from the Note 4. Where, oh where, is it's successor? I so hate the idea of a non-replaceable battery. Maybe, if it wouldn't be too grueling to take my next "sealed" phone apart to replace the dang thing. The next big screen Nexus? Arrrgggghhhhhh!
Well if I didn't just post a lengthy reply to a similar question in the Intl. forum! (In fact I did; this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/general/moving-to-flagship-t3404126 my ramblings are the first post on page 4 ) Bullet points:
* I think the Note 4 is (still, 2 years in) a great device and I plan on keeping mine after making my last few payments. It will be a super fancy universal IR remote... ...among other things Definitely no shortage of ways to repurpose an old/extra Android device.
* I really hope the upcoming Nexus has expandable storage... I could see that happening this year with Google's "adoptable storage" (and other OEM's failing to... adopt it ) It's equally possible that I just really want that to happen. Either way, if it does, the larger screen version will be my next phone.
* The Note 7 looks beastly and if it doesn't have a locked bootloader I might go for it. The thing is, I'd really like to avoid buying anything from TMO aside from service... ya know, "vote with my wallet" against their abysmally late updates. I have a "new" Tab S2 TMO variant that's now the only model of that tablet that hasn't been updated to MM yet, making it as well as my N4 dead last (including other carriers) to receive the 10 month old OS. No way I can throw down up front for a $$$ N7 though, and I did do a couple of exchanges with the TMO insurance that were super easy, so bootloader unlocked = maybe, locked = not. a. chance. (not that I'd ever pay money for a "computer" that locks me out from self-administration, but particularly since I trust TMO 0% wrt updates and may need to handle that myself.)
* Option 3 = ??? Hoping to find the following: strong/friendly development community, expandable storage, >= 5.5" quality display, standard headphone port (IMO it's ridiculous that dropping this is becoming "a thing" w/o a superior replacement), and "good" battery life. Hopefully not asking too much in 2016, sure was in 2015.
Currently leaning towards a Nexus I suppose... not really in any rush to move on from the N4. Oh and definitely agree @steven.m - sealed battery = planned obsolescence but (clearly) any phone without a completely impractical metal unibody is simply not "PREMIUM" enough for... something something... of today! Note that a removable battery isn't even on my "wish list"... I was trying to make it realistic
I'll keep this N4 until it's dead. Then I'll most likely look at Nexus, HTC or Moto devices. About the only thing I'll miss is the WiFi calling.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Labs
Xiaomi Mi Max for me
Xiaomi Mi Max 6.5 inches of Android goodness, plus removable battery and sd card support. Samsung has iphoned their way out of my hands. If I wanted a iphone I would have bought a iphone, but such is life. Wife has s7 edge and she keeps telling me it is the worst phone she has ever owned. With that in house review why would I buy a Note 7?
vanemburghj said:
Xiaomi Mi Max 6.5 inches of Android goodness, plus removable battery and sd card support. Samsung has iphoned their way out of my hands. If I wanted a iphone I would have bought a iphone, but such is life. Wife has s7 edge and she keeps telling me it is the worst phone she has ever owned. With that in house review why would I buy a Note 7?
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I'll have to look that model up- I don't know Xiaomi, but maybe I will get to know them. :highfive:
Edit: Hmmm.... love the size of the screen, but not QHD.... and battery not removable. Close, but I dunno.
steven.rn said:
I'll have to look that model up- I don't know Xiaomi, but maybe I will get to know them. :highfive:
Edit: Hmmm.... love the size of the screen, but not QHD.... and battery not removable. Close, but I dunno.
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Dang just did another spec search and you are right http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_max-8057.php says non-removable battery. What is up with that, cheaper to produce?
vanemburghj said:
says non-removable battery. What is up with that, cheaper to produce?
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Yes, and the capacity can be battery capacity can be maximised this way since they don't have to make provisions for the battery to be removed.
I think I'm done with Samsung for now. Waiting for the Note 4 MM update this long and the fact that they basically abandoned the Galaxy Tab Pro six months after they released it have really turned me off.
I think I'll be trying one of the 'upstart' manufacturers. I've been considering the Huawei Mate line for a while now, but their software has always been a drawback (but at least they update it). Now I've been reading that they are making software and their EMUI skin a priority as they attempt to break into the US/NA market. I look forward to seeing what they've got. Also, T-Mobile specific versions of any phone seem to not get nearly as much development, which is understandable. But I think I'll get an unlocked international phone next time.
I will be keeping my Note 4 (just like I still have my Note 3) for use with the virtual reality headset that I will be getting. It still has enough processing power and a very good screen resolution for that type of activity.
I'm thinking about the zenfone 3 ultra 6.8inch monster lol
The note 7 isn't on my radar, I too am think of going with a nexus if it has a memory card slot but all of this won't be for a while as I just traded in my s7 ( which was part of bogo ) and got my note 4 back that I jumped about 6 months ago. I missed it so much I will keep it for ever, even after its paid off. I also have the s7 edge which just became rootable so I might play with it for a while but it's my work phone and I have until November before I can jump again but it won't be a Sammy phone. I don't really like the s7 edge as those edges are a real nightmare unless you have a case on it you will have accidental touches that will drive you crazy. I'll hold on to my note 4 until next year and then start looking.
I didn't realize the s7 had been rooted
Techngro said:
I think I'm done with Samsung for now. Waiting for the Note 4 MM update this long and the fact that they basically abandoned the Galaxy Tab Pro six months after they released it have really turned me off.
I think I'll be trying one of the 'upstart' manufacturers. I've been considering the Huawei Mate line for a while now, but their software has always been a drawback (but at least they update it). Now I've been reading that they are making software and their EMUI skin a priority as they attempt to break into the US/NA market. I look forward to seeing what they've got. Also, T-Mobile specific versions of any phone seem to not get nearly as much development, which is understandable. But I think I'll get an unlocked international phone next time.
I will be keeping my Note 4 (just like I still have my Note 3) for use with the virtual reality headset that I will be getting. It still has enough processing power and a very good screen resolution for that type of activity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Honor 5x which is from Huawei also., bought it a few months to test, for $200 premium looking, metal casing, 2 sim slots and external sd... but no removable battery and we are supposed to get MM any day now..
but yes I think I want a google phone, but it has to have external sd, maybe I can deal with non removable battery, but who knows. and they better start lowering prices of phones, they would sell more and sell every year selling at about $500.. that's just me thinking out load.. :silly:
because I have my father in law had the S2 very outdated and giving him problems.., so off went my note 3 which was my sons, so he plays with it,
I started with HTC, had almost every single phone till the M7, then moved to Samsung from S2, S3, Note 2, 3, 4.. and on the Notes had 2 of each, for me and my wife.. also with the M7.. I have paid to much on phones and then they don't take care of the updates which the dev do it better than Samsung is very disappointing since manufacturing them is really under $200 coming from the take downs of the devices.. way to much profit, then they expect us, to buy new phones every year...
try to return a new phone u buy in T-Mobile, they offer u half of less after 3 or 4 months then they sell it back as certified phones for double than what they paid getting it back from you... really sucks..
remember a phone is for making phone calls......
I have a pc, laptop,
2 tablets Samsung as well, and they stop with the updates after a year. u get lucky maybe give it a year 2 or 3 months...
super surprised about this MM update on our phones giving that we are almost on our 2 year.. very surprised, guess they are trying to say we will support them longer... remember Note 4 came with KitKat, then Lollipop, and now MM... wow....
darn even apple updates the phones till the older phones can't except the updates to slowing it down or not enough space left..
opps rambling, let me stop... haha
This is a good question I guess it depends on if note 7 comes with 820 or something better I won't buy a 820 phone there are cheaper options with same processor. Im thinking Nexus. But if note 7 has 4000mah battery it may get my money. My last 2 Samsung phones have had bad gps
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA-Developers mobile app
mdiaz33685 said:
I have the Honor 5x which is from Huawei also., bought it a few months to test, for $200 premium looking, metal casing, 2 sim slots and external sd... but no removable battery and we are supposed to get MM any day now..
but yes I think I want a google phone, but it has to have external sd, maybe I can deal with non removable battery, but who knows. and they better start lowering prices of phones, they would sell more and sell every year selling at about $500.. that's just me thinking out load.. :silly:
because I have my father in law had the S2 very outdated and giving him problems.., so off went my note 3 which was my sons, so he plays with it,
I started with HTC, had almost every single phone till the M7, then moved to Samsung from S2, S3, Note 2, 3, 4.. and on the Notes had 2 of each, for me and my wife.. also with the M7.. I have paid to much on phones and then they don't take care of the updates which the dev do it better than Samsung is very disappointing since manufacturing them is really under $200 coming from the take downs of the devices.. way to much profit, then they expect us, to buy new phones every year...
try to return a new phone u buy in T-Mobile, they offer u half of less after 3 or 4 months then they sell it back as certified phones for double than what they paid getting it back from you... really sucks..
remember a phone is for making phone calls......
I have a pc, laptop,
2 tablets Samsung as well, and they stop with the updates after a year. u get lucky maybe give it a year 2 or 3 months...
super surprised about this MM update on our phones giving that we are almost on our 2 year.. very surprised, guess they are trying to say we will support them longer... remember Note 4 came with KitKat, then Lollipop, and now MM... wow....
darn even apple updates the phones till the older phones can't except the updates to slowing it down or not enough space left..
opps rambling, let me stop... haha
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am getting to the point where I can no longer justify spending $650-700 on a phone. You're right, there are so many decent options now for half the price.
I'm waiting to see what the Nexus phone phones are like this year. I'm hoping they'll have a nice premium phone this year. The 6P was a nice start. HTC may kick it up another notch. Rumors are that Google wants a phone that will directly compete with the iPhone. Well see if that happens. I've had only Samsung smartphones (Galaxy S, Note 2, note 4, galaxy light). It's time for something different
Jeez the note 7 is going to be almost 1000.
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using xda premium
HTC makes the best Nexus phones imo.
I might get the Moto G4 Plus
rile1564 said:
I'm waiting to see what the Nexus phone phones are like this year. I'm hoping they'll have a nice premium phone this year. The 6P was a nice start. HTC may kick it up another notch. Rumors are that Google wants a phone that will directly compete with the iPhone. Well see if that happens. I've had only Samsung smartphones (Galaxy S, Note 2, note 4, galaxy light). It's time for something different
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed... but then again, do I have enough time to monkey around with ROMs again? Realistically - no. If I get an Android device again, I'm just going to have to get the latest Nexus. I'm tired of TW and trying to hack things to make them behave like I want them to...( I'm looking at you NFC icon ).

Nexus 6 or Note 4?

Hey guys,
I just sent my note 7 back and I need a "new" phone. :crying: I am using the G5 atm but I am not a fan of it and will return it.
So now I am on the fence between these two phones. I just need a good, reliable one to tide me over till the s8 comes out.
Which one should I get? I could get either one new for like 300.
I am leaning towards the Nexus 6 since the Note 4 isn't being updated anymore.
The only thing that bothers me is the lack of an Sd slot but I can live without that.
What do you think? Nexus 6 or Note 4?
Thank you for your help
If you're familiar with the Note 7, going with the Note 4 might be best, since you're likely used to using the S-Pen. However, as you note there isn't any more support for it, even though I'm sure custom ROMs can take up some of the slack.
Is the S-Pen more important than the Nexus 6 receiving an update to Android 7.1 in the near future?
There are two versions of the Note 4, the Exynos one and the Snapdragon one. There are no custom roms for the Exynos.
Sent from my Nexus 6 running Nougat using Tapatalk
@istperson: True about Exynos, and I admit forgetting that. However he should answer, at least for himself, the question I asked above. If the S-Pen is more important than updates, he'll want a Note 4. Otherwise he'll want a Nexus 6.
I have to say the N6 is a great phone in my opinion. It's fast and the stock ROM is pure android. You get nougat too if that's important to you. Plenty of ROMS to play around with. I'm running pure nexus 6.0.1. from August and it's damn near perfect. The screen is large and the dual front speakers sound good. Quickcharge is great if you use it alot. Wireless charging is pretty much crap. Lack of SD card sucks. It's heavy and huge. For gaming it's great and battery life is good (not great). It can be had on Swappa for around $175 if you want to save some money. I've long been a gadget geek and part of that is me swapping phones often. I've had many different ones, but I can't seem to find something that justifies giving up the N6. I really want to buy a new phone but the N6 is so good, I can't seem to find something that is worth spending more money on.
N6 hands down....come get ya some Nougat!
Nexus 6 hand down, the repair shop I help manage have been getting the n6 for less than 200. I got our sales guy to get one, and now he and I have convinced over 10 people to buy them this month nexus 6s to people in the last month. We are getting 4 more in to sell as well lol People see my phone and they love it!
Thanks for all your replies, guys! I seriously appreciate all the input. I am going to get the Nexus 6 used first, and my colleague will let me borrow his old Note 4. I will update back later on which device I decided for permanently
So I just got the Nexus 6 and the Note 4. I was immediately more impressed by the N6. It's so huge and looks so amazing. I also just downloaded Nougat. I feel like the Nexus charges faster than the Note. I am gonna pop a sim card in and use both phones for the next week.
rivethead23 said:
I have to say the N6 is a great phone in my opinion. It's fast and the stock ROM is pure android. You get nougat too if that's important to you. Plenty of ROMS to play around with. I'm running pure nexus 6.0.1. from August and it's damn near perfect. The screen is large and the dual front speakers sound good. Quickcharge is great if you use it alot. Wireless charging is pretty much crap. Lack of SD card sucks. It's heavy and huge. For gaming it's great and battery life is good (not great). It can be had on Swappa for around $175 if you want to save some money. I've long been a gadget geek and part of that is me swapping phones often. I've had many different ones, but I can't seem to find something that justifies giving up the N6. I really want to buy a new phone but the N6 is so good, I can't seem to find something that is worth spending more money on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use a 3 coil wireless charger and have had no issues. Yes it charges slower, it also keeps the USB port from getting banged up that much faster.
So I am ending my project prematurely. The Note 4 is hella laggy and just pure **** software wise. I bet it would run flawlessly if Samsung supported it but I don't have the nerve to deal with this overheating, laggy mess.
The Nexus 6 is really nice, the only thing that bothers me is the awful front camera, the kinda average battery life and the below average rear camera.
I really like Nougat and I think the Nexus 6 runs flawlessly. I wish Google would extend the OS updates. It's marvelous. I love the huge screen. I regret not getting this phone earlier lol. It feels so good having the latest Android.
I had both, Nexus 6 HANDS DOWN!
I just switched from the Note 4 (snapdragon) to Nexus 6.
First off, 2 years ago i was deciding between these two devices and I chose the note 4 because I didn't want to give up the s pen or and the LED notification light. However as android evolved from kitkat to marshmallow, I ran into major problems with rooting. Note 4 ran best on kitkat. Once I went lolipop I had to disable SecurityLogAgent via systemapp remover in order to salvage my root otherwise knox would bootloop. I also found that once I went MM, I ran into some pretty big problems such as mmc read fail errors, boot loops, screen not waking up, the list goes on. I bought a few new batteries as well to rule out that possibility. Now some of these could have been hardware related as I did wipe out on my bike quite a few times with the phone in my pocket (otterbox commuter case), but from what I've been reading, I wasn't the only note 4 user with these issues. I honestly believe the knox bootloader and knox software deliberately screws up your device if you root. It got to the point where I smashed my note 4. My note 4 wouldn't even wake up and activate my alarm clock, to wake me up! unreliable! No matter what I tried, even running it on bone stock, the same problems kept happening. I did not bother downgrading back to loli, or kitkat because I wanted to keep the latest security updates.
Performance & First Impressions
I got the Nexus 6 as a temporary phone since I was considering going Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra. Yet once I held the Nexus 6, and analyzed how it is bone stock, I instantly fell in love with the device. I like the slight bulk at the back of the phone which adds a good feel in my hand. I don't like thin phones. They are very slippery. A plus to Motorola for this ergonomic design. Good weight and a great feel.
Not only are the direct OTA updates from google so CLEAN, but you get the latest of the latest! Android 7 Nougat is bloody amazing!!! holy %#$#$^%! You can't get any cleaner stock rom than the google OTA releases. Literally half a page of apps installed in your app drawer.
The true beauty of this device is how easy it is to root/modify/customize. Once you unlock the bootloader, you're good to go. No knox or any 3rd party app screwing with your stuff.
Both are snapdragon 805 but the Nexus is clocked way higher. The Nexus also has a better screen. Larger, higher PPI and I think it's brighter too. Front facing stereo speakers are quite nice. The little speaker on the back of the note 4 is no comparison. Games run better on the Nexus 6 due to a higher clocked CPU.
With root, you can activate the hidden LED notification light behind the top speaker. You cant get it to blink though, but I'm okay with a solid light.
So what does the Note 4 have over the Nexus 6?
Note 4 battery life is definitely better. Note 4 camera is also better. Nexus 6 has zero image stabilization. The Note 4 also has external storage (micro SD slot) where the Nexus 6 relies on 32gb (or 64gb model) internal storage only plus whatever space you have on your google drive. Note 4 has removable back, easier to replace the battery although it isn't too hard to do on the Nexus 6.
Repairing
I've taken my Note 4 apart at least 3 times and boy what an annoying task it is. You see, samsung designs their phones in ways where if the user attempts to open them, you risk severely damaging your samsung phone. The older samsung models didn't have this problem. For the note 4, you risk tearing a a few ribbons and your antenna if you don't pry the screen from the bezel properly and very carefully. You have to know where these ribbons are prior to opening the Note 4. Note 4 screen replacement is also very annoying and you need new adhesive to re-seat the screen properly after disassembly. So basically, You really don't want to take your Note 4 apart unless you really have to.
The Nexus 6 however, is super easy. The back is just a sticker held by adhesive. Once that comes off it's just like the older phone designs. After few screws you have easy access to the battery, and very easy screen replacement. The only ribbon you have to worry about when prying off the back sticker is the one connected to the battery. You have to be in pretty deep to hit it though in my opinion.
Conclusion
When I was choosing between these two devices two years ago, I should have gone with the Nexus 6 instead, period. I plan to use a custom kernel with CPU governor in attempts to de-clock the CPU for certain profiles in order to gain more battery life. Nexus 6 battery life is quite bad within heavy usage. Other than that, the Nexus 6 is the best power-user phablet you could possibly own as of this day.
@d4ndr0id: A few screws? Try 22 of them.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
@d4ndr01d: A few screws? Try 22 of them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I laughed when I read that, especially that 4 screws got stripped when I was taking them out. Luckily a t4 bit was able to get them out easily. I haven't really had any problems with Samsung screws getting stripped when I repair them at work.
I have both phones, both with root access/unlocked bootloaders. I switch between the two frequently mainly because the Note 4 has better cameras and wifi calling (Verizon) and the Nexus has no wifi calling (for Verizon). I live in an area with very low signal and drop calls often.
But with that said, I use the N6 most mainly because it "feels" faster to me. The Note 4 is a fantastic phone though and I would be perfectly fine using it, especially now that it has an unlocked bootloader.

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