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Galaxy Note vs LG Nitro

Hi all - I've been planning to upgrade from my Infuse 4G to a Note for a while now, primarily because of the extra screen real estate (obviously), though I hear the battery on the Note is killer as well. The thing is though that the Note isn't available in the States, which means I'm looking at $700-$800 at least to get one. Typically I'd be okay with that, but these days more and more phones are actually making it over here, and I know there is a rumor that the Note will follow suit. I'd hate to spend $800 just to see it for $400 in a couple months. I'm thinking I'd rather get something like the LG Nitro for now, which I can get for $250, and then still get the Note when it hits the States for less anyway - and still probably spend less than getting a Note right now.
Anyway, I'm looking for some opinions... The fact that there isn't a thread for the LG Nitro here yet counts for something, but I'm sure there will be one soon enough. It looks like some of the Optimus drivers work for rooting, so I'm okay there. And I don't care about the stylus at all. So it really just comes down to screen - Super AMOLED 5.3", or super high pixel density 4.5"? And is the battery on the Note really that awesome?

If you want a Note, just use your upgrade to get something with high resell value (like an iphone), sell it, then buy the Note. Even if the Note comes to the US next year, you won't be able to get it for $400 if you use your upgrade now to get a Nitro for $250.

dscline said:
If you want a Note, just use your upgrade to get something with high resell value (like an iphone), sell it, then buy the Note. Even if the Note comes to the US next year, you won't be able to get it for $400 if you use your upgrade now to get a Nitro for $250.
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I actually have two lines (one that I used in a wifi access point) that are available for upgrade. In any case, I'd rather stick with my Infuse than get an iPhone! That's a downgrade!

I'm not suggesting you actually use the iphone, just buy it, sell it, then buy what you really want with the profit. It's just a way of taking advantage of the subsidy without being limited to the phones they officially subsidize.

dscline said:
I'm not suggesting you actually use the iphone, just buy it, sell it, then buy what you really want with the profit. It's just a way of taking advantage of the subsidy without being limited to the phones they officially subsidize.
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Click to collapse
Oh. Well, I was looking for a replacement for my Infuse, for the next few months at least.
Anyway - I did pick the Nitro up at lunch. The screen is SUPER crisp, though it does suffer from the lack of contrast range of the Super AMOLED screen. So far I like it. We'll see how it goes over the next month.
It is also LTE, and I did some side-by-side comparisons, and it definitely loads up web pages faster (though that could also be the fast proc; I'm not sure).

if youre fine with gingerbread, i'd say grab the nitro. samsung already announced the note will be getting ICS. LG are normally slow to update their phones (look at the optimus 2x, only just got gingerbread quite recently).
on the bright side, the LG uses a 4.5inch IPS panel combined with a HD resolution. the combination leads to incredibly sharp pictures with quite vivid colours. i wouldnt mind giving one a go myself. the only major downsides with the LG are tiny built in storage and the poor battery life. but if you have a 32gb class 10 microSD card and charge your phone on a nightly basis anyway, that wont be an issue.

The Note's Amoled screen will definitely have burn-ins, maybe in months if you are a heavy user. The Nitro's screen won't have any of that problem since it's screen is LCD. One thing to consider.

The massive width of the Note is the only thing I don't like, and has me considering selling and switching to Optimus LTE (or Nitro HD if it can be unlocked). The Note's screen is beautiful, taking screenshots is super easy with the stylus or with palm swipe. If Note was 1280x720 it would not be quite as wide. I do love the S-Calendar and S-Memo apps, with or without the stylus, and Samsung's text message app is nice looking too.
9 Dec - Just saw Galaxy S II HD LTE specs. 1280 x 720, 4.7". This could be perfect. Would be much easier to handle one-handed. It is only 3 mm wider than S II, and actually 1 mm less than Skyrocket in width. If they would only add the S-Pen and its apps!

cushcalc said:
The massive width of the Note is the only thing I don't like, and has me considering selling and switching to Optimus LTE (or Nitro HD if it can be unlocked). The Note's screen is beautiful, taking screenshots is super easy with the stylus or with palm swipe. If Note was 1280x720 it would not be quite as wide. I do love the S-Calendar and S-Memo apps, with or without the stylus, and Samsung's text message app is nice looking too. Doesn't have Universal Inbox for Mail, which the Atrix 2 had - just found out that Optimus LTE does have Universal Inbox.
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Click to collapse
Yeah; I did pick it up yesterday and I was actually quite impressed with the Mail app. The only thing it is missing is that you cannot auto-sync folders other than your Inbox in Exchange accounts. BUT, I only need that for RSS feeds anyway, and I can always install another mail app for just RSS.
I am bummed though because while I could root it, I was having some problems with some apps and I used BusyBox installer to try to update BusyBox, and it broke my root! Now, I have superuser installed but it cannot actually authorize anything, and SuperOneClick can't do anything because it keeps trying to use the old BusyBox (I think). So I believe I'm stuck until someone comes up with some ODIN images...

SolusCado said:
Hi all - I've been planning to upgrade from my Infuse 4G to a Note for a while now, primarily because of the extra screen real estate (obviously), though I hear the battery on the Note is killer as well. The thing is though that the Note isn't available in the States, which means I'm looking at $700-$800 at least to get one. Typically I'd be okay with that, but these days more and more phones are actually making it over here, and I know there is a rumor that the Note will follow suit. I'd hate to spend $800 just to see it for $400 in a couple months. I'm thinking I'd rather get something like the LG Nitro for now, which I can get for $250, and then still get the Note when it hits the States for less anyway - and still probably spend less than getting a Note right now.
Anyway, I'm looking for some opinions... The fact that there isn't a thread for the LG Nitro here yet counts for something, but I'm sure there will be one soon enough. It looks like some of the Optimus drivers work for rooting, so I'm okay there. And I don't care about the stylus at all. So it really just comes down to screen - Super AMOLED 5.3", or super high pixel density 4.5"? And is the battery on the Note really that awesome?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're not dieing for the Note (Like I was haha), just wait until the price drops to $600.
DO NOT buy the AT&T N7000B, the Note that's coming to the states
Heres Why:
-The USA Note will have the 1.5ghz Snapdragon processor SoC, similiar to the T-mobile Galaxy S2 and the LTE Galaxy S2, which is even worse than the 1.2ghz Exynos in the Galaxy S2. The LTE Galaxy S2 or dubbed the "****rocket" by AT&T and the T-mobile Galaxy S2's users have reported laggy transitions, bad performance when gaming, and general slowness.
-AT&T LTE is probably the biggest marketing trap ever created. The people who want LTE think that the NEW LTE phone will be better, but they are generally worse (hardware wise). LTE from AT&T gives you decent speeds IF you live in one of the 9 cities that has AT&T LTE coverage. BUT... if you use too much data too fast, which is almost impossible to stop on LTE, you get throttled.
Then your download speeds on LTE are 0.05kbps
-AT&T and USA carriers have been found to put software that tracks your EVERY move on the device and they can see EXACTLY what you're doing. Big Brother is watching...
-AT&T is famous for releasing butchered versions of smartphones after incorporating LTE, so much so that developers for our OG Note will not be able to port over ROMS/Kernels. Basicly you're gonna receive no developer support. The AT&T Skyrocket section is so depressing that there are 2 developers, and the users are beginning to start paying for ROMS.
-AT&T bloatware... will hinder your device and sometimes you may not even realize what bloatware they have on your USA Note.
Well if that doesn't stop you from buying the USA Note, I don't know what will. While others read this, I'm going to think of a clever name to make fun of the USA Note with.

xAnimal5 said:
If you're not dieing for the Note (Like I was haha), just wait until the price drops to $600.
DO NOT buy the AT&T N7000B, the Note that's coming to the states
Heres Why:
-The USA Note will have the 1.5ghz Snapdragon processor SoC, similiar to the T-mobile Galaxy S2 and the LTE Galaxy S2, which is even worse than the 1.2ghz Exynos in the Galaxy S2. The LTE Galaxy S2 or dubbed the "****rocket" by AT&T and the T-mobile Galaxy S2's users have reported laggy transitions, bad performance when gaming, and general slowness.
-AT&T LTE is probably the biggest marketing trap ever created. The people who want LTE think that the NEW LTE phone will be better, but they are generally worse (hardware wise). LTE from AT&T gives you decent speeds IF you live in one of the 9 cities that has AT&T LTE coverage. BUT... if you use too much data too fast, which is almost impossible to stop on LTE, you get throttled.
Then your download speeds on LTE are 0.05kbps
-AT&T and USA carriers have been found to put software that tracks your EVERY move on the device and they can see EXACTLY what you're doing. Big Brother is watching...
-AT&T is famous for releasing butchered versions of smartphones after incorporating LTE, so much so that developers for our OG Note will not be able to port over ROMS/Kernels. Basicly you're gonna receive no developer support. The AT&T Skyrocket section is so depressing that there are 2 developers, and the users are beginning to start paying for ROMS.
-AT&T bloatware... will hinder your device and sometimes you may not even realize what bloatware they have on your USA Note.
Well if that doesn't stop you from buying the USA Note, I don't know what will. While others read this, I'm going to think of a clever name to make fun of the USA Note with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really don't care about the whole CarrierIQ stuff, and AT&T is actually getting a lot better about bloatware - you can uninstall all the crap they pre-loaded on the Nitro (though it's easy enough to freeze such apps anyway). Developer support would be a concern, and I happen to be one of those living (and working) in an area with LTE coverage - so the extra speed is ... well, something. But the processor change... why would they do that?

SolusCado said:
I really don't care about the whole CarrierIQ stuff, and AT&T is actually getting a lot better about bloatware - you can uninstall all the crap they pre-loaded on the Nitro (though it's easy enough to freeze such apps anyway). Developer support would be a concern, and I happen to be one of those living (and working) in an area with LTE coverage - so the extra speed is ... well, something. But the processor change... why would they do that?
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Click to collapse
Well, right now it's half speculation/half leaked reports. The general consensus that people have reached is that it's the Snapdragon.
As for why... I have come to believe that AT&T likes using Snapdragons primarily because they are cheaper to manufacture/or they receive a discount for the parts.
Ah, another detail I forgot to mention (you may already know this) but... LTE radios require extra space and that adds extra thickness to the phone, as well as changes the dimensions--not too much, but enough to make our OG cases unusable for the USA note.

xAnimal5 said:
Well, right now it's half speculation/half leaked reports. The general consensus that people have reached is that it's the Snapdragon.
As for why... I have come to believe that AT&T likes using Snapdragons primarily because they are cheaper to manufacture/or they receive a discount for the parts.
Ah, another detail I forgot to mention (you may already know this) but... LTE radios require extra space and that adds extra thickness to the phone, as well as changes the dimensions--not too much, but enough to make our OG cases unusable for the USA note.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AT&T isn't the manufacturer, so I can't imagine parts cost is a factor. It's probably more likely a power consumption/radio interference issue.
Good point on the LTE thickness! I'll probably just enjoy my Note for now, and then when it does hit the States take that opportunity to check out the screen and form factor in person - make sure I really prefer it to the Nitro - and then order one from overseas...

I myself used the "if it comes to AT&T with LTE it's probably going to end up with a slower processor" argument as a reason to get an international unit now. But...
xAnimal5 said:
-AT&T LTE is probably the biggest marketing trap ever created. The people who want LTE think that the NEW LTE phone will be better, but they are generally worse (hardware wise). LTE from AT&T gives you decent speeds IF you live in one of the 9 cities that has AT&T LTE coverage. BUT... if you use too much data too fast, which is almost impossible to stop on LTE, you get throttled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand this. Assuming your data usage doesn't change (you still go to the same sites, download the same data, etc.), you shouldn't use any more data than you would on 3G. Now, if your saying that because you CAN download data faster an LTE, you COULD use more data and therefore get into trouble faster, that's hardly a downside of LTE. That's like saying you want a slower car because you get tickets in a faster car. That doesn't mean a faster car is worse, that just means you can't control yourself. Personally, I would MUCH rather have the ability to download faster, and get the same amount of data in less time. Here in Atlanta anyway, 3G is really bogged down, and when I'm at a crowded event I may not be able to get any service. I would love to have the ability to use the much less crowded spectrum. But if I have to get a slower CPU and less battery life, then it becomes less appealing.
xAnimal5 said:
Well, right now it's half speculation/half leaked reports. The general consensus that people have reached is that it's the Snapdragon.
As for why... I have come to believe that AT&T likes using Snapdragons primarily because they are cheaper to manufacture/or they receive a discount for the parts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think that has anything to do with AT&T. Even the Korean LTE Note supposedly uses the Snapdragon. Why would Samsung use someone else's CPU in their LTE enabled phones if their own CPU could do it? I don't understand why, but apparently the current version of Exynos just can't do LTE.

dscline said:
I myself used the "if it comes to AT&T with LTE it's probably going to end up with a slower processor" argument as a reason to get an international unit now. But...
I don't understand this. Assuming your data usage doesn't change (you still go to the same sites, download the same data, etc.), you shouldn't use any more data than you would on 3G. Now, if your saying that because you CAN download data faster an LTE, you COULD use more data and therefore get into trouble faster, that's hardly a downside of LTE. That's like saying you want a slower car because you get tickets in a faster car. That doesn't mean a faster car is worse, that just means you can't control yourself. Personally, I would MUCH rather have the ability to download faster, and get the same amount of data in less time. Here in Atlanta anyway, 3G is really bogged down, and when I'm at a crowded event I may not be able to get any service. I would love to have the ability to use the much less crowded spectrum. But if I have to get a slower CPU and less battery life, then it becomes less appealing.
I don't think that has anything to do with AT&T. Even the Korean LTE Note supposedly uses the Snapdragon. Why would Samsung use someone else's CPU in their LTE enabled phones if their own CPU could do it? I don't understand why, but apparently the current version of Exynos just can't do LTE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, from the reports I've been hearing from my friend with an HTC Vivid, he said that some of the bloat that ships with LTE phones auto-updates even if you have it turned off. If unnoticed over a long period of time, it stacks up.
Just for me at least, if I get LTE... I will probably hit 30gbs per month haha, so I might as well stick with Faux G.
I also researched the processor predicament as well. It seems the only chipset + processor that works with Quad-band phones with LTE are the Snapdragons. It's a shame though because Snapdragons are unreliable and give a studdery performance. I played with the ****rocket at my corporate AT&T store in NYC and it was extremely laggy compared to the model for the OG SGSII.
Exynos Chipsets just aren't compatible with LTE radios yet I guess. Oh well, if I get LTE, I'll get throttled after a couple of hours, so I'll stick with my OG Note.
There may also be the question of ICS for the USA Note. Depending on when it's released, it may not ship with ICS. If that's the case, USA Note purchasers will be held hostage waiting for AT&T to give them an update for it.

One big reason to get International version.
PHYSICAL HOME BUTTON.
The size of the Note makes it very hard to solely rely on the smallish recessed upper right power button. Especially one handed.
Exynos is also a good reason. And if it gets any thicker it would fee "too big" IMHO.

SolusCado said:
. . . I am bummed though because while I could root it, I was having some problems with some apps and I used BusyBox installer to try to update BusyBox, and it broke my root! Now, I have superuser installed but it cannot actually authorize anything, and SuperOneClick can't do anything because it keeps trying to use the old BusyBox (I think). So I believe I'm stuck until someone comes up with some ODIN images...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would start over, root with Chainfire setup.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

cushcalc said:
I would start over, root with Chainfire setup.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't I need a device-specific kernel for ODIN to do that?

Restore to stock before re-attempt root.
SolusCado said:
Wouldn't I need a device-specific kernel for ODIN to do that?
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Click to collapse
I don't know about doing it with Odin.
I would follow dr.ketan's guide (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18978158&postcount=1):
"Now How I can revert back to Stock ROM/Unroot (In case of replacemet may i need)
I you have Just rooted only but not added CWM - Just Download this Extract - Execute - Rum Me unroot.bat
If You have Root + CWM - then first find out original stock kernel (zImage file)
Now place this file in zImage folder, n repeat procedure(Initial CFRoot Flasher), which you have done at time of pushing CWM by selecting I am rooted already
Now unroot with above said unrooting tool."

I would never get the Nitro myself.
-Development by the community will most likely suck for it
-The battery life is awful
-Average build quality
-Sub par camera for 8mp
-Not an amoled screen

Would you buy a htc 510 again?

I am trying to decide if I want to get in on the last week for Cricket with the htc 510 for free after rebate.
Reading up on this phone it looks like you do have root but the 64bit cpu is causing a hinderance with getting things like TWRP recovery and cyanogenmod.
It also doesn't appear to have little quality build things like gorilla glass.
Since the phone really isn't free, you have to pay for service for a month or two, I am wondering if anyone would hesitate to sink money into it again.
I don't see the benefit of 64bit on a phone and being the first means it also will be last to get software extras.

no, due to its complicated steps of hacking
- unlock bootloader (relock, and re-unlock (not available yet?)),
- TWRP recovery not assessable after relock bootloader (fastboot oem lock)
- cricket online would show device as "non-cricket device" and your phone's bootloader would say "TAMPERED" -> reduced resale value
- scarce ROM options compared to MOTO G
- ROM/radio/kernel options are mixed up for Sprint/Boost/Virgin/Cricket and no one knows for sure which works on which...
- digitizer seems not register touches properly. you need to touch lower part of what you wanted to touch (button, softkey) to get the phone respond
- digitizer seems sometimes less responsive to touches while other times too sensitive to a little moistures (like sweat from hands)
- its charging port on the right bottom side make it inconvenient to get docked in the phone holder in my car and be charged in the same time. (The stopper is usually on both sides of the phone, leaving the middle part open (where most phones having their charging ports))
i have mine in light use since 12/26 and i regretted my decision, I used MOTO G before but I dislike its round and curve back case and I wanted to experience stock Sense UI. So I took the chance experiencing it... but...
if you have a MOTO G in mint condition from cricket (LTE-support), I'd consider a trade with the extra $25 LOL
good luck

DX///M said:
i have mine in light use since 12/26 and i regretted my decision, I used MOTO G before but I dislike its round and curve back case and I wanted to experience stock Sense UI. So I took the chance experiencing it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well at the risk of turning this into a not-allowed phone vs phone thread, I'll just point out that while the quality of the Moto G is undeniable and worth the $25 extra, the problem is the model Cricket uses for their Moto G is locked down hard with no available bootloader unlock and no root, so forget roms.
Only reason why I was considering the HTC 510
I also just learned the USA version of the 510 is the 32bit cpu model so that improves things as TWRP is available for that one (I think?) but the camera is not auto-focus and no flash.
If it was truly free-after-rebate I'd still get the 510 but since you have to pay at least two months of service it is really a $70+tax phone and I'm not paying that for no flash and no auto-focus.

I managed to get 2 of them free by upgrading from CDMA to their gsm network I gave them two ****ty blackberrys from like 1998 lol

_ck_ said:
the problem is the model Cricket uses for their Moto G is locked down hard with no available bootloader unlock and no root, so forget roms.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for that comment, ck. I was gonna do some research on cricket moto g, but still finishing up with 510 for now.

I jumped on the cricket deal on black Friday and gave my son the phone for Xmas. It was his favorite gift by far. I couldn't use this as a daily driver but it is definitely worth two months of cricket. Cricket service has good coverage with 4g and late but I can't get speeds of more than 8 or 9. The phone is basically free and can handle any games apps I've thrown at it. Display could be better but no other complaints.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Free mobile app

This phone sucks if you've ever used a high quality phone like any of the galaxy series, note series, HTC one, nexus, I'm saving for another quality phone. No memory here, camera is horrible. Phone lags, yes the digitizer is horrible. And, I love music and with headphones it sounds terrible to use, I just don't see myself ever going this route again.
And I'm rooted running custom ROMs which is improvement, but I don't see any ROM fixing the negative about this phone, just improving crap
Sent from my HTC Desire 510 using XDA Free mobile app

When my CDMA Cricket-flashed Galaxy S2 finally died, I replaced it with the Cricket 510 and must admit I'm a little disappointed, although I wasn't expecting a world-class device at that price. Battery life and performance are better than I expected, but the grainy flashless camera, low storage space, and somewhat finicky digitizer leave much to be desired.
This is also my first experience with Sense and I'm not liking it too much, but there are replacement apps (launcher, messaging, keyboard, gallery, etc... ) that get the job done better. But as soon as the camera is fixed in cm11, I'm flashing it.
Would I buy another one? Probably not... I think I'd rather spend more for a better device. But if you're low on cash and need something quick and decent, this isn't a bad way to go at all.

Definitely not for the reasons already stated by everyone else. It is too much of a pain.

Unlike everyone else, I'd buy this phone again in a heartbeat. I got it for next to nothing and it works completely fine. Out of the box the lack of space on the internal storage is a little unnerving but it does have an external micro slot and now that it's rooted deleting the mass of bloatware installed by HTC gives up tons of space. I've flashed CM on mine now and it's even better and works beautifully especially considering it's a no-contract pay-to-go phone.
It amazes me that people want this phone to hit the ground running but NO PHONE DOES THAT save maybe the OnePlus One and the Yureka. We have a limited pool of devs on this phone and they have their own jobs outside of this forum and other phones that they work on. Stop being so self entitled and if you don't like the lack of development on the phone do something about it. The current devs we have already have a device tree up, ported the CM MSM8974 kernel, and a vendor repo (or you can use ./extract-files.sh and pull your own). It really doesn't take that much to get to learning on how to build CM and although deving is a little more, if you don't like it learn it. The phones not been out that long people, like less than five months.
For all it's worth, the phone works perfectly and has better specs than most of the other pay-to-go phones. Like I said, storage out of the box is lacking but there are given alternatives and if you don't like them then root the phone and remove the mass of bloatware. The touchscreen works fine for me 95% of the time. There are some times where the touchscreen gets a little crazy but it's once in a blue moon. The only real downside is the speakers and one of the devs here in the forums found a mod and if I remember correctly ported it to the 510 to work better. Yeah the camera issue on the current CM build is a little annoying but that part comes with flashing ROMs especially ROMs that aren't supported by CM themselves.
The device worked perfectly for me out of the box and the device continues to work like a beast for me with the current CM build from @rbheromax, @kalisto2002, and @shinru2004.
Like I said, I'd buy the phone again if I needed to because it was next to nothing.
That's my two cents.

I got mine free and regret every penny I didn't spend on something with more internal storage.
Thing is that is my only gripe with the phone, the lack of internal storage space. SD card can't help you if you can't even use the device because it's out of memory.
I've moved almost every app I have to SD card, still no use, and I only have a handful installed whereas on any other device I had about 5 times as many apps.
Would it really have killed them to put 8GB in this thing?
So, no I wouldn't choose this device again.

NEVER!
Nope. NEVER AGAIN!! A smartphone with no storage = basically a flip phone with a color screen. Waste of my money and time and the BIGGEST rip off ever!

Pinalp84 said:
Nope. NEVER AGAIN!! A smartphone with no storage = basically a flip phone with a color screen. Waste of my money and time and the BIGGEST rip off ever!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, unfortunately im stuck with it. It was my one shot at a phone and it looked awesome though I do work with tech a lot I do not mess with phones at all. So I got this and am currently desperate for a rom that can trim up this memory the on board storage gives you about 300MB after fresh install and updates. This is useless even with 30gb flash card. I have managed to unlock and root it just fine but mine is HTC 510 boost so not I am hoping they make a rom for this that works on my phone until then I am removing as much as I can but these apps do not do much to free up space. if anyone has any info I could use some As I said phones are not my thing.

I agree with dipspit.
Initially I was dismayed over the lack of space on this phone, however I purchased it at a good price and it was a definite upgrade (spec wise) compared to my old device. In all honesty even without the support this device has received from a few members here I still would purchase this again.
It's just an added benefit to have some wonderful members here who are doing all they can to make this phone awesome.

I was considering to buy this phone to my wife instead of her Desire HD. And the best thing about it was a 4G in it, but after reading all your posts I think I will go find something else. One more thing was stopping me from really buying it - 1G of RAM. I don't think it's really enough this days.

The 1GB ram is not a problem. I've since switched to a Moto G 2nd Gen. and with 1GB ram it runs smooth. I love the new Moto G and it's quite affordable, I recommend it.
The storage is the main issue on the Desire 510.

Never!
Its very sh!t phone,slow,very sh!t screen,etc...
My Xperia SP with 2 cores much better and faster

Just bought it as a temp phone till I figure out what phone to get. Besides the crappy screen and camera. It's fairly smooth for a midgrade phone.

Hmm...well I did get this phone for free. Although it does perform much better than my old phone the HTC One SV, the camera isn't as good as the SV (which I really miss). I'm used to phones not having very much development. My first smartphone was a Samsung Admire, then an LG Optimus C. Then the SV and now this. They didn't have much developing, but it was never disappointing. If I could get this phone for free I would. But if I had a chance to buy another phone and had the money, I definitely would. This gave me a taste of Sense 6 and the performance of HTC phones. I've never had it lag while casually using it. Although I do get some crashes, but that's what I get for messing with some of the system's files in order to perform much better.
Overall it's a good phone for performance and gave me a taste of Sense 6. The space isn't much of an issue for me. I've never ran out of memory space.
I love HTC phones and I would get it again if it was free again, but if I had money I would buy the M8 instead (or the upcoming M9)

If anyone was concerned about space, all they would have to do is buy a memory card.
Sent from my LG-D855 using XDA Free mobile app

Anyone else feel a slap in the face this morning?

So as of this morning, Lenovo officially listed the Moto E4 and E4 Plus on their site. Here's the E4 specs:
-Almost the same as G4 Play
-Snapdragon 425 or 427
-NanoSIM
-Added e-compass (which SHOULD have been on the G4 Play, seriously)
-Fingerprint Scanner in select markets
-Nougat out of the box
And all for $20 cheaper than what most of us paid. Anyone else as pissed as I am?

mkollersms said:
So as of this morning, Lenovo officially listed the Moto E4 and E4 Plus on their site. Here's the E4 specs:
-Almost the same as G4 Play
-Snapdragon 425 or 427
-NanoSIM
-Added e-compass (which SHOULD have been on the G4 Play, seriously)
-Fingerprint Scanner in select markets
-Nougat out of the box
And all for $20 cheaper than what most of us paid. Anyone else as pissed as I am?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a all. The G5 series is replacing the G4 although the latter will likely remain available for some time. The E4 has a different demographic/geographic focus but will supposedly be available in Europe and North America, likely positioned as a budget phone.
The evolution you are seeing with the G4->E4 series regularly plays out in the consumer electronics, automotive and other industries. Fingerprint scanners were once exclusive to "flagship" devices; now some varients of the lowly E4 gets one. Amazing!

Davey126 said:
Not a all. The G5 series is replacing the G4 although the latter will likely remain available for some time. The E4 has a different demographic/geographic focus but will supposedly be available in Europe and North America, likely positioned as a budget phone.
The evolution you are seeing with the G4->E4 series regularly plays out in the consumer electronics, automotive and other industries. Fingerprint scanners were once exclusive to "flagship" devices; now some varients of the lowly E4 gets one. Amazing!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be fine and dandy except 1) magnetometers are far from a new technology, 2) lenovo NEVER addressed the GPS faults and I got *****ed out by a rep over it, and 3) the OTA delay which should not have happened (though apparently part of the problem is the Bluetooth issue is affecting a huge amount of devices including the Pixel models themselves).
I did have the Moto E1 back in the day, and the fact it had the capacity to run CM14.0 was damned impressive. Of course, it wasn't without its faults either. A magnetometer should be in every phone and I don't understand why so many devices omit it. There's companies I won't so much as look at *coughSamsungcough* because it's such a powerful tool. You can't say that only flagships have it, since a lot of sub-$150 LG phones did (the Leon/Tribute2/Sunset for example). And I mean, the E1 didn't even have an LED flash. I was lucky to snag a cheap US Cellular model and do a Day-One Unlock.
But I would say I got far more use out of that phone than my G4P. I loved that phone, and this model has been a serious letdown. So it's like, do I want to give this company another $130 and risk being let down again? I personally won't. I plan to get a Sony Xperia L1 and let a family member have this one. It'll still have Lineage, so at least I'll be able to update the damned thing.

mkollersms said:
That would be fine and dandy except 1) magnetometers are far from a new technology, 2) lenovo NEVER addressed the GPS faults and I got *****ed out by a rep over it, and 3) the OTA delay which should not have happened (though apparently part of the problem is the Bluetooth issue is affecting a huge amount of devices including the Pixel models themselves).
I did have the Moto E1 back in the day, and the fact it had the capacity to run CM14.0 was damned impressive. Of course, it wasn't without its faults either. A magnetometer should be in every phone and I don't understand why so many devices omit it. There's companies I won't so much as look at *coughSamsungcough* because it's such a powerful tool. You can't say that only flagships have it, since a lot of sub-$150 LG phones did (the Leon/Tribute2/Sunset for example). And I mean, the E1 didn't even have an LED flash. I was lucky to snag a cheap US Cellular model and do a Day-One Unlock.
But I would say I got far more use out of that phone than my G4P. I loved that phone, and this model has been a serious letdown. So it's like, do I want to give this company another $130 and risk being let down again? I personally won't. I plan to get a Sony Xperia L1 and let a family member have this one. It'll still have Lineage, so at least I'll be able to update the damned thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hum...sounds like the G4P did not meet your expectations. I was fully aware of the GPS issues and sensor limitations (which were widely published) prior to purchase. I don't share your opinions on the base feature set for all phones but do believe proper advance research leads to a happier experience.

Davey126 said:
Hum...sounds like the G4P did not meet your expectations. I was fully aware of the GPS issues and sensor limitations (which were widely published) prior to purchase. I don't share your opinions on the base feature set for all phones but do believe proper advance research leads to a happier experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please tell me where you got this "advance research," because beyond Amazon user reviews (which I normally take with a grain of salt), I found no press coverage about any faults with this phone. Not even 6 months after its release.
EDIT: Actually, I'm going to double down on this, because Lenovo THEMSELVES insisted there was no coverage of anything being wrong with this phone either.

Not at all. I picked up this Moto 4 Play for 35 dollars on Black Friday which I only use as a "play" phone. It does my social media checkup, remote for my Android TV, eBay selling management, etc.
I have a Moto Z Play as my main phone so not at all do I feel a slap in my face. However, you do need to realize though is that each year parts become cheaper which is the reason why they are able to offer such a package with the Moto E4 this year. If this was last year, expect it to have been more expensive.

mkollersms said:
Please tell me where you got this "advance research," because beyond Amazon user reviews (which I normally take with a grain of salt), I found no press coverage about any faults with this phone. Not even 6 months after its release.
EDIT: Actually, I'm going to double down on this, because Lenovo THEMSELVES insisted there was no coverage of anything being wrong with this phone either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol - of course Lenovo is going to deny there is an issue.
Bottom line: I was aware of the issues prior to purchase (actually bought two); the info was not difficult to find and came from multiple sources. The device meets my lowered expectations especially given the price point. My better half is passively seeking a replacement due to GPS issue. Sorry it didn't work out for you.

How superior is SD425/427 to our SD410?

anonymous2211 said:
How superior is SD425/427 to our SD410?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://bfy.tw/CLWb

I tried, and I found nothing, so I asked here. Next time, when you don't know something, don't hide yourself behind sarcasm, it's a waste of such a good rhetorical device.

anonymous2211 said:
I tried, and I found nothing, so I asked here. Next time, when you don't know something, don't hide yourself behind sarcasm, it's a waste of such a good rhetorical device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a tough find as evidenced by the search query.

Ok, I'm a moron, can you please tell me is sd 425/427 noticeably better than 410 for everyday use?

anonymous2211 said:
Ok, I'm a moron, can you please tell me is sd 425/427 noticeably better than 410 for everyday use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I seriously doubt you are a "moron" but do feel you haven't extended much effort to find the answer. Following link references an article 3rd/4th in the search results. Short (spoon feed) answer is 'no'.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...ips-bring-high-end-features-to-midrange-socs/

Of course I used Google first, but I really haven't found this, thanks, now I'm feeling a little less stupid for buying g4 play a month ago.

Literally, the first result it brought me to was a side-by-side comparison with graphics, charts and beautiful illustrations detailing differences between the two chip sets.
https://versus.com/en/qualcomm-snapdragon-410-vs-qualcomm-snapdragon-425
425 is so close to 410, I wouldn't even call it an upgrade. The only thing not 100% identical is 64-bit processing and a .2ghz nudge in top (factory defined) speed.

mkollersms said:
So as of this morning, Lenovo officially listed the Moto E4 and E4 Plus on their site. Here's the E4 specs:
...
And all for $20 cheaper than what most of us paid. Anyone else as pissed as I am?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Year old model replaced by something better a year later as technology allows. Get used to it. I'm not going to be pissed over something I bought in the past being eclipsed by something released in the future.

I am honestly shocked by some of the replies I'm seeing. For ALL of the complaints I've seen on this forum (faulty GPS, problems with CDMA carriers, lack of OTA support after nearly a year, etc.), seeing you guys blindly justify the successor just... it boggles my mind. I would be more understanding if the price point for the E4 was the same as the G4P ($150). At least that would make sense from a marketing standpoint. But for them to slash the price to below the G4P, as if to imply that they're phasing out the G4P entirely, just screams that they have no intention of supporting it further. I think that's BS.
Yes, the media is claiming that June will have the drop date for 7.1.1. That's still far from definitive, and there's no guarantee Lenovo won't pull the same thing with Android 8.0 down the road. They just aren't that trustworthy. All I'm going to say is if I hadn't rooted mine, I could think of few equal/better phones for the price (Samsung Galaxy J3, ZTE ZMax 2, LG X Style).
Lenovo does not have a solid strategy with the Moto line. Until they admit to that fact, I'm not going to put my trust in them. It's your call whether you choose to do otherwise.

mkollersms said:
I am honestly shocked by some of the replies I'm seeing. For ALL of the complaints I've seen on this forum (faulty GPS, problems with CDMA carriers, lack of OTA support after nearly a year, etc.), seeing you guys blindly justify the successor just... it boggles my mind. I would be more understanding if the price point for the E4 was the same as the G4P ($150). At least that would make sense from a marketing standpoint. But for them to slash the price to below the G4P, as if to imply that they're phasing out the G4P entirely, just screams that they have no intention of supporting it further. I think that's BS.
Yes, the media is claiming that June will have the drop date for 7.1.1. That's still far from definitive, and there's no guarantee Lenovo won't pull the same thing with Android 8.0 down the road. They just aren't that trustworthy. All I'm going to say is if I hadn't rooted mine, I could think of few equal/better phones for the price (Samsung Galaxy J3, ZTE ZMax 2, LG X Style).
Lenovo does not have a solid strategy with the Moto line. Until they admit to that fact, I'm not going to put my trust in them. It's your call whether you choose to do otherwise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not certain I follow this post. I purchased the G4P for three reasons: form factor (size), modest price point and ability to easily unlock the bootloader. OTA to stock Android 7.x (if it happens) is nice but not an entitlement on a budget handset. Zero expectation of going to Android 8. I have no problem with a nearly identical variant being rebranded and sold at a lower price as newer models are introduced. Common practice w/consumer electronics (consider your television, personal computer, etc). Trust? LOL!!
So what would you have Leveno do?

mkollersms said:
I am honestly shocked by some of the replies I'm seeing. For ALL of the complaints I've seen on this forum (faulty GPS, problems with CDMA carriers, lack of OTA support after nearly a year, etc.), seeing you guys blindly justify the successor just... it boggles my mind. I would be more understanding if the price point for the E4 was the same as the G4P ($150). At least that would make sense from a marketing standpoint. But for them to slash the price to below the G4P, as if to imply that they're phasing out the G4P entirely, just screams that they have no intention of supporting it further. I think that's BS.
Yes, the media is claiming that June will have the drop date for 7.1.1. That's still far from definitive, and there's no guarantee Lenovo won't pull the same thing with Android 8.0 down the road. They just aren't that trustworthy. All I'm going to say is if I hadn't rooted mine, I could think of few equal/better phones for the price (Samsung Galaxy J3, ZTE ZMax 2, LG X Style).
Lenovo does not have a solid strategy with the Moto line. Until they admit to that fact, I'm not going to put my trust in them. It's your call whether you choose to do otherwise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That last paragraph I agree with you on. But everything else sounds like too much assumption and too little research. Although I didn't see the G4 play listed on Lenovo's support page, I see no reason why they wouldn't continue to support a device released in 2016.
I am very disappointed in their strategy with phones. I bought the G5 Plus because of its fantastic specs for $260 (price matched @ BB with Amazon). I wish they introduced a G5 play, but considering the strange (re)introduction of numerous Moto lines (E, X, and introduction of C) I can see why. But they're really confused. I really wish Google kept Motorola.. we'd have 7.1 already and 8.0 ASAP. A real shame that a great American brand got bought up by some Chinese PC manufacturers that should've refrained​ from entering the mobile arena on the first place.

anonymous2211 said:
I tried, and I found nothing, so I asked here. Next time, when you don't know something, don't hide yourself behind sarcasm, it's a waste of such a good rhetorical device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sd410 gives you around 28000 on antutu and sd425 around 35000.

SM-N950J (Japanese variant) hardware differences + Samsung Pay?

Hey all,
I have a Note 8 SM-N950J, the Japanese variant, and I'm curious about the hardware differences between it and the US unlocked version.
For those who don't know, most Japanese Android phones come with a whole slew of odd Japan-specific hardware features. This particular Note 8 has a Wimax 2+ radio in it, a TV tuner, and an integrated FeliCa NFC antenna, among other changes. I suspect that, as part of these significant changes, it's also missing a few things most of the other variants have, like MST for one...
My question is, how might one go about checking *exactly* what's different on this phone compared to, say, the SM-N950U? My motivation in this, ultimately, would be to see if I can get Samsung Pay working, although I highly doubt I can, as it crashes every time even when I've got the store region set to US. I know it has a Snapdragon processor, and someone in the root thread said that the SamFAIL method works for this variant as well, although I haven't tried it.
Anyone got any thoughts? I'm quite willing to post screenshots and do just about anything else, if anyone's curious.

The way I check hardware differences with Samsung devices is guaranteed to yield results. I go to samsung.jp and check the hardware specs of the device and do the same with Samsung USA website . I compare the two, then note any differences if any.
Samsung pay, don't know sorry.
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Question S21 Ultra it is worth it?

Hello here guys, I need some of your knowledge and those who have the S21 Ultra in their hands.
First thing I am a htc fan since 2010 with the htc .. After this I changed htc phone every 2 years until 2018.. My last samsung phone dates back to the samsung galaxy S I9000 model back to 2010 and I didn't like them, I didn't keep them for long. My actual phone is the last flagship is the HTC U12+ i liked this phone very much and still love it, it still works fine but it is getting a bit old. After this Unfortunately HTC is almost dead since the takeover by google, i only had one major updates from android since, and give us only android pie and security update July 2019 this is unacceptable for a flagship i have pay more than 1000 $ for it in 2018. I would ideally like to have a new phone with new technology this year. I wanted to wait to see the oneplus 9 pro but .. the 8 have so much problem and i have read on the forum, the update support is getting very bad like htc .. and google no longer make flagship... Not a lot of choice other than that .. and i never want an apple.
So I am looking for the S21 ultra but it is a tough decision for me! I need your experiences with this device and with samsung..
Are samsung phones is strong and durable?? I dropped my HTC several times with a case of course i always have a case on the phone and a screen protector and is never broken. One ui has become much more interesting i have see but i still need to make some debloat it with the root. I find that the fast charge is a little low for this phone, how long does it take you to charge it with a 25W? what more can you tell me about this? Also another thing that bothers me is the curved screen. I am really not convinced on this? but all the flagship are like that now. A Another problem for me is the root, I don't want a phone without root! I am in Canada, and I know that the galaxy variants canada, the bootloader is completely locked and still no possibility to unlock it on this i find samsung very stupid about this.. unless that has changed but it would surprise me I saw nothing of that.
So if I want the device I have to buy the global model ( i want snapdragon too ) ( china model i think ? )which is the SM-G9980, but as I have seen 5G will not be compatible in Canada with this model, can someone confirm that? for 5G and that this model the bootloader is unlockable please?? I don't care much for 5G either but I would prefer to have it compatible.. If i flash a canada firmware is will work or nothing will change ? and is even possible to change the firmware ? For several years now I have been buying my phones full price from some online stores that sell global devices in Canada and for a little less expensive too. I am with public mobile ( belong to Telus Canada ) i really like this company this will work for the 3G and 4G i have see right? not sure.
Thanks for reading me and your answers guys!

UP please ??

Max128 said:
Hello here guys, I need some of your knowledge and those who have the S21 Ultra in their hands.
First thing I am a htc fan since 2010 with the htc .. After this I changed htc phone every 2 years until 2018.. My last samsung phone dates back to the samsung galaxy S I9000 model back to 2010 and I didn't like them, I didn't keep them for long. My actual phone is the last flagship is the HTC U12+ i liked this phone very much and still love it, it still works fine but it is getting old. After this Unfortunately HTC is almost dead since the takeover by google, i only had one major updates from android since, i am stuck with android pie and security update July 2019 this is unacceptable for a flagship i have pay more than 1000 $ for it in 2018. I would ideally like to have a new phone with new technology this year. I wanted to wait to see the oneplus 9 pro but .. the 8 have so much problem and i have read on the forum, the update support is getting very bad like htc .. and google no longer make flagship... Not a lot of choice other than that .. and i never want an apple.
So I am looking for the S21 ultra but it is a tough decision for me! I need your experiences with this device and with samsung..
Are samsung phones is strong and durable?? I dropped my HTC several times with a case of course i always have a case on the phone and a screen protector and is never broken. One ui has become much more interesting i have see but i still need to make some debloat it with the root. I find that the fast charge is a little low for this phone, how long does it take you to charge it with a 25W? what more can you tell me about this? Also another thing that bothers me is the curved screen. I am really not convinced on this? but all the flagship are like that now. A Another problem for me is the root, I don't want a phone without root! I am in Canada, and I know that the galaxy variants canada, the bootloader is completely locked and still no possibility to unlock it on this i find samsung very stupid about this.. unless that has changed but it would surprise me I saw nothing of that.
So if I want the device I have to buy the global model ( i want snapdragon too ) ( china model i think ? )which is the SM-G9980, but as I have seen 5G will not be compatible in Canada with this model, can someone confirm that? for 5G and that this model the bootloader is unlockable please?? I don't care much for 5G either but I would prefer to have it compatible.. If i flash a canada firmware is will work or nothing will change ? and is even possible to change the firmware ? For several years now I have been buying my phones full price from some online stores that sell global devices in Canada and for a little less expensive too. I am with public mobile ( belong to Telus Canada ) i really like this company this will work for the 3G and 4G i have see right? not sure.
Thanks for reading me and your answers guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone is not worth it!
This is a gadget geek forum many of us waste money on shiny toys. You have a very old phone by the standards of tech enthusiast, but you don't seem like you feel you're missing anything accept software support. If that's the only thing that really concerns you, I would say save $600 and get the Galaxy FE. It will outperform your current phone in everyway. It has a plastic back cover that feels like premium material but is durable. It's 5G. It has android 10. Its got better cameras. It has an SD Slot. I think the only thing you may miss is the headphone jack, and just about all phones are loosing that. So I would say unless you plan to change the way you utilize your phone. Save your money and go Mid Range feature rich, your not going to miss flag ship features you've never used and will never use more than a few times just to test it out anyway.

mc_365 said:
The phone is not worth it!
This is a gadget geek forum many of us waste money on shiny toys. You have a very old phone by the standards of tech enthusiast, but you don't seem like you feel you're missing anything accept software support. If that's the only thing that really concerns you, I would say save $600 and get the Galaxy FE. It will outperform your current phone in everyway. It has a plastic back cover that feels like premium material but is durable. It's 5G. It has android 10. Its got better cameras. It has an SD Slot. I think the only thing you may miss is the headphone jack, and just about all phones are loosing that. So I would say unless you plan to change the way you utilize your phone. Save your money and go Mid Range feature rich, your not going to miss flag ship features you've never used and will never use more than a few times just to test it out anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you. Those flagships models are not worth the money the vendors are asking for. Sure they are really good like Samsung S21 Ultra which is my daily driver now, but typically you get all you need either with new midrange phones or 1-3 years old flagship models.

Hi, I pretty love the flagship but yeah I find it expensive this phone... Will see what I will do. In the meanwhile if someone have the information I want for the model is will be great!

Max128 said:
Hi, I pretty love the flagship but yeah I find it expensive this phone... Will see what I will do. In the meanwhile if someone have the information I want for the model is will be great!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Ultra has the least aggressive curve of all curved Galaxy models. The viewable area doesn't really cascade over the side like my s10+.
The phone takes maybe 100 minutes to charge but I haven't really done a controlled test. I'm just going off the avg time it says when I plug it in to my QC 3.0 charger.
US / Canadian Galaxy 21s will likely never get a real root. Root would most likely trip the security fuse if ever possible. So at that point you could no longer use NFC payments. I could be wrong on this since I haven't been rooted or unlocked since HTC M8 days.
As far as durability goes, this phone is made from the most durable Corning gorilla glass on the front and I think the back is one step down. The phone has a metal frame and the camera housing is integrated into the metal frame. So I'd say it as durable as a glass phone can be.
I can offer no insight on Chinese market phones and their radios compatibility. I'm not brave enough to spend $1000+ ordering a device on the net unseen, with no warranty, and questionable compatibility. I need my device to work out the box, root is not that important to me anymore.

@mc_365 So you have the phone with what I have understand? Well I know is since the s7 I think the us and Canada having a locked bootloader and I find it stupid from Samsung really. For the NFC payment , my last three phone having it I think and I am still not using it.. Still not really interested by this. Well the root for me is still pretty important , I am using it for some reasons...
Well my last two HTC devices I have buy the global version and everything work.. and the phone work great too, and warranty on this. Is for Samsung phones I am a bit lost.. for the global version ( because the bootloader is can be unlock and also global version phone is always less expensive I buy my phones full price) what is working in Canada and what not...

Max128 said:
@mc_365 So you have the phone with what I have understand? Well I know is since the s7 I think the us and Canada having a locked bootloader and I find it stupid from Samsung really. For the NFC payment , my last three phone having it I think and I am still not using it.. Still not really interested by this. Well the root for me is still pretty important , I am using it for some reasons...
Well my last two HTC devices I have buy the global version and everything work.. and the phone work great too, and warranty on this. Is for Samsung phones I am a bit lost.. for the global version ( because the bootloader is can be unlock and also global version phone is always less expensive I buy my phones full price) what is working in Canada and what not...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I own the Phone.
I bought the phone outright as I do most of the time.
The non US/CAD phones are unlockable because from my understanding the law requires it in Europe. In the US the I think the carriers are concerned with subsidized phones being hacked for use without paying the phone off. That in combination with the US credit card companies concerns about fraudulent payments from hacked devices. These 2 major industries (Telecom and Banking) force the manufactures to adhere to these demands. So US/CAD and EU being the 2 major regions with strong governing laws force companies to comply or not be allowed to sell direct to consumers. Samsung has decided to just make it easy and keep everything coming to the US and CAD locked down tight. Europe must have their phones unlockable and the Chinese probably have some rules, and that's why they have Snapdragon chips and the rest of Asia has Exynos. There's probably some back door built into the Chinese variant for the CCP to monitor or to enforce the firewall etc.
Global version is less expensive because it has Samsung's Exynos processor which was somewhat inferior to Qualcoms Snapdragon in the past. Also in my experience you only save on the Global models after the phone has been on the market for a while. When it is relatively new you pay a premium to get that device from an importer. And again you get no warranty or support.

mc_365 said:
Yes I own the Phone.
I bought the phone outright as I do most of the time.
Global version is less expensive because it has Samsung's Exynos processor which was somewhat inferior to Qualcoms Snapdragon in the past. Also in my experience you only save on the Global models after the phone has been on the market for a while. When it is relatively new you pay a premium to get that device from an importer. And again you get no warranty or support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you like the phone?
Not exactly , the global version I am talking about is the SM-G9980 and is the Snapdragon model ( Hong Kong ) is unlockable. I have buy my last two phones at launch day and is 200-300$ less like the s21 ultra right now... And I have got a support and normally a warranty.
However, not very precise for the bands network here. I am looking for that is will be the same for all Samsung phone I guess.

Max128 said:
How do you like the phone?
Not exactly , the global version I am talking about is the SM-G9980 and is the Snapdragon model ( Hong Kong ) is unlockable. I have buy my last two phones at launch day and is 200-300$ less like the s21 ultra right now... And I have got a support and normally a warranty.
However, not very precise for the bands network here. I am looking for that is will be the same for all Samsung phone I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well as far as I have ever know, Samsung does not offer any warranty or servicing on devices purchased outside the region it was intended to operate.
Maybe the specific vendor your buying through is willing to warranty the device. But according to everything I've read and every place I considered buying from its always been stated up front,"Intl version NO Warranty" and the Exynos versions were cheaper but the Chinese version were just as expensive and more in a lot of cases. I've also heard of people receiving the phone and the language be set to Chinese and they could not operate the phone, LOL.
If my S10+ had 5G or 120hz screen I would have stuck with it. S21 Ultra is a great phone but in reality overkill for me. But I got $700 worth of trade in credit 500 for the phone and 200 worth of new accessories. So for ~$750 tax included and my old phone, I got s21 Ultra 512GB, Buds Pro, Soft touch Silicon + Spen case, Soft touch Silicon case, Clear TPU case, Rugged Hard Shell case with Kickstand, and a tracker tag thingy.

the s21 ultra is FAST and smooth.
i going to keep it for a few years unless the newer phones are a lot better.

Max128 said:
Hello here guys, I need some of your knowledge and those who have the S21 Ultra in their hands.
First thing I am a htc fan since 2010 with the htc .. After this I changed htc phone every 2 years until 2018.. My last samsung phone dates back to the samsung galaxy S I9000 model back to 2010 and I didn't like them, I didn't keep them for long. My actual phone is the last flagship is the HTC U12+ i liked this phone very much and still love it, it still works fine but it is getting old. After this Unfortunately HTC is almost dead since the takeover by google, i only had one major updates from android since, i am stuck with android pie and security update July 2019 this is unacceptable for a flagship i have pay more than 1000 $ for it in 2018. I would ideally like to have a new phone with new technology this year. I wanted to wait to see the oneplus 9 pro but .. the 8 have so much problem and i have read on the forum, the update support is getting very bad like htc .. and google no longer make flagship... Not a lot of choice other than that .. and i never want an apple.
So I am looking for the S21 ultra but it is a tough decision for me! I need your experiences with this device and with samsung..
Are samsung phones is strong and durable?? I dropped my HTC several times with a case of course i always have a case on the phone and a screen protector and is never broken. One ui has become much more interesting i have see but i still need to make some debloat it with the root. I find that the fast charge is a little low for this phone, how long does it take you to charge it with a 25W? what more can you tell me about this? Also another thing that bothers me is the curved screen. I am really not convinced on this? but all the flagship are like that now. A Another problem for me is the root, I don't want a phone without root! I am in Canada, and I know that the galaxy variants canada, the bootloader is completely locked and still no possibility to unlock it on this i find samsung very stupid about this.. unless that has changed but it would surprise me I saw nothing of that.
So if I want the device I have to buy the global model ( i want snapdragon too ) ( china model i think ? )which is the SM-G9980, but as I have seen 5G will not be compatible in Canada with this model, can someone confirm that? for 5G and that this model the bootloader is unlockable please?? I don't care much for 5G either but I would prefer to have it compatible.. If i flash a canada firmware is will work or nothing will change ? and is even possible to change the firmware ? For several years now I have been buying my phones full price from some online stores that sell global devices in Canada and for a little less expensive too. I am with public mobile ( belong to Telus Canada ) i really like this company this will work for the 3G and 4G i have see right? not sure.
Thanks for reading me and your answers guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the 988B/DS and I love it. I had a note 20 Ultra and I traded it for the s21 Ultra and I don't regret it.
Durability: Phone has Gorilla Glass Victus (latest one) on the screen and on the back as well, really premium look (love the phantom black color). I don't plan on dropping the phone to test it lol, but videos show quite a lot of durability in drops up to 10feet. I will get a case to protect it just in case.
Storage: I don't miss the SD card (havent used one in over 7 years). I have the 256GB model one (12GB ram) and with cloud storage I don't think i will ever get close to filling the phone.
Cameras: I love the cameras, but it does get a bit to get used to the different options and mastering it for pro photos. It really is something else.
Processor: i have the Exynos version and I can't find any lag or issues with it. no overheating (this seems to have been fixed with an update), no issues at all with the phone.
Battery Life: With the 25W charger, from 0 to 100 in about 100 minutes give or take. It does charge fast, keep in mind that the battery is 5,000 mah so I don't think it's bad charging time.
Honestly? It is worth it... Not sure if changing from HTC will mean a lot of getting used to, but it's a nice experience.
I don't think flashing firmware to other models will result in 5G band compatibility, you can enable other market dependent services, but I believe network bands are more of a hardware thing.
About rooting, I used to root all my samsung phones and play around (and brick some phones) along the way, but I don't know why, but tripping knox and messing up banking capabilities is not of my interest. I'm happy with the phone as is and don't intend on rooting (disappointing I know).
Hope these comments help a bit on your decision making process

Thanks for your answers! When I have buy my HTC phone global version I had always every languages even the French ( the French is my principal language ) but with what you are saying the global of Samsung do not have this, China language? Can you flash firmware of another country on it like Canada? I do not much how Odin works... Yeah I am still not sure about the network bands compatibility and if is a software things or hardware? I saw posts that said it was one or the others things... Not really specific!
Disappointing? Yeah? Haha! Well in your place i wouldn't stop myself if the device you can unlock it !l Also in the reviews I have see is take approximately 1h11so 70 minutes to charge completely the phone with a 25w charger , why a big time difference here?

Max128 said:
Thanks for your answers! When I have buy my HTC phone global version I had always every languages even the French ( the French is my principal language ) but with what you are saying the global of Samsung do not have this, China language? Can you flash firmware of another country on it like Canada? I do not much how Odin works... Yeah I am still not sure about the network bands compatibility and if is a software things or hardware? I saw posts that said it was one or the others things... Not really specific!
Disappointing? Yeah? Haha! Well in your place i wouldn't stop myself if the device you can unlock it !l Also in the reviews I have see is take approximately 1h11so 70 minutes to charge completely the phone with a 25w charger , why a big time difference here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to root all my samsung devices (I stopped in Note 8). About the battery charge time.. I haven't let it go to zero lowest I have gone is like 35% and then charge so my calculation was based on the time to charge from that point, so 70 minutes is NOT bad at all...
My version has French language as an option in intitial setup (it has a bunch of languages - pretty sure it covers all needs).
Also, reading further in the forum, 5G bands are more software related (enabled), so it seems flashing firmware will enable/disable bands.
There are many posts in the forum on how to flash different firmware or change CSC codes so youmight want to take a look there. Odin is pretty safe to use if you follow the instructions. I haven't used with recent samsung devices, so I'm not sure what considerations you need to take.
I love the phone, but then again, I do not get to deeply play with it (unlocking the bootloader, rooting, flashing) as I did with other devices but I'm ok with it (for now). Given it's a pretty new device, it's kinda hard to find stuff for it yet.

Max128 said:
Thanks for your answers! When I have buy my HTC phone global version I had always every languages even the French ( the French is my principal language ) but with what you are saying the global of Samsung do not have this, China language? Can you flash firmware of another country on it like Canada? I do not much how Odin works... Yeah I am still not sure about the network bands compatibility and if is a software things or hardware? I saw posts that said it was one or the others things... Not really specific!
Disappointing? Yeah? Haha! Well in your place i wouldn't stop myself if the device you can unlock it !l Also in the reviews I have see is take approximately 1h11so 70 minutes to charge completely the phone with a 25w charger , why a big time difference here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the time difference is because we are not testing the battery with stop watches we are just telling you what it says on the screen when we plug it in and giving you an ball park estimate. It always says a longer time to full charge but ends up being faster as the battery calibrates during the charge process. Its like when you down
load a large file from the net it first starts off saying 20 minutes but then only takes 5.

If they don't fix the camera, especially taking photos at night (Exynos2100 version), Do NOT buy this phone

@mc_365 I understand now what you are saying... Thanks!
@oae08 What is the problem exactly with the camera? I do not see that on the reviews , good to know if you have a problem! Do you know if is Snapdragon too ? Or only exynos

joancolmenares said:
My version has French language as an option in intitial setup (it has a bunch of languages - pretty sure it covers all needs).
Also, reading further in the forum, 5G bands are more software related (enabled), so it seems flashing firmware will enable/disable bands.
There are many posts in the forum on how to flash different firmware or change CSC codes so youmight want to take a look there. Odin is pretty safe to use if you follow the instructions. I haven't used with recent samsung devices, so I'm not sure what considerations you need to take.
I love the phone, but then again, I do not get to deeply play with it (unlocking the bootloader, rooting, flashing) as I did with other devices but I'm ok with it (for now). Given it's a pretty new device, it's kinda hard to find stuff for it yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So your 988B/DS is the global version ( china and global is the same thing as a know ) on Exynos if I understand? And you have French on it and many others languages!
Do you have some links near for what you are talking? About the 5 bands and the software flash? No need for how to flash a firmware of CSC codes I know is easy to find this, but it is quite possible to do it, to flash the firmware of the country you want right? No problem on the device after this? Also you only need the bootloader unlocked for flashing a firmware on a another country I Guess ?
Well I know magisk is not working yet on the s21 but is will be soon.

Max128 said:
@mc_365 I understand now what you are saying... Thanks!
@oae08 What is the problem exactly with the camera? I do not see that on the reviews , good to know if you have a problem! Do you know if is Snapdragon too ? Or only exynos
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The camera is really disappointing. I have bought this phone for just over almost 1600$, which is above my budget actually) but I was really anticipating to buy a phone that has a monster camera that I can use to get decent photos point to click. However, this is not the case. The night time photos especially, are bad quality and there is too much flare. I have tried it in many different scenarios and cleaning the lenses in every possible way but still the flare is way over the acceptable. I even compared with iphone 11 photos taking the same photos back to back and the older iphone 11 results in much cleaner and better photos.
Please note that i HATE the iphone, but this is the truth unfortunately. So until samsung releases an update to fix this (if its even possible), the phone is not up to standard.
EDIT: I have the exynos version

oae08 said:
The camera is really disappointing. I have bought this phone for just over almost 1600$, which is above my budget actually) but I was really anticipating to buy a phone that has a monster camera that I can use to get decent photos point to click. However, this is not the case. The night time photos especially, are bad quality and there is too much flare. I have tried it in many different scenarios and cleaning the lenses in every possible way but still the flare is way over the acceptable. I even compared with iphone 11 photos taking the same photos back to back and the older iphone 11 results in much cleaner and better photos.
Please note that i HATE the iphone, but this is the truth unfortunately. So until samsung releases an update to fix this (if its even possible), the phone is not up to standard.
EDIT: I have the exynos version
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Click to collapse
Odd, I have the Exynos version and haven't had any issues with the camera in the many modes even night mode and it's awesome. I don 't know if the latest software update had something to do with it, but when I bought the phone and turned it on it updated and the update said camera fixes, so that might have been the case.