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Any Note3/Note4 people switch the N6? If so, reply within....

I am a long time Verizon customer, and after a horrible customer service issue yesterday......I am looking to switch to AT&T.
I've been on the Note 3 since October of 2013 and absolutely love the device. Since Vzw is so behind releasing devices, if I switch to AT&T I am open to two devices I am interested in.......the Note Edge and the N6. Anyone of you come from a Note to the N6, that has owned/used the N6 long enough to give me some feedback, pros/cons? I am reading a lot of negative when comparing the cameras......but am aware the N6 is vastly improved from previous. One thing I really am most concerned about is screen clarity. Just hoped for anyones direct feedback that came from a Note and is live with their N6.
Concerns:
Screen clarity,colors, overall brilliance. Samsung has been superior IMO for the last few years. My Galaxy S Fascinate, my S3, now my N3......all in my opinion had the best appearance than any comparable phone on the market at the time of their release. It is one of the biggest deciding factors I've base my devices around for the last several years. I don't want to go backwards if the N6 is noticeably less.
No external memory slot. Even though I've had an issue with the last 3 Samsung devices involving the SD card, its still nice to have that storage available, especially when storing ROM's and backup data.
No removable battery. Again going back to flashing ROM's, I'm used to devices with removable batteries.....which is critical in some cases needing to do a battery pull. Perhaps you Nexus fans can reassure me this is a non-issue.....
TIA

LXative said:
I am a long time Verizon customer, and after a horrible customer service issue yesterday......I am looking to switch to AT&T.
I've been on the Note 3 since October of 2013 and absolutely love the device. Since Vzw is so behind releasing devices, if I switch to AT&T I am open to two devices I am interested in.......the Note Edge and the N6. Anyone of you come from a Note to the N6, that has owned/used the N6 long enough to give me some feedback, pros/cons? I am reading a lot of negative when comparing the cameras......but am aware the N6 is vastly improved from previous. One thing I really am most concerned about is screen clarity. Just hoped for anyones direct feedback that came from a Note and is live with their N6.
TIA
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Click to collapse
I have the note 4 and gave it to my wife when the nexus came out. To be honest I regret it Note is way better display. Camera yes improved but Note is better then N6.

I had the Note 3 for a year. It was absolutely my favorite device I had owned yet. The Note series is great, one can't deny. I loved the large powerful device. I was so close to buying the Note 4, until I found out the Nexus 6 was coming with a 6" display. It was a no-brainer for me. I rarely ever used the spen so that wasn't a factor. I couldn't stand the idea of a rear facing speaker so the forward facing speakers on the N6 was a big plus. Power wise, well they are both power houses so no factor. Touchwiz vs pure Android, well for me pure Android was a big plus. Design of the N6 is very appealing to me. I don't have a preference, nor could I tell you the difference in the displays, They both look good to me. I can say from the Note 3 to the N6, the screen quality is at least as good. I have zero complaints with the camera. I mean it's a phone; if I want professional photos then I would use a camera. I guess in the end it's user preference but you asked for opinions/experiences so I thought I'd share mine. I don't regret nor even think about my decision to go with the N6. It's what I wanted.

Huge discussion here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6/general/note-4-vs-nexus-6-t2906800

NICEGYPT said:
I have the note 4 and gave it to my wife when the nexus came out. To be honest I regret it Note is way better display. Camera yes improved but Note is better then N6.
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Thanks.
b.huss2 said:
I had the Note 3 for a year. It was absolutely my favorite device I had owned yet. The Note series is great, one can't deny. I loved the large powerful device. I was so close to buying the Note 4, until I found out the Nexus 6 was coming with a 6" display. It was a no-brainer for me. I rarely ever used the spen so that wasn't a factor. I couldn't stand the idea of a rear facing speaker so the forward facing speakers on the N6 was a big plus. Power wise, well they are both power houses so no factor. Touchwiz vs pure Android, well for me pure Android was a big plus. Design of the N6 is very appealing to me. I don't have a preference, nor could I tell you the difference in the displays, They both look good to me. I can say from the Note 3 to the N6, the screen quality is at least as good. I have zero complaints with the camera. I mean it's a phone; if I want professional photos then I would use a camera. I guess in the end it's user preference but you asked for opinions/experiences so I thought I'd share mine. I don't regret nor even think about my decision to go with the N6. It's what I wanted.
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Good feedback. The first reply definitely was a pretty clear opinion, but I'm happy to see a counter for the N6 with yours. I'm definitely going to go hands-on in a store tonight, but for those of you who have the N6 I feel can give better feedback since you are more adapted already.
Getting ready to add two more concerns to my OP .........keep the replies coming. :good:

The N4 screen is brighter and cooler than the Nexus, but doesn't really offer any clarity benefit to me. It would be a better performer in direct sunlight though. I had both in hand for a couple weeks and in the end the Nexus was the right device for me. I prefer a stock android build and noticed many of the Samsung additions I either ignored or turned off. Your best bet is to think about the things that are important to you and then get some time in store with both to gain an understanding of how each devices handles those things. To me it came down to the fact that touchwiz just felt heavy (although it has come a very long way) and i wasn't really utilizing the S-pen the way i thought I would. I also like the ability to have access to factory images and the strong developer support within the Nexus community.
You cant go wrong with either though. I didn't dislike the Note, I just like the Nexus more

Tikerz said:
Huge discussion here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6/general/note-4-vs-nexus-6-t2906800
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A ton of info surely in there, but that was pre-release for both devs. Surely there are hands-on replies in the current end, but that is a lot of sifting. I'll keep browsing it in daytime if I can't get what info I am content with here though, thanks. :good:

LXative said:
Thanks.
Good feedback. The first reply definitely was a pretty clear opinion, but I'm happy to see a counter for the N6 with yours. I'm definitely going to go hands-on in a store tonight, but for those of you who have the N6 I feel can give better feedback since you are more adapted already.
Getting ready to add two more concerns to my OP .........keep the replies coming. :good:
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I have no concern about the storage. I am on the cloud for years now. All my pic and music on the drive and good music. once I feel the storage are full which I never seen it I clear my storage.
Battery on the note 4 is better. You can get almost 5 to 5 and half hours SOT. On the other hand nexus will get about 4 hours SOT.

I haven't owned a Note, but I've played with a few. Most recently, I handled a Note Edge for a bit over the weekend. It is definitely a nice device. Did it have a bunch of features that made it a clear winner over the Nexus? No. The edge display, although a nice touch, felt rather gimmicky and overall not very useful. I also had problems with Touchwiz not responding properly to the stylus input. Maybe someone broke the stylus, but from what I've heard and seen about Touchwiz, my first impression was that it was bugging out. The rear-facing mono speaker sucks in comparison. Also I didn't notice anything special about the display.
In fact, I love the warmer color temperature of the Nexus 6. I'm surrounded by overly-cool LCD displays and fluorescent lighting in my office. The warmer colors of the Nexus 6 were a welcomed sight. Let's not forget that natural colors are actually warmer than your standard LCD display, and it's my opinion that the Nexus 6's display produces more true-to-life color than any of my LCDs, and the overly blue tint to Samsung devices.
There's no doubt that some may find the extra features of the Spen and Touchwiz interface a "better" experience, and some go ape**** over the changeable battery and SD slot, but are those few features worth the higher premium of a Samsung? No, not in my opinion.

I switched from Note 3 to Nexus 6. Enjoyed the Note 3 a lot, but there where some things I disliked a lot.
1) these capacitive buttons are horrible. When using mhl adapter with TV you have no buttons on TV. They take a lot of space. Display buttons extend the display when watching videos or looking at pictures.
2) touchwiz. great - these features like multi window. I used them twice because they really are cool, but never again.
3) I liked the spen a lot. But after switching to Evernote I simply stopped using it.
4) Samsung & updates. *shakehead* when Samsung releases 5.0 for Note 4, Google releases 5.1. Let's not talk about when update will come to Note 3 which is one year old. Yes - I know. There is a beta from India you can flash but if you NEED your phone, will you flash a beta? It is simply horrible, that a one year old device is not treated the same in regards of updates as the current flagship. Everybody who pays 700€ for his Note 4 today has to keep in mind, that his phone will be treated as "old" in just one year. And it is even worse with the updates for tablets.
the hardware Samsung makes is the best on the market, but I want to keep my phone longer then one year.
I have my Nexus 6 now and am quite happy with it.
Greetings,
Elmar

I bought the Note 4 at T-Mobile the day it came out and I returned it after 2 weeks.
At first, it was great. Loved all the S Pen features. But then, I started noticing lag and stuttering thanks to TouchWiz. I rooted and debloated it, but it still had lag that I wasn't comfortable with. Other people are saying they don't notice it, but I returned it and bought the N6 when it came out. And I haven't looked back.

I've had 2 of every note for my wife and I on at. If you absolutely need to flash and tinker go with the n6 its a great device. Otherwise I would stick with the note if you don't mind stock touchwiz. There is almost no Dev support on the 3 due to locked bootloaders and I don't think the 4 will be any better. All you can flash on the 3 is variants of stock and only with safe strap installed. Hashcode who developed safestrap no longer supports it so for the 4 there would need to be a new Dev working on things if that method will even work.
Tldr if you need to flash and mod go n6 if not go note 4. You have even less of a chance at Dev support on the edge. But they are all great devices!!
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

The Note 3 is what I have had experience with as I have owned it since it came out last year. I haven't gotten the chance to play with the Note 4 but what I can say is that the Note series never disappoints.
As far as the carrier goes I really wouldn't recommend going with AT&T or Verizon because if you are looking to root your phone and flash roms it will be a hassle to do because of the locked bootloader. I recommend you go on the T-Mobile network instead.
I say the Nexus 6 and Note 4 are great devices they both have the same snapdragon 805 chip among other things so the difference would be whether you want touchwiz or not.

DON'T FORGET if you can afford it, T-Mobile unlocked devices will work on att so there is that option. Also Verizon offer developer versions of the notes that aren't locked but are full price up front.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

I had the note 3 and 4 on vzw, got the note 4 on release day and had it till I got my n6 3 weeks ago. I loved my note devices but I noticed some lag on them over time not bad by any means but more like hiccups. Always put on Nova launcher bc I hated touchwiz. Screen was brighter on note 4 but I don't mind the n6 screen. Camera at night isn't as good but in daylight the n6 focuses faster than the note 4. For what I like the n6 is the phone for me.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app

I own a T Mobile Note 4 and using on AT&T network. It works great with no issues.
I ordered a Nexus 6 with Friday delivery so can't fairly compare yet.
A few Note 4 things.
1. FireKat custom rom has made all the difference. It is stock TW tweaked to perfection. No lag and battery last 5 to 6 hours of SOT.
2. Screen on Note 4 is incredible.
3. We did get CM12 on Note 4.

I had a Note 3 until may of this year when I got my G3 which I still have. The Nexus is leaps and bounds past the Note.

TheAmazingDave said:
I haven't owned a Note, but I've played with a few. Most recently, I handled a Note Edge for a bit over the weekend. It is definitely a nice device. Did it have a bunch of features that made it a clear winner over the Nexus? No. The edge display, although a nice touch, felt rather gimmicky and overall not very useful. I also had problems with Touchwiz not responding properly to the stylus input. Maybe someone broke the stylus, but from what I've heard and seen about Touchwiz, my first impression was that it was bugging out. The rear-facing mono speaker sucks in comparison. Also I didn't notice anything special about the display.
In fact, I love the warmer color temperature of the Nexus 6. I'm surrounded by overly-cool LCD displays and fluorescent lighting in my office. The warmer colors of the Nexus 6 were a welcomed sight. Let's not forget that natural colors are actually warmer than your standard LCD display, and it's my opinion that the Nexus 6's display produces more true-to-life color than any of my LCDs, and the overly blue tint to Samsung devices.
There's no doubt that some may find the extra features of the Spen and Touchwiz interface a "better" experience, and some go ape**** over the changeable battery and SD slot, but are those few features worth the higher premium of a Samsung? No, not in my opinion.
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The brilliance of the colors on the Galaxy phones is actually my preference. I am a hobby/amateur photographer, so I always have tons of my favorite pictures on my phone. Being you can actually control the tones/contrast settings.......that is all user interface, your preference. I've never noticed any blue tinting to any of my last several Samsung devices, interesting to hear that from another perspective. Thanks for posting up your experience, these are the kinds of posts I am looking for. :good:
theguardian99 said:
I switched from Note 3 to Nexus 6. Enjoyed the Note 3 a lot, but there where some things I disliked a lot.
1) these capacitive buttons are horrible. When using mhl adapter with TV you have no buttons on TV. They take a lot of space. Display buttons extend the display when watching videos or looking at pictures.
2) touchwiz. great - these features like multi window. I used them twice because they really are cool, but never again.
3) I liked the spen a lot. But after switching to Evernote I simply stopped using it.
4) Samsung & updates. *shakehead* when Samsung releases 5.0 for Note 4, Google releases 5.1. Let's not talk about when update will come to Note 3 which is one year old. Yes - I know. There is a beta from India you can flash but if you NEED your phone, will you flash a beta? It is simply horrible, that a one year old device is not treated the same in regards of updates as the current flagship. Everybody who pays 700€ for his Note 4 today has to keep in mind, that his phone will be treated as "old" in just one year. And it is even worse with the updates for tablets.
the hardware Samsung makes is the best on the market, but I want to keep my phone longer then one year.
I have my Nexus 6 now and am quite happy with it.
Greetings,
Elmar
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Outstanding, this is a direct comparison for me.....since I'd be making the same change. And actually your 4 points directly relate to myself and my own preferences/experiences too. Thank you. :good:
XxKINGxX2580 said:
I bought the Note 4 at T-Mobile the day it came out and I returned it after 2 weeks.
At first, it was great. Loved all the S Pen features. But then, I started noticing lag and stuttering thanks to TouchWiz. I rooted and debloated it, but it still had lag that I wasn't comfortable with. Other people are saying they don't notice it, but I returned it and bought the N6 when it came out. And I haven't looked back.
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I've had a few hangups here and there, and started out swearing I'd remain stock/OTA only (like a lot of us on here do). After about 3-4 months, and the lack of updates (thanks Verizon), I rooted. Of course limited due to being locked down, but the experience even without AOSP based ROM's was much better than stock. And I've always used APEX Launcher to avoid TouchJizz. Glad to see the N6 answered your concerns though, definitely adds to the +++ side for me.
powdered_donuts said:
I've had 2 of every note for my wife and I on at. If you absolutely need to flash and tinker go with the n6 its a great device. Otherwise I would stick with the note if you don't mind stock touchwiz. There is almost no Dev support on the 3 due to locked bootloaders and I don't think the 4 will be any better. All you can flash on the 3 is variants of stock and only with safe strap installed. Hashcode who developed safestrap no longer supports it so for the 4 there would need to be a new Dev working on things if that method will even work.
Tldr if you need to flash and mod go n6 if not go note 4. You have even less of a chance at Dev support on the edge. But they are all great devices!!
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
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I like exploring different ROM's for sure. I really can't understand why carriers lock their devices down and offer little or no different customizations. It'd be a different story if they would see what changes the dev's make (that we want) and give OTA options of the same. Even as simple as a toggle for flashlight.......
jae2014 said:
The Note 3 is what I have had experience with as I have owned it since it came out last year. I haven't gotten the chance to play with the Note 4 but what I can say is that the Note series never disappoints.
As far as the carrier goes I really wouldn't recommend going with AT&T or Verizon because if you are looking to root your phone and flash roms it will be a hassle to do because of the locked bootloader. I recommend you go on the T-Mobile network instead.
I say the Nexus 6 and Note 4 are great devices they both have the same snapdragon 805 chip among other things so the difference would be whether you want touchwiz or not.
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I would be all over T-Mobile if they had service where I work. But T-Mobile has no data where I live OR work......so unfortunately it is not an option for me. I am limited to Verizon towers and AT&T towers only.
powdered_donuts said:
DON'T FORGET if you can afford it, T-Mobile unlocked devices will work on att so there is that option. Also Verizon offer developer versions of the notes that aren't locked but are full price up front.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
If my own ignorance to this option of T-mob device compatibility on AT&T networks, I would have purchased my last device from them. Verizon has stuck it to me hard with my Note 3 and their customer service, and being I paid outright for this Note 3......its going to be hard for me to justify dropping that cheese on another device outright. Definitely will keep that in mind though, maybe even if I decide to shop Swappa. :good:
nismo591 said:
I had the note 3 and 4 on vzw, got the note 4 on release day and had it till I got my n6 3 weeks ago. I loved my note devices but I noticed some lag on them over time not bad by any means but more like hiccups. Always put on Nova launcher bc I hated touchwiz. Screen was brighter on note 4 but I don't mind the n6 screen. Camera at night isn't as good but in daylight the n6 focuses faster than the note 4. For what I like the n6 is the phone for me.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
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:good:
martinezma99 said:
I own a T Mobile Note 4 and using on AT&T network. It works great with no issues.
I ordered a Nexus 6 with Friday delivery so can't fairly compare yet.
A few Note 4 things.
1. FireKat custom rom has made all the difference. It is stock TW tweaked to perfection. No lag and battery last 5 to 6 hours of SOT.
2. Screen on Note 4 is incredible.
3. We did get CM12 on Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should have bought the dev edition Note 3, but then again there is hardly any support on the Verizon end........so I'm actually glad I didn't. Still something to think about if I do shop Swappa.
Pilz said:
I had a Note 3 until may of this year when I got my G3 which I still have. The Nexus is leaps and bounds past the Note.
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Can you be specific as to what is so dramatic in the differences? If you have time, and don't mind? I'd love to hear what your experience has been. :good:

LXative said:
Can you be specific as to what is so dramatic in the differences? If you have time, and don't mind? I'd love to hear what your experience has been. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note 3 was a good phone when I didn't know any better about Android when I bought it. The phone seemed fast compared to my S3 but it WS extremely limited in terms of modding which is what I hated. TW was always laggy for me (more noticeable when I used my Nexus 7 then used my Note 3). After a while it for extremely annoying to me that my Nexus 7 with its 1.7ghz process and 2gn or ram was faster than my 2.3ghz 3gb of ram Note 3. I was rooted running Nova launcher on it until I accidentally updated to kitkat. I lost root in the update and I decided that I would upgrade he phone when something better came along because the TW nonsense was not for me. I liked the dual window and the S pen was cool at first but then it became a gimmick. The physical home button started to click weird after 7 months and it was not ideal to use and felt primitive compared to the onscreen buttons of my Nexus 7 (2013)
I had mentioned modding earlier which is important to me especially with TW because there was a good amount of lag comparatively speaking. Others may have found the Note to EB fast, but have then use a Nexus or AOSP device and then use the Samsung. Its sad because it was nice despite its shortcomings. The camera focus was horrible in my Note, but when it did focus after much frustration it would take nice pictures. Now let's talk ergonomics, the Note is extremely boxy for a 5.7in phone. I like big phablets however the Note 3 was terrible to hold even with a minimal case. Then there was the camera which protrudes a good amount just like the S5, and Note 4 making a slim case a bad idea if you want to protect the camera lens.
My wife has the S5 and whenever I use it it's awful just like I recall my Note was. My wife used to love Samsung too, but she now likes the way Nexus devices are or any phones with on screen buttons and minimal bloat. (She's not s technology snob at all either) her phone lags and stutters even with the bloat disabled as much as possible. Back on topic with the Note 3 now, I decided that the physical buttons, non ergonomic design, bad camera focus, laggy software, slow updates, bloat galore and general lack of easy development/mods was too much. I then bought a G3 at the end of May last year and instantly loved it. LG's UI was nowhere near as heavy as Samsung's and the G3 became my favorite non Nexus devices. In fact I still use my G3 even thought I love my Nexus. I wasn't going to wait for the Nexus 6 or whatever I thought it would be called to come out because I was done with the Notes shortcomings. The best decision I ever made was to get rid of my Samsung phone. I like the Nexus and G3 and will get the G4 and Nexus phone next year unless LG screws up their nice design.
In the end it was more than one thing for me and I hopes this helps you. I don't hate Samsung, I just don't like their phones the way that I used to. I still have an awesome Samsung TV and LG TV in my house and a Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus (i7 mode) but I won't but another Samsung phone the way they are now.

I had the Note 3 for several month and before that a Note 2 for a good while - both on Verizon. Having grown tired of Verizon locking down their devices and Samsung pressing on with Knox, I decided to move on from both ... grabbed a Nexus 6 with T-Mobile back in the beginning of December. I admit I wasn't sure if I could deviate from the Note as I grew accustom to the Note series and all the great things it has to offer - screen, camera, having the SPen, Multi Window, Pen Window, etc. But, as I started to think about it, I realized I almost never used the SPen and Multi Window/Pen Window were very rarely used as well. After almost 2 full weeks with the Nexus 6 I can say without a shadow of a doubt I do not miss my Note 3 AT ALL! About the only thing I miss is the battery life - the Nexus 6, in my use/experience, has not even come close to what I achieved with the Note 3! (I'm not really worried about this as I'm sure the kinks will be worked out by Google/Moto to get better results).
Comparison of the (in my opinion) major factors:
- Screen: Turning off Adaptive Brightness on the Nexus 6 makes a HUGE difference (and is a must IMO) and , in my most humble opinion, puts it on par with the Note 3 display. However, the Note 3 still wins this contest ... The N6 screen gets plenty bright and visibility outdoors hasn't been an issue, but overall I think the N3 has a slight edge. Also, the feel of the screen is different on the N6. The N6 glass seems "stickier" (for a lack of a better word) ... My fingers slid across the glass easier on the N3 and it's definitely better at managing finger prints!
- UI: Hands down goes to the N6!! Absolutely no comparison! While I'm not a TouchWiz hater (I actually think it compliments the Note series well) I was never a huge fan. Yes, it has some useful features, but a vast majority I found to be gimmicky and never used them. All they did was clutter the settings menu and app draw. And there is no denying TW lags ... now it was never significant in my experience, but definitely noticeable! Now, 5.0 on the Nexus 6 absolutely beautiful and straight out flies! Multitasking it so fluid that it makes up for Multi Window - switch between apps using the recent key (or whatever they're calling it in 5.0) is smooth with quick transitions. Google added nice features (ambient display, battery saver, priority notifications - to name a few) that are, well useful! Granted other OEMs have used similar features them in the past, but they're baked in very nice in 5.0 ... not intrusive and easy to ignore).
- Battery: As I stated above, I had better results from my Note 3. The N6 gets me through the day, but if I was a heavy user I'd find myself needing to charge mid day for sure
- Sound: Nexus 6 is better in every category! Dual front facing speakers!! Nuff said LOL! Headphone jack output is better and louder in-call volume.
Feel-in-hand/Build: While slightly taller,wider and heavier the Nexus 6, after a few days of use, feels better in hand. I admit, the additional width took some getting used to (the height wasn't an issue for me), even though it's only slight difference in width, it's definitely a difference you'll notice. But like any new device, it becomes a none-issue after a few days. The curved back on the N6 makes the feel-in-hand great, but certainly makes things annoying if you're trying to use the device while it's laying flat on a hard surface. Although the same could be said for the Note 3 and it's protruding rear camera (never did understand that design!)
The build on the Nexus 6 is stellar!! Just a solid piece of machinery LOL There's no give to this thing at all! The N3 always felts kinda cheap to me ... it'd creek a little bit when holding it in a certain spot, the plastic didn't feel premium and it developed hair-line cracks in the plastic outer band around the SPen although it was never dropped/abused.
Camera: (DISCLAIMER: I AM IN NO WAY A PHOTOGRAPHER ... I ENJOY TAKING PICTURES, BUT TRUTH BE TOLD I DON'T KNOW MAY ASS FROM LEFT FIELD!!!) I may be the only one to say this, but I was never a fan of the Note 3 camera (I still feel the Note 2 camera was superior). I always had a tough time getting decent shots. However, towards the end of my run with the device I turned off the image stabilization feature (I think that's what it was called) and had MUCH better success! The Nexus 6, IMO, takes really good photos. Like any smartphone camera, it does better in the right conditions. But, with HDR on, I am finding the pics to be more than ample for my needs.
Depending on your wants and needs, I don't think you can go wrong with either device. In the end it all comes down to personal preference. At this point in my life, I wanted the latest, pure, unskinned Android OS, fast updates and a root/hack friendly environment (with great developer support). If those aren't appealing to you, than the Note 4 is probably the next best choice. I say go play with both a few time at a local store before making a decision ....

Tried S6, thinking of returning it for Nexus 6

Good morning all,
I purchased my next new device over the weekend- white 32gb Galaxy S6. I absolutely love the phone. It is beautiful on the outside, and MOST of what is inside it, I love as well. My issue is with battery life. Now I know there have already been tons of reports of bad battery life leading up to the actual release. I had written these off as people who didn't know how to properly manage battery life. I knew battery life wouldn't be as good as what I am used to, but I never thought it would be as bad as it is. I am having to leave all the usuals turned of (wifi, bluetooth, location, ect.). No biggie. I am also having to go as far as using the app that turns off pixels in the display to conserve battery life. Even with this, I am getting less than 4 hours of screen on time. Just browsing the net, I can watch my percentage drop rather quickly.
This brings me to the reason for my post. I had originally wanted the Nexus 6. I had been waiting for it to drop on Big Red, so I didn't have to shave down a SIM card, or go through the hassle of explaining to Verizon, "Yes you will allow me to use this device on your network, even though you do not currently offer it." Well right around the time I was ready to make the N6 purchase, I found myself in Best Buy and saw they had a display of the new S6. I went over to check it out, fully thinking I am going to think this device is a joke. Well it wasn't a joke, and that is how I ended up with it.
All this being said, should I go ahead and pick up the N6, or wait for the next flagship to launch? The main thing that has me unsure at the moment is the outdated 32 bit Snapdragon 805 chipset. Now I know this is still a very capable chip, but am I being dumb for blowing $650 on a phone that is already one generation behind in the processor world? I always buy my phone at full retail to avoid losing my unlimited data with Big Red.
Am I making a mistake or should I get it and never look back, while enjoying the pure Android bliss?

How do you figure that 805 is "outdated" or "one generation behind"? 805 is the CURRENT STATE OF THE ART and won't be passed until you start to see the 820 come to market. No, 810 is not a new generation, its just a stopgap to satisfy everybody too dumb to realize that 64bit doesn't do anything useful for a cellphone. Its actually a crappy chip that sucks up way too much power.
The 820 is *actually* the next generation of mobile chip, which improves performance and power consumption compared to the 805.

jonmike13 said:
Good morning all,
I purchased my next new device over the weekend- white 32gb Galaxy S6. I absolutely love the phone. It is beautiful on the outside, and MOST of what is inside it, I love as well. My issue is with battery life. Now I know there have already been tons of reports of bad battery life leading up to the actual release. I had written these off as people who didn't know how to properly manage battery life. I knew battery life wouldn't be as good as what I am used to, but I never thought it would be as bad as it is. I am having to leave all the usuals turned of (wifi, bluetooth, location, ect.). No biggie. I am also having to go as far as using the app that turns off pixels in the display to conserve battery life. Even with this, I am getting less than 4 hours of screen on time. Just browsing the net, I can watch my percentage drop rather quickly.
This brings me to the reason for my post. I had originally wanted the Nexus 6. I had been waiting for it to drop on Big Red, so I didn't have to shave down a SIM card, or go through the hassle of explaining to Verizon, "Yes you will allow me to use this device on your network, even though you do not currently offer it." Well right around the time I was ready to make the N6 purchase, I found myself in Best Buy and saw they had a display of the new S6. I went over to check it out, fully thinking I am going to think this device is a joke. Well it wasn't a joke, and that is how I ended up with it.
All this being said, should I go ahead and pick up the N6, or wait for the next flagship to launch? The main thing that has me unsure at the moment is the outdated 32 bit Snapdragon 805 chipset. Now I know this is still a very capable chip, but am I being dumb for blowing $650 on a phone that is already one generation behind in the processor world? I always buy my phone at full retail to avoid losing my unlimited data with Big Red.
Am I making a mistake or should I get it and never look back, while enjoying the pure Android bliss?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both are very good phones but very different. The Galaxy has the best screen and a good cpu and the Nexus has better speakers and no bloatware. If you like to tinker the nexus is the one for you and if you don`t the S6 is your phone. Mind that KNOX registers the rooting process and it may void warranty dependent on where you live.
The Nexus is overall a great phone with good batterylife (user dependable) a good screen, good speakers and its very snappy and fluid. You can`t go wrong with either phones but it all depends on how you use the phone and what you want to do with it.

gee2012 said:
Both are very good phones but very different. The Galaxy has the best screen and a good cpu and the Nexus has better speakers and no bloatware. If you like to tinker the nexus is the one for you and if you don`t the S6 is your phone. Mind that KNOX registers the rooting process and it may void warranty dependent on where you live.
The Nexus is overall a great phone with a good screen, good speakers and its very snappy and fluid. You can`t go wrong with either phones but it all depends on how you use the phone and what you want to do with it.
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Click to collapse
This. You can't go wrong with most phones these days it just depends on what you want. Other than the camera, ignore the specs and ask yourself do you want a larger phone with pure android? Or do you want a smaller one with TouchWiz? Also, considering you're on Verizon, the S6 bootloader most likely won't be unlocked and root will be a challenge.
With that being said, I switched from the Note 4 to the Nexus 6. The Note screen and camera were much better than the Nexus 6, but I prefer stock Android and being able to unlock the bootloader and root. After waiting months hoping for someone to obtain root I finally gave up and switched and don't plan on going back.

I appreciate all the responses guys. I am coming from a Note 3 and I have always liked the larger phones, and in turn I am used to bigger batteries and longer battery life. I did not know that the Snapdragon 810 wasn't a new generation chip. I appreciate the clarification on that. I definitely prefer what the Nexus 6 has to offer, but I guess I was worried it would be outdated much quicker than the S6. I was lured into the S6 by their in-house chipset that seems to be crushing everything it is put up against in benchmark testing, and the fact that the build quality and design seems to be on par with an iPhone. I kind of thought of it as an iPhone running android because of how much the design has changed over the previous S5.

im sort of in the same boat.. im coming from a GS4 so anything will be an upgrade for me. my phone is pissing me off and im dealing with a stuck power button issue so the phone randomly shuts off and wont turn back on. was debating GS6 vs N6 but knowing on verizon i cant root or unlock the bootloader i think im going N6

jonmike13 said:
I appreciate all the responses guys. I am coming from a Note 3 and I have always liked the larger phones, and in turn I am used to bigger batteries and longer battery life. I did not know that the Snapdragon 810 wasn't a new generation chip. I appreciate the clarification on that. I definitely prefer what the Nexus 6 has to offer, but I guess I was worried it would be outdated much quicker than the S6. I was lured into the S6 by their in-house chipset that seems to be crushing everything it is put up against in benchmark testing, and the fact that the build quality and design seems to be on par with an iPhone. I kind of thought of it as an iPhone running android because of how much the design has changed over the previous S5.
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Click to collapse
One thing of note is that most oems are aware when a benchmark is being run and have background processes (for lack of a proper term) kick in to falsely boost the results. If you google the idea, you will find tons of results from Samsung, HTC, and I'm sure many others.
Cant really go off benchmarks, even though I still run them on any new phone I am considering purchasing lol

pokedroid said:
One thing of note is that most oems are aware when a benchmark is being run and have background processes (for lack of a proper term) kick in to falsely boost the results. If you google the idea, you will find tons of results from Samsung, HTC, and I'm sure many others.
Cant really go off benchmarks, even though I still run them on any new phone I am considering purchasing lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good bit of information to keep in mind. I did not know that.

dansan382 said:
im sort of in the same boat.. im coming from a GS4 so anything will be an upgrade for me. my phone is pissing me off and im dealing with a stuck power button issue so the phone randomly shuts off and wont turn back on. was debating GS6 vs N6 but knowing on verizon i cant root or unlock the bootloader i think im going N6
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure how your current battery life is, but this S6 has been far from what I expected. I am using that app to disable pixels, which causes the screen to look bad. This makes me think, what is the point in buying this awesome phone if you have to disable most of its great features in order to get it to last all day. Since you are on Verizon, you will be happy to know that they have the Nexus 6 for $599 as opposed to $649 through the Google Play store. That is if you are okay with having the blue color, since Verizon does not offer the white one.

jonmike13 said:
I am not sure how your current battery life is, but this S6 has been far from what I expected. I am using that app to disable pixels, which causes the screen to look bad. This makes me think, what is the point in buying this awesome phone if you have to disable most of its great features in order to get it to last all day. Since you are on Verizon, you will be happy to know that they have the Nexus 6 for $599 as opposed to $649 through the Google Play store. That is if you are okay with having the blue color, since Verizon does not offer the white one.
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Click to collapse
my battery life on my GS4 is not great at all, actually its pretty bad. Im running cm11 roms and this stuff is buggy as heck so thats not helping either. I wasn't impressed with the GS6 when I played with it in the verizon store, just didnt blow me away. plus i hate touchwiz.
I will be buying my nexus 6 from motorola, as I want white. I just really dont like that blue/purpleish tint to the MB version. I really wish they offered black but sadly that isn't happening. I'll probably just get a cool dbrand wrap as well.
for those who have ordered from motorola, from the time you placed the order how long did it take to arrive at your door? Im debating if I should mail it to my house or my job as I know they will need a signature and nobody will be home.

I've always had galaxy devices but looked to nexus this time. The only thing that i dislike the phone is no ext sdcard. Once i got over that. I love the n6 and will not go to a galaxy device again. The knox thing made my life hell with the s4. The s5 was a bit easier to deal with roit and all but tw lag was unbearable especially compared to my friends n5. Battery is great on the n6 granted it's bigger than the previous phones i had. Took me awhile to get used to the bigger phone. On 5.1 stock rooted encrypted and the performance is more than satisfying
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

slicknsxy said:
I've always had galaxy devices but looked to nexus this time. The only thing that i dislike the phone is no ext sdcard. Once i got over that. I love the n6 and will not go to a galaxy device again. The knox thing made my life hell with the s4. The s5 was a bit easier to deal with roit and all but tw lag was unbearable especially compared to my friends n5. Battery is great on the n6 granted it's bigger than the previous phones i had. Took me awhile to get used to the bigger phone. On 5.1 stock rooted encrypted and the performance is more than satisfying
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for your feedback. ive had this GS4 since launch date and thankfully I was able to unlock the bootloader before they plugged that hole up. I dont mind not having an SD card as I had a Galaxy Nexus before the GS4. I also have never swapped batteries so i dont mind losing the removable battery especially since the nexus battery is huge. Also turbo charger and wireless charging is a nice thing to have. I'd probably use it just like you have, root it and unlock the bootloader. I just want stock android without having to use custom roms.

dansan382 said:
thanks for your feedback. ive had this GS4 since launch date and thankfully I was able to unlock the bootloader before they plugged that hole up. I dont mind not having an SD card as I had a Galaxy Nexus before the GS4. I also have never swapped batteries so i dont mind losing the removable battery especially since the nexus battery is huge. Also turbo charger and wireless charging is a nice thing to have. I'd probably use it just like you have, root it and unlock the bootloader. I just want stock android without having to use custom roms.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The turbo charger is great. I only use it once in awhile most of the time I'm wireless charging. With my galaxy phones i ended up making it look and run like a nexus device as much as i could. My friend convinced me that i should just get the n6 and try it. So much nicer and easier when it comes to updates too. Definitely don't regret the n6. And I'm very pleased with 5.1
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Just to chime in, I also came from the Note 3. I was in a real pickle as I didn't want to have a phone without a sd card but root was more important as it's beginning to look you'll catch a unicorn before anything Samsung gets rooted on Verizon...:silly: Anyway, rooting this device was the easiest I've ever done and I just bought a Meenova adapter and still use my sd card with that when I need it. I look at it as you have to give to get, if you want root on Big Red you may have to give up something and what I gave up wasn't all that bad in the end for the freedom I now have. Just some thoughts from me.
P.S. - Plus I don't want to have to give up my signature....

Curious if anyone has gone the other way switching from N6 to S6. I am considering it, but I don't want to rush into it. I know the pros and cons of each, but I'm just wondering if anyone switched from N6 to S6 and has a good experience.

theycallmerayj said:
Curious if anyone has gone the other way switching from N6 to S6. I am considering it, but I don't want to rush into it. I know the pros and cons of each, but I'm just wondering if anyone switched from N6 to S6 and has a good experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Obviously I cannot help with going from the N6 to the S6, but I will try to report back once I get the N6 and let you know how the two devices compare and if there was anything I preferred on the S6.

All I can say is, an an att retail employee, I still think the N6 is the best overall phone right now. Camera isn't terribly important to me, screen quality, screen size, battery life, and customization is what I look for and N6 wins in all 4 categories. The N6 still has a QHD screen and the size is great for gaming or netflix/YouTube. Just my two cents, I'm either going to get the m9 (half off purchase program for wireless employees with free upgrade every year... No contract) due to bootloader situation, purchase a N6 for my personal device or wait for one-plus-two. S6 is nice, but mostly hype, IMHO.

theycallmerayj said:
Curious if anyone has gone the other way switching from N6 to S6. I am considering it, but I don't want to rush into it. I know the pros and cons of each, but I'm just wondering if anyone switched from N6 to S6 and has a good experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did for one week then went back to my N6. The S6 is very nice. The N6 is a much better software experience IF you favor stock android. That's what it came down to for me.

Thanks for this thread you guys! Exactly why I love xda! Currently have the Nexus 5 after owning the Galaxy S1, S2 and S4. Couldn't be more happy with the Nexus 5 but battery life is pretty terrible for me on that device. I sneak around the Nexus 6 as I would like the bigger screen, better battery and better speaker but after seeing the Galaxy S6 I was also torn towards that a bit. This thread is really helpful for me and so far I think Nexus 6 is the way to go.

adl said:
Thanks for this thread you guys! Exactly why I love xda! Currently have the Nexus 5 after owning the Galaxy S1, S2 and S4. Couldn't be more happy with the Nexus 5 but battery life is pretty terrible for me on that device. I sneak around the Nexus 6 as I would like the bigger screen, better battery and better speaker but after seeing the Galaxy S6 I was also torn towards that a bit. This thread is really helpful for me and so far I think Nexus 6 is the way to go.
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Click to collapse
Go for it and don't look back! Now I am stuck paying a $35 restock fee on this S6, but I think it will be worth it.

Nexus to S6

Hello,
I've order the 64Gb S6 deal from T-Mobile. I've been a lifetime Nexus user from the Nexus One. I've always stuck to pure Android and the phone I currently have is the Nexus 5. I've purchase every generation of Nexus phone except for the Nexus 6 because I didn't like the size. The S6 seems like a winner and I'm already use to a non-removable battery and no SD card. I'm not sure how I'll deal with TW(heard it's been toned down) vs stock Android. That really is my biggest worry and I've been researching a way to uninstall all the bloatware(T-Mobile) without rooting(Though I might do that with PingPong and deal with manual updates). I really wish they would have released a Google Play Edition. I am pretty excited about the class leading hardware, especially the camera. Others who have switched from stock Android to the S6, how do you feel? Loving it? Ready to switch back to a Nexus device? Let me know! Thanks!
Also I'm a avid Google Now, Ok Google user.

My last couple phones were stock android (one plus one, nexus, moto x) and I'll tell you, I don't miss them. The s6 is that good. Battery could be better, but I'm hoping rooting helps (I'm on day one of a custom ROM so we'll see). I also use the "OK google" phrase a lot, so you'll be disappointed to know it doesn't work on the s6 for some reason unless you're using google now or google launcher.

I was in the same boat as you. I went from a 32gb Nexus 5 on AT&T to 64gb Galaxy S6 T-Mo. I'm not a big save my entire music collection on my phone guy, I prefer streaming services. 32gb Nexus was fine for me and battery life sucked. I love the GS6, super fast, I find the battery life more than acceptable, I'm rooted via Ping Pong and actually don't mind Touchwiz this time around. Hated it on my GS2 Skyrocket and GS4. I just rooted and plan to update with Flashfire to keep Knox intact

I was worried about keeping KNOX intact too. I used to install custom ROMs back in the day but as Android has gotten better I haven't done it on recent phones. I just wanted to be able to uninstall bloatware so that's why I'm thinking about rooting. I love the fact that the T-Mobile version has no carrier branding and now I can't wait till this thing gets here. Other than software do you know how different the T-Mo version is from the international version?

N6 64GB to S6 64GB. No remorse whatsoever. Especially with a Tab S also, having things like SideSync is great.

wicked11 said:
I was worried about keeping KNOX intact too. I used to install custom ROMs back in the day but as Android has gotten better I haven't done it on recent phones. I just wanted to be able to uninstall bloatware so that's why I'm thinking about rooting. I love the fact that the T-Mobile version has no carrier branding and now I can't wait till this thing gets here. Other than software do you know how different the T-Mo version is from the international version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not any major differences. If anything T-Mo variant has a few extra features like voLTE and WiFi Calling enabled by default. I went with the JUMP option when I switched to T-Mo so I only have to pay off half the device to upgrade. I see no reason to get international version over T-Mo variant. If it were AT&T or International I'd go international all day. My girlfriend has the AT&T variant as she is still on a family plan with big corporate discount. With Flashfire the locked AT&T bootloader isn't crippling but more of an inconvenience

I went from the Nexus 5 to OnePlus One (CM12) and now to the S6. I love the S6. I use the Google Now launcher instead of TW and it doesn't feel all the much different to me. I like the added gestures TW brings (such as palm swipe for a screenshot).
For the bloatware, I simply disable it in the applications menu. When you disable them, the app also disappears from the app drawer.

I was Team Nexus for a while and had a GNex, Nexus 4, 5, and 6. I switched to the S6 because the N6 was too big for my taste and the S6 hardware was just so damn nice (body, camera).
Do I miss stock Android? Hell yes. There's very little (if anything) that TW does better. However, after a few hours of research and tweaking, I've got my S6 looking and feeling as close to a Nexus as possible. I recommend Nova Launcher, Moonshine icon pack, and Hifont to help with that. Also I rooted (before PingPong was available, unfortunately) and used TiBu to freeze all the bloatware I don't need. I'm pretty happy, but I'd be even happier if someone could get this Material Design theme ported to the T-Mobile variant!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s6/themes-apps/wip-material-design-theme-s6e-t3108155
For what it's worth, my S6 (with no mods other than frozen bloatware) is as snappy as my Nexus 6 running stock 5.1 with Faux kernel.

ping pong root. You basically root the stock rom, knox is NOT tripped. So its good as long as yuou only want to make small changes to your rom (like getting rid of bloat completely and not just disabling it).
Thats what i did and it worked AMAZINGLY well.

frettfreak said:
ping pong root. You basically root the stock rom, knox is NOT tripped. So its good as long as yuou only want to make small changes to your rom (like getting rid of bloat completely and not just disabling it).
Thats what i did and it worked AMAZINGLY well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I think that's my plan. From all the review of current TW I don't think I'll mind so much. I just want to be rid of all the bloat I won't use. The phone feels amazing and I'm waiting for a glass screen protect now before I start using it. How do you guys feel about the recent new of possibly 2 new nexus phones coming out?

wicked11 said:
Yeah, I think that's my plan. From all the review of current TW I don't think I'll mind so much. I just want to be rid of all the bloat I won't use. The phone feels amazing and I'm waiting for a glass screen protect now before I start using it. How do you guys feel about the recent new of possibly 2 new nexus phones coming out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really TW isnt that bad on the s6 now. I can deal with it. and honestly until this phone i have been a "gotta get a glass screen protector before i buy the phone" kinda guy. i have had this one without one and i havent scratch the screen once (have had it in my pocket with screws and nail on accident too a few times). I may end up ordering one, but i HATE the fact that the screen is curved on the sides and the protector doesnt go to the edge. IMO, just looks janky.
the 2 nexus phones is super interesting. I am REALLY hoping that the smaller LG made nexus is real cause i MIGHT be all over that. I had the g3 before this and really liked it. I did what they did with the g4, and as long as the new nexus takes the camera from the g4, that might be my next jump upgrade when it comes out. lol Not interested in a phone bigger than 5.5" anymore. After having the g3 for 6 months, and now going back to the smaller s6, i think this screen size is my sweet spot for sure.

id10terrordfw said:
N6 64GB to S6 64GB. No remorse whatsoever. Especially with a Tab S also, having things like SideSync is great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same experience for moving from a Nexus 6 to a S6.
Your making the right move op. I am not missing the stock experience at all as we already have Root / twrp / (tw for now, 920 T/F) ROM's / kernels / themes here. I've been busy flashing and finding largely positive results; devs are cool / smart peeps here. Much more stable options here imo.
Even just rooting and casually dialing back touchwiz to your liking is easy with titanium.
Moreover, the S6 hardware is largely unmatched to date. Backing up a 4.3gb .zip in twrp took 192/secs; octa 64bit rocks even on little stuff like that. Its not perfect, but its arguably THE superior android flagship right now.

Samsung Galaxy S6 isn't doing it for me

I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 that I got at launch. I came from a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and I was eager to try out a smaller phone after being on the Samsung Galaxy Note series since they came out. After being on the Galaxy S6, I can tell you that I miss a few things. First thing I miss is the larger screen size of the Note. I don't miss the stylus though as I never used it. I really do like wireless charging of the S6, but I am tiring very much of the lack of root on the Samsung devices.
All these things said, I have been looking at the Nexus 6 for a while now. It just seems like a great fit to me, and I have a buddy upgrade available on one of my family lines. I am concerned with the horsepower on the Nexus 6 though. It isn't that old in comparison to the S6, but maybe it isn't an issue after all. Anyone here move from a Samsung device over to the Nexus 6? I am on Verizon if it matters.

cbdudek said:
I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 that I got at launch. I came from a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and I was eager to try out a smaller phone after being on the Samsung Galaxy Note series since they came out. After being on the Galaxy S6, I can tell you that I miss a few things. First thing I miss is the larger screen size of the Note. I don't miss the stylus though as I never used it. I really do like wireless charging of the S6, but I am tiring very much of the lack of root on the Samsung devices.
All these things said, I have been looking at the Nexus 6 for a while now. It just seems like a great fit to me, and I have a buddy upgrade available on one of my family lines. I am concerned with the horsepower on the Nexus 6 though. It isn't that old in comparison to the S6, but maybe it isn't an issue after all. Anyone here move from a Samsung device over to the Nexus 6? I am on Verizon if it matters.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I moved from a S6 to a Nexus 6. Loved the camera on the S6 and the screen was very crisp as well. Honestly i hated not being on a stock android. There was lag everywhere. switching apps would take a while and if you installed a theme from the theme store it would be unusable at times. I got a good deal on the Nexus 6 also picked up a 64 gb version. Theres no lag while playing games either. It does heat up a little while doing some intense gaming , but thats nowhere close to how hot the S6 got from time to time. It will be the first to get the Android M update in a few months time. If you are comfortable with a big screen i thing you will love this device. Only thing i miss is the camera on the S6. Rest the nexus 6 on 5.1.1 is as good as it gets. Im sure people on Verizon would have had similar experience.

cbdudek said:
I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 that I got at launch. I came from a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and I was eager to try out a smaller phone after being on the Samsung Galaxy Note series since they came out. After being on the Galaxy S6, I can tell you that I miss a few things. First thing I miss is the larger screen size of the Note. I don't miss the stylus though as I never used it. I really do like wireless charging of the S6, but I am tiring very much of the lack of root on the Samsung devices.
All these things said, I have been looking at the Nexus 6 for a while now. It just seems like a great fit to me, and I have a buddy upgrade available on one of my family lines. I am concerned with the horsepower on the Nexus 6 though. It isn't that old in comparison to the S6, but maybe it isn't an issue after all. Anyone here move from a Samsung device over to the Nexus 6? I am on Verizon if it matters.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Besides the camera and the IR blaster you will not miss annything trust me I had the S6 for 4 days and sold it to use my N6 again. The lag, Touchwizz, bloatware and KNOX we`re too much for me and i will never again buy a Samsung device. I love the Nexus`s and especialy the N6 (size, stereo speakers).
Don`t think you will be sorry, but it takes a few days too get used to the the size but once you do you can`t go back to a small screen.

Thanks for your comments.
I made a short list of things that I missed about the Note series when I was on it and what I did and didn't miss. One of those things is the screen size. After being on large phablet phones for a while, I thought a downgrade on size would be worth trying out. That was a mistake. The stock android experience is something I am starting to miss as well. I have a Google Nexus 7 and I love this tablet. So easy to use and the stock android is pretty darn nice. Lastly, rooting would be nice to go back to but it isn't a huge deal. I have Foxfi which handles most of my rooting issues, but it would be nice to install adblock and other rooted apps. I don't know if I would use a different kernel. Samsung's stance on rooting is really pissing me off to no end.
Now that I saw the Google Nexus 6 lounge, I regret not putting this there. Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.

gee2012 said:
Besides the camera and the IR blaster you will not miss annything trust me I had the S6 for 4 days and sold it to use my N6 again. The lag, Touchwizz, bloatware and KNOX we`re too much for me and i will never again buy a Samsung device. I love the Nexus`s and especialy the N6 (size, stereo speakers).
Don`t think you will be sorry, but it takes a few days too get used to the the size but once you do you can`t go back to a small screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your input. The size isn't a big deal to me. I miss the larger size of my Note 3 right now. I took the chance that maybe I would like a smaller phone with this S6 upgrade, and I didn't mind the size at first but now I am missing my larger phone. I really also don't want to go after a Samsung Note 5 either. I would wait 2 months for the Note 5 and I am not sold on the stylus nor the design of the device. Plus, the locking down of the Samsung device really does piss me off even more so now.
Oh, and I don't even use the IR blaster.
I really want to move to a phablet that isn't Samsung based for a change and the Nexus 6 appears to be my final destination.

There are a few things the S6 does better the the Nexus 6, I just switched back to the N6 after having the S6 since launch:
1 - It is snappier when doing data write intensive tasks. Unfortunately I like to have my devices encrypted so I pay the price on snappiness when downloading or installing apps with the Nexus 6
2 - The screen is a lot better. It is crisper (size/ppi) but it is also higher quality. Better accuracy, brightness... I could go on for days. The Nexus 6 is comparable to the Note 3 screen in accuracy and brightness (I had a Note 3 and 4 in the past)
3 - The camera is a ton better, no real comparison. The Nexus 6 has a good camera, possibly bordering on great its just not the outstanding that the S6/G4 are.
Otherwise when it comes to software and such it is amazing. I am running the M preview and am happy as a lark.

altimax98 said:
There are a few things the S6 does better the the Nexus 6, I just switched back to the N6 after having the S6 since launch:
1 - It is snappier when doing data write intensive tasks. Unfortunately I like to have my devices encrypted so I pay the price on snappiness when downloading or installing apps with the Nexus 6
2 - The screen is a lot better. It is crisper (size/ppi) but it is also higher quality. Better accuracy, brightness... I could go on for days. The Nexus 6 is comparable to the Note 3 screen in accuracy and brightness (I had a Note 3 and 4 in the past)
3 - The camera is a ton better, no real comparison. The Nexus 6 has a good camera, possibly bordering on great its just not the outstanding that the S6/G4 are.
Otherwise when it comes to software and such it is amazing. I am running the M preview and am happy as a lark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These are good things to know. A couple questions though.
Do you encrypt in case your phone is stolen?
Did you move back to the Nexus 6 because of the larger screen and/or was it the stock android OS?

cbdudek said:
These are good things to know. A couple questions though.
Do you encrypt in case your phone is stolen?
Did you move back to the Nexus 6 because of the larger screen and/or was it the stock android OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I encrypt for a couple of reasons, Stolen is one of them.
Yeah stock Android is the main reason. I also really missed my big phone. I went from a Note 3 to Nexus 5 to M8 to Nexus 6 to Note 4 to S6 and while the S6 is the best phone I have ever owned and the Note 4 the best large phone, the software just didnt do it for me.
Android 5.0+ is just too beautiful to be hidden all the time by crappy skins or broken animations. I enjoyed some of Samsungs changes, like the allowing of a single non-play store app at a time without having to set Unknown Sources to always on, multi-window, app bubble things and a few others.

My wife has the S6, which is why I went with the N6. Love it. I love the lack of bloatware. S6 has the camera going for it, but that's all.

A lot of Samsung's extra features I really didn't take advantage of. The app bubbles were pretty nice, but I didn't like multi-window. It just wasn't that useful to me.
I placed an order for my Nexus 6 about 10 minutes ago. Back to stock android I go. I am going to update the phone and then root this sucker for sure. From what I have been reading, it isn't hard to do.

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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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 ).