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Working 6 months with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (910F), 5 Years with Samsung
I am not a regular user / buyer. I have many smartphones and when I like a brand, i am buying everything i can from the same brand.
Until 5 years ago, I was working only with HTC. I bought 8 HTC smartphones.
And then I discovered Samsung.
From then, I bought 10 Samsung smartphones, 3 Samsung Smart TVs and more.
But my passion to Samsung started to crack, and all because of my Note 4 issues.
When I received the Note 4, it was amazing - excellent battery life, everything worked perfect.
And then came updates...
After the first update, the Note 4 started to have bluetooth issues - I need to make restart twice a day in order to work with my bluetooth headsets (even with Samsung headsets).
With more updates, the battery life dropped dramatically. After the Lollipop update, the battery is dropping 3-5% per hour, without using it. Android OS and bluetooth dropped the most.
Dont tell me to make hard reset - I made it twice.
Its time to leave Samsung and work with a company that can give me what Samsung gave me until two years ago.
Samsung will need to convince me that it improved before I will return.
using bluetooth everyday with my car audio, and bluetooth headset never had any problem.
battery life never changed for me with any update. 6 hours sot generally.
maybe the Exynos is better.
The exynos is not any better, I had it for nearly a month, but returned it yesterday. Just like the op, I became a fan of samsung since I bought the S3 because of the removeable back and exchangeable battery, memory card support, and of course the tons of roms here on XDA. I was a HTC user (Desire and Desire HD). Now Samsung seems to be going that route, so it is time for me to look for alternatives, but can't find one I like at the moment. Worse comes to worse when there is no manufacturer making removable battery and sd card support, I will not buy samsung. I would rather but a NEXUS phone which will have updates from google. Heck my dauthers' 3 year old Nexus 7 toys are still running 5.1.1 without me doing anything.
I understand what you're saying. I have the Note 4 now, before that a few Nokias, an LG G3, Sony Xperia Z2, and before that, the Note 2 (best phone I had owned). I'm very disappointed in Samsung's issues. If Samsung doesn't fix this issue before I get a new phone in a few months probably, I'll ditch Samsung for good. Battery life is horrible. Camera is good in AWESOME lighting conditions, and in EVERY OTHER condition, it's SOOO grainy and terrible! Focusing isn't good. My 2013 Nokia 1520 took MUCH better pictures than this Note 4, except in good lighting. Also, 4 different roms (all official) and I still have that STUPID multitasking button delay. My Samsung tablet from 2 years ago is MUCH faster at bringing up the multitasking screen! 2GB ram and SD800 processor w/ same resolution!
I really hate to say it, but I am very disappointed in all the money I spent in this phone. I should have returned it when I had the chance ... Xperia Z3, or Z4 now... LG G4... Nexus 6. I know EVERY device has its issues, but I always need 2 things: Battery life and good camera performance. From ALL the reviews, the Note 4 had these... I really can't trust reviewers on youtube... I guess they must praise the Samsung devices or else they won't get review units before release... Meh....
I really hope Samsung can fix these issues....
/rant off.
Updates to the software ruined it for you? Then go back to what it was like when everything was perfect.
MDaveUK said:
Updates to the software ruined it for you? Then go back to what it was like when everything was perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, even before updates ruined it, it was buggy from the get go. For example, I had the GPS tag problem right out of the box. When trying to take a picture, sometimes it wouldn't lock on to the GPS coordinates in time. Other phones will continue to try to find the GPS lock and then add it to the image a few seconds after the image is taken, but not the Note 4! That was a really big issue that was fixed with the update to Lollipop, but it brought along with it a whole slew of other issues. So no, updates didn't ruin it, updates fixed some things and broke others.
Returning back is not always smooth.
Any way - some of the updates are security updates so its a problematic not to update.
Yeah, I guess that will be my first and last samsung phone. Some months back I was unsure to get the nexus 6 or samsung note 4, because I wanted a bigger phone. Wish I had waited for the nexus 6...
Problem was not the hardware, that is really high quality and everything works like it should. Also batterie is fine, in most cases it was something else that kept the phone from sleeping, like google+.
Really awesome is the QI Case from samsung, so I can load wireless and it's protected (great quality!). Also the small window with infos
But the downside is the software and the efuse. I had many phones in my hands till now (it in our company) from mid/high end android, apple, tablets etc.
I NEVER had a software on a phone that pissed me off like samsung did. Compared to my nexus 4 I had before, the performance was abysmal. I knew TW was known to be slow, but I mean the cpu is fast as hell, 3 GB RAM etc. - that should count for something right? There is so much crap preinstalled and badly coded, it hurts.
Never wanted to root my phone, but I really needed to do it. With a custom mod and kernel it was a bit faster, also lolipop was better then 4.4.4 in subjective speed. But when I installed CM on the phone, I saw for the first time WHAT this piece of fine hardware can actually do. I also installed the same apps and no difference in speed. It was nice and fast like my nexus 4. Too bad I had to kick CM because of the bugs still around at that time. So it really is the software, nothing else.
My next phone will be a nexus again or - if good - something from LG, Sony or a Google play edition. If I could I would change it right now for a lg g4 or a nexus 6.
If samsung want's to be a real opponent to apple, they have to keep the changes to android at the lowest possible (like CM) and everything else as app. That would fasten updates by a wide margin. Also a business and private user brand with and without knox. And some kind of software selection system, that disables services or deinstalls them, if not needed like you won't need samsung link without a samsung tv.
Hello all,
I have an upgrade to use with Verizon. Currently on the S5 and can't stand the fact there's no development cause of locked BS Samsung crap. Just wondering if I should get an "older" phone like the N6 or try out the G4 (they tend to get unlocked within a couple months). Want to get away form Touchjizz and Sammy thanks to Verizon. Any comments would be appreciated!
I recently purchased the Nexus 6 on Verizon and I'm extremely happy. I also have an active Note 4 and now never use it. I'm having so much fun flashing ROMs and customizing the device (wood back covers, etc) that being 6 months old doesnt bother me. I'll wait for the next Nexus before upgrading again.
Also, this is the only device that I've purchased from Verizon that came with ZERO bloat. Literally nothing. Even AT&T crapped that up. It doesn't make great use of Verizon's Advanced Calling feature (native video calling) but who cares. VoLTE works.
Obviously get the G4. Nexus devices have subpar battery life
dicecuber said:
Obviously get the note 4. Nexus devices have subpar battery life
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Click to collapse
Dude, i have almost never seen a postive comment of you about phones in multiple forums. Why do you always endup with the wrong phones and do you even have a Nexus 6?
That said both devices are awesome but very different. The G4 has a swapable battery, external sd card support up to 2TB, a superb camera wich some find even better then that of the Galaxy S6 and a gorgeous screen. Batterylife will be a bit better than de N6`s but the N6 is a developer phone with many choices of roms, kernels, and mods too choose from. The Nexus 6 has a good screen but in full sunlight sometimes not very clear, the speakers are great, its superfluid with no lags and in daily use a very good phone to use and it kind of grows on you
I recommend the 64GB version as there is no sdcard slot and the battery is not swapable and the speakers are very good imo.
So both have things going for them, best is to play with both in real life in a shop if you can and see wich one feels best for you.
@gee2012, am I lying about the battery life?
Nexus are great besides that and the camera
dicecuber said:
@gee2012, am I lying about the battery life?
Nexus are great besides that and the camera
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never call other users liars bro, i just noticed your name and it reminded me of the negative comments you used to post about the last years N5 i believe. But enough about that, the batttery gets me through the day and have about 4-4,5 hrs. screenontime wich is sufficient for me. Its not Note 4 and certainly not Ascend Mate 7 figures but enough for me It varies depending on settings and usage per user. The camera shoots pretty descent shots with sufficient light and lowlight with HDR+ isn`t bad either for me, but again not Galaxy S6 or even LG G3 quality.
Dennisg34 said:
Hello all,
I have an upgrade to use with Verizon. Currently on the S5 and can't stand the fact there's no development cause of locked BS Samsung crap. Just wondering if I should get an "older" phone like the N6 or try out the G4 (they tend to get unlocked within a couple months). Want to get away form Touchjizz and Sammy thanks to Verizon. Any comments would be appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends whats important to you. The newest hardware of the lg g4 or the openness of the nexus 6 software. Most devices by today's standards do not lag or show much stuttering when doing basic tasks such as texting, emailing,calling, surfing the internet, etc. It comes down to what you plan on doing with the phone. Will gaming be an option? Are you looking for a top of the line Camera? Once you figure that out, the choice becomes clear.
backdown00 said:
It depends whats important to you. The newest hardware of the lg g4 or the openness of the nexus 6 software. Most devices by today's standards do not lag or show much stuttering when doing basic tasks such as texting, emailing,calling, surfing the internet, etc. It comes down to what you plan on doing with the phone. Will gaming be an option? Are you looking for a top of the line Camera? Once you figure that out, the choice becomes clear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that lag is actually a very underrated issue with devices today. The G3 definitely lagged, and my S5 lagged horribly. Even the Note 4 isn't completely lag-free. However it does seem that reviewers haven't noticed any stutter in the G4, which is a good sign.
OP, one other thing to be aware of is that while the CPU in the 808 found in the G4 edges out the 805 found in the Nexus 6 the GPU in the 808 is significantly weaker than that of the 805. Otherwise I'm sure the G4 will be a great device. The camera will certainly be better than the N6's, and battery life should be comparable.
semperfi123 said:
I think that lag is actually a very underrated issue with devices today. The G3 definitely lagged, and my S5 lagged horribly. Even the Note 4 isn't completely lag-free. However it does seem that reviewers haven't noticed any stutter in the G4, which is a good sign.
OP, one other thing to be aware of is that while the CPU in the 808 found in the G4 edges out the 805 found in the Nexus 6 the GPU in the 808 is significantly weaker than that of the 805. Otherwise I'm sure the G4 will be a great device. The camera will certainly be better than the N6's, and battery life should be comparable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you link any websites showing the adreno 418 being worse than the 420? I did some fast googling and although there's not a lot of info it seems the 418 is as powerful as the 420 if not slightly more edging it out and is also made on a smaller die 20nm vs 28nm.
backdown00 said:
Can you link any websites showing the adreno 418 being worse than the 420? I did some fast googling and although there's not a lot of info it seems the 418 is as powerful as the 420 if not slightly more edging it out and is also made on a smaller die 20nm vs 28nm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From Anandtech: "In terms of graphics performance, the Adreno 418 is apparently 20% faster than the Adreno 330...and the Adreno 420 itself is something like 40% faster than Adreno 330"
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7925/...bit-socs-with-lte-category-67-support-in-2015
semperfi123 said:
From Anandtech: "In terms of graphics performance, the Adreno 418 is apparently 20% faster than the Adreno 330...and the Adreno 420 itself is something like 40% faster than Adreno 330"
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7925/...bit-socs-with-lte-category-67-support-in-2015
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahh I kept googling adreno 420 vs 418. I should been looking at 418 vs 330. Thank you for this!
gee2012 said:
I never call other users liars bro, i just noticed your name and it reminded me of the negative comments you used to post about the last years N5 i believe. But enough about that, the batttery gets me through the day and have about 4-4,5 hrs. screenontime wich is sufficient for me. Its not Note 4 and certainly not Ascend Mate 7 figures but enough for me It varies depending on settings and usage per user. The camera shoots pretty descent shots with sufficient light and lowlight with HDR+ isn`t bad either for me, but again not Galaxy S6 or even LG G3 quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
backdown00 said:
It depends whats important to you. The newest hardware of the lg g4 or the openness of the nexus 6 software. Most devices by today's standards do not lag or show much stuttering when doing basic tasks such as texting, emailing,calling, surfing the internet, etc. It comes down to what you plan on doing with the phone. Will gaming be an option? Are you looking for a top of the line Camera? Once you figure that out, the choice becomes clear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
semperfi123 said:
I think that lag is actually a very underrated issue with devices today. The G3 definitely lagged, and my S5 lagged horribly. Even the Note 4 isn't completely lag-free. However it does seem that reviewers haven't noticed any stutter in the G4, which is a good sign.
OP, one other thing to be aware of is that while the CPU in the 808 found in the G4 edges out the 805 found in the Nexus 6 the GPU in the 808 is significantly weaker than that of the 805. Otherwise I'm sure the G4 will be a great device. The camera will certainly be better than the N6's, and battery life should be comparable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ed Murray said:
I recently purchased the Nexus 6 on Verizon and I'm extremely happy. I also have an active Note 4 and now never use it. I'm having so much fun flashing ROMs and customizing the device (wood back covers, etc) that being 6 months old doesnt bother me. I'll wait for the next Nexus before upgrading again.
Also, this is the only device that I've purchased from Verizon that came with ZERO bloat. Literally nothing. Even AT&T crapped that up. It doesn't make great use of Verizon's Advanced Calling feature (native video calling) but who cares. VoLTE works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks everyone for your input! I would be using the camera more than gaming. Only gaming I do is the occasional w/e game while I'm taking care of business lol. Nexus was thrown in here because of all the development it has right now. I might be leaning towards the G4 just with all the extras it has and the phenomenal camera and it will still be faster than my S5. I own it, and yeah it does have some lag still. Can't stand Touchwhiz anymore and the lack of development thanks to their boost in security. Not sure why the last several Nexuses weren't removable batteries. Just an OCD thing on my part as well as external storage.
Yes Samsung phones have become harder to ROM, root, etc, unless you Go for T-Mobile/international and even then its not great.
If you plan on using the camera often, take it from a Nexus 6, Note 4 user - check out the G4.
That's my suggestion, good luck in your decision
Dennisg34 said:
Thanks everyone for your input! I would be using the camera more than gaming. Only gaming I do is the occasional w/e game while I'm taking care of business lol. Nexus was thrown in here because of all the development it has right now. I might be leaning towards the G4 just with all the extras it has and the phenomenal camera and it will still be faster than my S5. I own it, and yeah it does have some lag still. Can't stand Touchwhiz anymore and the lack of development thanks to their boost in security. Not sure why the last several Nexuses weren't removable batteries. Just an OCD thing on my part as well as external storage.
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Click to collapse
Those of you who have the device, Help!!!
I have the amazing LG G4 and it camera is the best i've used and seen, but something attracting me towards the Note 5 even though it has 32gb and no SD card...
How is it compared to G4? i mainly looking for better processing power and more custom roms in the future as well as awesome camera(which the note has), would u switch from G4?
Quick read: I went from the G4 to the Note 5 and am staying with the Note 5 no question. More detail below.
I made this switch. Before the G4 I had the Note 3 which had a extended battery and a 128GB microSD card in it. When rumors flew that the Note 5 had a sealed battery and no expansion I got the G4. The G4 has serious headphone out audio quality and volume issues so bought the Note5. I have the Note 5 since the 21st and here are my observations.
Screen: The G4 has a great LCD screen. I don't like the on screen buttons but got used to them. When I got the Note 5 I remembered how much I liked the amoled style display. Saturated colors, deep blacks. Read displaymate's review of the Note 5 screen. It's insane how good this screen is.
Speed: I never had any issues withe the G4. That being said the Note 5 is snappier. There are a ton of benchmarks of the Snapdragon 808 and the Exynos chip in the Note 5 (same SoC as the Galaxy S6). With this and the extra ram you will be getting a speed boost. On the Note 5.
Camera: There are a ton of G4 vs S6 comparisons out there. Most place the G4 as the slight winner with more accurate colors in low light. In good light both are close enough to not let good-light performance be a deciding factor. The G4 has an 8MP front shooter instead of 5MP on the Note 5. The Note 5 DOES have a faster responding camera and that makes a big difference to me in my camera experience. Both do manual mode and RAW capture. The G4 can do a 30 sec exposure vs 10 sec on the Note 5 which is a shame. In the end, look at the extensive comparisons out there.
Audio: On headphones the Note 5 kills it. The G4 isn't even close and this is what makes me the most happy about the switch. BT, which I don't use, seems to favor the Note 5 as well. Phone speakers are weak on both, but I don't know who in their right mind would listen to anything important on a smartphone speaker.
Battery life: The Note 5 is great and I have made peace with not being able to replace or expand it. The fast charging and 2 wireless charging standards being supported is really useful. If you haven't tried wireless charging then do so. All of my previous phones that I've kept for more than 1.5 years experienced a micro USB connector failure. Wireless charging removes that concern. The G4 does not support this out of the box and that is too bad. That curved back isn't going to make wireless charging any easier anyway. Look again at displaymate's review of the Note 5 screen. It is crazy efficient.
User experience. No real issues with the G4. Their customizations were fine by me. Touchwiz doesn't bother me either and if it does, that is what custom launchers are for. I do love the fingerprint reader on the Note 5. It is so seamless unlocking the phone with it. There are options for expanding the storage on the Note 5 either through the small USB OTG flash drives out there to wireless expansion (look up HooToo, their devices are well loved and I just got one)
Rooting and ROMS: The G4 is probably a safer bet here. There is already root for it, though no custom ROMS that I know of this early. Samsung is an unknown quantity here. There have been some mumbling that Samsung has software that will brick your Phone (especially on Verizon and ATT) if you try to root it, but until a method is found and someone tries it, it is too early to say. Samsung really wants their phones adopted by the Enterprise, hence the knox 2.0 and such. They are probably trying harder to make it harder for those like us to root.
If you have followup questions let me know
wow that was detailed, i appricate that.
I have noticed G4 camera can come a bit far ahead the S6 specially in low light, it kinda very important good feature to me, i've seen many photos of Note 5 and S6 in low light and they kinda ok, but not as good as G4.
About audio you totally right, it sucks on G4, no idea why.
Now can u test angry birds 2 on level 5 at least and tell me how it plays, does it lag, no? if possible, test other heavy games and tell me if there is a lag.
Also i heard Note 5 have memory management issues as S6, can you replicate that?
Derpling said:
wow that was detailed, i appricate that.
I have noticed G4 camera can come a bit far ahead the S6 specially in low light, it kinda very important good feature to me, i've seen many photos of Note 5 and S6 in low light and they kinda ok, but not as good as G4.
About audio you totally right, it sucks on G4, no idea why.
Now can u test angry birds 2 on level 5 at least and tell me how it plays, does it lag, no? if possible, test other heavy games and tell me if there is a lag.
Also i heard Note 5 have memory management issues as S6, can you replicate that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am downloading Angry Birds 2 now, but it may take a while to get to Lv5.
I have not had memory management issues on the Note 5. I cannot replicate this and do a fair amount of multitasking. If there is a repeatable procedure to test this let me know and I am happy to try it.
No joke on that G4 camera. In low light it just does white balance better. You might be able to compensate this in post processing if using a Note 5 (especially if you capture in RAW). But if you just want to snap and send then your best bet is snapseed which is amazing in how powerful it is for pic manipulation.
far_star said:
I am downloading Angry Birds 2 now, but it may take a while to get to Lv5.
I have not had memory management issues on the Note 5. I cannot replicate this and do a fair amount of multitasking. If there is a repeatable procedure to test this let me know and I am happy to try it.
No joke on that G4 camera. In low light it just does white balance better. You might be able to compensate this in post processing if using a Note 5 (especially if you capture in RAW). But if you just want to snap and send then your best bet is snapseed which is amazing in how powerful it is for pic manipulation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep i used snapseed, it can make very good picture to perfect, well almost
So u do have it for 5 days, and u not regretting moving to Note 5 from G4? have u got the 32gb? cause that the only version here.
It's quite a lot of money, and i won't exchange the phone for at least 2-3 years, would u say in a single heartbeat, no looking back, that moving from G4 to Note 5 is good step?
Derpling said:
wow that was detailed, i appricate that.
I have noticed G4 camera can come a bit far ahead the S6 specially in low light, it kinda very important good feature to me, i've seen many photos of Note 5 and S6 in low light and they kinda ok, but not as good as G4.
About audio you totally right, it sucks on G4, no idea why.
Now can u test angry birds 2 on level 5 at least and tell me how it plays, does it lag, no? if possible, test other heavy games and tell me if there is a lag.
Also i heard Note 5 have memory management issues as S6, can you replicate that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is not even the slightest stutter on angry birds 2 level 5 on the Note 5, the phone is much faster and snappier than the G4, better screen, better sound, better battery life, S-pen (that can go backwards and get stuck Ayooo!) , no on screen buttons (huge for me) , camera's are comparable especially if they are all using the sony sensor, the samsung sensor was the one that lost to the G4 in low light.
Does the note 5 also have split samsung/sony sensors? or just sony?
whoamanwtf said:
There is not even the slightest stutter on angry birds 2 level 5 on the Note 5, the phone is much faster and snappier than the G4, better screen, better sound, better battery life, S-pen (that can go backwards and get stuck Ayooo!) , no on screen buttons (huge for me) , camera's are comparable especially if they are all using the sony sensor, the samsung sensor was the one that lost to the G4 in low light.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So moving to note 5 is big upgrade over G4, or smart upgrade?
Derpling said:
So moving to note 5 is big upgrade over G4, or smart upgrade?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the key to that would be in the op it said custom roms, so far this phone is not even rooted... It may never be? So I guess I would weigh that heavily if I were you, hardware wise it is a completely sound upgrade and I would not be disappointed if I were a G4 owner and the G5 came out with Note5 specs, I would upgrade to it.
I personally would do the upgrade if I could do it in a manner that was not too expensive. Otherwise I would say they are both great phones, the N5 is certainly faster and has a much better spec sheet across the board, the cameras are roughly equal, but I feel that the much better processing power offered by the N5 will lead to better reaction time on pictures and better video.
Derpling said:
yep i used snapseed, it can make very good picture to perfect, well almost
So u do have it for 5 days, and u not regretting moving to Note 5 from G4? have u got the 32gb? cause that the only version here.
It's quite a lot of money, and i won't exchange the phone for at least 2-3 years, would u say in a single heartbeat, no looking back, that moving from G4 to Note 5 is good step?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay just finished Lv. 5. Man that game has changed since I played the original. No lag here.
No regrets whatsoever except that I wished I waited for the Note 5. Now I have to go through the trouble of unloading the G4.
Regarding the other question, I got the 64GB version. Again, no regrets here as the audio is dynamite and the camera is close enough to the G4 for me.
If you get the 32GB then of course you will spend some time now and then migrating photos and music. I am on an unlimited data plan still from Verizon so I will stream live content to my hearts content. Look at the small USB OTG memory sticks or the HooToo or similar devices. These can make your migrations quick and keep with some buffer space on the Note's internal storage.
Off to work now. Post questions if you have more.
---------- Post added at 08:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:22 AM ----------
Derpling said:
So moving to note 5 is big upgrade over G4, or smart upgrade?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Note 5 has the Sony sensors so maybe that's why I have not been disappointed in the camera at all.
Might actually do that the note is attractive. There are no slowdown with touchwiz?
far_star said:
Quick read: I went from the G4 to the Note 5 and am staying with the Note 5 no question. More detail below.
I made this switch. Before the G4 I had the Note 3 which had a extended battery and a 128GB microSD card in it. When rumors flew that the Note 5 had a sealed battery and no expansion I got the G4. The G4 has serious headphone out audio quality and volume issues so bought the Note5. I have the Note 5 since the 21st and here are my observations.
Speed: I never had any issues withe the G4. That being said the Note 5 is snappier. There are a ton of benchmarks of the Snapdragon 808 and the Exynos chip in the Note 5 (same SoC as the Galaxy S6). With this and the extra ram you will be getting a speed boost. On the Note 5.
Battery life: The Note 5 is great and I have made peace with not being able to replace or expand it. The fast charging and 2 wireless charging standards being supported is really useful. If you haven't tried wireless charging then do so. All of my previous phones that I've kept for more than 1.5 years experienced a micro USB connector failure. Wireless charging removes that concern. The G4 does not support this out of the box and that is too bad. That curved back isn't going to make wireless charging any easier anyway. Look again at displaymate's review of the Note 5 screen. It is crazy efficient.
User experience. No real issues with the G4. Their customizations were fine by me. Touchwiz doesn't bother me either and if it does, that is what custom launchers are for. I do love the fingerprint reader on the Note 5. It is so seamless unlocking the phone with it. There are options for expanding the storage on the Note 5 either through the small USB OTG flash drives out there to wireless expansion (look up HooToo, their devices are well loved and I just got one)
Rooting and ROMS: The G4 is probably a safer bet here. There is already root for it, though no custom ROMS that I know of this early. Samsung is an unknown quantity here. There have been some mumbling that Samsung has software that will brick your Phone (especially on Verizon and ATT) if you try to root it, but until a method is found and someone tries it, it is too early to say. Samsung really wants their phones adopted by the Enterprise, hence the knox 2.0 and such. They are probably trying harder to make it harder for those like us to root.
If you have followup questions let me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Benchmarks.....
My note 4 performs almost the same as my nexus 4. yet has higher benchmark!
UI was smoother on nexus 4!
I gave Samsung 3 chances every time i thought its not like that any longer, i will not ever buy Samsung again :S
Might buy it now!!! Oh idk is 32gb really enought? Is it not gonna lag?
kamranhaghighi said:
Benchmarks.....
My note 4 performs almost the same as my nexus 4. yet has higher benchmark!
UI was smoother on nexus 4!
I gave Samsung 3 chances every time i thought its not like that any longer, i will not ever buy Samsung again :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have benchmarks, but most of the thorough reviews for the Note 5 have benchmarked them against the G4. It beats the G4 in most of the benchmarks, sometimes by a lot, but that doesn't mean that the G4 lags that much compared to the Note5. The difference in UI responsiveness is there, but it is very small and it's not enough by itself that it should sway a person one way or another. Benchmarks just do not reflect what a user's UI experience will be.
---------- Post added at 10:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:11 AM ----------
kamranhaghighi said:
Benchmarks.....
My note 4 performs almost the same as my nexus 4. yet has higher benchmark!
UI was smoother on nexus 4!
I gave Samsung 3 chances every time i thought its not like that any longer, i will not ever buy Samsung again :S
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Derpling said:
Might buy it now!!! Oh idk is 32gb really enought? Is it not gonna lag?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not going to lag. If you're concerned about the 32GB do this test. Look at your storage usage on the G4. If it's well under 32GB then great. If it's close to or more than 32GB then ask yourself if you would be put off having to migrate things off and delete other things to get to under 32GB. That is how I determined the 64GB Note 5 would be enough for me.
Ok i gonna buy it hopefully not gonna regret.
Just moved from the G4 to the Note 5, no doubt its a better phone. The Note Feels like a complete phone, I felt like the G4 lacked polish it would lag and audio quality was pretty bad. However I would give the camera nod to the G4, especially in low light
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Derpling said:
Ok i gonna buy it hopefully not gonna regret.
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Click to collapse
Be aware, 15GB of the 32gb is used by os, i wouldn't get the 32GB!
I love the note5
I prefer the note5, but It just has been giving me bad wifi problems
kamranhaghighi said:
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Be aware, 15GB of the 32gb is used by os, i wouldn't get the 32GB!
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Click to collapse
My 32gb model is only using 7.30gb for system. This is on the Sprint model.
Race2Speed said:
My 32gb model is only using 7.30gb for system. This is on the Sprint model.
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Click to collapse
hmm.. weird! what I said was based on another post in the same forum! forgive me if i'm wrong!
So I see lots of people regretting the upgrade to 6.0.1 MM and saying they're not able to go back to 5.1.1.... So what's the consensus? Stick with 511 or upgrade to 601mm
Always has people complaint sths when upgrading OS , even with iOS. You know, we can't have a 100% bug free OS, i'm using 6.0 and have no issue
I just bought this phone (N910T) refurb, haven't used a Samsung since the S4 and was out of the loop with rooting and flashing it. I just went ahead and flashed it from 5.1.1 to TWRP & Cyanogen, then 6.0.1 (EPG2), then back to DOK2, then back EPG2. So far no problem.
The only issue I ran into was the GPS was crap and the data signal wasn't working half of the time. Opened up the phone and found the data antenna not connected fully, and bending up the GPS gold contact a bit, now both are working good.
I'm actually using this over my previous Nexus 6P. I was very biased against Samsung, especially for the build quality and Touchwiz. But using this with Knox removed, and all the features built in, I just realize no other phones offer the same features right now. I haven't used a phone that stay connected to T-Mo WiFi so well, maybe because it's a T-Mo branded device. Both my Moto X Pure and Nexus 6P gets cut out from it constantly. I can imagine getting the Note 7 next since it probably will drop in price due to the debacle.
eksasol said:
I just bought this phone (N910T) refurb, haven't used a Samsung since the S4 and was out of the loop with rooting and flashing it. I just went ahead and flashed it from 5.1.1 to TWRP & Cyanogen, then 6.0.1 (EPG2), then back to DOK2, then back EPG2. So far no problem.
The only issue I ran into was the GPS was crap and the data signal wasn't working half of the time. Opened up the phone and found the data antenna not connected fully, and bending up the GPS gold contact a bit, now both are working good.
I'm actually using this over my previous Nexus 6P. I was very biased against Samsung, especially for the build quality and Touchwiz. But using this with Knox removed, and all the features built in, I just realize no other phones offer the same features right now. I haven't used a phone that stay connected to T-Mo WiFi so well, maybe because it's a T-Mo branded device. Both my Moto X Pure and Nexus 6P gets cut out from it constantly. I can imagine getting the Note 7 next since it probably will drop in price due to the debacle.
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Click to collapse
What kind of features does it have that your 6P didn't, aside from the T-Mobile WiFi calling connection being better? The only feature that stands out to me is the S-pen, but that caters to a stylus user.
I've been contemplating going to the 6P since my Note 4 was crippled by the MM update. I have a friend that went to the 6P and doesn't miss his Note 4.
duh-rel said:
What kind of features does it have that your 6P didn't, aside from the T-Mobile WiFi calling connection being better? The only feature that stands out to me is the S-pen, but that caters to a stylus user.
I've been contemplating going to the 6P since my Note 4 was crippled by the MM update. I have a friend that went to the 6P and doesn't miss his Note 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably a good idea to wait till the new Google Pixel is released for the 6P price to go down further.
It's really depended features you're looking for.
On the Nexus 6P side, it's is going to feel a lot snappier. The build quality is somewhat better. The dual speakers are going to sound better. The screen is slightly better too, unfortunately it's too blue. I like the Note ability to adjust the screen temp a bit without custom rom/kernel. The camera is clearly better and more detailed, however the Note 4 does better marco shot. Of course, the finger print scanner is much better. And overall signal quality, especially GPS is superior. It is less wide and will be more comfortable to use. The biggest plus of a Nexus is (reliable) monthly security updates. And of course, much much harder to brick and easier to fiddle with.
On the other side, I think Samsung multitasking is much better than stock Android, which does have dual screen on Android 7. I like the pop up window feature a lot. IR Blaster and MicroSD are a big pro. "Game mode" is important for me because some games lose a lot of frame rates with these 1440p screens. On the Nexus, I could change resolution to the entire system only, which mean texts will be less sharp, and it causes the App drawer button in some launchers to be off center. Use the wrong resolution and the phone can't boot -> factory reset. Also I like the pedometer and heart rate monitor. Mainly I like the fact that these features are well integrated into the OS and don't have to install third party apps to get them, which usually doesn't work as well.
My biggest dislike out of a phone is poor GPS and data performance, because I drive a lot. Unfortunately, the Note 4 have a bit off that, but not bad enough to be a deal breaker. Again T-mo WiFi Calling is one of main decider for me. Nexus 6P does have Project Fi and ability to work with all US carriers in one device, which is a big plus.
Araltd said:
So I see lots of people regretting the upgrade to 6.0.1 MM and saying they're not able to go back to 5.1.1.... So what's the consensus? Stick with 511 or upgrade to 601mm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly felt 6.0.1 ruined my gaming experience and overall was not as "quick" as 5.1.1.
With Samsung's Game Tuner and its related apps, and those apps and settings not being fully supported on the Note 4, that just hurt performance way to much. Source on that info is in the Game Tuner app. Now I should note, the apps do still function but, 5.1.1 without all of that game tuner stuff was much better for me in any game.
It isn't so much about that we can't have a 100% bug free OS, what it came down to was 6.0.1 is not as smooth as 5.1.1 on the Note 4, flat out. Overall tasks were laggy and 6.0.1 did not feel as polished as 5.1.1, noticeably IMO.
I have a 910T and can upgrade/downgrade from 6.0.1 and 5.1.1 as I please, so it is possible depending on your model.
I chose to stick with 5.1.1 for the above reasons.
My device is a original released (2 year old) T910 model.
So you've been able to downgrade 6.0.1 back to 5.1.1? That's great. That gives me an opportunity to test it out without fear of getting stuck.
After using the phone for a few weeks now, I decided the best thing is to downgrade to DOK2 (5.1.1), and use Debloater to turn off Knox and OTA update (com.wssynccmldm), also CleanMaster. Normally, on a stock Android device I would prefer the newest version, but for this device, there are too many bugs and some performance issues with 6.0.1.
UPDATE! Unfortunately my note 4 took a fall and landed on a jagged rock (serves me right for holding it in my mouth using the flashlight) - Anyway, I ended up finding a (like new) LG V20 for $300 USD (It's big but I had to make a sacrifice) It was very hard to decide over the mate 9, oneplus 3t and the V20. Because I got it at a reasonably low price it won't be much of a loss at resale if I decide on something else, especially as something is always right around the corner.
UPDATE COMPARISON BETWEEN LG V20 AND NOTE 4
Impressions about the LG V20 after 2 weeks in comparison to the Note 4.
What is better?
Performance is snappier on the V20 (for obvious reasons)
The screen looks more detailed and sharper (even though they both have the same resolution I think the LCD tech is better in this instance IMO)
The device is easier to hold (I really didn't think a small reduction in width could be so noticeable)
The second display is very useful for launching recent apps and using it to launch flashlight while the screen is off is very handy
Battery life is very similar (I average 5 hours of SOT over 24 hour period) - This is a tie but considering people would constantly rant about poor battery life I had to mention it
Although I don't use headphones often you really can tell the difference when using high level cups
The cameras are much better for enthusiasts. You also have a lot of options that are usually only seen in actual cameras (focus peaking, advanced manual modes etc)
What is not?
Loudspeaker and earpiece are deeper but sound less detailed and clear (even after removing the speaker grille from the chin). If you rely heavily on listening to podcasts or anything else where plain vocals are concerned than this will be a bit of an adjustment for you
There are so many different model variants that development is far less than I originally read in to (almost to the point where I am prepared to look for another phone)
I really do miss having physical keys (I am getting used to it, though)
Overall I am not disappointed in the actual device or it's capabilities in comparison to the Note 4. I could definitely forgive the little things I don't like if it had a stronger community. I will see how it goes over the next few months
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I'm really struggling to replace my note 4. Don't get me wrong, you can get better handsets, but not a big enough leap for me to make the switch. For example I will list the features that I require in a list from most important to least important features.
1. Community/company development
2. Screen size to body ratio (NON CURVED) (Critical. I want a smaller phone but with still at least a 5.5" display)
3. Capacitive/Physical buttons. (Heavily preferred but open minded to change if everything else is perfect)
4. Large removable battery (Open minded to change)
5. Micro SD and IR Blaster (These aren't deal breakers)
Obviously the rest of the phone would need to have higher internal specs etc, else it wouldn't be an upgrade!
The closest i can find is the
Oneplus 3T (But it unfortunately is a similar size with smaller screen)
LG V20 (Quite bigger than Note 4)
Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus (Little bit taller than Note 4 and unsure about future dev)
Mi Mix (Much bigger and poor camera but this type of design really caught my eye)
Without reducing screen size it's really hard to find anything that ticks every box by a large enough margin to make it feel worth it to me. What are your thoughts? Do you have any advice or do you feel the same way?
I'm kind of in the same boat. I think I'm gonna go with the One Plus 3T, I like how the community looks and One Plus also look like a decent company. Another Samsung isn't an option for me as this will be my last.
My Note 4 has developed the lag, freeze and reboot issue that many have reported, so it's either stick with the workaround of the partial wakelock which hammers the battery life or get a new phone (struggling to find replacement mobo's here in the UK). My last 3 phones have been Samsung and all were bought used but this is the first that's developed a major problem.
So I'm with you guys in wondering what to go for. Something around 5.5 inches with an sd slot a removable battery and a solid camera are my main concerns.
Ideally I'd like a removable battery as it's amazing when I'm travelling (and I travel a lot). What would be the best alternative_A powerbank with quickcharge 2.0?
woldranger said:
My Note 4 has developed the lag, freeze and reboot issue that many have reported, so it's either stick with the workaround of the partial wakelock which hammers the battery life or get a new phone (struggling to find replacement mobo's here in the UK). My last 3 phones have been Samsung and all were bought used but this is the first that's developed a major problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unexpected reboots/shutdowns can be due to degraded/dying battery,
freezes/lags (tried to flash from 0?) due to the EMMC is about to fail.
i'm in the same boat, but i want at least:
a 6-6.2 inch screen with minimum to no bezels,
635 CPU with 6GB (to be a substantial upgrade)
removable battery.
our note 4 fits 6.4 inch bezelless display (sacrificing home button), so it's perfectly viable.
i guess, we should wait 3 more months till S8 and other options will come out, that promise to be bezelless. Xiaomi Mi Mix did the job, now everybody wants such a phone. At the moment, i see no options to buy either.
lisbon2004 said:
unexpected reboots/shutdowns can be due to degraded/dying battery,
freezes/lags (tried to flash from 0?) due to the EMMC is about to fail.
i'm in the same boat, but i want at least:
a 6-6.2 inch screen with minimum to no bezels,
635 CPU with 6GB (to be a substantial upgrade)
removable battery.
our note 4 fits 6.4 inch bezelless display (sacrificing home button), so it's perfectly viable.
i guess, we should wait 3 more months till S8 and other options will come out, that promise to be bezelless. Xiaomi Mi Mix did the job, now everybody wants such a phone. At the moment, i see no options to buy either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got 3 different batteries including an Anker one that's only a couple of months old so I dont think it can be that.
What did you mean, flash from 0?
I'm using this Note 7 rom based on aurora 3.1
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/general/note7-port-n910f-standm-aurora-base-t3500338/page1
Before I installed it, I flashed the latest stock rom with odin to get updated base and modems (sammobile) for 910F version.
After that Flashed twrp, did three consecutive wipes in twrp (incl data to clean internal memory) and then flashed the note 7 rom.
Did take a very long time to boot, but that's normal.
If roms don't boot, it's probably because of the bootloader or base not compatible with rom.
Used a couple of kernels, and the best one so far is the latest Xceed test build (N910FG-MM-Test-bld4k.zip) and set it on conservative for food battery.
Absolutely love the rom, no problems at all for me. Makes the note 4 look up to date again.
sebas_tytn2 said:
I'm using this Note 7 rom based on aurora 3.1
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/general/note7-port-n910f-standm-aurora-base-t3500338/page1
Before I installed it, I flashed the latest stock rom with odin to get updated base and modems (sammobile) for 910F version.
After that Flashed twrp, did three consecutive wipes in twrp (incl data to clean internal memory) and then flashed the note 7 rom.
Did take a very long time to boot, but that's normal.
If roms don't boot, it's probably because of the bootloader or base not compatible with rom.
Used a couple of kernels, and the best one so far is the latest Xceed test build (N910FG-MM-Test-bld4k.zip) and set it on conservative for food battery.
Absolutely love the rom, no problems at all for me. Makes the note 4 look up to date again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry, but I'm a tad confused as to how this relates to the "new phone" in this topic. If it's how you fixed the Lag/restart debacle then I'm in your debt....
woldranger said:
I'm sorry, but I'm a tad confused as to how this relates to the "new phone" in this topic. If it's how you fixed the Lag/restart debacle then I'm in your debt....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah I posted in the wrong thread
Welcome on board. Have the same problem. My contract ends now and I've completely no idea where to go now. List of phones which I could get isn't too great. Huawei P9, Samsung S7, HTC 10 or Sony X. Naah. In the end I will probably just buy something but still it's hard to find for me a decent replacement for Note 4. Thought about Pixel but a quick look at the price tag and bam we are far,far away.
On another hand, LG looks interesting. G5 or V20. Especially the G5 with add-ons capability, but I'm not sure would it be an upgrade or just simple change.
woldranger said:
I've got 3 different batteries including an Anker one that's only a couple of months old so I dont think it can be that.
What did you mean, flash from 0?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
from scratch, with complete full wipes before/after, and using a service ROM (with everything included).
Yoshiktk said:
Welcome on board. Have the same problem. My contract ends now and I've completely no idea where to go now. List of phones which I could get isn't too great. Huawei P9, Samsung S7, HTC 10 or Sony X. Naah. In the end I will probably just buy something but still it's hard to find for me a decent replacement for Note 4. Thought about Pixel but a quick look at the price tag and bam we are far,far away.
On another hand, LG looks interesting. G5 or V20. Especially the G5 with add-ons capability, but I'm not sure would it be an upgrade or just simple change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a tough choice between those handsets!
uppon2 said:
That's a tough choice between those handsets!
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I did spend like whole Sunday looking at different phones, Youtube vids, reviews etc. but still don't see anything claiming the top spot to replace Note. In the end I did just order new battery and Ill just wait till 2017 to see what will show up.
A perfect replacement for a Note 4 is a Note 4S, better spec with a decent fingerprint scanner, LOL if only Samsung thought of that. You guys should wait till after CES 2017, it's in February (CMIIW) there should be new phones out afterwards. The only worthy replacement thus far is either the S7 Edge or V20 IMHO.
This rumoured smaller Mi mix looks interesting. Next year will be the year they perfect screen to body ratio! http://m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_mix_nano-8439.php
uchihakurtz said:
A perfect replacement for a Note 4 is a Note 4S, better spec with a decent fingerprint scanner, LOL if only Samsung thought of that. You guys should wait till after CES 2017, it's in February (CMIIW) there should be new phones out afterwards. The only worthy replacement thus far is either the S7 Edge or V20 IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mobile World Congress in February is another one to watch for
uppon2 said:
Mobile World Congress in February is another one to watch for
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet mother of God, MWC is actually the one on February (27 - 2 Mar) and CES is on the 5 - 8 of January. Wow gotta save up some cash for mid March.
Yoshiktk said:
Welcome on board. Have the same problem. My contract ends now and I've completely no idea where to go now. List of phones which I could get isn't too great. Huawei P9, Samsung S7, HTC 10 or Sony X. Naah. In the end I will probably just buy something but still it's hard to find for me a decent replacement for Note 4. Thought about Pixel but a quick look at the price tag and bam we are far,far away.
On another hand, LG looks interesting. G5 or V20. Especially the G5 with add-ons capability, but I'm not sure would it be an upgrade or just simple change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thought about that this morning...being a huge LG fan in the past, I have to say I'm quite disappointed with the G5.
V20 is a beast I've heard but don't know if the G5 would be that big a leap from your Note 4.
I'd probably say the Oneplus 3T or hold out for S8 Edge
---------- Post added at 01:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------
Yoshiktk said:
I did spend like whole Sunday looking at different phones, Youtube vids, reviews etc. but still don't see anything claiming the top spot to replace Note. In the end I did just order new battery and Ill just wait till 2017 to see what will show up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doing the exact same thing lol
I guess that's a great problem to have...Samsung overbuilt the Note 4 in 2014....now its hard to find a replacement lol
Thats true. For me personally Note 4 is so well made and tailored that I would be happy to stay with it forever. Ticks all the boxes, and thats the problem for me.
Lg G5 is nice but lacks something to convince to change. V20 on another hand is tempting. I really like the idea with second wide angle lens. If nothing jumps till march I will give Lg a go.
Yoshiktk said:
Thats true. For me personally Note 4 is so well made and tailored that I would be happy to stay with it forever. Ticks all the boxes, and thats the problem for me.
Lg G5 is nice but lacks something to convince to change. V20 on another hand is tempting. I really like the idea with second wide angle lens. If nothing jumps till march I will give Lg a go.
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Click to collapse
don't forget about the EMMC time bomb, and it's low performance (read/write speed).
also, it could be time to upgrade to a faster, more efficient chipset with a modem of a higher LTE Category, and more bands.
lisbon2004 said:
don't forget about the EMMC time bomb, and it's low performance (read/write speed).
also, it could be time to upgrade to a faster, more efficient chipset with a modem of a higher LTE Category, and more bands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine just started showing the EMMC issue's. No luck at the end of year. The only option for me is S7. The best choice from what I can get from my provider, not much too choose from.