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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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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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.
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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:
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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 ....
Hi, Note 4 team
*** For anyone considering or thinking of a Nexus 6 ***
I realized very recently that the Nexus 6 is just not the phone that everyone is hyping it up to be.
I've been a loyal and die-hard Nexus fan since the Galaxy Nexus but also have always liked Samsung phones - particularly the Note.
In December 2014 I bought a Note 4, unlocked it and used it for a month until I was offered a great deal on a Nexus 6. I knew I was going to get one or the other but for some reason the Nexus hype bit me. I unloaded my Note 4 within 2 days and got the Nexus 6 and the honeymoon period didn't last long at all. The phone is a spec beast but that's about all it's got going other than the obvious "first to update" thing. While Lollipop is a joy to use, I can wait until the official release is out for NA Note 4 variants. I really don't miss any part of it and as for my usage, it didn't offer much over Kit Kat.
The phone is awkward to hold. I'm only 5'7" and can comfortably hold and use the Note 4 whereas the Nexus 6 is slippery and strange. That extra little bit of size on the Nexus 6 really kills it for me. After only a month of using the Nexus 6, I had to sell it and go back to the trusty Note. The Nexus was hard to sell too because there are only a specific group of people who really want it and know what type of phone it is. I realize after my month away from the Note 4, I should have never gotten rid of it in the first place. Even within the 1 month with the Nexus, I couldn't handle the size and I had to resort to using a spare iPhone 5 I have lying around. It really was a pain.
I'm glad to be back with a Note 4 and it feels normal again.
tldr; Bought a Note 4. Used it for a month and sold it to get a Nexus 6. Used the Nexus 6 for a month and realized it sucked. Went back to Note 4.
so its the size which forced you to switch back?
I love how good the note 4 feels in my hands and it feels like a solid phone.
I've used notes since the note 2 and don't think I will buy a different type of phone unless Samsung really mess up the formula.
bala_gamer said:
so its the size which forced you to switch back?
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Click to collapse
Size and software. With size it also was the shape of the phone. Rounded was nice and the dimple did help a bit but I didn't feel comfortable holding it and typing with one hand like I do with the Note. Also, I kind of felt that with the Note 2, you get the large screen with added features. Spec-for-spec, the two phones are nearly identical. Add in the S-Pen and some TW features and you have a more fully-featured, well rounded phone.
I also find the camera to be better on the Note 4 - camera is a huge point for me and I fell for the Nexus hype again just like I did on the Nexus 5. They touted that the Nexus 5 camera was top notch but once I got it, it was really sub-par. Same with the Nexus 6 - the focusing was very slow and AI was just not there (I'm used to fast-focusing as I use a Canon 5D Mark 2 with fast primes) and the Note 4 really picks it up when you turn off HDR. It's not iPhone speed but it's way better than the Nexus, hands down.
I had a Galaxy S5 in my hands which I decided against because I really like the size and build of the Note.
I have both as well & the N4 does feel more comfortable to use.
The getting the latest updates thing that sells the Nexus, is it really all that?
I had the N5 & it didn't get all that many updates, the M8 got just as many, if a little later.
If lollipop is anything to go by, maybe getting the update first isn't such a good thing. Pure Android is very nice I do agree & TW is somewhat ghastly but with Nova Launcher on it's fine. Google's launcher is pants too. I use Nova on my N6 also. That permanent Google search bar is stupid, as is the stock dpi.
I do like the N6 but the N4 is far more palatable & feels more luxury in the hand.
@home said:
I have both as well & the N4 does feel more comfortable to use.
The getting the latest updates thing that sells the Nexus, is it really all that?
I had the N5 & it didn't get all that many updates, the M8 got just as many, if a little later.
If lollipop is anything to go by, maybe getting the update first isn't such a good thing. Pure Android is very nice I do agree & TW is somewhat ghastly but with Nova Launcher on it's fine. Google's launcher is pants too. I use Nova on my N6 also. That permanent Google search bar is stupid, as is the stock dpi.
I do like the N6 but the N4 is far more palatable & feels more luxury in the hand.
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You're exactly right about Nova Launcher. I've been using Nova Prime for a long time (maybe since I got my S2) and it's well worth it. My favorite is having 7 small dock icons.
On Nexus 6 Bluetooth quality is very poor compared to other top smartphones. Note 4 has very good quality with Headset and Car Hi-Fi.
This is good to know as I've been tempted recently to switch to the Nexus 6 myself. What's stopped me so far is that the 32gb Nexus retails for the same price as the Note 4 in my country. Factor in the extra features you're getting on the Note 4 then the Nexus starts to look like much worse value for money. I'd go back to the OnePlus One over the Nexus 6 any day of the week. The OPO is a much more worthy successor to the Nexus 5 in my opinion as it represents what the Nexus always has in the past - value for money.
Actually the only reason I went from the OnePlus to the Note 4 was band 28 lte, but now that I'm here I am really ☺.
After 2 months of use my Note 4 (SM-N910F) on 4.4.4 KK (stock) from a Note 3 (SM-N9005) on 4.4.2 KK (stock)
Pros:
- Camera, a lot better in all scenarios, Focus, Low Light, detail, was a very big jump and probably because of OIS (main reason to upgarde from Note 3 for me)
- Display, some people say 1080p to QHD dont see diference, i see, its mucth brighter and crisp and beautiful
- Desing of the Note 4 with metal edges, feel in the hand, very good looking phone
Cons:
- Battery, read a lot about display energy consumpsion, all wrong the battery drains a lot everytime i am using the phonne, 4 hours max screen on time
- UI general lag, 2.7GHZ?! The UI its very laggy, sometimes 1 sec to do what you want, compare to iphone 5S for example its a shame
- Sound, and dont understand why a top 2014 Samsung device like Note 4 dont have stereo speakers, the speaker on the back its very bad
- Bluetooth, i have a Samsung Gear and with the Note 4 some metters away one from the other and i got disconnected massage on my Gear
Sound, agreed that stereo speakers are overdue but I prefer the speaker on the back over the on the bottom of my old note 3. (which i covered many times just holding the phone)
Bluetooth, my gear live never disconnects if within ten meters (30ft) of my phone.
Lostex said:
On Nexus 6 Bluetooth quality is very poor compared to other top smartphones. Note 4 has very good quality with Headset and Car Hi-Fi.
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I honestly didn't notice much difference in bluetooth quality. I stream through Google Play Music and bluetooth to a JBL Flip 2 and and Beats 2.0 Wireless and it sounds the same to me.
Oh another couple of things that were a minor annoyance that turned into huge ones...
The rounded back made the phone spin when it's on a table. This makes laying it on a table and using it impossible. It was especially annoying when I had an alarm set to wake me up in the morning, it would spin all over the damn place when I tried to snooze it.
Secondly, the power and volume buttons were way too close to each other. I'd always end up hitting the wrong button when I wanted to lock/unlock the phone or turn up the volume.
Again they were minor annoyances which I thought I'd be able to simply get over it and I didn't think it would really affect my usage like it did.
....and warranty!! OMFG you should see the stories on Reddit about Motorola's warranty. It's absolutely terrible and disgraceful.
If you weren't lucky enough to be able to get your Nexus 6 from the Play store and got it direct from Motorola or a carrier, you were pretty much screwed. People with white 64gb devices that had to claim warranty were offered replacements that were blue 32gb. Some cases took weeks to replace and when the replacements arrived, they were more damaged that the one that was supposed to be sent back.
Canadians were particularly screwed as they don't offer RMA replacement services. They only offer RMA repair and on top of that the rep told me that some Motorola Canadian repair depots don't have the documentation or training on how to repair Nexus 6 phones yet (I chatted online with a rep in late January - things might be different now).
SeraldoBabalu said:
....and warranty!! OMFG you should see the stories on Reddit about Motorola's warranty. It's absolutely terrible and disgraceful.
If you weren't lucky enough to be able to get your Nexus 6 from the Play store and got it direct from Motorola or a carrier, you were pretty much screwed. People with white 64gb devices that had to claim warranty were offered replacements that were blue 32gb. Some cases took weeks to replace and when the replacements arrived, they were more damaged that the one that was supposed to be sent back.
Canadians were particularly screwed as they don't offer RMA replacement services. They only offer RMA repair and on top of that the rep told me that some Motorola Canadian repair depots don't have the documentation or training on how to repair Nexus 6 phones yet (I chatted online with a rep in late January - things might be different now).
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Just to clarify warranty. In Europe if you call Google support that you have a problem wit any nexus during warranty period, first time they will replace it for factory refurbished device without any questions, so I wouldn't contact Motorola. Samsung offers something similar: you can go to shop you bought it and they will replace it for new device but only within first two weeks after purchase.
Now, please don't understand me wrong , I love Note 4 and wouldn't replace it for Nexus 6 but only because of replaceable battery and micro SD slot and because I can install CM12 on it. TW ROM may have more stuff in it but it doesn't come even close to responsiveness of nexus devices. I still have Nexus 4 and even on TW lollipop Note 4 is slower. I am not talking about performance in games etc, but about general responsiveness. On CM12 situation is other way around of course.
torquadon said:
Just to clarify warranty. In Europe if you call Google support that you have a problem wit any nexus during warranty period, first time they will replace it for factory refurbished device without any questions, so I wouldn't contact Motorola. Samsung offers something similar: you can go to shop you bought it and they will replace it for new device but only within first two weeks after purchase.
Now, please don't understand me wrong , I love Note 4 and wouldn't replace it for Nexus 6 but only because of replaceable battery and micro SD slot and because I can install CM12 on it. TW ROM may have more stuff in it but it doesn't come even close to responsiveness of nexus devices. I still have Nexus 4 and even on TW lollipop Note 4 is slower. I am not talking about performance in games etc, but about general responsiveness. On CM12 situation is other way around of course.
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This is only if you bought it from the Google Play Store. Some people had to buy from a carrier because Google was out of stock.
In terms of responsiveness, it feels the same for my usage. I don't sit there and measure how fast it goes when I swipe my finger - that is not how I use my phone. I play Leo's Fortune and Hitman Go... that's about as crazy as I get and it works well. I don't see any noticeable lag. So when you say it doesn't even come close, I think you don't know how close it really is because it's pretty damn close if not exactly the same. I'm speaking from experience with the Nexus 6 and not from what I heard someone say on YouTube.
SeraldoBabalu said:
This is only if you bought it from the Google Play Store. Some people had to buy from a carrier because Google was out of stock.
In terms of responsiveness, it feels the same for my usage. I don't sit there and measure how fast it goes when I swipe my finger - that is not how I use my phone. I play Leo's Fortune and Hitman Go... that's about as crazy as I get and it works well. I don't see any noticeable lag. So when you say it doesn't even come close, I think you don't know how close it really is because it's pretty damn close if not exactly the same. I'm speaking from experience with the Nexus 6 and not from what I heard someone say on YouTube.
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I am sorry but you are wrong about warranty, according to EU law you can choose manufacturers warranty or shop warranty. So if you decide to use Google they will help you, I am not assuming, I have done it without any problems.
I wrote what I experience on my devices nexus 4 vs note 4 and nexus 5 which I didn't mention before. I didn't say you saying anything wrong so please hold your comments about YouTube and my knowledge to yourself, there is no need for that, I am entitled to my opinion (especially it is based on experience) same way you are to yours.
From my EXPERIENCE responsiveness is in order: tw kitkat note 4 ->TW lollipop note 4-> lollipop nexus 4 -> lollipop nexus 5 -> cm12 note 4. So I have to disagree: in my case it is not close (closer if I use Nova launcher tough). I can see it mostly when I scroll on fb or big websites, it is not micro lag it is noticeable lag.
I do not own nexus 6 and there is slim chance it is slower comparing to nexus 4 and 5.
I am not trying to prove you wrong, just saying what I observed. I t is absolutely possible you have entirely different experiences and neither of us is right
torquadon said:
I am sorry but you are wrong about warranty, according to EU law you can choose manufacturers warranty or shop warranty. So if you decide to use Google they will help you, I am not assuming, I have done it without any problems.
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How can you go through Google warranty if you didn't purchase the phone from Google? This is what I'm getting at. If you had to purchase the phone through a carrier - Google warranty will not help you here.
If you have not used the Nexus 6 as a daily driver then you, unfortunately, cannot speak from experience. I think you're just looking to be offended by something so I'll leave it at that. I'm not looking for an e-fight. Carry on, sir.
SeraldoBabalu said:
How can you go through Google warranty if you didn't purchase the phone from Google? This is what I'm getting at. If you had to purchase the phone through a carrier - Google warranty will not help you here.
If you have not used the Nexus 6 as a daily driver then you, unfortunately, cannot speak from experience. I think you're just looking to be offended by something so I'll leave it at that. I'm not looking for an e-fight. Carry on, sir.
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I have been always buying my phones from carriers and twice I have them replaced by manufacturer. Once it was Nexus 5, they send me replacement without asking questions (although you are right it was LG not Google, although they still offered factory refurbished straight away no idea if it is standard policy tough, possible it has something to do with my carrier), and second time it was Sony Xperia S which went for repair and they gave me a new one after they decided it could not be repaired. So I will repeat again You are entitled to manufacturers warranty even if you bought it from carrier. Well at least in UK they offer it without hassle. What I am trying to tell is you will always have 2 options when you buy it from carrier, carrier as a seller and manufacturer. Also from what you wrote is not a policy problem, but supply problem and Motorola is not the first to face it. You can find plenty examples how Samsung fails to comply with warranty claims, this is just a part of mass production, and is especially visible within first few months after release.
Sir I am not looking for a fight either ( I believed that comment about YouTube was directed at me, therefore my response), I placed my comparison to 2 nexus devices I own, I said I do not own 6, I even said it is possible it is slower . My point is I love Samsung devices, software not so much. And that is where Nexus was always shining - pure os. There was always plenty of phones better made then nexus, but none of them offered the same software experience, and I believe it still stands ( I do not need to own n6 to know that, soft on n5 and n4 is the same). I am sure there will be plenty people, as I assume you are, who will prefer TW over pure android. I am just not one of them. I prefer to by note 4 and install cm12 rather then buying nexus 6 because I believe note 4 is simply better hardware.
Small correction : of course Xperia s was first
I've had some great use out of my Nexus 4. As a phone, I've absolutely loved it and when I upgrade to Lollipop, I felt like it was reborn, but unfortunately the last few months have proved testing, coming across great new phones that all have MicroSD slots to expand them and unfortunately with just 16GB of internal memory, I'm finding it increasingly hard to use my phone to my enjoyment. Sure, I could dump all my photos onto the Cloud, or I could backup to my computer, or I could do something else... but the point is, I don't want to. I wanted my Nexus 4 to have an SD slot, and I knew I was taking a risk years ago when I bought it. Luckily, it hasn't manifested itself like I expected, although maybe that's because I was careful (no games, no music, routinely deleting old stuff to clean it up, backing up videos onto my FTP server when it got too full etc).
My Nexus 4 has been a terrific device, and since the Lollipop upgrade, has felt like a brand new phone, and if it wasn't for the lack of expandable memory, I wouldn't have considered getting rid of it, but unfortunately the time has come.
I've now switched to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G. It's a budget device (costing just £108 as I didn't pay tax) but is more powerful and has a bigger screen. It also has 4G and expandable memory. It's an interesting upgrade for a Nexus user. I feel like I've gone from a premium device to a budget device and that will take some getting used to, but I think the pros outweigh the cons.
Interestingly, Xiaomi has a huge following in China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, whereas Nexus has a huge following across the rest of the world so I will be experiencing how custom ROM's appear for this phone in a totally different way.
Anyway, as the end draws near for Nexus 4, I'm sure a few of you will be jumping ship soon too, but one things for sure, it's still a great device if you can handle the lack of internal storage, so good on those who do
I have 300 songs, 20 apps, Nokia Here maps of my country (300mb), a few HD videos, 50-ish photos and i still have 5,6GB left.
I know some people use their phones for multimedia and easily fill up even 32gigs, but Nexus 4 isnt a multimedia phone, not with its 2100mah battery and its 4.7" screen
I'm thinking of giving my Nexus 4 to sister this summer and getting something new, but still haven't decided what to get thats not very expensive but good, and i don't want a Nexus 5 because it's too similar to Nexus 4 with similar problems
Mashed_Potatoes said:
I have 300 songs, 20 apps, Nokia Here maps of my country (300mb), a few HD videos, 50-ish photos and i still have 5,6GB left.
I know some people use their phones for multimedia and easily fill up even 32gigs, but Nexus 4 isnt a multimedia phone, not with its 2100mah battery and its 4.7" screen
I'm thinking of giving my Nexus 4 to sister this summer and getting something new, but still haven't decided what to get thats not very expensive but good, and i don't want a Nexus 5 because it's too similar to Nexus 4 with similar problems
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I don't use my phone for multimedia as such, but I do take a lot of photos. I had about 5.9 GB's of photos on it. which, btw, were a nightmare to get off seeing as MTP is seemingly completely incapable of transferring such a large number of files (ended up installing an FTP server on the phone and using FileZilla instead). Considering you only get about 12GB of usable data (much of which is taken up by apps) meant I had very little left. I do get lots of WhatsApp photos too and I guess I've been lazy about deleting them. Ultimately, I grew frustrated about the fact I was constantly running out of space and without deleting stuff, I really couldn't do much about it. I spent a lot of time going through and deleting stuff but I only ever freed up about 1GB or 2GB which meant I was never too far away from filling my phone.
I kept hearing the argument of 'go cloud', 'cloud storage', 'welcome to the cloud', 'use the Nexus with the cloud', but when it came to actually use the cloud it consistently failed on me. I took several videos at a concert last year amounting to a few GB's. I figured this is exactly what the cloud is for seeing as they weren't desperately needed on my phone as such. I tried to upload them (tried both 3G and WiFi), and the Google Drive app seemed completely incapable of handling large files. It was fine for images, or small videos, but uploading these larger videos, it lagged to the point the phone became totally unresponsive and despite waiting for hours, nothing happened and I eventually had to reboot the phone. I googled the issue and there wasn't much detail of it on the Internet. Perhaps I was a rare case but it meant I had to upload them to my FTP server which wasn't ideal either.
I was very close to getting rid of the N4 when it was running KitKat, as I felt it had lost all its bite. I've had phones in the past go stale with time and ultimately, I was happy to move on. With the Nexus 4, I upgraded to Lollipop and it felt like a brand new phone. It totally changed my mind, but then I started having the storage problems again and despite persevering I just got bored. Maybe I should have given out to the cloud, but as an option as is, I wasn't all that keen automatically sync'ing every photo the cloud. Plus, I never felt Google quite got the implementation of the cloud right. Ironically, my new phone, the Xiaomi, they've got it exactly how I always envisioned Google would do it, in that their Gallery app has a local tab and an 'Online' tab, so you can sync all your Gallery photos to the cloud and instantly pull them, rather than having to go on the Photos app or Drive app or whatever. On the whole, it's just a better implementation. Daft considering it's not required on a phone now kitted with a massive Samsung UHS SD card.
I've sold my Nexus 4 to my old man for £70. About £30 cheaper than what I could on eBay but I couldn't be arsed with the hassle. He'll use it and it'll be a great phone for him (his S2 is as good as dead it's that slow now).
Unfortunately, I wanted the Nexus 6 but Google let me down by overpricing it. If they'd dropped the price of the N5, I might have considered another go, but I'm not willing to pay full price for a phone that is a year old. No chance.
I guess I should have upgraded to the N5 when it first came out... but hey ho, we live and learn. I'm now a Xiaomi customer lol
I wouldn't get a Xiaomi as i'm worried about OS updates.
You say KitKat was awful for you and Lollipop rejuvenated your N4 but my case is different. KitKat was the best for me, apart from the pulldown notification bar which was laggy sometimes. 5.0 was the worst thing i've ever came across. I was less frustrated when i was on Bada OS on my old Samsung Wave III. I'm now on the unofficial 5.1 port which is even better than KitKat.
If i were to compare 5.0 and 5.1 on the N4, 5.0 would be an old Ford Focus and 5.1 would be an V8 Aston Martin. Unbelieveably slow experience on 5.0.
The Redmi Note 4G is in some ways a downgrade, IMO. Can't argue too much though, given the cost. Better camera, SD slot (but less native storage), bigger screen, bigger battery. But the SD400/Adreno 305 is inferior to to the S4 Pro/320 that the Nexus 4 has, despite the tick higher clock speed. But if it works for you, then great.
Mashed_Potatoes said:
I wouldn't get a Xiaomi as i'm worried about OS updates.
You say KitKat was awful for you and Lollipop rejuvenated your N4 but my case is different. KitKat was the best for me, apart from the pulldown notification bar which was laggy sometimes. 5.0 was the worst thing i've ever came across. I was less frustrated when i was on Bada OS on my old Samsung Wave III. I'm now on the unofficial 5.1 port which is even better than KitKat.
If i were to compare 5.0 and 5.1 on the N4, 5.0 would be an old Ford Focus and 5.1 would be an V8 Aston Martin. Unbelieveably slow experience on 5.0.
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Interestingly, I think you'd be surprised that Xiaomi seem to have a decent reputation for updates, but more importantly there's a massive userbase. I was astonished by how many custom roms are already appearing and there's already a pretty stable cm12 except minus the camera.
Lollipop was a huge upgrade for me on nexus 4. The phone was fast and felt supercharged. To be fair, perhaps I was lucky.
Planterz said:
The Redmi Note 4G is in some ways a downgrade, IMO. Can't argue too much though, given the cost. Better camera, SD slot (but less native storage), bigger screen, bigger battery. But the SD400/Adreno 305 is inferior to to the S4 Pro/320 that the Nexus 4 has, despite the tick higher clock speed. But if it works for you, then great.
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the GPU is a downgrade but I'm not a massive games player. The less native storage is solved by folder mount. The CPU is about the same, roughly. Perhaps a tiny downgrade although Antutu puts this above the N4. It also brings new connectivity in 4G and better WiFi I believe.
The cost is unbeatable.
How long have you been using Nexus 4? I decided to move on to Galaxy S6 and try 3rd party zl or mpj external battery case. It has been two years since bought the Nexus 4, but now Phone gets hot and battery rapidly discharges
Mashed_Potatoes said:
I wouldn't get a Xiaomi as i'm worried about OS updates.
You say KitKat was awful for you and Lollipop rejuvenated your N4 but my case is different. KitKat was the best for me, apart from the pulldown notification bar which was laggy sometimes. 5.0 was the worst thing i've ever came across. I was less frustrated when i was on Bada OS on my old Samsung Wave III. I'm now on the unofficial 5.1 port which is even better than KitKat.
If i were to compare 5.0 and 5.1 on the N4, 5.0 would be an old Ford Focus and 5.1 would be an V8 Aston Martin. Unbelieveably slow experience on 5.0.
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Could you please point me in the right direction as to where and how to get unofficial 5.1 port? Waiting for OTA is sooo frustrating
bjonre said:
How long have you been using Nexus 4? I decided to move on to Galaxy S6 and try 3rd party zl or mpj external battery case. It has been two years since bought the Nexus 4, but now Phone gets hot and battery rapidly discharges
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A new battery is only about $20 USD. Just saying...
bjonre said:
How long have you been using Nexus 4? I decided to move on to Galaxy S6 and try 3rd party zl or mpj external battery case. It has been two years since bought the Nexus 4, but now Phone gets hot and battery rapidly discharges
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Goodbye buy then.
i can't understand why "new thread"?
Well, a quick update. It didn't take long, but I'm currently flashing ROM's left right and centre lol, trying to pick which one I prefer the most. There goes my genuine attempts to avoid flashing any custom ROM's and giving it a chance to impress in its stock form.
CM12 is seriously good but missing camera functionality at the moment. Everything else is stable but the camera is a killer for me.
CM11 is fully stable so I think I'll end up settling for that.
MIUI6 is fantastic in it's ways but unfortunately, is a bit too overwhelming. Too much pretty stuff at the expense of genuine usability.
MIUI5 i've not tried yet.
Here's the thing though, I'm already embracing my ability to use an SD card. I could never perform a full Nandroid on my N4, realistically.... I've already got one for this phone... and I've got a load of ROM's dumped so I can test.
Performance wise, I'd say this phone is about the same or slightly less than the N4, but the fact it has an FM radio a SD slot, and a few other cool features makes up for it.... and the big screen, which does a cracking job of trying to look HD (it isn't quite HD).
One feature which CM12 is offering but I'm yet to try is an FM Tx. Now that would seriously be an incredible feature if it actually works. Probably doesn't though to be fair. However the MI3 and MI4 both have FM Tx's so who knows?
In truth though, I do miss the N4. It had a certain charm about it that this phone doesn't have. This phone is a budget phone, and it's very obvious. The Nexus 4 was a budget phone, but was built like a premium device. I really do feel like I've gone from a premium phone to a budget phone and it's certainly noticeable to a degree. That said, the touchscreen feels more responsive than the N4 and the colour reproduction is superior. The battery also blows the N4 out of the water and I have to say, it's amazing how long you can get out of this phone. I'm a serious power user, so the N4 really wasn't appropriate for me.... but this is ideal. The N4 however, is the first phone I've ever owned that I didn't hate by the end.
It's a shame the LG Optimus G had no SD slot either. I would have happily gone for that.
Regardless, happy at the moment and enjoying the liberation of plenty of space. I'm still watching the price of the Huawei Ascend Mate 7 though. That's a fantastic beast and would be my first choice if it wasn't so expensive.
gnome_mo said:
Could you please point me in the right direction as to where and how to get unofficial 5.1 port? Waiting for OTA is sooo frustrating
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There are some 5.1 ports here in the Nexus 4 forum
Mashed_Potatoes said:
There are some 5.1 ports here in the Nexus 4 forum
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I'm wondering if Google will put out a 5.1 release. Quite obvious that the Nexus 4 hardware is easily capable, so really, it will be down to whether Google are ready to kill off the old girl. At least you know with Nexus that there will always be custom ROM's available to support you down the line eh?
skezza said:
I'm wondering if Google will put out a 5.1 release. Quite obvious that the Nexus 4 hardware is easily capable, so really, it will be down to whether Google are ready to kill off the old girl. At least you know with Nexus that there will always be custom ROM's available to support you down the line eh?
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Nexus 4 will get 5.1 I'll guarantee you that.
flopower1996 said:
Nexus 4 will get 5.1 I'll guarantee you that.
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Good stuff. I think in a time where phones are now becoming almost too powerful, the only thing that Google need to get sorted is that the updates keep coming and that manufacturers should be expected to provide them too.
Thanks for sharing
Best of luck to you and your new device
Ha, one benefit of this new phone. For some reason, Three don't know when I'm tethering lol
I'm enjoying all the Tethering'y goodness, without the limits lol.
skezza said:
Ha, one benefit of this new phone. For some reason, Three don't know when I'm tethering lol
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This should be perfectly possible on the Nexus 4. I do it with T-Mobile here in the US.
I've had my Note 2 for 3.5 years now and I still like it but have recently been trying to decide whether it's time to move on and get something newer.
I think the only phone that I'd really consider is the Note 4 (the 5 isn't available in the UK ). I'd probably be looking at paying the same for an 18 month old phone as I did when I got my N2 (£30/m) and I got that the same month it was released.
Is it much of an upgrade over the Note 2 and does it still hold its own against newer phones released? I like the S Pen and screen size otherwise I might consider something else. Or I could just keep my N2 for another year.
Chrissssssss said:
I've had my Note 2 for 3.5 years now and I still like it but have recently been trying to decide whether it's time to move on and get something newer.
I think the only phone that I'd really consider is the Note 4 (the 5 isn't available in the UK ). I'd probably be looking at paying the same for an 18 month old phone as I did when I got my N2 (£30/m) and I got that the same month it was released.
Is it much of an upgrade over the Note 2 and does it still hold its own against newer phones released? I like the S Pen and screen size otherwise I might consider something else. Or I could just keep my N2 for another year.
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note 4 is a great phone, but if i were u i would wait or consider upgrading to s7 edge
From Note 2? Its a HUGE upgrade dude. For almost everything. Just compare the specs in GSMA, and its easy. Some things though can't be reflected on specs, and even in those areas its a huge upgrade. Just go for it.
I went from Note 2 to Note 4, and it was almost everything I hoped. Custom roms aren't as previlent, is the only downside, but cm13 is coming along nicely.
It's a huge upgrade
Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk
If software and half ass fingerprint reader isn't a problem, Note 4 is perfect and can still go toe to toe with current flagships.
whshkhalid said:
note 4 is a great phone, but if i were u i would wait or consider upgrading to s7 edge
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Wait for what? The S7 edge is a silly price and I don't really see much use for the edge display. And I'd use a case that would cover it up anyway.
ithehappy said:
From Note 2? Its a HUGE upgrade dude. For almost everything. Just compare the specs in GSMA, and its easy. Some things though can't be reflected on specs, and even in those areas its a huge upgrade. Just go for it.
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Thanks. If it lasts as long as my Note 2 has I'll be happy. I think I'll go for it
Last September did the same,had my note 2 for about 2,5 years. Gave note 2 to my wife and then compared with my note 4. Note 4 is much pretier and with better feel on the hand, the screen is a big difference,when we put side by side the qHD beats the hell out of the HD. Note 4 is of course faster,the camera is awesome. The only downside its the fingerprint reader,it fails me 4 out of 10. I rooted and wear lots of custom roms on the note 2. When oassed to my wife went with a note 4 port rom,but now on note 4 haven't felt the need to root,i like the stock and abilities of spen and stuff,that's why i bought the note series,so why would i change. I advise you to buy it. You will notice the change. I will only upgrade from note 4 when we have a newer note with foldable display or something really new,otherwise not worth it,they just make some tiny spec upgrade.
GPS is a let down on note 4 my only gripe
Had my note 4 for almost 2 years, use is as Sat Nav for almost all my journeys. battery is great and just got better with software update. I had one issue with my simcard reader but samsung sent someone to collect my phone and i had it back all working in a new housing with new battery and usb cable within a week. My next upgrade is hopefully going to be the note 6 if it has SD card support, if not then ill stick with my trusty note 4
sutty86 said:
GPS is a let down on note 4 my only gripe
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Here works fone and fast
The only thing I really miss from Note 2 is the FM radio receiver. There is also a question of size (the Note 4 is a bit taller and it shows when in pocket), durability (the plastic Note 2 held better the few dints and scratches than the metal Note 4) and the access to microSD card (blame Lollipop).
That said, it is a huge upgrade on most areas and a fantastic handset with both removable battery (I keep a spare always charged for a 2-minute 0% to 100%) and microSD card (to keep all those beautiful photos and videos it can capture and record, while also keeping a ton of media). The screen is beautiful and the quick charging ability is also of notice (for when you forget to bring the spare battery). The speaker is almost as week as the Note 2's, but it has great sound when coupled with decent headphones. For gaming, the Game Tuner app helps getting the balance between a good visual experience, frame rates and battery life (you just need to manually adjust the parameters). The S-Pen suite is also improved and the pen itself is leaps and bounds better (it comes with two spare tips as hard as the ones on Note 2 if you really want it).
Just go for it if you can't wait for Note 6 next September and are a Note fan.
Thanks everyone.
I hope I don't get GPS issues with the Note 4 and I do use that quite a lot on my Note 2. Is that something that shows up straight away if there's a problem or goes wrong after time?
I probably could wait 6 months but I'd have to wait 6 more after that as I'd probably renue my SIM only deal for another year if I kept the N2. Think I'll make the jump now. Very surprised there's nothing really catching my eye after 3.5 years.
Interestingly (maybe) EE don't actually sell the Note 4 directly anymore but loads of online places sell it with an EE contract.
I rarely use the FM radio on my phone so don't think I'll miss that. Is the SD card access the same as on a Lollipop CM ROM on this phone? And is Marshmallow out for the N4?
And spare tips for the pen sounds good. My daughter bit the end off my pen so I had to buy a new one
So The Note 4, it's excellent, the Camera rocks and removable battery and sdCard.
The s7 edge? From a Note? Don't do it - I did The s6edge+ fantastic, kept The Note.
You'll love it. Or wait for this years Note6 of that's an option.
The Note4 remains a fabulous phone.
Sent from my LG-H818 using XDA Premium HD app
Chrissssssss said:
And spare tips for the pen sounds good. My daughter bit the end off my pen so I had to buy a new one
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I dont have any gps issues,marsmallow already came out for spring variant so ours should have it soon. And mine came with 3 black tips and 2 white ones and a small plier to exchange it. And again believe in me i also changed N2 for N4 and i never regretted or felt disappointed
Chrissssssss said:
Thanks everyone.
I hope I don't get GPS issues with the Note 4 and I do use that quite a lot on my Note 2. Is that something that shows up straight away if there's a problem or goes wrong after time?
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I don't get the GPS issues on my phone either. Although GLONASS accessibility is an exclusively available thing in India. But if I remember right, Note 2 indeed was faster to have sat locks, I mean I don't remember much, cause its 3 years since I have used the Note 2 but it was almost instant outside and even in indoor it was 30 seconds if not less. This Note 4 on other hand takes around 30-60 seconds for outside lock sometimes for me (especially when my data is off), and in indoor in takes around a couple of minutes (again, if Data or WiFi is off). What I gather from these new phones is that they depend on your A-GPS setting quite a lot, which I don't think was the case with Note 2. In any case its no deal breaker at all. Just a little more waiting time, that's all. Accuracy is immaculate, far better than Note 2 anyway
In any case if problem should happen then there's an app called TopNTP, do install that, it made my otherwise half dead GPS response of my Note 3, somewhat half-awake. They keep some special NTP servers or something. Nifty app.
Chrissssssss said:
And is Marshmallow out for the N4?
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Yes, for ONE carrier, in ONE country, Sprint or something. But I am sure the international release will happen soon.
Well my Note 4 has now been ordered. Got an email asking me to ring to give them some extra info or something but they're shut now.
Excited now No other phones I want, Note 5 not available over here (and no SD card ), Note 6 (if it does come to the UK) will probably be silly price, and I'm sure I'll be happy with the Note 4.
Thanks everyone
I got a note 4 off my brother and love it. It's quick, reliable and good battery life considering its nearly 2 years old.
Should you consider it is another question.
Pros:
Screen on par with most new phones, enough power and battery life is good enough considering the screen size and remember this was one of the first with qhd. Has everything the new Samsung phones have.
Cons - it's not 64bit and marshmallow update will probably be the last official update. There are only few custom roms which are up to date although you do have cm13 roms out there is you decide to give up on the spen features. If you looking to future proof yourself I would probably get a note 6 or find a note 5 on ebay. At least that way you'll get android n and more chances of newer custom roms.
If you not all interested in the updates you should definitely consider a note 4(there are note 5 ports which make your feel newer and echoerom online is excellent). Looks good and performance is as good as you can get out there. Plus it's a lot better than the note 2.
I got mine shortly after it launched and immediately fell in love with it. Since then I haven't had a single urge to upgrade, which is odd for me because I'm usually itching to upgrade ASAP, especially since I have T-Mobile's JUMP plan where I could upgrade every six months. Not a single phone has enticed me enough to ditch my beloved Nexus 6, every time a new phone review comes out, I'm like "meh". Even the Pixel isn't tempting me, though I'll probably get it in about six months or so when the price (hopefully) drops and the bugs have been worked out.
My roommate also had the Nexus 6 and liked it, but not nearly as much as I do. He recently upgraded to a Note 5 since his 6 randomly stopped charging and he loves it and says it's one of the best phones he's ever had (he's not a geek like me and doesn't root it or anything, although I showed him how to do it with the 6).
Shortly after I got mine, I scratched the hell out the screen while working on my parents car so there's a nice inch long semicircular scratch in the upper right hand corner of the screen, about an inch below where the battery icon is, along with a few other small scratches. Also I've dropped it a few times so the corners are scratched up (I usually have a slim bumper case on it). Also over time the heat from the battery and processor seems to have melted the glue that holds down the backplate since it bulges out towards the center of the phone on both sides. I like the phone so much that I've even considered using my jump upgrade to get a brand new one haha It's definitely the best phone during the six years that I've been using Android.
Anyone else share the same sentiments?
brando56894 said:
I got mine shortly after it launched and immediately fell in love with it. Since then I haven't had a single urge to upgrade, which is odd for me because I'm usually itching to upgrade ASAP, especially since I have T-Mobile's JUMP plan where I could upgrade every six months. Not a single phone has enticed me enough to ditch my beloved Nexus 6, every time a new phone review comes out, I'm like "meh". Even the Pixel isn't tempting me, though I'll probably get it in about six months or so when the price (hopefully) drops and the bugs have been worked out.
My roommate also had the Nexus 6 and liked it, but not nearly as much as I do. He recently upgraded to a Note 5 since his 6 randomly stopped charging and he loves it and says it's one of the best phones he's ever had (he's not a geek like me and doesn't root it or anything, although I showed him how to do it with the 6).
Shortly after I got mine, I scratched the hell out the screen while working on my parents car so there's a nice inch long semicircular scratch in the upper right hand corner of the screen, about an inch below where the battery icon is, along with a few other small scratches. Also I've dropped it a few times so the corners are scratched up (I usually have a slim bumper case on it). Also over time the heat from the battery and processor seems to have melted the glue that holds down the backplate since it bulges out towards the center of the phone on both sides. I like the phone so much that I've even considered using my jump upgrade to get a brand new one haha It's definitely the best phone during the six years that I've been using Android.
Anyone else share the same sentiments?
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Due to the raving mad camera of the Pixel XL, were its screen the size of my N6, I would be ordering one. Otherwise, there's nothing out there that would make me leave my N6.
Sent from my P01MA using Tapatalk
at this point, its unlikely that you will find a brand new one anywhere, unfortunately..
believe me, there are tons of nexus users who feel the same way that you do. I had no desire to get a 6p, and even less desire to get an 800 dollar Pixel xl, when this N6 still runs so great..
Yea you're probably right Luckily mine isn't that bad, the scratches on the screen are only noticeable when the screen is off.
After I posted this I saw people were signing the praises of the 6 in other threads haha.
I love the way the six looks, except I wish it was all black. I got a black skin for the back that had the nexus and M cut outs, and had a hard time finding a black bumper case with a clear back to show of the skin. I'm not really a fan of the way that the back of the pixel looks, so if I get it I will definitely be putting a slim case on it.
Yes I am, but to develop for Nougat, I needed a second phone to have a daily driver while I rework my changes for 7.0. But since my N6 being only 32 GB, and I've found a 64 GB 6P at a very good price, my N6 became my second phone.
I've been a fan of Nexus devices for several years - I've had 4, 5, 6, 7 & 10, all a pleasure to use. When the 4 came out I was happy with it, but the HD screen prompted me to upgrade to the 5. When the 6 came out, same thing - the call of the QHD was too strong...
But now I've been so happy with my N6 that I've ignored the 5X & 6P and have every intention of bypassing the Pixel. I don't like Apple products because of that company's vile ethos, and now that Google seem to be Apple wannabees it looks as if my relationship with their phones is over too. Well, at least until my N6 dies, when I'll be looking at something like the LG V20, OnePlus 4, or whatever the current similar top-spec device is at that future time.
dahawthorne said:
Well, at least until my N6 dies, when I'll be looking at something like the LG V20, OnePlus 4, or whatever the current similar top-spec device is at that future time.
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I keep a three foot long pointed stick to fend myself against the temptation of buying a fancy new phone. But usually the reason I don't do that is because I don't want them stock, to me stock's boring, and I can't rationalize it to myself that I've paid a lot of money for a phone. Not a hobby project, just a smartphone like the kids today.
But if I want a hobby project, I'm sure as hell I don't want cyanogemod, it has more bugs than a Windows alpha leak. I've used for a year on my Note 3, it was an official cm12.1 release, and still too many bugs for my comfort. So since I have the source, and bake my own flavour, it would be a huge step back, as in backing up on a freeway measured step back to go back to hacked together more or less daily driver level roms.
I'm not a developer, just a propellorhead (I've been in mainframe tech for over thirty years), but the ability to play with the devices and have proper control is important, so any device I buy will have to be rootable. They mostly seem to be thanks to the excellent devs in this site.
P.S. It looks as if the world and his dog agree with you about Cyanogen...
http://m.theregister.co.uk/2016/10/19/cyanogen_and_monopolies/
Definitely, it's just a great device in many aspects. The screen size is a matter of taste of course, but perfect for me since I do a lot of office stuff during commutes. The 5+ hours of screen time gets me well through the day, and front speakers are easy to get addicted to as well
The only thing I think about sometimes is that it's a tad bit heavy when holding it for longer periods of time. Don't know if it's heavier than other phones with similar screen sizes? Still, I'm camping for at least another year, or until it breaks and can't be repaired.
wase4711 said:
at this point, its unlikely that you will find a brand new one anywhere, unfortunately..
believe me, there are tons of nexus users who feel the same way that you do. I had no desire to get a 6p, and even less desire to get an 800 dollar Pixel xl, when this N6 still runs so great..
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As far as I've seen there are brand new sealed boxes on Amazon still just under $300
Sent from my Nexus 6
My very first "smart phone" was the release of the T-Mobile G1, and fell in love with Android. Been on numerous devices since then but the day I picked this up it was incredible. It actually fit my hands. To date my favorite device and my daily driver. My 6p is still in its box as a backup.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA Free mobile app
wase4711 said:
at this point, its unlikely that you will find a brand new one anywhere, unfortunately..
believe me, there are tons of nexus users who feel the same way that you do. I had no desire to get a 6p, and even less desire to get an 800 dollar Pixel xl, when this N6 still runs so great..
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Click to collapse
There are still brand new in box N6's on ebay. They may be getting harder to find, but they do exist.
But anyway, I still love the heck out of my N6 even after 18 months of use. My battery % rarely goes below 60%, so my battery should last a good long while. I'm in no rush to get a new phone. It's lightning quick with Nougat and does everything I need.
Yep you can get bnib N6 XT1103 for 259.00 on EBay. Thought about buying one for a spare. Its a solid device still.
Interesting! I knew they still had to be floating around.
What was funny was I went on a job interview yesterday and one of the guys had a Nexus 6 and he was saying how much he loved it hahaha
I'm sure many will disagree with me and that's fine but my only complaint is the size. It is larger than I'd prefer. If it were the size of a moto X pure or 5" that would be good. Even maybe 5.5 but nearly at 6" it's too large.
If I get the Pixel I would get the smaller one. I'm done with the huge phones. Just isn't practical for me.
I'm still happy about this phone but I still want to replace is sometime soon. Hopefully the Huawei mate 9 will be good and also have a 6 inch screen. Just cant go back to a smaller size.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
For me, my big problem is that i still can say a big "yes", is all that i need... and is a problem. I don't like 6p and pixel XL (3 years with a phone >=5.7, i'm not confortable with any smaller), they are too... how to say, similar to others. My N6 is diferent, isn't soo square as others. Ok, i don't have fingerprint, slow-mo camera... but i use my charger qi when i arrive at work, my screen is, for me, best i ever seen in a phone, FRONT SPEAKERS!!!!!!, there are 2 ways to see a video, with our phone, and the others. Camera, for me works too fine, hdr+ is incredible, ok, in low-light isn't perfect but... it isn't a professional camera.
Maybe i ask too much, but i can't see any phones that offers me enought reason to change my phone :S. 64bits SoC... well, to work i use my laptop, i won't install my work-software on it, i still don't need it. 3GB ram... without comments, offer the same. So... when appears any really different i will think on that, meanwhile i'm in love with my nexus and my android black bumper
still loving this device. i got the 32 gig, and i constantly think about getting a 64, even though my phone is in perfect shape. got it from pre-order, and i'm hoping that it lasts another year or 2.
dont think ill be able to go back to anything less than 5.7" display, and dual front facing stereo speakers is on my checklist, which no one seems to offer any more, if i were to get a new phone.
the antennas also seem to be really good, but i had an antennagate iphone 4 for 4.5 years.
the design is really sleek, no weird bumps or panels. the phone came at a great time to remain competitive, since it was before the 810 fiasco, and seems like our 805 can support daydream. still unhappy we havent been able to get slo-mo working (since the oneplus 1 has the same sensor with slo-mo)
it's still a great phone
Bought the phone right after its launching. Still runs strongly.
Iam a savvy guy on smartphone changing device every year. However after Nexus 6, I can't find any other comparable phone with wireless changing, dual front facing speaking and slim bezel. Hopefully the next pixel could achieve something like that. Price is really not a issue as long as it is a solid one.
Still happy.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app