Related
While the V² may end up being an amazing phone, some of us can't wait for it to be released. (If it ever will be.)
This thread is for those who are looking for a phone with similar specs to the V².
Please keep this thread clean. Let's all be kind and respectful of others' opinions. :good:
Cullenator said:
While the V² may end up being an amazing phone, some of us can't wait for it to be released. (If it ever will be.)
This thread is for those who are looking for a phone with similar specs to the V².
Please keep this thread clean. Let's all be kind and respectful of others' opinions. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been looking and looking and looking. There isnt one. This is my dream phone:
- LG G2 sized, so 5.2" with small bezels.
- Removable, high capacity battery (3000mah+)
- Removable storage or affordable 64gb size
- Built in wireless charging
- 3gb+ ram
- Newer SoC
- Good camera with OIS
Thats it. Not asking for the moon. I can find some of those things in huge 5.5" + phones like the G4. I guess I will be getting used to a big phone again.
---------- Post added at 01:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:46 PM ----------
This is probably as close as I am going to get if the rumored specs are true: http://www.androidpit.com/nexus-5-2015-price-release-date-specs-features
shaxs said:
I have been looking and looking and looking. There isnt one. This is my dream phone:
- LG G2 sized, so 5.2" with small bezels.
- Removable, high capacity battery (3000mah+)
- Removable storage or affordable 64gb size
- Built in wireless charging
- 3gb+ ram
- Newer SoC
- Good camera with OIS
Thats it. Not asking for the moon. I can find some of those things in huge 5.5" + phones like the G4. I guess I will be getting used to a big phone again.
---------- Post added at 01:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:46 PM ----------
This is probably as close as I am going to get if the rumored specs are true: http://www.androidpit.com/nexus-5-2015-price-release-date-specs-features
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear ya, dude; I'm hoping the V2 makes it, but I can't wait unfortunately; my S3 is nearly dead. So yeah, we'll see. The G4 looks close, but it's way too big for me. Maybe the new Nexus will be almost as awesome as the proposed V2? We'll see.
Here are the features that made me pre-order the Saygus V². These are in particular order.
5" 1080p sunlight viewable screen. 2.5K resolution is overkill and just eats battery and I don't like phones with screens larger than 5".
Large removable battery.
Small bezels. This means the phone doesn't have a large footprint for it's screen size like the iPhone or Sony Z series.
64gb built in storage.
microSD slot. Dual wasn't important to me but having expandable memory was.
Optical image stabilization. It was nice that both cameras have it but I really wanted it in the main camera.
Waterproof.
Snapdragon 801.
3gb RAM.
The closest thing to this is the upcoming Galaxy S6 Active except the screen size is slightly large for my taste and it has 2.5K resolution. I can live with the built in battery if it's 3500mAh.
I was really hoping that Google would make a new version of the Nexus 5 with basically the same specs as the Nexus 6 except with a 5" 1080p screen. The only drawback to the Nexus series is that we almost definitely won't see one with a microSD card slot. I'm still surprised that Google didn't get someone to build an updated Nexus 5 yet, especially with the launch of Project Fi.
<rant>I wish the Android smartphone manufacturers (i.e. LG, OnePlus, etc) would realize that the majority of people don't want a screen over 5.5" and larger. How do I know this? Because Apple make the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus which have almost the exact same specs except for the screen size and resolution and based on this article 80% of the iPhone 6 models sold are the 4.7" version with the other 20% being the 5.5" version. If customers really wanted a smartphone with a really large screen then they'd be buying the 5.5" iPhone 6 Plus more than the 4.7" iPhone 6.</rant>
I originally was going to buy an S6, against my better judgement, until I found I could not buy a 128GB version, even from the AT&T store. I've considered the S5, but I can't find an unlocked 32GB version that works on 4G. I considered the Note 4, but I really don't want a phablet, and that's a lot of money to spend on a phone I feel I won't like due to its size. Also, it frustrates me that two of the main alternatives to the S6 I considered due to the S6's lack of expandable storage and removable battery are both Samsung's, so even if I did go with one of them, I would still be giving them money. Before any of this, I was looking at the Sony Xperia Z4, until that turned out to be a letdown, and then the Sony Xperia Z3, but again there is no 32GB unlocked version. Despite my hatred of Motorola, I even considered the Droid Turbo/Maxx, until I realized it lacks expandable storage. The G4 looks ok, but it's a bit large for my taste (though supposedly not as bad as other 5.5" phones), I really don't think I'd like the buttons on the back, and there are no real reviews yet of it. Not to mention it irritates me they're releasing two other "G4" versions that are nothing like the G4, but rather are stripped down junk. The Zenphone 2 is big and just seems cheap, which I get it is a cheap phone, but still. The S6 Active may end up being the closest thing to perfect, but I don't know how I'll like the physical buttons, and I think I'd rather it be less bulky so people that want the extra protection can use a case, but leave that up to the individual. I've pre-ordered the Elephone P7000, which looks like a really good phone for the price, but again, no 32GB version. Still, for the price, I can live with that for a few months until something better comes out. So many phones that are almost great, but fall short. I've been searching high and low for the past 2-3 months and it's getting tiresome. I'd love some other ideas, but I doubt anybody can point me to something I don't already know about.
My ideal phone matches up very much the same. If Samsung released a plastic body S4 v2 with more RAM, more built-in storage, updated CPU, 5" 1080p screen with otherwise S6 qualities, UFS 2.0, etc., while retaining the S4 size/weight, removable battery, and SD slot, I'd have little hesitation buying it, even if it cost the same as the S6. Doooosen't look like they're going to do that. A phone's looks don't matter to me, and I actually prefer the plastic body for weight and toughness factors. Doesn't have to be Samsung, but I've had an S4 for two years and having handling many phones, I find it gives the best fit in my hand while having an adequate sized screen of any phone yet.
The Saygus, if it proves to be the real deal, it's actually in the right size range and is loaded with so many features (2x SD is my favorite) that it has no real competition for my needs. As it stands, I'm most likely going to have to hold my nose and get a 128GB S6, which for me has no real competition as Plan B. I have no regrets with my S4 or S2, to me they were clearly the best phones for me on the market at time of purchase. But I want to vote with my wallet against the S6 because the removal of (to me) major features, but I might not have a suitable option. Also, I'm on TMOUS and most of the decent non-carrier devices won't work with their LTE bands and I'd lose WiFi Calling, so it's pretty much between Samsung, LG, Sony, HTC, Alcatel, and Nexus. The S5 and M9 look like the next best options. The Saygus is the only outside phone under consideration at this point.
hella356 said:
The S5 and M9 look like the next best options. The Saygus is the only outside phone under consideration at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the LG G2 and at less than $200 for a new off contract phone it really is hard to beat. I considered the S5 only because it can have wireless charging added fairly easily, but the ROM support for the S5 isnt as good. But if they offered the S5 with 3gb ram, I think I would be in.
shaxs said:
I have the LG G2 and at less than $200 for a new off contract phone it really is hard to beat. I considered the S5 only because it can have wireless charging added fairly easily, but the ROM support for the S5 isnt as good. But if they offered the S5 with 3gb ram, I think I would be in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, the G2 might be the best short-term option. TMo has refurb G2s for $228 & no money down & $9.50/month. It's the other end of the spectrum in price with the S6, amongst phones without SD and removable battery. Only 32GB is a big step down from my S4, but for daily usage it would probably be fine. Having lots of extra storage and batteries is brilliant when needed, like spending the day in an airport and having tons of locally stored music/movie choices, but most of the time as a DD can be lived without. Other negatives: a little larger and heavier, and non-AMOLED screen. On the plus side, it's got a bit better CPU and larger screen size than the S4. And a lot cheaper than the S6, S5, M9. If it had SD and removable battery, it would be a no-brainer.
I broke my S4 screen and replaced it myself with a $6 piece of glass off ebay. It's worked great considering the price, but it's more reflective and the touch input is far from perfect. It's still functional, but annoying, & $9.50/month is pretty light, so I think I'll give that a shot. They have a 15 day trial period, too. In the long run, worst case scenario, I end up with a spare phone / mini WiFi tablet that only cost $228.
vertigo_2_20 said:
I originally was going to buy an S6, against my better judgement, until I found I could not buy a 128GB version, even from the AT&T store. I've considered the S5, but I can't find an unlocked 32GB version that works on 4G. I considered the Note 4, but I really don't want a phablet, and that's a lot of money to spend on a phone I feel I won't like due to its size. Also, it frustrates me that two of the main alternatives to the S6 I considered due to the S6's lack of expandable storage and removable battery are both Samsung's, so even if I did go with one of them, I would still be giving them money. Before any of this, I was looking at the Sony Xperia Z4, until that turned out to be a letdown, and then the Sony Xperia Z3, but again there is no 32GB unlocked version. Despite my hatred of Motorola, I even considered the Droid Turbo/Maxx, until I realized it lacks expandable storage. The G4 looks ok, but it's a bit large for my taste (though supposedly not as bad as other 5.5" phones), I really don't think I'd like the buttons on the back, and there are no real reviews yet of it. Not to mention it irritates me they're releasing two other "G4" versions that are nothing like the G4, but rather are stripped down junk. The Zenphone 2 is big and just seems cheap, which I get it is a cheap phone, but still. The S6 Active may end up being the closest thing to perfect, but I don't know how I'll like the physical buttons, and I think I'd rather it be less bulky so people that want the extra protection can use a case, but leave that up to the individual. I've pre-ordered the Elephone P7000, which looks like a really good phone for the price, but again, no 32GB version. Still, for the price, I can live with that for a few months until something better comes out. So many phones that are almost great, but fall short. I've been searching high and low for the past 2-3 months and it's getting tiresome. I'd love some other ideas, but I doubt anybody can point me to something I don't already know about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went through a similar decision making process except I never considered getting the Galaxy S6 after they got rid of the microSD slot, reduced the battery capacity and made it built in and didn't make it waterproof. Back in 2014 when the Galaxy S5 was released, I was also waiting for T-Mobile to release the 32gb version (even though it has expandable storage) because I was worried about running into storage issues for apps (because many apps can't be moved to a microSD card with KitKat) but none of the US carriers ever released the Galaxy S5 with 32gb. AFAIK only the international version was released with 32gb storage. Then after I learned that T-Mobile was rolling out LTE on band 12 (700 MHz block A) and the Galaxy S5 didn't support it then I wasn't interested in it anymore. Then I looked at the T-Mobile version of the Sony Xperia Z3 (which supports LTE on band 12) but those huge bezels really bothered me. It's a phone with a 5.2" screen that's almost as big as the Galaxy Note 4 which has a 5.7" screen. I decided to wait for the Xperia Z4 hoping that it would have optical image stabilization but unfortunately it didn't. Most recently I considered the HTC One M9 because it IMHO had the perfect screen size/resolution 5" 1080p, top of the line Snapdragon 810 processor, 32gb storage, microSD card slot, decent size battery but unfortunately no optical image stabilization in the camera. The Elephone P7000 looks interesting for the price but it looks like it's basically an upgraded OnePlus One but a 5.5" screen is just too big for me.
Options
The ZTE Nubia Z9 Mini looks like a very good option for those of you that are running current devices that are a couple of years old, but I don't think it offers enough of an upgrade from my Z3 Compact for me to consider. But, given the expected price and general specs I think this would be a great choice for most people. There is a little bit of me that is tempted to go for this device just to scratch my 'must buy a new phone' itch!
The Nubia Z9 (not Mini or Max, confusing nomenclature!) also looks like a well specced device, but there seems to be uncertainty about whether this has an SD card slot, plus it runs the Snapdragon 810 which seems to be a rather tainted SoC from what I read everywhere.
The Sharp Aquos Xx also looks interesting, 84% screen ratio but again Snapdragon 810 and I've no idea whether Sharp make decent phones or not...
Any options with dual boot phones
For me the main reason to order Saygus V² was the dual boot option, with the possibility to boot from microsd card. Is anyone aware of other smartphones with this feature?
hella356 said:
I actually prefer the plastic body for weight and toughness factors.
I want to vote with my wallet against the S6 because the removal of (to me) major features
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on both counts
lukec36 said:
The ZTE Nubia Z9 Mini looks like a very good option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not for me. Non-removable battery, which I would be willing to overlook if all else was good and it had Quick Charge, but it does not (of course, all else being equal, I will always choose the phone with the removable battery, and if I were to buy one without, it would be a temp phone until a different one with a removable battery came out). Also, only 16GB internal memory is NOT enough. 32GB is minimum for me. The ONLY reason I ever got rid of my EVO 4G was because I was constantly getting low memory errors, and I don't want to deal with that again. I don't want to settle for a phone with less than 32GB internal and less than 96GB total memory, even a temporary one. At least the P7000 is very cheap and has otherwise good specs and a removable battery, so the internal memory is the only big sacrifice. Unfortunately, it looks like that one is out, too, and I need to cancel my order, because it doesn't work on AT&T's LTE.
Thanks
Thanks for this thread. As much as I can't look away from the train wreck that is Saygus, I really do need to replace my outdated phone and leave the Apple compound and koolaid behind.
You'd think it would be easy to buy a decent phone with a swappable battery and expandable storage.
Zinguy said:
Thanks for this thread. As much as I can't look away from the train wreck that is Saygus, I really do need to replace my outdated phone and leave the Apple compound and koolaid behind.
You'd think it would be easy to buy a decent phone with a swappable battery and expandable storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that's the crazy part, I still want the V2 because of the features. I'm shocked that more people aren't worried about support after the sale from Saygus though.
Zinguy said:
Thanks for this thread. As much as I can't look away from the train wreck that is Saygus, I really do need to replace my outdated phone and leave the Apple compound and koolaid behind.
You'd think it would be easy to buy a decent phone with a swappable battery and expandable storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is most mainstream manufacturers seem to be heading towards sealed unit phones, and the majority have given up on SD support on flagships. Sony is a noticeable exception but their in life care leaves a lot to be desired - the official Sony phone forums are full of threads on issues that Sony refuses to officially acknowledge.
A lot of the 'cheaper' phones from Chinese manufacturers interest me, but there is always a compromise there. Honor's cheaper phones have non-backlit capacitive buttons. Meizu and Xiaomi seem to shun SD. Elephone seems a little left field. Most Chinese flagships are 5.5 inch.
What we all seem to agree on is that the V2 offered the fewest compromises, and everything else has at least one glaring black mark that we realistically are not able to swallow. Which makes the apparent train wreck of the V2 that much harder to take and ultimately is responsible for the sometime over emotional outbursts by the various pro/anti Saygus camps.
lukec36 said:
The ZTE Nubia Z9 Mini looks like a very good option for those of you that are running current devices that are a couple of years old, but I don't think it offers enough of an upgrade from my Z3 Compact for me to consider. But, given the expected price and general specs I think this would be a great choice for most people. There is a little bit of me that is tempted to go for this device just to scratch my 'must buy a new phone' itch!
The Nubia Z9 (not Mini or Max, confusing nomenclature!) also looks like a well specced device, but there seems to be uncertainty about whether this has an SD card slot, plus it runs the Snapdragon 810 which seems to be a rather tainted SoC from what I read everywhere.
The Sharp Aquos Xx also looks interesting, 84% screen ratio but again Snapdragon 810 and I've no idea whether Sharp make decent phones or not...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the ZTE Nubia Z9 does look pretty amazing. Only issue for me is no wireless charging and the price seems high. The Sharp Aquos Xx doesnt have a speaker. Not sure how I would like that.
This is an interesting alternative I saw on BGR but I doubt it will be available with support for US networks. It's made by a Chinese company called Innos and it has a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 615 1.8GHz octa-core processor, a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 3 GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and Android 5.0 Lollipop. The most interesting thing about it is that has dual batteries with a total capacity of 6000mAh, an internal one that's 2480mAh and an external replaceable one that's 3520mAh. I don't think it has a microSD memory card slot but if someone can read Chinese then the second link will have all the specs. I tried Google translate on the page but it didn't translate much.
http://bgr.com/2015/05/22/best-smartphone-battery-innos-d6000/
http://www.innos.com/yiluo/product.php?lang=cn&class2=168
Sam K said:
This is an interesting alternative I saw on BGR but I doubt it will be available with support for US networks. It's made by a Chinese company called Innos and it has a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Snapdragon 615 1.8GHz octa-core processor, a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 3 GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and Android 5.0 Lollipop. The most interesting thing about it is that has dual batteries with a total capacity of 6000mAh, an internal one that's 2480mAh and an external replaceable one that's 3520mAh. I don't think it has a microSD memory card slot but if someone can read Chinese then the second link will have all the specs. I tried Google translate on the page but it didn't translate much.
http://bgr.com/2015/05/22/best-smartphone-battery-innos-d6000/
http://www.innos.com/yiluo/product.php?lang=cn&class2=168
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow that looks really cool!
If someone knows of another phone with a reasonable screen size, removable battery, waterproofing, front facing speakers, expandable storage, a durable body material (i.e. not aluminum, something that doesn't need a case) and a fingerprint reader, I'd like to know about it.
Or at least most of those things.
MikeyMike01 said:
If someone knows of another phone with a reasonable screen size, removable battery, waterproofing, front facing speakers, expandable storage, a durable body material (i.e. not aluminum, something that doesn't need a case) and a fingerprint reader, I'd like to know about it.
Or at least most of those things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Galaxy S5 meets most of your criteria. The only thing it lacks out of those is the front-facing speakers. I know, some people would argue it also doesn't have a "durable body," since it's made out of plastic, but I 100% disagree. My S4 was tough as hell, despite being plastic (and I actually think partly because of it, since plastic flexes and also weighs less, so less impact force when falling). I've thrown it so many times, to the point the case came off and the battery flew out once, and it never so much as got a scratch that I saw. And the only reason I put a case on it was because it was too thin and felt weird in the hand, and the case I used was a very slim one, so it didn't add much to the phone, just a tiny bit of extra thickness and a better grip. As much as I dislike Samsung right now, the S5 would be my next phone if it were available unlocked with 32GB internal memory.
So I ordered a Nexus 6 for $300 brand new on eBay. I am intrigued by the Nexus 5X as well.
So here's why I think where the Nexus 6 is better than the 5X:
QHD Screen, Dual Front Facing Speakers, OIS in the camera, more RAM.
Here is where I think the 5X is better than the 6:
Better form factor, better processor, fingerprint scanner/Nexus Imprint, better camera (even though no OIS), and better front facing camera.
Now, here is what I prefer, the features like the fingerprint scanner, camera, and better processor.
Here is what gets me though, less RAM means less quality performance, the price for a 32 GB is over $150 more, and the Nexus 5X needs Type C to Type A to be utilized on my MacBook.
So is it worth it for me to get the 5X? I am a little bit budget conscious, but could get the 5X. I have the 6S+ as my daily driver, but want a Nexus device as my main android device. The Nexus software is good and will pair up nicely with my Moto 360. Suggestions?
I wouldn't say that the 808 is a better processor than the 805. The 64bit aspect is more marketing than practical, since you don't actually use a phone for tasks that benefit from 64bit. Those tasks are handled by dedicated hardware blocks. So what the 808 has, are 4 *weak* A53's, and 2 *power hungry* A57's. The 805 has 4 *strong/fast and power efficient* Krait 450's.
In fact, the 805 has been put against the 810 and actually came out VERY strong. In many cases, exceeding the 810.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/snapdragon-810-benchmarks,4053.html
*** note that in that article, it is important for you to recognize TWO very important facts about the tests;
1) They are comparing an MDP810/t (development tablet with massive internal heat dispersion plates) to a Nexus 6,
2) The Nexus 6 is running factory on-CPU full disk encryption, whereas the 810 is using special crypto instructions.
Both of those facts are to the benefit of the SD810, yet the only conclusion possible given the outcome, is that even WITH those points hurting the 805, it is still holding up against the 810.
And the 808? Basically just cut off two cores from the 810 and call it an 808.
As far as the rest of your points comparing the two phones...
1) The 5x has a MUCH better screen. While it is true that the claimed resolution is lower, the Nexus 6 has an RGBG AMOLED, which cheats on the resolution (it is only full resolution in GREEN, red and blue are only 2560x720). The differences are pretty obvious under a magnifying glass. The 5x, while only 1080x1920, is an HONEST 1080x1920. I would go so far as to say that I would choose a 6 inch 1080x1920 over this. And its not just about the visible artifacts, which yes, *are* hard to see.. but half the number of pixels to drive, the graphics *performance* will be a lot higher with the lower resolution screen.
2) Speakers... Nexus 6 speakers suck real bad as loudspeakers. As a headset, its fine (i.e., at lower volume pressed against your ear). The second speaker on the front is really quite pointless.
3) OIS? I can't tell the difference. It still blurs when you shake it during a picture.
4) More ram... yep, it does have a bit more ram, but, android knows how to manage ram very well, so you really shouldn't be able to tell a difference in device performance. Realistically, anything over 1 GB is adequate. Anything over 2 is just marketing fluff. At least for now.
5) 5x better form factor.... its the same form factor, rectangle. Maybe you are referring to the size?
6) 5x better proc... nope, as already discussed.
7) fingerprint scanner? Well, that may be useful for people with clean smooth soft fingers, but for the rest of us, fingerprint scanning is more trouble than its worth.
8) I don't get it with phone cameras. This race to super megapixels is idiotic when the two adjacent pixels bleed into each other. Phone cameras suck. All of them. We have a fairly cheap point and shoot digital camera, but through sheer lazyness, my wife got into the habit of using the phone. Couple of weeks ago she picked up the cheap point and shoot, and was blown away by how good the pictures were that came from it. Seriously... phone cameras ALL SUCK. There is nothing you can do to overcome the physical limitations when dealing with having to maintain a THIN phone. You just don't have the space to put in a decent lens. Every new phone that you get has claims of having a better camera than the last phone, yet phone after phone, I still can't tell the difference, they still suck.
9) USB type C. Yeah, it is kind of expected that during this period of transition, you will end up needing to get the cables that connect from the old to the new. The good news though, is that you don't need expensive powered converter boxes, its just a matter of the plug itself. Eventually, you are going to have to pick the first device to upgrade to the new plugs.
Here is my take on this;
I own a Nexus 6, and while it is a bit bigger than I like, I would NOT buy a 5x or a 6p. Neither offers a substantial benefit over what I already have. If they were a little bit more substantial, like having the snapdragon 620 and 820 like rumors and logic suggested, then they would be very tempting, but even then, its hard to say. I'm kind of glad that they didn't make them with the new chips though, since that temptation to upgrade now doesn't exist, so I can happily wait until next year and get something that is *actually* better than what I have now.
And I tell you, snapdragon 820 is really going to be something.
hello,
I have some questions before buying the Z2 plus,
1. in a youtube video I saw one reviewer pointing out that this device is having screen unresponsive issue while charging ? is it true ?
2. is QC3 working with this device ? I've seen some people pointing out even with Qualcomm certified QC3 charger, they couldn't get the qc3 speeds ?
3. Is the device having overheating issues ?
4. How is the screen quality ? I've seen some people complaining colors of the Z2 are muted.
appsmarsterx said:
hello,
I have some questions before buying the Z2 plus,
1. in a youtube video I saw one reviewer pointing out that this device is having screen unresponsive issue while charging ? is it true ?
2. is QC3 working with this device ? I've seen some people pointing out even with Qualcomm certified QC3 charger, they couldn't get the qc3 speeds ?
3. Is the device having overheating issues ?
4. How is the screen quality ? I've seen some people complaining colors of the Z2 are muted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes , it is true. But it's not that disturbing. The screen will not go totally unresponsive. But a little bit. You hardly find it irritating.
2. Never tried QC3 but some says it works. Whereas some says it dont. Maybe QC not enabled in the firmware.
3. Yes there is little bit overheating issue. Not a big problem as my friends xperia top of line premium smartphone also overheats . In Zuk z2 plus....Maybe it is because of the Plastic body. And the supplied back cover in the box will not let you notice the heating that much.
4. The colors are very sharp and quality is great as expected. I hardly notice any major muted color. But in comparison to AMOLED , yeah you can say a little bit difference is there. But overall its upto the mark.
cyBeRdUdE-9 said:
1. Yes , it is true. But it's not that disturbing. The screen will not go totally unresponsive. But a little bit. You hardly find it irritating.
2. Never tried QC3 but some says it works. Whereas some says it dont. Maybe QC not enabled in the firmware.
3. Yes there is little bit overheating issue. Not a big problem as my friends xperia top of line premium smartphone also overheats . In Zuk z2 plus....Maybe it is because of the Plastic body. And the supplied back cover in the box will not let you notice the heating that much.
4. The colors are very sharp and quality is great as expected. I hardly notice any major muted color. But in comparison to AMOLED , yeah you can say a little bit difference is there. But overall its upto the mark.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To add my own experience:
1. Screen is a tiny bit unresponsive (has ghosting issues) and it's a bit noticeable if you're playing games that require multitouch, however I've never noticed it in regular usage, it really doesn't bother me. My old Nexus 5 has this issue x20. Battery life is really good though, I'm a medium-heavy user and I still get through the day with ~15% left over at the end of the day so you shouldn't need to use your phone whilst charging very often.
2. QC3 definitely doesn't work. Tried it on the 2.0.093 ST ZUI that came from Banggood and tried it on the Resurrection Remix ROM that I'm currently using (all MM based, haven't tried it on a Nougat based ROM). Theoretically the hardware should be able to do it, but it might be disabled in the kernel. Not sure why they still advertise as QC3 compliant, perhaps they intend on adding the feature with software updates but I wouldn't hold my breath.
3. The phone gets a bit warm during heavy usage and it might be due to the glass back which won't aid cooling as much as a metal one does, but it's never been uncomfortable to hold.
4. The colours problem might be due to ZUI. I found the color choices... uninspired and somewhat bland. I'm on RR now and I've set it to my preference and I really like it. Admittedly it's no Samsung SuperAMOLED, but the screen is not bad at all. Crisp and pleasant. I also think that material design looks really good on it in a way that it never did on my Nexus 5 (can't really explain it).
All in all, I'm really happy with the phone. Its only real competition is the mi5 and mi5s which besides being significantly more expensive, have that hideous black border that hides the side bezels. It's disingenuous and really spoils the look of the white version and it really put me off. I don't want a black phone. Though NFC would have been nice. *sigh*
I think most of the questions have been answered, but I'd like to also add that QC2/3 is not supported, but it does have fast charging of some kind. I did some research and testing, posted results here: http://zukfans.eu/community/threads/info-z2-quick-charge-speed-testing-discussion.3132/
Have a question before purchasing
Does the 3GB variant perform well enough just like the 4GB one does? Any lags or other issues in 3GB variant?
AlstonGomez said:
Does the 3GB variant perform well enough just like the 4GB one does? Any lags or other issues in 3GB variant?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume that you're in India since the 3GB variant seems to be an option (I can't find anywhere that ships it worldwide). If you're not that bothered about warranty and such, you should buy it from a chinese reseller, you can snag the 4GB variant significantly cheaper than the 3GB variant in India (14,999 INR vs ~11,200 INR), check out the info here. That's where I got mine from, but I'm in the UK and there's no official channels here.
You can even put the official Indian ROM on it and you'll get OTA updates and have a phone that's in every way identical to what amazon is selling.
That being said, I don't think that I've ever seen the available RAM drop under 1GB in the entire time I've had the phone so I don't think that the extra 1GB RAM would make any difference in your day to day. The extra 32GB of storage is nice to have, but my previous phone was a Nexus 5 with 16GB storage and I never had any significant issues with that.
All in all, I doubt that you'll notice any significant difference between the 3GB and the 4GB variant and the extra storage will only come in handy if you're downloading entire movies on your phone or have tons of giant games.
PS: The 4GB variant is selling on ebay.in for ~17-20,000 INR, one enterprising fella could buy the 4GB from China for ~11,200 INR, flash the official Indian ROM and sell it on ebay for 16,000 INR undercutting everyone else and making a healthy +4,000 INR profit per phone. If only I was living in India.
Uivalf39 said:
I assume that you're in India since the 3GB variant seems to be an option (I can't find anywhere that ships it worldwide). If you're not that bothered about warranty and such, you should buy it from a chinese reseller, you can snag the 4GB variant significantly cheaper than the 3GB variant in India (14,999 INR vs ~11,200 INR), check out the info here. That's where I got mine from, but I'm in the UK and there's no official channels here.
You can even put the official Indian ROM on it and you'll get OTA updates and have a phone that's in every way identical to what amazon is selling.
That being said, I don't think that I've ever seen the available RAM drop under 1GB in the entire time I've had the phone so I don't think that the extra 1GB RAM would make any difference in your day to day. The extra 32GB of storage is nice to have, but my previous phone was a Nexus 5 with 16GB storage and I never had any significant issues with that.
All in all, I doubt that you'll notice any significant difference between the 3GB and the 4GB variant and the extra storage will only come in handy if you're downloading entire movies on your phone or have tons of giant games.
PS: The 4GB variant is selling on ebay.in for ~17-20,000 INR, one enterprising fella could buy the 4GB from China for ~11,200 INR, flash the official Indian ROM and sell it on ebay for 16,000 INR undercutting everyone else and making a healthy +4,000 INR profit per phone. If only I was living in India.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this reply mate! Did really helped me a lot
I just got one for 175 euros and I think its a steal. I just want a smaller phone. I hope to receive it as soon as possible.
Hi,
I want to buy something with a 6"+ diagonal with a 16:9-ish AR to replace my dying Zenfone 2. Since nowadays every new phone is released with an 18:9 AR, which is no upgrade from my current 5.5" phone, I have to look at older models. Currently I've almost decided on a Mi Mix.
There is a Mi Mix review on GSMArena, it has some negative points that I'd like to hear a second opinion about before I make my decision.
* IPS LCD: apparently quite bad outside. I can barely see my Zenfone 2 IPS screen in rather cloudy conditions, at max luminosity. Is the Mi Mix screen that bad outside? (I've seen an S8+ under direct sunlight and it was bright as if inside, right next to my Zenfone 2's litterally black screen, but well, amoled is amoled )
* No MicroSD slot: The USB 2 on my Zenfone 2 is very slow, and every time I want to load a few gigs of video of flac files I remove the MicroSD and use an USB3 adapter on my PC, it is way faster this way. Is the Mi Mix Type-C port USB 3 ot two?
* "Our review unit acquired a few scratches on top of its display in the first three days even though we were extra careful in handling it". Ew. Is it really that bad? I've used screen protectors on my older phones but you always see there is one and it is quite distracting. I've had my Zenfone 2 without a protector film in my pant pockets with loose change and keys, and the Gorilla Glass is spotless after 3 years of that. I was intending to do the same with the Mi Mix, but if it won't last a week at a 400-500€ price, I'll look elsewhere.
Thanks.
Neofit26 said:
Hi,
I want to buy something with a 6"+ diagonal with a 16:9-ish AR to replace my dying Zenfone 2. Since nowadays every new phone is released with an 18:9 AR, which is no upgrade from my current 5.5" phone, I have to look at older models. Currently I've almost decided on a Mi Mix.
There is a Mi Mix review on GSMArena, it has some negative points that I'd like to hear a second opinion about before I make my decision.
* IPS LCD: apparently quite bad outside. I can barely see my Zenfone 2 IPS screen in rather cloudy conditions, at max luminosity. Is the Mi Mix screen that bad outside? (I've seen an S8+ under direct sunlight and it was bright as if inside, right next to my Zenfone 2's litterally black screen, but well, amoled is amoled )
* No MicroSD slot: The USB 2 on my Zenfone 2 is very slow, and every time I want to load a few gigs of video of flac files I remove the MicroSD and use an USB3 adapter on my PC, it is way faster this way. Is the Mi Mix Type-C port USB 3 ot two?
* "Our review unit acquired a few scratches on top of its display in the first three days even though we were extra careful in handling it". Ew. Is it really that bad? I've used screen protectors on my older phones but you always see there is one and it is quite distracting. I've had my Zenfone 2 without a protector film in my pant pockets with loose change and keys, and the Gorilla Glass is spotless after 3 years of that. I was intending to do the same with the Mi Mix, but if it won't last a week at a 400-500€ price, I'll look elsewhere.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't comment on most of you're concerns, as for the screen it's fine with outdoor viewing, I never had a screen protector with a year of abuse in my pocket 1 tiny scratch is all I can see.
james1089 said:
Can't comment on most of you're concerns, as for the screen it's fine with outdoor viewing, I never had a screen protector with a year of abuse in my pocket 1 tiny scratch is all I can see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's already 2 concerns out of 3, so thanks!
Hi, according this:
https://www.devicespecifications.com/es/model/9dda3f3d
The USB port is 3.0 in the Mi Mix. I have the 256G version and so neved missed the SD card slot.
As for the display visibility outside there is a thread in this forum about this. My personal experience is that the visibility is not so good when facing the sun directly, but I have a glass screen protector that may be worsening it.
Sounds good, thanks guys. One last thing: since it transmits sound by vibrating the top part of the screen, do other people really hear your conversations? I am reading conflicting opinions on the subject. I suppose that it may be the case in a small and quiet room, but I guess that in the street, in the subway or the train, there is enough ambient noise to counter this?
I'll sale you my mi mix
BigM69 said:
I'll sale you my mi mix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not looking for a used one, but thanks.
No problem, I got it a month ago. I'm probably gonna return it and go grab the note 8!!!
BigM69 said:
No problem, I got it a month ago. I'm probably gonna return it and go grab the note 8!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which Mi do you have (6MB, 256) and how much...Is condition mint and rooted?
vvette said:
Which Mi do you have (6MB, 256) and how much...Is condition mint and rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the 128gb version
One more thing. It's probably a stupid question, but here goes. One reviewer said that since the Mi Mix' screen is not a standard 16:9 resolution, it will display "standard" content with black bars. Fair enough, I see no way around this anyway. But then he added that native content shot with the Mi Mix will make full usage of the near bezel-less screen. This got me thinking... I suppose the camera does have native and standard 16:9/4:3 modes, doesn't it? I don't want to have to process all my photos and videos every time so they fit onto 16:9 screens without black borders.
Also, if the stock camera app can do that, what of the one that comes with Lineage OS?
Camera app has 4:3 and 16:9, no worries.
Hi
By coincidence I've recently replaced my aging Zenfone 2 ZE551ML with a Mi Mix 6/256: rest assured you won't be regretting the ZF2
The missing SD card is a non-issue, considering the 'minimum' configuration of the Mix provides you with 128GB of storage..
Screen visibility in full daylight is more than adequate for me, and anyway much better than the ZF2 screen. I find the Mix has a better, clearer display somehow.
Can't vouch for the Mix screen resistance, but I've put a cheap glass screen protector on it. Sure it's a tad smaller than the Mix screen - for some reason they don't seem to make properly sized screen glass - but good enough for the time being.
I think you'll appreciate the difference between the two devices, as I did.
PS: have a better look to the ZF2 screen: you'll find lots of small scratches - mine had them, to be sure.
Neofit26 said:
Hi,
I want to buy something with a 6"+ diagonal with a 16:9-ish AR to replace my dying Zenfone 2. Since nowadays every new phone is released with an 18:9 AR, which is no upgrade from my current 5.5" phone, I have to look at older models. Currently I've almost decided on a Mi Mix. (...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A quick mini-review for people who might stumble upon this thread with the same concerns that I had. I got the 6/256G variant.
* IPS LCD: way more luminous that the IPS on the old Zenfone 2, so no problem with this. Also, even though the MiMix is larger with the same resolution as the ZF2, it looks sharper.
* No MicroSD slot: while USBTreeView does not show "SS" (super-speed, allegedly USB3) but only "H" (High speed, allegedly USB2), the transfer speed is definitely USB3.
* Scratches: I don't know what the GSMArena reviewers were doing to the phone, or maybe their model had a different screen coating, but after a week in my pants pocket together with some loose change, the screen does not have a single scratch.
* Phone sound: The handset produces a clearly worse sound quality, but this screen vibration does not let other people hear your conversation.
* The stock camera app is kind of garbage-y. No stabilisation. You can change "Camera Frame" from 16:9 to 4:3, and "Picture Quality" between High/Standard/Low, but nowhere did I find figures like "4608x2592 (16:9, 11.93MP)" that free apps like "Open Camera" will show you.
Extra stuff:
* If you are planning to flash the phone right away, be ready to waste 3 days of your life being unable to install and config your phone. The Mi Mix has a locked bootloader, you have to ask Xiaomi for the permission to unlock the device that belongs to you. This part is done quickly though, but then you will have wait 72 hours upon receipt of the permission e-mail until their flashing software allows you to do the actual unlocking.
* It comes with MIUI 8 (Android 6), and no apt-x. If you have good headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum M2, the difference will be huge.
* I was intending to install Lineage OS for the apt-x support. After flashing I figured it did not have the official Google Play app (big duh! moment ). Not willing to risk using an ersatz then fight with compatibility issues (I have quite a few official paid apps), I flashed MIUI 9 Global beta (Android 7.1.2). Even though by itself MIUI 8 and 9 are rather rubbish (if I didn't want an app drawer I'd have bought an iphone ), with the Nova Launcher it works fine. And it has apt-x too.
Overall I am quite happy with the purchase so far.
Great thread.. i just bought one and waiting for it to arrive. i live in canada. where do you guys who own one live ?? im asking because i also read something about the 4G LTE bands missing or slow ?? do you guys have issues with data speeds ?
also, i am probably gonna root the phone. how did you contact Xioami to get the unlock codes for bootloader ?
confused also to flash global rom or go with a custom or the difference between LiniageOS or the other options.. my head hurts just thinking about it.. LOL..
again, i'm from canada.. does one version work "better" ?
thanks for any feedback.. can't wait to get the phone
obtuce said:
Great thread.. i just bought one and waiting for it to arrive. i live in canada. where do you guys who own one live ?? im asking because i also read something about the 4G LTE bands missing or slow ?? do you guys have issues with data speeds ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I live in the other side of the world (Israel) and I have no problem with data speeds and I get 4G LTE almost everywhere with good reception, But I dont know about North America (In Israel there are no problems with 4G LTE bands and data speed on chinese phones).
good to know.. thanks for that..
I currently have and use a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. I love the phone but it feel it's time to upgrade and I'll add this S20 to my pile of phones to play with. So far I like the S21 Ultra better because of the build quality over the S20 Ultra. I like the metal around the camera lens over the glass of the S20 Ultra. I also like the bigger fingerprint scanner behind the screen. Mine bugs out occasionally and can be irritating. The screen is phenomenal on the S20 Ultra and even better on the S21 Ultra. So should I upgrade or wait for an S22 Ultra? Or should I branch away from Samsung? I was a long time HTC user and switched fully to Samsung back at the release of the Galaxy Note 5. I've used and played with many Nexus, Motorola, OnePlus, LG and other phones and I'm stuck on Samsung. Hell I even went back to an iPhone XS Max because my family all has them, and let me tell you, that didn't last long. So I'm just wanting your guys opinions, worth the upgrade now? Wait? Branch away?
Not sure I'd upgrade but my upgrade span is normally two years. But the facts are that the camera is far better, the chipset is far better (regardless of region), it has S-pen support, the screen is better and it looks better.
If you think that's worth the price then go for it.
Check the video below for a more in depth comparison.
Beefheart said:
Not sure I'd upgrade but my upgrade span is normally two years. But the facts are that the camera is far better, the chipset is far better (regardless of region), it has S-pen support, the screen is better and it looks better.
If you think that's worth the price then go for it.
Check the video below for a more in depth comparison.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do agree that it's a better handset all around. I love my S20, but I hate it at the same time with all of its quirks. I guess I haven't looked yet, but I'm sure they are planning the S22 very soon, and it might be worth me waiting for that. I've just had small minuscule issues with my S20 Ultra, like currently waiting on my replacement since my screen quit entirely as well as all the rear camera sensors. I'm using my spare Galaxy A20 that was brand new in the box until my new S20 Ultra gets here. This A20 is super disappointing in terms of performance so I'm trying to not use it as much as I dont have to.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
I currently have and use a Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. I love the phone but it feel it's time to upgrade and I'll add this S20 to my pile of phones to play with. So far I like the S21 Ultra better because of the build quality over the S20 Ultra. I like the metal around the camera lens over the glass of the S20 Ultra. I also like the bigger fingerprint scanner behind the screen. Mine bugs out occasionally and can be irritating. The screen is phenomenal on the S20 Ultra and even better on the S21 Ultra. So should I upgrade or wait for an S22 Ultra? Or should I branch away from Samsung? I was a long time HTC user and switched fully to Samsung back at the release of the Galaxy Note 5. I've used and played with many Nexus, Motorola, OnePlus, LG and other phones and I'm stuck on Samsung. Hell I even went back to an iPhone XS Max because my family all has them, and let me tell you, that didn't last long. So I'm just wanting your guys opinions, worth the upgrade now? Wait? Branch away?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not going to be a night and day differnce. Cameras are definitely better and focus issues are fixed. Screen is only a minor upgrade in terms of quality - unless you want to leverage the new processor to run it a WQHD+ at adaptive refresh rate. Even that is barely discernible against the FHD+ with VRR. At least to my eyes.
Is it worth it monetarily? No. It doesn't make any financial sense dropping that kind of money every year on a handset. THe S21U is definitely better than the S20U, but not $1000 better
Is it worth it as a shiny new toy for playing around (provided money isn't that big a concern for you)? Hell, yeah.
Depends how you define "worth" and what your yearly budget is for gadgets.
enigmaamit said:
It's not going to be a night and day differnce. Cameras are definitely better and focus issues are fixed. Screen is only a minor upgrade in terms of quality - unless you want to leverage the new processor to run it a WQHD+ at adaptive refresh rate. Even that is barely discernible against the FHD+ with VRR. At least to my eyes.
Is it worth it monetarily? No. It doesn't make any financial sense dropping that kind of money every year on a handset. THe S21U is definitely better than the S20U, but not $1000 better
Is it worth it as a shiny new toy for playing around (provided money isn't that big a concern for you)? Hell, yeah.
Depends how you define "worth" and what your yearly budget is for gadgets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I don't feel its worth dropping $1,000 every year, maybe every 2, sometimes 3 years. I actually paid $1,500 for my S20 Ultra right when it came out. I've just only started to get bored of it or irritated with little issues. But really, I think I'll wait it through and get the next Galaxy that jumps out ahead of competition in relation to specs. They usually wait to see what Apple will do, and try and get a couple steps ahead of them, not just 1 or the same. Sadly enough, Apple is competing side by side now with their new chips and they aren't doing too bad. I'm kind of wanting to try the 12 Pro Max but that would go against my religion.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
Personally I don't feel its worth dropping $1,000 every year, maybe every 2, sometimes 3 years. I actually paid $1,500 for my S20 Ultra right when it came out. I've just only started to get bored of it or irritated with little issues. But really, I think I'll wait it through and get the next Galaxy that jumps out ahead of competition in relation to specs. They usually wait to see what Apple will do, and try and get a couple steps ahead of them, not just 1 or the same. Sadly enough, Apple is competing side by side now with their new chips and they aren't doing too bad. I'm kind of wanting to try the 12 Pro Max but that would go against my religion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's a sensible decision to wait for the next galaxy, especially since you have a "relatively" recent device already. Who knows, you may fall for the Z Fold 3 ?
Don't wait for Samsung to copy Apple too much though.... next thing you know, they'll stop including the phone in the box
enigmaamit said:
I think it's a sensible decision to wait for the next galaxy, especially since you have a "relatively" recent device already. Who knows, you may fall for the Z Fold 3 ?
Don't wait for Samsung to copy Apple too much though.... next thing you know, they'll stop including the phone in the box
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I very well could fall for the Z Fold 3, but who knows, I really am not sure I like the folding or flipping phones. I tried that a few times, even sliders, and they just weren't for me. I had every generation of Motorola Droid with the slider since first introduced, actually still have them lol, but the slider I wasn't a fan of. I had a Palm Pre Plus, and I had a Kyocera Echo. Cool concept and way ahead of it's time in 2013/2014, but was glitchy and cheap. I like a solid build. Probably the only flipping or sliding I liked was the original Motorola Razr V3m/or VE20. The Palm slider was nice though.
And you're not wrong on the Apple part . Thanks for the laugh. I think in terms of new phones, Samsung has had the cat in the bag for a long time.
IMHO the decision to upgrade or not comes down to value. By the time the S22 is released the S21 will be a better value and from rumors online it doesn't look as though the S22 Ultra (or whatever it's labeled) will have enough improvements to justify the additional cost. I'm thinking Samsung released the S21 Ultra earlier than previous devices because the S20 Ultra had some issues and it didn't generate sales volume they anticipated. As far as the Fold goes I see only one advantage, it can fold for a larger display. When one compares features with the S21 Ultra it's nowhere near the value especially if the focus is on features. I kinda feel sorry for users who dropped a bundle of money for the S20 Ultra, it's a bit of a tweener who's features were eclipsed in a significant way by the S21 Ultra.
varcor said:
IMHO the decision to upgrade or not comes down to value. By the time the S22 is released the S21 will be a better value and from rumors online it doesn't look as though the S22 Ultra (or whatever it's labeled) will have enough improvements to justify the additional cost. I'm thinking Samsung released the S21 Ultra earlier than previous devices because the S20 Ultra had some issues and it didn't generate sales volume they anticipated. As far as the Fold goes I see only one advantage, it can fold. When one compares features with the S21 Ultra it's nowhere near the value especially if the focus is on features. I kinda feel sorry for users who dropped a bundle of money for the S20 Ultra, it's a bit of a tweener who's features were eclipsed in a significant way by the S21 Ultra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't agree more. Now the S20 Ultra is a significantly better phone than the iPhone XS Max I used shortly before it, and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge I was using before the iPhone. I had the Galaxy S8+ before going back to the S7 Edge, but that phone the first day I got it, it was dropped not even 3 feet onto a carpeted floor and cracked the screen. I immediately sent in for a replacement and not even 6 months of using it, it died. So I dug the trusty S7 Edge out of my drawer and put it back to use.
I did overspend on the S20 Ultra sitting back and looking at it now because I wanted the newest greatest phone and I was eligible for the upgrade, so I just did it. It's little issues with the fingerprint scanner are definitely annoying and the camera was good, but not what I thought it was shook up to be. I also have issues randomly dropping service, even in full bar areas. It games nicely, and the specs are great. I hate that I spent the money I did to get the lower RAM/storage version. But they didnt have a 256 or 512gb in stock. Next one I get will definitely be a 512gb with the highest RAM option. Granted this phone has never slowed down with a bunch of apps, I just ran out of 128gb faster than I thought I would.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
I couldn't agree more. Now the S20 Ultra is a significantly better phone than the iPhone XS Max I used shortly before it, and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge I was using before the iPhone. I had the Galaxy S8+ before going back to the S7 Edge, but that phone the first day I got it, it was dropped not even 3 feet onto a carpeted floor and cracked the screen. I immediately sent in for a replacement and not even 6 months of using it, it died. So I dug the trusty S7 Edge out of my drawer and put it back to use.
I did overspend on the S20 Ultra sitting back and looking at it now because I wanted the newest greatest phone and I was eligible for the upgrade, so I just did it. It's little issues with the fingerprint scanner are definitely annoying and the camera was good, but not what I thought it was shook up to be. I also have issues randomly dropping service, even in full bar areas. It games nicely, and the specs are great. I hate that I spent the money I did to get the lower RAM/storage version. But they didnt have a 256 or 512gb in stock. Next one I get will definitely be a 512gb with the highest RAM option. Granted this phone has never slowed down with a bunch of apps, I just ran out of 128gb faster than I thought I would.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, with no MicroSD available some users like myself understand the 256GB (about 200GB after system use is deducted) isn't enough. Lots of users are comfortable with this available internal storage for their purposes and utilize external storage devices to compensate but I'm not one of them. I have zero faith in Cloud Storage for privacy and security concerns.
Since you're in the US, if you decide on acquiring a 512GB device the Branded Service Provider's have no 512GB units available, not sure if some of them ever did offer it. Then that leaves you with a couple of options, the Snapdragon or Exynos Global variants. Given a choice I prefer the Snapdragon 888 SoC.
I opted for the Hong Kong (CSC - TGY) 512GB device. In addition to the largest internal storage it offers no carrier bloatware, dual sim's, unlocked bootloader and faster OTA's. There are some downsides as well. It's more expensive since there's no trade-in promotion, so you'd need to sell the S20 Ultra private party if you don't want to add it to your other older units. There is a 1 year warranty but that requires it be shipped back to the original retailer. That didn't bother me since I've never had repair issues with any of my previous Galaxy devices. Lastly, certain Branded Carrier Call Features like 5G and Carrier Aggregation may not work. My device does enable 4G LTE, WI-FI Calling which are sufficient for my usage. My S9+, S10 Plus were Hong Kong variants as well and I had no issues other than what I've already shared.
A Carrier Branded device may be the best value for you based on overall costs but the internal storage constraints killed it for me, 200GB just doesn't cut it. With my S10 Plus it made sense to buy the 128GB variant at a lower price and drop in the MicroSD, problem solved! If the S21 Ultra had external memory I would have done the same workaround and saved about $400 USD. I like the S21 Ultra alot, it's the best device available IMHO, if it had MicroSD I'd LOVE IT!
varcor said:
Agreed, with no MicroSD available some users like myself understand the 256GB (about 200GB after system use is deducted) isn't enough. Lots of users are comfortable with this available internal storage for their purposes and utilize external storage devices to compensate but I'm not one of them. I have zero faith in Cloud Storage for privacy and security concerns.
Since you're in the US, if you decide on acquiring a 512GB device the Branded Service Provider's have no 512GB units available, not sure if some of them ever did offer it. Then that leaves you with a couple of options, the Snapdragon or Exynos Global variants. Given a choice I prefer the Snapdragon 888 SoC.
I opted for the Hong Kong (CSC - TGY) 512GB device. In addition to the largest internal storage it offers no carrier bloatware, dual sim's, unlocked bootloader and faster OTA's. There are some downsides as well. It's more expensive since there's no trade-in promotion, so you'd need to sell the S20 Ultra private party if you don't want to add it to your other older units. There is a 1 year warranty but that requires it be shipped back to the original retailer. That didn't bother me since I've never had repair issues with any of my previous Galaxy devices. Lastly, certain Branded Carrier Call Features like 5G and Carrier Aggregation may not work. My device does enable 4G LTE, WI-FI Calling which are sufficient for my usage. My S9+, S10 Plus were Hong Kong variants as well and I had no issues other than what I've already shared.
A Carrier Branded device may be the best value for you based on overall costs but the internal storage constraints killed it for me, 200GB just doesn't cut it. With my S10 Plus it made sense to buy the 128GB variant at a lower price and drop in the MicroSD, problem solved! If the S21 Ultra had external memory I would have done the same workaround and saved about $400 USD. I like the S21 Ultra alot, it's the best device available IMHO, if it had MicroSD I'd LOVE IT!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh my, I didn't even pay attention to them not including a MicroSD. They did that in the S8 but only the S8, and that's not okay with me. I have a 512gb SD I transfer from phone to phone for photos and file management. That's not going to cut it for me relying strictly on internal storage. Although I seen they make a type C to micro SD adapter that's inexpensive and works well, so I guess if I do upgrade I could do that. But, idk, I'm liking the Note 20 Ultra right now as well.
You should want an SD card.
Samsung's are the most customizable stock Androids on the planet... if you haven't noticed.
The only thing I would consider at this time personally is the Note 20 U or another Note 10+ 512gb Snapdragon variant. I'll wait another year to see if Samsung and Android can get recover from their high G flat spin.
Otherwise I'll default to my former choices. My preferred OS is still Pie and the 10+ is a solid, fast, stable performer. Decisions, decisions...
Samsung's offerings this year so far are weak. Android 11 is looking like another Vista.
That's 2 strikes and the 3rd strike be making the mistake of buying it
blackhawk said:
You should want an SD card.
Samsung's are the most customizable stock Androids on the planet... if you haven't noticed.
The only thing I would consider at this time personally is the Note 20 U or another Note 10+ 512gb Snapdragon variant. I'll wait another year to see if Samsung and Android can get recover from their high G flat spin.
Otherwise I'll default to my former choices. My preferred OS is still Pie and the 10+ is a solid, fast, stable performer. Decisions, decisions...
Samsung's offerings this year so far are weak. Android 11 is looking like another Vista.
That's 2 strikes and the 3rd strike be making the mistake of buying it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't had any issues with Android 11 as of yet, there just wasn't much added. Having no SD Card is a downside for me. I do love how customizable Samsungs are right out of the box. I'll probably get a Note 20 Ultra because why not. I'd get the largest variant available to me.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
I haven't had any issues with Android 11 as of yet, there just wasn't much added. Having no SD Card is a downside for me. I do love how customizable Samsungs are right out of the box. I'll probably get a Note 20 Ultra because why not. I'd get the largest variant available to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 20U is a solid platform. Get a good case before you start using it. They are beautiful slippery fish.
The Notes wuv to corner hit and face plant when dropped. The spen corner seems to be their favorite corner to land on
I use the Zizo Bolt and the Gorilla IQ Sheild screen protector. Zero damage in 1.5+ years in spite of nearly a dozen drops from 2-4 feet onto concrete.
A SD card allows you to have a data drive.
All critical data goes here including everything you need to do a full reload including installable app copies. No Playstore needed. This drive is then redundantly backed up to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other. Use a V30 rated card or higher.
Lexar's work right out of the box.
The internal memory regardless of its size is the OS drive. Loaded apps and the temporary DCIM and download* folders go here.
You now have a dual drive 1+tb computer in your hand
This is how my 10+ is set up. It runs like a bat out of hell. Current load is over a year old, still running fast and stable. A complete reload takes about 2 hours to set it back up, no internet or PC required.
*transferred to data drive once vetted
blackhawk said:
The 20U is a solid platform. Get a good case before you start using it. They are beautiful slippery fish.
The Notes wuv to corner hit and face plant when dropped. The spen corner seems to be their favorite corner to land on
I use the Zizo Bolt and the Gorilla IQ Sheild screen protector. Zero damage in 1.5+ years in spite of nearly a dozen drops from 2-4 feet onto concrete.
A SD card allows you to have a data drive.
All critical data goes here including everything you need to do a full reload including installable app copies. No Playstore needed. This drive is then redundantly backed up to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other. Use a V30 rated card or higher.
Lexar's work right out of the box.
The internal memory regardless of its size is the OS drive. Loaded apps and the temporary DCIM and download* folders go here.
You now have a dual drive 1+tb computer in your hand
This is how my 10+ is set up. It runs like a bat out of hell. Current load is over a year old, still running fast and stable. A complete reload takes about 2 hours to set it back up, no internet or PC required.
*transferred to data drive once vetted
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How big is your SD Card? I'm considering ordering a 1TB card and transferring everything over. I use my phone for editing video, photos, rendering, office, receipts etc. Which is why I haven't played with its OS and such because it just works. I have a 256gb that's nearly full. I'll get a note 20 U and buy a 1tb card and leave my 256gb in my S20 U.
KaydenMcCurdyTech said:
How big is your SD Card? I'm considering ordering a 1TB card and transferring everything over. I use my phone for editing video, photos, rendering, office, receipts etc. Which is why I haven't played with its OS and such because it just works. I have a 256gb that's nearly full. I'll get a note 20 U and buy a 1tb card and leave my 256gb in my S20 U.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a 512gb Lexar V30 card ($65) and currently using about 340gb.
Thinking about upgrading to a 1tb V30 card but they aren't cheap ($180-240).
The V30 is fast enough to stream video and wav files from with no issues. The Lexar writes around a [email protected]
The 20U has a faster bus than the 10+ so it may benefit from a faster card. Not sure as it doesn't apply to me and I haven't pursued it; V30 is fast enough for what I need.
If you have a large database you'll chew up one 1tb fast. My current database is about 1.5tb; really I like to see dual SD card slots
blackhawk said:
I have a 512gb Lexar V30 card ($65) and currently using about 340gb.
Thinking about upgrading to a 1tb V30 card but they aren't cheap ($180-240).
The V30 is fast enough to stream video and wav files from with no issues. The Lexar writes around a [email protected]
The 20U has a faster bus than the 10+ so it may benefit from a faster card. Not sure as it doesn't apply to me and I haven't pursued it; V30 is fast enough for what I need.
If you have a large database you'll chew up one 1tb fast. My current database is about 1.5tb; really I like to see dual SD card slots
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now theres an idea I can get behind! I have a large database for sure. I sort everything in folders and label everything etc. My phone is my computer lol. I even run my GoPro through my phone to edit and upload video. I would love to see dual SD Cards someday. Maybe even faster cards as well. Phone already are coming out with 16gb of RAM, there is no reason they couldn't do dual storage cards. Actually I know it's possible because I have my SD card in my s20U and I use a USB c to micro USB to my S7 edge with another SD card in it to transfer data, and I set the S7 edge up as a storage drive on my s20U. So they just need to do it already. I think Nvidia needs to try and develop another mobile GPU that's insane and Samung needs to build a media based work usable phone. Like bring back the Galaxy Mega with some decent specs instead of garbage. Use a 120hz OLED panel, like 5.5-6 inches, with a 500+ pixel density, dual SIM, dual SD card, nvidia GPU, best 8 core Snapdragon, 16-20gb ram, s pen, amazing cameras front and rear and just have it blow away the competition. I'd spend 1500 on that all day. That phone would appeal to a fair amount of people. The galaxy Mega didnt sell well along side the note series because they limited it to a single carrier in the US, the specs were ehh at best, the screen was trash and no SPen support.
The Note held a niche until the battery drama and the S Series increased the size of the display. Samsung axed it knowing sales volume would be limited and it would directly compete with the S Series. It's a good device but shaded compared to the S21 Ultra. SoC, CPU, battery, cameras, bluetooth and display resolution. It's less expensive and still offers MicroSD but other than that it's second fiddle. At least you'll have the last of a dying breed. If I were to weight value for the Note 20 Ultra it would be against the A72 at half the price, not the S21 Ultra.
varcor said:
The Note held a niche until the battery drama and the S Series increased the size of the display. Samsung axed it knowing sales volume would be limited and it would directly compete with the S Series. It's a good device but shaded compared to the S21 Ultra. SoC, CPU, battery, cameras, bluetooth and display resolution. It's less expensive and still offers MicroSD but other than that it's second fiddle. At least you'll have the last of a dying breed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, I would. But it's pretty comparable with my current S20U except for camera and so forth but still a great device. I've been thinking that's what I'll do instead of the s21U. I'd like to not step away from Samsung. Who knows, if dont like the Note, then I might check out the Z fold. I just know I won't like it though.
varcor said:
The Note held a niche until the battery drama and the S Series increased the size of the display. Samsung axed it knowing sales volume would be limited and it would directly compete with the S Series. It's a good device but shaded compared to the S21 Ultra. SoC, CPU, battery, cameras, bluetooth and display resolution. It's less expensive and still offers MicroSD but other than that it's second fiddle. At least you'll have the last of a dying breed. If I were to weight value for the Note 20 Ultra it would be against the A72 at half the price, not the S21 Ultra.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The rounded display corners suck. In pictures they don't seem bad but in person they look horrible compared to the modern Notes. The colors and gamma of the 10+ are spot on. The display is one of a kind and just drop dead gorgeous. I stream vids constantly on mine.
The 12 gb ram variant of the 10+ or 16gb for the 20U are needed for a power user. The Snapdragon variant is the most desirable but difficult to root.
Battery excursions were a one shot deal although any Li can fail at any time especially when degraded.
The intergrated spen can't be replaced and even though I don't use it a lot, when I need it, I need.
As I learned battery and the C port PCB are relatively easy to replace once you know the tricks. Not near as bad as the reviews rate it.
A case is mandatory or it will get destroyed... sooner or latter.
If you can swing it and are tech savvy, get a Note.
As for being dead, doubtful. Sammy loves to play that to the hilt.
Samsung needs to rethink what their customer base wants rather than dictate what they can have. If Sammy fails to do this or fidgets like LG, they will suffer badly... if you can't rock it, somebody will.
But hey, how much can you expect from a rabid box of gerbils anyway?