Database Develop

Is there a way of telling a refurb Droid Turbo?

The red one I got off ebay sold as new has black side buttons not red buttons...
And although the red backing does have texture it has a little bit of flex if I push around the Motorola logo on the back...
Is the slight flexing normal and is it normal for the red model to sometimes come with black buttons not red?
And there was no Verizon SIM in the phone or box either. If the package was truly retail sealed then it would still have the SIM in it right mentioned in the package contents on the retail box?
I'm thinking these chinese are bull****ting me saying its sealed new but its refurbed and they just attach their own stickers to make it seem sealed/new.
Am I just being paranoid or is there any substance to it? Is there any software method that could tell a refurbed model?
Thanks.

I am certainly not an expert but I agree with you that it does not appear to be a new and unused one. SIM card detached from phone is not unusual, so can't tell just because of no SIM card.
I am not sure if Motorola/Verizon sell officially refurbished one, assuming they don't, you may check if the bootloader is unlocked. If yes, it would very likely be non-new one, as they do not unlock bootloaders. Otherwise, you may also check the version of android and ask the seller about when they get the handset. See if the dates match chronologically.
I am sorry that I do not have any more technical way to test. If I were you, I would ask for refund anyway if still can. Basically you cannot expect a new and unused one now, but you still can buy a used one much cheaper.
Oh, I am chinese too. No offense.

zhaoyun said:
I am certainly not an expert but I agree with you that it does not appear to be a new and unused one. SIM card detached from phone is not unusual, so can't tell just because of no SIM card.
I am not sure if Motorola/Verizon sell officially refurbished one, assuming they don't, you may check if the bootloader is unlocked. If yes, it would very likely be non-new one, as they do not unlock bootloaders. Otherwise, you may also check the version of android and ask the seller about when they get the handset. See if the dates match chronologically.
I am sorry that I do not have any more technical way to test. If I were you, I would ask for refund anyway if still can. Basically you cannot expect a new and unused one now, but you still can buy a used one much cheaper.
Oh, I am chinese too. No offense.
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I agree that it's not very likely there's any new/unused Droid Turbos out there in the wild. I mean, when the official model year was over and the Droid Turbo 2 (Kinzie) came out in late 2015 (the successor to Quark, which was a big disappointment -- smaller battery? still no rear camera OIS? Still no stereo speakers?) Verizon kept selling them for awhile, but in this is now 2017. If there were any stashes of unused Droid Turbos that were returned and then sold off to 3rd party wholesalers I'm sure they've been sold by now.
For example, the U.S. Moto Maxx XT1250 -- which is an exact clone of the Droid Turbo, event the exact same FCC ID and radio bands -- was sold by online discount wholesaler Jet for several weeks last year. (basically the "dev" version of the Droid Turbo with easily unlocked bootloader.) These were obviously from stock returned by the regional CDMA/LTE carriers who were selling the same phone as the Droid Turbo under another name. But now, you can't find any of those.
I still have a brand new Moto Maxx XT1225 in the box, my 3rd one I bought last spring (March/April 2015) new off eBay as a "backup" to my other two we use daily (which I bought in November and December 2014). But you can't find those any more either. Which is why I bought it when I did. Now, if I sell that 3rd one at some point before I ever have to use it, that one will still be NEW -- but then I'm not an eBay dealer promising many of these phones brand new. I think at this point in time (April 2017) there's none out there like that.
---------- Post added at 09:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:12 AM ----------
mrw187 said:
The red one I got off ebay sold as new has black side buttons not red buttons...
And although the red backing does have texture it has a little bit of flex if I push around the Motorola logo on the back...
Is the slight flexing normal and is it normal for the red model to sometimes come with black buttons not red?
I'm thinking these chinese are bull****ting me saying its sealed new but its refurbed and they just attach their own stickers to make it seem sealed/new.
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Click to collapse
I think you basically paid for a "mint" refurbished Droid Turbo. How much did you pay and is it worth that to you for a professionally refurbished phone with no scratches, etc? Your alternative is to buy used off eBay/Swappa in various states of mis-use.
The three Quarks I own (XT1225, the "international" variant of the Droid Turbo with 64GB memory only) are ballistic nylon + kevlar, and there is no flexing. However, yours is Kevlar-only, if it's red. (All the ballistic nylon + kevlar Quarks were either black or blue.) The Kevlar-only are thinner than the ballistic nylon + kevlar -- which is why they have TWO different case sizes for the Quarks. Maybe the Kevlar-only ones have some flexing? Put a case on it, you won't notice.
Even though mine are the thicker Ballistic Nylon + Kevlar, I still keep cases on the two Quarks we use daily (to keep them as mint as possible). Mine is a Diztronics TPU absorption case. My wife's has a "hard shell" red plastic case she's busted TWICE by dropping her phone. This last time it happened I ordered a dozen of them (like $1 each) off some website, so if she keeps doing that I've got replacements. Plus, who knows how long they're going to keep selling cases for the ballistic nylon + kevlar Quarks? (which are different size from the kevlar-only backed Quarks.) Point is, that's corner drop impacts the case took instead of the phone.

ChazzMatt said:
I still have a brand new Moto Maxx XT1225 in the box, my 3rd one I bought last spring new off eBay as a "backup" to my other two we use daily. But you can't find those any more either. Which is why I bought it when I did. Now, if I sell it at some point before I ever have to use it, that one will still be NEW -- but I'm not an eBay dealer promising hundreds brand new.
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I don't mean to hijack this post, but would you share your plan on how much longer you intend to continue to use droid turbo? I am kinda paranoid on battery and this is quite the reason I chose droid turbo. I got mine which claimed to be brand new in June 2015 from a third party. The battery still looks good approaching two years of use and I can project its life for another year. As I live in Hong Kong and no one knows droid turbo, even if I can get a new battery online, I do not believe anyone including me have the ability to open the case and change the battery for me. I viewed videos from youtube and I admit that opening the case without damaging it is difficult.
It is a pity that while the spec is still not inferior as compared to the "flagships" today, we are unable to extend its life for long due to the battery. In fact, the hardware development in the recent couple of years is rather stagnant that when you buy a phone, you are just paying for a new battery for a phone with pretty much the same spec. I really wish to have some ideas on how I can make the life of my droid turbo longer.

ChazzMatt said:
I still have a brand new Moto Maxx XT1225 in the box, my 3rd one I bought last spring (March/April 2015) new off eBay as a "backup" to my other two we use daily (which I bought in November and December 2014). But you can't find those any more either. Which is why I bought it when I did. Now, if I sell that 3rd one at some point before I ever have to use it, that one will still be NEW -- but then I'm not an eBay dealer promising many of these phones brand new. I think at this point in time (April 2017) there's none out there like that.
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zhaoyun said:
I don't mean to hijack this post, but would you share your plan on how much longer you intend to continue to use droid turbo? I am kinda paranoid on battery and this is quite the reason I chose droid turbo. I got mine which claimed to be brand new in June 2015 from a third party. The battery still looks good approaching two years of use and I can project its life for another year.
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Well I have three of the XT1225, not the XT1254. But yes all Quarks have the same 3900 mAh battery, and except for internal memory variants (32GB or 64GB), they all have the same hardware specs. The XT1225 came in 64GB-only internal memory, while the XT1254 had options for 32GB or 64GB. The 64GB Quarks (whether XT1225 or XT1254) all came in Ballistic Nylon + Kevlar. The third Quark, the XT1250, only came in 32GB and with Kevlar-only.
I've kept this phone longer than any other I've ever owned. And I've been into Android phones since 2010, with the LG Optimus M. I always paid full price, never had a contract, upgraded every year or so to newer model and sold the old ones to recoup some of the cost. This is why the Nexus phones were so appealing (the gen3 Galaxy Nexus and the gen5 Nexus 5). They were top tier specs at a reasonable price brand new, and then could still command decent re-sell value later.
When Google really screwed up with the WHALE gen6 2014 Moto Nexus 6. Until then the number, if it was in the title was the generation model, NOT the screen size.
2010 gen1: HTC Nexus One was not 1". It was 3.7" (VERY close to 4"). "One" = FIRST Released end of January 2010.
2010 gen2: Samsung Nexus S was 4.0", 480p.
No number in the name. The only time Google released two Nexus phones the same calendar year. But it moved the release date of Google phones to the END of the year instead of the beginning.
2011 gen3: Samsung Galaxy Nexus, gen 3. 4.65", Super AMOLED 720p.
No number in the name, but first HD resolution Android. Made by Samsung and released halfway between their early 2011 Galaxy S2 and the 2012 Galaxy S3, the gen3 Galaxy Nexus was really a "Galaxy S2.5". It had a lot of the hardware specs/features the Galaxy S3 would have.
Halfway through the Galaxy Nexus model year, in June 2012 Google cut the price in half and started selling the unlocked phone online in its Google Store. This was the start of the "budget" premium phone reputation the Nexus brand had. The LG Nexus 4 and LG Nexus 5 continued this budget pricing.
2012 gen4: The LG Nexus 4 was NOT 4", it was 4.75" 720p. It was closer to 5" than 4", was the 3rd Nexus to be 4" or MORE -- but was the FOURTH Nexus phone. THAT is why it's called the Nexus 4. 4 = FOURTH
The LG Nexus 4 and the LG Optimus G were basically clones of each other, which hurt LG tremendously. Why would people pay $600 - $700 for the Optimus G in a carrier store when they could get the same phone for $350 in the Google Store?
[*]2013 gen5: The gen5 LG Nexus 5, was 4.95" -- just a little bigger than the 4.75" gen4 Nexus 4. It was the FIFTH NEXUS PHONE. Just coincidentally it was close to a 5" display, but that was just coincidence. 5 = FIFTH. (If Google wanted a 5.0" display, there were plenty available. They purposely chose a display UNDER 5.0". It was the Nexus 5 because it was the FIFTH NEXUS PHONE, PERIOD.)
Due to the Nexus 4/Optimus G mistake, LG tried to differentiate the LG Nexus 5 from the LG G2 by making the LG G2 be 5.2". But otherwise they were sibling phones with almost identical hardware specs. They were first phones to use the new Snapdragon 800, had 2GB RAM, and and among the first to have 1080p -- both with rear camera OIS. All cutting edge specs.
(2013 is the same year Motorola laughably released the first Moto X with 4.7", 720p display -- which was a direct copycat of LG's 2012 Optimus G/LG Nexus 4. LG and Motorola actually released both their flagship phones within a couple of weeks of each other. And Motorola did the same thing again in early 2014, producing an inferior COPY of the previous year's 2013 1080p LG G2 when LG released the 5.5" 1440p LG G3. Motorola was still playing catch up with specs, while LG had moved on -- which was why Google chose LG as their Nexus partner in 2013 even though they owned Motorola at the time. Motorola finally joined the big leagues in late 2014 with the duo of Shamu and Quark phones. The Quark especially was IMPRESSIVE. However, since Lenovo bought them they have regressed backwards, in my opinion. The 2015 Kinzie did not improve upon the two deficiencies of the Quark -- lack of stereo speakers and rear camera OIS. And the mod phones are silly, I want EVERYTHING I need in the phone to begin with -- including stereo speakers, Qi wireless and a big battery.)
THEREFORE, the 6th Nexus phone would only be the 6th phone, not necessarily 6 freaking inches. Until then, Google had actually taken display averages of the most popular mainstream phones to be the display new Nexus phone. This is why the 2013 LG Nexus 5 was 4.95" instead of 5.0" -- even though there were 5.0" displays available. No, I have no internal Google documents proving that but I did the math every year and I was always right. My math showed the average display for end of 2013 would be 4.948" and they released a 4.95" phone. My math showed the average display for end of 2013 would be 5.2" -- and Google instead released a 5.95" phone.
It was a HUGE mistake in 2014, and Google has admitted that by releasing increasingly smaller sizes in 2015 (5.7") and 2016 (5.5").
Yet, there's plenty of evidence, Google/Motorola was testing two Nexus 6 variants - a 5.2" Shamu as late as mid-August 2014 as well as the 5.95" Shamu whale. We saw the leaked benchmarks! Instead of releasing the more mainstream variant (5.2") or releasing BOTH (two sizes like Apple did first), Google screwed up and chose the whale. Motorola has even said more recently that Google made that disastrous decision against their own recommendations.
Motorola then released the 2014 5.2" Quark which has 95% the same specs as the Moto Nexus 6. It's clear it was either the repurposed 5.2" Shamu variant or was on very similar dual track development (like the 2012 LG Optimus G and LG Nexus 4, and the 2013 LG G2 and LG Nexus 5). Whatever, the Quark became MY Nexus 6. It's the best phone I have even owned (5.2" 1440p, 3GB RAM, Qi wireless, 64GB internal memory, 21MP camera, QuickCharge 2.0) and still holds up spectacularly. Only now in 2017 with phones like the Galaxy S8 do you see some aging. Yes, I wish the Quark had the stereo speakers and rear camera OIS the Nexus 6 has, and Motorola could have easily put those in considering the price they charged.
I bought the XT1225 for the LTE bands (I'm on AT&T) and for the 64GB memory.
Our two daily phones are still OK. But I can top off at work when I need to (I keep a QuickCharge 2.0 charger with 10-ft USB cable in my work bag), and I have QuickCharge 2.0 car chargers in both our cars for when we are driving. Since I always use Waze navigation app when driving, it's very battery intensive so I keep my phone plugged in.
How long will I keep using them? The LG G6 would have been a good replacement if LG had the sense to include ALL the premium features (Qi wireless charging, 64GB memory, DAC) in ONE phone and sell it to the world, instead of making regional variants. I'm not giving up Qi wireless charging and I'm not going to buy a phone with less than 64GB internal memory.
I'll keep using the Quark until it dies (and I have a new spare still in the box!) or until someone releases a phone that meets my standards...
The ZTE Axon 7 specs impressed me greatly (5.5", 1440p AMOLED, DAC, front facing speakers, 64/128GB internal memory, 4GB/6GB RAM, $400/$500) -- but there's no Qi wireless charging.
The Galaxy S8 has great specs (Qi wireless, 64GB, etc) , but unless I can root it to remove bloatware and install custom ROMs, I'm not touching it.
OnePlus 3T only has 1080p and no Qi wireless charging.
Maybe Google will come to their senses and release a good Pixel 2 phone later this year. I'm NOT impressed by last years Pixel phone which didn't even have Qi wireless charging. But it had HUGE bezels!
The 2018 LG G7 will have AMOLED, and maybe LG will realize we all want premium features. ZTE may release an Axon 8 with Qi wireless, plus all the stuff they crammed into the Axon 7.
or OnePlus may finally decide to join the Big Boys and release a phone with 1440p and Qi wireless charging.
zhaoyun said:
As I live in Hong Kong and no one knows droid turbo, even if I can get a new battery online, I do not believe anyone including me have the ability to open the case and change the battery for me. I viewed videos from youtube and I admit that opening the case without damaging it is difficult.
It is a pity that while the spec is still not inferior as compared to the "flagships" today, we are unable to extend its life for long due to the battery. In fact, the hardware development in the recent couple of years is rather stagnant that when you buy a phone, you are just paying for a new battery for a phone with pretty much the same spec. I really wish to have some ideas on how I can make the life of my droid turbo longer.
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Yeah, there was just an exchange about that battery replacement difficulty yesterday over in the RR 7.x thread:
gangrenius said:
I know about this before but I want to reask... has someone change their battery out yet? And if they did was it fairly easy? And how is the battery? And did it fix the random power off issues?
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NepoRood said:
Yes, no, great, no
IF you have a heat gun, it'll be easier to separate the phone (I hear). I took out the volume rocker (SIM card holder) and started separating there, it's a little hard to get the phone apart. It's not like it just "snaps", there's adhesive inside. I also jacked my headphone input a bit, but, it still works, so be careful around the top of the phone.
Also, left, right, and top come apart first, bottom last.
There are videos on the YouTube for it, which shows you step-by-step, just use Gooble
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Di5cip1e said:
I did. Its sort of a pain getting the cover off but I imagine it wouldn't be so bad if you had the proper tool. I saw on YouTube a guy used a guitar pick and it worked well. I ended up having to order a new cover for about $10 on eBay. I never had random power issues but just knew she was getting worn out.
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I paid $175USD.
also paid the $25 for sunshine.
Haven't had any problems apart from the phone getting a little hot after some tetris blitzing but that game did it to my flex 2 as well
and I'm quite enjoying the Open Kang 7.1
I can thrash the phone all day and I only need to charge it once or twice every 2 days
I guess I can't complain too much as long as it doesn't explode or cease to function...

mrw187 said:
I paid $175USD.
also paid the $25 for sunshine.
Haven't had any problems apart from the phone getting a little hot after some tetris blitzing but that game did it to my flex 2 as well
and I'm quite enjoying the Open Kang 7.1
I can thrash the phone all day and I only need to charge it once or twice every 2 days
I guess I can't complain too much as long as it doesn't explode or cease to function...
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It is operating quite well. Mine also gets very hot while playing games, but its already less hot after upgrading the marshmallow. All I can advise is enjoy the phone as it is, and just don't leave it unattended while charging.

ChazzMatt said:
The ZTE Axon 7 specs impressed me greatly (5.5", 1440p AMOLED, DAC, front facing speakers, 64/128GB internal memory, 4GB/6GB RAM, $400/$500) -- but there's no Qi wireless charging.
The Galaxy S8 has great specs (Qi wireless, 64GB, etc) , but unless I can root it to remove bloatware and install custom ROMs, I'm not touching it.
OnePlus 3T only has 1080p and no Qi wireless charging.
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Guess you could do Qi charging on the Axon with this ----> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M11UT3...e=df0&creative=395129&creativeASIN=B01M11UT3V
And then put a case over the whole thing.

It's 2017 - is the Moto X (2014) still recommended?

I've the chance to buy probably BNDS / BNIB units at the same cost as say more recent MT6737M/ Snapdragon 435 even MT6795 units with microsd, 64bit support.
I'm tempted by having the snapdragon 801 at a low cost but is it too late now expecially with the lack of 64bit support or does its raw power still relevant?
What would you do?

Moto X was a great device in its era. Even today I still praise it for the most compact device with a 5,2 inch screen. I can operate it easily with one hand. But,in today's standart,it's an outdated device. You got plenty devices with better specs and prices to choose. The most complaint with Moto X in my opinion is the battery life. I own a Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X and comparing both is so pathetic. Battery endurance in Redmi Note 4 is so much better. If Moto X is the device with 4000 mah battery, I think it's still countable. With custom ROM,Moto X is still fast and fluid. I prefer using Moto X daily than my RN4X coz the design fits perfectly in my pocket.
Sent from my victara using XDA Labs

I don't even know how to root it to get sunshine. Kingroot doesnt work and sunshine says the firmware isnt compatible.

Absolutely......................................not. Look I love my X 2014 but it was a flawed device when it came out and that didn't let it age well. The camera and battery were terrible when it came out, now they are down right garbage in comparison to mid rangers. The screen was average when it came out, now it's terrible in comparison. The lack of fingerprint sensor might not seem like a big deal but until you use it, you don't know what your missing. The phone is still smooth but how long until developers move on. The design in my opinion was still one of the best, a classic for sure. It's just not worth it.
Get a Moto G5 Plus or similar, they are under 200 sales.

Battery is too bad nowadays even if performance is alright, if you absolutely must go Moto then get the G5 Plus

Thanks for your feedback , a few questions to keep this going if you dont mind ...
huatz84 said:
prefer using Moto X daily than my RN4X coz the design fits perfectly in my pocket.
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Yeah I had hoped that the overall experience is still preferable even taking into account its cons.
huatz84 said:
The most complaint with Moto X in my opinion is the battery life.
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I'm of the mindset that I can offset this issuee with phone with lots of powerbank choices now.
Visi0nofExcellence2 said:
The camera and battery were terrible when it came out, now they are down right garbage in comparison to mid rangers. The screen was average when it came out, now it's terrible in comparison.
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This is disappointing -- 1 factor that makes me consider this is (since i had no real life experience with it) -- that the AMOLED screen and camera would still be competent to comparable models.
Visi0nofExcellence2 said:
...It's just not worth it.
Get a Moto G5 Plus or similar, they are under 200 sales.
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DustArma said:
Battery is too bad nowadays even if performance is alright, if you absolutely must go Moto then get the G5 Plus
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OK, if while considering all the above I add the relative context that in my area if available the G5 plus is 200USD, while the Moto X would be 110USD bnew, would that make it more appealing?

I've had mine for 2 years, and still loving it. I bought it in a carrier store for 400 Canadian Dollars. Since I can only buy phones in a store at full retail price, my choices are somewhat limited. I still can't find a "better" phone at $500 CAD. My Moto X 2014 is running the latest Android perfectly with 2GB RAM, and will run Android 8.0 Oreo (custom ROMs). The only consideration is band support, as it may not support the latest and fastest LTE bands used by some carriers nowadays. Also, this phone has NFC, some lower priced new phones may not.
The things I would be looking for in a new phone: longer battery life, latest LTE bands support, and maybe a bigger screen, like 5.5+ inch.

I just got that phone about 3 days ago... It is just amazing..remember.. It was a flagship.. Soft/hdw integratiom are perfect. Even with low battery and 2 gb of ram.. It's more worthy than several mid ranges phone mentioned. Besides, you get plenty of development for at least one more year.. Go for it!

Should I stay or Should I go?

So. I am going on 3 years with the Turbo. I love this phone. Everything about it (Wish we had a custom N rom with VoLTE but that is it). I have a 64 and a 32gb back up (currently running 32 as 64 being stupid) and only one good screen between the two.
My wife has the Pixel XL which I do like, but the three things that keep me tied to this phone are: Hardware Home Keys, the IR sensors is a HUGE must after having this phone, and the Chop/twist which i'm sure there is an app for on other phones and she keeps telling me the phone isn't going to last forever XD
I just see the forums here dwindle down to almost nothing the past few months so makes me wonder how many people have moved on. I honestly don't care for the the new Moto phones. Too light, don't like the look or feel, its just meh. The attachments seem cool but don't need them. With the Pixel 2 out now and that will drive the Pixel 1 price down it makes me wonder if I should get one (Through google of course because i wanted my unlocked BL and Root) but I just can't seem to give this phone up! Both of these guys are having issues and i'm determined to fix them this weekened. Wouldn't mind buying another screen or even another phone if i had the 100 bucks. I'd rather buy a few backups than a new phone.
I just wanted to see what everyone's opinion is. Do you still have a Turbo. If you don't what did you move to and if you do how is working for you and do you plan on getting rid upgrading soon? Because honestly this phone is still powerful for what I do.

The Quark was cutting edge back end of 2014 and until this year, and I seriously mean until this year (2017) there wasn't anything released that really surpassed it. Sure there were phones with iteratively faster CPUs each year -- but until this year with Snapdragon 835 and phones coming with standard 4GB RAM (and some 6GB RAM), the 2014 Quark 3GB RAM still ruled even if it had the older Snapdragon 805. Plus all the hardware specs it has -- 1440p AMOLED, Qi wireless charging, 3900 mAh battery, 64GB internal memory (on my XT1225), 21MP camera (even though it has no rear camera OIS) kept it competitive with newcomers the past couple of years.
But the 2017 Snapdragon 835 is really a "next gen" CPU chipset however, not only with speed but with the 1 gigabit LTE speed modem.
In 2015, I won an AT&T LG G4 in a contest but sold it on eBay to buy a 3rd Quark for backup purposes. The 1440p LG G4 had a faster Snapdragon 808 CPU (and I added a Qi wireless back cover), but overall just didn't have all the features of the Quark. If the Quark didn't exist, that LG G4 would have been my favorite phone -- but I still would have sold that one to get a bootloader unlocked variant.
There's a thread discussing all this over in the other Quark forum -- 2017 phones that we were looking forward to as possible replacements. We were going by leaks and rumors, and anticipated FANTASTIC phones! As the year went on, the phones actually released and were mostly disappointing (Z2 Force with no headset jack, OnePlus 5 with still mid-tier specs, Nokia with locked down bootloader) and the thread updated, it's basically come down to the LG V30 for me. For @TheSt33v, he's leaning toward the Pixel XL 2 (in spite of no headset jack). Many others participated too, of course. The thread lists all our criteria and why we are deciding on these phones.
You know:
1440p AMOLED
Qi wireless charging
headset jack
easily unlocked bootloader
at least 64GB internal memory
at least 4GB RAM, preferably 6GB
etc.
NEW Phones to replace 2014 Quark (Droid Turbo/Moto Turbo/Moto Maxx)?
So, probably going to buy the LG V30 in about 3 months -- AFTER the U.S. carrier unlocked version is released (mid-November) AND it gets added to the LG bootloader unlock list (probaby end of December). I'm not going to buy a phone I can't root on Day 1. I've already sold my 3rd still-new-in box Moto XT1225 on Swappa a couple of weeks ago. It was for emergency backup purposes, but now clearing the decks. I've already bought some LG V30 cases in anticipation.
My wife will still keep her Moto XT1225 as she still loves it, and still runs good. So, I'll still be in the Quark forums besides the V30.
The only reason I wouldn't buy the LG V30 is if the rumored ZTE Axon 9 (the successor to the 2016 ZTE Axon 7) just really nails all my wants and needs. Like if it's the LG V30 + stereo speakers. Supposedly will be announced in October, and the ZTE Axon 7 has been out of stock on the ZTE USA website for a few weeks now.

same here with both of you.
my next phone needs to have the quarks best features (Qi wireless charging, sensors for wave to wake, 3900 mAh battery) plus unlockable or at least rootable from day 1, and 3.5mm headphone jack (although this will not be the dealbreaker, but everything else prior is).
I'm willing to bet that we'll see Oreo (custom) on the quark before we see a device that is at least equivalent in specs.
but as of now, I'm content with CF MM ROM + xposed + GB + Oreo Launcher.

jco23 said:
same here with both of you.
my next phone needs to have the quarks best features (Qi wireless charging, sensors for wave to wake, 3900 mAh battery) plus unlockable or at least rootable from day 1, and 3.5mm headphone jack (although this will not be the dealbreaker, but everything else prior is).
I'm willing to bet that we'll see Oreo (custom) on the quark before we see a device that is at least equivalent in specs.
but as of now, I'm content with CF MM ROM + xposed + GB + Oreo Launcher.
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Battery was a big deal for me too, and the Pixel XL 2's battery doesn't quite make it (3520 mAh), but it's pretty close. I'm okay with it because it quick charges. I'm also a fan of wave to wake, which is why I'm looking forward to the Pixel XL 2's always-on display. I won't even need to wave anymore!
I'm glad you brought up Oreo roms, because this is the number one reason I went Pixel. Our devs do their best with what they have, but imagine a world where you could get AOSP roms on day 1 of official release that are made by professional developers that have access to 100% of the source code, including the proprietary stuff. This feature is a Pixel exclusive. Imagine being able to get monthly security updates on a reliable basis. And even when it runs out, even when it's not officially supported anymore, Google devices have been, and likely always will be, the devices that get the most support from the community.
That Oreo rom you're waiting for? I put it on my Nexus 4 weeks ago. That's right, Nexus 4. A phone released in 2012 gets upgraded to the latest Android version in 2017. And what hoops did I have to jump through to get unofficial roms running on my phone? fastboot oem unlock. That's it. That's why I'm willing to make a few hardware compromises for a Google phone. And in my opinion, there really aren't that many compromises that I need to make.

TheSt33v said:
Battery was a big deal for me too, and the Pixel XL 2's battery doesn't quite make it (3520 mAh), but it's pretty close. I'm okay with it because it quick charges. I'm also a fan of wave to wake, which is why I'm looking forward to the Pixel XL 2's always-on display. I won't even need to wave anymore!
I'm glad you brought up Oreo roms, because this is the number one reason I went Pixel. Our devs do their best with what they have, but imagine a world where you could get AOSP roms on day 1 of official release that are made by professional developers that have access to 100% of the source code, including the proprietary stuff. This feature is a Pixel exclusive. Imagine being able to get monthly security updates on a reliable basis. And even when it runs out, even when it's not officially supported anymore, Google devices have been, and likely always will be, the devices that get the most support from the community.
That Oreo rom you're waiting for? I put it on my Nexus 4 weeks ago. That's right, Nexus 4. A phone released in 2012 gets upgraded to the latest Android version in 2017. And what hoops did I have to jump through to get unofficial roms running on my phone? fastboot oem unlock. That's it. That's why I'm willing to make a few hardware compromises for a Google phone. And in my opinion, there really aren't that many compromises that I need to make.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all valid points and understood.
but at the end of the day, it just comes down to personal taste - and in the absence of a perfect scenario, we all have to make compromises.
the XL is too big for me. in fact, the quark is almost too big as it is.
plus, but I don't want to sacrifice hardware. as of now, the quark is still the best option for me. even if the battery dies, I may end up getting a new battery rather than getting a new device...

jco23 said:
all valid points and understood.
but at the end of the day, it just comes down to personal taste - and in the absence of a perfect scenario, we all have to make compromises.
the XL is too big for me. in fact, the quark is almost too big as it is.
plus, but I don't want to sacrifice hardware. as of now, the quark is still the best option for me. even if the battery dies, I may end up getting a new battery rather than getting a new device...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the Pixel XL 2 is a much bigger phone than the LG V30.
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with Quark for size comparison:
But if you want to read through the specs differences, here you go:
SPECS: QUARK vs LG V30 vs PIXEL 2 XL
This year especially brought a lot of changes. One year to the next, not so much. But cumulatively, 3 years, it adds up.
For instance, cameras....
Aperture size (smaller is better)
Quark: F2.0
LG V30: F1.6
Pixel 2 XL: F1.8
Hardware Features
Quark: Autofocus
LG V30: Dual-camera (13-megapixel, 120-degree viewing angle, F1.9 aperture), Optical image stabilization, Autofocus (Laser, Phase detection)
Pixel 2 XL: Optical image stabilization, Autofocus (Laser, Phase detection)
Motorola should have included rear camera OIS on our Quarks like they did the Motorola Nexus 6. That remains a sore point with me. I had it on my 2013 LG Nexus 5, and it was on the 2014 Moto Nexus 6 -- so it's not like Motorola didn't know how to do it. (Motorola was owned by Google at the time of design of both the Quark and the Moto Nexus 6.) By late 2014, rear camera OIS was a standard feature of premium phones and the Quark was a premium phone.
And while dual cameras is not necessary, it's nice to be able to choose between wide angle lens or normal for certain shots.

Torn Between LG V30 and Google Pixel 2 XL? Me Too…
LG V30 or Google Pixel 2 XL? LG V30 or Google Pixel 2 XL? LG V30 or Google Pixel 2 XL? I just CANNOT decide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've already made up my mind, but interesting article.

TheSt33v said:
Battery was a big deal for me too, and the Pixel XL 2's battery doesn't quite make it (3520 mAh), but it's pretty close. I'm okay with it because it quick charges. I'm also a fan of wave to wake, which is why I'm looking forward to the Pixel XL 2's always-on display. I won't even need to wave anymore!
I'm glad you brought up Oreo roms, because this is the number one reason I went Pixel. Our devs do their best with what they have, but imagine a world where you could get AOSP roms on day 1 of official release that are made by professional developers that have access to 100% of the source code, including the proprietary stuff. This feature is a Pixel exclusive. Imagine being able to get monthly security updates on a reliable basis. And even when it runs out, even when it's not officially supported anymore, Google devices have been, and likely always will be, the devices that get the most support from the community.
That Oreo rom you're waiting for? I put it on my Nexus 4 weeks ago. That's right, Nexus 4. A phone released in 2012 gets upgraded to the latest Android version in 2017. And what hoops did I have to jump through to get unofficial roms running on my phone? fastboot oem unlock. That's it. That's why I'm willing to make a few hardware compromises for a Google phone. And in my opinion, there really aren't that many compromises that I need to make.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just read/watch that video about the Augmented Reality - looked very cool!
but again, the XL is too large, and the regular's battery is only 2700 mAh, with still no Qi. I may be sold on the wireless headphones, as both times at the gym this weekend, the cord did bother me.... but I don't have to get a new phone to solve that....

There's finally some topics not involving bootloader and rooting.
I agree that the droid turbo is still very competitive in terms of hardware spec, although it is not very promising to see many new firmware any more. I think it is not so much that droid turbo has a high-end spec, but is due to the fact that the android ecosystem has somehow reached a peak, that products only compete on CPU speed, camera and screen pixels, like the PCs some ten years ago. Products are very similar at its core, some are better in CPU, while some are better in camera or battery, but none of them can give a clear win on all aspect or really inspire users with new usage. I therefore don't see any of the recent products that is outstanding and can catch my attention.
While I am fully satisfy with the droid turbo, its battery starts worrying me. Its drop in performance becomes significant, and since I live in Hong Kong which the droid is not officially sold or supported, I don't even have a way to replace the battery. When I bought the device, I planned to use it for three years before I consider upgrading, which should be July 2018, but I am not very optimistic now I can wait that long. Its even sadder as it was due to battery rather than the device itself.
Anyway, it's nice to see the forum still have some firm supporters that I can count on when I have problem. I am not leaving this device and forum any time soon, but it's hard to tell.

Liking my Turbo's performance as well. The newer phones are just bigger and flashier. Already replaced the battery, and when it dies, and I can't find a reasonable replacement, I'll be dragged, kicking and screaming, to get a new phone. Hopefully, sizes will have stabilized...or even shrunk slightly.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Einsteindks said:
Liking my Turbo's performance as well. The newer phones are just bigger and flashier. Already replaced the battery, and when it dies, and I can't find a reasonable replacement, I'll be dragged, kicking and screaming, to get a new phone. Hopefully, sizes will have stabilized...or even shrunk slightly.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that what she said?
Sent from my XT1254 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

What made you choose this phone?

I'm looking to make the move from the Moto X Pure to the Z3 Play. So I'm just trying to get some insight from current users as to why you selected this phone over, say for example, the V30 or Pixel 2? Look forward to anyone's thoughts.

Mainly the 18:9 screen ratio and the fact that I can make monthly payments through Amazon

Had an OG Moto z-play with a handful of mods and wanted to keep using them. Plus, i loved my z-play, probably the longest lasting and most reliable phone I've had, but i broke the camera dropping it on concrete.

I also have a Moto z play with some mods. I like that the z3 play display and fingerprint sensor has been modernized and longed for the superb battery life of the Moto z line with mods. So here I am. I'm going back and forth with my other phone, the Sony xz2.

Had a Z, wife has a Z2 play, and even had a Moto x. Daughter has G4 play too. So kinda a Moto family now. Plus have a battery mod, the Hasselblad camera and the projector, so Z3 play made sense.
Enjoying it too! I think my Z battery got fried, it was only getting about an hour and a half screen time without the battery mod. My Z3 play is at 84 percent after an hour and a half, no mod. Lol

I'm going to be coming to the Z3 play from an Xperia X Performance... to be honest, I should have gotten on the Moto Mods train with the Z2 generation, but the Z3 offers enough to have enticed me away from the physical camera button on the Xperia XZ2 compact. I considered at least four other phones (Nokia 6.1, Samsung A8 2018, and Moto X4 among the serious contenders) and honestly the self-contained battery expansions were almost exclusively the reason this phone won out over everything but the micro-flagship. I have a feeling it'll be too big for my hands, but I'm hoping gesture navigation will help. It shipping with 8.1 will be nice, but I'll probably miss the really fast access to security patches, as Sony's been doing a good job on that. Arrival date tomorrow... I'm sure I'll be thrilled to death for a while regardless.

I had a Galaxy Note 3 that died so I needed a new phone. I didn't want to get into a large monthly payment and to buy a decent phone outright was too expensive. I'm a Virgin cellular customer and I had a $40/month plan (I brought my Note with me when I went to virgin), that gave me 2gb of data and cross Canada calling plus texting to Canada and the U.S. This is all I need in a plan so I was very happy when I got it and I didn't want to get a big increase in my monthly bill.
I went to Virgin to see what they had in phones and I saw the Z3 Play. The salesman said if I paid $99 up front, my monthly payment would be $50. I jumped at the offer. Since I was paying $40/month when I had the Note 3 and now I am paying $50/month, I am paying $10 extra per month for 24 months, that's $240. Plus the $99 I paid upfront, that makes the phone $339. They are asking $799 for the phone, so I got a great deal. Plus he gave me a clear case and a bottle of screen cleaner for $40 and he took $50 off the $799 the phone cost, so it's a free case.
Ian

I'm looking to replace my Note5, which I still love, but for which there doesn't seem to be a budget successor ($400 range) that has wireless charging. With the Moto Mods, I can add that to this phone, which I like. I'm concerned about Moto's southward-turning customer service though. We had to send back a G5, and my in-laws got an update on both their Motos that broke GPS (still not fixed). Still, this seems like the possible only contender. We'll see. Still evaluating my choices and I'm not in an emergency to switch because T-Mo hasn't really activated band 71 in my area. My battery life is terrible though.

spg900ny said:
I'm looking to replace my Note5, which I still love, but for which there doesn't seem to be a budget successor ($400 range) that has wireless charging. With the Moto Mods, I can add that to this phone, which I like. I'm concerned about Moto's southward-turning customer service though. We had to send back a G5, and my in-laws got an update on both their Motos that broke GPS (still not fixed). Still, this seems like the possible only contender. We'll see. Still evaluating my choices and I'm not in an emergency to switch because T-Mo hasn't really activated band 71 in my area. My battery life is terrible though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's battery life you're looking for then you get 2 days easy with the battery mod. Solid phone so far.

Just received this phone it seemed good being a 8.1. and Amazon takes payments. Every thing is working great.

I'd not want to root this phone! It's perfect. Motorola mod z3 is the sturdiest cell phone I've had in terms of physical aspects of the Smartphones I've seen and owned in one. I've "handled" the others and their too lazy to brake open and get to the internal design to flash. Motorola is the only cell phone I'll buy from the Droid to this one.
Under Corfish custom Roms...you will have to do "dit" typo and "clean up this mess" yourself in the lazy Droid turbo functionality of the x3 crash. I'm not kidding OMG! Hahahaha!
Edit

The modular functions and the almost vanilla os you can get in a locked phone.

Tw1st3dG3m1n1 said:
The modular functions and the almost vanilla os you can get in a locked phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol have a great day

S T O P
sychox51

I just noticed that one of the phones on my Verizon account is a z2 PLAY, yay!
I get to play!

Battery life with the Battery Mod that comes with it!

Are you planning to buy Moto Z3 ..?
Moto Z3 face off as the snap-on modem is your gateway to the 5G network!!!
If sources are to believed, then the Moto Z3 will be the first 5G upgradeable smartphone!

1. Battery life and Moto Mod ecosystem
2. $150 off retail ($100 Moto discount now expired but probably will return soon, $50 Best Buy/Cricket Wireless promotion still valid)
3. Came from a Moto Nexus 6 which I really liked but was showing its age. Also had a Moto Atrix 4g years ago which was great until it got stolen.

Been using Motorola from the beginning of time...
StarTac 130
V300
E398
RAZR V3
SLVR L7
Then Stop for a while (using other brands SONY Erricson & LG..)
Moto Defy
Nexus 6
Moto Z Play (The modular posibilities connection and the sturdiest design and form factor suit me)
And Now... continue with Moto Z3 Play (Can still use all my old moto mods accessories)

Well it definitely wasn't Moto's track record of updates but after owning 3 Nokia Android One phones and having plenty of bugs and over all poor performance I decided to give Moto another try. I had the Nokia 3.1, 6.1, and lastly the 7.1 and for whatever the reason the Moto z3 play preforms much better than the 7.1 with basically the same internals. I picked up the z3 play at Best Buy for 399 with the free battery mod and I'm extremely happy with my purchase. The display is beautiful (just as good as the 7.1) the camera is just as good as the 7.1 as well and the camera app is much better on the Moto in my opinion. Although the 7.1 was hdr compliant, hdr through all major streaming services weren't supported yet and no real answer of when they would add the device so kind of a useless feature and the upscaling felt gimmicky. Don't get me wrong I am really pulling for Nokia just for the sake of it being Nokia but the Android One program feels more like generic system images just pushed to devices and not really optimized for the device. And I am really liking the Moto mods, makes the phone fun and more than just a phone.

What have you replaced your beloved Droid Turbo with

Since its nearing the end of 2018 and many of us have made the decision to transition away from our beloved XT1254, either for newer Android experience or security update concerns, etc. It still seems many Turbo users are still hanging in there as the performance of the 2014 beast is still relevant today, or currently deciding which phone to get as the holiday season approaches! Lets give them a hand and give feedback on the phone we updated to. There are many diverse choices out their and each of us have DIFFERENT PRIORITIES on the features we finally decided on, so please NO PHONE BASHING from individuals on why their choice is the ONE AND ONLY CHOICE (there is another thread for that below if that is what you are into) , everyone is different and value different features above others - Great!
I will start with my choice the OnePlus 6t. I checked out all the phones this season and there were some great choices, but staying on the Verizon network was a priority for me so it made certain brands unavailable. When I found out that the 6t would be certified by Verizon it peaked my interest right away. Knowing the OnePlus brand and liking the direction they are headed, basically giving a heads up to the established brands that you need not spend 1000$ for a flagship performance phone in 2018. I jumped because it had everything that I valued, the latest 845 processor 8 g RAM and 256 g internal storage. The camera system is completely capable for me though I know there are superior cameras in other brands. Also Android Pie out of the box and the phone is bloat free, only the Android suite of apps, no even a OnePlus mail app! The speed and smoothness of the operating system is amazing coming from our Turbos and there is a very active XDA community for those who want to unlock and root the device. Its also refreshing that OnePlus seems to embrace the XDA community and OEM unlock is a simple ADB command! They also have a history of quick security and system updates.
EDIT: how can I forget the battery performance, with a 3700 mah and the efficiency of Android 9 it actually beats our 2014 beast!
So what were your choices and why? Lets give our fellow Turbo owners a hand!

Well, a bunch of us have bought LG V30...
@schwinn8, @gimpy1, @nnjimmy59, and a half dozen other Droid Turbo owners have joined us in the LG V30 forum...
schwinn8 said:
I was jealous of my wife's new phone, so she is getting me one for Xmas now... so I'll be off my Turbo soon!
For those interested, I can recommend the ebay store I bought ours from, since they are BNIB units... and the store just dropped the price a bit more, so it's $299 for a brand new 64GB version! https://www.ebay.com/itm/LG-V30-US998-64GB-US-Cellular-Smartphone-Silver-Mint/173602248812
As ChazzMatt was right to point out, ignore the "US Cellular" mentions... it ran on Total Wireless (VZ MVNO) without ANY modifications. I still went to VS996 anyway, (he flashed US998 to Verizon VS996 firmware after bootloader unlock and root) but it's not limited to US Cellular in any way, contrary to the listing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@schwinn8, the middle option below is your phone. It's there because of you. But posting all this here so others can choose which one they want.
Holidays coming up. Here's THREE great deals on 64GB V30/128GB V30+ on eBay below. You always need a spare! Also, very likely eBay will suddenly throw out one of their site-wide 15%-20% off coupons around Black Friday or Cyber Monday? I'm just guessing. They tend to do that around various holidays. A bunch of us bought "mint" V30+ for ADDITIONAL 20% off "Buy It Now" price during Father's Day week.
* LG V30 LS998- 128GB - Titan Black (Sprint) Smartphone A Mint - $299
I've bought from that guy several times or had others buy from him. Just make sure you get the "mint" one. Use Frankenstein to convert to US998 or Verizon VS996. Or convert to US998, bootloader unlock, install TWRP, root -- and THEN convert to Verizon VS996, like @schwinn8 did. But US998 also works on Verizon; US998 works on ANY North American carrier.
OR if you want BRAND NEW IN BOX -- with 2-year LG warranty:
* BRAND NEW IN BOX - LG V30 US998 64GB US Cellular Smartphone-Silver - $299
Same price as the "mint" V30+ but it's NEW and already US998...
* BRAND NEW IN BOX. Ignore that the listing title says "mint" -- the listing itself makes clear it's brand new AND the two users above bought THREE of these new V30 and can verify it's BRAND NEW and eligible for 2-year LG warranty. I've re-written the listing title above to be what it SHOULD say.
* Also ignore the statement it's for "U.S. Cellular only". It's a genuine, new US998 V30+. Seems to be U.S. Cellular overstock, but we all know all US998 are carrier unlocked. The ONLY difference between the B&H Photo "open market" US998 and the U.S. Cellular US998 was the "open market" was eligible for OFFICIAL bootloader unlock. We don't need that with WTF. This thread has a MUCH simpler bootloader unlock for US998 than the OFFICIAL LG bootloader unlock (which I did for one of my V30). Many, many people have bought U.S. Cellular US998 here in this forum and know they are carrier unlocked. That's just leftover language from OTHER U.S. Cellular phones they sell.
REMOVED THE THIRD LISTING, WHICH WAS FOR NEW V30+ -- AS THE SELLER IS SHIPPING 64GB V30 IN A V30+ BOX. I RETURNED MINE AND GETTING A REFUND.
LG V30/V30+
1440P OLED (537 ppi)
Qi wireless charging
3.5mm headset jack
Quad DAC
IP68 dust/water resistance
rear camera OIS on normal lens - plus 120 degree wide angle lens
superfast fingerprint sensor
64GB (V30) or 128GB (V30+) internal storage
microSD port for additional storage
bootloader unlock and root
no notch
Just make sure you buy a decent case, like Spigen. These V30 can be slippery as fish wiggling around. Love this one.
Spigen Rugged Armor LG V30 with Resilient Shock Absorption and Carbon Fiber Design for LG V30 (2017) - Black
https://www.amazon.com/Spigen-Rugged-Resilient-Absorption-Carbon/dp/B071JV1L9Z?ref_=nav_ya_signin&

That's an excellent point. There are some killer deals online for the older 2017 flagships, S8s, V30, Pixel 2s all Verizon friendly and still competent performers. Even the more powerful early 18 flagships, S9s and V40 should have some competitive holiday pricing.

Keep in mind, most of the other new phones give up some of the features that were important to ChazzMatt (and myself). For me, the important things were a headphone jack, bootloader unlock/root, and no idiotic notch. The SD card capability was a bonus I wasn't expecting... which allowed me to choose the NEW 64GB phone instead of the Mint 128GB phone - I figured I can upgrade storage later if I need to. The other features mentioned above are good bonuses as well...
I'm very happy with the phone... only complaint may be the weird 18:9 aspect of the device. It's not a problem, but just weird... on the other hand, it keeps the phone skinny so it's easier to handle in one hand. Chazz had a great thread where he went into a lot of detail on why he landed on this phone... if you're interested, it's a good read... but in the end, many of us agree with the LG V30, especially at this price.
EDIT: As for the case, I got the Ringke Onyx in purple, from here: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B3NVL6W - they have a black if you prefer. I like the "brushed" texture on the back, and like ChazzMatt said, it makes the phone easier to hold (and it's protected from drops, of course). I had a basic TPU case on my Turbo as well, and it lasted me 4 years, so I expect this will be sufficient (we take good care of our phones!)

Yes if headphone jack is a priority, it seems like dwindling choices, basically Samsung and LG if you want a Verizon friendly flagship. Industry insiders agree that the jack may last another 2019 season at best so get it while you can. Once Samsung gives it up ( S10 prediction) then it will be history as technology moves forward. By getting an S8/9 or V30/40 at least you will have the headphone jack option for a number of years until you upgrade again, then there will always be dongles to fall back on.

It was hard to let go the turbo. What a great phone and the roms from @BHB27 just kept it going strong. Being a Verizon / Straight Talk customer and knowing the 3g phase-out was on the horizon, I started investigating options for replacement and upgrade. Indeed we each have our own priorities and constraints, and the search proved difficult. The Turbos set a high standard and some of the recent design decisions and fads like elimination of headphone jacks and the notch are not to my liking. The v30 met all of my requirements, and I had my fingers crossed that bootloader unlock would be released by LG or achieved by other means. I pulled the trigger on a pair of open market LG v30s's in May shortly after the WTF unlock was announced. The v30s model has an extra dose of ram vs the v30 and v30+ siblings, 6gb vs 4; and is otherwise the same. The decison proved to be a good one; the v30's match or beat the Turbo in nearly every way while retaining most of its desireable attributes. It is durable per the MIL spec. The display is clear and bright. Despite the slightly smaller battery, it runs longer on a charge. The camera and video capabilities are incredible. The quad dac and a 3.5 mm jack give super sweet sounding audio. There is a growing mod community, too. I could go on but you get the idea.
As @ChazzMatt points out, there are exellent deals making v30's a great value in terms of bang for the buck. B&H Photo has an awesome sale going on for the v30s right now, too. The Moroccan blue looks nice, BTW!
Lastly, please don't take this as unwanted advice. I am just sharing my experience with fellow Turbo users to help in making their own decison in the not too distant future.

cmrntnnr said:
It was hard to let go the turbo. What a great phone and the roms from @BHB27 just kept it going strong. Being a Verizon / Straight Talk customer and knowing the 3g phase-out was on the horizon, I started investigating options for replacement and upgrade. Indeed we each have our own priorities and constraints, and the search proved difficult. The Turbos set a high standard and some of the recent design decisions and fads like elimination of headphone jacks and the notch are not to my liking. The v30 met all of my requirements, and I had my fingers crossed that bootloader unlock would be released by LG or achieved by other means. I pulled the trigger on a pair of open market LG v30s's in May shortly after the WTF unlock was announced. The v30s model has an extra dose of ram vs the v30 and v30+ siblings, 6gb vs 4; and is otherwise the same. The decison proved to be a good one; the v30's match or beat the Turbo in nearly every way while retaining most of its desireable attributes. It is durable per the MIL spec. The display is clear and bright. Despite the slightly smaller battery, it runs longer on a charge. The camera and video capabilities are incredible. The quad dac and a 3.5 mm jack give super sweet sounding audio. There is a growing mod community, too. I could go on but you get the idea.
As @ChazzMatt points out, there are exellent deals making v30's a great value in terms of bang for the buck. B&H Photo has an awesome sale going on for the v30s right now, too. The Moroccan blue looks nice, BTW!
Lastly, please don't take this as unwanted advice. I am just sharing my experience with fellow Turbo users to help in making their own decison in the not too distant future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pixel 3 directly from google (unlocked) with the buy one get one half off sale last week. Already have the bootloader unlocked & rooted w/Magisk. Will keep my Turbo nearby since it tethers/wifi hotspot to my other devices with ease. I am still working on getting my Pixel to do the same thing with Magisk since I am on an unlimited plan. The newer phone's screen is slightly smaller width wise but a hair taller. I am trying to get used to it. The speed of the Pixel though is insane compared to the Turbo. Also went to 128GB vs my old 64gb.

FYI, even Wallyworld is getting in on the game, as they have a V30+ for $399 on their site: https://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-V30-S...-MP-5-MP-front-camera-Android-black/272122892

schwinn8 said:
FYI, even Wallyworld is getting in on the game, as they have a V30+ for $399 on their site: https://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-V30-S...-MP-5-MP-front-camera-Android-black/272122892
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Installed a magisk module in the Pixel 3 that allows me to switch the squeeze method to whatever I want the phone to do. Now I squeeze the phone and the flashlight turns on! :laugh: No more nun-chuck action needed.
Battery seems to be slightly better than the turbo too. I think the Pixel 3 was a good choice. The camera is also way better than any phone in the world at the moment, pictures look excellent. :good:

Rumsfield said:
Installed a magisk module in the Pixel 3 that allows me to switch the squeeze method to whatever I want the phone to do. Now I squeeze the phone and the flashlight turns on! :laugh: No more nun-chuck action needed.
Battery seems to be slightly better than the turbo too. I think the Pixel 3 was a good choice. The camera is also way better than any phone in the world at the moment, pictures look excellent. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like a great choice, the camera undoubtedly gets the best reviews to date in a smart phone. What's your position on getting updates with a rooted phone, will you be able to side load and then reroot, or will the OTAs still come through, then reroot?

schwinn8 said:
FYI, even Wallyworld is getting in on the game, as they have a V30+ for $399 on their site: https://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-V30-S...-MP-5-MP-front-camera-Android-black/272122892
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I'm having trouble finding a NEW US998 128GB V30+ for a decent price. B&H Photo is still selling them for outrageous amount, but this is $100 less than theirs.
eBay allegedly has a "new" LG V30+ for $378 but they shipped me a new V30 instead, then asked me if I would accept a refund of $45 for the difference. Uh, NO. Your Wal-Mart link has it for $399...
I should probably just buy another "mint" 128GB V30+ for $299... but I decided I really want a brand new in box. I've bought both, so I'm all for the "mint" ones when they are truly mint.

jrmt077 said:
Sounds like a great choice, the camera undoubtedly gets the best reviews to date in a smart phone. What's your position on getting updates with a rooted phone, will you be able to side load and then reroot, or will the OTAs still come through, then reroot?
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Click to collapse
No idea how its going to play out since they are still tinkering with TWRP for the P3 phones, I just downloaded the OTA update image from googles site and flashed it with ADB, then flashed TWRP + Magisk in recovery. I think the OTA's automatically coming in will knock custom recovery out. I haven't had a new phone in almost 5 years so I am re-learning everything. I do miss the Turbo but the speed of the P3 is on a different level.

Rumsfield said:
No idea how its going to play out since they are still tinkering with TWRP for the P3 phones, I just downloaded the OTA update image from googles site and flashed it with ADB, then flashed TWRP + Magisk in recovery. I think the OTA's automatically coming in will knock custom recovery out. I haven't had a new phone in almost 5 years so I am re-learning everything. I do miss the Turbo but the speed of the P3 is on a different level.
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Yes that's why I am debating the worth of rooting a 2018 phone. All my previous reasons, to remove bloat and optimize battery life no longer seem relevant to me with 6t - no need - same with your P3 - not sure I have the patience to side load and reroot for updates but nice to have the option. Agree on the speed and smooth response of a new 845 processor device, I didnt realize what I was missing as technology moves forward at such a fast pace. Hopefully this will give people on the fence a reason to jump.

jrmt077 said:
Yes that's why I am debating the worth of rooting a 2018 phone. All my previous reasons, to remove bloat and optimize battery life no longer seem relevant to me with 6t - no need - same with your P3 - not sure I have the patience to side load and reroot for updates but nice to have the option. Agree on the speed and smooth response of a new 845 processor device, I didnt realize what I was missing as technology moves forward at such a fast pace. Hopefully this will give people on the fence a reason to jump.
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Plus the P3 has a fingerprint scanner for unlocking (I LOVE THIS NOW) and wire-(less?) charging @10Watts with the stand I purchased half off last week. I received the SCREEN CALLING feature a few days ago and its awesome to mess with SPAM/ROBO callers. I got one today and they hung up soon as they heard it. Low light night photos shoot options, the new yellow tinted screen when its late at night...Its just a great new experience. :good:

Rumsfield said:
Plus the P3 has a fingerprint scanner for unlocking (I LOVE THIS NOW) and wire-(less?) charging @10Watts with the stand I purchased half off last week. I received the SCREEN CALLING feature a few days ago and its awesome to mess with SPAM/ROBO callers. I got one today and they hung up soon as they heard it. Low light night photos shoot options, the new yellow tinted screen when its late at night...Its just a great new experience. :good:
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V30 has all that -- plus headset jack and quad DAC. . Yeah, all Androids have had Bluetooth for YEARS. Just because you have Bluetooth doesn't mean you also don't want headset jack. I use both.
Just like ALL my phones have had Qi wireless charging since 2013... I won't buy a phone without Qi wireless charging. Nexus 5 had it as well as Moto Quark. Sure, I also want to plug in sometimes to charge. You can do both.
Yeah, super fast fingerprint scanner is great. Plus IP68 dust/water resistance -- which some pretender phones don't have.
microSD card? Nice to have. I've had phones with them, and without. V30 has it, so that's good. But it's not my line in the sand, like Qi wireless charging.
Real premium phones have lots of features like that. I don't want to buy a "basic" phone that doesn't have premium features like Qi wireless charging, IP68 (or any kind of IP rating?), headset jack. QUAD DAC for the headset jack is cherry on top. MicroSD card is just bonus points.

I think the current trend is that most people stopped using wired headphones with their phones a very long time ago. If I want audiophile clarity with my music, I'll listen at home with a FLAC file through over the ear headphones. Also, the current internal memory storage sizes are so much larger than they used to be that micro sd cards are no longer needed...I like having physical copies of CD's too but Best Buy just quit selling them all-together in their stores... tech & trends change and as much as I don't agree with some design choices or older features being left out, I don't think the big companies like Google or Apple are going to switch back anytime soon. IMHO the LG has more "features" but the P3 does what it does better than any other android phone at the moment.

schwinn8 said:
FYI, even Wallyworld is getting in on the game, as they have a V30+ for $399 on their site: https://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-V30-S...-MP-5-MP-front-camera-Android-black/272122892
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ChazzMatt said:
Interesting. I'm having trouble finding a NEW US998 128GB V30+ for a decent price. B&H Photo is still selling them for outrageous amount, but this is $100 less than theirs.
eBay allegedly has a "new" LG V30+ for $378 but they shipped me a new V30 instead, then asked me if I would accept a refund of $45 for the difference. Uh, NO. Your Wal-Mart link has it for $399...
I should probably just buy another "mint" 128GB V30+ for $299... but I decided I really want a brand new in box. I've bought both, so I'm all for the "mint" ones when they are truly mint.
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@schwinn8, thanks again for the Wal-Mart link. Used it last night to order GUARANTEED new open market/carrier unlocked 128GB V30+ US998.
All the other "new" US998 V30+ on EBay seem to be Chinese sellers pretending to look like U.S. dealers, and they are selling refurbished models with inaccurate descriptions. In their pictures, they all have red flag stuff like "B&O" branded backs (which LG does not have rights to in North America) or "V30" logos on the back on what is supposedly a V30+. The one that I ordered -- which LOOKED legitimate -- when delivered turned out to be a 64GB V30 in a 128GB V30+ sealed box and came with B&O earbuds -- which was another dead giveaway it was NOT new. (North America V30/V30+ came with LG-branded earbuds.) Plus, the phone had 128GB microSD card already inserted. Besides again confirming the phone was NOT new, 128GB microSD card does NOT make up for me paying for (and not getting) 128GB internal storage! I already have a 256GB microSD card, thank you. Got a refund, and they gave me extra $25 for not giving them a negative review. I still said they shipped me "wrong item" but they refunded the money and communicated well. So, I am getting this NEW Wal-mart US998 V30+ for basically same price, once you consider I got paid $25 to receive and ship back a phone.
I have ordered many times from eBay dealers with satisfaction, but in this case trying to get an actual new-in-box 128GB US998 V30+ is a challenge.
So, since this LG V30 series phone has been on the market for a year now, I'm afraid of it disappearing -- with only worse-for-wear used models showing up in the future. I gave my mom my backup V30 US998 phone (the one I was forced to waive 2-year warranty on which has the now unnecessary LG "official" bootloader unlock -- since now ANY V30/V30+/V30S can bee bootloader unlocked and rooted without LG's permission), and my wife has the other 64GB V30 US998 phone. But I have a V30+, and I want another as backup. I gave both my eBay "mint" LS998 V30+ > US998 V30+ to relatives who desperately needed new phones. I even locked the bootloader back and restored full US998 20E KDZ...
But I feel naked without a backup phone. Even for Quark, I owned THREE Moto XT1225 -- one for me, one for wife, and one still new in the box. I sold that one last year in preparation for buying the V30. Never used it, still had Kitkat 4.4.4 But it gave me comfort that if my daily phone was lost or stolen, I could easily be up and running again with EXACTLY the same beloved phone.
So, I have ordered this new US998 V30+ from Wal-mart, and will be arriving next week.
If I wasn't insisting upon brand new V30+ US998 this time, I could get basically the same thing for much less...
LG V30 LS998- 128GB - Titan Black (Sprint) Smartphone A Mint - $285
LS998 V30+ easily/fully converted to US998 V30+ in 10 minutes... I have already-activated AT&T SIM card, so just slap it in. I've done it twice before, so I don't know why I'm wasting money this time.
Here's another seller below. Looks like he's already converted them to US998 or possibly AS998? He doesn't say the model, but says they are "GSM Unlocked" -- but both US998 and AS998 ARE GSM/unlocked while still having Verizon CDMA bands.
*Mint* LG V30+ V30 Plus - 128GB - Black (GSM UNLOCKED) Smartphone! - $295

Rumsfield said:
I think the current trend is that most people stopped using wired headphones with their phones a very long time ago. If I want audiophile clarity with my music, I'll listen at home with a FLAC file through over the ear headphones. Also, the current internal memory storage sizes are so much larger than they used to be that micro sd cards are no longer needed...I like having physical copies of CD's too but Best Buy just quit selling them all-together in their stores... tech & trends change and as much as I don't agree with some design choices or older features being left out, I don't think the big companies like Google or Apple are going to switch back anytime soon. IMHO the LG has more "features" but the P3 does what it does better than any other android phone at the moment.
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Click to collapse
I absolutely agree with you. I haven't used a wired headphone in years have no intention of ever using - so a headphone jack is just a useless hole in a phone for me. I have a set of premium wireless headphones and the sound is more than adequate for my needs. Among my decisions, as yours I suspect, were to have cutting edge 2018 processor speed and smooth performance & an android experience without a heavy OEM skin. I gave up wireless charging and official IP68 rating in favor of OnePlus 6t aggressive pricing, I thought I would give it a try and I am very happy with my device. I like how they are shaking up the market. If you want to have those features then I think the Pixel 3 or 3XL is the best overall choice for 2018. There are so many good reviews on both devices you really cannot go wrong, its just a matter of choice.

10% OFF EBAY SALE
10% eBay sale until 6am Eastern December 8, 2018 (3am Pacific)
Buy your mint V30+.... It's 10% OFF ANYTHING, but V30+ is what's worth buying!
Use coupon code PHLDAYTEN by 12/8, 3am PT.
LG V30 LS998- 128GB - Titan Black (Sprint) Smartphone A Mint - $285
LS998 V30+ easily/fully converted to US998/VS996 V30+ in 10 minutes...
Here's another seller below. Looks like he's already converted them to US998 or possibly AS998? He doesn't say the model, but says they are "GSM Unlocked" -- but both US998 and AS998 ARE GSM/unlocked while still having Verizon CDMA bands.
*Mint* LG V30+ V30 Plus - 128GB - Black (GSM UNLOCKED) Smartphone! - $295
LG V30/V30+
1440P OLED (537 ppi)
Qi wireless charging
3.5mm headset jack
Quad DAC
IP68 dust/water resistance
rear camera OIS on normal lens - plus 120 degree wide angle lens
superfast fingerprint sensor
64GB (V30) or 128GB (V30+) internal storage
microSD port for additional storage
bootloader unlock and root
no notch
Just make sure you buy a decent case, like Spigen. These V30 can be slippery as fish wiggling around. Love this one.
Spigen Rugged Armor LG V30 with Resilient Shock Absorption and Carbon Fiber Design for LG V30 (2017) - Black
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Spigen-LG-...h=item3af07ab512:g:0fcAAOSwrtVZsv-A:rk:2:pf:0
---------- Post added at 02:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:11 PM ----------
jrmt077 said:
I absolutely agree with you. I haven't used a wired headphone in years have no intention of ever using - so a headphone jack is just a useless hole in a phone for me. I have a set of premium wireless headphones and the sound is more than adequate for my needs. Among my decisions, as yours I suspect, were to have cutting edge 2018 processor speed and smooth performance & an android experience without a heavy OEM skin. I gave up wireless charging and official IP68 rating in favor of OnePlus 6t aggressive pricing, I thought I would give it a try and I am very happy with my device. I like how they are shaking up the market. If you want to have those features then I think the Pixel 3 or 3XL is the best overall choice for 2018. There are so many good reviews on both devices you really cannot go wrong, its just a matter of choice.
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You can have headset jack and still use inferior wireless earbuds if you wish. Your choice. But you know that no wireless earbuds are going to compare to headset jack with LG's quad DAC, but it's your choice. Bluetooth has been in Android phones for year.
I'm not meaning to criticize you but it seems your entire post is justifying giving up features for no reason at all: headset jack, IP68 dust/water resistance, Qi wireless charging, 1440p QHD. (Why would you want to buy a "replacement" phone for your 1440p QHD Droid Turbo and downgrade the resolution?) I wanted a phone as good as or better than the Moto Quarks I was replacing. In fact, I count SEVEN features listed above that OnePlus 6T does NOT have, including 4 features the Droid Turbo has. I have a premium phone with smooth performance AND those features. "Never settle." Yes, it's a matter of choice.
---------- Post added at 03:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:13 PM ----------
schwinn8 said:
FYI, even Wallyworld is getting in on the game, as they have a V30+ for $399 on their site: https://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-V30-S...-MP-5-MP-front-camera-Android-black/272122892
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24 hours after I ordered, they drop the price by $20. Now $379 for new in box with 2-year warranty. ARghh. But Android Authority is touting this price reduction, so I"m afraid if I cancel and try to re-order they will suddenly be out of stock or something!
I'll try to get a $20 refund when I pick up the phone at the store...

jrmt077 said:
I absolutely agree with you. I haven't used a wired headphone in years have no intention of ever using - so a headphone jack is just a useless hole in a phone for me. I have a set of premium wireless headphones and the sound is more than adequate for my needs. Among my decisions, as yours I suspect, were to have cutting edge 2018 processor speed and smooth performance & an android experience without a heavy OEM skin. I gave up wireless charging and official IP68 rating in favor of OnePlus 6t aggressive pricing, I thought I would give it a try and I am very happy with my device. I like how they are shaking up the market. If you want to have those features then I think the Pixel 3 or 3XL is the best overall choice for 2018. There are so many good reviews on both devices you really cannot go wrong, its just a matter of choice.
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I think this thread should be titled "Why you should replace the Turbo with the LG V30 and if you disagree you are wrong".
:laugh: