Database Develop

Thinking of getting this phone, have a few questions before I do..

1. How often do OP update their phones, do the older model get ignored compared to the new ones ?
2. How easy is it to unlock/flash new roms on this phone, since this will be my primary focus ?
3. How bad is touchscreen latency and camera performance with latest update ?
4. Should I be worried about bad after-sales here in UK ?
Please feel free to mention any other points about this phone that might help me in making my decision.
Cheers

_ray_ said:
1. How often do OP update their phones, do the older model get ignored compared to the new ones ?
2. How easy is it to unlock/flash new roms on this phone, since this will be my primary focus ?
3. How bad is touchscreen latency and camera performance with latest update ?
4. Should I be worried about bad after-sales here in UK ?
Please feel free to mention any other points about this phone that might help me in making my decision.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. i had an OPO and i guess it not supported anymore, but i installed a custom ROM the first day i got it and custom ROM support is amazing, there is still a big community. Guess there wont be many other devices being better off.
2. couldnt be easier. All u need to do is just follow the instruction given for the ROM. Support in this forum is also given.
3. For me the latency is the same as it feels with my gf's pixel phone. Camera i cant say much cuz the only fotos i do is about documents and writings. But these are super easy to read. I have no idea thogh how beautiful pictures will get.
4. what do u mean? there wont be any sales on the phone

I came from the D855 (G3) was a huge step i was going to wait for SD835 smartphone but my phone died, so i wanted something super fast, and unlocked, when i mean unlocked is a company that gives you acess to the hardware this is bootloader unlock, as many companys do NOT, the phone is tremendous fast, fingerprinting in 0.2sec it opens before you blink, the screen looks way better than my G3 which was the first 2k screen, its vivid and bright, dash charging is awesome it charge your phone way to fast xD, its the first phone that i dont need to let it in charger over night, 3.4A battery is more than enought, 8h+ of SOT? i had at must 1.5 to 2h of sot on my D855, huge huge difference, for the moment this is by a large margin the best device you can buy, as for the cameras or any other features i dont care, they do the work just fine, i have a mirrorless camera for photography so i dont care about the camera, its still packs a 16MP on front camera which get you a very sharp face if you are a selfie person, anyother i just got this phone by its hardware, super fast and cheap for a flagship? i spent 439 + karbon case this phone worth every penny, so go for it it feels very nice in the hand, and the metal its of nice quality! it even comes with a screen protector by default thats a nice touch from them! oneplus is a great company you wont Regret it!

1. How often do OP update their phones, do the older model get ignored compared to the new ones ?
OnePlus does a decent job but don't expect Nexus-grade updates. You'll mostly be relying on the XDA community.
2. How easy is it to unlock/flash new roms on this phone, since this will be my primary focus ?
Very Easy. Unlock bootloader from bootloader menu, flash twrp via fastboot, flash a custom rom and that's it.
3. How bad is touchscreen latency and camera performance with latest update ?
Touchscreen latency was never THAT bad unless you're a pretentious user. You shouldn't worry this because most custom kernels improve it, and at some point it will be fixed completely by OnePlus. Camera is decent, the sensor is the same as the one in V20. It's the processing that sucks compared to other phones, so don't expect much.
4. Should I be worried about bad after-sales here in UK ?
Not sure what you mean. But i'm certain you will be satisfied of the phone for the price paid.

xhitm3n said:
I came from the D855 (G3) was a huge step i was going to wait for SD835 smartphone but my phone died, so i wanted something super fast, and unlocked, when i mean unlocked is a company that gives you acess to the hardware this is bootloader unlock, as many companys do NOT, the phone is tremendous fast, fingerprinting in 0.2sec it opens before you blink, the screen looks way better than my G3 which was the first 2k screen, its vivid and bright, dash charging is awesome it charge your phone way to fast xD, its the first phone that i dont need to let it in charger over night, 3.4A battery is more than enought, 8h+ of SOT? i had at must 1.5 to 2h of sot on my D855, huge huge difference, for the moment this is by a large margin the best device you can buy, as for the cameras or any other features i dont care, they do the work just fine, i have a mirrorless camera for photography so i dont care about the camera, its still packs a 16MP on front camera which get you a very sharp face if you are a selfie person, anyother i just got this phone by its hardware, super fast and cheap for a flagship? i spent 439 + karbon case this phone worth every penny, so go for it it feels very nice in the hand, and the metal its of nice quality! it even comes with a screen protector by default thats a nice touch from them! oneplus is a great company you wont Regret it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was on exactly same situation last week. [emoji2]

_ray_ said:
1. How often do OP update their phones, do the older model get ignored compared to the new ones ?
2. How easy is it to unlock/flash new roms on this phone, since this will be my primary focus ?
3. How bad is touchscreen latency and camera performance with latest update ?
4. Should I be worried about bad after-sales here in UK ?
Please feel free to mention any other points about this phone that might help me in making my decision.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI,
Note: I had the op3 and now i am using the op3t from dec.
1. Updates on the op are fairly quick, as of now we have an open beta for 7.1.1 with march security patch. We will be getting the full update sometime in this month.
2.This is where the op devices shine the most.The op community is great,you will get the community app installed on the device. you can find all required the guides for unlocking,roms and troubleshooting there.The op3t has support for all the popular custom roms so you can get the updates asap.
3.The touch latency issue is still there but it is not that bad.The camera is not bad at all.Its a great camera for the price and takes great pics in good light conditions but the low light photos are not that great.If you are a serious camera buff you might be disappointed.
4.After sales is bad here in India. Its handled by a company called servify. Had the op3 and i broke it in 3 weeks of purchase. I had got their one year "accidental damage protection" thingy so i went to the service center fairly optimistic . After looking at the phone they said "the back of your is damaged and we do not cover cosmetic parts under our insurance, we will fix the screen for free". I was angry but agreed to get it fixed any way. After that they say if you want to go through our insurance you have to open a claim via the op app,we cannot do it here. I returned home did what they said and after two days i got a call from some shady insurance company refusing my claim saying there is something wrong with my paperwork.Even after doing all the things they said they still refused it. But I loved my phone so tried to get it repaired any way. Here op3 costs 28k. After making a claim they told me i have to pay 12k for the screen,10k for the back and 1k for repair . Thats 23k,roughly 83% of what i paid for the phone in the first place.

Alek123 said:
1. How often do OP update their phones, do the older model get ignored compared to the new ones ?
OnePlus does a decent job but don't expect Nexus-grade updates. You'll mostly be relying on the XDA community.
2. How easy is it to unlock/flash new roms on this phone, since this will be my primary focus ?
Very Easy. Unlock bootloader from bootloader menu, flash twrp via fastboot, flash a custom rom and that's it.
3. How bad is touchscreen latency and camera performance with latest update ?
Touchscreen latency was never THAT bad unless you're a pretentious user. You shouldn't worry this because most custom kernels improve it, and at some point it will be fixed completely by OnePlus. Camera is decent, the sensor is the same as the one in V20. It's the processing that sucks compared to other phones, so don't expect much.
4. Should I be worried about bad after-sales here in UK ?
Not sure what you mean. But i'm certain you will be satisfied of the phone for the price paid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was having same issue last week but now OK.

Thanks for the replies everyone.
One thing i am quite worried about is that like most companies the older models of OP have been not getting any updates from OP at all, e.g Android 7.0. Also custom ROM development on older models seems to be very slow and most major Dev have moved on to newer models unlike older Nexus which is still supported after all those years. I know I can get Nougat support via custom ROMs but support for old devices is one of the main things I am looking for, since I am planning to keep my phone for at least 2 years.
I think i am going to hold on to my G3 for a bit longer and see what other options are available later on during this year.

_ray_ said:
Thanks for the replies everyone.
One thing i am quite worried about is that like most companies the older models of OP have been not getting any updates from OP at all, e.g Android 7.0. Also custom ROM development on older models seems to be very slow and most major Dev have moved on to newer models unlike older Nexus which is still supported after all those years. I know I can get Nougat support via custom ROMs but support for old devices is one of the main things I am looking for, since I am planning to keep my phone for at least 2 years.
I think i am going to hold on to my G3 for a bit longer and see what other options are available later on during this year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edit: just look at the first OnePlus model and the 7.1.1 roms and kernels that are available and beeing actively supported, this is a 3 year old phone.
If you`re always looking for the next big thing or latest technology you can never ever buy a phone again. There will always be new devices that will be released throughout the year I ordered mine (coming from a iPhone 7 Plus) because i think and according to the reviews its a solid phone for a descent price.

Seriously thinking of taking the plunge and buying

Hello I have been looking into buying this beautiful phone since I first seen it. I am in the US and will be buying it online to use on T-Mobile, I would like to know if anyone is here also using it and how is the reception? Do you get LTE? Also I've read in the roms section about a lithium and hydrogen version? Are they from different regions, what makes them different? I'm using a Mate 9 but am ready to own this phone.
sent from my rotary phone

This is phone ONLY ment for Chinese market.
I had it and here in Europe, I am on T Mobile as well but without LTE connection, and I had various problems with it, mostly about not localised and optimised software, very bad camera, handling (very slippery)...etc.About Roms, there are global roms and other roms and I found them pretty unstabile.
Literary, if you speak Chinese, then this is phone for you, if not, from my experiance, for that money better buy Samsung S8+.It is more serious product.
Before you start using Mi Mix you need to create MIUI account which is bounded with your phone number,so eventual reselling is another problem.
Anyway....it is beautiful device but for costs of a lot of headaches.

Here are the specs: http://www.mi.com/en/mix/specs/
The Network Bands supported are:
FDD-LTE: B1，B2，B3，B4，B5，B7，B8
TD-LTE: B38，B39，B40，B41
TD-SCDMA: B34，B39
WCDMA: B1，B2，B5，B8
GSM: B2，B3，B5，B8
CDMA1X/EVDO: BC0
Does your carrier support these?
The official Global Rom has all the languages, so no problem with the language (and it includes Google Play and it doesn't include any chinese-only apps)
There is a also a port of the LineageOS Rom and the RESURRECTION REMIX Rom.
The biggest problem is that you will not have any warranty, no service, no spare parts. If you are willing to resign from these for the best looking device, go ahead!

I can't speak for Tmo, but att I rarely get LTE but it is available, mostly HSPA+ though
The camera is a disappointment, but I was coming from a galaxy s6 so I was a little spoiled
If you are comfortable with flashing roms, I'm really enjoying the resurrection remix rom
It's a big usability improvement coming from the chinese stable rom

I have TMobile I get 4G I'm in NY my camera takes good pics I'm on the global stock MIUI rom and get insurance thru 3 party

jr313 said:
Hello I have been looking into buying this beautiful phone since I first seen it. I am in the US and will be buying it online to use on T-Mobile, I would like to know if anyone is here also using it and how is the reception? Do you get LTE? Also I've read in the roms section about a lithium and hydrogen version? Are they from different regions, what makes them different? I'm using a Mate 9 but am ready to own this phone.
sent from my rotary phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using this on MetroPCS and for the most part it has been very very solid for me. MetroPCS is basically the same network as Tmobile. On EpicRom I have LTE and my calls work just fine. Also, the version of Epic ROM I used had VoLTe support. Not even 100% on what it does but the option was checked off.
If you don't believe me just go to willmyphonework.net and type in Xiaomi Mi Mix and it will tell you exactly what carriers will work.

tin2404 said:
This is phone ONLY ment for Chinese market.
I had it and here in Europe, I am on T Mobile as well but without LTE connection, and I had various problems with it, mostly about not localised and optimised software, very bad camera, handling (very slippery)...etc.About Roms, there are global roms and other roms and I found them pretty unstabile.
Literary, if you speak Chinese, then this is phone for you, if not, from my experiance, for that money better buy Samsung S8+.It is more serious product.
Before you start using Mi Mix you need to create MIUI account which is bounded with your phone number,so eventual reselling is another problem.
Anyway....it is beautiful device but for costs of a lot of headaches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THIS GUY AGAIN, seriously though I actually have this phone on T-Mobile US, South Carolina Upstate area. It connects at 4G LTE in almost every place my wifes Samsung S7 Edge does. Durability wise you have to keep in mind its slippery and needs a case if for anything else to keep a grip on it. Screens fantastic, connections on par with US models and the storage /ram is unequalled currently. Had a mate 9 just before it and there really worlds apart. Now the camera is MEH, be prepared for that - its not bad just MEH. Everything else is really good, bonus it has built in equalizer for head phone playback [which means I didn't need to root it to put viper on].
I use the shipped Chinese official, google apps all installed with no issues. You can buy the S8+ if you want to step down in storage, ram and over all screen to phone. Personally the S8+ and the LG 6 are basically the same compromised high price devices. But its your money, both break fast when dropped also.
Haven't had a single head ache out of the Mi Mix or the MIUI [been using it on other devices for years]. Shoot me questions if you want.

Thank you all for your posts they have been helpful. I definitely wouldn't buy another Samesung ever again. I do love rooting and romming my phones, I have been following the ROM section and yesterday when I checked up on it I seen the additions of lineage and RR both I ran on my Nexus 6P and OnePlus 3T. Those were a big deciding factor for me because I can't live without my aosp, and now with the reassurance of LTE working I think I will be jumping in on this beast.
sent from my rotary phone

Nicolfa said:
THIS GUY AGAIN, seriously though I actually have this phone on T-Mobile US, South Carolina Upstate area. It connects at 4G LTE in almost every place my wifes Samsung S7 Edge does. Durability wise you have to keep in mind its slippery and needs a case if for anything else to keep a grip on it. Screens fantastic, connections on par with US models and the storage /ram is unequalled currently. Had a mate 9 just before it and there really worlds apart. Now the camera is MEH, be prepared for that - its not bad just MEH. Everything else is really good, bonus it has built in equalizer for head phone playback [which means I didn't need to root it to put viper on].
I use the shipped Chinese official, google apps all installed with no issues. You can buy the S8+ if you want to step down in storage, ram and over all screen to phone. Personally the S8+ and the LG 6 are basically the same compromised high price devices. But its your money, both break fast when dropped also.
Haven't had a single head ache out of the Mi Mix or the MIUI [been using it on other devices for years]. Shoot me questions if you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed.
But good for you...wait when he try to enter to VR world with Fiit vr2s as I did.
I hope and I am sure he will "understand" all "boxes and houses" and content inside.

tin2404 said:
This is phone ONLY ment for Chinese market.
I had it and here in Europe, I am on T Mobile as well but without LTE connection, and I had various problems with it, mostly about not localised and optimised software, very bad camera, handling (very slippery)...etc.About Roms, there are global roms and other roms and I found them pretty unstabile.
Literary, if you speak Chinese, then this is phone for you, if not, from my experiance, for that money better buy Samsung S8+.It is more serious product.
Before you start using Mi Mix you need to create MIUI account which is bounded with your phone number,so eventual reselling is another problem.
Anyway....it is beautiful device but for costs of a lot of headaches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh you're back. Good.

Yeah he's back lol.

jr313 said:
Hello I have been looking into buying this beautiful phone since I first seen it. I am in the US and will be buying it online to use on T-Mobile, I would like to know if anyone is here also using it and how is the reception? Do you get LTE? Also I've read in the roms section about a lithium and hydrogen version? Are they from different regions, what makes them different? I'm using a Mate 9 but am ready to own this phone.
sent from my rotary phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go for it. It's one of the best device I've ever owned.
Don't worry about it when people say that they are having trouble with softwares that are not "localised or optimised". They don't know what they are talking about. The ROM is not really an issue at all, just flash to third party ROM like EPIC Rom, or you can use Xiaomi's Global Rom.
And don't be misguided, you don't need a MI account to use any Xiaomi device, that includes the MI MIX.

This is my second Xiaomi phone and I'm running off the stock Chinese Rom which I have no issue with. There's no need to create a MI account to use this phone.

Here is my opinion->
- The phone is great in build quality with the most premium material(ceramic);
- It has huge amount of storage(I have 256GB);
- It has a lot of RAM(6GB for me);
- It has the best Android iteration - MIUI;
- It has quite some innovations brought at once in terms of tech;
- It has great battery life;
- It is too big;
- It has the worst camera I've had for quite some time;
I will stick to mine for the good reasons, but really regret for the camera.
Make your math and good luck.
P.S.
If you buy one, install Camera FV or some other app. You will get far better shots.
P.S.2
Don't mind the comments about that this is for chinese market only, or the MIUI account is bad....etc. The phone works perfectly on most places(but still do a check for your country) and MIUI is great performer with lot's of cool stuff. I am using their system since my Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The problem with MIUI is not that it doesn't perform well.
It may still be on Android 6 and it is missing the enhancements of API 24 and API 25 but it has other additional features that compensate for this.
The problem is that it is closed source and you cannot know what the code does in the background, and whether it sends data back home. But thank god, there are now ports of LINEAGE and RESSURECTION REMIX roms. So no reason not to get the device from a software perspective.

Well, you got a lot ppl here telling you some good, some, but here my 2 cents. I love the phone! I love the big screen, I dont use the camera so I dont care, I like the call quality. Its cool being that there is no earpiece yet, you can still hear the ppl youre talking to. You may have to turn the volume all the way up in certain situations, but its fine. I love the fluidity, moving around the phone is very snappy, I never have any issues. I do play Pokemon Go, a lot, and that isnt as smooth as it is on the iPhone, but its not bad. It did freeze on me when I dropped a lucky egg and went through to try and evolve as many Pokemon as I could. The battery life is the BEST IVE EVER HAD on a phone before... well, maybe the battery life on the Nokia Lumia 1520 was better, but I cant recall. Now, EMUI as a whole isnt bad, it really isnt! I am currently using stock, chinese ROM. and as far as I know, im on the latest firmware. But, as soon as I get my hands on a Windows based computer, im going to root it and install a custom ROM. Ive heard Epic is supposed to be the best, but im the type of guy that will flash a few ROM's before I settle. I could go on and on about this phone as a daily driver, but, I really do like it. If you have any specifics, hit me up and id be more than willing to answer your questions. But long story short, I love the phone.

Don't do it!
You're gonna get addicted, especially to the screen and build materials! Have seen tear-down videos, and even the inside is beautiful! I rotate to different phones often and you will find yourself wanting when using phones after this one. Questions will subconsciously creep into your head when you go back to a different phone; ie. "why is there a bar at the top of this phone?""why does the back of this phone scratch so easily?" Its like seeing a slice of the future in a dream and then waking up to a disappointing reality as you grab that iOS or Pixel device. You've been warned.
...

I recently picked one up, I have the Chinese Rom version, 256gb 6gig of ram. I've been using it for a month now in CA and NY and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this is the best device I have ever owned, hands down, nothing comes close. I honestly haven't had a issue with the camera but I don't take many shots with the phone so I don't care. As for MIUI I really like it, as a 1st time user of it, it has a very different feel and look to regular stock android which is very refreshing to me. You end up purchasing one, you will not regret it.

I've also had the phone great phone but I'm one of those people who likes to change phones every few months.
MIUI was great to use and if you get board just us a different launcher, now only thing you need to know if your staying on Chinese build is disabling a few power saving features to get push notifications like what's app, email etc
My only issue letting it go was I wanted the 7.0 to use 2 app support and I really didn't like the notification tray, tried exposed but couldn't change it the way I wanted. Again this will probably not bother you but overall it's a great phone once you fiddle around the software.
Sent from my MHA-L09 using Tapatalk

Pros and cons
I've had my Mi Mix (International stock rom, 6gb, 256gb) for a few days. I got it on sale on Gearbest for $606! Here's some pros and cons so far:
Pros:
-I'm on AT&T and I get 4g LTE all the time in my area.
-Insane amount of storage. I can't imagine ever maxing this thing out.
-A very good screen (though not as colorful or as sharp as what you'll find on Samsung's new phones).
-Excellent performance (though again, not quite as snappy as the S8+, which my wife owns).
-The most beautiful device I have ever held! Pictures do not do it justice. It is simply exquisite.
-The camera is plenty good for my purposes (taking pictures of my kids when we're on outdoor adventures).
-Watching videos and playing games on that bezel-free screen is awesome!
Cons:
-MIUI does have a bit of a learning curve.
-You have to change battery and notification settings quite a bit to get push notifications working properly (though this only takes 15 minutes to do).
-I had issues with text messages for a couple days before I found a fix. Now they work perfectly.
-The phone is very slippery.
-Ceramic, while very scratch resistant, shatters easily. (I'm using the provided leather case most of the time.)
-Despite the tiny bezels, the phone is still big and heavy. There's no way to make a 6.4 inch screen feel small in the hand.
-Call quality, while adequate, is nowhere near as clear as on my Moto Z or my wife's S8+. It sounds like the other person is on speaker phone.
-The camera, while fine for me, would never be good enough for my wife (she has a blog and needs professional-quality images, which she really can get with her S8+).
All in all, the pros definitely outweigh the cons FOR ME. But they might not for everyone. I hope this helps.

Should I purchase a Galaxy S8?

Hi all,
I have searched to no avail, hopefully this is OK to ask and is the right place to ask it?
I have resigned myself to purchasing a new phone as it appears that my knowledge and expectations are lacking and not correct. Therefore I am looking at the or at least the most popular phone(s) that are supported with custom ROM's as I really want to be left alone and not have a $399 Leather Ikea Sofa follow me around 24/7.
What I would like to know is the following:
1. Does this phone have custom Rom support? Or is it popular enough for this type of support or customization.
2. I basically dislike all the carriers due to them shoving their bloatware, privacy invasion down my throat. I would happily pay for apps that work without tracking me and couches following me around.
3. I have Tmobile, intend on getting the phone through Tmobile, are there reasonably easy ways to Unbloat the phone, have admin rights on the phone, deal with privacy issues, and most importantly get updates all simultaneously? I know that once you Root any Android phone the God Carriers will no longer allow ANY updates to work. Additionally, my experience with Kingroot just switched devils.... I was able to deal with my phone and bloatware however traded for the same ads and bloatware with Kingroot. Maybe its changed, it has been a year since I attempted my last Root. Like I stated,, I would gladly pay for apps that are ad and bloatware free and keeping my privacy....
4. Are there better phones?
Your thoughts, ideas and links would be greatly appreciated. I dont mind a little work getting updates, I dont mind slow updates, or even using the Generic Samsung Android Version, I dont need all the apps in the world, I would prefer reasonable privacy more than anything.
Thanks in advance.

The Galaxy S8 isn't the best device for doing custom ROMs on. You need a device that is open without restrictions, the one that already good has root options and so on. I am not saying there aren't any ROMs for it... You can wait to see if Pixel 2 will be any good. I would suggest you to check out a flagship phones(if you want) and make a list of which ones you like and then search on XDA and check out the ROM section for each phone.

Any suggestions.... Im not to picky... I guess I should ask what is the most popular at this time and why???

Ratfink11 said:
Any suggestions.... Im not to picky... I guess I should ask what is the most popular at this time and why???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One Plus 5 is a great phone if you like flashing stuff. It doesn't have wireless charging, the display is a 1080P AMOLED, no mechanical image stabilization, and no official waterproofing. Other then that its great.

well, after the S6 ( i believed) samsung tighten up security on their phones, especially for a new phone like the S8. So customize ROM ( AOSP) is pretty much out the door for the S8( at the time of this comment). Well, if you really want S8, go with the Exynos version, since there is some ROMs available. And if you dont like S8, then maybe take a look, and some research at the LG G6, it's solid phone. Great build, good looking, and from a well-known company.

Get the Note 8 when it comes out soon. Don't get US Snapdragon S8 due to UFS 2.0 storage; US Snapdragon S8+ is UFS 2.1 (something like 300MB/s faster read when comparing). Don't expect to root anytime soon unless you get an international Exynos S8/S8+. I am happy with US Snapdragon S8+ but I kinda wish I waited for Note 8. I plan to root my phone as soon as a root method is published. Oh well, I'll just get the Note 9 next Fall.

zone23 said:
One Plus 5 is a great phone if you like flashing stuff. It doesn't have wireless charging, the display is a 1080P AMOLED, no mechanical image stabilization, and no official waterproofing. Other then that its great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree. OR Xiaomi Mi6 isn't bad choice also.

Why Pixel 5

I am trying to compare the specs of the "Pixel 5" and the recently released "Samsung S20 FE" and would actually want to know, why Pixel 5 and not the S20 FE?For the reference, GSMArena comparison here.
Currently i see the following pros and cons comparing those devices:
S20 FE pros:
SD card slot
Bigger battery
Better SoC
Better GPU
120hz scree refresh rate
Front fingerprint sensor (debatable, but definitely my personal preference)
More cameras and (hopefully) better camera sensors (but not better camera software)
Available (unlike Pixel 5, that is still on pre-orders)
Pixel 5 pros:
More RAM
Better camera software
Less bloatware
Direct updates from Google
Usable eSIM (none of the S20 series have their eSIM enabled on US models)
Unlocakble bootloader (just an assumption, but the QC based S20 FE is unlikely to have it's btl unlockable)
Missing SD slot (which a find to be a pretty big deal) and a somewhat weaker SoC/GPU/battery make me lean toward the S20 FE, yet there seem to be a pretty big fan base on the Pixels those days, and i want to know why. So, what Pixel 5 pros did i miss?
Thanks in advance for replies.

You might not care what I think but I'm gonna reply anyway. Im using a Note 9 now.
The reason the P5 beats any Samsung phone, again this is IMO, is because it runs STOCK ANDROID OS. One UI is trash, TouchWiz was trash. Samsung can make a great, beautiful, crazy spec'd phone every time but it still runs a trash OS. And plz dont try to tell me its not that bad. It is and my wife has a Note 20 5G and its trash on there too even with the newer updates. This one thing is the reason I will never buy a Sam phone again.
And do I have to get into the bloat ware. Oh MY God! I have like 25-30 apps. When my phone updates, its says its optimizing 450+ apps. WTF. And forget about removing them cuz u can't UL BL to debloat. EVER.
Also don't let Sammy fool u with this quick monthly security updates. When it comes to new Android versions they still lag behind, especially if your device is a year or more old.

TokedUp said:
You might not care what I think but I'm gonna reply anyway. Im using a Note 9 now.
The reason the P5 beats any Samsung phone, again this is IMO, is because it runs STOCK ANDROID OS. One UI is trash, TouchWiz was trash. Samsung can make a great, beautiful, crazy spec'd phone every time but it still runs a trash OS. And plz dont try to tell me its not that bad. It is and my wife has a Note 20 5G and its trash on there too even with the newer updates.
And do I have to get into the bloat ware. Oh MY God! I have like 25-30 apps. When my phone updates, its says its optimizing 450+ apps. WTF. And forget about removing them cuz u can't UL BL to debloat. EVER.
Also don't let Sammy fool u with this quick monthly security updates. When it comes to new Android versions they still lag behind, especially if your device is a year or more old.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually do agree on that, yes, the crap on Samsung stock ROM is pretty bad, but is it THAT bad? On a carrier branded CSC - yes, absolutely. Just a """"clean"""" (yea, i know, i know) stock Samsung - bad, but not THAT bad. And thats the main factor that makes me lean toward Pixel indeed.
Latest and greatest Android? Well, i can live without that. Heck, i am typing it from an Android 8 device right now, lol.
But... lower specs, and ESPECIALLY, the SD card slot do bother me. I've got Nexus7 FHD tablet, bought it more or less a few month after its release, still using it sometimes, and one damn feature i've missed every single time i've boarded a long flight is having an SD card slot! I don't know why the heck Google hates SD cards so much, but thats definitely bothers me.
In any case, i did mention "less bloatware" in my pros list, guess i should have called it "clean android". Do i turst it to remain totally clean? NO! Don't get me started on Google, their platforms, and ****loads of ads, some blockable, some may soon be less so. Just a few things to list on that topic, though - YouTube midroll ads (that drove me to finally start using alt client) and Android TV leanback launcher update with a huge ad on the top 1/3 of the screen (which has forced me to disable apps updates, cause on a TV Play market its all updates or no apps update).

I'm sorry. I do not agree. OneUI is far worse than u think. Im using it now. Go try for yourself. And I dont mean go to the store and look at it. Actually use a phone with it on it and u will want to throw it against a wall.
I have a 400gb mem card in my phone now. There is nothing an it. I used to need it for music but now everything is streaming. Photos and vids get backed up to cloud. I dont think I need a mem card anymore and I was a firm believer in them.
Please dont ever compare Google with Sam in terms of bloatware. It makes you look like u have no idea what u are talking about. Its not even a competition. I mean Sammy tried to put ads to our lockscreens at one point. If u think the Pixel has bloatware, go look at an app list on a new Sam phone. The Note 20 is an absolute joke.

I'm in the same debate as you... Pretty sure p5 wins due to unlocked bootloader. My p2 stands up still to processing power, I suspect I'll get 3 years out of the p5 since I've always found more ram is more important than more processing power and the 765g does hold up next to the p4 865.

Why do we run Pixels? Stock android, superior experience, no/limited bloat, reliable updates, and superior camera performance. But, you likely knew that already, and you came here to discuss specs. It's not the specs; it's the real world performance. You ever run a Windoze comp with a fresh install? See how snappy and smooth the performance is? Well, that's what a Pixel is like all the time. You're basically asking the PC equivalent of asking a tech forum "should I buy an Acer (or Dell or whatever) or build my own?" The answer will likely be build your own or reinstall Windoze and upgrade what you have. Look man, I was a Samsung lover for many years. But their bloat is intrusive and very poorly implemented, and I got sick of it. To complete the analogy: if you want a Dell (even if it is an Alienware) running the latest Intel, go ahead. I'll build my own AMD machine that rocks its socks off.

Come down to long term experience for me.
Pixel phones have been great to use and continue to feel great after a couple of years. Samsung phones haven't faired so well. Lots of slow down, lots of duplicate apps, lots of clutter.
It's personal preference of course, some love Samsung apps over Google apps. For these people, pixel comes full of bloatware!

mrkhigh said:
I'm in the same debate as you... Pretty sure p5 wins due to unlocked bootloader. My p2 stands up still to processing power, I suspect I'll get 3 years out of the p5 since I've always found more ram is more important than more processing power and the 765g does hold up next to the p4 865.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlocked bootloader is sadly, becoming less and less useful as the time goes. TBH, i am sick and tired to try & look for yet another way to hide root from apps, while i find myself actually customizing the system less and less using that root. Add Widevine dropping to L3 and all the streaming apps that use it going below HD, and you get yourself one more reason not to unlock.
Is slightly more RAM more important than slightly more CPU/GPU? Yea, i think it is. Is it massive, either way? Nope, probably not.
Again, one big thing that turns me away from P5 is the SD slot. From the other side, 2 pretty big things that pull me toward it are cleaner Android and eSIM.

dudeman1st said:
...It's not the specs; it's the real world performance...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The specs are the very first thing that affects real world performance. Yes, you can bog it down to a crawl with junk, but is it so? If you look at the Samsung side of XDA, i don't see that many complains about it, so realistically, in the real word words, i honestly don't know.

I've used an OG Pixel XL, and Pixel 3 XL as well as a OP 6T.
T-mobile had a "too good to pass up" trade in deal for the S20 FG and I received it on Friday. It is an awesome phone. The telephoto lens is neat, but the wide angle is awesome. Samsung's awful OS and lack of BL unlocking are really the only faults of it lol. Pixels got me over the need for an sd slot, although the lack of free unlimited storage since the Pixel 3 has me concerned. With that said, I'll be buying a Pixel 5 assuming there's some kind of a deal on black friday.

InfX said:
The specs are the very first thing that affects real world performance. Yes, you can bog it down to a crawl with junk, but is it so? If you look at the Samsung side of XDA, i don't see that many complains about it, so realistically, in the real word words, i honestly don't know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair enough, if specs are your measuring stick, sounds like you want the Samsung with the 8-series ARM. Go for it. I wouldn't shame you at all.
If you want to really understand what I am saying, try running a 3 or 4 year old Samsung (an S7 or S8) on Sam's version of Android 11 (if that's even possible) and then run Google's Android 11 on a Pixel or Pixel 2. I haven't tried it, but I know my old Samsungs ran like crap after just one or two updates, including severely reduced battery life. I am guessing that the Sams will run horribly for one reason or another. I know that Pixels run great on 11.
I run a Pixel (2 XL) stock, don't have to root it, don't have to monkey with flashing unless I want to try, don't have to constantly be looking for updated modems/ROMs/recoveries/kernels . Sure, most phones can be rescued with a good custom ROM, but you run the risk of bricking and voiding warranty. I used to love that hobby, and I loved my experience flashing with other phone hobbyists. But, I don't want to monkey with my daily driver anymore. I only flash my old phones.

jsbeagle said:
I've used an OG Pixel XL, and Pixel 3 XL as well as a OP 6T.
T-mobile had a "too good to pass up" trade in deal for the S20 FG and I received it on Friday. It is an awesome phone. The telephoto lens is neat, but the wide angle is awesome. Samsung's awful OS and lack of BL unlocking are really the only faults of it lol. Pixels got me over the need for an sd slot, although the lack of free unlimited storage since the Pixel 3 has me concerned. With that said, I'll be buying a Pixel 5 assuming there's some kind of a deal on black friday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are definitely not the only faults of it .Less RAM isn't exactly a good thing. If you look at the he S20 FE forum here, you'll immediately notice a "touch issues" thread, which is worrying. The eSIM being disabled on US CSCs, while Pixels, iPhones and even their own Fold got it is one heck of a turn off, too.

InfX said:
Those are definitely not the only faults of it .Less RAM isn't exactly a good thing. If you look at the he S20 FE forum here, you'll immediately notice a "touch issues" thread, which is worrying. The eSIM being disabled on US CSCs, while Pixels, iPhones and even their own Fold got it is one heck of a turn off, too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you doing that you actually need eSim?
Considering T-mobile and Samsung are essentially giving me the S20 FE, plus $60, plus $70 Samsung store credit for my Pixel 3XL, I'll take it and let my kids use it as a hotspot. T-mobile also gave me another completely free line a couple weeks ago in an unrelated deal.

jsbeagle said:
What are you doing that you actually need eSim?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't "need" eSIM, but its a useful feature assuming the dreaded COVID19 is eventually going to end, so one could travel again. It allows you to get and install a local plan in a different country without having to physically get the SIM card, a feature i'd actually like to have on my next phone. Not a must. But definitely a bonus. And most definitely a turn-off to get a device with the actual hardware being there, but having it disabled because Sammy and the carriers told so.

InfX said:
Unlocked bootloader is sadly, becoming less and less useful as the time goes. TBH, i am sick and tired to try & look for yet another way to hide root from apps, while i find myself actually customizing the system less and less using that root. Add Widevine dropping to L3 and all the streaming apps that use it going below HD, and you get yourself one more reason not to unlock.
Is slightly more RAM more important than slightly more CPU/GPU? Yea, i think it is. Is it massive, either way? Nope, probably not.
Again, one big thing that turns me away from P5 is the SD slot. From the other side, 2 pretty big things that pull me toward it are cleaner Android and eSIM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree on root becoming less and less important.
However the ability to update the device after it's eol is handy, and installing a custom rom is often nice as well.

Pure Android is where it is at for me, plain and smple. I might go for another non google device now and then if the bootloader is unlockable so I can end up flashing a pure android rom but I always end up back on a pixel. It is a shame that samsung has not allowed bootloader unlocking lately, especially on a so called "fan edition". What a joke!

Physical size of the device. Sure the size of the screen on my current phone is bigger and show more but it's also physically a larger phone.
That one of the main selling points for me. I also look forward to having the FP reader on the back again, current phone is under display and I'm not a fan!
---edit---
Another selling point is vanilla android vs having to find a reliable custom rom for my Mi 9T (pixel experience is good though).

InfX said:
I don't "need" eSIM, but its a useful feature assuming the dreaded COVID19 is eventually going to end, so one could travel again. It allows you to get and install a local plan in a different country without having to physically get the SIM card, a feature i'd actually like to have on my next phone. Not a must. But definitely a bonus. And most definitely a turn-off to get a device with the actual hardware being there, but having it disabled because Sammy and the carriers told so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just get Fi, homie. Pay for the data you use, capped at 6 GB cost (60 bucks + 20 for the line), no international charges for phone or data, and it works almost everywhere. If it's a small country, Fi might even pick up neighboring service. I have been from Barcelona to Bratislava, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Columbia on Fi, and I had no problems whatsoever. Fi even sends you a nice little welcome text to let you know that you are in a different service area. And, no, I don't work for Google, lol. I changed because I love to travel and hate other carriers' intl fees or messing around with local SIMs.

dudeman1st said:
Just get Fi, homie...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but no thanks, been there, done that. Yes, the international data on the Fi is definitely a plus. But:
Its expensive
I am currently on Cricket (AT&T MVNO), their lowest plan is $30 for 2gb, but before the COVID times i'd usually pay $35 for 5..10gb, slowed down afterwards, with similar plans also available directly from AT&T. My actual consumption now is close to 0, but has been somewhere in range of 2..3gb per month pre-COVID on average, so i've ended up paying $40..50, plus tax, as far as i recall, while most prepaid plans have tax included. Way too expensive just to have the same expensive data abroad, which is usually much cheaper there than it is in US.
It's coverage in US is pretty bad
In US its basically a T-Mobile MVNO. It got some contracts with US Cellular as well, i think, but its mostly just T-Mobile. I've been to many places i;ve just got NO reception whatsoever, where Cricket (read - AT&T) works perfectly fine, notably, on the ski sites in VT near #100, but this is just one example, the T-Mobile reception is generally just BAD.
Pay per use data is more annoying than i though it would be
You are basically paying $10/gb until you hit 6gb, which makes me think twice about everything i do online. Play Spotify? Nah, i don't remember if i have it downloaded, it will eat data, i'll pay for that. Watch that video on YouTube on the go? Nah, screw that, its probably 100mb in HD or so, that's $1 for a stupid video. And i absolutely hate this line of thinking. I want unlimited data which doesn't punish you financially if you go over the limit. And i don't want to pay $80+tax for that.
Sorry bro, but you DO sound like a Google sales person, lol

If you just want to text, make calls, twatter, and freakbook. Get the Samsung.
If need more independents, get the Pixel 5.
Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

General Just got mine in Hong Kong

Good news for people looking to buy some international version, the device is finally available in Hong Kong! (Where I live)
First impression of the device is obviously good(We all read the reviews). A few remarks:
Coming from an S9+ I really feel the device is heavy. To the point that holding it for a while feels a pain. Holding a minute or two it feels like kind of "Premium weight" but installing all my stuff on it and handling if for an hour or so I really feel it's too heavy. I was expecting it to be ok, but really it's a bad surprise to the point I have some regrets.
I was hoping that since it's in HK (China) we'd get the latest update with the "DXO Firmware" but it's not available yet. Not a big issue it will obviously become available at some point
I understand the finger print sensor has been praised for being one of the fastest in the industry. I am really left unimpressed comparing with my S9+ or Pixel 3a. Not only does the finger sensor in the back feels more natural, they are also both faster (But personally I don't care)
The phone will need a better case than the one provided in the box if it is to survive a drop from your pocket (Luckily there seems to be lots of cool choice on Aliexpress
Not sure about elsewhere, but the HK version is dual sim (Standard for all flagships here). Quite convenient for frequent travelers (Well once Covid goes away....)
Coming from Samsung One UI and Google's clean android implementation I don't really like MIUI for now (No big deal)
I find the DPI a bit large for my taste, but it's easy to adjust through developers options (It's set at 411 and I find so far 500 to be nicer)
Obviously all the good stuff like the screen quality, camera, etc.... are a real enjoyment

Alcibiade said:
To the point that holding it for a while feels a pain. Holding a minute or two it feels like kind of "Premium weight" but installing all my stuff on it and handling if for an hour or so I really feel it's too heavy. I was expecting it to be ok, but really it's a bad surprise to the point I have some regrets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are unable to hold a phone below 300g in hands for 1 hour...oh man, No pain no gain

What's the price in hkd?
What is the dxo firmware?
Thanks.

veimus said:
If you are unable to hold a phone below 300g in hands for 1 hour...oh man, No pain no gain
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well... I am sporty and exercise a lot... The things not about being capable of, it's more that the feeling is unpleasant. This is an expensive phone and if the experience of holding the phone for a while is not pleasant compared with competing phones then Xiaomi has a problem...
In the end the extra weight is coming from the ceramic back and Xiaomi should probably have offered several options

fustyler said:
What's the price in hkd?
What is the dxo firmware?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price in HKD is 8,500 (Roughly 1,100 USD)
The latest firmware from the Chinese ROM is 12.5.4 (While this one is on 12.0.1). DXO gave an amazing mark to the Xiaomi camera and seemingly was using this firmware in its tests (It literally blows way the S21 Ultra and scores slightly ahead of the Huawei Mate 40).
If you look at other reviews, DXO ranking has been challenged, many reviewers saying they see too much inconsistency in the colors they get from the Xiaomi plus a few other issue including some focus issues and video jitter. It seems this is related to a difference in firmware and this latest firmware makes a very big difference.
It's just a matter of time before it reaches the international version, but it's a little bit frustrating to buy this phone with mostly photography in mind and having to wait before it lives to its potential.
Makes me feel I might have fared better going with the Chinese version of the phone (Which on top of it offers more memory and storage space). Living in HK make sit easier and I didn't do my research properly... (Except in the camera department). That being said an unlocked bootloader does create issues with some banking apps and some professional apps as far as I remember, so maybe no regret to have...

Alcibiade said:
The price in HKD is 8,500 (Roughly 1,100 USD)
The latest firmware from the Chinese ROM is 12.5.4 (While this one is on 12.0.1). DXO gave an amazing mark to the Xiaomi camera and seemingly was using this firmware in its tests (It literally blows way the S21 Ultra and scores slightly ahead of the Huawei Mate 40).
If you look at other reviews, DXO ranking has been challenged, many reviewers saying they see too much inconsistency in the colors they get from the Xiaomi plus a few other issue including some focus issues and video jitter. It seems this is related to a difference in firmware and this latest firmware makes a very big difference.
It's just a matter of time before it reaches the international version, but it's a little bit frustrating to buy this phone with mostly photography in mind and having to wait before it lives to its potential.
Makes me feel I might have fared better going with the Chinese version of the phone (Which on top of it offers more memory and storage space). Living in HK make sit easier and I didn't do my research properly... (Except in the camera department). That being said an unlocked bootloader does create issues with some banking apps and some professional apps as far as I remember, so maybe no regret to have...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you don't use it for work, the cn rom is actually quite good with unlocked bootloader and eu rom. Plus you will get faster updates and the 8gb version works out to be cheaper.

fustyler said:
if you don't use it for work, the cn rom is actually quite good with unlocked bootloader and eu rom. Plus you will get faster updates and the 8gb version works out to be cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed. I am quite jealous of that Especially the updates.
Unfortunately I need to use it for work too.

fustyler said:
if you don't use it for work, the cn rom is actually quite good with unlocked bootloader and eu rom. Plus you will get faster updates and the 8gb version works out to be cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what do you mean for work? i got the CN version

Hello, can you tell me where I buy it? and if I can order it online? the model number on the box can you tell me? I have a friend in mainland China who wants to go to Hong Kong to buy international version And send it to me, thanks for the information

serllito said:
Hello, can you tell me where I buy it? and if I can order it online? the model number on the box can you tell me? I have a friend in mainland China who wants to go to Hong Kong to buy international version And send it to me, thanks for the information
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought it at Xiaomi shop (In Causeway Bay). You can also find it in Fortress and other big electronic shops in Hong Kong.
Expansys Hong Kong seem to be selling the global version online (But they are charging quite a premium...). They also have the Chinese one. I ma sure many shops offer the phone online here since it's widely available.
Not sure where you live but if it's in the EU, you should wait, it's going to be available pretty soon.

I am from South America country Peru A supplier from china is going to give me the phone as a gift ,The problem is that in my country they ask for certain requirements for cell phones to enter,Only some model codes must be approved, the model accepted for me 11 ultra is M2102K1G ,Can you please check the box and verify the model number?

Alcibiade said:
Good news for people looking to buy some international version, the device is finally available in Hong Kong! (Where I live)
First impression of the device is obviously good(We all read the reviews). A few remarks:
Coming from an S9+ I really feel the device is heavy. To the point that holding it for a while feels a pain. Holding a minute or two it feels like kind of "Premium weight" but installing all my stuff on it and handling if for an hour or so I really feel it's too heavy. I was expecting it to be ok, but really it's a bad surprise to the point I have some regrets.
I was hoping that since it's in HK (China) we'd get the latest update with the "DXO Firmware" but it's not available yet. Not a big issue it will obviously become available at some point
I understand the finger print sensor has been praised for being one of the fastest in the industry. I am really left unimpressed comparing with my S9+ or Pixel 3a. Not only does the finger sensor in the back feels more natural, they are also both faster (But personally I don't care)
The phone will need a better case than the one provided in the box if it is to survive a drop from your pocket (Luckily there seems to be lots of cool choice on Aliexpress
Not sure about elsewhere, but the HK version is dual sim (Standard for all flagships here). Quite convenient for frequent travelers (Well once Covid goes away....)
Coming from Samsung One UI and Google's clean android implementation I don't really like MIUI for now (No big deal)
I find the DPI a bit large for my taste, but it's easy to adjust through developers options (It's set at 411 and I find so far 500 to be nicer)
Obviously all the good stuff like the screen quality, camera, etc.... are a real enjoyment
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume the Global Variant in HK is the same as in Europe etc? So 256GB is the max?

RX1337 said:
I assume the Global Variant in HK is the same as in Europe etc? So 256GB is the max?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is 256Gb. Unfortunately no option to buy larger (I specifically asked the Xiaomi shop staff)
I suspect down the line the 512Gb may become available internationally. But not yet.

Alcibiade said:
Yes it is 256Gb. Unfortunately no option to buy larger (I specifically asked the Xiaomi shop staff)
I suspect down the line the 512Gb may become available internationally. But not yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please could you confirm the phone model code for me? I need it to be M2102K1G Thank you very much, it will be very helpful to me.

serllito said:
Please could you confirm the phone model code for me? I need it to be M2102K1G Thank you very much, it will be very helpful to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that's the model number