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Hi all,
So it has been a week that have XZ1 Compact, but as most of you aware from the forums camera is not very satisfying. I got a chance to use Galaxy S8 for two months prior to XZ1C, which is also a great phone, however I get the XZ1C just like most of us here; for the phone being in a compact size.
So with the disappointing camera, I am very torn between keeping the phone and wait for an update maybe for the issue to be fixed, or return the phone and get the taller S8.
I wonder what other fellow XDA users think on this issue whether the camera quality can be fix or why should I stay with XZ1C or leave it for S8?
i have the s8 and the XZ1C.
in my opinion, the only thing s8 really has that is special is the camera. i also think this is very overblown. most people don't use their camera that much, but it has become a strong focal point of choosing which phone to buy.
s8 has a slew of issues, including the rounded edges on the screen, the laggy interface, incompatible aspect ratio, bluetooth & wifi issues, poor battery life and a locked bootloader.
before asking if the camera is worth going to, ask yourself if the camera really matters that much. sony camera isn't as good as s8, but then again none are. if the camera means that much to you, then you are forced from here on to only buy samsung products. they really do always have the best cameras, but they pretty much suck at everything else. i don't ever miss my s8 now that i've switched. hell, i enjoy my OP5 more than the s8.
EDIT: you wanna buy my s8? lol (not joking)
The XZ1c is a great compact phone. There isn't any other compact comes close. I bought it because it fits in m pocket and I can drive it with one hand. That's why I love it.
Sure I am disappointed that it can't do close up's, but I have been using the camera a couple of weeks and for all the outdoor stuff and landscapes, it's brilliant. I think people have made too much of an issue about the distortion.
If you're asking the thread if you should get another phone, why not ask yourself what you're going to do with the phone.?
Is it going to fit in a pocket?
Are you going to be taking close up pictures of keyboards?
The sound chip is outstanding, as is the video camera and there's nothing comes close to out performing the battery life, there are so many things that this phone does right.
£500 for qualcomm 835, you're not going to beat that.
I find the issue with the camera is that you can't "just get it out and snap a pic" then expect the result to be something good every time.
With the S8 (and S7, and recent iPhones, and the Pixels) you can do that and most of the time you have a very decent picture.
On the flip side if im careful when taking the picture (mainly making sure there is zero shaking, exposure being correct, etc), the result is generally of higher quality, as long as it's not in low light. I can't easily reproduce the results with the S7/8/iPhone at least.
I suspect that whenever this gets OIS (or they somehow do even better magic with the EIS) this might solves most of this.. (XZ2C?!) but so far, it's not really as good in the "snap and boom decent pic" area.
Finally, I currently own a S7 and while the pic quality is a little less good than the S8 it performs admirably. I'm very tempted to switch full time to the XZ1C and sell the S7 though, because as other said, the XZ1C is better *everywhere else*.
I own XZ1c for 4 days now and annoyed by the camera too. 2 problems on the camera which I found followed by its solution:
1) Distortion problem. I have read various sources, it is due to wide angle lens that caused this, and this issue found too in other phones like Samsung S7 or LG G6. There is 2 solutions from what I know which is a) a software update from Sony that adds an additional step in post photo processing that corrects the distortion, and b) manual correction via software like Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop with 'lens correction' tool.
2) Dark photos during low light environment, in superior auto mode. I managed to get better photo by a) adjust 'colour and brightness' in the setting, or b) switch to manual mode and increase the 'EV' attribute.
Hope it helps.
WaxysDargle said:
i have the s8 and the XZ1C.
in my opinion, the only thing s8 really has that is special is the camera. i also think this is very overblown. most people don't use their camera that much, but it has become a strong focal point of choosing which phone to buy.
s8 has a slew of issues, including the rounded edges on the screen, the laggy interface, incompatible aspect ratio, bluetooth & wifi issues, poor battery life and a locked bootloader.
before asking if the camera is worth going to, ask yourself if the camera really matters that much. sony camera isn't as good as s8, but then again none are. if the camera means that much to you, then you are forced from here on to only buy samsung products. they really do always have the best cameras, but they pretty much suck at everything else. i don't ever miss my s8 now that i've switched. hell, i enjoy my OP5 more than the s8.
EDIT: you wanna buy my s8? lol (not joking)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the S8, have it set up with Nova Launcher, turned all animations to.05 & set the speed on Nova Launcher to the fastest. Got rid of all the bloat ware. This phone flies. It's a great phone with a little doctoring. Saying that I'm still getting the XZ1 Compact, the phone is the perfect size. Just wish the damn phone had FM Radio & more internal storage. 32 just isn't enough for today's apps.
Vinny [emoji631]
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
The distortion is annoying if you tafe photos that are straight like a building for example. in other cases you wonto notice unless its a close up foto. So yes, it is annoying. there is a rumor sony will improve this, but thats it, just rumor.
Overall the xz1c makes fotos almost as good as the s8 in daylight conditions. You can prove my statement useing the compare tool from gsmarena.
It is in the night that the thing goes bad to the Xz1c. But anyway im still kinda satisfied with its capability in night mode. definetly not good as the s8 i8, but its not bad either. You have to think how important is that to you.
vinnyjr said:
I have the S8, have it set up with Nova Launcher, turned all animations to.05 & set the speed on Nova Launcher to the fastest. Got rid of all the bloat ware. This phone flies. It's a great phone with a little doctoring. Saying that I'm still getting the XZ1 Compact, the phone is the perfect size. Just wish the damn phone had FM Radio & more internal storage. 32 just isn't enough for today's apps.
Vinny [emoji631]
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i also noted a big improvement on my s8 after some extreme debloating via ADB. performance was definitely not the worst thing about the phone. i can deal with occasional hiccups.
for me, the worst thing is the screen. my ear pressing buttons while on a call, accidental grazes on the edges and loss of the corner utility because of the roundness and curved nature. looks cool, but not practical once used. it's a beautiful device, but i never could figure out exactly how to hold it securely and still remain functional.
oh, and the speaker on that thing! i've heard mouse farts that could drown out max volume on the s8.
The only thing I don't like with the camera is the slow autofocus. The feature of holding the shutter button to take many pictures quickly apparently focuses between each shot, so why can't the first single shot have a faster autofocus?
I've just looked at my pictures on the computer and holy ****, the quality is horrible for anything not taken outdoors. Just wow. The one thing holding me from unlocking the bootloader was what I thought were the camera improvements by Sony's DRM keys, but since that does nearly nothing to the quality of the pics, I may just do it whenever there's an AOSP rom available.
android_fury said:
I may just do it whenever there's an AOSP rom available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They've been available for a while now.
legendnexus said:
Hi all,
So it has been a week that have XZ1 Compact, but as most of you aware from the forums camera is not very satisfying. I got a chance to use Galaxy S8 for two months prior to XZ1C, which is also a great phone, however I get the XZ1C just like most of us here; for the phone being in a compact size.
So with the disappointing camera, I am very torn between keeping the phone and wait for an update maybe for the issue to be fixed, or return the phone and get the taller S8.
I wonder what other fellow XDA users think on this issue whether the camera quality can be fix or why should I stay with XZ1C or leave it for S8?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't like the phone, just get another one. You won't find one where you like every aspect, so you'll have to priorize.
Regarding fixing the issues, yes, that's entirely possible.
The distortion comes from the wide-angle lense used and can be corrected in software.
The blur and loss of detail is part of Sony's smoothing algorithms and could be turned off in software.
Also, regarding the distortion: https://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xper...as-serious-distortion-issue/m-p/1271268#M7658
4rz0 said:
If you don't like the phone, just get another one. You won't find one where you like every aspect, so you'll have to priorize.
Regarding fixing the issues, yes, that's entirely possible.
The distortion comes from the wide-angle lense used and can be corrected in software.
The blur and loss of detail is part of Sony's smoothing algorithms and could be turned off in software.
Also, regarding the distortion: https://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xper...as-serious-distortion-issue/m-p/1271268#M7658
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, that message sounds promising. Lets see what the update has to bring us
In the XZP oreo update, aside from camera distortion fix, there is also addition of 3D scan feature which previously only limited to XZ1 series. And if this is the update pattern, to let all recent series capable of running the sama feature, I am sure camera fix for XZ1 will come in next update.
The other thing I really hope for in next update is tap to wake feature, which shall very handy in real life usage experience.
Ok ever since Ive seen this phone I've been smitten with it., but the price has scared me off a bit...it does seem to have some down to a relatively reasonable price and its got me thinking again. The Camera is what intrigues me the most, as with most people I would assume.
Here is what gives me pause though...from a lot of accounts it doesn't do very well taking pictures of people and just about every real review Ive sen says the camera oversharpens a lot, in any situation. My dilemma is I take a lot of pictures of my kids, as a lot of people do, so crappy pictures of people is sort of a dealbreaker for a phone. The low light performance seems amazing and teh 3x zoom I could definitely get some use out of, but the beauty mode and sharpening is stopping me from buying this phone.
Are there any ROMs that can be flashed that addressed this? Is this something someone could find in the software of the phone and disable? VIA a rom again obviously because it cannot be disabled in stock form it appears.
I find with people oh and dogs it can be a a little slow I am thinking of jumping ship to the note 9 as that camera is lightening fast plus you can add a memory card
When you come to scenary I have to say wow
The attached pic is unedited
I have to say however it's an amazing device it's fast and fluid operating system wise i have always used iPhones and am happy to have moved to android just wish camera person wise was more polished
Sent from my CLT-L29 using XDA Premium HD app
Yeah that's great, but as you probably know people and dogs rarely stand still..babies even worse. If it's a little slow that's a definitely no, I got a note 8 and even that is a bit slow at times and I miss the shot Im trying to get.
My other options are a p2xl or a Oneplus 6, or keep the Note 8 but the GF needs a new phone
loki993 said:
Yeah that's great, but as you probably know people and dogs rarely stand still..babies even worse. If it's a little slow that's a definitely no, I got a note 8 and even that is a bit slow at times and I miss the shot Im trying to get.
My other options are a p2xl or a Oneplus 6, or keep the Note 8 but the GF needs a new phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the problem people move and the AI modes say keep still even once shot
I played with the note 9 last night and it was lightening fast
Sent from my CLT-L29 using XDA Premium HD app
mancuk29 said:
I find with people oh and dogs it can be a a little slow I am thinking of jumping ship to the note 9 as that camera is lightening fast plus you can add a memory card
When you come to scenary I have to say wow
The attached pic is unedited
I have to say however it's an amazing device it's fast and fluid operating system wise i have always used iPhones and am happy to have moved to android just wish camera person wise was more polished
Sent from my CLT-L29 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Slow to focus or slow shutter speed? Anyway I don't find it slow by any means, one of the fastest to both focus and fire of a shot to be honest
I've found the rear cameras work really well - it is fast to focus, the night mode and B&W are really good. Turn off the AI as I think it's not very good. For just a point and shoot, I think the Pixel 2 will give you better results. If you are willing to put in a bit of work into your shots, I think the P20 Pro will give you excellent results. Now, if you are talking about the front camera, it is not very good (IMO). So, if you use the front camera quite a bit, I might suggest other options for you.
From what I hear, the video is not very good either (I don't shoot video, so I cannot comment first hand). I've read that the rear camera processing software was done by Leica and the front camera and video was done by Huawei - that may explain the difference in quality between those.
Overall, I find the hardware excellent but am not so fond of EMUI (esp. the memory management, notifications and AOD).
I take loads of photos of my kids, who never stop moving. Ever. Most of the time it takes amazing shots, but sometimes they're a bit blurry.
The over softening of faces has been reduced on recent updates, and if you're in portrait mode you can dial it down with a slider (it's called beauty level).
You'll struggle with ROMs now though - Huawei have stopped giving bootloader unlock codes. This means you won't be able to flash anything, and even if you could it has completely stifled development. Personally I wouldn't buy it now because of this (you also won't be able to root). But the photos really are incredible so if you can put up with stock software and no root then get it.
rajeshr said:
I've found the rear cameras work really well - it is fast to focus, the night mode and B&W are really good. Turn off the AI as I think it's not very good. For just a point and shoot, I think the Pixel 2 will give you better results. If you are willing to put in a bit of work into your shots, I think the P20 Pro will give you excellent results. Now, if you are talking about the front camera, it is not very good (IMO). So, if you use the front camera quite a bit, I might suggest other options for you.
From what I hear, the video is not very good either (I don't shoot video, so I cannot comment first hand). I've read that the rear camera processing software was done by Leica and the front camera and video was done by Huawei - that may explain the difference in quality between those.
Overall, I find the hardware excellent but am not so fond of EMUI (esp. the memory management, notifications and AOD).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah honestly I don't use a front camera a lot and even when I do the quality doesn't really matter all that much.
I do do a lot of point and shoot, the quick snap of a kid doing something . But I do like having the extra functionality if I really wanted to take the time to get a really good shot. That's just not always practical.
krs360 said:
I take loads of photos of my kids, who never stop moving. Ever. Most of the time it takes amazing shots, but sometimes they're a bit blurry.
The over softening of faces has been reduced on recent updates, and if you're in portrait mode you can dial it down with a slider (it's called beauty level).
You'll struggle with ROMs now though - Huawei have stopped giving bootloader unlock codes. This means you won't be able to flash anything, and even if you could it has completely stifled development. Personally I wouldn't buy it now because of this (you also won't be able to root). But the photos really are incredible so if you can put up with stock software and no root then get it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, it seems that people were trying to get Huawei to allow people to unlock again. Eh may it would be better to just wait until that happens.
Ok so a few things.
The device as a non rooted device is as good as they come.
Design
Battery
Camera
Performance
Storage
System
Can't fault any of it.
My wife has the phone as stock and she loves it.
I have the phone with the bootloader unlocked, debranded and rooted and I love it.
I can do a lot more than my wife can with it due to the flexibility of being able to remove bloat and install things like lineage and mods like swap torpedo for speed.
Personally if I was unable to unlock the bootloader, there is no way I would contemplate buying this phone, not for its price or for it's hindered lack of unlocking options.
My advice, you cannot unlock the bootloader any more.
Pixel 2 XL It's just dropped by £100
OnePlus 6T when it arrives
Pixel 3 when it arrives.
Not this phone, unless you are going to never hope to root it.
No one of the things I would need would be to get rid of EMUI because people don't seem to like it and from what I hear I wouldn't like it either. I would by buying it with the intention of swapping something more stock ish on it, so if I can't do that its really a non starter.
I'm really looking at a 2xl probably from swappa there are a bunch of refurbs or buybacks on there for a pretty decent price and there is the 200 off deal from Fi too.
I am considering the 6, yeah the 6t will be out but not until November and even then what can they do to change it? wireless charging is almost a sure bet, but not sure what else. Maybe a bit of work on that notch but that doesn't bother me too much. My note 8 has wireless charging and I never use it, so I can do without that.
The 3XL was what I wanted originally but the more leaks I see of the phone the more I don't like it. Again I'm not a notch hater like some people seem to be but it is rather large on the 3xl it seems and with the chin on the bottom it makes the screen look oddly placed...aesthetic issues only though.
The big thing though is it looks like it's only going to have 4 gigs of ram and a battery that's not any larger than its predecessor and for a phone that's likely going to cost around a thousand dollars that's just not acceptable. Now if they come out and say we could only fit this battery and 4 gigs of ram in it because our sensor is bigger than the P20 pros, or something else crazy like that, they may have my attention, but until I hear something like that Im not so interested. Even then, Huawei managed to fit a 4k battery and 6 gigs of ram and 2 more cameras in their phone in addition to the big one...so even that would be a weak excuse, but I could settle for that.
Loving my pro. Coming from Samsung for over ten years, I really like emui. Very easy to use. Very customizable. Thumbs up from me.
Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
I'm debating for weeks now on which phone to upgrade my small Pixel 2. I love its camera but battery life sucks, even after replacing the battery.
I am able to buy a new Samsung S21 Ultra for 720 euros or try to import the new Pixel 6 Pro for 900 euros.
Which one would you choose and why?
Cheers
Personally I'd stick with the s21 ultra. If the pixel was a massive jump I might of swapped over but it's not great, battery is a bit rubbish. It's just ok...I think the s21 wins in more ways. Id like stock android though for sure
I would stay with the S21, other than stock android and a few software tricks it beats the Pixel 6 Pro hands down.
S21 Ultra any day...
Or the Pixel 6 if you are not into photography and don't need the extra 4x optical zoom of the Pro
Badelhas said:
I'm debating for weeks now on which phone to upgrade my small Pixel 2. I love its camera but battery life sucks, even after replacing the battery.
I am able to buy a new Samsung S21 Ultra for 720 euros or try to import the new Pixel 6 Pro for 900 euros.
Which one would you choose and why?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S21 Ultra (snapdragon) with Gcam. Best of both worlds for me.
tfn said:
S21 Ultra any day...
Or the Pixel 6 if you are not into photography and don't need the extra 4x optical zoom of the Pro
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm into photography. Love the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom that that I won on a giveaway 2 years ago and gave to my wife (features that she doesn't use, tbh).
But I've read that the S21 Ultra is terrible taking pictures for moving stuff because of the shutter lag. Is this true?
Where I live I can't get the snapdragon version, unfortunately.
Thank you all for your opinions.
I had the Pixel 3 XL then Pixel 4 XL because Google kept showing off great features that were eventually only released in the U.S. Call screening, call waiting, even certain features of Google Photos. They are doing that same bull**** about the Pixel 6 chip is needed for the eraser feature, yet the feature has been proven to work on older Pixels. They excel in camera/photos and new features but fail to deliver a whole package when it comes to phones. And they are the best in class for bait and switch tactics with their phones. As I mentioned, I got the Pixel 2 for call screening, and then they dropped the bombshell coming soon outside the U.S. The same with the Pixel 4, it's coming soon so I stayed with them. Now nearly 4 years later the feature has arrived, I gave up waiting.
lywyn said:
I had the Pixel 3 XL then Pixel 4 XL because Google kept showing off great features that were eventually only released in the U.S. Call screening, call waiting, even certain features of Google Photos. They are doing that same bull**** about the Pixel 6 chip is needed for the eraser feature, yet the feature has been proven to work on older Pixels. They excel in camera/photos and new features but fail to deliver a whole package when it comes to phones. And they are the best in class for bait and switch tactics with their phones. As I mentioned, I got the Pixel 2 for call screening, and then they dropped the bombshell coming soon outside the U.S. The same with the Pixel 4, it's coming soon so I stayed with them. Now nearly 4 years later the feature has arrived, I gave up waiting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, your right, most of the smart features they announced don't even work in Portugal, where I live. Some of them can work in the future but who knows. Which phone do you own now? Are you thinking about switching? If you were me: Samsung S21 Ultra for 720 euros or Pixel 6 Pro for 900 euros?
Cheers
Badelhas said:
Yeah, your right, most of the smart features they announced don't even work in Portugal, where I live. Some of them can work in the future but who knows. Which phone do you own now? Are you thinking about switching? If you were me: Samsung S21 Ultra for 720 euros or Pixel 6 Pro for 900 euros?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the S21 Ultra. Switched after getting sold a lie by Google too often. Even the photos "free pixel" storage was removed for older Pixels. Classic a bit and switches as per Google One is now a must-have for Pixel owners.
Now they are selling a 30W fast charger with claims the Pixel 6 supports it, but again lies and false claims.
Pixel 6 devices don’t really charge at 30W speeds
One of the selling points that Google is pushing about its Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro is that it has fast-charging capabilities. While they don’t actually include a fast charger when you buy the…
androidcommunity.com
lywyn said:
I have the S21 Ultra. Switched after getting sold a lie by Google too often. Even the photos "free pixel" storage was removed for older Pixels. Classic a bit and switches as per Google One is now a must-have for Pixel owners.
Now they are selling a 30W fast charger with claims the Pixel 6 supports it, but again lies and false claims.
Pixel 6 devices don’t really charge at 30W speeds
One of the selling points that Google is pushing about its Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro is that it has fast-charging capabilities. While they don’t actually include a fast charger when you buy the…
androidcommunity.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know. And they claim that the fingerprint reader is slow for security reasons. lol.
So you are happy with your S21 Ultra? What were the downsides and upsides from switching from stock android from your old Pixel?
Cheers
Badelhas said:
I know. And they claim that the fingerprint reader is slow for security reasons. lol.
So you are happy with your S21 Ultra? What were the downsides and upsides from switching from stock android from your old Pixel?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They integrate more with Google, supporting Google Messages, Photos, Discovery, etc. But the are still niggles that I've had to get used to. The biggest annoyance is Samsung making screenshots part of the photos/camera storage folder so they are included in Google Photos backups. I am moving off Google services bit by bit due to them just cancelling things or removing free from things. You can use Android gestures for navigation so the switch was easier than I thought it would be. Everything Samsung say the phone can do it does and that is better than Google ever claimed.
arknailed7754 said:
Personally I'd stick with the s21 ultra. If the pixel was a massive jump I might of swapped over but it's not great, battery is a bit rubbish. It's just ok...I think the s21 wins in more ways. Id like stock android though for su
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Badelhas said:
I know. And they claim that the fingerprint reader is slow for security reasons. lol.
So you are happy with your S21 Ultra? What were the downsides and upsides from switching from stock android from your old Pixel?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not understand this question, it's basically lacking any base knowledge of how Android works?
"What were the downsides and upsides from switching from stock android from your old Pixel?"
Load or remove what you use or do not use, it's no different. The only thing is Samsung makes some cool APPS, that you can use if you like. Just like you can go with third party APPS from the Galaxy Store or Play Store. Running plan-jane Android is no longer some great thing. Wake UP!
I think many stock android comments go back to the day that touchwiz and other variants were awful.
That being said development wise you get a lot more than on the s21. Updates for longer also.
As I said though this alone isn't enough to rock a pixel
arknailed7754 said:
I think many stock android comments go back to the day that touchwiz and other variants were awful.
That being said development wise you get a lot more than on the s21. Updates for longer also.
As I said though this alone isn't enough to rock a pixel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe that's why I didn't get the question, I was thinking stock, and now you bring up launchers. All good, hey can't we just download and use google's launcher now anyway, on any Android? For me, thinking stock smooth, is just no longer a thing, it was, a while back, because of bloat and slow down, but today, there really is no such things, all these upper end phones are smooth as butter. BTW, I do switch and use Nova Launcher always.
S21 Ultra Pros:
- Feels more premium. Pixel 6 Pro and the iPhone 13 sound plasticy or hollow when tapped. The s21 ultra absorbs the touch. It's something you have to feel, but it's definitely noticeable.
- 10x Zoom. Wow. This is the only way the camera wins, but it's nice.
- Screen. I had a P6P and the screen is noticeably brighter, and adjusts to the lighting so much faster on the S21 Ultra. I can't believe how long it was taking the P6P to adjust.
- Way less Jank and is faster. The P6P had issues hanging when scrolling in apps. Nothing like this on the S21U
- FP Sensor. The fingerprint sensor is much faster on the S21U
- Heat. My S21U running games doesn't get noticeably hot, the P6P does.
- Battery life. My battery on my S21U has been better overall, but I don't know if that's due to only having the pixel for a little over a week.
Pixel 6 Pro Pros:
- Camera. Camera wins in every way besides the 10x. Samsung over smooths faces or something. It's ridiculous how good the hardware is and how bad the processing is on the S21U
- AOD. The always on display turns off in your pocket. No idea why Samsung took this option away.
Other Notes:
- I've heard the haptics are better on P6P, but I think both are great.
- I've also heard that the P6P has an older modem, but I did not notice any slower loading while on cellular in my testing.
- The charging time is reported to be better on the P6P, but in my testing they were similar.
I went back to the S21U. I just didn't think there were any upgrades that made it worth choosing the Pixel over the S21U as the S21U is better in almost every way.
thacounty said:
S21 Ultra Pros:
- Feels more premium. Pixel 6 Pro and the iPhone 13 sound plasticy or hollow when tapped. The s21 ultra absorbs the touch. It's something you have to feel, but it's definitely noticeable.
- 10x Zoom. Wow. This is the only way the camera wins, but it's nice.
- Screen. I had a P6P and the screen is noticeably brighter, and adjusts to the lighting so much faster on the S21 Ultra. I can't believe how long it was taking the P6P to adjust.
- Way less Jank and is faster. The P6P had issues hanging when scrolling in apps. Nothing like this on the S21U
- FP Sensor. The fingerprint sensor is much faster on the S21U
- Heat. My S21U running games doesn't get noticeably hot, the P6P does.
- Battery life. My battery on my S21U has been better overall, but I don't know if that's due to only having the pixel for a little over a week.
Pixel 6 Pro Pros:
- Camera. Camera wins in every way besides the 10x. Samsung over smooths faces or something. It's ridiculous how good the hardware is and how bad the processing is on the S21U
- AOD. The always on display turns off in your pocket. No idea why Samsung took this option away.
Other Notes:
- I've heard the haptics are better on P6P, but I think both are great.
- I've also heard that the P6P has an older modem, but I did not notice any slower loading while on cellular in my testing.
- The charging time is reported to be better on the P6P, but in my testing they were similar.
I went back to the S21U. I just didn't think there were any upgrades that made it worth choosing the Pixel over the S21U as the S21U is better in almost every way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the comparison and tour inputs. I are almost decided to go with the S21 Ultra. I love the point and shoot great pictures that I get on my Pixel 2 but I guess the S21 Ultra photos are good as well, from the reviews I´ve seen...
Cheers
arknailed7754 said:
Personally I'd stick with the s21 ultra. If the pixel was a massive jump I might of swapped over but it's not great, battery is a bit rubbish. It's just ok...I think the s21 wins in more ways. Id like stock android though for sure
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmmm.This is false. I own both devices. The battery appeared rubbish first couple of days. Due to Google's amazing adaptive battery, I'm getting around 10:16 min-ishscreen on time. That Tensor AI is the real deal. I continually become more more impressed as I noticed the device getting better and learning.
The smart features in the pixel 6 pro alone makes it worth it. I typed this entire message by voice, without touching the keyboard at all. The AI automatically inserted all the punctuation and deep learned the grammar checking all on it's own.
I think people underestimate how good pixels improve over time with Google magic.
The other smart features are incredibly convenient, intuitive and without getting too hyperbolic, amazing. Live translate allows you to literally translate anything anytime, anywhere with your keyboard or microphone. Being able to see hold times when you call ridiculous companies like insurance companies is downright cool. I recently got into a car accident and been having to call Geico repeatedly. One hour hold times. I'm able to see when those hold times. As soon as i preemptively see the call volume subside throughout the day, this allows me to make the perfectly timed pinpointed call. Call screening is amazing too. Telemarketers and Scam callers get tea bagged. Not even to mention live caption...
The smoothness and raw ui usage speed is slightly better than my s21 ultra.
The six pro screen is the clearest most beautiful screen I've ever seen on a smartphone. All videos and anything other than websites actually look like beautiful web pages with perfect clarity.
Additionally, The six Pro has just been released. Like literally just released. It's had only one day one update. As amazing as the 6 pro is, it'll even get dramatically better than it is now -- in the next couple months, with those updates. People forget how crappy the s21 Ultra or the 9 Pro software was on day one.
Don't get me wrong. I adore my s21 ultra. But my carefully calibrated and monitored opinion is the Pixel 6 Pro is better.
Now, if we're talking the s22 Ultra compared to the pixel 6 Pro, now we have legitimate conversation.
S21 ultra. the pixel 6 pro is hyperthetic
Burt Squirtz said:
Hmmmm.This is false. I own both devices. The battery appeared rubbish first couple of days. Due to Google's amazing adaptive battery, I'm getting around 10:16 min-ishscreen on time. That Tensor AI is the real deal. I continually become more more impressed as I noticed the device getting better and learning.
The smart features in the pixel 6 pro alone makes it worth it. I typed this entire message by voice, without touching the keyboard at all. The AI automatically inserted all the punctuation and deep learned the grammar checking all on it's own.
I think people underestimate how good pixels improve over time with Google magic.
The other smart features are incredibly convenient, intuitive and without getting too hyperbolic, amazing. Live translate allows you to literally translate anything anytime, anywhere with your keyboard or microphone. Being able to see hold times when you call ridiculous companies like insurance companies is downright cool. I recently got into a car accident and been having to call Geico repeatedly. One hour hold times. I'm able to see when those hold times. As soon as i preemptively see the call volume subside throughout the day, this allows me to make the perfectly timed pinpointed call. Call screening is amazing too. Telemarketers and Scam callers get tea bagged. Not even to mention live caption...
The smoothness and raw ui usage speed is slightly better than my s21 ultra.
The six pro screen is the clearest most beautiful screen I've ever seen on a smartphone. All videos and anything other than websites actually look like beautiful web pages with perfect clarity.
Additionally, The six Pro has just been released. Like literally just released. It's had only one day one update. As amazing as the 6 pro is, it'll even get dramatically better than it is now -- in the next couple months, with those updates. People forget how crappy the s21 Ultra or the 9 Pro software was on day one.
Don't get me wrong. I adore my s21 ultra. But my carefully calibrated and monitored opinion is the Pixel 6 Pro is better.
Now, if we're talking the s22 Ultra compared to the pixel 6 Pro, now we have legitimate conversation.
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Click to collapse
Yeah but I live in Portugal. Besides the fact that I have to import it from France or Germany none of those smart features you mentioned work in my language/country. Samsung doesn't make it those distinctions and their hardware is supported and sold all over the world.
Badelhas said:
I'm debating for weeks now on which phone to upgrade my small Pixel 2. I love its camera but battery life sucks, even after replacing the battery.
I am able to buy a new Samsung S21 Ultra for 720 euros or try to import the new Pixel 6 Pro for 900 euros.
Which one would you choose and why?
Cheers
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Click to collapse
I bought both of these because I couldn't make up my mind. It was a very hard choice but I plan to return the Pixel 6 Pro for a refund and keep the S21 Ultra.
The software on the Pixel seems buggier. There have been a few times while using the browser that it just straight locked up. Mostly while browsing XDA. Stock Android is also very meh to me.
After using both for only a week I've noticed the camera is only marginally better on the pixel if you aren't doing any zoom shots. If you're zooming at all, it's not that great. I took a bunch of photos with both phones and both consistently looked really good.
The pixel is easier to hold in the hand and I think it feels a little bit more premium than the S21 Ultra.
I think the S21 Ultra may be better for battery.
Odd that the price difference is like that. Here in the states, the S21 Ultra is like $300 more than the pixel 6 pro.
So, got my phone yesterday and wanted to test the camera out. The s21 ultra will cost me around 60USD per month so I want to be blown away when moving up from s9+. But, so far I have experienced a "meh" situation where of course, the image on the screen is good, the scrolling is fantastic with 120Hz and the stereo speakers are awesome. But the image quality when just firing up the camera app and not doing any setting is just "meh". I am not impressed so far. I took some photos in the house today. Mostly with normal settings auto but the one with the deers are with pro mode and the same settings. I checked all settings and alla iso(plus rest) parameters. Am I missing something? Or why am I not impressed going from s9+ to s21 ultra?
I have not tested 4k/60fps video yet but I am already thinking of returning the phone and waiting for a good second hand version. Uploading some pictures. Let me know if I should test in another way
Forgot to add that the left pictures are always s21 ultra
Started checking the tube for some comparison and I mean videos, the look really good. I think just perhaps shooting neutral and color correct will do a nice job
Return the Phone.
I u are not happy with it.
I am just wondering if it's me, the phone or something else that makes me feel that s9+ to 21 ultra is not a big leap. I am planning to use my gimbal with my phone to capture some nice b-roll movies but what I can see so far not much has happened to the images. I am afraid to use the new s21 to much as I am thinking of returning it but I really want it to be a good buy, but already after 1 day I am thinking of a return. Perhaps I was expecting VHS to bluray difference but cameras are already so good that it's hard to make giant leaps.
It's not a big leap in terms of camera. Personally I regret not returning it in time. Now I am stuck with it and the main problem for me is the weight. I bought it thinking I was going to use this for years but now I can't stand the thought of holding this brick for so long. Also, the photos are not a huge step forward. There are instances where I see more details but also more noise. I find them to be noisy and videos blotchy in low light. I mean, the truth is, it's not worth the money. Also, pay attention to the photos you are taking with it, because the S21 Ultra has the HDR processing on, no matter if you turn it off or not. So, if you see any difference between your S9+ and S21, it's actually the HDR. The biggest problem of them all is the fact that I cannot find a good alternative to it. All of the other flagships are basically the same thing, most of them don't even have the 10x optical zoom. Cameras just cannot be better than they are now as long as they have tiny sensors. So if you do return it, you might want to hold off upgrading for some time.
Randi03 said:
It's not a big leap in terms of camera. Personally I regret not returning it in time. Now I am stuck with it and the main problem for me is the weight. I bought it thinking I was going to use this for years but now I can't stand the thought of holding this brick for so long. Also, the photos are not a huge step forward. There are instances where I see more details but also more noise. I find them to be noisy and videos blotchy in low light. I mean, the truth is, it's not worth the money. Also, pay attention to the photos you are taking with it, because the S21 Ultra has the HDR processing on, no matter if you turn it off or not. So, if you see any difference between your S9+ and S21, it's actually the HDR. The biggest problem of them all is the fact that I cannot find a good alternative to it. All of the other flagships are basically the same thing, most of them don't even have the 10x optical zoom. Cameras just cannot be better than they are now as long as they have tiny sensors. So if you do return it, you might want to hold off upgrading for some time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, this is exactly what I was afraid of. I want to create some nice b-roll movies and I have a good gimbal for my phone. It feels like with a stable camera and normal daylight, there will be no difference. It's only if I want to do alot of lowlight or wide angle shots. It's just not worth the 60USD/month when I have an ok phone. I will wait for the s22 and see if it has some new power. According to the new qualcom the nextgen chip will wonders....but that is what every generation of phone says also, but when it comes to daily use I have not seen big leaps.
Tomorrow I will return the phone and sorry for all you s21u lovers, this one wasn't for me.
Thanks again @Randi03 for giving an open and honest view of the phone from a daily user
Glad to be of help. I also hope the next generations will bring something new and worth upgrading to... For me personally I will do my best to test them before buying and ignore all the hype from the manufacturers and the reviews.
A number of users have stated the S9 is Galaxy's best camera. I'm pretty sure you're not operating the S21 camera at optimal settings. Everyone knows the Exynos SoC lags behind the Snapdragon for camera quality but those photos are awful. Somethings not right but I doubt it's just the camera or chipset on your device.
varcor said:
A number of users have stated the S9 is Galaxy's best camera. I'm pretty sure you're not operating the S21 camera at optimal settings. Everyone knows the Exynos SoC lags behind the Snapdragon for camera quality but those photos are awful. Somethings not right but I doubt it's just the camera or chipset on your device.
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Click to collapse
The snapdragon version is better than the Exynos because it gives good performance in all aspects. The camera quality is best compared to the Exynos version.
varcor said:
A number of users have stated the S9 is Galaxy's best camera. I'm pretty sure you're not operating the S21 camera at optimal settings. Everyone knows the Exynos SoC lags behind the Snapdragon for camera quality but those photos are awful. Somethings not right but I doubt it's just the camera or chipset on your device.
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Click to collapse
I did not set the camera to optimal settings. I wanted to try the s21ultra "out of the box". I tested some pictures on auto mode and when I switched to pro mode I made sure to at least use the same settings. Then of course we can discuss if the settings where optimal but this was not the point. 2 phones with same settings where one is a couple of generations behind should not have almost same quality pictures. And I cannot show you side-by-side the displays in preview mode but in some places I saw better preview of the image in the camera app on the s9+.
There is no doubt that the s21ultra is better, it is, but it's not 60USD/month better with my current phone
Well, I wanted to be wow-ed and really looke forward to the s21 ultra but yesterday I returned it. Waiting for the next generation but will really really check comparison videos before I decide anything
S22 is a note rather than an S
pixellegolas said:
I did not set the camera to optimal settings. I wanted to try the s21ultra "out of the box". I tested some pictures on auto mode and when I switched to pro mode I made sure to at least use the same settings. Then of course we can discuss if the settings where optimal but this was not the point. 2 phones with same settings where one is a couple of generations behind should not have almost same quality pictures. And I cannot show you side-by-side the displays in preview mode but in some places I saw better preview of the image in the camera app on the s9+.
There is no doubt that the s21ultra is better, it is, but it's not 60USD/month better with my current phone
Well, I wanted to be wow-ed and really looke forward to the s21 ultra but yesterday I returned it. Waiting for the next generation but will really really check comparison videos before I decide anything
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I'm afraid of. I'm currently on note 10+, love it but I want better camera, by that I mean better crop ability. Gcam makes things better but I still hope those mpx do the diffrence in crop ability
I'm looking for some "long-term" users that have the phone since release now.
Did the camera get better with updates? (especially the auto focus bug when shooting 4k60fps videos)
Or is motorola at least acknowledging these bugs?
I'm probably going for the 30 Ultra nonetheless, but still not 100% sure if I might get the Pixel 7 Pro.
Camera is not fixed yet and Motorola does not communicate with us. No idea if they are planning to fix it.
Other than that the phone is brilliant. I'd wait until december and see if they fix it, if not go for the Pixel.
Gonna swap phones and never return to Motorola if they dont fix it by the end of the year. Sadly.
I like it. My only problem and a important one. When inside a car peoples i talk with tell me they hear mew very bad. Cant tell why. Better quality on messenger or app calls. Terrible quality when having regular call insider a moving car.
memocatcher said:
I'm looking for some "long-term" users that have the phone since release now.
Did the camera get better with updates? (especially the auto focus bug when shooting 4k60fps videos)
Or is motorola at least acknowledging these bugs?
I'm probably going for the 30 Ultra nonetheless, but still not 100% sure if I might get the Pixel 7 Pro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been using the phone (X30 Pro) for over a month now.
For the price I bought it (~USD630) and at 512gb storage, I would not complain.
- Excellent build quality
- Excellent display
- Powerful and very loud stereo speakers
- Vibration motors are top-notch
- Very smooth performance. No lags, stutters
Main camera - it has better image quality/color science than the Edge 30 Pro but autofocus is slower. It's not slow but Edge 30 Pro's very fast "all-pixel" auto focus is just on a different level. I'd say it focuses as fast (or slow) as the latest Galaxy S22 series.
Portrait Lens - no OIS means, it's difficult to use when you are holding your phone in one hand. To me, this is the weakest point. The saving grace is the f1.6 (probably this was intentional to compensate the lack of OIS hardware).
Ultrawide/macro - not a fan of this lens. I'm ok with it and will only use in daylight shots.
Video -- it's just fine. Also not into video recording and I can use Google photos to edit the video quality.
Front camera -- I think this is the strongest camera of the bunch. Very pleasing (little to no beautifying effects).
Motorola CN ROM -- Even if the Edge 30 Ultra is sold at the same price, I would still choose Moto's CN ROM.
Motorola Device Shield app has all the customizations I need on a phone.
Native app locker, background processing, native app clone, etc...
ijuanp03 said:
Been using the phone (X30 Pro) for over a month now.
For the price I bought it (~USD630) and at 512gb storage, I would not complain.
- Excellent build quality
- Excellent display
- Powerful and very loud stereo speakers
- Vibration motors are top-notch
- Very smooth performance. No lags, stutters
Main camera - it has better image quality/color science than the Edge 30 Pro but autofocus is slower. It's not slow but Edge 30 Pro's very fast "all-pixel" auto focus is just on a different level. I'd say it focuses as fast (or slow) as the latest Galaxy S22 series.
Portrait Lens - no OIS means, it's difficult to use when you are holding your phone in one hand. To me, this is the weakest point. The saving grace is the f1.6 (probably this was intentional to compensate the lack of OIS hardware).
Ultrawide/macro - not a fan of this lens. I'm ok with it and will only use in daylight shots.
Video -- it's just fine. Also not into video recording and I can use Google photos to edit the video quality.
Front camera -- I think this is the strongest camera of the bunch. Very pleasing (little to no beautifying effects).
Motorola CN ROM -- Even if the Edge 30 Ultra is sold at the same price, I would still choose Moto's CN ROM.
Motorola Device Shield app has all the customizations I need on a phone.
Native app locker, background processing, native app clone, etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's honestly a shame that the CN Rom has so much more useful features than the Global one.
They removed double tap to lock and hide navbar pill in global rom which is really dumb imo. Makes me question if I'm better off rooting my 30 ultra to get those features through magisk/lsposed
memocatcher said:
It's honestly a shame that the CN Rom has so much more useful features than the Global one.
They removed double tap to lock and hide navbar pill in global rom which is really dumb imo. Makes me question if I'm better off rooting my 30 ultra to get those features through magisk/lsposed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just stay with your stock ROM. Rooting isn't just worth all the hassle you'll get after your phone's bootloader has been unlocked. Once unlocked, you can't relock it. I think the main reason is to discourage resellers as there is a huge difference in price of Moto CN vs Moto global phones.
Can the phone record video in 4K on ultrawide and tele?
Blescik said:
Can the phone record video in 4K on ultrawide and tele?
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Click to collapse
It can. With 3rd party apps not with the current stock camera version.
Hey guys, just a quick question, I bought X30 but Netflix, Disney+ and HBO max don't seem to work at all, do you have any idea of what's happening? Vendor told me to go with a factory reset but tbh I don't think that would get that solved, thanks.
aquino.andres said:
Hey guys, just a quick question, I bought X30 but Netflix, Disney+ and HBO max don't seem to work at all, do you have any idea of what's happening? Vendor told me to go with a factory reset but tbh I don't think that would get that solved, thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to your carrier access point name.... In that select apn protocol to IPv4....
It's a network carrier problem... It worked for me in past ... And hopefully for you too
amanujkumar said:
Go to your carrier access point name.... In that select apn protocol to IPv4....
It's a network carrier problem... It worked for me in past ... And hopefully for you too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey buddy! I don't know if you could be so kind and attach some screenshots, have been looking for IP protocol edit or something like that on carrier options, thanks!
aquino.andres said:
Hey buddy! I don't know if you could be so kind and attach some screenshots, have been looking for IP protocol edit or something like that on carrier options, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay... I am attaching screenshots... Hope it helps you out.
amanujkumar said:
Okay... I am attaching screenshots... Hope it helps you out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks bro! Already tried it out, selected that and rebooted but still same error message :c
I just recently became a proud owner of this phone, but the first thing I noticed right off the bat was that the buttons are not as clicky and tactile as I'm used to being, coming from the OnePlus 6 I can definitely say the button feels a bit stiff and quite mushy, I'm using it with the default silicone case. Is it just me?
I think it all comes down to personal preference since I like more mushy buttons, not a Big fan of clicky ones :c
aquino.andres said:
I think it all comes down to personal preference since I like more mushy buttons, not a Big fan of clicky ones :c
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it's not something to do with my specific unit I guess.
Nope, mine's mushy as well
Hello my dear friend: do you have any idea how to make the exposure last more than a minute in astrophotography with the Motorola edge 30 Ultra? Is there any option to increase the time or to be able to modify it, can you enable it?
ijuanp03 said:
Been using the phone (X30 Pro) for over a month now.
For the price I bought it (~USD630) and at 512gb storage, I would not complain.
- Excellent build quality
- Excellent display
- Powerful and very loud stereo speakers
- Vibration motors are top-notch
- Very smooth performance. No lags, stutters
Main camera - it has better image quality/color science than the Edge 30 Pro but autofocus is slower. It's not slow but Edge 30 Pro's very fast "all-pixel" auto focus is just on a different level. I'd say it focuses as fast (or slow) as the latest Galaxy S22 series.
Portrait Lens - no OIS means, it's difficult to use when you are holding your phone in one hand. To me, this is the weakest point. The saving grace is the f1.6 (probably this was intentional to compensate the lack of OIS hardware).
Ultrawide/macro - not a fan of this lens. I'm ok with it and will only use in daylight shots.
Video -- it's just fine. Also not into video recording and I can use Google photos to edit the video quality.
Front camera -- I think this is the strongest camera of the bunch. Very pleasing (little to no beautifying effects).
Motorola CN ROM -- Even if the Edge 30 Ultra is sold at the same price, I would still choose Moto's CN ROM.
Motorola Device Shield app has all the customizations I need on a phone.
Native app locker, background processing, native app clone, etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you didn't sell the device (I hope so), you are using this device for almost 8 months now.
I am planning to buy the CN version (X30 Pro).
Can you take some time and share your long-term experience, please?
One thing I am worried about that, in some youtube reviews they say, the metal frame on the side is really sharp which makes it kinda uncomfortable to hold. Is it true? If yes, how much uncomfortable/annoying is it? Actually ,I want to use this phone without any case.
[email protected] said:
if you didn't sell the device (I hope so), you are using this device for almost 8 months now.
I am planning to buy the CN version (X30 Pro).
Can you take some time and share your long-term experience, please?
One thing I am worried about that, in some youtube reviews they say, the metal frame on the side is really sharp which makes it kinda uncomfortable to hold. Is it true? If yes, how much uncomfortable/annoying is it? Actually ,I want to use this phone without any case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right, a sharp frame is present. It didn't bother me much but not everyone might like it, it's pretty obvious...