Develop Bugs

Can you guys still recommend this device?

I had this question recently for the sgs2 forum and was set when I find out att doesnt have them no more, and almost leaned towards the note or sgs2 skyrocket today when I had the most aggravating time with att csr where my upgrade date was changed for no apparent reason so I'm done with att and contracts but thats nor here nor there. Yes I tried to find these devices on craigslist but nothing went through and I rather save myself the aggravation with used devices from people that did who knows what to them.
So my main reason for even thinking of the sgs2 was for the dev support. And I know this device has some great dev support but the reputation for this device isnt the greatest like the screen and camera I believe. So with that being said is it worth the $400 for a new one?

Absolutely it's worth $400. If you want to put it in perspective a bit, yeah it's not as good as the GS3, BUT, it's about 90% as good for 50% of the price. As far as bang for your buck goes, it doesn't get any better without signing two years away.

Yup.

$400 for the GSM model is a really good price IMO.

I guess ordering one this weekend would be useless due to the holiday?
Also, what kind of benchmarks are you guys getting with the custom roms?
And I hardly hear any talk about the led notifications? Do any roms take advantage of them, I mean do they work well with different types of alerts like say just one color for google voice texts?

I think is worth I got a htc one s(had a sprint galaxy nexus loved the phone hated the network) so I got tmobile and I'm gonna sell my sprint gnex and get me a galaxy nexus unlocked the one s camera is really good and sense has improved but man this phone feels faster and with tmobile speeds I'm hooked

SysAdmNj said:
I guess ordering one this weekend would be useless due to the holiday?
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Well might as well order so it ships out ASAP on Tuesday.
Also, what kind of benchmarks are you guys getting with the custom roms?
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Benchmarks are pointless.
And I hardly hear any talk about the led notifications? Do any roms take advantage of them, I mean do they work well with different types of alerts like say just one color for google voice texts?
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The stock ROM offers limited LED control app-by-app. Some ROMs have LED control with more granularity. Most people are using Light Flow to control their LED. It works extremely well. You can configure everything.

I wouldn't pay 10 pounds for this phone!!! Google doesn't care about this nexus!!!
Sorry I forgot , this is no phone because u can't make a call after 20 attempts or receive a call )
So its more like a mini tablet )
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Mine is working quite nicely. I'd highly recommend it over others at $600-$700 for sure.

I will never buy a carrier device again after owning a Nexus device. I will get updates beyond what any carrier will offer so my $400 device is worth more than any $2-300 subsidized device.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

As others have said for $400 its a wonderful deal. I got mine 3 months ago for $450. That being said the screen on devices like the OneX look nicer.
For that price, you cant really argue. I love the stock android experience and getting updates direct from Google. There's a really active development community for this phone (and the other nexus devices for that matter) and i've been able to check out a lot of custom roms and kernels.
Go for it

It's obviously still a relevant device if the OP is still thinking about this device compared to what's out there.
It's a great device at a great price. Not much to really say.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

martonikaj said:
Benchmarks are pointless.
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With all due respect benchmarks are not pointless or else people wouldnt use them at all. Its not a black or white issue. Its a bit more complex than that. When used properly they can serve to paint a generalized picture of performance for any given device. Admittedly they can also be manipulated to post huge numbers that do not reflect real world performance. They can also be used as a tool to diagnose or confirm a performance issue. Now in no way am I suggesting that these benchmarks are the be all end all but they surely are not pointless.
A while back I posted in a thread regarding this topic and asked the participants to explain to me a way that would ensure accurate results when testing our devices. No one responded, probably because nobody cares. It seems there two kinds of people here with regards to benchmarks. Those who use them and those who do not. And I have yet to see any rational discussion on this topic. not that im looking for it.
Anyways My Gnex scored a 6801 on AnTuTu
GNEX- Running AKOP 4.04 with Francos Kernel overclocked to 1344MHz

What's not to like? I have had this phone for a few months now, rooted it the first day and am running all kinds of ROMS and Kernels. I guess if you are running stock and wait for Google or carrier updates you may get a bit frustrated but I have had a great experience with it.
The camera controversy is silly. 5MP vs 8mp on a "flat lens" with a cell phone processor to me is not detectable (IMHO). I carry a DSLR to get my high quality pictures not the phone.
My only complaint has always been battery life. Coming from a Thunderbolt with a very large extended battery and a smaller screen, I routinely run out battery. But this phone has a large beautiful screen and that screen eats power. So I bought this
http://www.amazon.com/New-Trent-IMP1000-Thunderbolt-Blackberry/dp/B003ZBZ64Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338036621&sr=8-1
and my problems are solved. But performance wise, looks wise, and reliability wise, this phone is awesome. Just run the latest rom (AOKP), kernel(franco), radio (FC04/05) and you'll be fine.

First android device ive owned that ive not felt the need to root or flash a custom rom on.
Very fast and smooth phone.
Stock ICS looks so much nicer than any of the skins out there.
Ive ordered my wife an SGS 3 and im not even a little bit jealous. The novelties that it adds like pop up play i already have on my phone from a free app on the play store.
The hold your phone to your ear from a message to call can be added though smart gestures.
Tried S voice on my phone and i honestly think that speaktoit assistant is better so i deleted the S voice. ( before it was patched )
2 of my friends have One X and i hate the new sense. The only thing i like from the newer phones is the burst mode which again can be added through an app.
The Galaxy Nexus will recieve much better support than other phones obviously in case you care about that.
Great phone and i plan on keep it for quite a while.
Edit: Oh yeah and use light flow for the notification light. I have blue for sms... Green for Gmail... Red for missed call... Yellow for Gtalk etc etc. Again another free app

How about the onscreen buttons , is that hard to get used to?

I upgraded from an og EVO4g and after this I will never use anything but a Nexus phone ever again. LightFlow unlocks all of the LED notification colors, and the 5mp camera on this phone blows the 8mp camera of my Evo out of the water.

SysAdmNj said:
How about the onscreen buttons , is that hard to get used to?
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For a few hours maybe but once you get used to is hard to go back to capacity buttons
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

Not hard to get used to, but then I've had a Honeycomb tablet for about a year.
This phone is undeniably worth the $400. I'm getting the GS3 for my husband, and I'm not even jealous.

other than the dodgy radio's it's the best phone ive had soo far. runs ics as it's suppose to be.

Help deciding between g3 and iPhone 6+

Hey guys. I am a long time jailbroken iPhone user. I am really into tech and wanted to try an android phone. However with the 5.5 iPhone I basically decided to just get the iPhone 6+ but now I have cold feet. Even though iOS 8 opens it up more I don't like certain restrictions like widgets in the notification center. Anyway Of all the android phones I have tried I liked the G3 the best. I have some concerns hoping you can help me with
-I have AT&T, how easy is it to root and get rid of the bloatware?
-does custom roms cause problems? Is it comparable tosses with Jailbreaking?
- when android L comes out what is the expected delay in the G3 getting it.
-I noticed the screen max brightness is not great. How is it in real life.
- one other issue I have is that the g3 has been out for a few months instead of a hot new phone.
Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

Stigga said:
Hey guys. I am a long time jailbroken iPhone user. I am really into tech and wanted to try an android phone. However with the 5.5 iPhone I basically decided to just get the iPhone 6+ but now I have cold feet. Even though iOS 8 opens it up more I don't like certain restrictions like widgets in the notification center. Anyway Of all the android phones I have tried I liked the G3 the best. I have some concerns hoping you can help me with
-I have AT&T, how easy is it to root and get rid of the bloatware?
-does custom roms cause problems? Is it comparable tosses with Jailbreaking?
- when android L comes out what is the expected delay in the G3 getting it.
-I noticed the screen max brightness is not great. How is it in real life.
- one other issue I have is that the g3 has been out for a few months instead of a hot new phone.
Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The fact that you're even considering it shows your not ready to come to the light. Go with the iphone. Try it out at least.

I have att also
Rooting is easy ,, and removing bloatware is easy also,there are a couple quides for that
As for custom Roms there are non yet for the att g3 as it has a locked boot loader, but there are a couple devs working on unlocking the boot loader or finding an exploit to allow us to flash custom recoveries and roms
Android L if released will most likely make it to our g3 late 2014 or first quarter 2015
For the brightness issue I installed lux auto brightness
sent from my LG G3 D850

6 plus bro

Thanks guys. Decided to not pre order the 6 plus- which is big for me. In regards to removing bloatware, how can you do that if there is no customer toms.

Stigga said:
Thanks guys. Decided to not pre order the 6 plus- which is big for me. In regards to removing bloatware, how can you do that if there is no customer toms.
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You have Titanium Backup to remove bloatware and I'm sure many other apps to do the same thing, but I can guarantee you that most people here use Titanium Backup.

This sums it up for me.
"On paper the iPhone 6's specs are mediocre, there's nothing special about 1GB of RAM, nothing special about a 2GHz quad-core CPU, and there's nothing special about a 1,810 mAh battery. The only thing truly staggering about the iPhone 6 is how much Apple are charging for the right to own barely more than a high-to-mid-range phone."
Read more: http://www.itproportal.com/2014/09/09/iphone-6-vs-lg-g3-full-specs-comparison/#ixzz3D6Lap97T

It's really simple to root G3 and to remove bloatware with for example Titanium backup. As in, really simple. So don't worry about that.

lossah said:
It's really simple to root G3 and to remove bloatware with for example Titanium backup. As in, really simple. So don't worry about that.
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Thanks guys. Is it this way with all android phones or just this phone.
Also do you guys like the G3? Would you get it now if you were looking for a phone?

Stigga said:
Thanks guys. Is it this way with all android phones or just this phone.
Also do you guys like the G3? Would you get it now if you were looking for a phone?
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About buying this phone:
Yes, IF its possible to remove this lag completely, and I think it is. I'm pretty sure it's because of the LG UI. As far as I know the s805 version also has UI lag.
And yes, if our lovely devs find a way to unlock the bootloader, since I'm one of those who likes to try roms out, "sadly".
But I bought this phone thanks to the big and beautiful display with really thin bezels, removable battery and SD card slot.

lossah said:
About buying this phone:
Yes, IF its possible to remove this lag completely, and I think it is. I'm pretty sure it's because of the LG UI. As far as I know the s805 version also has UI lag.
And yes, if our lovely devs find a way to unlock the bootloader, since I'm one of those who likes to try roms out, "sadly".
But I bought this phone thanks to the big and beautiful display with really thin bezels, removable battery and SD card slot.
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Oh man there is a lot of lag?

Stigga said:
Oh man there is a lot of lag?
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Not at all, but there is. And I'm completely allergic to any kind of lag. If it's not INSTANT, as in INSTANT, I call it lag.

lossah said:
Not at all, but there is. And I'm completely allergic to any kind of lag. If it's not INSTANT, as in INSTANT, I call it lag.
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Click to collapse
Haha I like that

lossah said:
Not at all, but there is. And I'm completely allergic to any kind of lag. If it's not INSTANT, as in INSTANT, I call it lag.
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Click to collapse
lol "not at all" ?? or "there is"?? you're not making sense my friend!

Iphone 6 the 2012 model released 2 years late lol
Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

If you go with the G3, get the 32gig model for the extra ram, I got the 16gig 2gigRAM model, wish I could have gotten the extra RAM
Also in terms of brightness, I've never maxed out the brightness in my daily use (haven't had the need), so not sure why people are complaining about brightness :/

Blaster1984 said:
lol "not at all" ?? or "there is"?? you're not making sense my friend!
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Click to collapse
He said "lot of lag". It's not "lot of lag" but there is lag. Its not lag FREE.
What's so hard to understand?

AC5L4T3R said:
This sums it up for me.
"On paper the iPhone 6's specs are mediocre, there's nothing special about 1GB of RAM, nothing special about a 2GHz quad-core CPU, and there's nothing special about a 1,810 mAh battery. The only thing truly staggering about the iPhone 6 is how much Apple are charging for the right to own barely more than a high-to-mid-range phone."
Read more: http://www.itproportal.com/2014/09/09/iphone-6-vs-lg-g3-full-specs-comparison/#ixzz3D6Lap97T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Until android (now byte code and java etc) will be full ART- the answer is iPhone (run native code). There is no way that apps run on google's Android RT virtual machine can be smooth and lag free like ios. Hopefully L finally fix the historical issue. We cannot compare processors, memory or battery because ios architecture doesn't need hi spec hardware due to this native code. Android has to do 'much' more.

lossah said:
Not at all, but there is. And I'm completely allergic to any kind of lag. If it's not INSTANT, as in INSTANT, I call it lag.
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Click to collapse
I am a bit like that because I am used to WP and compared to windows everything is slow.

prfraczek said:
Until android (now byte code and java etc) will be full ART- the answer is iPhone (run native code). There is no way that apps run on google's Android RT virtual machine can be smooth and lag free like ios. Hopefully L finally fix the historical issue. We cannot compare processors, memory or battery because ios architecture doesn't need hi spec hardware due to this native code. Android has to do 'much' more.
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Click to collapse
Still. They charge an amazingly high amount for the hardware they pack inside, sure the phone runs smooth and is comparable with devices with higher specs, but it seems like they could do a little better if they lowered the price. Unless they spend a tone on advertising, that would explain the high prices lol

Would you recommend the Nexus?

I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan

It's a decent phone and there is still some Dev support. I bought mine about a year ago and have been satisfied. Battery life sucks compared to newer phones signal isn't to great compared to my RAZR. But all in all it having an unlocked BL on Verizon makes it all worth while. I thoroughly enjoy mine and will only move if nexus 6 is unlocked on Verizon.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I can join my previous speakers. It has a very bad battery, it's lags often in apps and the screen is very worn because of this early AMOLED technologie, BUT if you have only 100€ its one of the better phones. I'm using it right now because my nexus 5 were broken and I really like it because it just works. However if you have $50 more to spend when you should buy the moto g. It has clearly more power and offical support by motorola.

no. this phone is terrible, and i'm currently looking into buying a replacement battery for my S3 since it's been sitting in my drawer and i have no idea where the battery went, plus it's broken
i can probably find some way to fix it on ADB, but if not, i'll just wait until i upgrade then i'll get the oneplus one
seriously this phone sucks, there is nothing to recommend about it

No man dont do it .. phone performance is pretty random, dont know why, sometimes it flies like an S4, sometimes it lagz and freezes like an S1..

I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Maximinus I said:
I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.

rrrrrrredbelly said:
Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.
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Click to collapse
Well, web browsing has become hard since 4.4.x. To be honest, KitKat is a mess on this phone. I hope new GPU drivers and 3.4 kernel will help.
If I were you I would buy a Moto G.

I'm using Gnex for a half a year. I bought used. So not because of data plan.
For me Gnex can still give what i need for "normal" daily use - sms, browser, messenger, driving assist, news reading, some games ....
So it depends on your need
best regards

It's a beautiful device, but it's definitely not the best. I absolutely love the unobtrusive design of the front -- just plain black. The phone is the exact right size for me, and the volume and power buttons are in exactly the right place; however the bezels are quite large in comparison to newer phones. This makes the structural integrity of the phone better, but it isn't really nice to me. The back of the phone has a comfortable plastic "grippy" feeling that makes it easy to hold, especially with the curved extrusion at the bottom by the speaker grill.
The speaker is awful, as with all Samsung devices. It's a back-facing speaker that's tiny and easy to cover up. Not much of a problem if you use earphones like I do.
It easily lasts me through a school day, though it only lasts about 4 hours streaming video. Its dual core processor is definitely outdated and consumes far more powererformance than any modern phone.
The screen is on-par with the Galaxy S3 screen, which isn't a compliment. It's low-resolution in comparison to new phones (1280x720), it's hot (as in it actually feels hot) and consumes a heck of a lot of battery very quickly. The colour is amazing, vibrant and simply gorgeous... but, within a few months, you get screen burn-in which is especially noticeable in low light -- speaking of which, the screen in low light is far worse than any IPS with a slightly grainy image, though it does retain a good contrast. Its slightly curved display prevents it from scratching anything facing down and, in my opinion, makes it easier to touch things at the top of the screen.
The phone's radio is only GSM (unless you're going for Sprint or Verizon), so if you're wanting LTE, tough luck. It also doesn't have FM or AM radio if you're into that.
The camera's not the best, but it does the job. The flash is often over-bright, and lacks HDR, motion stabilisation and is only 5 Megapixels. Front camera is 720p.
So why buy this phone? If you can get it really cheap, go for it. If not, go for something newer like the Moto X, Moto G, Nexus 5 or the upcoming Nexus 6 for a similar, updated experience.
Just remember, it's truly an Android modder's dream. It's extremely mod-able with a decent sized community. In my opinion, it is still the best phone I have ever used. I find that just the pure feeling and look of the phone is enough to keep me with it. Also, with recent additions to the phone like F2FS, graphics drivers, new kernels, new ROMs etc., the phone is still very usable for just about everything -- even most gaming.

For $100 i would buy it. The moto g is comparable and faster but almost $100 more. But I think your question is already answered
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Free mobile app

bought mine for 70 dollars one month ago, definetily worth it.

I would much rather use an s4 with touchwiz than use a galaxy nexus. The gnex is the second worst android phone that I've ever owned.

You really can't compare a three year old phone to a phone that is just over a year old. Of course the s4 will be better but touchwizz yuck it would probably be just as slow as a galaxy nexus.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Appreciate everyone's response, thanks

It's a good phone when it was released but the battery life is quite short even though I don't have a lot of apps on it. When the battery life is in the red, it usually last around 5 minutes then it shuts down. I think it was better than than iPhone 4 at its time since it was one of the first phone with a larger screen.

I agree with the other posts.
Honestly, I think CM10 runs amazing on the phone and the signal is actually quite good with that version. 4.4.4 doesn't do well on it for the signal...at least for me. I have been trying many ROMs / Kernels and I have the same luck with them all. I only have mine because I bought it for like $80 on ebay and still have the unlimited plan with Verizon so I don't want to upgrade to a new phone unless I pay the big dollars.
Battery life...is crap like everyone else states. I bought three batteries for this phone for that reason and always have it plugged in, which is why I actually have burn in from my apps.

I own GNex for almost 3 years now and here are few things coming into my mind right now:
Terrible camera
Terrible speaker (Very low volume)
Slow as hell
Worn screen
Incredibly short battery life
Also, with such limited memory multitasking is pretty much not existent if you like installing many apps
Honestly, there is not a single day that I don't want to throw my unit against the wall.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from this peace of junk.
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us

rrrrrrredbelly said:
I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan
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Click to collapse
I'm keeping it because I don't have much money on a new phone and there isn't much on the market that really makes me want to spend anything.
The Galaxy Nexus is a really ****ty phone. If it wasn't a Nexus it would get zero respect from me.
I mean for an old and cheap phone, it's probably the best you can buy at this moment but I'd suggest saving a few more dollars and getting something better.

kobik77 said:
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us
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Thanks but on verizon, looks like that gsm only.

Refund Snapdragon For Exynos?

My carrier (Bell in Canada) has agreed to let me do a refund on my Snapdragon Note 7 because of the recall. I was thinking of then going and buying a Exynos version because I get lag with my Snapdragon version which drives me nuts. I was looking into B&H Photo because they provide a 1 year warranty and say they will be getting new stock of the "f" model around Sept 18 that is safe from the recall. I would end up paying about $500 extra to switch versions and be contract free. Is it worth it? Is rooting and performance that much better?

acheney1990 said:
My carrier (Bell in Canada) has agreed to let me do a refund on my Snapdragon Note 7 because of the recall. I was thinking of then going and buying a Exynos version because I get lag with my Snapdragon version which drives me nuts. I was looking into B&H Photo because they provide a 1 year warranty and say they will be getting new stock of the "f" model around Sept 18 that is safe from the recall. I would end up paying about $500 extra to switch versions and be contract free. Is it worth it? Is rooting and performance that much better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take a look at this before making any decisions...

TEKHD said:
Take a look atthisbefore making any decisions...
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That does seem like a pretty big difference. Does it tend to translate to real life difference?

acheney1990 said:
That does seem like a pretty big difference. Does it tend to translate to real life difference?
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Yes, the Exynos is much smoother in real life. The SD is a bit of a fail in the Note 7.

acheney1990 said:
My carrier (Bell in Canada) has agreed to let me do a refund on my Snapdragon Note 7 because of the recall. I was thinking of then going and buying a Exynos version because I get lag with my Snapdragon version which drives me nuts. I was looking into B&H Photo because they provide a 1 year warranty and say they will be getting new stock of the "f" model around Sept 18 that is safe from the recall. I would end up paying about $500 extra to switch versions and be contract free. Is it worth it? Is rooting and performance that much better?
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Click to collapse
I'm with Bell as well, how did you get them to agree? The only thing I have seen is this: http://support.bell.ca/mobility/smartphones_and_mobile_internet/samsung_galaxy_note7_update

Batfink33 said:
Yes, the Exynos is much smoother in real life. The SD is a bit of a fail in the Note 7.
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I agree get the Exynos if you can. The Snapdragon is full of problems and terrible battery life compared to the Exynos version.
Literally the only way I can make my Exynos lag is too open all 120 apps while multi windows + running Antutu (exaggeration obviously) in all seriousness I have never seen my device lag even when gaming order and chaos 2, dead trigger 2, Pokemon Go, clash of clans..etc

stevierayvaughan said:
I'm with Bell as well, how did you get them to agree? The only thing I have seen is this: http://support.bell.ca/mobility/smartphones_and_mobile_internet/samsung_galaxy_note7_update
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Click to collapse
I talked to them today over chat support. I asked about exchange or refund. They seemed reluctant at first but said were gonna put a note in my account for when I went back to the store I got it from... Saying to refund it. No if they actually do so at the store or what trouble they give me is another thing.

So here is my story...
I bought the Note 7 in Hong Kong (SMN-9300). Normally in HK all previous note / galaxy releases have always come with the Exynos chipset. So to my surprise when i picked up my brand new Note 7 on September 2nd, It had the SD 820. After reading hundreds of posts on here and other forums and seeing lots of users claim the Exynos was better I went and bought a Singapore Version SMN-930F which comes with an Exynos CPU. After 2 days of using both I can honestly say there is LITTLE to no difference in real life everyday use.
I had let my obsession get the best of me and shelled out the money to buy a second Note 7 just because everyone was saying "Get the exynos" "Its soooo much better". This is total B.S. Im holding both devices right now and I can promise you there is NO huge noticeable difference. Ive heard reports of lags on both the Exynos and Snapdragon version. But both devices which i have run smooth and fine. The battery life is almost identical, perhaps slightly better on the Exynos. But its hardly noticeable at all. I find that the SD has MUCH better GPU performance and does not run nearly as hot as the Exynos.
After obsessively benchmarking both, I've come to the conclusion that they are almost identical in most cases. The SD version always destroys the Exynos on the Antutu (Which is mostly to test GPU / Graphics). While the Exynos crushes the SD on geek Bench (More CPU geared). As for other tests like Basemark OSII, Vellamo PCMark etc they both score almost identically. To be honest I really don't think these benchmark results mean much and are not very relevant to the everyday user. Because despite the bench mark results, I find that the Exynos handles games / graphic intensive tasks just as well as the SnapDragon 820. And the SD runs as fast, and is just as responsive as the Exynos.
The moral of the story is don't over think things like i did! Save your $500 bucks and stick with the SD version. After using both devices for a few days i can tell you from HONEST experience there is no noticeable difference between the 2. They are both totally capable of runnings apps, web browsing, watching movies, playing games and things that most users need. If there was a HUGE difference between the 2 I would tell you go ahead and spend the $500. But in all honesty you will be disappointed when you shell out the $500 bucks and get the Exynos and notice there is little to no noticeable difference.
In you initial post, you stated that your SD version is laggy, and thats why you want to exchange to the Exynos version. But take a look at some of the SM-930F (Exynos) posts on XDA and you will see users facing the same problems with the Exynos version. From lagged typing / keyboards, Boot Loops, Screen issues to over all lagged performance. Yet as mentioned I have two Note 7's (SD & Exynos) and have not had any of the above mentioned problems on either. I suspect the problem could be related to the early produced models, Battery issues, or software issues. Have you tried to factory reset your note? Make sure it has the latest software update and try it then?
Also keep in mind both devices are still reasonably new. And with the whole exploding battery fiasco, Samsung probably has not had much time to focus on software updates. Im sure after the Battery / recall issues are resolved and the device has been on the market for a few months both versions will get several updates which will make them even better.
Hope this helps!

phame said:
So here is my story...
I bought the Note 7 in Hong Kong (SMN-9300). Normally in HK all previous note / galaxy releases have always come with the Exynos chipset. So to my surprise when i picked up my brand new Note 7 on September 2nd, It had the SD 820. After reading hundreds of posts on here and other forums and seeing lots of users claim the Exynos was better I went and bought a Singapore Version SMN-930F which comes with an Exynos CPU. After 2 days of using both I can honestly say there is LITTLE to no difference in real life everyday use.
I had let my obsession get the best of me and shelled out the money to buy a second Note 7 just because everyone was saying "Get the exynos" "Its soooo much better". This is total B.S. Im holding both devices right now and I can promise you there is NO huge noticeable difference. Ive heard reports of lags on both the Exynos and Snapdragon version. But both devices which i have run smooth and fine. The battery life is almost identical, perhaps slightly better on the Exynos. But its hardly noticeable at all. I find that the SD has MUCH better GPU performance and does not run nearly as hot as the Exynos.
After obsessively benchmarking both, I've come to the conclusion that they are almost identical in most cases. The SD version always destroys the Exynos on the Antutu (Which is mostly to test GPU / Graphics). While the Exynos crushes the SD on geek Bench (More CPU geared). As for other tests like Basemark OSII, Vellamo PCMark etc they both score almost identically. To be honest I really don't think these benchmark results mean much and are not very relevant to the everyday user. Because despite the bench mark results, I find that the Exynos handles games / graphic intensive tasks just as well as the SnapDragon 820. And the SD runs as fast, and is just as responsive as the Exynos.
The moral of the story is don't over think things like i did! Save your $500 bucks and stick with the SD version. After using both devices for a few days i can tell you from HONEST experience there is no noticeable difference between the 2. They are both totally capable of runnings apps, web browsing, watching movies, playing games and things that most users need. If there was a HUGE difference between the 2 I would tell you go ahead and spend the $500. But in all honesty you will be disappointed when you shell out the $500 bucks and get the Exynos and notice there is little to no noticeable difference.
In you initial post, you stated that your SD version is laggy, and thats why you want to exchange to the Exynos version. But take a look at some of the SM-930F (Exynos) posts on XDA and you will see users facing the same problems with the Exynos version. From lagged typing / keyboards, Boot Loops, Screen issues to over all lagged performance. Yet as mentioned I have two Note 7's (SD & Exynos) and have not had any of the above mentioned problems on either. I suspect the problem could be related to the early produced models, Battery issues, or software issues. Have you tried to factory reset your note? Make sure it has the latest software update and try it then?
Also keep in mind both devices are still reasonably new. And with the whole exploding battery fiasco, Samsung probably has not had much time to focus on software updates. Im sure after the Battery / recall issues are resolved and the device has been on the market for a few months both versions will get several updates which will make them even better.
Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're missing the biggest advantage of the Exynos variant. A lot of users love it for its superior battery life, and having used yours for little time, you probably wouldnt have had enough time to thoroughly test it. Correct me if im wrong!!
I would happily dish out $500 for a Note 7 that lasts 2 extra hours of the screen on, especially with less lag. I can personally confirm the SD Note 7 is trash.

the only issue I'm having with the exynos is button lag (have to keep pressing the button esp on the phone app before it works) and occasional reboots. It also hung when sending a SMS whilst listening to music, taking 2 restarts to go back to normal.

imatts said:
I think you're missing the biggest advantage of the Exynos variant. A lot of users love it for its superior battery life, and having used yours for little time, you probably wouldnt have had enough time to thoroughly test it. Correct me if im wrong!!
I would happily dish out $500 for a Note 7 that lasts 2 extra hours of the screen on, especially with less lag. I can personally confirm the SD Note 7 is trash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive been using both phones (Exynos & Snapdragon) for a few days now. Again im using the INTERNATIONAL version of the SD (SM-N9300). This model was only released on September 2nd, so maybe its better than the US snapdragon version released almost a month before. Meaning maybe samsung has made some changes / tweaks to the phone to make it run better.
- Lag : When comparing the 2 I see little to NO lag in either phone. And to be honest when I do see the occasional bit of lag its on the Exynos version! This normally happens when typing . I have yet to experience lag on the SD version.
- Battery life : I Can confirm that there is NO where near a 2 hour advantage. I have left both phones on next to each other for 2-3 hours strait and the difference in battery drop has been max 3-5%( So for example the SD would be at 85% and the Exynos would be at 88%).
And if you are advising him to "happily dish out $500 for 2 hours battery life" That sounds a bit silly. For $500 bucks you could go buy yourself a whole second phone like the OnePlus 3. Which would give you a lot more for your money.
Hell for $500 bucks you could grab a brand new OnePlus 3 + External portable charger + order a pizza!
Also as mentioned I'm almost certain the difference in battery life is no where near 2 hours. More like an extra 15-30 minutes at MOST. I will post more accurate details after testing the phones further in the coming days.
As of now the ONLY advantage I'm seeing with the Exynos is the ability to root it now. And that is presuming that you are willing to VOID the warranty on a brand new $800-900 phone you just bought. Im sure down the line the SD version will be rooted. And with everything available today (App De-enabler, Helium, etc) rooting is not much of a priority for most as it used to be. I would honestly be hesitant to root my Exynos version being that its a expensive devise and still very new. I don't want to risk voiding my warranty just yet.
So in short:
BOTH VERSIONS - Little to no lag, Perform fine.
Exynos - Slightly better battery (3-5% overall is my estimate), ability to root NOW, if you are willing to void your warranty.
SnapDragon (SM-N9300 International version) - Slightly better GPU processing. Does not get as hot when running heavy / graphic intensive games. No lag issues with keyboard. No crashes / boot loops yet.

phame said:
Ive been using both phones (Exynos & Snapdragon) for a few days now. Again im using the INTERNATIONAL version of the SD (SM-N9300). This model was only released on September 2nd, so maybe its better than the US snapdragon version released almost a month before. Meaning maybe samsung has made some changes / tweaks to the phone to make it run better.
- Lag : When comparing the 2 I see little to NO lag in either phone. And to be honest when I do see the occasional bit of lag its on the Exynos version! This normally happens when typing . I have yet to experience lag on the SD version.
- Battery life : I Can confirm that there is NO where near a 2 hour advantage. I have left both phones on next to each other for 2-3 hours strait and the difference in battery drop has been max 3-5%( So for example the SD would be at 85% and the Exynos would be at 88%).
And if you are advising him to "happily dish out $500 for 2 hours battery life" That sounds a bit silly. For $500 bucks you could go buy yourself a whole second phone like the OnePlus 3. Which would give you a lot more for your money.
Hell for $500 bucks you could grab a brand new OnePlus 3 + External portable charger + order a pizza!
Also as mentioned I'm almost certain the difference in battery life is no where near 2 hours. More like an extra 15-30 minutes at MOST. I will post more accurate details after testing the phones further in the coming days.
As of now the ONLY advantage I'm seeing with the Exynos is the ability to root it now. And that is presuming that you are willing to VOID the warranty on a brand new $800-900 phone you just bought. Im sure down the line the SD version will be rooted. And with everything available today (App De-enabler, Helium, etc) rooting is not much of a priority for most as it used to be. I would honestly be hesitant to root my Exynos version being that its a expensive devise and still very new. I don't want to risk voiding my warranty just yet.
So in short:
BOTH VERSIONS - Little to no lag, Perform fine.
Exynos - Slightly better battery (3-5% overall is my estimate), ability to root NOW, if you are willing to void your warranty.
SnapDragon (SM-N9300 International version) - Slightly better GPU processing. Does not get as hot when running heavy / graphic intensive games. No lag issues with keyboard. No crashes / boot loops yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you don't experience the issue with the Snapdragon where the phone will be super fast like 90 percent of the time and then just gets super leggy and slow... So that for example if you're typing you have to wait for it to catch up... Typing one letter at a time? That's what happens to mine... 90 percent fast. .. 5 percent slow and 5 percent unbearablly slow. It doesn't seem to have any pattern or reason... Every with very little open it will start to stutter like that.

acheney1990 said:
So you don't experience the issue with the Snapdragon where the phone will be super fast like 90 percent of the time and then just gets super leggy and slow... So that for example if you're typing you have to wait for it to catch up... Typing one letter at a time? That's what happens to mine... 90 percent fast. .. 5 percent slow and 5 percent unbearablly slow. It doesn't seem to have any pattern or reason... Every with very little open it will start to stutter like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope.
I have been using the SM-N9300 (Hong Kong version) of the Note 7 w/ the Snap Dragon 820 for 6 days now. Have not had a single lag issue. No problems whatsoever with the typing. I have installed and used the stock Samsung, Google and Swift Key keyboards and all of them work perfectly fine with no lag whatsoever.
What is funny is that the Exynos version I recently purchased and have had for almost 3 days now, has had that lag with typing. But only once or twice and nothing too extreme. There is actually a whole thread of people using the Exynos version who are experiencing the Key board lag issue here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-7/how-to/galaxy-note-7-singapore-thread-sm-t3444909
and
here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-7/help/note-7-repeated-restart-bootloop-issues-t3444510/page11

Snapdragon = locked bootloader.
Exynos= unlocked.
That's all that needs to be said and should be an easy choice if your here on XDA.
sent from my Note 7 or S6

Might be blasphemy here but after years of custom ROMs on S3 and shortly on S5 (which made the experiences great, no doubt), I can't think of any reason to need root with what I can do on the Note 7 as it is. Even Good Lock takes me back to that nice notification and quick settings I was used to. Of course that's just my requirements of the phone, no doubt plenty want root.

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=EiJrEq4CXfQ

Concerns with purchasing a Zenfone 2.

Today I have been looking at new phones to purchase since I broke my old one. I like the price and specs of the Asus Zenfone 2.
My question to those of you here who have used this phone is, have you had any major issues with it that would warrant a replacement? Also, would it be a good phone to set up a custom modded rom on or should I look into other alternatives?

Jokester22 said:
Today I have been looking at new phones to purchase since I broke my old one. I like the price and specs of the Asus Zenfone 2.
My question to those of you here who have used this phone is, have you had any major issues with it that would warrant a replacement? Also, would it be a good phone to set up a custom modded rom on or should I look into other alternatives?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had mine since new , battery is better now than when I first used it at the beginning >19 months ago .
Brought it back from brick successfully every time .
Nougat is available now cm14.1 and although unofficial at the moment , it is great for me as main ROM and I am sure it will go from strength to strength.
Again , it all depends what you really want, I was contemplating a newer device this year but the devs bringing N changed my mind for at least another year.
This is the longest I have ever kept a phone BTW and its going no- where, any time soon.
Mines the ze551ml z00a 64gb 4gb ram 2.3ghz version comes with fast charger adapter.

timbernot said:
Had mine since new , battery is better now than when I first used it at the beginning >19 months ago .
Brought it back from brick successfully every time .
Nougat is available now cm14.1 and although unofficial at the moment , it is great for me as main ROM and I am sure it will go from strength to strength.
Again , it all depends what you really want, I was contemplating a newer device this year but the devs bringing N changed my mind for at least another year.
This is the longest I have ever kept a phone BTW and its going no- where, any time soon.
Mines the ze551ml z00a 64gb 4gb ram 2.3ghz version comes with fast charger adapter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! My biggest concern was going to be the battery. Some of the reviews I have read for the phone have been concerning in regards to the battery. Someone even said that the battery expanded and popped up their screen. Seemed a bit crazy. Is it true that the battery can't be removed? At least not by conventional methods... Also what carrier are you using it on?
Edit: Just noticed you are in the UK so the carrier thing won't help answer all my questions. LOL. However, it looks like it should be compatible with many of the carriers in the US.

Not seen many US people making threads about bands so should be OK

I definitely not suggest you this phone. (unless you pay it 100€)
-Poor battery life
-Bad quality construction (Speaker braking and ghost touch almost on every device after 6-12 months)
-Too big and heavy (this may be subjective).
-Bad software optimization
I'm moving to Lenovo Zuk Z2.

This is an old phone now. Get something new. :good:

timbernot said:
Had mine since new , battery is better now than when I first used it at the beginning >19 months ago .
Brought it back from brick successfully every time .
Nougat is available now cm14.1 and although unofficial at the moment , it is great for me as main ROM and I am sure it will go from strength to strength.
Again , it all depends what you really want, I was contemplating a newer device this year but the devs bringing N changed my mind for at least another year.
This is the longest I have ever kept a phone BTW and its going no- where, any time soon.
Mines the ze551ml z00a 64gb 4gb ram 2.3ghz version comes with fast charger adapter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DONT buy it
Reasons?:
-Poor battery life
-Ghost touches everywhere (defective phones, no matter how many times do you use warranty, ghost touches always come back)
-ASUS really dont want you to use other roms (its kinda easy to use other roms if you are experienced, but if you are a noob with android rooting, unlocking bl and that ****, you'll have some troubles).

gREENNNNN said:
DONT buy it
Reasons?:
-Poor battery life
-Ghost touches everywhere (defective phones, no matter how many times do you use warranty, ghost touches always come back)
-ASUS really dont want you to use other roms (its kinda easy to use other roms if you are experienced, but if you are a noob with android rooting, unlocking bl and that ****, you'll have some troubles).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mines great , like already mentioned.
I don't experience anything like you lot have experienced
Will do me for another year at least.
I had the HTC one m7 4g version from new , camera went pink and battery would be approx 27% when I got home from a shift(below health and battery longevity threshold) and it would get hotter than the sun , whereas same shift and I'm in the high 70's % with the zenny
Not a scratch on it , no ghost sh1t or anything.
When it was new , battery was like the m7 with stock ROM
Nothing but praise at a 3rd the price of the HTC one

Jokester22 said:
Today I have been looking at new phones to purchase since I broke my old one. I like the price and specs of the Asus Zenfone 2.
My question to those of you here who have used this phone is, have you had any major issues with it that would warrant a replacement? Also, would it be a good phone to set up a custom modded rom on or should I look into other alternatives?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As you can see there are a few who have had issues with their device, but there are the exceptions rather than the rule. EVERY phone line will have some who have issues. I think some of those here wouldn't be happy with a phone that lasts ten years on a charge and could cook and clean for them, but I digress.
I have had the US version of the ZE551ML 64GB since launch day. Great phone, great performance, good battery life (lasts me all day and then some, but my wife can kill it in no time when she gets to seriously playing games on it; it is a phone and not a Gameboy). I have used mine on the AT&T/Cricket network with no problems whatsoever. It should work on T-mobile but it does not have band 12 so I don't know how solid it would be on LTE.
I did have to RMA my original phone just before the one year warranty ran out, but it was not for a failure. On mine the glue between the glass and LCD separated; this did not affect its performance but it did create a silver outline around the screen. Asus replaced my phone without an issue because they were out of replacement screens at the time. I would have no issue whatsoever with buying another ZE551ML.

Don't bother dude, it's got the ****tiest build quality. Mine looks like it came from the trash. Sure it runs smooth, but ghost touches are a *****.

Trotter516 said:
As you can see there are a few who have had issues with their device, but there are the exceptions rather than the rule. EVERY phone line will have some who have issues. I think some of those here wouldn't be happy with a phone that lasts ten years on a charge and could cook and clean for them, but I digress.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, there has been a lot of tossing and turning over the quality of this phone. As my issue is being the cost of the phone, I am trying not to spend too much more than $200. Actually noticed that the Zenfone 3 was around and considered getting the Laser. After some research and thinking though I'm going with the Moto G4, maybe the G4 Plus.

I'm actually in the same boat here.
I am tired of being stuck to a carrier.
Currently on sprint and the service just sucks. I can spend less than $200 for the 64gb ZE551ml and can switch to metro or something. I don't have the money to spend on super high end phones.
I saw the Zenfone 3 laser but not sure what to do.
I was super intrigued when I first saw this phone.

Dalamar1320 said:
I'm actually in the same boat here.
I am tired of being stuck to a carrier.
Currently on sprint and the service just sucks. I can spend less than $200 for the 64gb ZE551ml and can switch to metro or something. I don't have the money to spend on super high end phones.
I saw the Zenfone 3 laser but not sure what to do.
I was super intrigued when I first saw this phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-g
This is the phone I have decided to go with. I have not ordered one yet as I am not in a dire need for a phone but it looks really good and its a more recent release compared to the Zenfone 2. The Zenfone 3 laser was my second choice or even the Honor 5x.

4gb ram 64gb version is $300

It is but I don't really have a need for all that. The biggest issue I had with my last phone was the processor was just crap.

Jokester22 said:
It is but I don't really have a need for all that. The biggest issue I had with my last phone was the processor was just crap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"..... I like the price and specs of the Asus Zenfone 2....." from your first post
You a real jokester ?

timbernot said:
"..... I like the price and specs of the Asus Zenfone 2....." from your first post
You a real jokester ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mostly saw 2gb versions XD. Don't get me wrong. I would not mind a 4gb phone but as per preference I would rather just get the newer hardware.
Edit: I should also note that I had not looked at much other phones yet at the time of this posting.

O_O I think i may have misread something when i was looking at Zenfone 2's. Forgive my stupidity. It would seem I need to look more into it. In the end though its gonna come down to price at the time of purchase. Wouldn't happen to have link to your model for a decent price would you?

Jokester22 said:
O_O I think i may have misread something when i was looking at Zenfone 2's. Forgive my stupidity. It would seem I need to look more into it. In the end though its gonna come down to price at the time of purchase. Wouldn't happen to have link to your model for a decent price would you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
USA right ?
:good:

Ah nice.
I hope its allowed too. That is a helpful one to look at, especially since I often overlook Ebay.
Thanks for that!