It has been out for a while now and I was wondering whether Sony had any plans to bring out a new one, or does this version have pretty much all the technology they can hope for right now?
Thinking about taking the plunge but it seems there are lots of things that aren't quite there yet with it? Are these things that can be fixed with software updates?
This watch will continue to get updated just like the rest of the android wear devices. It has gps, wifi, and nfc. More tech than any other android wear device. This is the one watch you can buy that has been future proofed for sure. I wonder worry at all. Since all android wear watches are stock, nexus like, they will all continue to get updates.
the watch has only been out 4 months (or thereabouts) it is hardly a long time, certainly far too early to be talking about support being dropped!
Well it's good then as I finally took the plunge and bought one! Quite happy with it so far and I haven't used it for what I really want yet (running without my phone)
Yeap. Only thing I would have liked was if Sony had added a heart rate monitor. Not necessary but good thing to have. I'd imagine that'll make it an even better sports watch
Heart rate monitoring would've been cool, but look at all the problems involving inaccuracies others have had. Its a cool gimmick, but I think that Sony choose wisely in this regard. Sure they definitely narrowed their consumer base, but focused their attention elsewhere.
neuty said:
Heart rate monitoring would've been cool, but look at all the problems involving inaccuracies others have had. Its a cool gimmick, but I think that Sony choose wisely in this regard. Sure they definitely narrowed their consumer base, but focused their attention elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since the HR technology used is the same as an oximeter, the main problem arises from getting the HR on the back of the wrist. It's not a gimmick honestly, it's just that different people have different wrists and this is the limiting factor. Hospital heart rate monitors clip onto your fingers which works for nearly everyone. I wouldn't say it's a wise decision for sony to omit this HR feature but it makes financial sense for them to maximize their profits though they could have captured a larger market with HR included.
lambstone said:
Since the HR technology used is the same as an oximeter, the main problem arises from getting the HR on the back of the wrist. It's not a gimmick honestly, it's just that different people have different wrists and this is the limiting factor. Hospital heart rate monitors clip onto your fingers which works for nearly everyone. I wouldn't say it's a wise decision for sony to omit this HR feature but it makes financial sense for them to maximize their profits though they could have captured a larger market with HR included.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the technology has a nearly insurmountable limiting factor, with broad reports of it not working well for a broad base, then i would argue it is a wise decision to leave it out. Personally, given the nature of the sensors, i am happy it was ommited in likely favor of NFC and WiFi, which will be more useful in the near future.
well im sure they will update it until SW4 but sadly as it is Android Wear, Sony must wait for Google all the time cause its not up to Sony, so new updates takes time ! still waiting for proper sleep tracker, wifi and such !
migidid said:
well im sure they will update it until SW4 but sadly as it is Android Wear, Sony must wait for Google all the time cause its not up to Sony, so new updates takes time ! still waiting for proper sleep tracker, wifi and such !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have sleep as android app that has all the sleep tracking functionality with full support for the SW3.
Not that it's free, but in my experience the oem apps from the providers usually aren't good, i own an smartband SWR30 and i have to say lifelog is not good for anything. The sleep tracking charts are just laughable at best.
So although Sony didn't give their own sleep tracking app there are others in the market that actually looks much better.
andur said:
You have sleep as android app that has all the sleep tracking functionality with full support for the SW3.
Not that it's free, but in my experience the oem apps from the providers usually aren't good, i own an smartband SWR30 and i have to say lifelog is not good for anything. The sleep tracking charts are just laughable at best.
So although Sony didn't give their own sleep tracking app there are others in the market that actually looks much better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, but im still expecting it from Sony, its been what ? 6 months ? i use sleep as android but im still waiting for proper update for that!
Yes that would be great, but i don't think this is the best place to let sony know that you need an adequate app to monitor your sleep and daily activity.
Lifelog it's pretty bad, it consumes a lot of battery and the charts and stats it collects are crap in any sense.
So if i would be you i would just forget about it, they didn't change it from 2 years ago (i had the SWR30 when it came out) and i'm pretty sure they aren't looking to improve it.
Guys,
Currently I am having OnePlus 2 and needs to update my phone. The phones in my mind are : 1. BB PRIV and 2. NB Robin.
I am planning to keep this phone for around 3 years. So the major concerns are as below :
1. OS Stability - The phone should be stable enough. Even if newer updates should be reaching the phone.
2. Camera should be good.
3. Battery - Battery life should be good. should come atleast for a day with high data usage.
I saw all the reviews but still couldn't come to a conclusion, budget is not a concern. So please help me to get out from this dilemma
No offense but it sounds like you need a Nexus device. One nextbit is a new company and nobody knows what there track record will be like until Android n comes available and see how long it will take them to come out with it. And blackberry.........no lol
Sent from my Nexus 5X using XDA-Developers mobile app
If you are a oneplus fan wait for oneplus 3.it will be launch in this month.
Sent from my ASUS_Z00LD using XDA-Developers mobile app
two edge cases at opposite ends of the spectrum, one company is leaving, one has just arrived.
the priv looks like a great phone BUT there's really no evidence to suggest that BB will remain in the phone hardware business after september. the phone is also locked tight so don't expect any enthusiast support.
the robin I use now (coming from a BB passport and S5). it's fast for the hardware, it's open (unlocked boot loader) and there's no evidence that nextbit is shutting down. that's not to say it won't, but with an open phone enthusiast support won't die with the company.
coming from a oneplus it's hard to see a logical progression to the priv. I do love the keyboard though but it wasn't so tough to get back to touch keyboards.
there's plenty of alternatives to the robin.
for the robin, the OS is settling down very well, fast and clean. the camera was slow but not any more. the battery... well with an inaccessible battery any phone might be struggling after a year or two. right now it's fine for me, I don't see it out of the 90%s most days.
as far as I'm concerned, style is the differentiator for the robin and that will always be a personal opinion.
but like red said the oneplus 3 is around the corner.
Yea I have seen OP3. I had used OP1 and OP2. Why i thought to move out from OP is the looks. The new OP3 looks just like HTC from back and OP2 from front. There is nothing much difference or more like a WOW feature in OP3. Thats why I planned to opt out from OP Family. Said this, below are my observations :
Plus for ROBIN :
1. Yes its unlocked and lots of Custom ROM available.
2. Looks and Style are Youth. body color is vibrant
3. Cloud storage is catchy new feature.
Minus for ROBIN :
1. Battery is less than 3000 mah, not sure will it last for a day when data is always ON.
2. Read in forum that phone gets over heated and people commenting that the cracks are developing in body.
3. Display is just full HD and camera also not that great.
Plus for PRIV
1. Looks classy, and like a status quo
2. Quad display and thats evident in display clarity
3. Android skinned with BB, like HUB and all, which is a catchy feature.
4. Battery is 3400mAh.
Minus for PRIV
1. Not able to Root. No custom ROM
2. Company not performing well, so not sure if will get Android N
3. Doesnt have fingerprint sensor
See the Pros and Cons count for both the device remains same for me. thats why i am confused !!!!!!!
I can comment from experience on the robin.
you'll always hear about fringe cases in forums.
the battery is on the small side but there's ways to optimize what's there. also with the ubiquity of power banks these days, unless you're extremely forgetful then carry one around to suit your use.
case cracking does sound ominous. I've had two robins both with a nextbit case which are great. no cracks. I have to consider how the phones were handled, in cases? sat on in back pockets?
no overheating issues, does get warm when exercised but not 'hot'
the display is fine, really. camera has been improved but I don't use it beyond quick snaps and I've no issues with that.
devs are still bringing out improvements. there's a certain amount of confidence to be had from knowing their team is actually active.
sound on latest june update is great. I updated with no issues at all. but mine is stock with nova launcher.
I do really like the priv. I wouldn't be surprised if the price drops considerably soon but $300 for a robin is a steal right now.
But still that doesnt clear my confusion. I was a fan of rooting and all. Now my plan a good stable phone for next 3 years without any hitch.
PRIV is just too expensive...STILL. I went from a BlackBerry Passport to a Robin and it's working out well for me. Yes, the battery is on the small side but it still lasts me through the work day.
Sent from my Robin using XDA-Developers mobile app
tryfe said:
I went from a BlackBerry Passport to a Robin and it's working out well for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did exactly the same thing
Thread closed, please review the forum rules and only post in one spot and in an existing thread if possible: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1620179
Nathan
Forum Moderator
Hi. I've complained and emailed Motorola at least two times after the disaster of my old Moto G4 (water damage) and have voiced out how can they improve things. Now, with planning on buying a G5 Plus I have three main concerns:
1. Having no compass or magnetometer means location services apps like Google Maps (which I use on a daily basis for walking navigation due to the nature of my work and during holiday looking for a nearby restaurant or a place of interest) may function and perform slower than a device with compass. True?
2. Advanced nano coating - I'm worried that when i use my phone in light rain or an accidental drop in the sink might damage the internals when water enter small holes such as mic, speakers, USB port and grooves in-between buttons. So, is it safe or not?
3. Updates - We all know when Lenovo took over Moto updates have been very slow with the current G5 lineup still stuck with 7.0. I'm not into rooting so I depend highly on updates straight from the OEM. But with a near-stock and seemingly optimised software is this a cause for concern? Or better to stick it out with Samsung or Sony which does faster updates?
Some minor concerns are:
1. G5 Plus speakers sound a bit tinnier than last year's model?
2. Camera seem bland and has no image stabilisation apart from a pseudo-EIS at 1080p 30fps but still better than last year?
3. Storage is UFS type or eMMC 5.1?
You sound like you are expecting a flagship level performance from a midranger.
You should be looking for a Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.
Yes, gps should be a bit finicky for walking navigation for initial navigation, once you start walking it should be fine.
No, it's not gonna be safe for dropping in the sink.
Not even Galaxy S8 or LG G6 got any updates beyond 7.0. For a budget phone don't expect security update every month. I would expect a security update like every 3/4 months. And It's probably gonna jump to Android 8.0 directly at the beginning of next year. Assumption is based on the update of my Moto Z play.
You are right about the camera, but unless you purchase a next year's flagship, there is no better camera than this for less than 300$ price tag.
1) Software problems (i.e. slow updates and the like) are all eventually solved with custom roms
2) if you want hardware that the phone doesnt have, you need to pay more for a phone. this is a great mid level phone
Karlinski said:
1) Software problems (i.e. slow updates and the like) are all eventually solved with custom roms
2) if you want hardware that the phone doesnt have, you need to pay more for a phone. this is a great mid level phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a great mid-level phone that's $200 less than another great mid-level phone, OnePlus 3T !!
And the fingerpad control is life changing (I keep trying to swipe on my Tab S2 tablet's button now!)
I do not think things such as a compass is ONLY found on a high-end device. And things i considered "basic" for a mid-range such as USB Type-C (which has been around for a year now in mainstream devices), blue light filter (again present in Asus tablets since 3 years ago & iPhones as well). And a compass.
And a security update 4 months ago isn't good enough; Google has started to be "strict" in encouraging OEMs to at least patch security vulnerabilities (and maybe some minor bug fixes) every month which again to some is a deal breaker and a very important matter especially nowadays.
I'm not into custom ROMs so I would rather wait for OTA pushed directly by the phone manufacturer.
Saying that I need something more than a 5-inch screen real estate. And one under £250 / $250.
Compass - In the Phone
USB C - Not included for Cost (i'm sure)
blue light filter - Added in SW
Quick Security updates - Added by Custom Roms
If you wait for Moto, you may be waiting a while. There are really a few options..
Buy a nexus
- get the newest updates
- get all the high end features
Use a custom Rom
- get the newest Updates
Don't use nexus or Custom Rom
- Wait for slow manufactures
It's really about as simple as that.
Thanks for the insight.
Would you mind please installing CPU-Z and prove to me the G5 Plus has a compass.
As I have said I am not into rooting or custom ROMs. And besides I might invalidate the warranty of my phone or further damage the software as I still think ROMS are unstable anyway.
So, what you are saying a USB Type-C (a technology which is technically around for over a year now) would be expensive in terms of being incorporated in a device?
Is a blue light filter toggle being baked in the SW difficult to do by a devs?
And would 3GB of memory be enough? Really worried that apps are not kept on memory so apps reload and not load instantly.
Moto G5 Plus has a compass in USA, but not in Europe. Also, yes, 3 GB of RAM is fine. 2 GB is just enough, 3 GB is good, 4 GB is great
Well, that's the trouble right there. One country had slightly altered specs than the other. I wonder what made Motorola-Lenovo decide why us Brits/Europeans don't need a compass in our phones. Stupid really.
Gino76ph said:
Well, that's the trouble right there. One country had slightly altered specs than the other. I wonder what made Motorola-Lenovo decide why us Brits/Europeans don't need a compass in our phones. Stupid really.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably the same ones that decided the US version didn't need NFC. It's almost like they've decided to the penny what they are going to put into the phones and then they clip a coin to see which market gets what.
After the G4 I decided I'd never own another Lenovo product but I did look hard at the G5. Since my G4 is running ok for now, I've decided to hold off and see if the rumor mill holds true about the G5S later this year. I may take another look then.
Tel864 said:
Probably the same ones that decided the US version didn't need NFC. It's almost like they've decided to the penny what they are going to put into the phones and then they clip a coin to see which market gets what.
After the G4 I decided I'd never own another Lenovo product but I did look hard at the G5. Since my G4 is running ok for now, I've decided to hold off and see if the rumor mill holds true about the G5S later this year. I may take another look then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I had the G4 it developed some water damage (the worse I did with the phone was i quickly "washed" it with water under the sink but only for 1-2 seconds nothing more) hence I got disappointed. I held off for a new G5 simply because I was just underwhelmed somewhat and also disappointed because Lenovo decided on (what I view strongly as ) cost cutting exercises as I mentioned earlier such as having no compass, no USB Type-C, "advanced" nano coating and not some IP-rated protection, a measly 5MP front cam and no 7.1.1 on release.
I did saw news of an updated G5S phones but they may not come till late this year so I'm back on the drawing board i.e. getting another G4 by the meantime or buy an old flagship like S7 (which can be had for exactly the same price as a UK-spec G5) or an iPhone 6S or a much cheaper/older Nexus 6P. Lost faith in a Sony phone as battery life has been an issue for me since.
After using this phone
I regret not buying Lenovo p2 or lenovo zuk z2
Z2 has 820
It was being offered for $200
suhridkhan said:
You sound like you are expecting a flagship level performance from a midranger.
You should be looking for a Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus.
Yes, gps should be a bit finicky for walking navigation for initial navigation, once you start walking it should be fine.
No, it's not gonna be safe for dropping in the sink.
Not even Galaxy S8 or LG G6 got any updates beyond 7.0. For a budget phone don't expect security update every month. I would expect a security update like every 3/4 months. And It's probably gonna jump to Android 8.0 directly at the beginning of next year. Assumption is based on the update of my Moto Z play.
You are right about the camera, but unless you purchase a next year's flagship, there is no better camera than this for less than 300$ price tag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey you, expecting something from a company which previously did the same isn't "expecting flagship performance"
The major reason for people to buy Motog is because they have an impression that Moto provides regular updates, but now when things are changing and Lenovo just killing what Moto was known for than its a few more years in which people would know the reality. Why would have I bought Motog if I could have bought Lenovo P2 with the same price, it's having same specs + a 64bit os + an amoled screen + 5100mah battery + compass sensor. It's because of my expectation from Moto to provide me updates and if they don't then moto's uniqueness would be self destroyed and me and I believe many like me would find nothing which would differentiate Moto from other brands.
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
So you think a Lenovo P2 is better choice than a Moto G5 Plus phone?
Gino76ph said:
So you think a Lenovo P2 is better choice than a Moto G5 Plus phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pros in Lenovo P2 but should u really care:
1. 64bit os - all apps that I use are supported by the 32bit Motog, and the performance isnt affected by any means running a 32bit os. Practically it's the same, I have had no issues running the 32bit os on my Moto g since I bought it, if it wasn't for this thread then I wouldn't have even noticed that it has a 32bit os [emoji28]
2. Amoled screen - amoled screen is good for viewing because of its punchy colors but it has its own issues like screen burning, LCD panel isn't bad by any means and if you are coming from a device that already had LCD screen than u would be happy by the display of Moto g. It's just good.
3. 5100mah battery- it's hard to defend this but I prefer a device with 3000mah over 5100mah as sd625 with 3000mah easily gives me 6+ hours of sot by heavy usage and it's the practical amount anyone would use a smartphone is a day, so this makes me charge my device everyday at the end of the day with which I am familiar, having a 5100mah battery would disbalance my stats and would give me 1.5days of usage, but still I would charge my device everyday as I can't charge my device in the afternoon due to life/job/education, so having a 5100mah is good but not practical, not for me, especially with that sweetttt sd625 chip inside, it's the best chipset in the budget market right now, awesome battery life and no heating issues.
Compass sensor- it's good to have as many sensors as possible, the most practical use of the compass sensor is for navigation, and navigation works really fine even without it *with a constant internet connection of course [emoji28] *, until u are used to offline maps and use them for navigation u won't notice any major difference.
Pros with Motog that u can't ignore:
1. The brand value: even if we geeks know that Lenovo owns Motorola but the world in general loves Moto g and is familiar with this brand for decades, Moto demands respect which a fone branded with Lenovo(f*** china [emoji36] ) don't, and that matters.
2. Better updates - even though Lenovo bought Moto the staff of Moto is still there, and I think they will not let us down as they know what we expect from them, Lenovo P2 got nougat update but it's so buggy that some users can't even watch YouTube videos with peace (audio syncing issues), you can see YouTube videos of users telling how to get back to marshmallow also, that's what I mean by "better" updates, that Chinese company can't compete with the technical staff in term of updates. It's 90% sure that we would get android o and it's 100% sure Lenovo P2 won't, coz it's just isn't their thing [emoji23]
3. Better camera- no need to explain on that, it's just the way it is. Best in class
4. That plain screen- Moto g has a plain Gorilla glass while Lenovo P2 has a 2.5d curved glass, it's so hard to find a good tempered glass protector for a 2.5d glass, I own a 2.5d glass device for months now and I am sick of it, with Moto g I can easily get a good tempered glass anywhere, literally anywhere.
5. Stock android- again nothing to explain u about this, just enjoy stock android in its full glory with Motog [emoji4]
That's the reason why I choose Moto g over lenovo P2, Moto g according to me is the most balanced smartphone in the budget segment right now, it don't really excells in anything, it's just a solid allrounder, i have been using it for weeks now and there's nothing to complain about. I was getting Lenovo P2 for ₹11750 ($175.37) and still I choose Moto g(4/32gb) which I got at ₹12750 ($190.29), and I know I would never regret my decision,
thanks for patiently reading this [emoji23]
Peace [emoji111]
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
Introduction
I have never written anything like this before. You might know me as the creator of the Omega kernel for the 6T, and now the 8 Pro. But I wanted to share my experience coming from a OnePlus 6T, to help everyone make a better decision whether to upgrade or not -> I'll cut to the chase... Upgrade now.
I have been using the OnePlus 6T since it was released in November 2018. Before I had almost every OnePlus since the 2, but kept changing between the current top iPhones and OnePlus-es. That changed with the 6T. I was blown away by the speed and responsiveness vs the iPhone 8 Plus I had before that, and Google really upped their game with Android Pie.
Since the 6T I never really wanted to get back into the Apple ecosystem, Android was just too good to use.
Kernel devving on the 6T was also very enjoyable, once a person finds out some of the quirks of the OnePlus code additions.
Enter the 8 Pro
I'll just say this comparing it to the 6T (I never wanted to try the 7 Pro series because of the pop-up camera): OH MY GOD. It's like going from a Fiat Panda (no offense to Fiat) to a Tesla. It's mind-blowing.
The looks. The blue on the 8 Pro is so beautiful, this is the first time I will keep the clear case on the phone that was provided in the box.
The speed. I know, it's mostly a perception, because of the 120Hz display, but oh my does that make a difference... Of course there is the 865 chipset, faster RAM, etc, but that screen is what blows you away the first time you boot it up.
The feel of the device. It's heavier than the 6T, but that's a good thing. You feel it's sturdier.
The experience. It's like opting for the red pill. You never want to go back. I think OnePlus perfectly nailed the combination of hardware and software on this one. After so many years a true flagship.
Setup
It took about an hour to setup from scratch. Yes, I know there is a OnePlus Switch app, but that would rob me from experiencing the setup itself, and I need that. Blazing fast.
Near stock Android experience, with just the right additions. I can tweak to exactly how I like it.
For those who are like me, and want to turn off vibration for everything (since I find it annoying). Go into USB debugging mode, and do:
Code:
adb shell
Code:
appops set android VIBRATE ignore
This disables all standard Android vibrations. If you are finnicky and want to be more granular, or do away with vibrations coming from a certain app:
Microsoft Teams - which I use quite a lot - seems to ignore every single setting I have in notifications, but you can disable app-specific vibrations with:
Code:
appops set com.microsoft.teams VIBRATE ignore
Just substitute "com.microsoft.teams" with the package name you want to turn vibrations off for...
I always disable Sleep Optimization, as I need to have notifications always.
Initial thoughts
Now this is a flagship. Incredible. From the way it feels in your hand, to how blazing fast it is. Battery seems good (see attached screenshots) - I know it has to settle in since it has only been 16 hours, but still. I'm impressed.
By default the screen is set to 120Hz but FHD display. I changed it to 120Hz and QHD resolution. I mean why have a phone like this if you don't enjoy to the max?
How is it vs the 6T?
Huge upgrade.
Camera - will test further over the weekend, but one-two pics I already took are much crisper and more vibrant
Speed - incredible jump forward, and the 6T is still no slouch in 2020...
WiFi - much more stable, seemless roaming now works fully on my home mesh router system. It didn't on the 6T...
OxygenOS - I know most of the added stuff in OOS 10.5 will come to the 6T, but the additions are very nice. Horizon lights, the new fingerprint animation, raise the phone to quiet the ringtone, are all very nice touches.
As I spend more time with the phone I will update this thread accordingly. If anyone has any questions, don't be shy to ask.
The display
OK guys, after two weeks now, let's talk about the display.
Few points: resolution, size, refresh rate, colors, brightness.
Resolution:
You can run in in 1080p or 1440p - some say they can't tell the difference between the two, but I personally can, and I can't go back to FHD... Text is crisper, photos have more detail, it simply looks better. And I read a lot of emails, so it's good to have beautiful fonts on the screen -> BTW I stay on stock Android's Roboto fonts, I simply prefer the more condensed fonts.
Size
6.7". Damn. I never thought I would have such a big screen, but after two weeks my wife's iPhone XR's 6.2" is just small. Because of the size, more calendar entries, more emails, and all my Fitbit stats actually fit on one screen! ...finally
One thing, though. On 1080p, the display density is set differently than 1440p. So if you switch to 1440p (QHD), all text becomes bigger. I'm not that old (yet), so you can actually go into System - Developer options - about 2/3 down Drawing - Smallest width - and change from 411 to 432. Now the scaling is the same as with 1080p, but the fonts are still crisper. (This took me two weeks to figure out )
Refresh rate
This is the biggest jump from my 6T. At first, I was like "yeah it's smooth". After a week, I looked at my son's Pixel 3a, and I asked "what's wrong with it?!?". Then I looked at my wife's iPhone XR, and I asked "what's wrong with it?!?" I'm now spoiled with the 120Hz, and now my work laptop seems slow...
This is the red pill I talked about.
And now the technical part: frame render time is around 6ms, meaning that there is virtually no dropped frame. It took precision to tune the hardware and software to perfection, and it shows!
Colors
Two categories: bright(er) screen is perfect. Colors are accurate, and photos show exactly what it is in real life. Perfect.
Dimmer screens do seem to have a green tint (standard settings), and overblown blacks (DC dimming). But this is something I'm certain will be fixed in an upcoming update, so I'm not worried.
Brightness
After the refresh rate, this is the next best thing. I started testing the phone inside, so it was nothing special. But when I used it in the car as a GPS, even in direct sunlight I was able to see everything clearly. Incredible. Compared to the 6T, and even an iPhone 8 Plus, this thing is bright, and beautiful to look at!
Performance
OK, so next up is performance. It's now been a bit more than 3 weeks with the phone, and I've had ample time to check out performance. Again, this is coming from the 6T.
Few points: general feeling, multitasking, gaming.
General overall feeling
It's fast
In more detail LOL: With the 6T, after booting up the phone, I always had to give it 4-5 hours to "settle in", and after that time performance was great. With th 8 Pro, I'm not really seeing that. It's already fast to begin with.
My primary usage is: emails, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, phone calls, camera, photos. I do tons of multitasking, listen to music in the meantime, etc., and not a glitch, no lag.
Some raw performance indicators: snapping multiple portrait shots one after another is finally working. The 865 chipset does wonders for this, and on the 6T I had to wait 2-3 seconds before I could shoot again.
Multitasking
Snappy, no reloading of apps, everything stays in memory. And now with 12Gb of RAM, everything stays in memory even if I use the most memory-hog app of all, the camera. Switching on a "regular" work-day between emails, calendar, Teams, Spotify, etc. is so seamless, it's an incredible experience.
Everything stays in memory (it does get cleared overnight to help with idle drain, but I'm good with that). Coming from the 6T (and maybe that has to do with the kernel moving from 4.9.y to 4.19.y), memory management is tons better than before. Background task killing decisions are much better, and not once have I had Fitbit close on me during an exercise, it always was able to track my GPS in the background.
Another (previously taxing) scenario was: biking with Fitbit tracking my stats in the background, checking out Google Maps where I am, and doing a Whatsapp video call (I have a bike mount). On the 6T, after the video call, it started killing either Fitbit or Maps in the background, now it's all good.
I guess all this can be attributed to two things: better memory management code written by OnePlus (YAY!), and the faster LPDDR5 memory. All in all great.
Gaming
I'm not much of a gamer, I'd consider myself a social gamer. I occasionally have Clash Royale installed - when my son also installs it . But, it's limited to 60fps, and on top of that the Android code optimization is terrible, so not much of an experience there.
But lets' talk about two games in particular that manage higher FPS: Fortnite and Pokemon Go.
Fortnite: I just had to try it. I rarely play on my PC, but with all the hype, I wanted to try it on the OnePlus 8 Pro. And WOW - they really mean business...
In the menus and before playing, it's limited to 30fps (I guess to save battery, and it doesn't matter in the menus anyways), but during gameplay it was just as smooth as my gaming PC which has a 90Hz monitor. Impressive. And I even got to 4th place! :victory:
If anyone of you is into playing FPS on your phones, this is a game-changer. Also, because of the high RAM, in-game experience is top notch, with zero lag.
Battery seems decent, based on my 20-minute round, I reckon one can go around 4 hours of playtime, which is quite incredible.
Pokemon Go: Previously, my biggest gripe with Android was the performance (or rather lack of...) of Pokemon Go, especially compared to iPhones. The game takes full advantage of the 120Hz display, and it's simply gorgeous. Throwing curveballs is a breeze, and overall exprerience is now MUCH better than the iPhone. Plus add to that that I could probably manage 5-5.5 hours of game time with a full charge.
Summing up
I guess when you have a powerful phone, it doesn't matter what you throw at it... It simply performs incredibly well. And the 8 Pro is a damn powerful phone.
Camera
OK, it's camera time! It's now been 4 weeks with the phone, let's talk about the camera. Again, this is coming from the 6T.
Few points: general feeling, everyday shots, videos, low light.
General overall feeling
This rocks. On the 6T, I almost always had to shoot multiple shots to ensure I have a good picture there. Now - my use case is mostly taking pictures of the family, and they are always moving Also, family sports don't have when there is good lighting, so I was almost always struggling with getting good pictures...
Not anymore. In the first few weeks I did take multiple photos (habit I guess), but it's no longer needed. 95% of the time the photo I take is simply perfect. I think the biggest testament to this is my broader family, and everyone uses iPhones -> since the 8 Pro, they keep on complimenting me on the quality of the photos, and always ask me what phone I have
Everyday shots
Yes, because the family is always moving around (including our rabbit), it's very difficult to get a decent picture. With the 8 Pro, it's actually very easy to do that now. I guess because of the better sensor, shutter times have been reduced, so motion is no longer showing on the pictures (unless of course there is significant movement). But these are the more difficult scenarios.
For simpler scenarios, like group picture with everyone posing, the rabbit laying down, etc., the pictures are perfect, good enough to immediately take to a print studio, even without editing.
Videos
Honestly, this is the best part I am lucky to have a 21:9 QHD monitor, and I love watching movies on it. I was always bummed that none of the previous phones was able to shoot in that format. With the 8 Pro, they introduced Cinematik 4K. I now always shoot in this mode, in 60fps. And oh my it's beautiful. It already fills the whole screen on the phone, and it's immersive, but when I show the family the videos on my home computer, they are in awe. And it's perfectly fluid with 60fps! And this captures every single detail in sports, so perfect.
Low light
I only include this section because for some reason people actually take photos in low light...
Now in the Netherlands it only gets dark after 11PM, so this is a bit difficult to test, but every single dusk picture I took turned out perfectly, again prompting my family members to ask me what kind of phone I have. LOL
That sums it up (for now), do let me know if you have any questions!
Screenshots attached
My personal setup
Accounts, setups
- One personal Gmail account, IMAP idle
- One family-level Outlook.com account for the family calendar, push sync
- One company Office365 account for work, push sync
Apps
- Calendar: Google Calendar
- Email: Nine Email - works perfectly with all accounts, as well as supports dark mode and email aliases
- Gallery: OnePlus gallery - it's fast and also shows an icon for portraits
- Social apps: Twitter, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams, LinkedIn, Google News
Settings
- Screen set to QHD and 120Hz, automatic brightness
- WiFi and Bluetooth scanning both disabled
- Disabled "Hey Google" for the assistant
- Dark mode, of course
- Disabled haptics, as per post #1
- Disabled Bluetooth Discoverable
- Disabled Sleep Standby Optimization - I want to receive all notifications as they arrive, even at night
Great Review, i also had the 6t as my daily driver before. As i bought the 8 Pro i remember your last words about the 6t, that you will not switch to another Phone... And now you bought the exact device as me...
Don't know whats better: The Phone or that it will run with omega Kernel.
Thank you.
xx00xx1990 said:
Great Review, i also had the 6t as my daily driver before. As i bought the 8 Pro i remember your last words about the 6t, that you will not switch to another Phone... And now you bought the exact device as me...
Don't know whats better: The Phone or that it will run with omega Kernel.
Thank you.
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Thanks! I loved the 6T. Like I said, I wasn't too happy about the 7 Pro's pop-up camera, but already the 7T was tempting. But then the leaks came out about the 8, it started to look better.
And I have to say, this is one hellova' phone.
Great review & sums it up rather nicely, I have the 12/256gb Glacial Green and I just love it.....? For the same reasons as yourself. Owned every OnePlus from the 3T but this is the first that really is a true flagship......:good:
Duncan1982 said:
Great review & sums it up rather nicely, I have the 12/256gb Glacial Green and I just love it.....? For the same reasons as yourself. Owned every OnePlus from the 3T but this is the first that really is a true flagship......:good:
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I loved the 3T. That selfie camera was a league of its own. I remember trying to compile CyanogenMod for it. Good ole days...
And back to 8 Pro - I was testing frame rendering this morning, and per-frame rendering time is ~5ms. So even on QHD resolution with 120Hz there are no frame drops. Simply incredible.
kristofpetho said:
I loved the 3T. That selfie camera was a league of its own. I remember trying to compile CyanogenMod for it. Good ole days...
And back to 8 Pro - I was testing frame rendering this morning, and per-frame rendering time is ~5ms. So even on QHD resolution with 120Hz there are no frame drops. Simply incredible.
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Ahhh yes the good ol' days .......? To me I'm like chainfire i used to root and mod all my devices, now there is not so much of a need to, as much as I'm sure your kernel is fantastic, I'll just stay stock, locked.....?
Which is unusual for me as with all OnePlus devices it's been the first thing I have done, now im not so much compelled to (again I'm sure your kernel is fantastic).
Enjoy and have fun with it, I'm sure you will.......:good:
Duncan1982 said:
Ahhh yes the good ol' days .......? To me I'm like chainfire i used to root and mod all my devices, now there is not so much of a need to, as much as I'm sure your kernel is fantastic, I'll just stay stock, locked.....?
Which is unusual for me as with all OnePlus devices it's been the first thing I have done, now im not so much compelled to (again I'm sure your kernel is fantastic).
Enjoy and have fun with it, I'm sure you will.......:good:
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Well... Don't tell anyone, but I'm also bootloader locked currently...
kristofpetho said:
Well... Don't tell anyone, but I'm also bootloader locked currently...
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Shhhhh you typed that out loud .......? Who knows I might get tempted to unlock, but like I said it would only be for kernel, as all other mods are not needed or there are no other reasons.......root is something that has unfortunately died.
Before we needed to, there was a reason to, now it's not so much......anyway broken record .....?
#Oneplus you nailed it with the 8 Pro......?
Duncan1982 said:
#Oneplus you nailed it with the 8 Pro......
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Absolutely agree
Duncan1982 said:
root is something that has unfortunately died.
Before we needed to, there was a reason to, now it's not so much......anyway broken record .....?
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Have to disagree on this, as I think it still mostly depends on what you're going to do with your device, the way you use it, the level of 'freedom' you need to have on your system/apps.
Having been root on each and every device I've had for the past 10 years, I know I could never go backward. Not just because of adblockers (yeah, I could use a vpn-based adblocker but battery consumption is not comparable) or for Lucky Patcher, but for the level of control that you get on almost every part of your system and apps.
But I guess it depends on people, different devices for different needs
(no intention here to start a debate on whether root or non-root is best, just sharing a different opinion, peace ^.^ )
Surfeur-des-Reves said:
Have to disagree on this, as I think it still mostly depends on what you're going to do with your device, the way you use it, the level of 'freedom' you need to have on your system/apps.
Having been root on each and every device I've had for the past 10 years, I know I could never go backward. Not just because of adblockers (yeah, I could use a vpn-based adblocker but battery consumption is not comparable) or for Lucky Patcher, but for the level of control that you get on almost every part of your system and apps.
But I guess it depends on people, different devices for different needs
(no intention here to start a debate on whether root or unroot is best, just sharing a different opinion, peace ^.^ )
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Absolutely some do require for a few things, also some like the freedom of the device is theirs.....no debating and each has their own take on the matter .......:good:
I still root, but it's definitely far less necessary than it was a few years ago. I do it for Google dialer and vanced and that's about it now
Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk
Duncan1982 said:
Absolutely some do require for a few things, also some like the freedom of the device is theirs.....no debating and each has their own take on the matter .......:good:
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crzycrkr said:
I still root, but it's definitely far less necessary than it was a few years ago. I do it for Google dialer and vanced and that's about it now
Sent from my IN2025 using Tapatalk
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Exactly. For some people, root is still a necessity. To each their own.
kristofpetho said:
Introduction
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Congrats on your new phone and kernel.
Sounds like a great device. The price tag on the purchase of two of them right now which is what I would need, is a little too steep. If I'm able to switch, I'm glad to have the 6t's as a backup device if needed
Great review kristfpetho!!!
I will be getting one soon..
Good Read! I'm impressed with my 8Pro Green Machine! Cool ?
Thanks for the review, I am waiting till end of November for buying a new phone so probably go for this or for the 8t but don't know what the price will be and if it's worth the upgrade or go for the cheaper 8pro at that moment... I guess 6 months difference in hardware or software won't make it a huge difference I assume.