Related
I know this is a bit repetitive but this is my first Google phone. For me, after 4 generational Samsung's,, it feels like its already rooted. The past phones were the S3, S4, Note 4 & 5. It's been a while for me as far as rooting a Verizon Samsung, only because the Note 5 was locked out. All the others were rooted and it was fun, except for the bugs to contend with.
On the Pixel , I ridded myself of all the apps that I wanted to and I'm using Nova to get the feel that I want. I should of pointed out that I'm a performance seeker. The camera need is important but not a deal breaker. Figure it this way on any top level phone, at this point, the camera is great. Lucky for us the Pixel 2 series is #1.
After all this laid out, what would be the gains for rooting.?
Thanks
pbman1953 said:
I know this is a bit repetitive but this is my first Google phone. For me, after 4 generational Samsung's,, it feels like its already rooted. The past phones were the S3, S4, Note 4 & 5. It's been a while for me as far as rooting a Verizon Samsung, only because the Note 5 was locked out. All the others were rooted and it was fun, except for the bugs to contend with.
On the Pixel , I ridded myself of all the apps that I wanted to and I'm using Nova to get the feel that I want. I should of pointed out that I'm a performance seeker. The camera need is important but not a deal breaker. Figure it this way on any top level phone, at this point, the camera is great. Lucky for us the Pixel 2 series is #1.
After all this laid out, what would be the gains for rooting.?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having run the P2XL on stock, and root, I will say this. The most important thing to me is the ability to make the phone truly mine! I like flashing custom kernels, mods, themes, roms, and have the ability to block adds and make backups. Having said that, I will also say that the device is more than capable on full stock. So, it all depends on what you want to do. That's the real question. ?
I've had about 6 Android phones and three Android tablets since 2010 when I got the OG Droid. I was a crack flasher, I would change ROMs every few days, customizing every little thing. Every phone since then (HTC the one with beats heaphones, Samsung Note 4, Motorola Moto X and Nexus 6) and my Asus Transformer, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and Google Pixel C were rooted as soon as I was able to do so, no matter what it took. The HTC phone required a hardware mod to make it S-Off and I bricked it hahaha, so that goes to show you the trouble I'll go through to get root.
I got my Pixel XL 2 about two months ago and kept it stock for a month, which was odd coming from a rooted and ROMd Nexus 6, but I didn't miss much. After about 1.5 months I decided to root it, flash a ROM and a kernel, but the process is now more of a PITA due to no longer having a standard partition layout. The security warning is during boot up is also annoying.
The only thing I really needed root for anymore was for ad blocking and theming, custom kernels and ROMs are cool, but after 8 years somethings change.
Since Substratum no longer requires root and I can block ads using AdGuard (even though it is a pay service), I decided to go back to stock....and I don't miss root.
Viper and no ad youtube with background playback. At least thats what Im getting advantage of.
All of the above plus fully enjoying XDA!
It depends what you want to do with your phone. I'm on fully stock since I got my P2XL and don't plan on rooting it any soon. I use blokada for ad blocking, I don't use any themes for quite some time but I do miss my custom fonts.
I guess I'm getting old lol, as I used to root all of my devices from day one for the past 9+ years!
Gas pains and a wtf headache. Rooting ain't what it used to be.
Not too much with me. I root and flash just to do it. Stock without root is pretty good the way it is. That's my opinion. There's some mods you can use but I don't get into those, so I guess it depends on the individual.
I don't really feel the need to root/rom anymore because stock has basically all the features I need now. This also makes it a PITA when it comes time to update. Themes and ad-blocking would be probably the biggest reason for me to rom, but the latter is still possible without root.
Root access
DarkSilentSC said:
Viper and no ad youtube with background playback. At least thats what Im getting advantage of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which app do you use to block youtube ads?
A use adaway and it works great most of the time but youtube.
Eiad Ajam said:
Root access
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:laugh::laugh::laugh:
quera said:
Which app do you use to block youtube ads?
A use adaway and it works great most of the time but youtube.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need Magisk module.
Search up YouTube vanced in Magisk. Download that and you should be good to go.
Root and Magisk are nice, but day to day usage is a lot more seamless without them. Custom ROMs are also pretty amazing, but stock feels very polished and I no longer crave custom ROMs like I once did.
I've also found a lot of functionality I previously looked for via Root/Magisk/ROMs by using modified and/or 3rd party apps which will work rootless, for everything from videos to music to browsing and dealing with ads
pbman1953 said:
I know this is a bit repetitive but this is my first Google phone. For me, after 4 generational Samsung's,, it feels like its already rooted. The past phones were the S3, S4, Note 4 & 5. It's been a while for me as far as rooting a Verizon Samsung, only because the Note 5 was locked out. All the others were rooted and it was fun, except for the bugs to contend with.
On the Pixel , I ridded myself of all the apps that I wanted to and I'm using Nova to get the feel that I want. I should of pointed out that I'm a performance seeker. The camera need is important but not a deal breaker. Figure it this way on any top level phone, at this point, the camera is great. Lucky for us the Pixel 2 series is #1.
After all this laid out, what would be the gains for rooting.?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Back in the day, I rooted my phone mostly because I wanted an AOSP ROM on phones that had custom skins like LG, HTC, and Samsung. Then when the Nexus phones came out, it was more about overclocking, and kernels to get every last ounce of performance. Now that hardware has matured, I'm totally happy with my Pixel 2 XL as it is. With the Pixels having multiple partitions, it's not as easy as it used to be, and in my opinion not really worth it. Yes, there a few kernels out there for this phone, but I've not seen a night and day difference in performance like we used to back in the day. The fact is, the stock kernels are really pretty good as is.
I can't stand how they went all white. So I do it for ads and themes. And I know you can theme non rooted with Andromedia, you ask me that stupid, anything goes wrong you don't have a recovery.
My Pixel 2 XL is my first phone in years I'm using stock and unrooted.
And I still don't miss it yet. I'll probably stay stock/unrooted and continue enjoying OTA updates as intended
I guess I'm staying put with satock. So ghat's that's main reason why on a Samsung you nees rooting to cleanup the junk apps and Google you don't.
I've never had battery performance like I do with this phone.
Thanks to all!
Aside from all the other reasons mentioned in this thread, Xposed and GravityBox is reason enough for me to root.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using XDA Labs
raidflex said:
I don't really feel the need to root/rom anymore because stock has basically all the features I need now. This also makes it a PITA when it comes time to update. Themes and ad-blocking would be probably the biggest reason for me to rom, but the latter is still possible without root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree on the first part. Personally i used to root to get a better battery and performance but with this phone's smoothness and battery life I don't think I'll ever root again.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
From what I know of Samsung phones(I have never owned a Samsung), the moment you root Knox kicks in or something. I am on the iPhone X now. Wanted to moved to the Pixel 2 XL but many Pixel owners have told me to wait for the Pixel 3 since the 2 is plagued with issues apparently. Thanks for your input!
sacredsoul said:
From what I know of Samsung phones(I have never owned a Samsung), the moment you root Knox kicks in or something. I am on the iPhone X now. Wanted to moved to the Pixel 2 XL but many Pixel owners have told me to wait for the Pixel 3 since the 2 is plagued with issues apparently. Thanks for your input!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My pixel 2 xl has no issues.
And yes exynos sammy devices have root, twrp etc etc. Stay away from NA snapdragons they are locked and will not get unlocked. They might see root but it wont be great and there will be issues with it like on the S7 and S8.
The chinese and latin America snaps are unlockable but hardly see and form if development so kinda of useless anyway
Knox is useless anyway but yes it gets tripped and that breaks a few things such as samsung pay and secure folder.
sent from my Pixel 2 XL or Note FE
If you like to use custom ROMs and mods on your device stay away from Sammy devices with Knox.
force70 said:
My pixel 2 xl has no issues.
And yes exynos sammy devices have root, twrp etc etc. Stay away from NA snapdragons they are locked and will not get unlocked. They might see root but it wont be great and there will be issues with it like on the S7 and S8.
The chinese and latin America snaps are unlockable but hardly see and form if development so kinda of useless anyway
Knox is useless anyway but yes it gets tripped and that breaks a few things such as samsung pay and secure folder.
sent from my Pixel 2 XL or Note FE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really disappointing to me. I'm in NA and was planning on taking advantage of my carrier's buy one get one free deal on the S9 but to the best of my knowledge (immodes)tmous only has the snapdragon version available.
Is the no unlock and root thing also true of the snapdragon s8? Because honestly the bogo was really the only thing that was making me opt for paying an extra $120 for what is functionally the same phone. Aside from FM radio, a tiny soc upgrade, and adding dual aperture to the rear camera, the S9 is just the S8 with a repositioned fingerprint scanner moved just enough so as to need whole new cases lol
Sent from my XT1686 using XDA Labs
force70 said:
My pixel 2 xl has no issues.
And yes exynos sammy devices have root, twrp etc etc. Stay away from NA snapdragons they are locked and will not get unlocked. They might see root but it wont be great and there will be issues with it like on the S7 and S8.
The chinese and latin America snaps are unlockable but hardly see and form if development so kinda of useless anyway
Knox is useless anyway but yes it gets tripped and that breaks a few things such as samsung pay and secure folder.
sent from my Pixel 2 XL or Note FE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really disappointing to me. I'm in NA and was planning on taking advantage of my carrier's buy one get one free deal on the S9 but to the best of my knowledge (immodes)tmous only has the snapdragon version available.
Is the no unlock and root thing also true of the snapdragon s8? Because honestly the bogo was really the only thing that was making me opt for paying an extra $120 for what is functionally the same phone. Aside from FM radio, a tiny soc upgrade, and adding dual aperture to the rear camera, the S9 is just the S8 with a repositioned fingerprint scanner moved just enough so as to need whole new cases lol
Sent from my XT1686 using XDA Labs
agentfusion said:
This is really disappointing to me. I'm in NA and was planning on taking advantage of my carrier's buy one get one free deal on the S9 but to the best of my knowledge (immodes)tmous only has the snapdragon version available.
Is the no unlock and root thing also true of the snapdragon s8? Because honestly the bogo was really the only thing that was making me opt for paying an extra $120 for what is functionally the same phone. Aside from FM radio, a tiny soc upgrade, and adding dual aperture to the rear camera, the S9 is just the S8 with a repositioned fingerprint scanner moved just enough so as to need whole new cases lol
Sent from my XT1686 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes NA snap S8 also locked down, this has been the case since the S7 so nothing new the last few years.
In this case gotta pay to play bro, literally. I just got my exynos S9 plus though and couldn't be happier despite my wallet being a bit lighter lol.
sent from my Exynos S9 plus, Pixel 2 XL or Note FE
force70 said:
Yes NA snap S8 also locked down, this has been the case since the S7 so nothing new the last few years.
In this case gotta pay to play bro, literally. I just got my exynos S9 plus though and couldn't be happier despite my wallet being a bit lighter lol.
sent from my Exynos S9 plus, Pixel 2 XL or Note FE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, well then, screw it. I'm getting the S9 buy one get one free then. If I'm stuck with stock I might as well get something good out of it, like a free phone lol
Sent from my XT1686 using XDA Labs
force70 said:
Yes NA snap S8 also locked down, this has been the case since the S7 so nothing new the last few years.
In this case gotta pay to play bro, literally. I just got my exynos S9 plus though and couldn't be happier despite my wallet being a bit lighter lol.
sent from my Exynos S9 plus, Pixel 2 XL or Note FE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So between the S9 and Pix2, which would you recommend?
DenisEhm said:
So between the S9 and Pix2, which would you recommend?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hard to say i havent had the s9 plus very long.
So far Id say camera are close and so is battery life which is a shocker.
S9 plus more comfortable to hold and it certainly visually more appealing.
Speakers are louder and sound better on the S9 plus and the screen just kills the pixel.
And the main reason i got it, good ole sd card slot, i was running out of space on my pixel.
I really love the pixel but now after using the s9 plus i wont miss ut as much as i thought. Also for a google device being out as long as the pixel has been the development scene for it sucks as compared to all the nexus devices ive had. Thats big deal breaker for me
Most definitely s9 over pixel, pixel 2 XL IS OVERATED. ITS JUST THE CAMERA THATS GOOD. Even though s9 is also extremely good, better in low light. Touchwiz is way better than stock. You dont even need to root phones nowadays and honestly wouldn't recommend it.
stevenl23 said:
Most definitely s9 over pixel, pixel 2 XL IS OVERATED. ITS JUST THE CAMERA THATS GOOD. Even though s9 is also extremely good, better in low light. Touchwiz is way better than stock. You dont even need to root phones nowadays and honestly wouldn't recommend it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Adaway, SD Maid, Titanium backup. Pretty decent reasons to root I think.
True, but doesn't that trip knox? Will I still be able to samsung pay, pass etc? Basically is there a lost of function?
I won't settle on a phone I cannot root. Recommending not rooting is one thing, but to state that it is not needed, I disagree with. Perhaps the majority of people don't use it, but for me its a critical option to have. Data recovery, data filtering of web traffic, removal of limitations set by carrier. Lets not forget the volume loudness notification that is still present on the s9, my biggest personal pet peeve from Samsung. I could go on and on.
stevenl23 said:
Touchwiz is way better than stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only if you like your phone laggy and bloated - I don't know anyone who does.
You dont even need to root phones nowadays and honestly wouldn't recommend it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ummm, put the crack pipe down, how are you planning to block annoying ads in apps and remove manufacturer and carrier bloatware without root? - seriously, don't drink & post, these are the type of moron statements that show up when you do
WTF? said:
Only if you like your phone laggy and bloated - I don't know anyone who does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No lag in TouchWiz these days
WTF? said:
ummm, put the crack pipe down, how are you planning to block annoying ads in apps and remove manufacturer and carrier bloatware without root? - seriously, don't drink & post, these are the type of moron statements that show up when you do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plenty of non root adblockers available, and package disablers that are also non root
Time you educated yourself instead of insulting people
stevenl23 said:
Most definitely s9 over pixel, pixel 2 XL IS OVERATED. ITS JUST THE CAMERA THATS GOOD. Even though s9 is also extremely good, better in low light. Touchwiz is way better than stock. You dont even need to root phones nowadays and honestly wouldn't recommend it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*Detection* said:
No lag in TouchWiz these days
Plenty of non root adblockers available, and package disablers that are also non root
Time you educated yourself instead of insulting people
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ummm ... no
there are no effective adblockers on the level of AdAway that can block ads in all of your apps, as well as in youtube videos etc. - you need to "educate yourself" - the sheer design of the Android OS limits what an ad blocking app can do without root privileges, same goes for removing bloatware. You must be thinking of browser based ad blocking such as u-block, etc., which is the least of my worries. If root wasn't a critical thing, XDA wouldn't even be a thing. And TouchWiz is just less laggy than it used to be, but still nothing like the same phone with stock Android, not to mention high memory usage and additional processing adds heat and sucks down battery life. - Man, that crack pipe is really getting a workout today!
WTF? said:
Ummm ... no
there are no effective adblockers on the level of AdAway that can block ads in all of your apps, as well as in youtube videos etc. - you need to "educate yourself" - the sheer design of the Android OS limits what an ad blocking app can do without root privileges, same goes for removing bloatware. You must be thinking of browser based ad blocking such as u-block, etc., which is the least of my worries. If root wasn't a critical thing, XDA wouldn't even be a thing. And TouchWiz is just less laggy than it used to be, but still nothing like the same phone with stock Android, not to mention high memory usage and additional processing adds heat and sucks down battery life. - Man, that crack pipe is really getting a workout today!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, so I guess you've never heard of VPN adblockers then, strange that as there are a few on the XDA forums developed by devs here, and surprise surprise, they block ads in apps and browsers alike
An example of a non root adblocker that blocks ads everywhere
https://blokada.org/index.html
And Package disablers remove bloatware and any system app you want without root just fine
A word of advice:
1. Stop with the insults or you'll be reported
2. Go learn about what you're talking about, you're just making yourself look bad
The guy you quoted originally is correct, Root is almost unnecessary for most these days, last phone I rooted was my S5, I had a non rooted S7 and now S9 since then, no root and never missed it
I think root is a must adaway tb Hotspot hack audio mods I can go on what a rooted device can do I kick myself every day for buying a locked phone.. Yea there's ways to block ad non rooted but to truly modify your phone to be your own does require root. No dogging on ppl who don't want root to each there own
WTF? said:
Ummm ... no
there are no effective adblockers on the level of AdAway that can block ads in all of your apps, as well as in youtube videos etc. - you need to "educate yourself" - the sheer design of the Android OS limits what an ad blocking app can do without root privileges, same goes for removing bloatware. You must be thinking of browser based ad blocking such as u-block, etc., which is the least of my worries. If root wasn't a critical thing, XDA wouldn't even be a thing. And TouchWiz is just less laggy than it used to be, but still nothing like the same phone with stock Android, not to mention high memory usage and additional processing adds heat and sucks down battery life. - Man, that crack pipe is really getting a workout today!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have unlocked S9, sure there's like 1 or 2 apps that i don't want, i can just disable them. If you use samsung internet, you can download the adblock addon which works perfectly. For youtube i just need to download youtube vanced for an ad free experience. Sorry mate, but i really like how secure folder and samsung pay works. Also i like getting my monthly security updates and minor tweaks and stuff without hassle. Rooting isn't necessary and the disadvantages outweigh the advantages in my opinion.
All you guys preaching that root isnt needed...wth are you doing here on this site then lol?
Its a development site (or used to be anyway) for gods sake...your preaching to the wrong crowd for the most part.
Now dont get me wrong, everyone is absolutely entitled to have an opinion and their own preferences of course, but really.... trying to convice the majority here root isnt needed lol....your definitely on the wrong site people.
Maybe iphones are more your speed (jk) lol.
sent from my Exynos S9 plus, Pixel 2 XL or Note FE
Hi, I need some guidance from more knowledgeable users deciding between phones due to my lack of detailed information on the mod ecosystem of the newer Samsung devices, since I stopped paying attention after Samsung dropped features I prefer (removable battery, IR blaster, etc). I have a note 4 that was rooted and running a custom rom that worked like a champ until recently with the ZeroLemon 10Ah battery when it decided to die. I use my phone as a pocket Linux computer so stripping away most of the limitations placed on the device by the manufacturers is what I desire to do.
Can people who have owned or have detailed knowledge of the current ecosystem weigh in on the pro and cons of the note 10+ vs the note 9 beyond the basic technical differences on the data sheets? I am currently researching information regarding the following:
Software Bugs
Root support/stability (Traditional or Magisk)
MicroG support (I want as little google in my life as possible)
TWRP(or equivalent) compatibility
Tasker and Xprivacy compatibility or equivalent.
Custom Rom support(general development and extra hardware feature support like Fingerpring reader being usable by apps or Hotspot capability)
bypassing and stability of warranty voiding/feature locking measures(KNOX, SafetyNet)
Overall I just want to better understand the upper limits and issues of modification that can be achieved with each device while holding on to as much built in functions as possible.
I do not need the absolute most cutting edge technical performance from parts, but features included in the SoC or RAM capacity for software expansion that affect longevity I would want to know. I dont really mind the need to use a dongle for 3.5mm audio on the 10+ but avoiding sending Samsung the message that its removal was ok for a supposed kitchen sink device is a small consideration. I would have liked and IR blaster but that ship has sailed on the new Samsung devices regardless. I would get a battery case that adds a few thousand mAh's for the 10+ or 9 so small differences in use endurance would be heavily mitigated. If it turns out the 10+ is just a stopgap half-step until the actual refinement (Note 11?) then I can try to send in my Note 4 to Samsung and get it online for another year since paying $1000US for an experiment or obligatory product cycle launch is not really what I am looking for at the moment since I keep phones for a while. From what I read so far their product line seems to speak of artificial market segregation and I feel the base note 10 only exists to make the S and the 10+ look better while getting rid of surplus inventory of parts from other product lines. Overall it just made me wary of potential hiccups for long term use.
If you would like me to specify anything else I will do my best to answer quickly. Thanks for any help you can provide. :good:
Now im off to continue my reading and watching of reviews for these devices.
EDIT:
I didn't think It needed to be said, but can we try to keep the answers constructive instead of snarky for no reason? If you need to be snarky for no reason plz make your comment as amusing and original as possible. Thx
EDIT 2:
So in addition to the removal of the 3.5mm audio port from the N10/N10+, Samsung has seen fit to entirely remove the internal DAC from the phone. Passive USB-C to 3.5mm adapters will not function and explains why certain external DACs "may experience bugs" and why many of the external battery cases claim to support data sync but not USB-C to 3.5mm audio.
I am corresponding with a ZeroLemon representative to get them to clarify the capabilities of the 5Ah battery case and the 10Ah variant that "will be available in a few weeks". (EDIT) ZeroLemon have confirmed that their extended battery cases have no wired audio functionality with or without DAC integrated into the mix. They are reluctant to give me wiring data so I can only take the demerit at their word.
Removing the 3.5mm jack was bad enough but Samsung removing the DAC entirely is a little overboard for the cost of the device imo just to offload the cost with a $20US basic dongle you buy separately. I can understand it from a business perspective, but as a consumer I am not pleased with Samsungs development direction.
...you're serious?
In the time it took to type out that post, you could've found all your answers by researching and using Google.
dugryce said:
...you're serious?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
..
Snapdragon Note 10plus..no root no twrp..no micrgapps..no xposed.
Exynos Note 10plus better chance at all the things listed above
Note 9 great phone but the same as above.
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
I had planned to spend the incoming month to build an answear to your questions but after a day of full thoughts I decided to spend my time doing something else.
Power users!!!!!
Your post reminds me of that commercial where a guy asks his friend if he knows any good contractors, and when he replies yes he is asked to go out and get quotes and timelines....
I can't believe you came to XDA and posted something like that without even trying to search.
My advice is go buy the new iphone 11 pro plus. I here it will do all that and and transfer your root and linux setup from your note 4 too.
dugryce said:
...you're serious?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, quite. Is there a problem with asking individuals who may already have a deep knowledge of issues and limits of these devices to give advice based on their experiences?
Mr. Orange 645 said:
In the time it took to type out that post, you could've found all your answers by researching and using Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im fairly certain I could not find detailed answers for everything I just asked in less than 3 minutes. I believe I stated in the OP that I was simultaneously doing my own research, but I also thought it wise to ask the question considering I am not all knowing and there are details I may miss or things I havent considered.
butchieboy said:
Snapdragon Note 10plus..no root no twrp..no micrgapps..no xposed.
Exynos Note 10plus better chance at all the things listed above
Note 9 great phone but the same as above.
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate you replying to the content of the post instead of just posting sarcasm. You are the MVP of the responders thus far.
mafy31 said:
I had planned to spend the incoming month to build an answear to your questions but after a day of full thoughts I decided to spend my time doing something else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, you were going to tackle every specific question I had in detail by yourself? That would have been an epic post I would have enjoyed reading, too bad you have other engagements. Maybe next time? :laugh:
gottahavit said:
Your post reminds me of that commercial where a guy asks his friend if he knows any good contractors, and when he replies yes he is asked to go out and get quotes and timelines....
I can't believe you came to XDA and posted something like that without even trying to search.
My advice is go buy the new iphone 11 pro plus. I here it will do all that and and transfer your root and linux setup from your note 4 too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see how it would be similar on the surface. Aside from the fact that I stated I was already doing my own research and this question is supplemental to that, and this question is directed at those whom already have the information I am asking(actual contractors or people with knowledge of the trade). You might even say its also similar to asking someone who just had their house remodeled how much their contractor charged them for the work and if they did a good job.
Why would I want to own an iPhone? I think the last iDevice I owned was an iPod touch I got for free over 10 years ago and I had to jailbreak it just for it to be tolerable. Wait, are you just being snarky to avoid actually giving me any constructive information? That cant be something someone would come on to XDA to do?
pcriz said:
Power users!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never owned a Note 4, though I would imagine the Note 9 or Note 10+ would be at least a marginal upgrade.
I had the Note 9. Now I have the Note 10+. I like it, because it does stuff well.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
I never owned a Note 4, though I would imagine the Note 9 or Note 10+ would be at least a marginal upgrade.
I had the Note 9. Now I have the Note 10+. I like it, because it does stuff well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that both devices would probably be a slight upgrade over the Note 4 aside from the removable battery, IR blaster, and 3.5mm jack(Note 10+) being absent. The Note 4 was great, its flexibility and features made me disappointed in the following iterations until the Note 7 fiasco when I finally just stopped paying attention to Samsung releases since a removable battery would have entirely mitigated the issue they faced at the time.
Cool, im glad you like the Note 10+. What particular stuff for you does it do well in comparison to your Note 9 if you dont mind me asking?
POWER USER with a Note 4........
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=note+10+vs+note+9
shollywood said:
POWER USER with a Note 4........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes......You can do a lot with a rooted note 4 with a 10Ah Battery and a custom rom with lots of quality of life tweaks(Tasker, Xprivacy, etc.) Can you only be a power user if you pay to get the newest phones every time they are released when the older phone you already own pretty much does what you want?
Mr. Orange 645 said:
https://lmgtfy.com/?q=note+10+vs+note+9
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I might have stated somewhere in my OP that I was doing my own research in addition to asking this question, but I may be wrong. I may need to close these 30+ tabs of Note 9 and 10+ related research I was doing for myself and do some Note 9 and 10+ related research for myself.
As far as not being constructive goes, that was pretty funny. I may have to use that one on someone it applies to at some point.
Tetsujin_100 said:
Yes......You can do a lot with a rooted note 4 with a 10Ah Battery and a custom rom with lots of quality of life tweaks(Tasker, Xprivacy, etc.) Can you only be a power user if you pay to get the newest phones every time they are released when the older phone you already own pretty much does what you want?
I think I might have stated somewhere in my OP that I was doing my own research in addition to asking this question, but I may be wrong. I may need to close these 30+ tabs of Note 9 and 10+ related research I was doing for myself and do some Note 9 and 10+ related research for myself.
As far as not being constructive goes, that was pretty funny. I may have to use that one on someone it applies to at some point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you liked it. One of my favorite sites.
But in all seriousness, there's some pretty in depth comparisons on YouTube from power users. I watched a few when making my decision to jump from the Note 9.
Is it upgrade from the Note 4. Absolutely. Is it an upgrade from the Note 9? I would say so. They refined the form factor from the Note 8/9, the screen is gorgeous, and it's a powerhouse.
Let me put it this way. I recently bought an nVidia Shield TV for gaming, especially emulating older gaming systems such as the GameCube (a notoriously difficult console to emulate, unless you have a gaming PC). The Shield TV is the reigning king of mobile banking powerhouses, and YouTube recommended it for emulation.
I was all excited for the Shield TV, got it set up, and it did decent. I had to fiddle with the settings, and I finally got Eternal Darkness to run DECENTLY at 720p with just a few slowdowns and stutters. It's maintained 60fps for the majority of the game, but would occasionally slow to about 40fps and the game would move like molasses. Nothing like fighting demons in slow motion.
Well, hooked up my Note 10+ to my TV, and ran the same emulator on the Note 10+ through DeX, and holy crap. It runs that game smooth as butter at 1080p. Except for one scene that stuttered for about a second, it runs at full 60fps. I'm selling my Shield TV. Why do I need it when it's inferior to my Note 10+ for gaming.
So what I'm trying to say, for functionality (S-Pen, air commands, DeX) the Note 10+ is an amazing phone. As far as power? Well, gaming is one of the most taxing things you can do with a phone, and this one doesn't even blink when heavy games are thrown at it. Now, if I crank all the Dolphin emulator options up to full, it will slow down and spit and sputter to the point it's not playable. But I think 1080p rendering at 60fps for a console game is more than impressive.
Yes, you lose root. Who needs it? Yes you lose the removable battery. I can't argue that one, really, but it hasn't bothered me in the last four years since most manufacturers did away with them. Yes you lose the IR blaster. I never used it, except in a hotel bar to put the baseball game on their TV when the bartender stepped away, LOL. What you gain compared to the Note 4 is more than worth the trade off.
Note 9 vs Note 10+ is a closer argument, but I don't regret upgrading even a little bit.
shollywood said:
POWER USER with a Note 4........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In all fairness what is a power user? You can buy the most capable phone and only use snapchat, facebook, and take selfies.
You could manage your business from an iphone 6. It's less the phone and more how you use it.
Mr. Orange 645 said:
Glad you liked it. One of my favorite sites.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can see it getting a lot of use with how people are on the internet sometimes lol
But in all seriousness, there's some pretty in depth comparisons on YouTube from power users. I watched a few when making my decision to jump from the Note 9.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have watched a few at this point, but I am still watching more. Do you have anyone specific you would recommend that you think did the best job in the breakdown?
Is it upgrade from the Note 4. Absolutely. Is it an upgrade from the Note 9? I would say so. They refined the form factor from the Note 8/9, the screen is gorgeous, and it's a powerhouse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree the phones of today blow the note 4 out of the water on pure specs and many feature implementations. What keeps me on the fence is how new the note 10+ is at the moment. Im not sure how its hardware will affect the Rom/App ecosystem longterm and I would be keeping this $1000+ investment for a while in comparison to the Note 9 which can be had for hundreds of dollars cheaper, but im willing to pay the extra cost if there are no long term downsides.
Let me put it this way. I recently bought an nVidia Shield TV for gaming,.....snip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is pretty impressive. I know certain consoles are a pain in the butt to emulate efficiently because of their custom architectures. That is definitely a win for the N10+. I dont really play heavy games on my phone as I have a gaming PC so my phone gaming is largely limited to things like Townsmen, Kingdom Rush, style games along with older emulators also, but that kind of hardware capability is something you want from a device like this. I would probably play much older consoles this way so I can start and stop on the go etc. Playing Zelda on the go and continuing at home sounds appealing at this moment.
So what I'm trying to say, for functionality (S-Pen, air commands, DeX) the Note 10+ is an amazing phone. As far as power? Well, gaming is one of the most taxing things you can do with a phone, and this one doesn't even blink when heavy games are thrown at it. Now, if I crank all the Dolphin emulator options up to full, it will slow down and spit and sputter to the point it's not playable. But I think 1080p rendering at 60fps for a console game is more than impressive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I say "power" I personally mean usage flexibility, basic and advanced features, and capability for longevity through modifications once Samsung decides its of lower priority. As far as pure grunt(IPC, clock rate, etc.) I find it to be a close secondary concern while still being important. A lot of the features in the new phones were pioneered by 3rd party developers before Samsung/Google made an in-house version. In the long term being less dependent on samsung and google is best so they cant artificially limit your device when they decide you should be buying the new one so hardware that is easy for me and dedicated devs to work with is very important for me.
Yes, you lose root. Who needs it? Yes you lose the removable battery. I can't argue that one, really, but it hasn't bothered me in the last four years since most manufacturers did away with them. Yes you lose the IR blaster. I never used it, except in a hotel bar to put the baseball game on their TV when the bartender stepped away, LOL. What you gain compared to the Note 4 is more than worth the trade off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may need root(Magisk/SU access), but the specifics of the ecosystem may have shifted enough to where applications like Tasker no longer require root level access. I do need TWRP or some equivalent to work for testing roms and backups though.
The lack of a removable battery bothers me on the level that its not an option and from a function over form engineering standpoint I don't like the idea of a potentially volatile piece of technology being a major failure point of a expensive device. Both on the level of LiPo/Li-ion batteries chemically(I know they are safe generally) and not being able to disconnect a device from its power source if necessary. I know more than a few people personally over the years who had phones(and other compact devices) with internal batteries that have destroyed themselves simply because of the battery physically expanding causing damage to surrounding systems and or because a some hardware or software problem cause a loop of damage(electrical or thermal) to the device that couldnt be stopped. The entire Note 7 was an exercise in why removable power sources in general are a good idea and it cost Samsung both money and image not abiding by that principle. I will admit the theft protection aspect of a non removable battery is a bonus. I plan to use an Aquero), and other items in addition to those niche times you mentioned. The only pain was the fact the Samsung installed an IR transmitter instead of a transceiver on the note 4 so I had to work around getting all my remote codes into the phone the harder way. This was the kind of detail I worry about and why I asked this question, even though I see now many do not appreciate me asking in such a way.
Note 9 vs Note 10+ is a closer argument, but I don't regret upgrading even a little bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im glad you are happy with your purchase, and I agree that in general if there are no major flaws related to my specific usage wants/requirements that the 9 and 10+ would be a great improvement over the note 4. As far as the Note 4 still being on the table is just in the circumstance of there being data that the note 10+ represents more of a tick or a tock relative to the phones next year in which case I can just spend $100 to get it fixed and wait. The segmentation between the S10, N10, N10+, makes me wonder about the plans for the product line, but if the Note 10 is just a case of Samsung getting rid of backlog parts then its probably nothing.
Thanks for taking the time to answer and giving me your perspective. I really appreciate it. :highfive:
pcriz said:
In all fairness what is a power user? You can buy the most capable phone and only use snapchat, facebook, and take selfies.
You could manage your business from an iphone 6. It's less the phone and more how you use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that the term "power user" is a fairly ambiguous term that can mean different things to different people. I agree that you can do things with an iphone, but what they have in stability they greatly lack in operational/usage flexibility at the high end. My device I paid for telling me "no" when it technically capable of doing what I want is not something I will tolerate unless absolutely necessary.
What I personally qualify as a "power user" is having usages well outside of what most would consider "phone" use(light internet, few notes, a game or two, and some videos). This moves into the territory of Custom Roms, heavy tasker automation, regular file transfer, file hosting and streaming, hotspot usage while connected to a VPN or SSH connection, diagnostic work, remote control(TV-PC control), etc. Overall if you think of your device as more or a pocket Linux computer with phone capability as opposed to a phone with extra features that are useful/fun, you likely would fall under some metric of the "power user" umbrella. In my experience most users I have ever met fall into the latter category while many less fall into the former. There are still cases to me where you can be a "power user" if you only use one specific feature to its limits in the <10% of users range.
I understand the economics of Samsungs feature shifts, but doesnt mean I have to like it. Apple devices are simply incompatible with my usage demands, I tried to live with my brothers old Iphone X or 9 for a week and it was painful.
pcriz said:
In all fairness what is a power user? You can buy the most capable phone and only use snapchat, facebook, and take selfies.
LOl...probably NOT a power user then, no?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shollywood said:
LOl...probably NOT a power user then, no?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You kind of missed the point.
Your comment that I responded to called out the note 4 and the fact that op said "power users". As if they cant exist in the same sentence...
shollywood said:
POWER USER with a Note 4........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you acknowledge the idea that a person only using a phone for social networking (regardless of the phone) isnt a "power user", then you kind of made my point for me. That it isn't the phone it's the user.
Also you seem to imply "power user" is synonymous with owning the newest phone, which I would also say is kind of a fallacy.
Regarding software bugs:
The Note 10/+ are running One UI 1.5 and coming from my S9+ running One UI 1.0, I noticed the following improvements:
1. No more bluetooth volume warning message
2. Automated switching ("Sunset to Sunrise") between Night Mode and Day(?) Mode no longer leaves minimized notifications in the wrong mode. I would look at my notification shade after the phone automatically switched back to Day Mode and a couple minimized notifications at the bottom would still be in the dark shade. I would have to toggle Night Mode on and off and turn the schedule on again to make things right (until I repeated this 24 hours later!)
3. When the notification shade is fully extended and you have to actually scroll down to go through every single one, the animation has been cleaned up so that the icons of the bottom-most notifications don't look they're falling into/out of the UI. If ever there was a case that Samsung is not Apple, this would have been it.
4. When you pull down the notification shade, the toggles are actually correct the first time you glance at them (and previously you would pull down, push up, pull down again to see the toggles as they should be.)
5. Split screen works better. The initial app docks very well to the top half of the screen and the phone understands better that all the task switching and app gymnastics you do are meant for the bottom half of the display.
6. Apps install blazingly fast.
7. My corporate IT device admin app (Blackberry UEM) does not force a series of unrelated events when installing an app (previously it would toggle bluetooth and launch a restart-PIN security screen--don't ask me why).
Those are the things I can immediately think of.
So it looks like this might be my next phone but I have a few questions
1. Is it still worth it to have my samsung galaxy watch 4? I know there are a few features that you lose if you dont have a samsung device like ECG and body measurement features.
2. Is it going to be better to get the pro instead of waiting til next year to get the s21 ultra because I was thinking about that as well since the price might come down.
1. Yes keep it, you loose very little with this (if anything). You can enable blood pressure and ECG with this (currently running it on OnePlus 8Pro and it works without issues):
How to enable ECG and Blood Pressure features on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Here's how you can enable ECG and blood pressure monitoring on your Galaxy Watch 4 in all regions, even with non-Samsung phones.
www.xda-developers.com
So just some fiddling around, but you only need to do this once and you're set to go.
2. No one can tell you what is better for you but I can share how I decided to return to Google.
The most important phone feature for me always been smoothness. Long time ago I switched from Nexus 5 to Samsung Note 4. It was supposed to be a step up with the newer processor, but Sammy let me down big time.
I was shook by how much smoother the Nexus was. I was chasing for a better performance for Note 4, so I tried rooting, custom roms etc., but without luck. Nexus 5 was simply much better in that regard.
What I learned about Google phones in the long run:
I was used to getting a poorer and poorer performance from Samsung as the phone aged. With Nexus and Pixels it was always the other way around. In my experience Google phones were not that great when they got released, but in months, with help of updates, they started flying.
I loved the community support around these devices. What most called 'a plain' version of Android, happened to be as rich in functionality as I would want them to be (with help of rooting and some neat apps). Also, Google phones had the reputation of being a compromise choice. E.g. with Pixel 2 people didn't like the screen. Meanwhile I absolutely adored it because I knew there were tools that allowed you to adjust display as you like. If not the community, I would've never learned about this though.
Reviews never called full justice over these devices for some reason. I was rarely finding a review that would justify my experiences with Google phones. It felt like the reviewers were playing around with them for a couple of weeks and then putting them back to the drawer. A Nexus/Pixel in early days without rooting for me seemed like a waste (things have changed now days, I don't see a reason for rooting anymore).
I split ways with Pixel after 2XL. Although it was a really amazing phone, Pixels 3 and 4 didn't seem attractive for me with the price.
I went to OnePlus with 7 PRO which was offering a clean enough OS, smooth performance and insane screen. Really amazing phone.
8 PRO is still ok, but it never felt like a step forwards from 7 PRO (except from camera). Software updates got very slow, i'm not even sure if 8 is supported anymore, lol. I have very little to no hope in regards to the unified OS they are bringing.
I have 0 complaints about Galaxy Tab S7, so I considered Samsung 21 Ultra. I liked it when I got a chance to use it in a store. But after the atrocious experiences with Note 4 and some short time spent with Galaxy 9, 10, I still don't see myself using a Samsung phone.
In Pixel 6 video comments I saw people raging on 21 Ultra for slowness, battery issues so it looks like not much has changed unfortunately.
When I heard about Google working on a chip for Pixel, that got me excited. As long as it's at least comparably as fast as SD 865, but is smooth, I will be more than happy to return to the vanilla Android. Can't lie, I missed it.
Summarizing, if you owned a Pixel before, you should know pretty well what's to expect and whether you liked it or not. If that would be your first Pixel device, just go for it. This year seems to be the best time ever to join #TeamPixel.
BabeShaq said:
1. Yes keep it, you loose very little with this (if anything). You can enable blood pressure and ECG with this (currently running it on OnePlus 8Pro and it works without issues):
How to enable ECG and Blood Pressure features on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Here's how you can enable ECG and blood pressure monitoring on your Galaxy Watch 4 in all regions, even with non-Samsung phones.
www.xda-developers.com
So just some fiddling around, but you only need to do this once and you're set to go.
2. No one can tell you what is better for you but I can share how I decided to return to Google.
The most important phone feature for me always been smoothness. Long time ago I switched from Nexus 5 to Samsung Note 4. It was supposed to be a step up with the newer processor, but Sammy let me down big time.
I was shook by how much smoother the Nexus was. I was chasing for a better performance for Note 4, so I tried rooting, custom roms etc., but without luck. Nexus 5 was simply much better in that regard.
What I learned about Google phones in the long run:
I was used to getting a poorer and poorer performance from Samsung as the phone aged. With Nexus and Pixels it was always the other way around. In my experience Google phones were not that great when they got released, but in months, with help of updates, they started flying.
I loved the community support around these devices. What most called 'a plain' version of Android, happened to be as rich in functionality as I would want them to be (with help of rooting and some neat apps). Also, Google phones had the reputation of being a compromise choice. E.g. with Pixel 2 people didn't like the screen. Meanwhile I absolutely adored it because I knew there were tools that allowed you to adjust display as you like. If not the community, I would've never learned about this though.
Reviews never called full justice over these devices for some reason. I was rarely finding a review that would justify my experiences with Google phones. It felt like the reviewers were playing around with them for a couple of weeks and then putting them back to the drawer. A Nexus/Pixel in early days without rooting for me seemed like a waste (things have changed now days, I don't see a reason for rooting anymore).
I split ways with Pixel after 2XL. Although it was a really amazing phone, Pixels 3 and 4 didn't seem attractive for me with the price.
I went to OnePlus with 7 PRO which was offering a clean enough OS, smooth performance and insane screen. Really amazing phone.
8 PRO is still ok, but it never felt like a step forwards from 7 PRO (except from camera). Software updates got very slow, i'm not even sure if 8 is supported anymore, lol. I have very little to no hope in regards to the unified OS they are bringing.
I have 0 complaints about Galaxy Tab S7, so I considered Samsung 21 Ultra. I liked it when I got a chance to use it in a store. But after the atrocious experiences with Note 4 and some short time spent with Galaxy 9, 10, I still don't see myself using a Samsung phone.
In Pixel 6 video comments I saw people raging on 21 Ultra for slowness, battery issues so it looks like not much has changed unfortunately.
When I heard about Google working on a chip for Pixel, that got me excited. As long as it's at least comparably as fast as SD 865, but is smooth, I will be more than happy to return to the vanilla Android. Can't lie, I missed it.
Summarizing, if you owned a Pixel before, you should know pretty well what's to expect and whether you liked it or not. If that would be your first Pixel device, just go for it. This year seems to be the best time ever to join #TeamPixel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You make some really great points. If I can get those features paired with a 6 pro then I'll probably go for it. I don't normally use those features but it's just something about me if I don't get the full of experience of a device I paid $450 for. This does seem like the perfect time to move over to pixel. Battery life means a lot to me and with that 5000mah I'm pretty much sold on it. On top of that if this is anything like what apple is doing with their bionic chip then battery life should be really good.
I'm also not sure if I should do 128gb or 256gb
I plan on using my cool galaxy watch 4 with this badboy device! Cheers
I just pre-ordered mine. 128gb stormy black. Gonna put a dbrand skin on it
orlans21 said:
You make some really great points. If I can get those features paired with a 6 pro then I'll probably go for it. I don't normally use those features but it's just something about me if I don't get the full of experience of a device I paid $450 for. This does seem like the perfect time to move over to pixel. Battery life means a lot to me and with that 5000mah I'm pretty much sold on it. On top of that if this is anything like what apple is doing with their bionic chip then battery life should be really good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a galaxy watch 4 with a pixel 4xl. I use the modified apps and they work great. It's not hard at all to get them installed. Simple ADB for the watch.
gettinwicked said:
I have a galaxy watch 4 with a pixel 4xl. I use the modified apps and they work great. It's not hard at all to get them installed. Simple ADB for the watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats good to know. I'll do that when i get it
orlans21 said:
So it looks like this might be my next phone but I have a few questions
1. Is it still worth it to have my samsung galaxy watch 4? I know there are a few features that you lose if you dont have a samsung device like ECG and body measurement features.
2. Is it going to be better to get the pro instead of waiting til next year to get the s21 ultra because I was thinking about that as well since the price might come down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if you've bought the phone yet, but you may want to hold off on that. I've been having problems - the watch (Galaxy Watch 4) and phone (6 Pro) both pair initially just fine. But if I restart my phone, the phone won't reconnect to the watch, and the galaxy wearable app seems to have forgotten the watch. The only way to reconnect them is to reset the watch completely. Considering returning the phone over it.
ailinmcc666 said:
I don't know if you've bought the phone yet, but you may want to hold off on that. I've been having problems - the watch (Galaxy Watch 4) and phone (6 Pro) both pair initially just fine. But if I restart my phone, the phone won't reconnect to the watch, and the galaxy wearable app seems to have forgotten the watch. The only way to reconnect them is to reset the watch completely. Considering returning the phone over it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have bought the phone but I dont have it yet. But that is interesting to hear. Maybe make a post about it in the GW4 forums
ailinmcc666 said:
I don't know if you've bought the phone yet, but you may want to hold off on that. I've been having problems - the watch (Galaxy Watch 4) and phone (6 Pro) both pair initially just fine. But if I restart my phone, the phone won't reconnect to the watch, and the galaxy wearable app seems to have forgotten the watch. The only way to reconnect them is to reset the watch completely. Considering returning the phone over it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That maybe android 12 issue rather then phone
ailinmcc666 said:
I don't know if you've bought the phone yet, but you may want to hold off on that. I've been having problems - the watch (Galaxy Watch 4) and phone (6 Pro) both pair initially just fine. But if I restart my phone, the phone won't reconnect to the watch, and the galaxy wearable app seems to have forgotten the watch. The only way to reconnect them is to reset the watch completely. Considering returning the phone over it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same setup as you. I don't have this issue at all. Maybe occasionally after a reboot I'll have to go the app and hit connect, but it's quick to do so.
Overall, I think the experience is what I hoped for.
BabeShaq said:
1. Yes keep it, you loose very little with this (if anything). You can enable blood pressure and ECG with this (currently running it on OnePlus 8Pro and it works without issues):
How to enable ECG and Blood Pressure features on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Here's how you can enable ECG and blood pressure monitoring on your Galaxy Watch 4 in all regions, even with non-Samsung phones.
www.xda-developers.com
So just some fiddling around, but you only need to do this once and you're set to go.
2. No one can tell you what is better for you but I can share how I decided to return to Google.
The most important phone feature for me always been smoothness. Long time ago I switched from Nexus 5 to Samsung Note 4. It was supposed to be a step up with the newer processor, but Sammy let me down big time.
I was shook by how much smoother the Nexus was. I was chasing for a better performance for Note 4, so I tried rooting, custom roms etc., but without luck. Nexus 5 was simply much better in that regard.
What I learned about Google phones in the long run:
I was used to getting a poorer and poorer performance from Samsung as the phone aged. With Nexus and Pixels it was always the other way around. In my experience Google phones were not that great when they got released, but in months, with help of updates, they started flying.
I loved the community support around these devices. What most called 'a plain' version of Android, happened to be as rich in functionality as I would want them to be (with help of rooting and some neat apps). Also, Google phones had the reputation of being a compromise choice. E.g. with Pixel 2 people didn't like the screen. Meanwhile I absolutely adored it because I knew there were tools that allowed you to adjust display as you like. If not the community, I would've never learned about this though.
Reviews never called full justice over these devices for some reason. I was rarely finding a review that would justify my experiences with Google phones. It felt like the reviewers were playing around with them for a couple of weeks and then putting them back to the drawer. A Nexus/Pixel in early days without rooting for me seemed like a waste (things have changed now days, I don't see a reason for rooting anymore).
I split ways with Pixel after 2XL. Although it was a really amazing phone, Pixels 3 and 4 didn't seem attractive for me with the price.
I went to OnePlus with 7 PRO which was offering a clean enough OS, smooth performance and insane screen. Really amazing phone.
8 PRO is still ok, but it never felt like a step forwards from 7 PRO (except from camera). Software updates got very slow, i'm not even sure if 8 is supported anymore, lol. I have very little to no hope in regards to the unified OS they are bringing.
I have 0 complaints about Galaxy Tab S7, so I considered Samsung 21 Ultra. I liked it when I got a chance to use it in a store. But after the atrocious experiences with Note 4 and some short time spent with Galaxy 9, 10, I still don't see myself using a Samsung phone.
In Pixel 6 video comments I saw people raging on 21 Ultra for slowness, battery issues so it looks like not much has changed unfortunately.
When I heard about Google working on a chip for Pixel, that got me excited. As long as it's at least comparably as fast as SD 865, but is smooth, I will be more than happy to return to the vanilla Android. Can't lie, I missed it.
Summarizing, if you owned a Pixel before, you should know pretty well what's to expect and whether you liked it or not. If that would be your first Pixel device, just go for it. This year seems to be the best time ever to join #TeamPixel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice. It does seem like a good time to join the Pixel family. Only device I've seen previously is my partner, who has a Pixel 4a, which I've used a bit, and I found it to be a impressive device.
I'll stick with it for now, maybe do a factory reset without restoring from a backup, go in fresh, and maybe that will help with this problem.
orlans21 said:
You make some really great points. If I can get those features paired with a 6 pro then I'll probably go for it. I don't normally use those features but it's just something about me if I don't get the full of experience of a device I paid $450 for. This does seem like the perfect time to move over to pixel. Battery life means a lot to me and with that 5000mah I'm pretty much sold on it. On top of that if this is anything like what apple is doing with their bionic chip then battery life should be really good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life has been strange for me on the device - sometimes it's unbelievably good, other times, it seems to drain quite fast. But I haven't really kept track of my usage on those days, so it could have been something I'm doing sometimes to drain it fast.
ailinmcc666 said:
Battery life has been strange for me on the device - sometimes it's unbelievably good, other times, it seems to drain quite fast. But I haven't really kept track of my usage on those days, so it could have been something I'm doing sometimes to drain it fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It can drain fast if you have weak cell service and its also adaptive battery so it could be learning your usage
gettinwicked said:
I have a galaxy watch 4 with a pixel 4xl. I use the modified apps and they work great. It's not hard at all to get them installed. Simple ADB for the watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do u need a computer? If yes. Then Is not"simple". Lol
ajftl said:
Do u need a computer? If yes. Then Is not"simple". Lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It really is dude. You turn on adb debugging on the watch, connect to it via wifi, put in like 3 commands and done. Also, if you're in XDA, this is probably the most simple thing you do to devices.
Adb connect 'ip'
Adb -s install 'ip' watch4.xxx
Adb disconnect 'ip'
Done
I have no issue with pairing. Phone and watch work good together.
Well after being excited to get the Pixel 6 Pro with all the hype of best pixel phone in years, i have returned the phone after finding it disappointing. Probably the phone i have been most disappointed with ever, So i have gone back to my Huawei P30 Pro
main issues are battery life, after finding the phone struggling to get through a day on a charge, after googling and finding turning off the 5g and 120hz display improves battery life. WHAT the main features of the phone drain the battery too much, battery life on P30 is 2 days for me constantly (i know peoples usage will vary), but after Lumia phones and Huawei it was like going back to Iphone 3 days barely getting 24hrs on a charge.
also the UI is terrible, how is this an improvement the notification area with the huge tiles take up so much room that you have to scroll to the right to see most of the shortcuts etc. P30 is much more intuitive and fewer steps to do the same action
The Google search bar/ assistant and clock can't be moved or resized so much for customising android, none of these restrictions on P30
Colour theming what a joke to the point of being pointless couldn't pick the colour i wanted and the choice of 4 colour LOL, P30 has a huge colour theming section and is easy pick what colour you want and away to go
You will need a case for the phone it will literally slide off everything, i know a lot pf people fit cases but you wont have any choice with the Pixel 6 or it'll end up in broke
I would go as far to say EMUI 4 was better than android 12 on the Pixel 6, only good point was the camera
Only thing I'd agree with is that Huawei makes some of the best phones and I wish they were sold for US carriers. As for this phone, it's getting better every day for me. Of course there are some annoyances here and there but battery life isn't bad for me. I still have mine on 5g and 120hz and getting 8ish hour SOT with full day use. Mostly Twitter, Reddit and cryptocurrency apps and some YouTube music. The UI I feel takes some learning and adjusting to get used to.
nighthawk626 said:
Only thing I'd agree with is that Huawei makes some of the best phones and I wish they were sold for US carriers. As for this phone, it's getting better every day for me. Of course there are some annoyances here and there but battery life isn't bad for me. I still have mine on 5g and 120hz and getting 8ish hour SOT with full day use. Mostly Twitter, Reddit and cryptocurrency apps and some YouTube music. The UI I feel takes some learning and adjusting to get used to.
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Click to collapse
Kinda hard to trust a device made literally by the espionage wing of a hostile foreign country...
96carboard said:
Kinda hard to trust a device made literally by the espionage wing of a hostile foreign country...
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Not saying I don't get that. I just really miss Huawei phones.
Podster16 said:
Well after being excited to get the Pixel 6 Pro with all the hype of best pixel phone in years, i have returned the phone after finding it disappointing. Probably the phone i have been most disappointed with ever, So i have gone back to my Huawei P30 Pro
main issues are battery life, after finding the phone struggling to get through a day on a charge, after googling and finding turning off the 5g and 120hz display improves battery life. WHAT the main features of the phone drain the battery too much, battery life on P30 is 2 days for me constantly (i know peoples usage will vary), but after Lumia phones and Huawei it was like going back to Iphone 3 days barely getting 24hrs on a charge.
also the UI is terrible, how is this an improvement the notification area with the huge tiles take up so much room that you have to scroll to the right to see most of the shortcuts etc. P30 is much more intuitive and fewer steps to do the same action
The Google search bar/ assistant and clock can't be moved or resized so much for customising android, none of these restrictions on P30
Colour theming what a joke to the point of being pointless couldn't pick the colour i wanted and the choice of 4 colour LOL, P30 has a huge colour theming section and is easy pick what colour you want and away to go
You will need a case for the phone it will literally slide off everything, i know a lot pf people fit cases but you wont have any choice with the Pixel 6 or it'll end up in broke
I would go as far to say EMUI 4 was better than android 12 on the Pixel 6, only good point was the camera
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Click to collapse
You really should have waited a bit to try a pure aosp build. I found the google [bloat|spy]ware to be bad enough that I couldn't put my sim card in it because it was completely unusable. Running pure aosp built from source and its like a dream.
Under very heavy use since about 7am this morning (its now after 3), I'm still over 70% battery, including leaving 120hz enabled. Not 5g though, my carrier only has LTE for now.
Some of your complaints don't really matter. The quick settings pane for example is a feature of android 12, not the google build, so no matter who sells you the phone, you'll have that eventually anyway.
96carboard said:
Kinda hard to trust a device made literally by the espionage wing of a hostile foreign country...
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Click to collapse
hostile wing of USA or China take your pick
nighthawk626 said:
Only thing I'd agree with is that Huawei makes some of the best phones and I wish they were sold for US carriers. As for this phone, it's getting better every day for me. Of course there are some annoyances here and there but battery life isn't bad for me. I still have mine on 5g and 120hz and getting 8ish hour SOT with full day use. Mostly Twitter, Reddit and cryptocurrency apps and some YouTube music. The UI I feel takes some learning and adjusting to get used to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i had no where near that battery time, fully charged at 9:00am out on the mtb for 6 hrs with pics on the way normal use after that by 8:00 pm 15%
The UI is just not as intuitive, take restricting apps working in the background pixel you have to go to each app individually, P30 the settings for all apps are on one page, just simpler
2021 has been a mediocre year at best for smartphones. Android 11 and 12 forced cpu cycle eating scooped storage sucks.
After the N20U Samsung released nothing I like and their last really great flagship is the N10+ running on Q.
2021, issues with variable rate displays, 5G and scoped storage galore. The usual Samsung Fold display delamination issues. For flagship SD card support you either got to use older Samsung flagships or go Chinese.
The Pixel Pro seems to numerous rude surprises. OK, maybe it's not horrible but not a flagship level device either... it's ok at best. It's user interface is subpar as usual with no substantial speed advantage to show for it. Why not just get an Apple rather than a Pixel at this rate?
I doubt even Samsung can modify Android 11/12 enough to make it user friendly; Pixel barely tried to fix their nightmare OS.
Small wonder Pixel as such a dismal market share... they earned it.
blackhawk said:
2021 has been a mediocre year at best for smartphones. Android 11 and 12 forced cpu cycle eating scooped storage sucks.
After the N20U Samsung released nothing I like and their last really great flagship is the N10+ running on Q.
2021, issues with variable rate displays, 5G and scoped storage galore. The usual Samsung Fold display delamination issues. For flagship SD card support you either got to use older Samsung flagships or go Chinese.
The Pixel Pro seems to numerous rude surprises. OK, maybe it's not horrible but not a flagship level device either... it's ok at best. It's user interface is subpar as usual with no substantial speed advantage to show for it. Why not just get an Apple rather than a Pixel at this rate?
I doubt even Samsung can modify Android 11/12 enough to make it user friendly; Pixel barely tried to fix their nightmare OS.
Small wonder Pixel as such a dismal market share... they earned it.
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Click to collapse
Note 9 owner
Everyone knows the 10 lineup was literally a downgrade in all the ways literally a minor cpu bump and a 3rd camera.
You lost iris scanner, spo2 ,heart rate , headphone jack and sd card slot on certain models.
It was also the mark of samsung making like 4 3/4 different models of phone which had worse hard ware than previous versions unless you get the top top end.
For example the fact screens on the note10 itself are worse than 9.
It literally started the mark of samsung killing off the note line with the making it a glorified Samsung Galaxy with a pen in which case then note 20ultra is worse that the galaxy 20 ultra in a lot of ways.
It's not even ahead of software updates since the note 10 lite uses the same chipset as the s9/n9 so it's easily ported to them.
So yeah the fact you said that means you literally have no clue on the state of it.
Also you think Samsung will simplify it gl they literally need to make a new ui every year because they can't do it right it's improving but still , if you don't like stock android get different launcher.
At least we know we going to get software support for a long time and direct also support
Phone is Awesome! Best purchase ever!
blackhawk said:
2021 has been a mediocre year at best for smartphones. Android 11 and 12 forced cpu cycle eating scooped storage sucks.
After the N20U Samsung released nothing I like and their last really great flagship is the N10+ running on Q.
2021, issues with variable rate displays, 5G and scoped storage galore. The usual Samsung Fold display delamination issues. For flagship SD card support you either got to use older Samsung flagships or go Chinese.
The Pixel Pro seems to numerous rude surprises. OK, maybe it's not horrible but not a flagship level device either... it's ok at best. It's user interface is subpar as usual with no substantial speed advantage to show for it. Why not just get an Apple rather than a Pixel at this rate?
I doubt even Samsung can modify Android 11/12 enough to make it user friendly; Pixel barely tried to fix their nightmare OS.
Small wonder Pixel as such a dismal market share... they earned it.
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Click to collapse
As you stated in so many posts you have 2 Note 10's so I can only assume that your opinion is pure speculation! Did a clean install and don't have any issues at all. When the Note 20 Ultra first came a lot of members were having issues with it to because of importing data and apps from an old phone, once they did a FDR all the problems magically disappeared! Just saying...........................
ggrant3876 said:
As you stated in so many posts you have 2 Note 10's so I can only assume that your opinion is pure speculation! Did a clean install and don't have any issues at all. When the Note 20 Ultra first came a lot of members were having issues with it to because of importing data and apps from an old phone, once they did a FDR all the problems magically disappeared! Just saying...........................
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Click to collapse
I read a lot. The Pixel UI... well each to his own is the best I can say.
The N20U has display issues caused by the variable frequency, the N10+ color rendering exceeds the N20U, S21U and likely the P6pro.
I have extremely good color perception, top 1% so I find color aberrations annoying with displays. The 10+ is near spot on even after two years of heavy usage. I'll do a color test between the new and old one to see how tight the calibration is just for kicks sometime.
The N20U is running on R, enough said.
Some of both have 5G, not worth the increased battery usage. This problem persists in most of the newest devices. Variable rate displays, 5G and especially scooped storage are not mature technologies and continue to underperform.
Stats with pics... or it never happened.
Here's what a stock N10+ Snapdragon/P variant did just today with a 4300mAh battery. About one hour is watching utube vids, the rest browsing. The N10+ isn't even breaking a sweat...
The entire pre-order mess has soured my excitement for the phone. Google showed early November delivery, now shows mid January. It seems to cut costs, Google went with outdated and inferior parts and made some strange sacrifices. Samsung always gives it's competitors last year's display tech. Android 12 feels largely incomplete, much like hipster aesthetics were put before functional changes. I have been excited to get a flagship that has a clean base, can be rooted and built upon, but if the hardware is subpar, it may not be worth it.
With Samsung phones, I've debloated and modded almost every element to my liking without even needing root. Custom themes, custom fonts, custom clock styles and placement, always on display scheduling, ability to hide the navigation bar, and endless GoodLock modules to fine tune the UI are all things stock Android 12 can't do. That said, it's always bugged me that Samsung phones have roughly 300 preloaded system apps, where stock Android has about 100. I'm debating whether to cancel the P6P preorder and wait for the S22 Ultra.
Guyinlaca said:
The entire pre-order mess has soured my excitement for the phone. Google showed early November delivery, now shows mid January. It seems to cut costs, Google went with outdated and inferior parts, and made sacrifices to keep costs down. Samsung always gives it's competitors last year's display tech. Android 12 feels largely incomplete, much like hipster aesthetics were put before functional changes. I have been excited to get a flagship that has a clean base, can be rooted and built upon, but if the hardware is subpar, it may not be worth it.
With Samsung phones, I've debloated and modded almost every element to my liking without even needing root. Custom themes, custom fonts, custom clock styles and placement, always on display scheduling, ability to hide the navigation bar, and endless GoodLock modules to fine tune the UI are all things stock Android 12 can't do. That said, it's always bugged me that Samsung phones have roughly 300 preloaded system apps, where stock Android has about 100. I'm debating whether to cancel the P6P preorder and wait for the S22 Ultra.
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Click to collapse
I was comparing my 2 N10+'s, one running on 9, the other 10. The 10 variant has dozens of small apks that show on the package disabler, but they're not bloatware. Samsung deliberately moded Android 10 to make it more user friendly and functional. It runs very well.
The S21 isn't anything I want but it shreds the P6pro.
However both are having display issues. I would at least wait for the dust to settle...
Hold out until Samsung gets their act together again if you can... it may take a year or two. Latter 2022 or perhaps 2023. I wouldn't hold my breath... it may take until 2024 to arise from the ashes of mediocre and lack of features.
Guyinlaca said:
I'm debating whether to cancel the P6P preorder and wait for the S22 Ultra.
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Click to collapse
Keep in mind you can't unlock the bootloader on recent Samsung phones without breaking the camera completely. I had nothing against them until now but this is major BS on their part.
Ghisy said:
Keep in mind you can't unlock the bootloader on recent Samsung phones without breaking the camera completely. I had nothing against them until now but this is major BS on their part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be fair, on a Samsung, one doesn't really need root. So much debloating can be done using ADB. Many developers have found ways to utilize Samsung's theme engine and font engine to customize the phone however one prefers. I installed an AOSP theme using Hex Installer that made the UI look 95% stock.
Guyinlaca said:
To be fair, on a Samsung, one doesn't really need root. So much debloating can be done using ADB. Many developers have found ways to utilize Samsung's theme engine and font engine to customize the phone however one prefers. I installed an AOSP theme using Hex Installer that made the UI look 95% stock.
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Click to collapse
I'm running 2 stock N10+'s using Samsung Galaxy mods, a package disabler, a firewall and heavily optimizing them.
That's all you need... they run great and look/function exactly how I want them too.
No plain Janes here... some assembly required.
Samsung phones are pus*y phones, pardon my language. If you can't unlock the bootloader have any kind of development opportunities, you're just a sheep. Last Samsung phones I had were the Galaxy Nexus and the Note 2. Seems like a lot of Samsung Fanboys here. I get it because we're here to talk about phones, but this is an XDA Development site - Development. It's all about development. So move forth and go forward with your beautiful Sammy phones and enjoy those locked bootloaders!
darbylonia said:
Samsung phones are pus*y phones, pardon my language. If you can't unlock the bootloader have any kind of development opportunities, you're just a sheep. Last Samsung phones I had were the Galaxy Nexus and the Note 2. Seems like a lot of Samsung Fanboys here. I get it because we're here to talk about phones, but this is an XDA Development site - Development. It's all about development. So move forth and go forward with your beautiful Sammy phones and enjoy those locked bootloaders!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
darbylonia said:
Samsung phones are pus*y phones, pardon my language. If you can't unlock the bootloader have any kind of development opportunities, you're just a sheep. Last Samsung phones I had were the Galaxy Nexus and the Note 2. Seems like a lot of Samsung Fanboys here. I get it because we're here to talk about phones, but this is an XDA Development site - Development. It's all about development. So move forth and go forward with your beautiful Sammy phones and enjoy those locked bootloaders!
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Click to collapse
Sorry, I had two glasses of wine.
darbylonia said:
Sorry, I had two glasses of wine.
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Good thing it wasn't WT 101
Stability, functionality, speed and good battery life are all that matters. This "pu$$y" phone in my hand right now has all four, it's current load is over 1.5 years old with minimum maintenance/zero updates.
Yeah, I really hate it...