Is the Nexus 5x worth it in my scenario? Project Fi - Nexus 5X Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello all! I really appreciate you taking the time to read through all of this, I am really nervous about making a decision and XDA has always been a great community whenever I have to make a decision about technology. Please feel free to add any additional information you find helpful and please please ask any questions! I will answer them quickly
I had a few questions before I pull the trigger on the nexus 5x/ project Fi.
Right now I'm using stock Verizon Galaxy Note 4.
+I love the stylus and big screen for drawing. The battery life is decent too. I have never had a problem going a full day and then atleast til noon the next day.
+The note 4 AMOLED screen is bright enough when I need it to be outside and dim enough before I go to bed.
-I am getting tired of how large the phone is. I firmly believe in having a rugged case for all my devices so my note 4 has an otterbox Defender which makes it even bigger.
-Samsung touchwiz sucks, its been getting slimmer and slimmer every year and I know the Grace UX is going to slim down even more...but I just don't like samsung's design language.
-LAGGY. Snapdragon 805 w/ 3GB RAM running a 2K resolution 5.7" screen. I am very good at factory resetting my phone every 2-3 months and I never have too many resource intensive apps running, I think it's just Samsung's overbloated and resource intensive setup.
-Speakers are tinny and just bad quality.
-I love to root, and until recently that was not possible for this phone. I still hate all the extra steps and voiding my warranty that comes with samsung/verizon. Just not worth it after owning this phone for 2 years.
So I am looking to switch! I want to try Project Fi.
I currently am grandfathered into a $100/month for unlimited text, call and 20GB of data on verizon.
I only use about 3gb of data a month.
Even If I want to downgrade to verizon's 3GB or 5GB plan, I will stay pay around $75 or $95 a month because of Verizon's monthly line access fee of $30.
Also with verizon I don't have access to google nexus phones, I want to be first in line for the new android OS version.
Now to my questions!
>Does the battery life get you through a full day with at least 20% remaining? (this question is for people who don't game or game very lightly and mostly use texting, emailing with the occasional snapchat/instagram.)
>With Android N will the Nexus 5x see great or mediocre improvement in performance/battery life? (this might be more for the people who have been using all the developer previews)
>One handed use, how comfortable is the phone to hold while browsing apps?
>Is the screen legible enough when it is super bright out?
>Is project Fi stable in your opinion?
>Should I wait until the next nexus phones are released?
>What are any other options for a mostly pure android experience on other carriers?
>Best rugged case for nexus 5x
Thank you for reading up to this point, I am on the fence about this decision. Any information you can provide is greatly appreciated!

Here are my data points.
>Does the battery life get you through a full day with at least 20% remaining? (this question is for people who don't game or game very lightly and mostly use texting, emailing with the occasional snapchat/instagram.) I'm a relatively light user and I have 40 or 50% left at end of day. I am quite happy with battery life. I use Velis Auto Brightness so my screen is pretty dim most of the time and only goes bright when needed. Using the USB type C charger that comes with it charges really fast too. Doze mode at night pretty much flat-lines battery use for me. Maybe a couple % all nite during doze.
>With Android N will the Nexus 5x see great or mediocre improvement in performance/battery life? (this might be more for the people who have been using all the developer previews) Not sure. Sorry
>One handed use, how comfortable is the phone to hold while browsing apps? I came from a Galaxy S3 so the 5X is a bit bigger but I have little trouble one-hand using the phone. But I typically wear XL gloves so my hands may be larger than yours.
>Is the screen legible enough when it is super bright out? It could be brighter but I do find it easier than the S3 outside.
>Is project Fi stable in your opinion?In my area yes. I am on 4G most of the time with Tmob. I have also seen the VPN Wi-Fi come on from time to time as well. I'd like it to come on more often.
>Should I wait until the next nexus phones are released?I was trying to do that but $249 for the 32g was so cheap I went for it. Known quantity with a great camera. Even when the new ones come out I'd wait a couple months for the real reviews to come in.
>What are any other options for a mostly pure android experience on other carriers?You can run the 5X on pretty much anyone. Verizon could be a pain but folks have done it. But.... I for my data usage I really prefer the pay for EXACTLY what you use model that Fi uses. Price per gig with the big carriers needs to be calculated as what you actually use per what you pay not what you could use per what you pay. So if that 6G plan costs $60 and you only use 3 your real price is $20/G., not the $10/G they make you think.
>Best rugged case for nexus 5xI really like this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015XA94OY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Not sure if it's rugged enough for you. I actually prefer a little thinner case but this one grows on me more and more. The button covers are a little stiff. I use this tempered glass https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C1TVYVQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I tried the Adopted case that Google sells and hated it. It left a silicone feeling residue on my fingers and if I rubbed my eyes it was a disaster. Returned it.
I'm actually staying bone stock after many, many years of root/rom. It's weird seeing adds and not having Viper4Android but the ease of monthly updates and the [even if misplaced] sense of lower vulnerability is kind of nice. I never would have used any payment systems on a rooted/romed phone but Android pay is pretty handy. We'll see how long that lasts Since it's a Nexus there's none of that Knox crap or locked BL so if I decide to root/rom then should be no issues.

Adobeman you're answers were super helpful! You are so awesome!
I feel like most people don't use a phone the way I do, so it is really hard to get a good idea what device will be best for my usage style. Before my note 4 I had the Galaxy S3 for 3 years and boy did I love that phone alot. I went through 5 of them and hundreds of ROMs were flashed haha. I still have mine in the closet. It's got the zerolemon 10,000mah battery strapped to it
You've brought up some really smart points adobeman. Thank you!

Related

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the OnePlus X, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the OnePlus X is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Best smartphone I've owned and it's affordable
Administrators and Moderators!
Please take up the order in the old forums.
Nice performance and premium looks..
Nothing not to love about oneplus X. And so much development its amazing.
You mean people love their phone? What is this world coming to. Pretty soon I'm going to be walking around saying, "When I was your age we used to sleep and bang chics but nowadays virtual pornhub handles that'
Not perfect, but a lot of bang for the buck.
Absolutely love oneplus-x.. I am in love with this, the best phone i have ever bought.
Though i am not a very hard core user ???? never play games,
What i love all about is its premium look and user friendly interface i am totally addicted to this...
Love oneplus.
the best thing about the phone is the screen
its much better than many other high end phones
overall performance is also great
never felt like a mistake after buying it
The best phone I have ever had!
After my beloved HTC Desire HD retired, I had multiple other phones which made me long for my old Desire HD.
But honestly - I love the OnePlus X even more! Especially: What's up with this insanely fast internal storage!?
I came from the fantastic Nexus 4, but this OnePlus X is awesome, I really love the deep dark of the display!
And the community around it make the phone soooo better than stock!!
Brilliant phone for this price. Battery could be better, but using a custom kernel with UV profile can make il last longer.
Only one smartphone was comparable to onyx and it was Xiaomi Mi2 with Miui4. Then Xiaomi turned crazy and started producing bunch of useless bricks every year and now Im with this lovely piece of technology
I'm a Nexus guy. More specifically a Nexus4 guy. When I was out to buy, there was no other "5-inch or less, sleek & classy looking, developer-friendly, microSD-card-supported, best-bang-for-the-buck" phone. Period.
And yes, i'm totally in love with it. An expression which only people here can understand.
Love for OP-X
Yes I love my Oneplus X. Even more so now, knowing that its no longer available for purchase.
I'm a descendant fan of the Nexus 4. In a lot of ways, the Oneplus X reminds me of it. (Heck, they are right in front of me).
The affordability, the style, the professional appearance, the classy look, the microSD (must have for me) card slot, the ability to use the full screen and the openness to modification (thanks to XDA) are all that endears this phone to me.
Decent phone. They say it lacks 4g on ATT and has a weak radio. It does have 3.5G on ATT indicated by an "H". I have no problems loading videos and and apps at home or on the road. lack of 4g on ATT is not an issue for me. The GPS signal likes to crap out from time to time. I say these things because the GPS issue is the only flaw i've found COUNTER to what professional reviewers are/were saying. Also screen is plenty bright out side even with a bright sun and wearing sunglasses. I feel reviewers were unjustly harsh on the phone or paid off to bash it.
Like many others on this thread I come from a Nexus 4 that was great and I wanted something sleek and developer friendly, this turned out to be a great buy.
I've lost count how many times I dropped it and always fearing the worse, but this is a plucky phone. Edges may be scuffed a little now but I've never put a case on it because it would no longer fit in my pockets! It's my faithful daily driver and keeps me company with youtube vids and assorted randomness on my commute to and from work. May be just a London thing but the network is always excellent. Driving and using GPS has also been fine, but I have learnt to carry a portable charger on long journeys and that may be caused by having 2 SIMs.
What I do not like is how soon OnePlus stopped supporting this phone, but it is more than made up by the rest of the devs still releasing new roms to this day, so thank you all!
I come from a OnePlus One, got this X a week ago and I must say I really love its size. It performs especially well, especially when switching from wifi to 3G (was **** on my oneplus one) Great battery life as well on a 15.1 Custom Lineage ROM.
Unlocking bootkoader and installing TWRP/ custom ROM was breeze. I'm convinced there's nothing of this size that performs this well on the market right now.
Tl;dr, Came from OnePlus One and couldn't be happier.
I really like my OnePlus X. The screen is real nice, especially if you use totally black themes at night. I've had videos playing where text fades in on a black screen, and at night it looks like it's just appearing out of nowhere, since there's absolutely no backlighting (contrary to another phone's AMOLED screen I used for a bit). The hardware buttons are also so nice to have, since it helps clean up the display and lets you use the whole screen. The SD card slot is super handy too, since I just dropped a 128GB card into it, and I'll probably never run out of space (and if I do, I'll just get a 256GB card, problem solved). The battery lasts long enough for me, with the phone almost never dying during the day, unless I forgot to charge it the night before. Edit: and it's easy to root and flash a new OS to get things up to date. I'm also on an unofficial LOS 15.1, and it's been smooth sailing the whole time I've been using it.
It's not all perfect though. A case is pretty much required, since the glass back will probably not last long if you drop your phone at all, which you will since it's horribly slippery. Thankfully cases are cheap on Amazon, so my phone has gone unbroken (and undropped, mostly) for the past couple years. Without 5GHz wifi support, it's kind of slow at times. The wifi also conflicts with Bluetooth, so you have to pick one and only one when using the phone. This only came up a few months ago, when I wanted to use the Steam Link app to stream games while using my Steam Controller, only to find out that when I'm using Bluetooth my wifi is too slow to stream anything (>1Mb/s speeds, if I remember right). I could (probably) use my data instead and then connect to my home VPN, but then I'm blowing through my terrible Canadian data limits, and getting bad latency. And yes, I'm still, salty about this.
Over all, I'd rate it 4/5, not perfect and sometimes frustrating, but the negatives rarely come up in a meaningful way, while the positives keep sticking around. Easily worth the money I paid.
Mcsticken said:
I really like my OnePlus X. The screen is real nice, especially if you use totally black themes at night. I've had videos playing where text fades in on a black screen, and at night it looks like it's just appearing out of nowhere, since there's absolutely no backlighting (contrary to another phone's AMOLED screen I used for a bit). The hardware buttons are also so nice to have, since it helps clean up the display and lets you use the whole screen. The SD card slot is super handy too, since I just dropped a 128GB card into it, and I'll probably never run out of space (and if I do, I'll just get a 256GB card, problem solved). The battery lasts long enough for me, with the phone almost never dying during the day, unless I forgot to charge it the night before. Edit: and it's easy to root and flash a new OS to get things up to date. I'm also on an unofficial LOS 15.1, and it's been smooth sailing the whole time I've been using it.
It's not all perfect though. A case is pretty much required, since the glass back will probably not last long if you drop your phone at all, which you will since it's horribly slippery. Thankfully cases are cheap on Amazon, so my phone has gone unbroken (and undropped, mostly) for the past couple years. Without 5GHz wifi support, it's kind of slow at times. The wifi also conflicts with Bluetooth, so you have to pick one and only one when using the phone. This only came up a few months ago, when I wanted to use the Steam Link app to stream games while using my Steam Controller, only to find out that when I'm using Bluetooth my wifi is too slow to stream anything (>1Mb/s speeds, if I remember right). I could (probably) use my data instead and then connect to my home VPN, but then I'm blowing through my terrible Canadian data limits, and getting bad latency. And yes, I'm still, salty about this.
Over all, I'd rate it 4/5, not perfect and sometimes frustrating, but the negatives rarely come up in a meaningful way, while the positives keep sticking around. Easily worth the money I paid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello!
Don't you find its internal storage as insufficient? (Approx 10 GB Usable)
Or is there any way to install Whatsapp on memory card on this phone? If there is, can you pls. help me out? Because my internal storage gets filled pretty fast becuase of the apps data (primarily Whatsapp).

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the LG G5, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the LG G5 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
Well, I hate this phone. Mine couldn't survive a 12" drop onto a parking lot without severely shattering the display.
smacsteve said:
Well, I hate this phone. Mine couldn't survive a 12" drop onto a parking lot without severely shattering the display.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe it committed suicide as it no longer loved you.
You should have tried relationship counselling, but now it is too late.
Unrootable means un usable in my eyes. Plus the battery lasts about 6 hours.
Not sure why you can't use it without root, I am. And my battery last all day with 4G.
Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk
Absolutely love this phone, and yes, I do sleep next to it . Everyone will have their own opinions, mine personally is this is a great phone. Love the camera, battery time is great (although having 2 batteries help), and finally a usable phone outdoors without having to really focus on the screen(very bright screen is what I mean). I would really love to have root, but I have patience, this nonsense of "no root no phone" kind of irks me but when you're spoiled you're spoiled.
LG G5 more hits than misses
Upgraded a number of family phones to the LG G5. I'm a bit old school and prefer simple flip phones. We would probably still be using Samsung Rugby flip phones if they worked with our carrier.
If you're in the market for a high end phone that's more than shiny, with lots of usable practical features and actually includes the latest available technology, consider the LG G5. We think it definitely has more hits than misses.
1. The 3 Cameras, make the phone one of the best camera substitute
2. Modern CPU (Qualcomm 820, currently top of the line) helps performance, battery efficiency, spectrum / wireless performance.
3. 4GB RAM useful for multitasking and running large demanding software
4. 32GB internal built in storage
5. Expandable storage with Micro SD (sorry Apple)
6. Miracast, industry standard screen sharing
7. IR Blaster
8. USB-C, the modern USB port the industry actually agrees and moving towards
(including devices from Apple, Google, Microsoft, LG, etc).
9. User removable / replaceable battery
10. Modular, and easy repair-ability
11. FM capable - enabled depending on carrier
12. A major phone brand / model thus more available accessories
13. Price point - best value for high end / flagship phone
Cons - what's missing that other devices may offer
1. Water / Dust proof - a nicety, and can be added to the LG G5 via certain cases.
2. Premium Metal / Glass feel - subjective. The LG G5 is all aluminum but covered in a primer paint. Besides, most folks I know use a phone case.
We have a number of mobile lines / phones within our family. Our last few phones have been Samsung, from Samsung flip phones to Android devices Galaxy T989D/S2X, Note 2, Note 3, Note 4. When we were up for replacements, we going to go with Samsung Galaxy Note 4, but it was no longer available, replaced by the Note 5. The Note 5 was more expensive than the Note 4. It was hard to justify paying more for a successor that included less than its predecessor - no Micro SD, no IR, no removable battery. Note 5 excluded usable practical features for a shiny exterior, and wasn't even water proof. We heard new phones were coming March / April 2016 so we waited and eventually decided on the LG G5. We believe it to be the best value, and offered the opportunity to award a vendor trying to innovate.
Ultimately it's just a phone, but at least it has the more important convergence features covered, mainly solid phone features, and solid camera.
** Unrelated, but its thanks to XDA community and other enthusiasts who help keep golden oldies such as the T989/S2X and Note 2 phones kicking. There's several Marshmallow ports for T989 and Note 2
LightJak said:
Absolutely love this phone, and yes, I do sleep next to it . Everyone will have their own opinions, mine personally is this is a great phone. Love the camera, battery time is great (although having 2 batteries help), and finally a usable phone outdoors without having to really focus on the screen(very bright screen is what I mean). I would really love to have root, but I have patience, this nonsense of "no root no phone" kind of irks me but when you're spoiled you're spoiled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got a G5 (on AT&T) yesterday as a gift from my work and am coming from a Moto G with custom ROM's galore. The only thing I really miss is forward and back arrows in the nav bar for typing and Chrome Pie. Why pie controls aren't native to Chrome and requires root access is absolutely stupid.
Every other root function I used on my Moto G was to make up for the limitations of the device. No need now. Holy crap this thing is fast as hell and thanks to doze, standby is crazy. The SD 820 is an absolute beast of an SOC. And this is only my first full day on it. Going on a hike later today and can't wait to use the camera on this thing. So far I am very impressed with this phone.
Just received my EU h850 in the mail on Wed, already unlocked and rooted. No build quality issues at all.
Don't know why some are having battery issues. I easily get 24hrs of use with 5+hrs sot
That's with gaming,youtube, browsing,and Bluetooth
The screen uses much less battery than my Sprint g3...and even with custom everything on my g3 this phone performs sooo much better in everyway.
I think carrier branded g5 have a lot of bloat killing battery
Haven't heard a bad thing about unbranded h850 yet
Got mine from O2 in the UK and love my G5... O2 have put no bloatware on it at all and it therefore has good battery life. I have a G4 and the G5 flies compares to it (I loved the G4 too even though it had it's issues!). The only negative point is that getting a good tempered glass screen protector is going to be a nightmare as the screen is clearly quite flexible (hence the corner buckles etc) and so getting one to fit perfectly is going to be a challenge. Having said that, this is a very new phone, and all new3 models have odd issues (software/hardware), so if it becomes a problem then I'll RMA it to O2 or LG and get it swapped.
Hate some of the software tweaks, but this is a damn fine phone.
All in all, this is a pretty good phone. I'm really liking the wide angle lens and the fingerprint sensor. (This is my first phone with a fingerprint sensor)
adamelphick said:
Got mine from O2 in the UK and love my G5... O2 have put no bloatware on it at all and it therefore has good battery life. .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here and agreed... awesome standby time as well... My only issue with it is, I wish the screen and always on display were brighter outside and the overall volume was a bit louder, especially when using your own ringtones, like my G4. When I set up mine.. I didnt bother with the App drawer update, to me.. it was a new phone, new UI so I went for a bit of a change instead of copying my old G4 setup... made me feel like Ide actually bought a new phone.. and im finding it much simpler and enjoyable to use.
I find the UX5 much slicker and faster to use, more responsive and I can fly through tasks, OneNote and OneDrive.. Very Happy with my G5, also the 0.2" screen reduction makes no difference after a day or so
For the ATT G5 is there a way to save pictures/files/videos directly to the memory card or does that require root?
Love it. I'm not crazy about the design but a 2.5$ case makes it look badass.
Camera is outstanding, battery life is good (30 hours with 4 hours SOT , brightness is set to Auto, BT and NFC off).
The phone works fast and doesn't overheat.
I'm happy
Loving my G5 had it a few months now, bought the Spigen Rugged Armor case really nice, snug fit. Great camera, battery life & blazing fast, great screen, fingerprint scanner works amazing its really responsive, i was pretty surprised actually at how well the fingerprint scanner works .... Don't care for root to be honest, only thing i really liked about being able to root my old G2 was having AdAway installed. USB-Type-C is a god send especially in dim light.
Camera FTW
LightJak said:
Absolutely love this phone, and yes, I do sleep next to it . Everyone will have their own opinions, mine personally is this is a great phone. Love the camera, battery time is great (although having 2 batteries help), and finally a usable phone outdoors without having to really focus on the screen(very bright screen is what I mean). I would really love to have root, but I have patience, this nonsense of "no root no phone" kind of irks me but when you're spoiled you're spoiled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also love the camera and settings provided on the LG G5. My only disappointment might be the capture time when using HDR mode. Aside from this, the video and picture quality is worthy of this benchmark phone, and the wide angle option adds a new enthusiasm for taking your phone with you on the scenic route.
From South Africa here. I have the H850 G5 as well, and no bloatware whatsoever. Battery lasts me a full day under moderate to heavy use (That does not include the camera). The auto-brightness is on point (but gets a little too low in a dark room to make watching videos or gaming comfortable). Battery charges fully in 28min from 1% whilst turned on. It's blazing fast. I have games in the background that I get back to hours later, and the memory never fails. Best phone I've ever owned.
I like almost everything about this phone minus the flimsy quality of the lcd quoting/Glass as its getting scratched very very easily, same is the case with back camera glass/visor.
Unfortunately, i wasn't using any screen protector earlier and i'd tried to clean the screen with a very soft microfiber cloth but to my surprise even that cloth had left some tiny hairline scratches. I couldn't believe my eyes at first but this was the fact sadly
I am not sure now if i can get rid of these scratches as i really love neat and clean phones.
Sent from my LG-H850 using XDA-Developers mobile app
I upgraded from an S3 that had been in service since it's release and had never failed me. It just became a bit dated and the battery was due for replacement. I caught the G5 for $1 at Best Buy so I said what the hell. My first unit didn't last 12 hours before dying. However the replacement is on it's 4th charge/discharge cycle and is seamless. I hope that the first unit was just a fluke because this thing hums. I hadn't even tested any other phones since owning the S3 so the speed and fluidity of the G5 blows me away. I cannot wait for rooting capability to customize it even though the factory setup isn't bad and not as restrictive as others I have dealt with in the past. I am giving it 3 stars for now due to the DOA unit I first received though.
JD

Overall love

Yes, yes, it's possible to love a phone. Heck, you sleep next to it, don't you? Rate this thread to indicate your love for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, all things considered. A higher rating indicates that the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is an incredible phone that you enjoy tremendously. You love it.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
The phone feels really good in the hand. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is the worry I have with the scratches.
I love my Note 7 so much! The build quality is exceptional and the display is truly stunning. its just so immersive.
Made a little quick look video about it
Alright, alright. I had to create an account after reading several critiques and complaints on this forum. I'm sure a lot of people that are considering buying the phone will be popping in and reading the very same complaints while considering their purchase. The purpose of this thread is to clear up said complaints, from my own personal experience.
First of all, I'd like to ensure you all who haven't bought the phone yet that you absolutely have to buy it and experience it for yourself before making any decision. After all, you usually have 14 days to return it. I say this because, while the phone is not "perfect" as many here on this forum have pointed out, it is probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing phones I've ever laid eyes on, and feels incredibly comfortable in the hand. Pictures DO NOT do this phone justice, and the overflowing screen, combined with the size and weight of the phone, gives an overwhelming feeling of vibrancy when holding/viewing.
(Cost) The phone is expensive, yes, but there's a reason for that: it's a top tier smartphone. If you haven't gotten used to a hefty price tag yet, then you must not have been in the market for long. If you can't afford it, get a OnePlus 3, but I can guarantee you it wont be as fine an experience. Most cell phone companies offer financing, anyway. Meaning, you make a small monthly payment for the phone itself over the course of the 1-2 years you'll be using it anyway, and if you decide to, you simply cancel service and pay the phone off. Most companies will then give you an unlock code, and the phone is then yours to do what you please with it, or bring it to another service provider. Either way, every dime you pay while financing brings you closer to owning it, if you decide not to buy it outright. I personally will probably just pay mine off when the price tag gets down to about $400 dollars.
(Delicacy or Lack Thereof) As I stated in the introduction, the phone is thin, comfortable, feels great in the hand, but the overflowing screen gives it a very large & vibrant appearance even though it doesn't FEEL that large in the hand. Does this mean it feels delicate and fragile? Not at all. Now that's not to say you wouldn't WANT to drop it, but for the most part, it's easy to handle, has the perfect weight to it, and doesn't feel fragile by any means. This phone is NOT going to scratch/break in your pocket, unless you're mashing your legs into the sharp edges of tables or falling onto it, or for whatever reason like to keep sharp objects in the same pocket as your phone. It's NOT going to scratch by simply setting it down on a table, or having it slide in between the seats of your car.
This brings me down to a point I've emphasized before: If you're going to buy a $900 phone? DO... not... drop it! I mean, honestly, lets be real here guys: accidents DO happen. However, it's those of us who are incredibly careful, who are capable of owning phones like these. If you're someone who is very clumsy, careless, active, etc., perhaps NO phone of this design type is meant for you. That is not the fault of the manufacturers. There are many phone manufacturers who build phones designed for DURABILITY. My last Galaxy, which wasn't exactly designed for durability, lasted me 2 FULL YEARS however, and has never been dropped once, nor does it have a single scratch. This phone IS durable though- it's durable for a phone of THIS make, this design, and trust me... this is a stylish designer phone, it simply is not an ACTIVE phone. If you want to turn it INTO an ACTIVE phone? Buy a damn Otterbox Defender. When you're hiking/rock climbing/playing basketball, whatever- you're going to have an ACTIVE Note 7 phone. Then when you're doing some casual driving, sitting at a desk, sitting anywhere at home really, at dinner with friends, or pretty much doing anything that's non-active, pop it out of it's case. You'll then, once again, have the nicest phone that anyone's ever laid eyes on.
To summarize the above, be a responsible phone owner, and you'll be fine. If you can't handle the responsibility of owning such an expensive product that was designed to be durable while keeping a fantastic overall appearance, don't buy it. You can't fault manufacturers for your lack of care.
(Battery Life) I've owned this phone for a little while now, and I've charged it approximately one and a half times (by a half, I mean plugged it in at 40-50% before leaving the house) per day. I keep High Accuracy GPS on, I keep brightness at 85-95%, I keep a multicolor 'Always On' display up, I have the "screen off" time set to 3 minutes, I have HD quality wallpapers for home & lock screens, and I keep WiFi on. I have yet to use any of the battery saver modes or capabilities. During the first few days of owning this phone, I would install back to back programs, take 15+ pictures while playing around with the different camera & video settings, record videos of my screen, experiment with the S pen, experiment with different mobile games, set up setting after setting, security feature after security feature, experiment with high quality video, stream YouTube & Netflix movies, the list goes on and on and I'm sure anyone who's ever owned a new phone knows exactly what I'm talking about.
During these times, my battery would last approximately 9 hours before falling to 20% or below. That's EXTREME HEAVY use, with battery draining functions, brightness, and high resolution screens, and no power saving whatsoever giving me 9 hours of use without even falling into critical battery levels. When I get down to around 20%, I plug it in and it takes about 40-50 minutes to charge back to 100%. If my battery is at 30% or higher, I simply plug it in and it's charged in 30-40 minutes or less. I have ONCE allowed my phone to fall below 10%, and it took no longer than one hour to charge to 100%. So yes, the battery is EXTREMELY good, and it charges extremely fast.
(Fingerprints) This phone will have fingerprints on it within just a few minutes of use, however, they are hardly noticeable unless you're actually looking for them. Once it gets marked up really heavily, which only takes about two hours of use to happen, it becomes a little more noticeable at a glance, but still, you have to be UP CLOSE to the phone to even notice. Now, I have EXTREME OCD, so this should bother me a lot more, right? No, it doesn't. What I do is keep 2 microfiber towels- one on my desk(where I spend a lot of my time) and one in my car. Whenever I pick up my phone after an extended period of non-use, I simply wipe it with the dry towel(takes 15 seconds) and viola- it looks like it JUST came out of the box again... brand new. When going somewhere, I do a quick wipe of the phone before exiting my vehicle- and viola. Brand new looking phone sitting in my pocket wherever I'm going. The gorgeous material of this phone is a worthy sacrifice for some barely noticeable fingerprints that can easily be rectified. Oh, by the way. BECAUSE of the material the phone is made of, it is MUCH EASIER to clean with said microfiber towels than the older plastic models, such as the S4. That one took at lot more scrubbing and hitting specific areas, and would also get smudge marks from the fingerprints being "wiped in" by the cloth, that were almost impossible to get rid of.
(The "oh so" Awful Speaker) This is one of the biggest critiques the phone has received, by both people on this forum, and review videos/articles/websites all across the interwebz. And I? I just don't see it. The speaker, to me, is LOUD. Now, it's not booming, bass boosted music cube quality, however... it is loud enough to where I could easily hear it ringing(depending on the ringtone) from across the house in another room. It's also loud enough to where I could play a video, turn the volume to max, set it about 50 feet away, and still hear it vividly. Also, I love the quality of the sound. It doesn't sound cheap, or poor at all to me. Non-speaker voice sound is crystal clear through this during calls. Sometimes if you hold the phone a certain way, you can block off the speaker since it's on the bottom, muffling the sound. However, muscle memory allowed me to quickly get used to preventing this after the very first time it happened. I never have a problem with the speaker being on the bottom, outside of the fact that I slightly prefer the headphone jack being on the top.
(Performance) Mentions of slow loading, TouchWiz lag, etc on this thread, I have yet to experience once. TouchWiz also has a much better interface now, especially after downloading a free theme that I liked. TouchWiz does not lag at all for me. Nothing on this phone loads "slowly" for me. I did a screen-record video of myself navigating different apps, games, etc on my phone, and literally sh** was opening within milliseconds of each tap, minus games, which, depending on the size/type of game, would take just a few seconds. I see no "slowness" in this phone whatsoever. There's literally not even delays between navigating pages on Facebook, switching from Facebook to YouTube and then from YouTube to Gmail and then from Gmail to a video on my phone. If I were to do all these app switches and loads in order of what I just listed, it would take no more than the time it takes me to open the Edge screen and tap the different apps. Game-play on games such as Mage and Minions is fluid, without noticeable frame drops, and without lag.
(Fingerprint & Iris Scanners) Fingerprint scanner works perfectly if you actually use it right, i.e., gently place your *entire* fingertip over the button. The iris scanner is not perfect, but it works 95% of the time and is FAST... VERY FAST when it does work. If you're looking for a "more secure" method of locking your phone- that's what it's for. It is supposed to be much more secure than the fingerprint scanner, and it's very fast as long as you do it right. Like, I'm talking, sometimes I don't even have time to see the "eye circles" appear on the screen. It just unlocks in a millisecond, as I'm already holding the phone in the correct position upon swiping up. Now, if you wear glasses or contacts, just skip the iris scanner. It is not 100% necessity, by any means, and your phone can be secured with simply the fingerprint scanner or a complex password. Not the end of the world.
Now, I do not consider myself to be a "Samsung fanboy," nor a "Galaxy fanboy." I do not dislike Apple Products outside of the fact that I think they're just a tad highly priced in comparison to Samsung(I know, the difference is becoming very slight, but even still). My wife has the 6s Plus, and it's a great phone. I do not work for Samsung, I do not work for any cell phone company at all, I am not paid to write any of the above. This was simply my unbiased response/personal review of the Note 7, that I was inclined to write after seeing so many negative comments on this thread in addition to a lot of misinformation. I WANT others to get the same experience I'm getting with my Note 7, and frankly, not be discouraged by others. So there you go.
Ace Ryan said:
If you haven't gotten used to a hefty price tag yet, then you must not have been in the market for long. If you can't afford it, get a OnePlus 3, but I can guarantee you it wont be as fine an experience.
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Click to collapse
i have both phones and i completely disagree. the oneplus 3 is actually faster and smoother (sometimes by quite a bit) and the photo differences are minor (this compares shots by both phones at 100% crop http://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/...etter-photos-than-far-cheaper-chinese-phones/). and i don't know about you, but i'm willing to bet most people can't really tell the difference between a quad HD and 1080p display.
i'm not saying the oneplus 3 is better. overall, the Note 7 is better, but by only a bit (unless you are someone to whom stylus and waterproofing makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE. like if you're a lifeguard who likes to sketch or something).
the oneplus 3 is like 90-95% as good, at less than half the price. i don't get why you're trying to justify the note 7's cost for samsung, using excuses like "phone companies let you finance anyway", that's not a fair point to make, because the phone still cost more, period.
also, i see that you say the Note 7 doesn't have lag. really? go into settings and type into the search box. on my Exynos Note 7, after i type something in, there's a full two second wait before anything loads. on my US$280 Xiaomi Mi 5, or $400 OnePlus 3, results load in REAL TIME as i type each letter. the same lag also appears when you search for apps in Note 7's app tray.
i hate this phone
the build quality is the worst and there is gap between the device and the screen. u can see it when u at the brightness on full
please watch this video
the support response was this is a new design
the samsung arabia support completly ignored me
for me note 7 is as good as a cheap chinese phone regardless what it can do.
with such a trash build and poor support i am really wondering how are they number 1 ??
radioraheem2 said:
i have both phones and i completely disagree. the oneplus 3 is actually faster and smoother (sometimes by quite a bit) and the photo differences are minor (this compares shots by both phones at 100% crop http://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/...etter-photos-than-far-cheaper-chinese-phones/). and i don't know about you, but i'm willing to bet most people can't really tell the difference between a quad HD and 1080p display.
i'm not saying the oneplus 3 is better. overall, the Note 7 is better, but by only a bit (unless you are someone to whom stylus and waterproofing makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE. like if you're a lifeguard who likes to sketch or something).
the oneplus 3 is like 90-95% as good, at less than half the price. i don't get why you're trying to justify the note 7's cost for samsung, using excuses like "phone companies let you finance anyway", that's not a fair point to make, because the phone still cost more, period.
also, i see that you say the Note 7 doesn't have lag. really? go into settings and type into the search box. on my Exynos Note 7, after i type something in, there's a full two second wait before anything loads. on my US$280 Xiaomi Mi 5, or $400 OnePlus 3, results load in REAL TIME as i type each letter. the same lag also appears when you search for apps in Note 7's app tray.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Eh, I'm not attempting to justify it so much as I am saying "it is what it is, and that there are affordable options for those who can't just buy the phone outright. For everyone else, and for those who do not care for the added specs, then there are a wide range of options out there. No doubt, the OnePlus 3 is a great phone for the price, and a good alternative for those who don't want to shell out the extra expenses. It is very much comparable in many ways, but as you said yourself, the Note 7 is better. I am, however, questioning the legitimacy of your statement that you own both phones after you stated your doubt as to people being able to tell the difference between 1080p and the display of the Note. Almost so much so, that I'd be willing to bet you're just a OnePlus3 owner. Maybe I just have good eyesight, but the HUGE difference between the phenomenal display of the Note 7 and the OnePlus 3 when put side to side was what made me go with the Note 7. Also, I can't speak for everyone, but I've owned this phone for a while now and have not experienced a single blip of lag. Then again, I don't use search functions for apps or settings due to the fact that I have a custom layout that has everything very easily accessible with a swipe and a click.
In terms of camera quality, yes, the OnePlus 3 barely falls behind. However, speed of focus, dark lighting, things like that, the Note 7 camera wins hands down.
Ace Ryan said:
I am, however, questioning the legitimacy of your statement that you own both phones after you stated your doubt as to people being able to tell the difference between 1080p and the display of the Note. Almost so much so, that I'd be willing to bet you're just a OnePlus3 owner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, Ryan, you're straight out calling me a liar on here when I typed a pretty reasonable response? How old are you, 14? anyway, i'd advice you stop making so many bad bets, cause you'd go broke.
radioraheem2 said:
Wow, Ryan, you're straight out calling me a liar on here when I typed a pretty reasonable response? How old are you, 14? anyway, i'd advice you stop making so many bad bets, cause you'd go broke.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I is that the p9 plus?
This phone is the best in 2016. Full of useful options and performance is awesome with a fantastic build quality
vodovodo said:
I is that the p9 plus?
This phone is the best in 2016. Full of useful options and performance is awesome with a fantastic build quality
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi voodoo, yes that is a p9 plus. I like it a lot too, though, the note 7's rounded corners feels so much more comfy in my hands than the square edges of p9 plus.
I love mine! Completely happy with it. I feel like I got one of the better built ones? No light leaks, call quality is amazing compared to my iPhone 6, Note 4 N910W8, LG G4 and S5. Battery life a astonishing! Was out for 14 hours yesterday and had the screen on auto brightness 80-90% most of the time and an hour of Pokemon Go (brought my power bank in case never got to use it) at the end of the day it was still at 62%! Lol! I dont know if thats normal but I'm happy.
Edit:
Just finish Antutu 3D and got a 133565 score which is not bad for me. maybe its because I came from a note 4 my expectations are way low lol.
Love
Sent from my Galaxy Note7 using XDA Labs
radioraheem2 said:
Hi voodoo, yes that is a p9 plus. I like it a lot too, though, the note 7's rounded corners feels so much more comfy in my hands than the square edges of p9 plus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I own a p9 plus also at moment and I love it, nevertheless the Note 7 is interesting for me.
Can you comment more on the differences?
I tried many devices and as I live in an area with poor reception one of the best things is that the p9 has absolutely unparalleled reception quality - also compared to the S7 Edge ...
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OnkelAlbert said:
I own a p9 plus also at moment and I love it, nevertheless the Note 7 is interesting for me.
Can you comment more on the differences?
I tried many devices and as I live in an area with poor reception one of the best things is that the p9 has absolutely unparalleled reception quality - also compared to the S7 Edge ...
Gesendet von meinem VIE-L09 mit Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
The biggest difference is that the Note 7 feels a bit more comfortable in the hand, due to its rounded sides compared to the P9 plus' square-ish sides. The software is, obviously, quite different too if used as is. but i use nova launcher on both so they behave closer now.
otherwise, there isn't that big a difference. again, i really don't see a difference between 1080p and quad HD display (i really tried putting the phones side by side and looking at various photos and apps and videos), and the Note 7 camera -- while probably the best overall -- isn't that much better than other cameras out there. (http://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/...etter-photos-than-far-cheaper-chinese-phones/). in fact, i love the P9's gimmick camera features like light trails and night shot, which create really stylish photos that the Note 7 cannot.
as for speed, the P9, like the OnePlus 3, is actually a bit smoother than the Note 7. the Note 7 isn't bad at all, it's just slightly laggy/buggy because of TouchWiz.
overall i would still say the Note 7 is the better phone, BUT i can't stress enough that the difference between the note 7 and a Chinese flagship isn't that big ... not enough to justify the extra $300 or $400 to the average consumer.
i'd recommend the Note 7 for the following types of people:
1: people who don't think US$400 is a lot of money
2: people who really need features like waterproofing and stylus (say, if you are a lifeguard, or if you need to anecdote documents regularly, etc)
3: tech geeks who like to collect gadgets and own the latest/most buzzworthy thing (i am one of these).
4: loyal samsung fans who just want to stick with the company's products
that's about it. otherwise, to the average person -- someone who just buys a phone and uses one phone only for a year or two -- it's very, very hard to justify paying US$850 for the note 7 when the OnePlus 3 costs US$400 or the Huawei P9 Plus costs US$500.
Note 7 is underrated by these standards
radioraheem2 said:
i have both phones and i completely disagree. the oneplus 3 is actually faster and smoother (sometimes by quite a bit) and the photo differences are minor (this compares shots by both phones at 100% crop http://www.forbes.com/sites/bensin/...etter-photos-than-far-cheaper-chinese-phones/). and i don't know about you, but i'm willing to bet most people can't really tell the difference between a quad HD and 1080p display.
i'm not saying the oneplus 3 is better. overall, the Note 7 is better, but by only a bit (unless you are someone to whom stylus and waterproofing makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE. like if you're a lifeguard who likes to sketch or something).
the oneplus 3 is like 90-95% as good, at less than half the price. i don't get why you're trying to justify the note 7's cost for samsung, using excuses like "phone companies let you finance anyway", that's not a fair point to make, because the phone still cost more, period.
also, i see that you say the Note 7 doesn't have lag. really? go into settings and type into the search box. on my Exynos Note 7, after i type something in, there's a full two second wait before anything loads. on my US$280 Xiaomi Mi 5, or $400 OnePlus 3, results load in REAL TIME as i type each letter. the same lag also appears when you search for apps in Note 7's app tray.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In performance, OnePlus seems amazing. However the reason I got the Note 7 as a expensive price was, Water Resistance/Proof for 1M 30 Minutes, Curved Screen and Design, Micro SD up to 256gb, Pen for drawing, Iris Scanner (For Wearing Gloves or wet fingerprint), 2K screen, (DPI doesn't matter but for VR, 2K+ definitively needed) Dual Camera and Powerful "Water-Proof" speaker. So far, I have used all these features and found them to be lacking in other phones. I did get Note 7 for Samsung Pay MST however Aussie support sucks so, just rooted and tripped knox.
The Screen is beautiful and curved that makes it appear bigger that it actually is without major size difference. The Water sealing without external ports is so easily to deal with and when i'm in the shower/bath the S-Pen actually helps. I kinda of just got this phone for the easy convenience features. Waterproof is a huge deal, specifically without external ports, it's a major design for people to get the phone. I hear sales people always advertising it and customers wanting it.
I don't own a OnePlus but I'm just saying despite this overpriced phone with it's security restrictions (Hate that) no other phone has all this. Not LG, not Nexus, not OnePlus, not Sony. I do like OnePlus open OEM policy, so no hate. Just hardware and general phone wise, Note 7 is worth twice the price.
BotoxGod said:
In performance, OnePlus seems amazing. However the reason I got the Note 7 as a expensive price was, Water Resistance/Proof for 1M 30 Minutes, Curved Screen and Design, Micro SD up to 256gb, Pen for drawing, Iris Scanner (For Wearing Gloves or wet fingerprint), 2K screen, (DPI doesn't matter but for VR, 2K+ definitively needed) Dual Camera and Powerful "Water-Proof" speaker. So far, I have used all these features and found them to be lacking in other phones. I did get Note 7 for Samsung Pay MST however Aussie support sucks so, just rooted and tripped knox.
The Screen is beautiful and curved that makes it appear bigger that it actually is without major size difference. The Water sealing without external ports is so easily to deal with and when i'm in the shower/bath the S-Pen actually helps. I kinda of just got this phone for the easy convenience features. Waterproof is a huge deal, specifically without external ports, it's a major design for people to get the phone. I hear sales people always advertising it and customers wanting it.
I don't own a OnePlus but I'm just saying despite this overpriced phone with it's security restrictions (Hate that) no other phone has all this. Not LG, not Nexus, not OnePlus, not Sony. I do like OnePlus open OEM policy, so no hate. Just hardware and general phone wise, Note 7 is worth twice the price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you make fair points. thanks for responding in a civil manner, unlike that dude AceRyan, who just accused me of being a liar.
vodovodo said:
i hate this phone
the build quality is the worst and there is gap between the device and the screen. u can see it when u at the brightness on full
please watch this video
the support response was this is a new design
the samsung arabia support completly ignored me
for me note 7 is as good as a cheap chinese phone regardless what it can do.
with such a trash build and poor support i am really wondering how are they number 1 ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you really did not see the mentioned flaws or defects when you bought the phone? I always check the things I buy before paying
As far as the phone, It's gorgeous. Minor things I don't like, but more or less, it's 5 stars.
vodovodo said:
i hate this phone
the build quality is the worst and there is gap between the device and the screen. u can see it when u at the brightness on full
please watch this video
the support response was this is a new design
the samsung arabia support completly ignored me
for me note 7 is as good as a cheap chinese phone regardless what it can do.
with such a trash build and poor support i am really wondering how are they number 1 ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@vodovodo- thanks for posting and making the video....was wondering, do you think the lack of build quality is because it is a non-US variant?
vodovodo said:
i hate this phone
the build quality is the worst and there is gap between the device and the screen. u can see it when u at the brightness on full
please watch this video
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure that is not light leak but rather light refraction?

Is this worth buying?

Hey.
I'm a little late to the party but I have just seen this phone and it looks cool. I have a P9 Lite at the moment and I am not keen on EMUI. I love the look of the mint colour Robin. How is the screen on this thing as I hate washed out IPS screens.
Also important to me is how is development for this phone?
Thanks.
Warren_Orange said:
Hey.
I'm a little late to the party but I have just seen this phone and it looks cool. I have a P9 Lite at the moment and I am not keen on EMUI. I love the look of the mint colour Robin. How is the screen on this thing as I hate washed out IPS screens.
Also important to me is how is development for this phone?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen is on par with most LCDs these days, good viewing angles and color saturation. Development is on the rise. At this moment there are a hand full of roms to flash. You should get this phone if you can, as it's still great in 2017.
I've just purchased one from Amazon can't not at £149 new for the spec better than some Umi rubbish in same price range
Looks like its got good rom/development support as well
Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
Warren_Orange said:
Hey.
I'm a little late to the party but I have just seen this phone and it looks cool. I have a P9 Lite at the moment and I am not keen on EMUI. I love the look of the mint colour Robin. How is the screen on this thing as I hate washed out IPS screens.
Also important to me is how is development for this phone?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its a great phone, and definitley worth the money, but considering your current device it's not much of an upgrade.
Hey guys,
I'm considering the purchase of this cool-looking phone as well and I want to ask about the battery life - is it really that terrible that you have to charge your phone more than once a day (as written in some reviews)? And what about the camera - is it really that bad or it's just a normal mobile average?
I am using nexus4 right now and Robin probably won't be my daily driver, I just want it because of the look but obviously I don't want to waste my money on some ****ty device.
Thanks
P.
Gu$houn* said:
Hey guys,
I'm considering the purchase of this cool-looking phone as well and I want to ask about the battery life - is it really that terrible that you have to charge your phone more than once a day (as written in some reviews)? And what about the camera - is it really that bad or it's just a normal mobile average?
I am using nexus4 right now and Robin probably won't be my daily driver, I just want it because of the look but obviously I don't want to waste my money on some ****ty device.
Thanks
P.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can get through a day without charging with ease. That said. I've never been on stock, I personally didn't like it. Many users complained about performance and battery life on the Stock OS. The camera is pretty 'meh'. Taking pictures can be VERY slow (Use Google Camera or something, Open Camera and the stock camera is supposedly slow) and low light performance is pretty bad. During the day though I can get pretty nice shots, nothing to complain about, it's good just not 'great'.
All this said though, I've mostly been on OmniROM and LOS/LOS based roms as they seem pretty on par in both areas (LOS and LOS based roms have a few kinks to sort out at the moment though). If you're planning on sticking with the Stock ROM and have issues, I 100% recommend OmniROM, it's had a long while to get rid of all the bugs and it's got killer performance and with moderate usage (Including some light gaming) I get around 4.5 hours SOT on a single charge on Omni.
I hope this helps
If I leave the house with a 100% charge. I can get through the entire day...but when I'm out...I'm not constantly on my phone. I'm a pretty casual user and I've been pretty happy with the device in the 7 months I've been using the phone. The durability of the phone is the only real questionable thing. The plastic feels pretty thin and the edges are pointy. I can't imagine dropping the phone on its edge onto concrete. I've seen lots of people complain of the phone getting bent from being in your pocket. If you're the type of person that is rough with your stuff...it may not be the best choice....or use a heavy duty case like the Tudia.
Nextbit will also be stopping any kind of warranty in July of 2017. So if you buy your phone now...and something goes wrong...you don't have a warranty after July.
I think at its current price level this phone makes a great backup phone, or if you want to have something for a few months and move on to something better.
The good: it has a rather up to date OS, you get a good processor (808) for around $120, it's light weight and sleek, easy to root and develop on, sleek look, smooth performance with virtually no bloat, supports band 12 (important for t mobile).
The bad: no warranty after July 2017, the online storage space may disappear in 2018 (which was their whole selling point for the phone on the beginning), mediocre camera, very fragile design ( the phone is made entirely of plastic and there is no metal frame inside so forget about putting it in your pocket), no charger in the box, can feel warm at times if you are not careful about background processes and using an ad blocker, mediocre battery life (5 hours on screen surfing).
Great phone. The online storage was dumb and you wont miss it. If you really needed more then 32 gigs would you be looking at this phone at all?
The camera is just ok. Its better then the last phone I had which was a nexus 5.
The phone is good quality. The plastic takes a beating. I put it in my pocket, and run it case free and have for months. Barley a knick on it. Been dropped from waist high on wood floors and tile.
Battery - I stream google music all day at work . If I don't charge I can go about 8 hours with Bluetooth headphones connected. If I use it as a phone for googling here and there I get like a day+ on it. Reading books and wut not, 12 hours.
I run stock, with a personalized launcher, rooted, running substratum for blacking out all the menus and Nougat quick settings to use immersive mode. Runs like a champ, super fast. The warranty thingie sucks, but;at 117 bux, this phone is a steal.
I dare anyone to find a brand new phone with at least an 808 and 32 gigs of storage, with 3g memory for cheaper and better support.
I'll wait right here. :silly:
Hello Community!
I consider buying the Nextbit Robin for my 13yo son, who killed his S5 Neo (broken Display). I´m afraid he would be forced to stick with stock and no root because of....well.....pokemon go.... so I hope battery life is not THAT bad as complained in some threads.
BUT: The fact that he killed his last phone because he dropped it and the "bending issue" I read in this thread I am pretty unsure about it. My son puts his mobile into his pocket.
pixelfanatic said:
Hello Community!
I consider buying the Nextbit Robin for my 13yo son, who killed his S5 Neo (broken Display). I´m afraid he would be forced to stick with stock and no root because of....well.....pokemon go.... so I hope battery life is not THAT bad as complained in some threads.
BUT: The fact that he killed his last phone because he dropped it and the "bending issue" I read in this thread I am pretty unsure about it. My son puts his mobile into his pocket.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pokemon GO works fine with custom ROMs and root as long as you use magisk
I got one and I love it , it has an amazing camera, great battery life (at least on Resurrection Remix), and is nice because the bootloader is easily unlockable. The only issue I have experienced is the speakers can be a bit distorted at max volume.

NEED ADVICE - Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy S9?

Hi, I am hoping some of you can help me
I am currently using the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in the UK. I have had this for 2 years and generally I am very happy with it. Right now the battery life does suffer a little, and on long days I am preserving its use for it to last me as much as can be, but generally I am very satisfied with it.
Right now through Black Friday there are some very nice S9 deals. I can get it for zero upfront, £38 a month on a 24 month contract with 25GB of Data. As it gets closer to Black Friday, I may even be able to get it cheaper so it is very appealing. Question is.. should I?? Right now I am paying £20 for SIM only so this will be a little jump in price.
I LOVE the look of the S9. I also love the look of the S8 actually but the idea of a better speaker in the S9 really draws me in plus the fact that suprisingly, the S9 have better deals at the moment. I know the S10 is right round the corner, but unless this comes with significant improvements I dont think I will be tempted by what will be at least to begin with big prices.
There is just one nagging concern that is stopping me from purchasing at the moment - the battery. What do people advise? How are people getting on with the S9 with this that have ideally upgraded from the S7 edge which people generally praised for its battery? I plan on using my devices for a minimum of 3 years. Is the S9 good for this? Or would you advise me waiting to see what the S10 has in stock? Even though it is unlikely I will want to pay anything more than £45 a month (tops!) for my contract?
Some help and advise really would be massively appreciated!
S9 battery is a weak point. I use the phone constantly on battery saver mode. This way i get an extra hour to around 4.30SOT. if you are a heavy user, this aint it. Exynos battery optimization is very poor. But i would suggest you to go for Note 9 or even a S9+ for the extra camera and battery.
Also, you can't enjoy full resolution and you have to downgrade and use at FHD+ for battery.
Ram management takes a hit with massive battery saving tricks you are forced to do. The phone also heats up a lot. Charging times are not that great. Camera quality deteriorated over months.
With this phone you have to extra careful with drops. It costs me 300USD for a small crack on screen.
The positives are the usual. Speakers are great. Screen is awesome. Samsung pay is life saving. Wireless charging. IP68. Headphone jack! SD card!
I would say Note 9 or S9+
Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
verifiedthug said:
S9 battery is a weak point. I use the phone constantly on battery saver mode. This way i get an extra hour to around 4.30SOT. if you are a heavy user, this aint it. Exynos battery optimization is very poor. But i would suggest you to go for Note 9 or even a S9+ for the extra camera and battery.
Also, you can't enjoy full resolution and you have to downgrade and use at FHD+ for battery.
Ram management takes a hit with massive battery saving tricks you are forced to do. The phone also heats up a lot. Charging times are not that great. Camera quality deteriorated over months.
With this phone you have to extra careful with drops. It costs me 300USD for a small crack on screen.
The positives are the usual. Speakers are great. Screen is awesome. Samsung pay is life saving. Wireless charging. IP68. Headphone jack! SD card!
I would say Note 9 or S9+
Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Hmm, ok.. I really wish that was a more positive response regarding the battery But I really appreciate your honest and in depth review!
For £38 a month would you not go for this then? put up against the S7 edge would you not say it is a worthwhile upgrade?
I will start looking at the S9 + and the Note9 although I have to say I am not so keen on the prices they offer....lets see what black Friday brings!
shaunwwfc said:
Hmm, ok.. I really wish that was a more positive response regarding the battery But I really appreciate your honest and in depth review!
For £38 a month would you not go for this then? put up against the S7 edge would you not say it is a worthwhile upgrade?
I will start looking at the S9 + and the Note9 although I have to say I am not so keen on the prices they offer....lets see what black Friday brings!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only a few users have terrible battery life like that, it's not the greatest but with everything on maximum performance, all radios enabled (not BT), auto brightness around 50% most of the time, I can easily get 5 hours SoT with normal usage, when I got the phone I was averaging 6-7 hours SoT, but obviously the more apps you install...
Talking about the S9 flat here, the S9 plus has a bigger battery same as your 7 Edge did
I upgraded from the S7 flat and it was a very nice upgrade, I would not switch back, faster, a lot nicer design, (Get a case though, the bezels are very small and using the camera without accidentally touching the screen is difficult without a case), camera is very nice indeed, I wouldn't say it was a huge step up from the S7 especially with RAW / Pro mode, but with the new f1.5 low light ability it is definitely a step up in certain scenarios
Personally I would say yes it is still a worthwhile upgrade from the S7/Edge
Hey there!
I moved from the s6 to the s9 after my s6 died. Honestly, I didn't feel a big upgrade. If my s6 was working I would probably return the s9. Your s7 edge is a very nice phone. I'd say if money isnt a big issue, wait for the s10.
*Detection* said:
Only a few users have terrible battery life like that, it's not the greatest but with everything on maximum performance, all radios enabled (not BT), auto brightness around 50% most of the time, I can easily get 5 hours SoT with normal usage, when I got the phone I was averaging 6-7 hours SoT, but obviously the more apps you install...
Talking about the S9 flat here, the S9 plus has a bigger battery same as your 7 Edge did
I upgraded from the S7 flat and it was a very nice upgrade, I would not switch back, faster, a lot nicer design, (Get a case though, the bezels are very small and using the camera without accidentally touching the screen is difficult without a case), camera is very nice indeed, I wouldn't say it was a huge step up from the S7 especially with RAW / Pro mode, but with the new f1.5 low light ability it is definitely a step up in certain scenarios
Personally I would say yes it is still a worthwhile upgrade from the S7/Edge
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your thoughts. I am going to closely monitor the price for the next fortnight. With really good feedback I think I would go for it right now. Having read multiple reviews now I am leaning towards seeing what the s10 can offer, especially battery wise.
ssalehh said:
Hey there!
I moved from the s6 to the s9 after my s6 died. Honestly, I didn't feel a big upgrade. If my s6 was working I would probably return the s9. Your s7 edge is a very nice phone. I'd say if money isnt a big issue, wait for the s10.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply! I am starting to think that!
I second waiting to see how the S10 plays out since you are planning on keeping your new phone for the long haul. I actually just purchased a used S9 and am very happy with it (haven't had it long enough to comment on battery life). If you can afford the up front cost, the used market for mint/very good handsets is very competitive right now. However, the launch/trade-in deals for the S10 should put you in the ballpark of the S9 deals you are seeing now.
Edit: Plus, S9/S9+ deals should be great after S10 launches.
I've been the Galaxy as a daily driver since the S8 came out, and when the 9 was released I upgraded.
The S8 size was pretty decent, but when I went to the S9, it was a tad bigger and noticeably heavier. Honestly I like smaller phones. The S9+/Note phones are just too big for me.
Pros: Great screen, great camera, I get decently fast charging time.
Cons:
-Battery life is "fair". For work I use my phone a lot to research on ebay and take pictures. It just doesn't seem enough. I've tried some optimizations such as FHD+, black background, black theme, battery saver programs, no major social media apps running ( usually i used the web based) and I am a bit disappointed. If I use my phone a fair amount in the morning I feel like I will be low later on and will need to charge. Honestly that seems to be one of my bigger drawbacks. If I could get a full day of use from early in the morning to the evening no problem, I'd be good.
- Samsung lag. Oh yes it's here. When going from ebay app to camera, to stock sms app, youtube, I get hiccups more than I'd like to see. I have animations to .5x to make things feel snappier, but I just wish the optimization was better. I won't switch to an iphone, but man after playing with an iphone and seeing how fluid it is, I am a bit envious. I won't switch to Apple, that's just me. Sometimes the auto-rotate doesn't seem to respond as smooth as iPhone.
- The edge screen. Meh. Was cool at first, but it makes glass protectors difficult. You have to pretty much go with Whitestone dome glass, and it's expensive. And then that breaks and you need another $35. I am exploring other options and recently found a glass protector that uses loca glue and UV application just like the whitestone for $18 on Amazon. It has arrived, just haven't put it on yet. I can live without the edge screen.
Today I tested out the Google Pixel 3 at Best Buy. Surprisingly it was only a tad smaller than the S9, but it did weigh less. But maybe that small difference in size does help better with one handed use. Pixel 3 is on Android P, and I played around with it and it was very fluid like the iPhone. I have a promo with T-Mobile on a payment plan for my S9, but if i could just jump right over to the Pixel 3 I would.
I'm hoping Android P will make things better, more optimized and better battery life. Personally, if you have to get a phone now, I like the Pixel 3. Since I'm stuck in a promo paying for this S9, I will most likely upgrade to the S10 when it comes out.
Jeez, I can't stand reading "samsung lag". Now let's be honest and call it "Android lag", because out of 100 different Android phones just Pixels and OnePlus do not show *any* type of stuttering *ever*.
shaunwwfc said:
For £38 a month would you not go for this then? put up against the S7 edge would you not say it is a worthwhile upgrade?
I will start looking at the S9 + and the Note9 although I have to say I am not so keen on the prices they offer....lets see what black Friday brings!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you like the phone bro get it. I own S9, Nokia 7.1, Essential Phone, OnePlus 6, & Pixel 2. All are more or less the same on battery life. Use adaptive brightness & close apps you're not using. Other than that leave Android to do it's job at RAM management, etc. I heavily use my S9 because it's my newest toy and I consistently get 6+ hours of SOT. I don't play games on my phone or do prolonged video streaming.
Hope that helps
Upgraded from the S7 to the S9 for around 400€. It is not worth the money imho. The design is great, no question, the fingerprint sensor is way faster - but other than that there is not much to gain here. The camera is marginally better but not worth the money and the battery life is quite disappointing. I would wait for the S10 or other phones next year.
sot from s9+?
shaunwwfc said:
Hi, I am hoping some of you can help me
I am currently using the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge in the UK. I have had this for 2 years and generally I am very happy with it. Right now the battery life does suffer a little, and on long days I am preserving its use for it to last me as much as can be, but generally I am very satisfied with it.
Right now through Black Friday there are some very nice S9 deals. I can get it for zero upfront, £38 a month on a 24 month contract with 25GB of Data. As it gets closer to Black Friday, I may even be able to get it cheaper so it is very appealing. Question is.. should I?? Right now I am paying £20 for SIM only so this will be a little jump in price.
I LOVE the look of the S9. I also love the look of the S8 actually but the idea of a better speaker in the S9 really draws me in plus the fact that suprisingly, the S9 have better deals at the moment. I know the S10 is right round the corner, but unless this comes with significant improvements I dont think I will be tempted by what will be at least to begin with big prices.
There is just one nagging concern that is stopping me from purchasing at the moment - the battery. What do people advise? How are people getting on with the S9 with this that have ideally upgraded from the S7 edge which people generally praised for its battery? I plan on using my devices for a minimum of 3 years. Is the S9 good for this? Or would you advise me waiting to see what the S10 has in stock? Even though it is unlikely I will want to pay anything more than £45 a month (tops!) for my contract?
Some help and advise really would be massively appreciated!
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Its a good phone, I have the Exynnos variant and battery life sucks but otherwise its great, speakers are great on it, much better than my works iPhone 8, the screen is great also, I don't normally like Samsung but I really like this, plus it has a headphone jack.
But the battery life is the major downside, I would certainly get a good battery bank.
Finally if I was to choose now I would likely get a Pixel 3 XL, 3 years of updates sounds amazing to me.
If you do more than just the basics, get the Plus or Note. I got the straight S9 because it was on offer (30GB on EE no upfront cost £32/month) and although it was a steal it's a pain in the arse. I have the smartwatch and a Pokeball (So that's 2 bluetooth devices it's trying to keep up with) and play Pokemon Go with messaging apps and an overlay, and it's doing all this kind of stuff at once, 4GB is nowhere near enough RAM on Android. iOS could manage it easily, but Android is not iOS...
The result is it lags like crazy. Usually just as I want to do something quickly like take a photo and it sits and chugs for a minute (presumably out of memory and using storage as swap space) instead. Or the fingerprint reader will take like 5 seconds to register and unlock. I regret skimping, and wish I'd just splashed out and waited for the Note.

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