Develop Bugs

S4 mini upgrade from S2 worth it?

Hello!
Can someone who has used these two phones tell me pls if it's worth the upgrade?
1.Do you feel that extra processor clock speed and the extra 500mb ram?
2.How does the qHD AMOLED screen on the mini compare to the S2 AMOLED Plus display (is the slighty increased resolution noticeable? how is the color reproduction - the white)?

Well let's put it this way. GSMArena did a full review complete with benchmarks. The s4 mini has 2 krait 300 cores, the s2 and s3 have 2 and 4 cortex A9 cores respectively. S4 mini uses the adreno 305 whereas the s2/3 use the mali 400mp (not sure if they have the same core count though)
The s4 mini with its 2 cores beat the the s3 in every benchmark except for Antutu. S3 was 1000 points higher, due to having 2 more cores no doubt.
*EDIT: After running Antutu on my phone, the S4 Mini is actually faster than the S3 in Antutu.
As for RAM all I can say is that out of the 1.32Gb available, 776mb is in use.
Concerning the screen, I can't help with that. This is my first phone using AMOLED.
Sent from my GT-I9190 using xda app-developers app

Eradica said:
Well let's put it this way. GSMArena did a full review complete with benchmarks. The s4 mini has 2 krait 300 cores, the s2 and s3 have 2 and 4 cortex A9 cores respectively. S4 mini uses the adreno 305 whereas the s2/3 use the mali 400mp (not sure if they have the same core count though)
The s4 mini with its 2 cores beat the the s3 in every benchmark except for Antutu. S3 was 1000 points higher, due to having 2 more cores no doubt.
As for RAM all I can say is that out of the 1.32Gb available, 776mb is in use.
Sent from my GT-I9190 using xda app-developers app
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thank you it would be great if someone who used the phones in real life could tell us how the two compare.
my s2 uses 520ram with 3 pages filled with widges. the 776mb used on the mini are with no widgets and one page screen?

Alright cleared my RAM. Went to home screen then checked my RAM again. 668mb used. 6 home pages with 3 of them full of widgets. The other 3 are just filled with app shortcuts.
Sent from my GT-I9190 using xda app-developers app

bubu_bubu said:
Hello!
Can someone who has used these two phones tell me pls if it's worth the upgrade?
1.Do you feel that extra processor clock speed and the extra 500mb ram?
2.How does the qHD AMOLED screen on the mini compare to the S2 AMOLED Plus display (is the slighty increased resolution noticeable? how is the color reproduction - the white)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used an S2 while looking for a new phone when my Motorola Razr was stolen. Now I have the S4 mini, and I really, really enjoy it.
1. Yes, the S4 mini is a lot smoother, although the CPU is not the newest generation. The two cores do their job perfectly fine, and as the smartphone scene looks today, I can't see why you'd need a faster CPU. Besides, this CPU uses a lot less power than the newer generation quad cores.
2. Color reproduction is a lot better than S2. White is whiter, bright is brighter, colors are more colorful, black is.... Well, you get it. It's an upgrade. Also, the slightly higher resolution is just what this screen size needs. Perfect.

S2 vs S4 Mini
I upgraded a couple of weeks ago from the S2 to the S4 Mini, and still use both, although the S2 not so much any more, so here is my opinion:
1 - Yes, you do feel the difference in speed, everything happens that little bit smoother and faster, specially when you use the S2 and then the S4 mini right afterwards.
2 - here I don't notice that much difference, to tell you the truth. Maybe the colours are a touch more vivid.
Is it worth the upgrade? in my opinion yes. I wanted a small phone, the S3 and S4 are way too big for me, the mini is a bit lighter and more narrow then the S2, feels nice in my small hand, so I'm glad I switched.
I hope this helps.
bubu_bubu said:
Hello!
Can someone who has used these two phones tell me pls if it's worth the upgrade?
1.Do you feel that extra processor clock speed and the extra 500mb ram?
2.How does the qHD AMOLED screen on the mini compare to the S2 AMOLED Plus display (is the slighty increased resolution noticeable? how is the color reproduction - the white)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

thx!

I got the S4mini as my 1st android device and i can truly say that im thouroughly enjoying it...
I came from a BB, and wanted a practical phone for my needs, which are mostly messaging. The flagship phones (HTC One, GS4, Xperia Z) are way too much excess for me.
Friends of mine with S2's are seriously considering the S4 mini for the size and for "futureproofing" as the specs are good enough from what they say
so the S4 mini suits my needs perfectly. Everyone I know cant stop commenting that its the "perfect size"
Hope you enjoy it if you get one

Here's a nice benchmark comparison.
My device is the S4 Mini.
Used an s2 briefly before getting the s4 mini and I corroborate with the above posters about the significant increase in performance.
Some games which feel jerky on the s2 runs smooth as butter on the s4 mini.

You should upgrade! I had i9100 and now i got i9192
I'm completely satisfied! This phone rocks...

To answer the first question in short, then yes - it is in fact worth upgrading the S4 mini. But I believe that it is only necessary if you haven't rooted your SGS2 and flashed a lightweight rom, haven't bought a new battery and it still works.
I have had my S4 mini (I9195) for one 1½ month - and I think it works as a very good upgrade for the S2 if you still want the medium sized screen and are not too focused on the speed. But I actually to think that the S4 mini is rather speedy - speedy enough for me.
I can recommend rooting the phone and installing CM 10.1 on it - as I have noticed that free RAM increases, and battery doesn't drain nearly as fast as stock ROM. Besides that I also think it picks up even more speed.
Just my 2 cents...

S4 mini is faster in interface and games. But game compatibility is very bad. S4 mini can run games with better graphics but in real on S2 you can run many more games with normal FPS. And with third-party software you can achieve the same smoothness of interface as well as S4 mini.
S4 mini is very poor quality of materials. It becomes shabby in one month, it's back cover is glossy and fingerprint magnet. Screen also covered with scratches in one month.
S2 have very high quality body, scratch-resistant back cover. S2 have LED indicator, USB-host (requires no power), videout by means of mhl. But S2 have not NFC and GLONASS that are present in i9195. Also S4 mini is significantly smaller.
S2 have lots of unofficial tweaks and ROMs. On S4 mini you can only flash CWM and root (I know of CM, but it not full functional now).
The final choice is yours!

On the contrary, my S4 Mini still looks great after 2 months. CM is fully functional and I encounter no issues with the latest nightly.
Game compatibility is an issue with the developers of the games but that is true that it is a downside as it is not such a recognised phone and thus developers tend to not add it in the supported list. Most major games are available though.
The lack of MHL and USB-OTG is a deal breaker for many so that's a key point you will want to look out for.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

You should buy Samsung Galaxy S4 mini i9195 is u going to buy any variant of s4 minis
This is the latest verison and and best.
Sent from my GT-I9195 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Whosat said:
The lack of MHL and USB-OTG is a deal breaker for many so that's a key point you will want to look out for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this a software or hardware limitation? If it's soft, then it's quite possible it could be added later by custom roms.

That I'm not so sure. There doesn't seem to be any developers looking to add support for it though.
It probably will have to be a kernel-level implementation?

Can someone comment on the battery life on the S4 mini if compared to S2? Thanks

S4 Mini, Worthed ☺☻☺
GSNAréna is a good page!
But in total, the S4 Mini is a Very Good Phone!
It also offers LOSSLESS Digital Zoom up to x2.0 at FullHD! (and full x4.0 at HD 720p.)
It's got 8MP Camera, Gorilla Glass 2 and AndroiD Jelly Bean :laugh:. But don't ever Upgrade to KitKat! Be beware of it.
...but it's also got this Loved♥ Camera User Interface from the S4! (Note 3, all S4 Models, Variant of S4 Zoom and Mini)
In total, it's aproxmintly as good as the Galaxy S3 and S3 Néô.
...always reminds me to IAmTheOneTheyCallΠΣΘ.
---------- Post added at 15:59 ---------- Previous post was at 15:52 ----------
targsx said:
Can someone comment on the battery life on the S4 mini if compared to S2? Thanks
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Click to collapse
Worthd.
http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=3621&idPhone2=5375
The S4 mini and ←Ƶoom look Exactly the Same from one side. But the S4 Ƶoom has the Gorilla Glass 3. The S3 has GG2 and the S2 GG. (Siƶe≈First Galaxy S aka Galaxy Sunshine.)
Also See S3 vs S4Mini.
Samsung: LTE or RADIO. But WHY? Only one of those?
or Duos. There's not a Samsung Phone with more than 1 of those 3 (Galaxy S Duos has one but i mean newer than 2012).
LTÉ♦4G
Radio (UKW, FM)
More than 1 Sim Card in 1 Device (Dual/Triple//... ·◘Sim)
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[/CODE]

[Q] Whats your s4 mini replacement device?

I have had this phone about 5 times longer than I have EVER had a phone, Its time for a new device! It has gotten very boring!
The s4 mini is a couple years old now but still king of the 4.3" market (with price and features included), what phones have y'all seen that will replace your s4 mini?
My phones must have an sd slot, 4.3ish inch screen(one thumb use), good cameras, LTE, and user replacable batteries.
The s5 mini would work for me if I could figure out how to move it to sprint from us cellular, z3 compact would be nice as well but the price is unjustifiable and I had a z1 compact and it had all sorts of bugs that I read arent too far off the z3c, the s5 mini Im still on the hunt for but I am also trying to make the switch over to cdma, the htc minis are solid phones but just not well executed with all its features being dull.
And to top it all off, the small screen market is so messed up I have almost gotten a few iphone 5s to play with! help me find a better phone!

Z3 has no custom rooms yet, especially no miui.
And it's very weak it would seem.
Sent from my GT-I9195 using XDA Free mobile app

qbert456 said:
Z3 has no custom rooms yet, especially no miui.
And it's very weak it would seem.
Sent from my GT-I9195 using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
Idk the last time you looked bit about a week ago I seen they finally have full root for z3c so it'll be more appealing to the majority and speed things up. I still think I'd rather have a s5 mini over the z3c any day though.

I did try a z3c before I bought my s4mini, also the off screen buttons that Samsung have at the bottom makes quite a difference!
Sent from my GT-I9195 using XDA Free mobile app

qbert456 said:
I did try a z3c before I bought my s4mini, also the off screen buttons that Samsung have at the bottom makes quite a difference!
Sent from my GT-I9195 using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
Definitely! I grew up on HTC phones and love my capacitive buttons. I tried the Nav bar buttons on a few phones and its just weird, but they usually come with a slightly bigger screen to offset. But it still reminds me too much of an iPhone where your screen is taken up by buttons rather than physical buttons

Well I've been living with the z5 compact for a few months and absolutely hate it. It's pretty much the only option out there right now but I still feel the s4 mini was a better phone. What have y'all come to decide on?
S7 mini is rumored, but will likely be large, xiamo mi5 mini will be perfect but no SD slot, HTC 10 mini is a rumor but probably too large with no SD slot as well. Any others I'm missing?
If anyone knows where to find a g800m s5 mini let me know, I'll be buying! Lol

civicsr2cool said:
Well I've been living with the z5 compact for a few months and absolutely hate it. It's pretty much the only option out there right now but I still feel the s4 mini was a better phone. What have y'all come to decide on?
S7 mini is rumored, but will likely be large, xiamo mi5 mini will be perfect but no SD slot, HTC 10 mini is a rumor but probably too large with no SD slot as well. Any others I'm missing?
If anyone knows where to find a g800m s5 mini let me know, I'll be buying! Lol
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Click to collapse
Well i would definitely like to go with samsung ( yes I love debloated touchwiz)mini dual sim flagships( s7 mini duos?!?), but alas! it looks most unlikely. Besides, 4.3"-4.5" screens with flagship specs are scarce/not available. On a brighter note ZUK Z2 looks promising, tough its 5" may be Mi5 mini if that comes out. Waiting.
Note: My ideal phone: 1)4.5" display( with max 5" dimension). 2) Dual sim with microsd (No hybrid sim tray). 3)Snapdragon 652(will reduce the price compared to 820) with Quick charge 3.0. 4)Weight: 140 gms max. 5)up to date Touchwiz Ui with with themes store. 6)Notification LED(RGB).

Finally got my hands on a G800M s5 mini a couple months ago after selling off my z5c. I like the form factor, the waterproofness, the speaker loudness, and resolution. all around a nice phone except for dev support, the s4 mini blows it away in that department. If you get a chance to find one snatch it up!(it took me two years of searching) I still daily the s4 mini though, and probably will be for a few more years.. Also Im going to be trying the ios10 out for the SE once jailbreak comes out.

i still have my s4 mini in a drawer parked aside, it was my main device but i recently upgraded to the nexus 5x and i just love it! but the s4 mini remains one of my favorite android phones ever used.

I came to the S4 Mini from the diminutive Xperia Ray (awesome LegacyXperia roms!), so the Samsung felt quite large initially. Now I look at the Ray, which still serves me well as an alarm clock, and it seems so small...I cannot believe I used it for web, mail, maps, etc.
The S4 Mini is a great little device, and made even better thanks to the sterling work from @arco68. Every so often I search the net for news of any new 4.3" phones with decent specs and good developer support, but of course nothing exists. I considered a Z3C before getting the S4 Mini, but was put-off by the limited official CM development, which I consider to be essential.
I remain hopeful that a manufacturer will one day launch a well-specked, modern, and truly mini phone that devs can get behind. However, until that happens I will happily stick with S4 Mini, which does everything I need and is just the right size.

My S4 mini suddenly died (surprise) and I found the Galaxy A3 pretty fit, I can type better for some reason and had almost everything for my unique setup (I prefer KK, need xposed and WPS WPA working). Obviously not the same in performance and development (not CM 11 for this) but was surprisely good.

hearkenoath said:
My S4 mini suddenly died (surprise) and I found the Galaxy A3 pretty fit, I can type better for some reason and had almost everything for my unique setup (I prefer KK, need xposed and WPS WPA working). Obviously not the same in performance and development (not CM 11 for this) but was surprisely good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the a3 is almost identical to the s5 mini except no 720p and waterproofness. no kit cm11 for the s5 mini either, Im a big kit kat fan as well

civicsr2cool said:
the a3 is almost identical to the s5 mini except no 720p and waterproofness. no kit cm11 for the s5 mini either, Im a big kit kat fan as well
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Me too, there's just something better with KK. Best compatibility with DonkeyGuard and Opera Mini Handler Hui (actually those two apps don't even run in Lollliopop). I just wish that the S5 mini had CM 11 and will fully switch

Fingers crossed the rumors of a Xiamoi Mi S turn out to be true...

[Q] S4 mini I9195 Or moto G 4g (1st gen)

As the title says, im considering either of these, reason for 1st gent moto g is because i do not want a tablet phablet or a television in my pocket, which is also the reason im considering the S4 mini
Im located in denmark, i have no issues with installing customs ROMs, so touchjizz is of no issue here.
The S4 mini is about 100-200DKK more than the moto G, (20-30EU, if even that much)
Reasons I have for choosing the S4 are the following:
AMOLED display
Smaller dimensions
1.5GB ram
IR Blaster
NFC
And for the Moto G:
Water resistance
Slightly better PPI
Better brightness outdoors
Better ROM support (slightly)
Quad Core CPU (But lets be honest here, the 1.2GHz Quad core in the moto G is hardly any better than the Dual core 1.7 Krait in the S4 mini)
Not made of slipperly glossy fall out of hands material
So as you can see.. im just torn here, Im not even sure how much better the S4 mini performs with a custom rom compared to the ultra bloated touchjizz
Obviously i looked for reviews of them against each other, but every time they test both of them stock, and the S4 is severaly gimped by touchjizz i assume.
Halp!

I've just received my S4 Mini yesterday and I'm very happy with it so far. I think the S4 Mini if I remember right from reviews and in specs has a slightly better camera if that makes a difference to you . but the Moto G seems like a good phone.
I have yet to root or install a custom ROM due to warranty concerns for the short time being but I don't see match problems with the touchwiz interface so far. So when I do finally root and maybe install a custom ROM without the bloat which some of can be disabled on stock would run very smoothly indeed.
What GPU does the Moto G have?

Moto G 4G makes more sense. Yes I agree that moto falls behind s4 mini in RAW performance. But an optimised stock android UI yields better experience than buggy touchwiz.
Also Moto G 4G will get official android "M" from Moto. S4 Mini may/NOT get official Lollipop. Forget about "M".
I am not familiar with moto but s4 mini has superman devs live arco68 and F4k. So we do have solid custom rom base.
But being a 2013 device s4 mini becomes obselete more quickly.
Even I am having thoughts about new phone. My s4 mini worked splendidly over last 12 months, but recent "drops" resulted in heavy battery drain[hardware fault :crying:]
But here in India we get mostly dual sim phones which are a hell to work with [custom roms]. If I get galaxy S5 G900F for cheap I may buy that.
Otherwise I will wait and buy Moto G 3rd Gen :laugh:

Stock UI S4 Mini VS Moto G. Moto G wins. Custom ROM not sure...

It has the same GPU as the moto g, Adreno 305 IIRC
@THE rest of the replies; thank you for the replies, Im looking at both phones due to the custom rom support too, I do not care for stock at all (i wouldent run the moto g stock either)
Its too bad the moto G does not have nfc and IR blaster, im pretty sure NFC is going to be really good here in denmark soon.. (all bus/train terminals are going to support it for example)
The camera i guess both of them are fine to me
Its a tough choice.. the moto g is hyped quite a bit..
Oh, i forgot to mention, im on an S3 mini right now, which has pretty much the perfect size for me.

when I choose s4 mini there were many other good phones available. But the main reasons for selecting S4 mini were:
1. This is the lightest (only 108 gms.) and very small form factor android phone with such specs available( even till today also).
2.I did not like Touch wiz much, but as of today there are plenty of custom (specially Lollipop based) roms available for this device. And most of the roms are quite usable as daily drivers.
3.SUPER AMOLED!!! I used IPS LCD phones, but once you use S.AMOLED, i think it will be hard to go back.
4. For me phones should be light,small ( best size: Iphone 4) (i hate 5" bulks) and powerful.
on a side note, moto G is also a very good device.

Yep, I also think itll be hard to not have an AMOLED display, my s3 mini has one (PenTiLe though..)
NFC is going to be important i think
the IR blaster is nice.. but dont care much about it..
Only reason im considering the moto g is..
1: Water resistant
2; Higer PPI display, slightly more sharp screen
Both the s4 mini and moto g has a nice thin bezel (1st gen at least)
Both phones are about the same price, normally id go moto g, but seems the S4 mini has a nice community, which is rare, and not just one person making roms for it.
Anyone have any information on the S4 mini feelings towards rain?
And how much did CM11/Carbon help?
Thanks!

Anyone?
Kind of a deciding factor here haha

Axaion said:
Anyone?
Kind of a deciding factor here haha
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Did not get your question about rains!!!? And to me the best kitkat(4.4.4) Rom for my device (s4 mini duos)is PAC MAN KK. Still using it since last 3-4 months. very good rom.

about rain, i mean does a little rain water, if youre outside and it rains, will it mess it up?, or can it at least handle that?

Axaion said:
about rain, i mean does a little rain water, if youre outside and it rains, will it mess it up?, or can it at least handle that?
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Hahaha!....your question really made me laugh. Well, technically speaking this device is not water proof or water resistant. it has got open ports(like usb/charging, speakers,mic etc.) so if any of the electronics contacts with water........you know the answer. Besides even if we get an water resistant phone, we would never ever get some water on it deliberately. So, if water resistance is important to, you better get a SONY xperia z series( they are being advertised as mil-spec type water resistant upto a meter or so).

Moto g less ram is a killer if you're a heavy multitasker

Another option is s4 mini plus LTE. Model number is I9195I
It has 1.5gb ram and 64-bit sd 410 chipset. Problem is samsung
launched that "plus" version without much publicity or fanfare.
So not a lot of people know about its existence. So not much development
with that device. However it should give solid experience as
1.5gb ram + sd410 is much better than sd400 with 1gb ram.

Yeah, im getting the 4G version, not sure if the lotterly will give me the sd400 or 410 version though..
For rom support and community i hope the 400..
for performance 410

sasank360 said:
Another option is s4 mini plus LTE. Model number is I9195I
It has 1.5gb ram and 64-bit sd 410 chipset. Problem is samsung
launched that "plus" version without much publicity or fanfare.
So not a lot of people know about its existence. So not much development
with that device. However it should give solid experience as
1.5gb ram + sd410 is much better than sd400 with 1gb ram.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, would be nice if there was roms for the 9195I since it seems to be overall better.
Sadly im not willing to drop rom support for a 10% better phone though, even when it does have nice battery life (I need my xposed, and non-touchwiz UI, haha)
So ive narrowed down where to buy it, just a few quick questions before i pull the trigger.
Does NFC work with CM and Carbon? both Kitkat and Lollipop.
Same question for the IR Blaster and 4G
Would kinda suck to buy the phone based on those two and the 1.5GB ram and seeing that two of them dont work if they didnt
Im from denmark so i assume its the international version.
Thanks!

[Q] Galaxy Tab S or S2 ?

Hi Guys,
My 2012 Nexus 10 is showing its age and I am desperate for a new tablet. I waited so long for Galaxy Tab S2, but I am kinda disappointed with its spec. old 5433 SoC and 4:3 screen with downgraded ppi and resolution ! so I am thinking about Galaxy Tab S, what do you think about it after lollipop update ? I heard many users complained about its lags and underpowered SoC, would you recommend it ? also how is the custom ROM community for it ? I can see there are a couple custom ROMs but are there stable enough to for daily usage ? I remember exynos had very limited developer support, so there was not many great ROMs for exynos devices out there, what do you think ? Galaxy Tab S or S2 ?

The S1 is a masterpiece the S2 is a frankenstein monster, 4:3 spit, virtually mono sound spit, so looks plain jane spit, no camera flash spit, no if-red spit, portrait design spit, I though it was an Galaxy Tab A by the photo`s it looks so cheap.
Exynos version has loads of rom`s, snapdragon version hardly any, If you want stability stick to kitkat, if your fine with flashing have fun with different roms.
John

But what about the lags and stutters on kitkat ? I heard lollipop fixed that. is it true ?

I have had no lag or stutter on my 10.5" kitkat , I had it running continuously for 160 days, I never shut it down or restarted it, I only did a restart to re-calibrate my battery but i had no problems with the battery, it was just maintenance.
But i am not a gamer, I mostly watch video`s and browse the internet for at least an hour every day, but white on an oled display eats the battery, if you do a lot of browsing use night mode or get an lcd tablet.
John.
fifthelement said:
But what about the lags and stutters on kitkat ? I heard lollipop fixed that. is it true ?
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hmm. hard question. I personally would not get either right now. The s2 looks like a step backwards in the key areas, the darn screen.
the s has the lovely screen, but unless you can get a decent deal, its too long in the tooth to spend out a lot for.
its so irritating as there are no tabs which tick all the boxes. the experia z3 is good, but the res is lower, but everything else is up to speed.
dont get me wrong, I really do like my tablet, but who knows what is coming out in the next few months, or will be announced. I hope finally there is something which is progress in all areas.

The Tab S2 has a lower resolution screen than the Tab S (both resolution AND PPI), a significantly smaller battery and a marginally upgraded processor.
I'd wait for the true successor to the Tab S - which will likely a more upmarket SAMOLED tablet, priced higher than the Tab S with a full metal body (Like the Galaxy Tab A) and more of a competitor for the iPad.

I prefer plastic to metal, metal is cold and when bent or dented it does not spring back like plastic also it blocks radio waves so you have to have non metal sections to let the waves in and out, Samsung are masters of durable plastic, you can bend the battery cover of their phones almost in two and it will spring back without any damage try that with metal.
John

So I bought my Tab S around a month ago and I have to say I'm in love with it! After seeing the specs of the Tab S 2 I knew straight away the device for me.
The tab s in my opinion tick pretty much every box the only thing I wish was better is the GPU for gaming (not that it plays games badly - they play well enough) but I can be quite picky and if I'm not getting the max FPS from a game I feel upset! Everything else on the tablet is perfect and I'm the kind of chap that sells his devices every couple of months for the latest better version but this is the first device I've come across that I've not even looked at replacing, well worth the £300 I spent for it. The xperia z4 tablet is now out and it's specs are majorly impressive but it's thick bezels I think make it an ugly design, I love the thin sides of the Tab S, another tablet I've been looking at is the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 but again after seeing it in the shop I think it's quite ugly and put a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse and hancom fine with my tab s and it's replaced my laptop, which I'm selling on eBay at the moment as it hasn't been used since I bought my tablet.
I'm a network manager at a school and have used my Tab S for a hell of a lot including connecting to multiple servers and writing 30 page policies. It's a great little device.
I upgraded to Lollipop but I'm using IronRom instead of stock and I have to say it's very stable and very fast. No lag. On antutu I got around the 4100 mark with all my GPU and CPU over locked it's just as powerful as an S5 phone. I'd recommend it to anyone and already multiple family members and the girlfriend have ordered one after seeing mine.
Sorry this was long but I hope it helped

Comes down to a few questions:
Do you value performance. The Exnos 5420 is a 2 year old processor. The 5433/7410 is a 1 year old processor (though it is a 20nn version of the 7420 in the S6)
Do you value battery life. The Tab S2 8.0 has a battery that is 20% smaller than the original tab. It may be that the 20nn processor and smaller newer screen are more efficient but I don't expect better battery life.
Do you value longevity/updates: The Tab S2 is a year newer so it will have its updates discontinued later than the Tab S.
Does display ratio matter to you: If you mostly read, the Tab S2 may be a dream come true. If you mostly watch videos, it's a disaster.
Do you value internal storage: Other than a best buy limited edition model, the Tab S has 16gb storage. The S2 has 32GB.
It seems like the Tab S2 is a Galaxy Note 4 (international) turned into a tablet. The Tab S was the Galaxy Note 3 (international) turned into a tablet.
This is a tough question for me. I re-bought the Tab S 8.4 for 190 (ridiculous deal best buy had a few months ago) after leaving it late last year to try other tablets (The Xperia Z3 Tablet and the Venue 7840). I also bought the Tab S 8.4 on day 1 last year (great deal, $350 for the tablet, Samsung cover, and 16gb sd card) to replace my Tab Pro 8.4 that I bought on day 1. I'm leaning towards getting it if the same deal is in play.

I have asked basic maths for help:
smaller side of t800 is 5.87 inch and of t810 is 5.82 inch...
So I do not see any advantage for browsing in new generation...

rp3 said:
Comes down to a few questions:
Do you value performance. The Exnos 5420 is a 2 year old processor. The 5433/7410 is a 1 year old processor (though it is a 20nn version of the 7420 in the S6)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately yes he is right here as the Tab S processor is a year older, though I find it very quick and non-laggy when using IronRom on lollipop. As stated above the one thing I'd change is GPU performance but remember you always have over clocking when you root!
rp3 said:
Do you value longevity/updates: The Tab S2 is a year newer so it will have its updates discontinued later than the Tab S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best thing about android is that you can flash a custom ROM so updates never bother me as I can always flash a latest build of Cyanogenmod if needs be.
rp3 said:
Do you value internal storage: Other than a best buy limited edition model, the Tab S has 16gb storage. The S2 has 32GB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have 16GB internal storage on my Tab S including a 128GB memory card. Everything including apps is stored on my memory card thanks to the app "foldermount" you must be rooted though, I don't think the Tab S 2 has expandable storage but I could be wrong.

Good Point the S1 beats the S2 in both horizontal and vertical resolution, so the S2 is not really better for browsing, though you have to turn the S1 10.5" to portrait mode as it`s an landscape tablet while the S1 8.4" is an portrait style already.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/co...ch,Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-S-10.5/phones/9385,8662
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/co...nch,Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-S-8.4/phones/9384,8663
John.
ivanox1972 said:
I have asked basic maths for help:
smaller side of t800 is 5.87 inch and of t810 is 5.82 inch...
So I do not see any advantage for browsing in new generation...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thank you all for your responses and opinions, I guess I would go for a Galaxy Tab S. but I will wait until S2 is released so I can get a good deal. I expect galaxy tab s gets a discount when s2 is released.

S1 - just bought my third for the household, was holding out for the S2 but so glad i did not wait for a iPad Air copy.

This morning I read that the S2 comes with Android 5.0.2 and started to laugh. Seriously 5.1.1 has been out for months including on a few Samsung devices. At the glacial pace that Samsung updates their tablet OS versions Android M will have been out for at least three months before the S2 gets v5.1.1, what a joke.
That on top of an older processor makes you wonder why they even bothered. I'm very happy to have bought my S 10.5 at almost $70 less retail, a few months ago, rather than this laughable new flagship tablet. Samsung's advantage of the best screen technology in the industry is getting sabotaged by very odd engineering decisions. It seems like the tablet division is run by their B team.
Sent from my SM-T800 using XDA Premium HD app

Frankly speaking, I would never buy an S2 over the Tab S. At the moment on the Tab S you can have Lollipop, Xposed, custom kernels with F2FS, and the tablet flies, literally.

Yeah, but with the S2 you have like errr emm eerrr nothing help!!!!
John.
stopa10 said:
Frankly speaking, I would never buy an S2 over the Tab S. At the moment on the Tab S you can have Lollipop, Xposed, custom kernels with F2FS, and the tablet flies, literally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P28m9cwa47E
Samsung tab s2 hands on and comparison with tab s. In English . According to this guy tab s2 has much more per and pricing will be matched to tab S.

ivanox1972 said:
I have asked basic maths for help:
smaller side of t800 is 5.87 inch and of t810 is 5.82 inch...
So I do not see any advantage for browsing in new generation...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the advantage is that is almost the same viewing area but in a smaller and lighter package. Also, much more natural than the awkwardness that 16:10 is in portrait on such a large tablet as the tab S IMO. YMMV.

yohandesilva1 said:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P28m9cwa47E
Samsung tab s2 hands on and comparison with tab s. In English . According to this guy tab s2 has much more per and pricing will be matched to tab S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That video sure did nothing to change my mind that the S2 is a step backward. Especially the comparison of reading the magazine which showed nothing visually while the video playback did demonstrate the smaller picture and unused screen black bars. Is Samsung going to pronounce, to video watchers, that the black bars on video playback is actually a way to extend your battery life? Which maybe needed as the thinner design and aspect ratio has reduced overall battery size. It is going to be tough to polish a turd and sell it at a flag ship price.
After reading the S2 details I'm still amazed that the OS is v5.0.2 and it does not have the same processor that the S6 phone uses. What were they thinking?
Sent from my SM-T800 using XDA Premium HD app

Best new phone after S4Mini ?

Hi Guys,
I'm a favorite user of our S4mini. But having it for almost 4 years now i'm starting to see it gets a bit old. I have used several custom ROMs, but in the end all are ending up a bit slow..
So i'm looking for a follow up device. Any tips? Right now I'm thinking on buying the Galaxy S7..
New phone should be;
- Fast, 'flagship' specs
- A great custom ROM community
- Good camera
- If possible, not to BIG (s4mini size is perfect, but hard to find i guess)
thats all

Wait for new Sony x compact. The current one is really good but I'm sure new one will be better.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Mascarponi said:
Hi Guys,
I'm a favorite user of our S4mini. But having it for almost 4 years now i'm starting to see it gets a bit old. I have used several custom ROMs, but in the end all are ending up a bit slow..
So i'm looking for a follow up device. Any tips? Right now I'm thinking on buying the Galaxy S7..
New phone should be;
- Fast, 'flagship' specs
- A great custom ROM community
- Good camera
- If possible, not to BIG (s4mini size is perfect, but hard to find i guess)
thats all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oneplus 3 or 3t

Here is my story...
Was looking for something compact and lightweight like s4 mini and also reasonably powerful (don't need flagship power. AMOLED and non stock Rom is also must. Bought a LENOVO P2. ...used for 2 months and sold it. Pros: Good battery life and ultra fast charging. What i didn't like was size and weight...too big for my hands. Also didn't like the Rom as it was close to stock.
Then i bought zuk z2. Liked nothing. Specially the LCD display. I will never buy anything if its not AMOLED and that too SAMSUNG calibrated. Device was thick and boxy....ergonomics were poor.
Moral of the story: only flagship cpu and very big bbattery don't make a good device. Its balance and optimisation of everything. And my opinion is SAMSUNG has mastered the art of making fantastic android smartphones. I hate stock,Los/based, miui etc. After trying everything....touchwiz(tweaked) and Flyme os are the top.
So far i have short listed GALAXY A5 2017. Though it is still large to my standards. ....after the recent price cut it seems the most viable option to me. Thanks for reading.

I started with trying to replace 2013 moto x. Tried the following :
Galaxy alpha
Galaxy a3 2016
Galaxy a3 2017
Sony z5 compact
Sony x compact
Oneplus x
Now running galaxy s5 and s4 mini both on RR and working pretty good. I prefer size of s4 mini but it is Lil under powered.
Wish I would have kept oneplus x. Now waiting for new Sony compact.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

I have decided on the HTC 10, now that the price had dropped to ~ 1/2 of the launch price. It is one of the better "ex-flagship" type phone that is not too big, still is plenty powerful even tho it has last year's Top SOC.
Unlockable bootloader & great ROM support, and solid build. Design is a bit dated, but I think it will be a solid phone for me. (Ordered on-line, awaiting delivery ....)
The S7 is my second choice - better screen, better camera. But I am leery of the glass back, and the use of micro USB rather than USB-C swayed me towards the HTC. Plus Samsung's update record is spotty, and you can only get ROM support if you get the G930F variant. And Sammy seemed to have added multiple hurdles to the bootloader unlocking process compared to the S4 mini.

I was pretty much in the same predicament as you. After first giving the new Nokia 6 a chance, I decided that the screen (5.5 inches) is too big for my liking, especially coming from a S4 mini with a 4.3 screen, so I returned it.
I then decided to get the S7 (flat; not the edge variant) a chance, and so far I'm happy with it. If you get one with an Exynos processor, there are enough different roms to choose from (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s7/development).
Plus, it's also Samsung so it's not something completely new. Yes, the screen is larger as well (5.1 inches), but with a nice back case to get a better grip on the phone it's still decent and not too big if you ask me.

BlackDontCrack said:
I was pretty much in the same predicament as you. After first giving the new Nokia 6 a chance, I decided that the screen (5.5 inches) is too big for my liking, especially coming from a S4 mini with a 4.3 screen, so I returned it.
I then decided to get the S7 (flat; not the edge variant) a chance, and so far I'm happy with it. If you get one with an Exynos processor, there are enough different roms to choose from (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s7/development).
Plus, it's also Samsung so it's not something completely new. Yes, the screen is larger as well (5.1 inches), but with a nice back case to get a better grip on the phone it's still decent and not too big if you ask me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What rom you recommend?
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

mario24601 said:
What rom you recommend?
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me first say, I don't consider myself an expert like that. I've only tested a few so far.
For example, Official LOS, which worked quite well. The only problem was that my S7 (SM-G930F) unfortunately has different camera sensors than most others. It looks like sometime in the last 1-3 months, Samsung has started to also use Sony camera sensors instead of the regular Samsung ones, which are not yet supported by LOS, so my camera isn't working when using LOS. It just stays blank.
The developers are aware of that and there might even be a fix for this issue, but I haven't researched it that thoroughly.
I wanted a rom with root, Xposed (Xprivacy, Gravitybox, and a whatsapp module) and all the main features, so I'm now using Helios 7.20 with Magisk and Xposed enabled. So far, everything I need is working, so no complaints on my part. I haven't updated to 7.21 yet, so I can't tell you how that version works.
Battery life is okay. No huge drain, but then again I have gps and all them location services disabled, but my data connection is turned on 24/7.