Considering buying this, owners opinions needed. - ZenFone 2 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi I need a new phone and the Zenfone 2 seems to fit my needs. I'd like to know opinions from current owners regarding the following.
Community
How's the support for this phone? I don't need a bazillion ROMs just one official CM that works well and is solid. If there's no CM are there at least ROMs without the propietary UI? Also does double tap 2 wake work on other roms or just the stock and stock based ones?
Bootloader and root
On my old Nexus 5 this was as easy as it gets. I know there are some phones that are a complete pain in the ass to unlock bootloader and root like some Samsung phones. So how easy is it to do these things on the Zenfone? How easy is to break (and brick) and recover?
Audio
I've owned a couple of seemingly badly engineered phones that would make headphones hiss and crackle when listening music and using mobile data or wifi at the same time. This phone doesn't suffer from anything like this does it?
GPS
My Nexus 5 was a disaster regarding this, sometimes taking 5-10 minutes to get a lock. Not terribly important but nice to have.
Screen
This is the most important factor, a bad screen is a deal breaker for me. I plan on watching lots of media on this phone so this is very important. I like neutral, slightly warm and punchy colors, can live with a too warm and yellow screen and absolutely abhorre blueish screens. How's the color and contrast on the Zenfone? Im quite pleased with my Nexus 5 screen, quite neutral and a bit punchy without overdoing it like some Samsung phones. I've also owned an lg optimus g that is the nexus 4 cousin, the screen on that was atrociously blue with no contrast. Thankfully there were custom kernels with fine color, contrast and gamma tuneablity, does the Zenfone have anything like this? I know it has a color profile picker by default but I'd like something with even finer control. Would like to know if said feature works on other roms or just the stock one and if its merely an overlay like those cheap apps on the playstore or if it works at kernel level. Max brightness and sunlight legibility are not important for me.
Battery
I've heard people say this phones battery life is atrocious but so did they about the N5 yet I was ok with my N5 battery life. I don't use my phone much so maybe that's why. Still would like to know if it's really bad, my N5 gets 4 days on standby and almost 4 on web browsing on wifi. Im perfectly ok with those numbers, is the Zenfone better or worse?
Camera
There's no mention of Optical Image Stabilization on reviews but most new phones have it, just want to confirm the Zenfone has it too. RAW support would be nice too.
Performance and x86
From all the info I could gather the Z3560 is roughly on par with my N5 old S 800, am I right about this? Also this would be my first x86 phone, it is my understanding that since android is a java vm I shouldn't have any app incompatibility problems, is this correct? Is the extra $ worth it for the 4gb z3580 version?
If it's of any importance my other options are the Note 3 and 4 and the LG G2 and G3.
All opinions appreciated.

I had a note 3 with an unlocked bootloader. Rooting and installing TWRP was very easy and there is a lot of support for the phone on XDA. It's pretty easy to recover from a soft-brick but a hard brick is very difficult.
The G2 is also a nice phone. Even with a locked bootloader, bumped TWRP and bumped ROMs make installation very easy. Autorec simplifies the rooting process. The G2 can be recovered from virtually any brick. For a soft brick, recovery is a bit easier than a softbricked Zenfone 2.
In my opinion, the note 3 screen is nicer than both the Zenfone 2, G2, and G3. The Note 4 screen is nicer than all 3 phones.
The camera on the G3 and Note 4 and better than the note 3 and G2.
Note 3 and 4 have great battery life and the battery is easily replaced with good aftermarket batteries from Anker and Stallion.

Related

LG G3 vs. Galaxy S5

I am aware that this is the LG G3 forum, so opinions will be biased, but I'm looking for those that have switched from the S5 to the G3. Is it worth it? Pros/Cons?
holywhitebread said:
I am aware that this is the LG G3 forum, so opinions will be biased, but I'm looking for those that have switched from the S5 to the G3. Is it worth it? Pros/Cons?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had the S2, S3, and S4 but passed on the S5 because of several reasons. One thing that really bothered me is the bezels got larger which is a the wrong direction for a new phone. Really always hated the physical home button too and had always wished I had the G2 instead of the S4. I never switched though because the expense was just too much to justify. I think the same would apply to the S5 -> G3. IMO, the G3 is clearly a better phone but not so much so to justify the expense. You should have waited but you didn't so just suck it up and wait till the next "generation" of phone comes out and upgrade. Can't believe people upgrade phones to a different brand (same generation) just cause one is a little better. All the current gen high end phones are great phones!
rkirmeier said:
I've had the S2, S3, and S4 but passed on the S5 because of several reasons. One thing that really bothered me is the bezels got larger which is a the wrong direction for a new phone. Really always hated the physical home button too and had always wished I had the G2 instead of the S4. I never switched though because the expense was just too much to justify. I think the same would apply to the S5 -> G3. IMO, the G3 is clearly a better phone but not so much so to justify the expense. You should have waited but you didn't so just suck it up and wait till the next "generation" of phone comes out and upgrade. Can't believe people upgrade phones to a different brand (same generation) just cause one is a little better. All the current gen high end phones are great phones!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That didn't really help, but thank you for your input.
I made the switch. I like the g3 better, except for the camera. I think the s5 wins there. I also had to root, greenify, freeze apps, and remove carrier IQ to get the same battery performance out of the g3 that I got from the s5.
Design and overall feel are much better on the g3 compared to the s5.
blackwrx02 said:
I made the switch. I like the g3 better, except for the camera. I think the s5 wins there. I also had to root, greenify, freeze apps, and remove carrier IQ to get the same battery performance out of the g3 that I got from the s5.
Design and overall feel are much better on the g3 compared to the s5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome. Thank you! Exactly what I was looking for.
blackwrx02 said:
I made the switch. I like the g3 better, except for the camera. I think the s5 wins there. I also had to root, greenify, freeze apps, and remove carrier IQ to get the same battery performance out of the g3 that I got from the s5.
Design and overall feel are much better on the g3 compared to the s5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would you happen to have a list of all the things you cleaned up to get better battery life on the G3?
christcb said:
Would you happen to have a list of all the things you cleaned up to get better battery life on the G3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't, but I can give you the basic idea off what I did.
1. Root and install greenify.
2. Install android tuner and go into the app manager. Freeze anything you don't use. For me that was most of the carrier bloat and a few LG apps I don't need
3. Using the guide on here, remove all carrier IQ items.
4. Use auto brightness at 50%
Doing this, I have easily doubled my battery life. Your results will vary based on the apps you use it don't use but it's made the phone how it should have been out if the box.
That is awesome, Thanks for the info!
I come from an S5 and I'd have to say the the auto brightness is a con (but I've seen most of the people here solving that with Lux auto brightness, I'm still pending to try it out) and the camera (I think the interface is so simple that left me craving for more lol). The pros are that you get a bigger screen for not much of a bigger overall phone size, the Qslide apps are very useful (not too many, but oh well...) and nav bar is customizable (the notification button is amazing ?).
Sent from my LG-D855 using XDA Free mobile app
I can't really comment on the S5, I came from the S4 but fancied sticking it to Samsung. I've been struggling to settle with the G3 but it's mostly down to the lack of development which hopefully, with time (and developers) will change.
I really don't know why Samsung stuck with the same external design for so long...though their new S5 alpha looks interesting.
On the G3...
No problem with battery life
No problem with any lag
Got greenify, root and SphinX
Struggling still with Bluetooth but waiting for fix
Need a longer thumb
And bigger pockets
Sent from my LG-F400L
I switched from s4 to g3 and i am more than satisfied with it
Sent from my LG G3 using Rocket Launcher
I'm upset the G3 doesn't come with 60fps Video Recording while the G2 did. Also, the AT&T model doesn't come with Qi wireless charging like the other models all do. So I'm going to exchange my AT&T g3 for a Gs5 and sell the GS5 and find a model that works with AT&T's LTE network and has an unlocked bootloader...I don't even know if that is possible(the LTE part)
Ironically, my S5 was a backup phone, and I was still using my iPhone 5s as my daily driver. But when the G3 came out, I was so impressed with the quality that it's since become my daily driver, and I sold the S5. I actually prefer the G3 camera over the S5. I took a bunch of test shots with both, and liked the way the G3's photo look over the S5 most of the time.
The only thing I liked more about the S5, is the viewing angles in sunlight. I find contrast is better and had an easier time taking outdoor photos than with the G3.
Also, I have never been a fan of Touchwiz, and I find the G3 doesn't lag the same way my S5 did. I'm currently using the D855, but originally had the D852 (Rogers).
lg g3 rocks
I still have my s5 with and thus is my first LG phone. In the beggining I was concerned about LG and the back buttons, the truth is that the phone is by far better than the s5. There are somethings to improve, but the design and screen are just the best. I bought this phone in NY while using the S5 and took several pictures with both of them and in my opinion the G3 is by far better. It is very simple that you have to get used to, but it does a good job. I think LG still have a lot to improve in the heating issues(wich is already better in last update) and some software upgrade. Knock is something that actually works better than the fingerprint from s5 wich is annoying sometimes. The size of the screen for it's phisical size is mind blowing. The possibility to navigate without tge home button is also something that really impressed me.
I've had my G3 for about 24 hours now. Haven't had a chance to explore just yet but so far I really like the form factor edges curved just right nice thin bezel. Love the extra screen real estate, however I prefer the way the colors pop on the amoled screen. Software wise I think LG has come a long way since the Nexus 4, leaps and bounds. It still has a bit of way to go apps still are a bit on the slow side and I really miss my picasa, dropbox and facebook albums in my gallery. One thing I've noticed about the G3 is how nimble the modem is at switching basebands, way faster then my s5. That's it so far I'll report back later.
I had a VZW S5 for two week then switched back to Sprint and got a G3. The G3's screen is visibly larger and the buttons on the back are a plus. The knock is useful (far better than the finicky fingerprint sensor) and the camera focuses instantly and is better in lower light.
The only real downside (after 3 days of use) is that the screen is next to useless in sunlight. I'll have to play with setting to see if that can be improved.
Have a chance to get an S5 from my carrier thru warranty replacement.
Is it even worth trying it out or would you stick with the G3?
I've done exactly this - S5 to G3 and never gonna look back.
To me, apart from the charging speed, literally everything is better. Everything.

[Q] Buying LG G3

Hi,
Lately I've decided selling my iPhone and move to android.
After checking the top devices that android offers I had come up with 3: LG G3, HTC One M8 and Samsung GS5.
I'm having a terrible time deciding between them, although I'm kind of leaning towards the LG G3, and that's why I'm posting this here.
After some research done, I found a bunch of people saying that there's some lag while using it, and I wanted to ask you guys:
As an iPhone user migrating to android, will I find the lag noticeable and a bothersome?
Also, are we expecting to have an unlocked bootloader anytime soon or is it not worth waiting for?
It seems there is no better way other than trying for yourself. Some people say, Android lags badly compared to iOS and Windows Phone. Some don't seem to notice lag. And some don't care about the lag. People are different.
Yuriy.Samorodov said:
It seems there is no better way other than trying for yourself. Some people say, Android lags badly compared to iOS and Windows Phone. Some don't seem to notice lag. And some don't care about the lag. People are different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, yet feeling it for 5 minutes in the store won't give me as much experience and information as will users who use this phone on a daily basis, don't you think?
Idk, as I've never owned an iPhone, but like yurly said, it is all about preference, I don't see lag on my g3, but then again, I've never owned a phone that ever really "lagged" (besides my Samsung moment) but I know people who have gone to Android and loved it, but i also know people who have gone to Android and hated it... And the bootloader will come with time...
---------- Post added at 05:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:11 PM ----------
It's all preference at the end of the day, but you really can't go wrong with any of the 3 devices you listed.
Well an iphone is pretty much just an app drawer lol. Ive owned several iphones including 5s. After iOS 6.0 it all went downhill. I will admit i am an android fanboy and im spoiled by how much customization android has and how open it is compared to iOS.
In terms of the best android phones, i think the HTC One M8 could have been the greatest android device to ever launch but HTC chose to go with the mediocre 4.0 megapixel camera. I dont care what others say, the camera is terrible compared to others. I had to sell my M8 because of that. I personally dont like samsung phones because the bezels the phone has, and im not too big on the plastic build. The G3 is my second LG device and its an amazing phone.SD card slot, removable battery, 2k screen, laser focus, 13mp shooter, OIS, 3gb ram, quad core, i could go on. All those features to me make a great device. My biggest gripe about the G3 is that i have all these amazing features with a locked bootloader....
I just damaged my phone with water and now I'm thinking of getting a new one.
My dilema is between G3, Htc One(M7), Nexus 5 and either of the Xperia Z/Z1/Z1 Compact.
Can you guys share some opinions which you think is best performer, battery life etc?
THaks
iphone 6
@up the flex one?
Send from LG G3
kennypow3rs said:
Well an iphone is pretty much just an app drawer lol. Ive owned several iphones including 5s. After iOS 6.0 it all went downhill. I will admit i am an android fanboy and im spoiled by how much customization android has and how open it is compared to iOS.
In terms of the best android phones, i think the HTC One M8 could have been the greatest android device to ever launch but HTC chose to go with the mediocre 4.0 megapixel camera. I dont care what others say, the camera is terrible compared to others. I had to sell my M8 because of that. I personally dont like samsung phones because the bezels the phone has, and im not too big on the plastic build. The G3 is my second LG device and its an amazing phone.SD card slot, removable battery, 2k screen, laser focus, 13mp shooter, OIS, 3gb ram, quad core, i could go on. All those features to me make a great device. My biggest gripe about the G3 is that i have all these amazing features with a locked bootloader....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually decided getting an Android phone because of the customization and my growing haterd towards Apple.
As to the HTC One M8, it seems amazing, and the only thing that makes me consider the other phones is the camera. I don't want a ****ty one, period. Your feedback only makes me strengthen my opinion.
About the LG, however, my main concern is the lag mentioned by a bunch of people. You, as a previous iPhone user, don't feel annoying lags while using it?
And also, about the S5, on paper, besides the screen maybe (and the 3GB RAM), it's all-round equal or better than the LG.. And I was thinking that with flasing a ROM that doesn't contain the usual **** Samsung provides, it'd be an even better choice?
Ruttix said:
I actually decided getting an Android phone because of the customization and my growing haterd towards Apple.
As to the HTC One M8, it seems amazing, and the only thing that makes me consider the other phones is the camera. I don't want a ****ty one, period. Your feedback only makes me strengthen my opinion.
About the LG, however, my main concern is the lag mentioned by a bunch of people. You, as a previous iPhone user, don't feel annoying lags while using it?
And also, about the S5, on paper, besides the screen maybe (and the 3GB RAM), it's all-round equal or better than the LG.. And I was thinking that with flasing a ROM that doesn't contain the usual **** Samsung provides, it'd be an even better choice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no point to get a nexus 5 now with the nexus 6 coming out this year. For the M8, the camera was mediocre. The S5 has 2gb of ram not 3, and as to comparison, the LG on paper is way better than the galaxy S5. In real world specs, my wife has an S5 and my G3 has better battery life, better stock rom, more ram, and in my opinion a better camera. People say the G3 lags, mine doesnt much, it could be the stock LG rom is so heavy, which it is, but not as near as heavy as bloated touch wiz samsung roms lol. Once LG bootloader is unlocked this phone will be the best phone on the planet. Also, all three of the phones you're looking at have way better battery life than iphones lol.
Its not my phone to pick, but if you want me to pick for you id pick LG G3. If the bootloader isnt unlocked within the next few months sell to get S5 or Note 4. Also i hate BEZELS AROUND A SCREEN (LIKE GALAXY AND IPHONE) I LIKE THE FRONT TO BE MOSTLY SCREEN NOT SCREEN WITH UGLY BEZELS AROUND IT.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbwjTVqwYS0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLnuFr1VbQ4
Ruttix said:
I actually decided getting an Android phone because of the customization and my growing haterd towards Apple.
As to the HTC One M8, it seems amazing, and the only thing that makes me consider the other phones is the camera. I don't want a ****ty one, period. Your feedback only makes me strengthen my opinion.
About the LG, however, my main concern is the lag mentioned by a bunch of people. You, as a previous iPhone user, don't feel annoying lags while using it?
And also, about the S5, on paper, besides the screen maybe (and the 3GB RAM), it's all-round equal or better than the LG.. And I was thinking that with flasing a ROM that doesn't contain the usual **** Samsung provides, it'd be an even better choice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before G3 I had M7 and it was amazing phone. I would get M8 but it didn't felt good in my hand. I love G3 but I still think M8 is better. All depends what you want from the phone. G3 without some modifications will lag quite often. HTC has the smoothest stock experience. You have to try them to make sure wich one is for you.
I would go with the G3, but depending on your provider I've read that this phones bootloader is locked meaning you cant install a custom rom or os if thats important to you. Thats NOT a dealbreaker for me at all I love my G3 and still able to root my G3 I customized it the way I want.
Really great phone, very easy to customize, im not a heavy user so I get through the day just fine with the battery, yes I charge it at work but again it gets me through the day. Years ago I started with a iphone 3g and then made the switch to android been with the samsung galaxy line all the way up to the Galaxy S4, then jumped to the LG G3 this is my very first LG phone and I could not be happier. I found on my Samsung S4 the lagging especially during gaming was driving me crazy. Also I found there was so much more bloatware crap on my samsung phone compared to my new LG G3. Yes the LG has bloatware but much less the S4.
It really depends on what you want and the feel of the phones in your hand when using. My G3 im happy with, you may have to get use to the buttons in the back and also the android os...... iphone was pretty much plug it in and your done. Androids a little different but I prefer android.
I personally hate apple devices I have just come from a note 3 to a g3 for my first lg device so far I like it only lag I seem to have noticed is when opening messages but its like any device don't close unused apps and it will hang, at least I can easily get a full day usage out of any android unlike apples terrible battery and imo once you have an iPhone you have had them all same s*** different bucket but of course that is my opinion
Ruttix said:
Hi,
Lately I've decided selling my iPhone and move to android.
After checking the top devices that android offers I had come up with 3: LG G3, HTC One M8 and Samsung GS5.
I'm having a terrible time deciding between them, although I'm kind of leaning towards the LG G3, and that's why I'm posting this here.
After some research done, I found a bunch of people saying that there's some lag while using it, and I wanted to ask you guys:
As an iPhone user migrating to android, will I find the lag noticeable and a bothersome?
Also, are we expecting to have an unlocked bootloader anytime soon or is it not worth waiting for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just bought the G 3 to upgrade my Galaxy S 4. I looked seriously at the G 5 and the OneX M8. What I did was to spend some time figuring out what features I did or did not like personally. What I came up with was the biggest gripe I have had personally with any smartphone was having the power and volume buttons on the sides of the phone. Since I habitually carry in my left shirt pocket, I stopped looking at anything over the largest size phone that fit the brand of shirt I wear. I was ALWAYS inadvertently powering off the phone or resetting the volume, I was to the point where I was accustomed to it and had pretty much learned to live with that, but didn't really like it much. I also wanted a removable back cover ans an SD slot. I also am in areas where data signals don't work well, so cloud storage is not a really good alternative. I also wanted the ability, out of the box, to decide where stuff went, either to internal or to SD storage. I would have preferred LG took the same stance as Samsung on offering a waterproof dustproof phone, but this is not the case.
I didn't care for the HTC camera or the Sense UI, but could learn to live with sense OK if all else was well. Good phone, not so good camera. I am also sort of tired of the way Samsung has gotten so obnoxious with bloat and as far as I am concerned they can put Knox where the sun don't shine. Verizon is bad enough here, but the combination of the two is sort of overbearing.
So, I wound up with the LG G 3. I am really happy with it. It literally blows the socks off the S 4 in terms of call quality and signal strength. The S 4 simply is like the junior high playing ball against the high school varsity. Th G 3 GPS is about the same degree better than the S 4. I call the camera of the G 3 and the S 4 a draw. I don't feel the G 3 quad HD screen is particularly world bending, but is just about perfect for my tastes. I can sure see where some like the Samsung view, but the Samsung colors look...well for me they look almost artificial. However that is a strictly personal deal, YMMV. I really like the button placement of the LG. Out of the box the LG experience is, just like they say, simpler and better.
The battery life of the LG is MUCH better than reviews led me to expect. I am not a gamer or power user, but I can get two days of use between charges. Better battery life than the S 4.
I have the stump root apk downloaded and will root it to remove the bloat I don't want. The Android OS has come far enough that for me anyway, the desirability of custom ROM flashing is not such a big deal as it once was. I have the feeling the LG G 3 will catch on enough we will see some more active development in this regard in the near future.

Would you recommend the Nexus?

I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan
It's a decent phone and there is still some Dev support. I bought mine about a year ago and have been satisfied. Battery life sucks compared to newer phones signal isn't to great compared to my RAZR. But all in all it having an unlocked BL on Verizon makes it all worth while. I thoroughly enjoy mine and will only move if nexus 6 is unlocked on Verizon.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
I can join my previous speakers. It has a very bad battery, it's lags often in apps and the screen is very worn because of this early AMOLED technologie, BUT if you have only 100€ its one of the better phones. I'm using it right now because my nexus 5 were broken and I really like it because it just works. However if you have $50 more to spend when you should buy the moto g. It has clearly more power and offical support by motorola.
no. this phone is terrible, and i'm currently looking into buying a replacement battery for my S3 since it's been sitting in my drawer and i have no idea where the battery went, plus it's broken
i can probably find some way to fix it on ADB, but if not, i'll just wait until i upgrade then i'll get the oneplus one
seriously this phone sucks, there is nothing to recommend about it
No man dont do it .. phone performance is pretty random, dont know why, sometimes it flies like an S4, sometimes it lagz and freezes like an S1..
I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Maximinus I said:
I've been very satisfied with my phones performance. But I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like to mess around with kernels, ROMs and settings.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.
rrrrrrredbelly said:
Thanks for all the responses. I actually do like flashing roms. Should've given more info in OP. I currently have a verizon s4 but since a warranty replacement a few months ago i no longer have an unlocked (exploitable) bootloader and am stuck with touchwiz roms and no custom kernels.
Use my phone mostly for web browsing, xda app, Pandora, Google music - no gaming, coupled that with the fact that i can use the $100-$125 difference I'll make after selling the s4, thought this phone might work.
Will have to think about it a bit more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, web browsing has become hard since 4.4.x. To be honest, KitKat is a mess on this phone. I hope new GPU drivers and 3.4 kernel will help.
If I were you I would buy a Moto G.
I'm using Gnex for a half a year. I bought used. So not because of data plan.
For me Gnex can still give what i need for "normal" daily use - sms, browser, messenger, driving assist, news reading, some games ....
So it depends on your need
best regards
It's a beautiful device, but it's definitely not the best. I absolutely love the unobtrusive design of the front -- just plain black. The phone is the exact right size for me, and the volume and power buttons are in exactly the right place; however the bezels are quite large in comparison to newer phones. This makes the structural integrity of the phone better, but it isn't really nice to me. The back of the phone has a comfortable plastic "grippy" feeling that makes it easy to hold, especially with the curved extrusion at the bottom by the speaker grill.
The speaker is awful, as with all Samsung devices. It's a back-facing speaker that's tiny and easy to cover up. Not much of a problem if you use earphones like I do.
It easily lasts me through a school day, though it only lasts about 4 hours streaming video. Its dual core processor is definitely outdated and consumes far more powererformance than any modern phone.
The screen is on-par with the Galaxy S3 screen, which isn't a compliment. It's low-resolution in comparison to new phones (1280x720), it's hot (as in it actually feels hot) and consumes a heck of a lot of battery very quickly. The colour is amazing, vibrant and simply gorgeous... but, within a few months, you get screen burn-in which is especially noticeable in low light -- speaking of which, the screen in low light is far worse than any IPS with a slightly grainy image, though it does retain a good contrast. Its slightly curved display prevents it from scratching anything facing down and, in my opinion, makes it easier to touch things at the top of the screen.
The phone's radio is only GSM (unless you're going for Sprint or Verizon), so if you're wanting LTE, tough luck. It also doesn't have FM or AM radio if you're into that.
The camera's not the best, but it does the job. The flash is often over-bright, and lacks HDR, motion stabilisation and is only 5 Megapixels. Front camera is 720p.
So why buy this phone? If you can get it really cheap, go for it. If not, go for something newer like the Moto X, Moto G, Nexus 5 or the upcoming Nexus 6 for a similar, updated experience.
Just remember, it's truly an Android modder's dream. It's extremely mod-able with a decent sized community. In my opinion, it is still the best phone I have ever used. I find that just the pure feeling and look of the phone is enough to keep me with it. Also, with recent additions to the phone like F2FS, graphics drivers, new kernels, new ROMs etc., the phone is still very usable for just about everything -- even most gaming.
For $100 i would buy it. The moto g is comparable and faster but almost $100 more. But I think your question is already answered
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Free mobile app
bought mine for 70 dollars one month ago, definetily worth it.
I would much rather use an s4 with touchwiz than use a galaxy nexus. The gnex is the second worst android phone that I've ever owned.
You really can't compare a three year old phone to a phone that is just over a year old. Of course the s4 will be better but touchwizz yuck it would probably be just as slow as a galaxy nexus.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Appreciate everyone's response, thanks
It's a good phone when it was released but the battery life is quite short even though I don't have a lot of apps on it. When the battery life is in the red, it usually last around 5 minutes then it shuts down. I think it was better than than iPhone 4 at its time since it was one of the first phone with a larger screen.
I agree with the other posts.
Honestly, I think CM10 runs amazing on the phone and the signal is actually quite good with that version. 4.4.4 doesn't do well on it for the signal...at least for me. I have been trying many ROMs / Kernels and I have the same luck with them all. I only have mine because I bought it for like $80 on ebay and still have the unlimited plan with Verizon so I don't want to upgrade to a new phone unless I pay the big dollars.
Battery life...is crap like everyone else states. I bought three batteries for this phone for that reason and always have it plugged in, which is why I actually have burn in from my apps.
I own GNex for almost 3 years now and here are few things coming into my mind right now:
Terrible camera
Terrible speaker (Very low volume)
Slow as hell
Worn screen
Incredibly short battery life
Also, with such limited memory multitasking is pretty much not existent if you like installing many apps
Honestly, there is not a single day that I don't want to throw my unit against the wall.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from this peace of junk.
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us
rrrrrrredbelly said:
I'm thinking of buying one, it's in the price range I'm looking at ($80-$100 on swappa), and it seems like it still has good dev support.
The Nexus is almost 3 years old, those that still have it, are you keeping it because you like it, or just because (don't want to loose your data plan for example).
Thanks
Dan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm keeping it because I don't have much money on a new phone and there isn't much on the market that really makes me want to spend anything.
The Galaxy Nexus is a really ****ty phone. If it wasn't a Nexus it would get zero respect from me.
I mean for an old and cheap phone, it's probably the best you can buy at this moment but I'd suggest saving a few more dollars and getting something better.
kobik77 said:
N4 would be a much better option http://swappa.com/buy/nexus-4-unlocked/us
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but on verizon, looks like that gsm only.

Switching to T-Mobile. Note 4 or One m8?

Title says it all, what's the census? I realize I'm asking in the One m8 forum, so I expect bias. I'll also post this in the Note 4 forum also.
Also, I'd be purchasing both off contract. m8 would be cheaper as it's older. Figure I could get the m8 for ~400-450 and the Note 4 off contract @ $699.
Main concern with Note:
1) Size. I had a Note 2 and got along alright with it. This one is a little bigger.
2) I don't like TouchWiz. To clarify more, I find the TouchWiz on the Note series a "scaled" up version of the Galaxy S phones and doesn't take advantage of the larger screen. Multi DPI apps help. So, this would require AOSP mods or ROMS. What's the Dev community like in comparison?
Main concern with m8:
1) Camera
2) No removeable battery.
3) already out of date?
Also, if anyone has general opinions who've used both, please lemme know!
Thanks Guys
My 2 cents is this:
Samsung has superior hardware for the most part but Knox is a PITA, touchwiz kills the hardware advantage, their camera app (at least in the S4) was sluggish and pictures could be tinted weird. The size isn't bad at all (had an OG note as well). If you're a jeans kinda person and like slim cases it won't bind up at all. You run into issues with thicker cases though. It looks like from the light skimming I did that they've been able to unlock the bootloader for TWRP and full ROM changes (instead of Safestrapping) so I wouldn't be TOO concerned by that.
The M8 has much better sound, the Sense isn't too intrusive and with a couple simple tweaks the phone screams and you can eliminate all the annoying functions of sense while keeping it relatively stock or you can go totally crazy and brand new ROM, new features and the whole 10 yards. The speakers on the M8, in my opinion are far far better than other devices but that depends on you usage and what you want. Camera I've had no complaints, go check out the thread about pics from the M8 you can really see how the camera takes pictures. IMO it's fast and efficient and pretty decent in lower light conditions. I first worried about a non-removable battery myself, but I change my phone every 2 years and the battery life on the stock rom without the power saver mode is pretty dang awesome. I sync multiple push accounts on my phone with a near vanilla ROM and I usually get to about 50% on my phone by the end of the day (8 to 10 hours, streaming pandora for about 3 or 4 hours).
As for Dev community I don't think you'll find a better one than any HTC community. HTC does a great job to make their devices unlockable and keeping the hardware fairly standard. Now someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, but you should be able to install just about any firmware onto your M8 from any variants of the M8 including the GPE and the like. With such a unified device the dev community can pool together and make truly great things.
The M8 is still very powerful but the N4 is newer and has beefier hardware. I still chose the M8 after running multiple Samsung devices mainly for the community and the versatility of the phone. not to mention an aluminium chassis is very nice too.
here's a good link to help with your decision:
http://www.gizmag.com/htc-one-m8-vs-samsung-galaxy-note-4/33723/
Cool, thanks. I've scoured the web and have read so many comparisons. Most just jot down the specs and say note 4 is the way to go. Very little real world experience.
Thanks for the input though.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LG G4 vs Note 4

I can't decide which one to get... I'm mostly concerned about the battery life and camera.
Has anyone used both phones ? What is the battery life and camera like on the note 4 compared to the lg g4 and which one is less laggy?, I'm interested in the exynos version of note 4...
I only have the Snapdragon version of the Note 4. The battery performance is comparable, but I havent had the G4 long enough, nor do I have root to fully debloat the G4. I say its fairly even as of now.
Camera on the G4 spanks the Note 4. Note really worth the comparison especially in low light.
I like the Note 4 build quality better.
I agree with on every point there, the G4 is not really a huge improvement over the Note 4.
I have not really had chance to play with the camera much but hope to this weekend.
Hopefully we will get root for this device soon
Sent from my SM-T805 using XDA Free mobile app
Depends on your choice... I really like the note 4 due to the exceptional battery I get... Around 5.5 6hrs of sot.... But I hate the fingerprint scanner and camera is good.... With the lg g4... You get a better camera and almost same battery .... But the camera is very good... Won't replace my DSLR anytime soon.... ?
im most likely trading in my note 4 , cant stand not having root, and most likely LG G4 will be rooted; - also i dont really like the two-handed design, i'd rather get a lil smaller and i think ill be able to one-hand it.
Tough one. With the G4 you have a better camera but in saying that the Note 4s is excellent anyway. Battery life with the Note 4 is better and it has a more powerful GPU than the G4 perhaps leading to poorer framerates in games and stutter in UI on the G4. The Note 4 also has Gorilla Glass 4 Vs GG3 on the G4. If you want a top class camera then the G4 is your phone, otherwise there's really not much difference.
I am exactly in the same boat....
But as I read all around, battery life is really bad on the G4, I think I will order a Note 4 on Monday.
Batfink33 said:
Tough one. With the G4 you have a better camera but in saying that the Note 4s is excellent anyway. Battery life with the Note 4 is better and it has a more powerful GPU than the G4 perhaps leading to poorer framerates in games and stutter in UI on the G4. The Note 4 also has Gorilla Glass 4 Vs GG3 on the G4. If you want a top class camera then the G4 is your phone, otherwise there's really not much difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i was thinking on taking the note 4 but i got to this conclusions:
features:
first g4 got FM radio note 4 does not.
second the note 4 got kind of finger print sensor not really good one but he has that and the S pen which for me is useless.
Winner : note 4
Price:
in my country the note 4 is about 50$ more expansive than the G4 not the leather version its not much but the g4 is still cheaper...
Winner: g4
Build/premium feel:
the gorilla glass number does not really matter if you end up putting a good glass screen protector on it and lg claims that the slim arc design is more durable, dont know if that is true.
the premium feeling - if you are like me you are going to put your phone in a case so it does not really matter how it feels.
Winner: tie
multimedia:
as it appears to be G4 camera is better but as you said they both good,speaker almost the same preformance,screen its tricky but i am not going to say that the note 4 does not look good i just dont like the amoled color approach.
Winner: some say the headphone sound on the note4 is better so this is a: tie
interface:
if there is anything that i hate about touchwiz and i know its stupid its the appdrawer there is no simple search button (i know you can search but i just want a button on top just like HTC Sony and LG)
touchwiz is still laggy LG ux 4 is really nice some handful features in my opinion
Winner: g4
handling and operating:
after holding the g flex2 and the note 4 today i can tell you for sure that the note 4 is not a comfy phone at all (not to hold or to operate)
the holding - every phone with a curved back will be always more comfortable to hold than a flat one.
the operating - the screen 5.5 vs 5.7 not that much diffrence but... the flex got onscreen buttons while the note 4 does not... so flex is somthing like 5.2 without the buttons so.. 5.2 vs 5.7 it is a big diffrence ,so it is much easier to reach the buttons on the g4 than on the note 4 and you can hide them on any app you like on settings...
and another point that it might just be me but...(i dont know how to decribe so just ,you know listen to the story)with the note 4 your are surfing on chrome moving between pages press back go to another website press recent apps button go to check emails again rencet button back to chrome want to check the wether click home button and than ahhhhhhh its a physical button why? why do i suddenly need to add more pressure , it just ruins the user experience, and it's like that in all Samsung devices why they didnt just go with touch buttons all the way..
Winner: g4
benchmark(SD 805 VERSION):
note 4 benchmarks are slightly better in the gpu department only which is where the g4 is more efficient this is why he almost never gets hot..
but on reality the note 4 still suffers from touchwiz lags as the g4 on the reviews fly with out a problem
Winner : g4
updates:
i think you can count on LG in that department because they want to prove things.. and because the note 4 is almost half year old if not older i am not counting on fast updates.
Winner : g4
battery life :
from the battery thread i got this the g4 got better battery life than G3/S6 and avarge SOT is 4-6 hours which is pretty decent and it will last you a full day under moderate use and got better and from what i read the note 4 SOT is 6-8 (running on KK) it is more but if you really want that 2 hours more SOT you can get a future zerolemon or mugen power extended battery(with the same dimensions of the original one ) you might be getting a closer to same SOT as the note 4 .
any way in my country you are getting a free extra battery and a battery charger free with the phone so....
Winner: note4
(i do think that the g4 will get an update to polish things up)
summary:
g4:8
note4:4
so i will be going to get the g4
sorry for my bad english i hope i helped in anyway...
Fir3blade said:
I am exactly in the same boat....
But as I read all around, battery life is really bad on the G4, I think I will order a Note 4 on Monday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just traded in my note 4 for t mobile g4. I'm not going to lie, the note is an awesome phone. I was personally just not a fan of touchwiz. It has some nice functionality and the spen is sweet but there was a lot of lag and it was just a hair to big whereas the g4 is a perfect size and fits my hands. Either way you can't go wrong, both are great phones. I think if I didn't have jump1 with T-Mobile I would have definitely stuck with the note....
xzfzx said:
i was thinking on taking the note 4 but i got to this conclusions:
features:
first g4 got FM radio note 4 does not.
second the note 4 got kind of finger print sensor not really good one but he has that and the S pen which for me is useless.
Winner : note 4
Price:
in my country the note 4 is about 50$ more expansive than the G4 not the leather version its not much but the g4 is still cheaper...
Winner: g4
Build/premium feel:
the gorilla glass number does not really matter if you end up putting a good glass screen protector on it and lg claims that the slim arc design is more durable, dont know if that is true.
the premium feeling - if you are like me you are going to put your phone in a case so it does not really matter how it feels.
Winner: tie
multimedia:
as it appears to be G4 camera is better but as you said they both good,speaker almost the same preformance,screen its tricky but i am not going to say that the note 4 does not look good i just dont like the amoled color approach.
Winner: some say the headphone sound on the note4 is better so this is a: tie
interface:
if there is anything that i hate about touchwiz and i know its stupid its the appdrawer there is no simple search button (i know you can search but i just want a button on top just like HTC Sony and LG)
touchwiz is still laggy LG ux 4 is really nice some handful features in my opinion
Winner: g4
handling and operating:
after holding the g flex2 and the note 4 today i can tell you for sure that the note 4 is not a comfy phone at all (not to hold or to operate)
the holding - every phone with a curved back will be always more comfortable to hold than a flat one.
the operating - the screen 5.5 vs 5.7 not that much diffrence but... the flex got onscreen buttons while the note 4 does not... so flex is somthing like 5.2 without the buttons so.. 5.2 vs 5.7 it is a big diffrence ,so it is much easier to reach the buttons on the g4 than on the note 4 and you can hide them on any app you like on settings...
and another point that it might just be me but...(i dont know how to decribe so just ,you know listen to the story)with the note 4 your are surfing on chrome moving between pages press back go to another website press recent apps button go to check emails again rencet button back to chrome want to check the wether click home button and than ahhhhhhh its a physical button why? why do i suddenly need to add more pressure , it just ruins the user experience, and it's like that in all Samsung devices why they didnt just go with touch buttons all the way..
Winner: g4
benchmark(SD 805 VERSION):
note 4 benchmarks are slightly better in the gpu department only which is where the g4 is more efficient this is why he almost never gets hot..
but on reality the note 4 still suffers from touchwiz lags as the g4 on the reviews fly with out a problem
Winner : g4
updates:
i think you can count on LG in that department because they want to prove things.. and because the note 4 is almost half year old if not older i am not counting on fast updates.
Winner : g4
battery life :
from the battery thread i got this the g4 got better battery life than G3/S6 and avarge SOT is 4-6 hours which is pretty decent and it will last you a full day under moderate use and got better and from what i read the note 4 SOT is 6-8 (running on KK) it is more but if you really want that 2 hours more SOT you can get a future zerolemon or mugen power extended battery(with the same dimensions of the original one ) you might be getting a closer to same SOT as the note 4 .
any way in my country you are getting a free extra battery and a battery charger free with the phone so....
Winner: note4
(i do think that the g4 will get an update to polish things up)
summary:
g4:8
note4:4
so i will be going to get the g4
sorry for my bad english i hope i helped in anyway...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The question I personally have to ask myself is as I already have the Note 4 is it worth the extra £500 for a G4. The answer i find is, no its not. The G4 just doesn't have a massive advantage over the Note 4. If it was a brand new purchase I'd have to seriously consider a G4 but there's just not enough for me to shell out another £500 for a G4 when I already have a phone which is pretty much on par.
Batfink33 said:
The question I personally have to ask myself is as I already have the Note 4 is it worth the extra £500 for a G4. The answer i find is, no its not. The G4 just doesn't have a massive advantage over the Note 4. If it was a brand new purchase I'd have to seriously consider a G4 but there's just not enough for me to shell out another £500 for a G4 when I already have a phone which is pretty much on par.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you already have it than absolutely no! i on the other hand using HTC Desire now...and its about time i will switch to another phone.
and since you already have note 4 do you think my comparison is correct?
Basically I am at peace with my decision to go with the g4 but it would not hurt to hear another opinion
xzfzx said:
if you already have it than absolutely no! i on the other hand using HTC Desire now...and its about time i will switch to another phone.
and since you already have note 4 do you think my comparison is correct?
Basically I am at peace with my decision to go with the g4 but it would not hurt to hear another opinion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think youll do great with the G4, its a great phone and theres nothing much that the Note 4 can do better as long as you dont need a stylus and a root method is found for the G4 which im sure it will.
Batfink33 said:
I think youll do great with the G4, its a great phone and theres nothing much that the Note 4 can do better as long as you dont need a stylus and a root method is found for the G4 which im sure it will.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why everybody want the root? What can it makes different?
Also the note 4 is a older phone, so if you dont have the note 4 , go for the G4
Verzonden vanaf mijn HTC Desire met Tapatalk
aygul12345 said:
Why everybody want the root? What can it makes different?
Also the note 4 is a older phone, so if you dont have the note 4 , go for the G4
Verzonden vanaf mijn HTC Desire met Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With root you can do a lot. I couldn't live without apps like Viper4Android or disable certain apps and services that cause battery drain and monitor what is causing the drain. You can also install Ad blockers, debloat your Rom and ultimately with an unlocked bootloader install new Roms and kernels. Root (and an unlocked bootloader) is a fairly vital function for most advanced Android users.
Batfink33 said:
With root you can do a lot. I couldn't live without apps like Viper4Android or disable certain apps and services that cause battery drain and monitor what is causing the drain. You can also install Ad blockers, debloat your Rom and ultimately with an unlocked bootloader install new Roms and kernels. Root (and an unlocked bootloader) is a fairly vital function for most advanced Android users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not to mention Xprivacy is crucial too!!! - love root, need root, its ashame companies are taking it away from us for "security" reasons, BS...i rooted my original Droid, still own it, and never had any "security" issues, only security issues is google cant steal my info as easily...
I have had the Note 4 since launch and is my favorite device purchased to date. Got to mess with the G4 last week and really like it. Overall, I prefer the Note 4 for three key reasons. Much better battery life (over two hours SOT, based on all reviews that compared), no nav bar and the Gear VR integration. Even without Gear VR I would prefer the Note 4, but if the Note 4 was not an option, the G4 would be my second choice since the S6 with no battery or sd option IMO is too Apple-like. The G4 would be a better option to me.
Speaking of VR, I wonder how the slight curve will impact VR set usage? Seems it could cause an ever so slight hourglass shaped distortion (maybe not enough to bug?).
hopefully my g4 gets here Wednesday and i can do a comparison against note 4 and g4
Batfink33 said:
I think youll do great with the G4, its a great phone and theres nothing much that the Note 4 can do better as long as you dont need a stylus and a root method is found for the G4 which im sure it will.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life is significantly better on the Note 4, but if carrying a spare battery or not out all day, no harm no foul.
Added: Based on Anandtech and other tech reviews, the display is not as power efficient as the Note display, so not sure how the battery life can be improved much on the G4. It does not seem to be
a case of rogue apps burning in the background, but per reviews mainly to do with the display tech. It is MUCH better than the G3's, but still apparently just as power thirsty.
The display is the biggest weight for power of average usage for devices.
rushless said:
I have had the Note 4 since launch and is my favorite device purchased to date. Got to mess with the G4 last week and really like it. Overall, I prefer the Note 4 for three key reasons. Much better battery life (over two hours SOT, based on all reviews that compared), no nav bar and the Gear VR integration. Even without Gear VR I would prefer the Note 4, but if the Note 4 was not an option, the G4 would be my second choice since the S6 with no battery or sd option IMO is too Apple-like. The G4 would be a better option to me.
Speaking of VR, I wonder how the slight curve will impact VR set usage? Seems it could cause an ever so slight hourglass shaped distortion (maybe not enough to bug?).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm always in the market for the latest and greatest tech and had every flagship last year. Aside from the S6 which is a no-go for me due to the no sd slot and removable battery, the Note 4 (IMO) can't really be beaten at the moment. That will probably change later this year though. The only thing that would tempt me to the G4 is the camera but with its other downsides like locked bootloader, poorer battery and subpar GPU, it's just not enough.
Batfink33 said:
I'm always in the market for the latest and greatest tech and had every flagship last year. Aside from the S6 which is a no-go for me due to the no sd slot and removable battery, the Note 4 (IMO) can't really be beaten at the moment. That will probably change later this year though. The only thing that would tempt me to the G4 is the camera but with its other downsides like locked bootloader, poorer battery and subpar GPU, it's just not enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless the Note 5 has a 4K display (for Gear VR use) and still has battery and sd options, I will happily stick with the Note 4. That presumes of course a 4K display is somehow power efficient (perhaps 4K mode for Gear VR and 1440p for everything else). I think though that Samsung is going to lose marketshare to the G4 and will mainly impact the S6. Really think Samsung screwed up with the S6 and actual sales appears to support this. Key differentiaion was the battery and sd option, but Samsung KILLED it and likely their chance of market improvement.
If only the G4 had the same power efficiency as the Note 4 display, it would be about "perfect". Not rooting or tweaking is going to help the display.

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