Honor View 20: Gamers' Secret Weapon? - Honor View 20 Questions & Answers

I'm addicted to mobile gaming. Every morning during my commute to work I get out my phone and start playing Fortnite. Sometimes I get so absorbed in the game to the extent that my 50-minute commute passes by in the blink of an eye. Naturally nothing gets me more excited than new tech that could make gaming better, even something as simple as more screen makes me happy.
But this notch really gets to me. A lot of times I thought I'd pressed the right button, only to find out that I'd actually poked the notch, and in the next second I'm out of the game.
So when I heard about Honor's new notch-less View 20, I thought that could be the phone for me. My only concern though, is whether the hole-like camera is robust enough to withstand scrapes or bumps. I'm quite clumsy and don't want to break it every time the phone slips out of my hands. The new design looks a bit fragileā€¦
Has anyone got their hands on a View 20? Any gamers have phone recommendations? Please let me know if you think the money's worth it!

Hi there,
I have the honor View 20 and would like to start off by saying, this is one of the best phones for gaming. It has the powerful kirin 980 paired with huaweis GPU turbo 2.0 and has liquid cooling.
Regarding the robustness, I would definitely recommend buying a tempered glass screen protector as the glass on the phone isn't gorilla glass so you'll see scratches form when you drop it or put it in your pocket with for example your keys. This goes for the back of the phone as well. I wanted to use the phone for a day without the case and once I got home found that there was a faint scratch on the back. So definitely get a glass screen protector and either buy a case or use the one included

After playing a few games on the Honor View20, I can say that it is definitely one of the best options for someone who spends a lot of time gaming. The phone never got warm and the performance is amazing. It will be interesting to see how to ToF camera is used more in the future for gaming. They have a few games that use it now, but it's more or less a gimmick at this point. Overall it's a very good gaming phone.

Related

Overall love

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

Response to Common Complaints & Criticism

Alright, alright. I had to create an account after reading several critiques and complaints on this forum. I'm sure a lot of people that are considering buying the phone will be popping in and reading the very same complaints while considering their purchase. The purpose of this thread is to clear up said complaints, from my own personal experience.
First of all, I'd like to ensure you all who haven't bought the phone yet that you absolutely have to buy it and experience it for yourself before making any decision. After all, you usually have 14 days to return it. I say this because, while the phone is not "perfect" as many here on this forum have pointed out, it is probably one of the most aesthetically pleasing phones I've ever laid eyes on, and feels incredibly comfortable in the hand. Pictures DO NOT do this phone justice, and the overflowing screen, combined with the size and weight of the phone, gives an overwhelming feeling of vibrancy when holding/viewing. The colors are phenomenal, the contrast is phenomenal, the screen just pops out at you and is bursting with seamless beauty.
(Cost) The phone is expensive, yes, but there's a reason for that: it's a top tier smartphone. If you haven't gotten used to a hefty price tag yet, then you must not have been in the market for long. If you can't afford it, get a OnePlus 3, but I can guarantee you it wont be as fine an experience. Most cell phone companies offer financing, too. Meaning, you make a small monthly payment for the phone itself over the course of the 1-2 years that you'll be using it anyway, and if you decide to, you simply cancel service and pay the phone off. Most companies will then give you an unlock code, and the phone is then yours to do what you please with it, or bring it to another service provider. Either way, every dime you pay while financing brings you closer to owning it, if you decide not to buy it outright. I personally will probably just pay mine off when the price tag gets down to about $400 dollars.
(Delicacy or Lack Thereof) As I stated in the introduction, the phone is thin, comfortable, feels great in the hand, but the overflowing screen gives it a very large & vibrant appearance even though it doesn't FEEL that large in the hand. Does this mean it feels delicate and fragile? Not at all. Now that's not to say you wouldn't WANT to drop it, but for the most part, it's easy to handle, has the perfect weight to it, and doesn't feel fragile by any means. This phone is NOT going to scratch/break in your pocket, unless you're mashing your legs into the sharp edges of tables or falling onto it, or for whatever reason like to keep sharp objects in the same pocket as your phone. It's NOT going to scratch by simply setting it down on a table, or having it slide in between the seats of your car.
This brings me down to a point I've emphasized before: If you're going to buy a $900 phone? DO... not... drop it! I mean, honestly, lets be real here guys: accidents DO happen. However, it's those of us who are incredibly careful, who are capable of owning phones like these. If you're someone who is very clumsy, careless, active, etc., perhaps NO phone of this design type is meant for you. That is not the fault of the manufacturers. There are many phone manufacturers who build phones designed for DURABILITY. My last Galaxy, which wasn't exactly designed for durability, lasted me 2 FULL YEARS however, and has never been dropped once, nor does it have a single scratch. This phone IS durable though- it's durable for a phone of THIS make, this design, and trust me... this is a stylish designer phone, it simply is not an ACTIVE phone. If you want to turn it INTO an ACTIVE phone? Buy a damn Otterbox Defender. When you're hiking/rock climbing/playing basketball, whatever- you're going to have an ACTIVE Note 7 phone. Then when you're doing some casual driving, sitting at a desk, sitting anywhere at home really, at dinner with friends, or pretty much doing anything that's non-active, pop it out of it's case. You'll then, once again, have the nicest phone that anyone's ever laid eyes on.
To summarize the above, be a responsible phone owner, and you'll be fine. If you can't handle the responsibility of owning such an expensive product that was designed to be durable while keeping a fantastic overall appearance, don't buy it. You can't fault manufacturers for your lack of care.
(Battery Life) I've owned this phone for a little while now, and I've charged it approximately one and a half times (by a half, I mean plugged it in at 40-50% before leaving the house) per day. I keep High Accuracy GPS on, I keep brightness at 85-95%, I keep a multicolor 'Always On' display up, I have the "screen off" time set to 3 minutes, I have HD quality wallpapers for home & lock screens, and I keep WiFi on. I have yet to use any of the battery saver modes or capabilities. During the first few days of owning this phone, I would install back to back programs, take 15+ pictures while playing around with the different camera & video settings, record videos of my screen, experiment with the S pen, experiment with different mobile games, set up setting after setting, security feature after security feature, experiment with high quality video, stream YouTube & Netflix movies, the list goes on and on and I'm sure anyone who's ever owned a new phone knows exactly what I'm talking about.
During these times, my battery would last approximately 9 hours before falling to 20% or below. That's EXTREME HEAVY use, with battery draining functions, brightness, and high resolution screens, and no power saving whatsoever giving me 9 hours of use without even falling into critical battery levels. When I get down to around 20%, I plug it in and it takes about 40-50 minutes to charge back to 100%. If my battery is at 30% or higher, I simply plug it in and it's charged in 30-40 minutes or less. I have ONCE allowed my phone to fall below 10%, and it took no longer than one hour to charge to 100%. So yes, the battery is EXTREMELY good, and it charges extremely fast.
(Fingerprints) This phone will have fingerprints on it within just a few minutes of use, however, they are hardly noticeable unless you're actually looking for them. Once it gets marked up really heavily, which only takes about two hours of use to happen, it becomes a little more noticeable at a glance, but still, you have to be UP CLOSE to the phone to even notice. Now, I have EXTREME OCD, so this should bother me a lot more, right? No, it doesn't. What I do is keep 2 microfiber towels- one on my desk(where I spend a lot of my time) and one in my car. Whenever I pick up my phone after an extended period of non-use, I simply wipe it with the dry towel(takes 15 seconds) and viola- it looks like it JUST came out of the box again... brand new. When going somewhere, I do a quick wipe of the phone before exiting my vehicle- and viola. Brand new looking phone sitting in my pocket wherever I'm going. The gorgeous material of this phone is a worthy sacrifice for some barely noticeable fingerprints that can easily be rectified. Oh, by the way. BECAUSE of the material the phone is made of, it is MUCH EASIER to clean with said microfiber towels than the older plastic models, such as the S4. That one took at lot more scrubbing and hitting specific areas, and would also get smudge marks from the fingerprints being "wiped in" by the cloth, that were almost impossible to get rid of.
(The "oh so" Awful Speaker) This is one of the biggest critiques the phone has received, by both people on this forum, and review videos/articles/websites all across the interwebz. And I? I just don't see it. The speaker, to me, is LOUD. Now, it's not booming, bass boosted music cube quality, however... it is loud enough to where I could easily hear it ringing(depending on the ringtone) from across the house in another room. It's also loud enough to where I could play a video, turn the volume to max, set it about 50 feet away, and still hear it vividly. Also, I love the quality of the sound. It doesn't sound cheap, or poor at all to me. Non-speaker voice sound is crystal clear through this during calls. Sometimes if you hold the phone a certain way, you can block off the speaker since it's on the bottom, muffling the sound. However, muscle memory allowed me to quickly get used to preventing this after the very first time it happened. I never have a problem with the speaker being on the bottom, outside of the fact that I slightly prefer the headphone jack being on the top.
(Performance) Mentions of slow loading, TouchWiz lag, etc on this forum, I have yet to experience once. TouchWiz also has a much better interface now, especially after downloading a free theme that I liked. TouchWiz does not lag at all for me. Nothing on this phone loads "slowly" for me. I did a screen-record video of myself navigating different apps, games, etc on my phone, and literally sh** was opening within milliseconds of each tap, minus games, which, depending on the size/type of game, would take just a few seconds. I see no "slowness" in this phone whatsoever. There's literally not even delays between navigating pages on Facebook, switching from Facebook to YouTube and then from YouTube to Gmail and then from Gmail to a video on my phone. If I were to do all these app switches and loads in order of what I just listed, it would take no more than the time it takes me to open the Edge screen and tap the different apps. Game-play on games such as Mage and Minions is fluid, without noticeable frame drops, and without lag.
(Fingerprint & Iris Scanners) Fingerprint scanner works perfectly if you actually use it right, i.e., gently place your *entire* fingertip over the button. The iris scanner is not perfect, but it works 95% of the time and is FAST... VERY FAST when it does work. If you're looking for a "more secure" method of locking your phone- that's what it's for. It is supposed to be much more secure than the fingerprint scanner, and it's very fast as long as you do it right. Like, I'm talking, sometimes I don't even have time to see the "eye circles" appear on the screen. It just unlocks in a millisecond, as I'm already holding the phone in the correct position upon swiping up. Now, if you wear glasses or contacts, just skip the iris scanner. It is not 100% necessity, by any means, and your phone can be secured with simply the fingerprint scanner or a complex password. Not the end of the world.
(Camera) I'm only very slightly disappointed with the outdoor light(ex: sitting in a carport with an overhead light at night). This causes somewhat of a grainy appearance in the camera. In every other light/dark scenario so far, unless zoomed in too far, these pictures are crystal clear. Near professional. Beautiful. The camera is fast & responsive. The interface is very easy to use and understand.
Now, I do not consider myself to be a "Samsung fanboy," nor a "Galaxy fanboy." I do not dislike Apple Products outside of the fact that I think they're just a tad highly priced in comparison to Samsung(I know, the difference is becoming very slight, but even still). My wife has the 6s Plus, and it's a great phone. I do not work for Samsung, I do not work for any cell phone company at all, I am not paid to write any of the above. This was simply my unbiased response/personal review of the Note 7, that I was inclined to write after seeing so many negative comments on this forum in addition to a lot of misinformation. I WANT others to get the same experience I'm getting with my Note 7, and frankly, not be discouraged by others. So there you go.
i can agree to just about everything that you said, except for my experience with the battery. i haven't had a chance to really test it in optimal conditions because i have little to no service while i'm at work underground in an elevator shaft but we will see. i hear mixed things about screen on time, etc. but most things are a factory reset away if there is any trouble. for the most part this is one of my favorite devices i have ever owned. if you love the note line or never have been in it, this phone (note 7) is the culmination of all of its beauty and brawn.
Ace Ryan said:
After all, you usually have 14 days to return it
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Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
themissionimpossible said:
Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
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Deciding to wait is not a bad idea- however- while you do not know me and vice versa, I promise you that all of what I said above is completely true and honest, with no bias whatsoever. The problem is, people who "review" things for a living need something to REVIEW. They NEED both good AND bad. That leads to nitpicking. I on the other-hand, don't have a reason to nitpick, as I am not a paid reviewer or anything like that. Not only that, but I rely on this phone heavily for work, and I use it almost constantly during down times at work to keep myself entertained & busy. That said, even though I do not have reason to nitpick, I DO have many reasons to NEED an amazing phone.
My phone, as of right now, is far from factory default. I already have about 7 videos, 35+ pictures, I've downloaded every program that I used on my previous Galaxy phone, IN ADDITION to other programs/apps/games.
This is part of why I wrote such an extensive review, because even though I haven't had the phone that long, I've been putting it through the ringer and it's still performing phenomenally. I've been glued to it since the day I got it almost non-stop. While using it heavily for work, I'm texting/calling CONSTANTLY, almost every 10-25 minutes throughout 10 - 14 hour shifts, in addition to taking credit card payments on this phone. That said, I've accumulated close to a thousand text messages or more already and a pretty massive call log.
Also, of course I'm aware that return policies differ, not only from place to place but from carrier to carrier, which is why I said "usually." I do not want anyone to mistake that statement for fact and cause them to buy a phone they cannot return, so I'll add some extra emphasis on that in my OP. Everyone, however, should always do their own research on their sellers return policies and general procedures. This should be common sense.
themissionimpossible said:
Anyway please remember that we are on an International forum and this possibility is not always offered in some countries, or impracticable or too expensive when buying online from some far east sellers.
IMHO it's still too early for a definitive evaluation of the expensive N7, so personally I preferred to cancel my pre-order and wait a couple of months after having seen many reports of daily usage from normal users like me, not only web magazine techie or pseudo-techie people (unfortunately sometime questionable if not clearly biased... )
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Hi. Respectfully if you believe what is written on forums regarding ANY device you would never make a purchase, not even a pair of shoes.
THE only review that counts should and must be your own.
I have been buying tech stuff since the early 70's and research every single thing I buy prior to purchase. I find this silly habit of mine part of the fun buying experience for me. I have read glowing reports on tech that I have returned the same day and read awful reports on tech that I have kept and used for years.
To cancel the Note 7 based on what you have read either positive or negative is unwise. Take forum posting. How many satisfied owners are going to seek out a forum and write praise? Now, how many are going to write to complain! Its called 'human nature'.
Its totally disproportionate to reality. Sitting on the fence is not the way to live. Buy, test then make your own judgement. You can always return it if not satisfied.
Best of luck, Ryland :good:
The battery takes a lot longer to charge for mine. Does it get hot when charging for anyone else?
Ryland Johnson said:
THE only review that counts should and must be your own.
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Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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How do you know that your wants and needs are the same as whoever's critique you're reading? For some reason this forum has an inordinately large number of OMG!'rs that freak out relatively easily. And most are freaking out at theory as they've never touched a Note7 better yet own one.
No phone is going to be perfect as there are always going to be OEM induced compromises. They are what they are. I came from a Note5 and the Note7 exceeds it in every way including all the categories listed by the OP. Some things are different but none that aren't made up for in other ways.
People should buy what makes them happy and do their homework first. That includes reading reviews and forums but filtering the results to what applies to their specific needs and usage. Some of the OCD posts in this forum make me laugh. No phone built or to be built will ever satisfy some folks here.
BarryH_GEG said:
How do you know that your wants and needs are the same as whoever's critique you're reading? For some reason this forum has an inordinately large number of OMG!'rs that freak out relatively easily. And most are freaking out at theory as they've never touched a Note7 better yet own one.
No phone is going to be perfect as there are always going to be OEM induced compromises. They are what they are. I came from a Note5 and the Note7 exceeds it in every way including all the categories listed by the OP. Some things are different but none that aren't made up for in other ways.
People should buy what makes them happy and do their homework first. That includes reading reviews and forums but filtering the results to what applies to their specific needs and usage. Some of the OCD posts in this forum make me laugh. No phone built or to be built will ever satisfy some folks here.
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At Last a voice of reason. Bravo! :good: :good: :good:
Ryland
---------- Post added at 04:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:44 PM ----------
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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Hi, Thanks for the reply. I like certain fruit and what I enjoy you may not so I may say X fruit is bitter but you may like bitter...It truly is a question of perspective.
You simply can't base what you fear buying on other peoples comments be they positive nor negative. Its all so subjective as pointed out several times, mot of the naysayers here, and there are a few, don't even own the device! You are nervous to purchase in case you don't like it based on this forum. Please Youtube this mobile and read the professional reviews, people who have been testing these devices for years. They all appear to me to write and speak highly of the note 7. BTW that would not change how I felt about my ownership even if they spoke poorly of it as I think its a very good work device. NOT for everyone though, not supposed to be. It is for me with bells on.
I wish you well with what ever you purchase. :highfive:
Ryland
Finally I was abput to create a thread about how we discuss the greatness of the phone. Too many negative ppl complaining if you dont like it pick up said phone and take it back, this community is suppose to be positive supportive not bashing new products or what others enjoy regardless. Refreshing to see positivity I love this phone it's simply amazing and superb. Thank you to the others that are positive in this forum.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA Free mobile app
very true indeed matsuyamakaze
Phones, like cars and pretty much everything else, are a matter of personal choice. For me this is by far the best phone I have ever owned (last two were a SonyZ3 and a Z3+). I would agree that the speaker is pretty soft but only an issue if you want to use it to play music (get a BT speaker). There's nothing more that I want in a feature packed phone. Read the reviews and make your own choice.
the best fone of 2016 till 2019 ,thats y its note 7 and not note 6 , im so pissed off by all this criticism
Sent from my SM-N930F using Tapatalk
The only complaint I have is that they took out the features from the old s note app like link to action. Besides that I live this gorgeous piece of hardware. Oh another complaint I have to cover this beauty with a case. That's about it though. Even with the recalls. I still love it.
Sent from my SM-N930V using XDA-Developers mobile app
Do you feel there are any caveats to the curved screen? I'm considering a Note 7 because the curvature is a lot less noticeable than on the S7 Edge, which was criticized for distorting the image around the curve afaik. I currently have a Oneplus One that I'm quite happy with but would love something just a tiny bit physically smaller and with a fingerprint reader but don't feel the Oneplus 3 is much of an upgrade in other areas.
themissionimpossible said:
Respectfully, IMHO a very pointless suggestion..
I just don't want to buy something first and then regret to have bought it and wasted my money....
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With mutual respect. So what you suggest is we should all read your opinion and purchase one based on your opinion? Opinions are like ears, we all have them and to suggest we buy based on any report is unwise. Taste is a major factor not to mention what we need the device to perform. I need the S-pen so that leaves me zero options.
No one on earth can choose ones hi-fi set up for us, we all have different preferences in sound reproduction that's why we have such a massive choice and stores that will arrange a listening session before ones purchases. 'The best' is simply ones own opinion and personal taste. Same with mobile phones.
With such a purchase you have to see the item and test it yourself. Forum opinions and professional reports can, on times, be a rough guide but that is all they are. True professional in the field of electronics will state that.
Ryland :good:
---------- Post added at 04:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:00 PM ----------
kasakka said:
Do you feel there are any caveats to the curved screen? I'm considering a Note 7 because the curvature is a lot less noticeable than on the S7 Edge, which was criticized for distorting the image around the curve afaik. I currently have a Oneplus One that I'm quite happy with but would love something just a tiny bit physically smaller and with a fingerprint reader but don't feel the Oneplus 3 is much of an upgrade in other areas.
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First thing. Do you NEED the S-pen? If you don't then consider the S7. Great deals can be found on the S7 at present.
Second point. I have been buying the 'edge' editions since they where introduced and have yet to find a half decent screen saver of any type be it skin or armor glass type. Does this matter? Well yes it does as the Note 7 comes with a more drop resistant Gorilla glass BUT the trade off is it appears softer so 'may' scratch more easily than the S7 edge? I have my Note 7 in the Samsung LED flip case and I have left the factory screen saver on until I can find the courage to change it to the Samsung screen saver looking at me in its box!
YOU must decide what you want then what you need from your mobile and purchase accordingly. Its great fun looking and searching for ones next technology fix! :highfive:
Don't be pushed and don't rush. Enjoy the shopping experience.
Ryland
Ryland Johnson said:
First thing. Do you NEED the S-pen? If you don't then consider the S7. Great deals can be found on the S7 at present.
Second point. I have been buying the 'edge' editions since they where introduced and have yet to find a half decent screen saver of any type be it skin or armor glass type. Does this matter? Well yes it does as the Note 7 comes with a more drop resistant Gorilla glass BUT the trade off is it appears softer so 'may' scratch more easily than the S7 edge? I have my Note 7 in the Samsung LED flip case and I have left the factory screen saver on until I can find the courage to change it to the Samsung screen saver looking at me in its box!
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I don't necessarily need it but I would probably like it. The S7 is too small for me, I'm used to a 5.5" display so anything smaller just seems a bit too small now. I find myself doing a lot of reading on my phone now whereas before with a 5" display phone I used a tablet a lot more. I was wondering about the curved Note 7 display mainly if it causes any problems clicking icons that are on the edge of the screen or seeing them if they are right on the curved part.
Screen protectors or cases don't really matter to me as I generally use my phones without any. So far haven't broken or scratched a single display. If anybody makes a Oneplus One "sandstone black" type texture skin or case for a Note 7 I might reconsider as I love how grippy that is.
Ryland Johnson said:
No one on earth can choose ones hi-fi set up for us, we all have different preferences in sound reproduction that's why we have such a massive choice and stores that will arrange a listening session before ones purchases. 'The best' is simply ones own opinion and personal taste. Same with mobile phones.
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I see you probably live in a more favorable country...
I don't know a store here in Italy that let you install and test by yourself with their 3 or 4 demo top smartphones all your main apps and games, and let you play with those phones for a few hours... Usually those demo phones don't even have a valid SIM card inserted and/or Internet wifi access...
And of course I can't just go to USA or to some other country only for such tests.
Conversely, here in Italy a lot of hi-fi stores let you test many different audio or video setups with your own video or music material, so at least in my case your proper suggestion to do the same with smartphones unfortunately is actually not practicable as with hi-fi...

S7 Active vs S7 Exynos

Hi,
I am confused between S7 Active and S7 with Exynos processor. Would really like to know what you guys think. These are some points that have kept me in this limbo:
1. Scratches and Scuffs: Plan to use this phone for atleast 2 years but I am afraid S7A will look really bad if I drop it multiple times as the outer material on S7A can be scuffed. I would rather put a good protective case on the regular S7 and change the case if it becomes unusable.
2. Batteries: One of the main reasons why S7A is popular is because of its huge battery (4000mAh compared to the S7's 3000mAh). However, I read in multiple blogs that S7 Exynos battery life is significantly better than the S7 with Snapdragon. Since S7A is only with Snapdragon, would like to know how it compares to S7 with Exynos.
3. Cost: I am able to find a new S7 with exynos for $550 on Amazon where as S7A is $800.
I am sure this question is relevant for those who are looking to buy an S7A. TIA.
1: It's a rugged phone in most respects, the IP68 rating ensures the dust and water-resistance (not water-proof as so many people get wrong) will keep it working in some environments where other devices might just cough up a dustball literally and die when dunked. There are cases for the Active which make it even bulkier but some aren't so bad - SUPCASE once again makes their Unicorn Beetle case and they're very useful overall. I'd get one for my GS7A but I like the camo green look to it and they aren't making a yellow/black Beetle case so that's that.
As for scuffs and scratches, it's bound to happen if you actually make use of the device in various environments but that will happen to any device - think of the Active as an S7 with a few extra features and a built-in case, if you will.
2) The 4000 mAh battery in the Active consistently gives me 2+ days of battery life since I've had it and that's about 2 weeks now. I typically get at least 2 days and some hours before it gets to the 2-3% point and that's with screen brightness about 40-45% most of the time (if I'm outdoors I just set it for Auto brightness so I don't have to fiddle with it as I'm moving from place to place). Screen on time has been averaging about 6.5-8 hours depending on usage for me.
I only use cellular service when I'm out and about moving around but if I'm within range of actual Wi-Fi service that works I have Tasker set to disconnect and switch over - at home I don't use cellular at all. For the record I barely use my cellular service to be honest, I never give out my carrier number and I use Google Voice for all phone calls and SMS usage. Only 2 people know my carrier number, my Wife and a family member in case of emergencies and that's it (well my carrier knows it of course but they don't have any reasons to call me).
I have zero complaints about the battery life, so that's my position on it, and of course it's a Snapdragon 820 which is damned fast. I have an LG G Flex 2 (Wife uses it) and it's a Snapdragon 810 and the best Antutu score I've had on it running pretty cold to start was about 92K - I tested the Active the other day and got just shy of 142K which is damned impressive to me. So considering the Snapdragon 810 is an 8-core device (big.LITTLE) and the Snapdragon 820 is a 4-core device (still big.LITTLE) Qualcomm made some rather outstanding architecture changes to have such a remarkably higher score with half the number of cores is stunning.
My usage is not typical, mind you, with me not using cellular 24/7; I only use it when actually needed aka not connected to Wi-Fi someplace. Other people will have vastly different experiences and battery life so again, I don't consider my usage typical in any respects. I made a thread here talking about the battery life I've been achieving:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-active/how-to/battery-life-simply-amazing-t3469942
3) Yes the Exynos can be found for less and the GS7A is obviously carrier locked to AT&T as the only seller but it can be unlocked for GSM carriers worldwide after purchase (especially if you buy it outright you can get the unlock code the same day from AT&T). The Exynos models are also the only ones that have root right now iirc, I might be wrong on that but I think I'm correct. And there are some custom ROMs out as well but I might be wrong on that one too - I don't do much poking around in the Galaxy S7 forum here since I know the Active will more than likely never get root or custom ROMs, it's just not a popular device overall.
Having said that if I had to choose for myself I'd still get the Active but that's just me. I prefer it over typical "consumer" models meaning the pretty shiny glossy slick slippery S7 models including the Exynos-based ones. I don't care about 8 freakin' cores - on the G Flex 2 my Wife is using I have it rooted and use EX Kernel Manager to enforce a quad core setup (2 big cores, 2 LITTLE cores) and she gets damned impressive battery life - not nearly what I can get with the Active but even so, it lasts much longer than having all 8 cores enabled.
Yes there's a price premium on the Active but I personally think it's worth it. Be aware that the GS7A does have Gorilla Glass 4 but the actual part you touch to use it is a polycarbonate layer on top of the GG4 that protects it and helps increase the shatter-resistance. Because that top layer is not Gorilla Glass 4 itself it is more prone to scratching but Samsung does offer replacements if necessary. My advice: if you do get the GS7A, get a nice screen protector of some kind for it whether you get something made from a plastic composite or whatever or tempered glass and it'll protect the polycarbonate later.
Basic gist for me: I don't care about the looks of the device, really. The G Flex 2 has a damaged glass surface to it, actual pieces of glass are missing in the lower left hand corner but the digitizer still works 100% and my Wife has zero issues using it. It has a few cracks in it too but the damage is almost entirely contained in the lower left hand corner and not directly over the IPS LCD panel itself so, just a crack or two that stretches from one corner to the other but you really have to be looking for it to notice it.
The Active is a damned fine device but if the price is too much for what it offers, grab the Exynos and he happy I guess.
The S7 Active was built for basically rugged and outdoor use, its battery is greatly increased from 3000mAh to 4000mAh. Reports have indicated it can last you 2 days of moderate-heavy use easily.
Samsung also claims it can survive drops of up to 5 Feet without the glass shattering or anything. The sides and corners are also thicker to safeguard from drops as most accidental drops hit the sides or the corners of the phone.
The back has also been changed to somewhat of a textured plastic obviously to aid in the phone's strengthened outer covering.
Buttons have been replaced by capacitive buttons and the fingerprint sensor/home button is retained.
Overall if you really want a rugged phone without a case, something that you can take anywhere and you know it can withstand the elements the S7 Active is for you. But mind you it comes with ALOT of pre-installed bloatware.
An alternative/cheaper option would just be to just get the S7 Exynos, purchase something like an Otterbox Defender and one of those IP68 Rated Powerbanks and you'd essentially have the "feel" of a rugged device. This option is if you want more customization options, as the Exynos variant of the S7 is the only unlockable variant. ( Root and Custom Roms/Kernels etc. )
Either way, they're both great devices and it all boils down to what would you use it for. Good Luck
Just noted I crossed another day of use - I really do love this phone so far.
The only thing I can complain about (if even that) is the Camera seems to take a lot of energy which is somewhat interesting. I spent some time outside taking photos (with Auto brightness on) and it was damned sunny here in Las Vegas yesterday so I was expecting the display to use more power but that wasn't the case: in the first hour of using the GS7A for photo snapping I noted that the Camera accounted for roughly 45% of the battery used during that 1st hour - the screen came in at like 15% even with full brightness outside. Kinda weird and I wonder if that's something a software upgrade might help with but even so, this camera does seem to hit the battery pretty hard when it's in use. The area by the Power/Sleep button gets quite warm when the Camera is in operation as well.
But I still love the battery life, absolutely.

Possible Deal Maker/Breaker Questions Regarding H8Pro

The comparisons between Honor 8 Pro and OP5 are going overboard but I am still left with some serious questions:
1. Has anyone's Honor 8 Pro survived drops? The Gorrila Glass 3 doesn't convince me 100%.
2. The OP5 seems to be resistant to water droplets/mild water contact. Does the Honor 8 Pro survive the same?
3. The most important question though is how serious and common is the heating issue? Some are okay with it, some say its dangerous. Can someone explain how badly it heats when using the camera and playing games?
I am in love with the Honor 8 Pro. If the above worries dont turn out to be very serious, I will be glad to be a part of this forum
Help me guys!
minimalhype said:
The comparisons between Honor 8 Pro and OP5 are going overboard but I am still left with some serious questions:
1. Has anyone's Honor 8 Pro survived drops? The Gorrila Glass 3 doesn't convince me 100%.
2. The OP5 seems to be resistant to water droplets/mild water contact. Does the Honor 8 Pro survive the same?
3. The most important question though is how serious and common is the heating issue? Some are okay with it, some say its dangerous. Can someone explain how badly it heats when using the camera and playing games?
I am in love with the Honor 8 Pro. If the above worries dont turn out to be very serious, I will be glad to be a part of this forum
Help me guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the first 2, I don't think anyone will do it on purpose for test. Device screen getting shattered on drop is pure luck. Well, gorilla glass 3 is more scratch resistant than shatter resistant. Gorilla glass 5 is more shatter resistant than scratch resistant. ?
The phone does warm up a bit upto 43 degree Celsius according to reviews. It's upto you whether you find that comfortable or not.
Sent from my XT1562 using Tapatalk
I'm a casual games but do occasionally try stuff like screen recording while gaming, etc..
taken a few photos..
in both cases, the heat isn't enough to make me feel uncomfortable.
I guess heat on"metal" phone is perhaps a good thing as it means heat is being dissipated via back case.. no?
minimalhype said:
The comparisons between Honor 8 Pro and OP5 are going overboard but I am still left with some serious questions:
1. Has anyone's Honor 8 Pro survived drops? The Gorrila Glass 3 doesn't convince me 100%.
2. The OP5 seems to be resistant to water droplets/mild water contact. Does the Honor 8 Pro survive the same?
3. The most important question though is how serious and common is the heating issue? Some are okay with it, some say its dangerous. Can someone explain how badly it heats when using the camera and playing games?
I am in love with the Honor 8 Pro. If the above worries dont turn out to be very serious, I will be glad to be a part of this forum
Help me guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) I have survived a drop. I am not used to such smooth back finish and I was casual on taking it out of my pocket and it slipped on solid floor and not even a scratch, neither on the back or the glass. Phewww! Escaped!
2) We are having monsoon here and now n then it has again survived the drizzle and wet pockets.
3) The heating issue is quite normal. After almost 2 weeks, according to my use, it seems now there is not much noticeable heating. On the first few days, I was crazy on VR, streaming in FHD and 2k, games and stuff. Now on occasional gaming and regular stuff, the things are much cooler.
mydragoon said:
I'm a casual games but do occasionally try stuff like screen recording while gaming, etc..
taken a few photos..
in both cases, the heat isn't enough to make me feel uncomfortable.
I guess heat on"metal" phone is perhaps a good thing as it means heat is being dissipated via back case.. no?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, its a good sign to know that heat is being let out but there must be a limit to it right Anyways, seems like the heating isnt worrying
aKp1 said:
1) I have survived a drop. I am not used to such smooth back finish and I was casual on taking it out of my pocket and it slipped on solid floor and not even a scratch, neither on the back or the glass. Phewww! Escaped!
2) We are having monsoon here and now n then it has again survived the drizzle and wet pockets.
3) The heating issue is quite normal. After almost 2 weeks, according to my use, it seems now there is not much noticeable heating. On the first few days, I was crazy on VR, streaming in FHD and 2k, games and stuff. Now on occasional gaming and regular stuff, the things are much cooler.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for a detailed answer, I am relieved that the heating problem has subsided but can you please tell what's the case while recording videos?
Not the right person to answer since I don't record a lot of videos! The videos that I have recorded till now are not more than 10 mins and while recording those, it warmed a little and definitely not uncomfortable! And yes the camera app never crashed or stopped working neither there was any lagginess or slow down later on!
Isn't Gorilla glas 3 and 5 equally resistant, just that the gorilla glas 5 does have some extra "stuff" (can't bother to Google it)? And the 5 lacks oleophobic coating which means it doesn't resist crease as well, at least that was the case with the P10 Plus in EU.
The heating hasn't been an issue for me at all, though the hottest it's been around here is about 24C. Mostly do gaming when I notice the phone getting warmer.
I can also confirm that the phone stays on in minus Celsius degrees and let's you take photo without a problem, if it helps
MrHuman said:
Isn't Gorilla glas 3 and 5 equally resistant, just that the gorilla glas 5 does have some extra "stuff" (can't bother to Google it)? And the 5 lacks oleophobic coating which means it doesn't resist crease as well, at least that was the case with the P10 Plus in EU.
The heating hasn't been an issue for me at all, though the hottest it's been around here is about 24C. Mostly do gaming when I notice the phone getting warmer.
I can also confirm that the phone stays on in minus Celsius degrees and let's you take photo without a problem, if it helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the phone to stay in minus celsius temperatures, I am assuming you are living somewhere high up longitude or altitude wise. Anyways, thanks for your valuable input
You assume (longitude) correctly
I don't think they're serious

Vernee X 4Gb/64Gb Mediatek P23

So, I wanted to put a word in for Vernee, and specifically for this phone.
I looked around for a forum and didn't find one.
This is a wonderful budget phone, absolutely. A sleeper.
At $180 roughly, it's fantastic.
Everything about it IS a step down from Flagship but the package it delivers punches well above it's class.
This is just a set of observations to help those thinking about digging around the lower priced Chinese offerings.
I'll try and give a comparative review.
The phone is just a few millimeters taller than the OnePlus 5T, a few shorter than the Galaxy 8+ and roughly the same width as the HTC U11.
The screen is 18:9 and tinted in such a way that the screen appears to take up the entire front surface before you fire it up.
Although I have seen reviews that say it is a metal phone, it is not. The back is a very solid form of plastic, treated and painted to look like metal.
Don't get me wrong; it's not a bad look at all. The deep blue looks radiant in the sunlight and the soft texture of it feels wonderful in the hand.
The phone is as heavy as the Mate 9 but feels perfectly weighted. It really feels great to hold and they've curved the back in such a way that it feels far slimmer than it is - which at 9.8mm, it is not.
When you turn the screen on, you notice that Vernee has done a great job with slimming the bezels, and the glass, though not Gorilla glass has a nice, slick feel to it.
It's built to a very high standard; compelling when you think they just begun to make phones in 2016.
The P23 mediatek chip is perfectly adequate for everyday use - I'd say think Qualcomm 820/821 (Lg G4).
There are a few stutters and it's not as fluid as say the OnePlus 5T but it IS quick and the management of it's 4Gbs of ROM keeps lots of apps on tap.
And now, the killer. They've stuffed a huge battery in there. They say it's a 6000 but My Device reads it at 4000.
Any which way, the battery is a revelation. On, and on, and on - It will easily give you 2 days of normal use, all in a relatively tight package - but I'm not like that. I am on it ALL DAY doing everything, with everything on from 08:00 and still, as I come to charge at 23:00 there's 15% in it.
Astonishing.
And I think that's where this phone hits its home run.
It looks good, it feels good, it runs well - you'd be hard pressed to be embarrassed laying it on the table beside the absolute big guns - and you could have five of them for the price.
It's an Astonishing feat.
Think 4 by 4 Beemer or Merc in the bush against the original Toyota Prado.
But unlike a bear-bones interior, you have leather seats, good stereo, manual sun-roof and proper differentials.
You know what I'm talking about.
The Vernee X is not rugged but it's handsome, sure footed, tireless and a joy to carry around.
It will take you dancing all night long, and that, at least, in Miyake.
Yes. There is a catch. The camera.
It's not bad but you'll want great light all the time. And don't try that blurred shallow focus thing, it's not good.
Still there pictures are adequate sometimes and very good at other.
This phone has climbed into my pocket and the company, won my heart and I can't wait to see what Vernee has for us this year and next.
The Doogees, Elephones...are on notice.
So are, in another few years I think, Samsung et.al.
Still no one ROM for this model... Someone from the owners of this unit, could you make a full backup of the firmware and put it in the public domain.
room for vernee x 4gb ram / 64gb
Welcome, we hope that a friend will introduce a Vernee x 4gb / 64gb phone room
Dyxless1986 said:
Still no one ROM for this model... Someone from the owners of this unit, could you make a full backup of the firmware and put it in the public domain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
some roms here. Ive not tested but some activity it seems
https://www.needrom.com/category/others/u-v-w-x-y-z/brands-v/vernee/x/
kolembo said:
So, I wanted to put a word in for Vernee, and specifically for this phone.
I looked around for a forum and didn't find one.
This is a wonderful budget phone, absolutely. A sleeper.
At $180 roughly, it's fantastic.
Everything about it IS a step down from Flagship but the package it delivers punches well above it's class.
This is just a set of observations to help those thinking about digging around the lower priced Chinese offerings.
I'll try and give a comparative review.
The phone is just a few millimeters taller than the OnePlus 5T, a few shorter than the Galaxy 8+ and roughly the same width as the HTC U11.
The screen is 18:9 and tinted in such a way that the screen appears to take up the entire front surface before you fire it up.
Although I have seen reviews that say it is a metal phone, it is not. The back is a very solid form of plastic, treated and painted to look like metal.
Don't get me wrong; it's not a bad look at all. The deep blue looks radiant in the sunlight and the soft texture of it feels wonderful in the hand.
The phone is as heavy as the Mate 9 but feels perfectly weighted. It really feels great to hold and they've curved the back in such a way that it feels far slimmer than it is - which at 9.8mm, it is not.
When you turn the screen on, you notice that Vernee has done a great job with slimming the bezels, and the glass, though not Gorilla glass has a nice, slick feel to it.
It's built to a very high standard; compelling when you think they just begun to make phones in 2016.
The P23 mediatek chip is perfectly adequate for everyday use - I'd say think Qualcomm 820/821 (Lg G4).
There are a few stutters and it's not as fluid as say the OnePlus 5T but it IS quick and the management of it's 4Gbs of ROM keeps lots of apps on tap.
And now, the killer. They've stuffed a huge battery in there. They say it's a 6000 but My Device reads it at 4000.
Any which way, the battery is a revelation. On, and on, and on - It will easily give you 2 days of normal use, all in a relatively tight package - but I'm not like that. I am on it ALL DAY doing everything, with everything on from 08:00 and still, as I come to charge at 23:00 there's 15% in it.
Astonishing.
And I think that's where this phone hits its home run.
It looks good, it feels good, it runs well - you'd be hard pressed to be embarrassed laying it on the table beside the absolute big guns - and you could have five of them for the price.
It's an Astonishing feat.
Think 4 by 4 Beemer or Merc in the bush against the original Toyota Prado.
But unlike a bear-bones interior, you have leather seats, good stereo, manual sun-roof and proper differentials.
You know what I'm talking about.
The Vernee X is not rugged but it's handsome, sure footed, tireless and a joy to carry around.
It will take you dancing all night long, and that, at least, in Miyake.
Yes. There is a catch. The camera.
It's not bad but you'll want great light all the time. And don't try that blurred shallow focus thing, it's not good.
Still there pictures are adequate sometimes and very good at other.
This phone has climbed into my pocket and the company, won my heart and I can't wait to see what Vernee has for us this year and next.
The Doogees, Elephones...are on notice.
So are, in another few years I think, Samsung et.al.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im having same phone, camera is useless much better choice is ulefone power 3 or 3s, they have same hardware with much better camera.
I think vernee have problem with drivers, i have tryed to fix it but im not developer if you have any idea for new firmware or update for this camera problem please let me know.
Regards
Dino
After using the phone for a couple of months;
It is slow. The mediatek chip is nowhere near flagship level and it shows.
And the camera is badly optimised - the photos are ok in very good light.
The best thing about this phone is it's amusing battery life.
The screen is also, surprisingly, very good.
In all other respects you must be willing to compromise.
I just got this phone and for the price, you cant beat it. But you are right the chipset is not as good as the snapdragon and thats the major difference here. I dont use the camera so it doesnt bother me.
But great value nevertheless.
kolembo said:
After using the phone for a couple of months;
It is slow. The mediatek chip is nowhere near flagship level and it shows.
And the camera is badly optimised - the photos are ok in very good light.
The best thing about this phone is it's amusing battery life.
The screen is also, surprisingly, very good.
In all other respects you must be willing to compromise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ulefone Power 3 or 3s has better camera optimisation, hardware is the same, so it is better choice in my opinion...
Yes, I think Verne is still too young to optimise Android for it's phones.
It's hardware is very good though - the X is very strong, has a beautiful screen and an unbeatable battery.
It has to do more work getting it's software lined up to it's hardware.
Having used this phone for a year, it's biggest problem is software.
The phone feels sluggish and jittery.
The battery remains excellent. On experimentation, the speed increases vastly when I switch: settings>duraspeed>off
with disable animation to 0 in devolper settings also same lag ?
regards
i will try aslo root the phone later when i have my order , presumably same way as my thread Root vernee M5 page 7
Regards

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