Hi all
In the past I’ve had to buy international variants for the best possible coverage when traveling. Even the US unlocked did not cover as much as their international unlocked counterparts.
I spend a lot of my time overseas so I’m willing to have less then ideal coverage in the united states.
I’ve tried to look up information on the bands but so far have not had much look comparing to see if I should preorder the s20 ultra unlocked in the states or just wait until I go abroad and purchase the international version in a few months when I leave again. Even if I don’t get the deals on preorder.
Which would really be a downer if there isn’t a difference and I could buy it now with all the perks of the promos.
Can anyone enlighten me on if the unlocked US version or international unlocked variant would be more suited to travel outside the States?
Or is their a difference this time?
Thanks!
I have this same question, but here is my dilemma....
The US version work have a snapdragon and a $200 credit at samsung's website for pre-orders but the international version with have the ability to be rooted. Now i have the oneplus 7 pro, with root, i am able to force 90hz refresh rate on ALL apps. If i can root the s20 ultra, i can swap in a kernel that allows 120hz at qhd on alll apps, which is pure gold in itself.
the Kong kong and Latina american variants historically have been snapdragon AND rootable so you can have the better processor wnd root.
that said there has also not been a ton of development for those particular variants which i mever understood since your getting the best of both worlds
I'm in the same boat. My current GS8+ is international variant specifically because of dual sim and root.
I'm conflicted with all the international versions not getting things like 5G vs international. I pre-ordered, I still can cancel my order...
What's the likelihood that US Unlocked version can be rooted within few months? Anyone know if they're adding additional locks to it?
XtremeMaC said:
I'm in the same boat. My current GS8+ is international variant specifically because of dual sim and root.
I'm conflicted with all the international versions not getting things like 5G vs international. I pre-ordered, I still can cancel my order...
What's the likelihood that US Unlocked version can be rooted within few months? Anyone know if they're adding additional locks to it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is my understanding that traditionally, US unlocked version is SiM unlocked but bootloader locked. Therefore, the likelyhood that it will be rootable in a few months will be the same as with other recent phones, next to zero.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
yeah, that's what I'm afraid of..
In thos age of hacking and malware. You couldnt pay me to have a rooted phone. The only advantage was titanium backup and that only half ass works when restoring data. Not worth it.
Sent from my SM-G975U1 using Tapatalk
johnwayne27 said:
In thos age of hacking and malware. You couldnt pay me to have a rooted phone. The only advantage was titanium backup and that only half ass works when restoring data. Not worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Viper4android!
very hard choice
- Snapdragon 865 is more power efficient and more powerful ( 10 % against exynos SOC)
but forget root
- Outside US 5G networks aver very very limited
- The exynos will receive more updates
- US version has only one card sim slot
johnwayne27 said:
In thos age of hacking and malware. You couldnt pay me to have a rooted phone. The only advantage was titanium backup and that only half ass works when restoring data. Not worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You couldn't be more wrong. But hey. Your choice.
Ricardo_G said:
very hard choice
- Snapdragon 865 is more power efficient and more powerful ( 10 % against exynos SOC)
but forget root
- Outside US 5G networks aver very very limited
- The exynos will receive more updates
- US version has only one card sim slot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
5G is all over Europe.
force70 said:
the Kong kong and Latina american variants historically have been snapdragon AND rootable so you can have the better processor wnd root.
that said there has also not been a ton of development for those particular variants which i mever understood since your getting the best of both worlds
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
suppp force
so i'm struggling with the choice too, either the SA (latin american snapdragon) or exynos .
I don't really care about development beyond TWRP and Root , not sure what to do
From what I have seen there are also various versions of the international unlocked, some are dual sim and some ha e different bands (with or without 5G).
masri1987 said:
suppp force
so i'm struggling with the choice too, either the SA (latin american snapdragon) or exynos .
I don't really care about development beyond TWRP and Root , not sure what to do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
long time no talk bro, hope all is well?
the snap would be my choice,it will be rootable, could be already for all i know. plus the 865 is far superior to the exynos is pretty much every category.
for me the choice would be easy lol.
force70 said:
long time no talk bro, hope all is well?
the snap would be my choice,it will be rootable, could be already for all i know. plus the 865 is far superior to the exynos is pretty much every category.
for me the choice would be easy lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which model #'s should i be trying to get?
I'm asuming SA is south american models with S865
When's the last time we crossed paths? It wasn't 3xl was it?
Hope you staying safe from teh cabrona virus
masri1987 said:
which model #'s should i be trying to get?
I'm asuming SA is south american models with S865
When's the last time we crossed paths? It wasn't 3xl was it?
Hope you staying safe from teh cabrona virus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the Hong kong and brazil model number is just SM-G9880. no N,W Or anything else. but they both would be 865s yep.
couldnt have been the 3XL cause i didnt get one, def been awhile though. Im not on as much as I used to be...too many snowflakes lol.
Corona virus has everything shut down here in Ontario, Canada. movies, restaurants, gyms (that one hits hard with me being a bodybuilder).
its crazy.
what about the "N" Korean version? is it rootable? im debating whether to get the international one or the korean version. I want to be rooted with viper4android
yes it should be its exynos.
Korean/ international basically the same thing hardware other than possibly being capable of different network frequencies.
you cannot cross flash Korean and international firmware however if that matters
ive had lots of both and never had issues with either.
Player04 said:
what about the "N" Korean version? is it rootable? im debating whether to get the international one or the korean version. I want to be rooted with viper4android
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This may help you decide.
https://sea.pcmag.com/smartphones/3...-americas-first-unlocked-all-carrier-5g-phone
Im on att. What i wont be able to use the 5g network if i get an international verion. I might get the us verison then
I can buy a Note 10+ or Note 11+ (sometimes called Note 20+) unlocked for cash. I want to get the version that will run on T-Mobile (Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 or 865 chipset). Can I root the phone if I buy it unlocked or is the fact that it is T-Mobile compatible with the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset already blocked from rooting?
What new top-of the line androids that run on T-Mobile can be rooted?
Playa Cat said:
I can buy a Note 10+ or Note 11+ (sometimes called Note 20+) unlocked for cash. I want to get the version that will run on T-Mobile (Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 or 865 chipset). Can I root the phone if I buy it unlocked or is the fact that it is T-Mobile compatible with the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset already blocked from rooting?
What new top-of the line androids that run on T-Mobile can be rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since note 8 you can run any note 8 or newer on any carrier. I believe every note has something like 7 radios? Rooting is a real mess now and won't work with Samsung Pay and other cool features in many cases.
Playa Cat said:
I can buy a Note 10+ or Note 11+ (sometimes called Note 20+) unlocked for cash. I want to get the version that will run on T-Mobile (Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 or 865 chipset). Can I root the phone if I buy it unlocked or is the fact that it is T-Mobile compatible with the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset already blocked from rooting?
What new top-of the line androids that run on T-Mobile can be rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buying an "unlocked" phone means it is network/carrier unlocked and has nothing to do with the bootloader/root.
The US note 10+ whether carrier branded/locked (SM-N975U) or the network unlocked model from Samsung (SM-975U1) can not be rooted at this time.
Exynos or the Chinese variant (N9750) can be rooted, but I believe some compatibility issues (i.e. only being able to use 4G and not LTE, Samsung pay not being available, etc) may/will be a problem. Of the two I have seen while reading the forum the N9750 seems to be the better option (I have no way to confirm this myself, so ymmv) for use with T-Mobile.
The Note 20 has not been released yet. Far too early to ask about root for the model, but compatibility wise I am sure all the major carriers will have a carrier branded variant for sale (this includes T-Mobile). Unlocked model would most likely work for the most part, but factoring in what would work out of the box (or would require flashing the carrier branded firmware) is a coin flip or magic 8 ball question. Since the phone hasn't even hit the shelves for sale all I could do is give you theories and educated guesses, but if I had too offer a theory or educated guess I would say it would be like the Note 10+ U1 model.
Remove T Mobile Bloat
scottusa2008 said:
Buying an "unlocked" phone means it is network/carrier unlocked and has nothing to do with the bootloader/root.
The US note 10+ whether carrier branded/locked (SM-N975U) or the network unlocked model from Samsung (SM-975U1) can not be rooted at this time.
Exynos or the Chinese variant (N9750) can be rooted, but I believe some compatibility issues (i.e. only being able to use 4G and not LTE, Samsung pay not being available, etc) may/will be a problem. Of the two I have seen while reading the forum the N9750 seems to be the better option (I have no way to confirm this myself, so ymmv) for use with T-Mobile.
The Note 20 has not been released yet. Far too early to ask about root for the model, but compatibility wise I am sure all the major carriers will have a carrier branded variant for sale (this includes T-Mobile). Unlocked model would most likely work for the most part, but factoring in what would work out of the box (or would require flashing the carrier branded firmware) is a coin flip or magic 8 ball question. Since the phone hasn't even hit the shelves for sale all I could do is give you theories and educated guesses, but if I had too offer a theory or educated guess I would say it would be like the Note 10+ U1 model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Scott,
Is it not possible then to remove the T Mobile bloat from my Note 10+? I would like to load the stock samsung rom if possible but no matter how I try with Odin I can't get it to overwrite the T Mobile rom. After every reboot I am greeted with that annoying pink screen.
Thanks
I'm new to buying phones out right. I'm coming from Pixel 3XL, I'm tired of the constant app issues from only having 3GB RAM and am tired of Google's proprietary accessories.
I'm looking at getting an S20+. I use Verizon and would like to be able to root and/or install custom ROMs. Will buying an unlocked one from Samsung allow all me to do all that? Also I see a SnapDragon and Exynos variants, how can I tell which one I will get?
Novakingwai said:
I'm new to buying phones out right. I'm coming from Pixel 3XL, I'm tired of the constant app issues from only having 3GB RAM and am tired of Google's proprietary accessories.
I'm looking at getting an S20+. I use Verizon and would like to be able to root and/or install custom ROMs. Will buying an unlocked one from Samsung allow all me to do all that? Also I see a SnapDragon and Exynos variants, how can I tell which one I will get?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not if it's a US variant, the only devices with unlocked bootloaders are International variants. Exynos devices have known issues for overheating and battery drain. Some users are reporting better performance after the latest OTA Update. There are typically more Custom ROM's developed for Exynos than the Snapdragon variants. If you purchase any variant besides the Verizon Branded device don't expect to retain all the call features Verizon offers. So it comes down to your priorities, custom ROM's or full call functionality. If you chose an unlocked bootloader variant the SM-G9860 from Hong Kong may be your best option.
varcor said:
Not if it's a US variant, the only devices with unlocked bootloaders are International variants. Exynos devices have known issues for overheating and battery drain. Some users are reporting better performance after the latest OTA Update. There are typically more Custom ROM's developed for Exynos than the Snapdragon variants. If you purchase any variant besides the Verizon Branded device don't expect to retain all the call features Verizon offers. So it comes down to your priorities, custom ROM's or full call functionality. If you chose an unlocked bootloader variant the SM-G9860 from Hong Kong may be your best option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok thanks. I just got a Verizon compatible one from Best Buy. I've mostly been getting Nexus and Pixel phones and haven't been familiar with the other brands. Last one I had was a Note 3 and they were a lot easier to root and set up ROMs on. Now everything's locked. The one killer feature I really want is admin level based ad blocking. I do use Blokada.
Hi. Today I decided to go on eBay and buy a Note 10 Plus (here in the UK). I cannot live without root, and reading through some threads I've learned that only some variants can be rooted. I don't seem to be able to find a definite answer on existing threads, and I just want to make sure I buy the right one. Which one should I buy? Thank you.
anyone, please?
A few answers for you.
I've seen (not 1st hand) that folks here on xda with US variants have been able to use a online pay service to get their bootloaders unlocked. This may or may not apply to the UK variants.
I'm in US but went the route of purchasing the SM-N9750/DS to have root as that service didn't exist on launch of the Note 10+.
You'd want to check to see which Bands your carrier uses with which the 9750 supports and decide from there.
Samsung Development | SamPWND
Unlock your bootloader on USA Model Samsung Galaxy devices! Visit https://www.sampwnd.com and have the SamPWND team help you!
www.sampwnd.com
It appears the Unlock method is only for US variants......you could probably message them and see if UK works with their unlock service
You know what, on second thought (unless it has changed), i thought UK variants were all unlockable......
Maybe that changed....I'm not sure
Thanks for your answers. I've been reading some more and it seems that Exynos ones are easy to unlock and the Snapdragon ones you have to use those online paid methods. Is this correct? Which variant one has more ROM development? Exynos I suppose?
Yes Exynos has way more development. (Virtually none for the Snapdragon), and yup, US and Canadian Snapdragons are locked bootloaders....while the Brazilian, Chinese and a few more international Snapdragons are unlockable like the Exynos. From my limited understanding, the Exynos variants don't perform on par with the Snapdragons...so that's something else to consider.
For the first time here in Brazil (and a few other countries), Samsung decided to sell the Snapdragon version of Galaxy S series, model S901E. S901B is equipped with Exynos.
Samsung always delays updates for Brazil, sometimes for months. Now with this international Snapdragon version, what csc is the best for updates and features?
Maybe S9010_TGY(HK) is a better option.
SM-S9010_TGY_S9010ZHU1AVBH
albertcqy said:
Maybe S9010_TGY(HK) is a better option.
SM-S9010_TGY_S9010ZHU1AVBH
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't install S9010 Chinese firmware on International S901E, otherwise you'll brick your phone.
Answering my own question, I'm using INS. Seems to be the best choice, since India is one of the most important market to Samsung.