Thought I'd stay this thread because of all the threads supporting reasons TO upgrade to the new Note. I'll start with my reasons not to upgrade:
1. Doesn't seem like much of an improvement from my current phone GN2. In all of the videos I've seen (and I've seen a lot) the phone appears to perform at the same level as my phone. There are a few software additions but none seem too advanced for my hardware. Perhaps the hardware is much improved but are all improvement really warranted? I mean, I'm holding in my hand a QUAD-CORE device with 2gb of ram and I almost feel like this is a little overkill. I rarely notice lag, can run any app or game I throw at it, and have never noticed any pixilation.
2. Not big on unwarranted consumerism. Much of the reviews I've seen are reminiscent of the iPhone craze; products are always marketed as being Must-have items. And if you don't have the newest and shiniest item, you considered light years behind the masses... I just don't buy it. My last phone, the nexus s, was just barely starting to show its age with the jellybean update and for a few years now, most devices have far surpassed my old Nexus S.
Here is one of the only reviews that didn't insist that I run out and buy the Note. It was kinda refreshing to read after being completely inundated by what seemed to be a very aggressive marketing ploy:
http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/19803/20130906/samsung-galaxy-note-3-vs-2-buy.htm
Your thoughts please
If I had the Note 2, I would agree with you. I think skipping a generation is wise. If you have a 2 year contract, it won't cost much to upgrade at that point and you will see a much greater improvement in performance and features.
I am upgrading from the Note to the Note 3, I skipped the 2 for most of the reasons you cite, however, I did ROM my Note to get ICS then JB so I didn't have to wait for Samsung and my carrier to upgrade the OS.
For those on the fence, consider changing the ROM before upgrading.
I don't have a Note 2 but I know it's a great device. If I did own one it would be a tough decision to upgrade. I'll be coming from a GS2 which has served me well. If you plan on keeping a device for quite awhile, the Snapdragon 800 supports LTE Advanced but who knows when we will see that in the US. I would guess it will be within 2 years though
Ask yourself this. Is your note 2 rooted and rommed? if so it might run pretty good and i had one for several months and one of if not my favorite device to date. Now compare a rooted/rommed note 2 to a stock note 3. about the same you may say. Now imagine a rooted/rommed note 3? Blazing fast. I dont "NEED" the note 3 but i felt the note 2 is lacking when compared to the note 3 now. And the screen you can so see pixelation on the note 2 if you cant i just dont believe that. Note 3 with 4.3 out of the box, s800, 3 gb of ram, bigger screen with better ppi and resolution, better s pen. I could go on all night but i dont see a negative to the note 3 except maybe the price but its the same price point as note 2 was so not much to say there
haemaker said:
If I had the Note 2, I would agree with you. I think skipping a generation is wise. If you have a 2 year contract, it won't cost much to upgrade at that point and you will see a much greater improvement in performance and features.
I am upgrading from the Note to the Note 3, I skipped the 2 for most of the reasons you cite, however, I did ROM my Note to get ICS then JB so I didn't have to wait for Samsung and my carrier to upgrade the OS.
For those on the fence, consider changing the ROM before upgrading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Skipping a generation does seem much more reasonable than going from one to the next. It just seems like hardware advancement may be outpacing the software. I remember being in complete awe over the first dual-core device. If it weren't for motherboard giving out in my core 2duo Thinkpad, I think I'd still be rocking that today. And now quad core....
DataHawg said:
I don't have a Note 2 but I know it's a great device. If I did own one it would be a tough decision to upgrade. I'll be coming from a GS2 which has served me well. If you plan on keeping a device for quite awhile, the Snapdragon 800 supports LTE Advanced but who knows when we will see that in the US. I would guess it will be within 2 years though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In two years time we'll likely have a new Note on the market. I'm still waiting for the NFC chip in my ancient Nexus S to gain widespread appeal.
oneandroidnut said:
Ask yourself this. Is your note 2 rooted and rommed? if so it might run pretty good and i had one for several months and one of if not my favorite device to date. Now compare a rooted/rommed note 2 to a stock note 3. about the same you may say. Now imagine a rooted/rommed note 3? Blazing fast. I dont "NEED" the note 3 but i felt the note 2 is lacking when compared to the note 3 now. And the screen you can so see pixelation on the note 2 if you cant i just dont believe that. Note 3 with 4.3 out of the box, s800, 3 gb of ram, bigger screen with better ppi and resolution, better s pen. I could go on all night but i dont see a negative to the note 3 except maybe the price but its the same price point as note 2 was so not much to say there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I'm rooted. "Blazing fast" you say? How much time can you shave off from .5 seconds? And how much money is each tenth of a second worth? There's no denying the hardware improvements. I'm simply not convinced that there's enough advancement in utility to justify spending the money Samsung is asking me to spend. And perhaps I don't notice pixilation because I'm looking at the screen from reading distance. If that's the case, I stand corrected.
While I do agree with your points, the main reason I am upgrading to the n3 from my n2 is the bigger storage defaulted at 32gb minimum (25gb actual usage) better resolution and better s-pen support. I understand not everyone has the money to spend on upgrades every year, but for those that do might as well have the latest n greatest!
Sent from my note 2 ya bish!
note 1 to note 2, vs note 1 to note 3
I have the Note1, when the 2 came out, I said that there wasn't much worth jumping, but the N1 to N3 jump
will be a better option. I agree, unless something "game changing" happens, it's usually better to skip a version.
Well, that is unless you are an iPhone drone...ANYTHING that comes out new, 3, 3S, 4, 4S, 5...heck it hasn't
changed, but the iSheep sure stand in line
Bruce lee roy said:
In all of the videos I've seen (and I've seen a lot) the phone appears to perform at the same level as my phone. There are a few software additions but none seem too advanced for my hardware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a N2 (which I love) but mine's surely different than yours if yours performs like the one in GSMArena's unboxing video. The amount of lag on the N2 pinch-zooming to display multiple home pages is obvious vs. what's shown on the N3. Same thing for using S Note and Action Memo (formerly Pop Up Note). Now if you're rooted and running a non-TW ROM that may be a different story. If you are, that’s great. But believe it or not people actually do buy the Note for its marketed productivity and creation features. And those features will perform significantly better on the N3 because of the advanced h/w and improved s/w.
Not big on unwarranted consumerism.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a valid point. Replacing my N2 with a N3 is a want not a need. I could spout some random commentary about "increased productivity" but I'm getting a N3 because the differences are sufficient enough to me to warrant the investment; even though it's purely discretionary. You and others may feel differently and that’s perfectly fine. There’s nothing wrong with the N2.
Here is one of the only reviews that didn't insist that I run out and buy the Note.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't that in and of itself say something? Or are all the positive reviews (actually "hands on") just part of the conspiracy?
It was kinda refreshing to read after being completely inundated by what seemed to be a very aggressive marketing ploy
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Click to collapse
That's kind of funny. So you think Samsung should say in their marketing “the N3 is a meh upgrade from the N2 that only people who are irresponsible with their finances or easily influenced should buy?" I'm in marketing and spend every business day figuring out how to separate people from their money. If you're looking for honesty, integrity, and conscience you're not going to find it in sales and marketing. At least not at a for-profit company.
Here are links to two different threads that detail some of the differences between the N2 and N3. Whether they are worthwhile or not is subjective and I wouldn't fault either camp (keep N2/upgrade to N3) for their decision. And theads like this are swell and "pro" threads are too; as long as people provide their opinions followed by "for/to me." I'm very pro and you're pretty down on the N3. Neither of us is right or wrong.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2438466
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2445774
I have a galaxy S 2. I'm loving this upcoming upgrade for myself.
I don't know what everyone's layout/plan is, but I have 2 smartphones and 2 feature phones (both of which don't use upgrades). So I can get an upgrade every year at subsidy pricing. So every year I upgrade and sell the old to neutralize the cost of it (some cases making money). Waiting would cause the old phone to depreciate too much and make upgrading more expensive. So I don't really upgrade based on features, more to continue advancing with little to no cost (or rebate).
Fact of the matter is if History repeats itself like it always does
People will buy it or upgrade to N3 anyways even the ones here saying skip it.
Its not the ram cam... or CPU its the ir blaster that's a big selling point I believe.
I think the lg g2 is more appealing as crazy and that sounds .
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I have the note 2 and plan to get the N3 as long as the bootloader is not locked or if it is wait to see if it can be cracked.
Why would I buy it since I have the N2 (and an s3 & s4) you ask? Simple answer is because I can, and I dont say that in arrogant way..its just not a big deal to me to buy a few devices per year.i may pick up the nexus 5 as well..who knows lol.
The 2 things ( and they are minor) I dislike are cosmetic. The back cover is awful and I dont like how the spen just sticks out. On the note 2 its curved and blends in with the back...it looks sleek.
Other than that all good.
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force70 said:
I have the note 2 and plan to get the N3 as long as the bootloader is not locked or if it is wait to see if it can be cracked.
Why would I buy it since I have the N2 (and an s3 & s4) you ask? Simple answer is because I can, and I dont say that in arrogant way..its just not a big deal to me to buy a few devices per year.i may pick up the nexus 5 as well..who knows lol.
The 2 things ( and they are minor) I dislike are cosmetic. The back cover is awful and I dont like how the spen just sticks out. On the note 2 its curved and blends in with the back...it looks sleek.
Other than that all good.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 to that.
I say that skipping a generation is a great and very economical idea, save your money plus really see the difference when you do upgrade.
However, If you have the money and do not need to justify the upgrade, then I'M right there with you. The Note series is just perfect for me, from music, movies, drawing, photoshoping, roms and games. There is no question that I will be getting the N3 and the N4 the N5....... and so on.
Thanks to the OP for posting. It is always nice to see both sides.
i also have a Gnote and i didn't get a Gnote2 because i reasoned the same as the OP ... not much of a difference.
now the Gnote to the Gnote3 will be a HUGE upgrade this phone looks sick :highfive:
Meh.. I have a 2 month old HTC one and will be selling it to get the note 3
Love my HTC one .. but
- i want the bigger screen
- I want the s pen
- I love the design of the note 3
- I get bored easily with phones
- I got my HTC one free cause I work for a carrier.
- Samsung phone hold there value better than HTC phones
- I fear support dropping off for HTC since they are struggling as a company
- I upgrade as often as possible so that my previous device hasn't depreciated much and it's cheaper to upgrade.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
I love my Note 2 but I upgrade every year. Before that I had a Verizon Nexus; 2 completely different devices so you really notice the improvement right away. But this year I don't feel as excited about going from a Note 2 to a Note 3 especially after buying a Note 10.1 a month ago. I picked up a LG G2 on Sunday and I find it very nice. Smaller but just as powerful as a Note 3. After carrying the Note 2 around since launch day going back to a smaller phone feels nice. And if you think about it there is only 0.1" difference between the 5.2" G2 vs the original Note 5.3" display. So your not giving up tons in screen size but it feels more comfortable. You do however give up the S-Pen.
I've only had 1 day with the G2 but there's not many options. Sure I can get the HTC One for $49 or the S4 for $100 but those phones are reaching their mid life crisis. The phone I really want is the Nexus 5 but not sure if I can give up my reliable service for prepaid.
Having owned several Exynos (fabbed by Samsung) based devices including the Note II I appreciate the stability where it's rare or non-existent to experience a random reboot, app suddenly exiting, etc. Can't say the same for my devices based on Qualcomm fabbed by TSMC. If Snapdragon is the only US option then I'll probably skip Note III, wait for Note IV and hope for return of Exynos. A fast unstable device is useless to me like the Snapdragon based Nexus 7 (2013) that I'm experiencing overheating instablity issues with.
clninja said:
Meh.. I have a 2 month old HTC one and will be selling it to get the note 3
Love my HTC one .. but
- i want the bigger screen
- I want the s pen
- I love the design of the note 3
- I get bored easily with phones
- I got my HTC one free cause I work for a carrier.
- Samsung phone hold there value better than HTC phones
- I fear support dropping off for HTC since they are struggling as a company
- I upgrade as often as possible so that my previous device hasn't depreciated much and it's cheaper to upgrade.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Going from an HTC One or even a S4 is understandable. It's the people that already have Note 2. Especially since the Note 2 has a unlocked bootloader right now. There should be customs roms based on the Note 3 ported over to the Note 2 pretty soon I'd imagine.
I have the original Note and reasoned that I'd skip a generation so the Note 3 is on my shopping list, but I don't think I'll go for it, at least not initially. I never buy with a plan, use only prepaid because I actually don't call people, I complement it with a surfing plan, but they don't offer those for LTE yet. Besides, my Note I bought outside Japan so there was only Samsung bloatware on it, Japanese operators load their phones with so much crap it is laughable, hence if you can't root and install a standard Samsung ROM, I happen to be happy with Touchwiz, then I'd be happier with what I have.
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For me price could be one factor which will keep me away from note 3. I will buy it later on when price will drop.
Related
These seem like the three hottest phones right now, and i know i throw this up in the S4 forum so i am sure to get a bit biased replies, i am curious about comparing all 3.
To me it seems like the One has better sound quality and screen, the S4 supposedly has a bit better speeds (and probably best development) and the OGP has biggest screen size.
I don't love the interface design on the One, specifically no menu button or ability to see recently used apps, could be a deal breaker on it's own. The LG phone is an interesting one...seems like a nicely designed phone, and if you don't really have a need for most of Samsung's zany apps and stuff, it might be a great phone. Biggest problem i am worried about is - lack of development. I got burned on an OG Note when the Note 2 arrived and Samsung basically moved on, never to release an official JB version. I would hate to buy into another great phone only to get burned by lack of a following or something.
I'm sure anyone would be happy as a clam with any of these three bad boys, but anyone have an opinion when comparing them first hand?
Dillsnik said:
These seem like the three hottest phones right now, and i know i throw this up in the S4 forum so i am sure to get a bit biased replies, i am curious about comparing all 3.
To me it seems like the One has better sound quality and screen, the S4 supposedly has a bit better speeds (and probably best development) and the OGP has biggest screen size.
I don't love the interface design on the One, specifically no menu button or ability to see recently used apps, could be a deal breaker on it's own. The LG phone is an interesting one...seems like a nicely designed phone, and if you don't really have a need for most of Samsung's zany apps and stuff, it might be a great phone. Biggest problem i am worried about is - lack of development. I got burned on an OG Note when the Note 2 arrived and Samsung basically moved on, never to release an official JB version. I would hate to buy into another great phone only to get burned by lack of a following or something.
I'm sure anyone would be happy as a clam with any of these three bad boys, but anyone have an opinion when comparing them first hand?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I owned the One for a week and switched it for GS4. The Audio on the One sounds better(double front facing stereo speakers > single backfacing speaker) although the volume is about the same, and the screen is brighter, However the 4MP camera couldn't get enough detail for me and the photos looks really fuzzy on my 1440p screen. The AMOLED screen on the GS4 is beautiful and not too bad in sunlight either(One'LCD is better under the sun, but not much better).
Another benefit of GS4 is that the battery life is significantly better than the One, even when I run the GS4 at max brightness(Dynamic Mode) at all times,
Haven't used an Optimus G Pro, but I have both the One and S4. You're right about the button placement on the HTC, it's infuriating. There are custom kernels that allow you to sweep the capacitive buttons or hold the HTC logo to wake and sleep the phone, but they don't work as reliably as I'd like. The S4 is much better in that sense, in my opinion anyways. I prefer the screen on the HTC. I do a lot of Web browsing and I find it's much easier on the eyes. I've done a factory reset, turned off animations, and disabled S-Voice, but my S4 is noticeably more laggy than the HTC. It's actually shockingly laggy given the hardware. I don't take a ton of pictures, but when I do it's almost always in good lightning conditions, so for me the S4 camera trounces the camera on the HTC.
At this point you honestly can't really go wrong. Battery life is similar for my usage, maybe marginally better on the S4. If you can live with 32gb of storage (realistically about 26gb) I'd go for the HTC.
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I used the Optimus G Pro (OGP) for 2 days before exchanging for a GS4. I exchanged because the battery life on the Optimus G pro was horrible. I had a NOTE II before and that battery would go all day & some. The screen did get a little brighter than the Galaxy S4, but that was the only benefit for me. I changed because of the battery drain, the lack of assessories, and the predicted lack of development. Both have locked bootloaders, but I figured I would get that unlocked sooner on the GS4 and have more ROMS available to me. I did like the customizable options included with the OGP, but I would choose the GS4 over it again if I had a chance.
I have all 3 phones. I use the LG Optimus G Pro as a daily driver at this point as my sgs4 lags big time and battery life sucks. My batter life on LG Optimus G Pro is very good and I have a note 2. I can go two days with heavy usage no issues. The screen is the best on LG Optimus G Pro compared to HTC one and sgs4.
HTC one build, look and feel is the best it is the iPhone of the android world. However I had the capacitive buttons they suck. The sound is better then any phone out there and I think screen looks good but battery life sucks. Will have decent dev support and comes in 64 or 32gb. No removable battery or sd card.
Sgs4 has nice big screen, 16gb storage total crap as 9gb is only use bale, you can get 32gb now. Cheap plastic build feels worst from all 3 phones. The phone is not as smooth as HTC one or LG Optimus G Pro unless you use a custom rom like CM. The size and screen is perfect if you want a bigger screen but not a big phone. Will have decent dev support. Removable battery and sd card slot.
Lg Optimus G Pro comes in 32gb with micro sd and Removable battery. Has best screen from all phones I have. It is super fast and battery is great. Boot loader is locked with no info if it will ever be unlocked so development is none at this point. Screen is 5.5 and 1080p. I like note 2 so this is a direct replacement for it until note 3 comes out. The phone is actually lighter and not as wide as note 2 so easier to hold single handed.
Hope this helps.
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Galaxy s4 Octa is better than all others... GRAPHIC CPU SCREEEN RAM MEMORY DDR2 ETC ETC
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ardianow said:
Galaxy s4 Octa is better than all others... GRAPHIC CPU SCREEEN RAM MEMORY DDR2 ETC ETC
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To bad it's not lte and costs a lot in US to folks like negri or expansys but yeah I agree the intl sgs4 is better always is the case with samsung they give us in US the crap version.
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Of you are looking for development then the answer is simple, GS4. Reason being is Google is releasing an S4 with stock Android and it is supported by Google, not Samsung. We should have the best of both worlds. Pretty easy decision if you ask me
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Have all three, imo its S4, G Pro, One in that order. Ever since development took off for the S4 and the lag was removed, S4 hands down is the best phone on the market (again, imo)...Optimus G Pro was a huge surprise as its an EXCELLENT phone with a great screen and decent battery (nowhere near as good as Note 2, right on par with S4)...the only issues I have with G Pro is reversed capacitive buttons and the screen is impossible to see outdoors, which is when I simply grab my S4 and go...the One is a great phone, I just got too used to physical home button and multi-tasking (through multi-window or Q Slide), plus I really, REALLY don't care for Sense in any of its iterations...G Pro volume is low even with an aux cable in my car, but fine with Bluetooth, S4 is loud, and One is loud. Clearly One wins design, but if functionality is what you want, I'd go with S4 and G Pro every time.
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jev3gs said:
Of you are looking for development then the answer is simple, GS4. Reason being is Google is releasing an S4 with stock Android and it is supported by Google, not Samsung. We should have the best of both worlds. Pretty easy decision if you ask me
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC one is also releasing a Google edition this summer so choice is narrowed down again.
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I was another one of those guys on the fence between these three phones. Ended up ruling out the LG for two reasons: I can't stand the gov't issue LG phones they gave us to use at work and I really don't think I can handle lugging around a phone with a 5.5" screen in my uniform all day.
So that put me between the One and S4. While the one is favored for its front-facing speakers and LCD3 screen, it features no removable storage or user-accessible parts. Have a failed battery? Too bad, need to replace your entire phone. Need more space? Too bad, you only get what's on it (even though 64GB isn't too shabby). So, yes, the One is basically the iPhone of the Android world that just so happens to already have a decent amount of development now, but what will it be like when HTC moves on to whatever new phone it chooses to support? Those of us who owned an Evo knows exactly what I'm talking about.
That being said, the consumer-level development on the One is impressive. They've managed to remove the menu bar for apps that aren't ICS-compliant (Viper will, for one) and allowed you to finally bring the clock speeds back up to be comparable to (if not better than...at your own risk) the S4.
I will personally stick with the S4. There's always a bigger push for development for Samsung's phones, they tend to have better resale potential, and I will actually benefit from a user-accessible battery and SD card storage. Since the S4's SD slot is SDXC-compatible, should they manage to find an ability to have a cards' size in excess of 64GB, you've got MONSTER potential for storage.
One more vote for the S4, and not one from a Samsung fanboy. I was reluctant to decide on it after my Epic 4G was an Epic FAIL, but I feel it's the superior phone for me.
I would opt for the Samsung Galaxy S4 just because there is more development in it other then the other two phones. Also IMO the phone is much easier to use and has a smaller learning curve then the HTC One. The lag on the S4 truly sucks but for some reason I feel the lag is going away with time or as apps update so maybe the problem is getting taken care of. I primary feel the lag when receiving text messages. I use the iPhone as my benchmark for software and smoothness and the Galaxy Note 2 was the closest android phone to iPhone in terms of stability lack of lag and reliability. I thought samsung was taking things in the right direction but I feel they took a step back with the S4. Hopefully they redeem themselves!
For me, it came down to how I was going to use the device. Rarely do I play games or watch movies/tv on my phone, so why would I need front facing speakers anyway? I have a bluetooth stereo speaker if I want to listed to music with friends (jawbone). The ability to replace the battery, sd-card, and the lack of a MENU button pushed me over the top for the ONE. With the LG, it ended up just plain being too large, I have enough tablets in my life. The S4 actually isn't that big, the screen is just bigger because there's a smaller bezel. That left me with one choice, the S4, as much as I hate the rounded corners and plastic feel, the first thing we all do is put a case on it anyway.
sabre31 said:
HTC one is also releasing a Google edition this summer so choice is narrowed down again.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? Cause there's no proof of that rumor. HTC denied it anyways so yeah.
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---------- Post added at 09:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 PM ----------
thdaddy34 said:
I would opt for the Samsung Galaxy S4 just because there is more development in it other then the other two phones. Also IMO the phone is much easier to use and has a smaller learning curve then the HTC One. The lag on the S4 truly sucks but for some reason I feel the lag is going away with time or as apps update so maybe the problem is getting taken care of. I primary feel the lag when receiving text messages. I use the iPhone as my benchmark for software and smoothness and the Galaxy Note 2 was the closest android phone to iPhone in terms of stability lack of lag and reliability. I thought samsung was taking things in the right direction but I feel they took a step back with the S4. Hopefully they redeem themselves!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The note 2 was laggy as first too. It'll be fixed.
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S4 is a piss poor release from Samsung. Let's all get our fanboy hats off for a minute. It will be a good phone do to custom roms and devs supporting like CM. People jumped all over apple for releasing iPhone 5 which was similar to iPhone 4s. Samsung copied and did same thing with s4 compared to s3. Note 2 was stable and lack free from day one I had it and used it every day from first day of release until sgs4 was released. I do have an sgs4 and samsung could have done much better.
sabre31 said:
S4 is a piss poor release from Samsung. Let's all get our fanboy hats off for a minute. It will be a good phone do to custom roms and devs supporting like CM. People jumped all over apple for releasing iPhone 5 which was similar to iPhone 4s. Samsung copied and did same thing with s4 compared to s3. Note 2 was stable and lack free from day one I had it and used it every day from first day of release until sgs4 was released. I do have an sgs4 and samsung could have done much better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The gs4 and gs3 was a pretty decent jump. you talk about it so negatively... why do you have it
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jetlitheone said:
The gs4 and gs3 was a pretty decent jump. you talk about it so negatively... why do you have it
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have all the newest phones but I also am unbiased and don't stick to one brand or phone and call it like it is. With time and with custom roms sgs4 will be good. It is not my daily driver until cm10.1 comes out for it.
It just blows my mind how Samsung got it so right with the Galaxy Note 2 and couldn't replicate it with the Galaxy s4. I would assume all they had to do was take a product or software that was one of their best and improve it but instead they made it worse. I am really hoping for an update to be released soon to fix many of the software glitches. I am also wondering if this is more of an American galaxy s4 problem that's the international version does not suffer from or A cross-platform problem. But other than the occasional lagginess the Galaxy s4 blows away the competition.
sabre31 said:
I have all the newest phones but I also am unbiased and don't stick to one brand or phone and call it like it is. With time and with custom roms sgs4 will be good. It is not my daily driver until cm10.1 comes out for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same for me. I had the One IPhone 5 and the galaxy note 2 and this is my favorite by far. The lag isn't too bad at all especially with custom kernels and such. Why use cyanogenmod with this though?
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jetlitheone said:
Same for me. I had the One IPhone 5 and the galaxy note 2 and this is my favorite by far. The lag isn't too bad at all especially with custom kernels and such. Why use cyanogenmod with this though?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest my phone is really lagging I may have a bad unit to be honest I am hoping cm10 will fix this or some custom tw rom. But phone is perfect screen size and size for phone.
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I have loved and used Samsung phones since I switched from HTC's fuze.
I had a Captivate, a Galaxy S, Note, Galaxy S3 and was planning on getting a Note 3. The Captivate and Note where grey imports and the Note 3 was going to be one. Another thing that I liked is that you could flash the latest rom from any region and use the modem from your region, did this with all of them.
Now with all the bootloader locking, Knox warning after rooting and now region locking it's very doubtful I'll get the Note 3.
Now this thread is here not to defend the Note 3, or to rant and vent against Samsung, but to provide alternatives to it. It should be a better phone that the Note 1
What would you recommend or what are you planning on doing?
Any recommendation should be unlockable, flashable and rootable as Samsung's phones USED to be.
So, do you guys have any thoughts on the following phones? Pros, cons against the Note 3?
HTC One Max? When will this phone be announced and available?
Sony's Xperia Ultra?
$769.50 Unlocked
Pros: Bigger screen
Cons:
No stylus
No flash on the back
Glass on the back
Screen seems to pick up scratches if you use a pencil and touch is not pressure sensitive. See Ericka Griffin's review
Note 8
$477.50 3G Unlocked
$589.50 LTE Unlocked
Pros:
Even bigger screen
Cons:
Probably would need a BT handset like Sony's SBH52 or Samsung HM5000 Pen Type Bluetooth 3.0 Headset
Outdated S3 hardware and lowres screen
Note 3 Developer's edition
Has anyone used the Note 2 Dev edition? Pros, cons?
Cons:
Really don't know if this will be available, and if it becomes available what capabilities it will or won't have.
So, any thoughts?
Sent from my LG-LS970
jgaviota said:
I have loved and used Samsung phones since I switched from HTC's fuze.
I had a Captivate, a Galaxy S, Note, Galaxy S3 and was planning on getting a Note 3. The Captivate and Note where grey imports and the Note 3 was going to be one. Another thing that I liked is that you could flash the latest rom from any region and use the modem from your region, did this with all of them.
Now with all the bootloader locking, Knox warning after rooting and now region locking it's very doubtful I'll get the Note 3.
Now this thread is here not to defend the Note 3, or to rant and vent against Samsung, but to provide alternatives to it. It should be a better phone that the Note 1
What would you recommend or what are you planning on doing?
Any recommendation should be unlockable, flashable and rootable as Samsung's phones USED to be.
So, do you guys have any thoughts on the following phones? Pros, cons against the Note 3?
HTC One Max? When will this phone be announced and available?
Sony's Xperia Ultra?
$769.50 Unlocked
Pros: Bigger screen
Cons:
No stylus
No flash on the back
Glass on the back
Screen seems to pick up scratches if you use a pencil and touch is not pressure sensitive. See Ericka Griffin's review
Note 8
$477.50 3G Unlocked
$589.50 LTE Unlocked
Pros:
Even bigger screen
Cons:
Probably would need a BT handset like Sony's SBH52 or Samsung HM5000 Pen Type Bluetooth 3.0 Headset
Outdated S3 hardware and lowres screen
Note 3 Developer's edition
Has anyone used the Note 2 Dev edition? Pros, cons?
Cons:
Really don't know if this will be available, and if it becomes available what capabilities it will or won't have.
So, any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see them releasing a developer edition for this phone as much as I would get one it is all about the Spen in Samsungs eyes but you never know
How are Sony's, HTC's and LG's attitudes to rooting now?
Acer Liquid S2 looks very interesting.
Almost same great specs as Note 3:
snapdragon 800 quad core 2.2, Adreno 330, 13mp camera (4K video rec), 1080p Corning Gorilla Glass (lcd) display, 2gb ram.
but with larger screen 6", 4 led ring flash (powerful flashlight), stereo speakers, microSD, up to 128 GB, and... fm radio!
Lte support: 800 / 1800 / 2600.
They haven't published a weight for it yet. No Knox or Region lock! I'm guessing hoping an unlocked boot loader! I have a new crush!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317
keeping my note 2 and buying the refreshed version of this W3 Windows x86 Desktop OS tablet for 280$
http://www.staples.com/Acer-ICONIA-W3-810-1600-81-32GB-Tablet/product_48343
because no phone or phablet will be 8.1" in display size
or have a real desktop OS that runs .exe files
and just use it in tandem using my note 2 to tether unlimited verizon 4G to the windows tablet. and keep the note 2 for calls, messages, notifications, GPS.
both in either pocket.
I was SO getting a Note3 to replace my Note2 as quickly as possible but recent events have turned me off and I'm in no hurry whatsoever anymore. I'm going to sit tight and follow how things develop.
If you're into Samsung have a look at the Mega which I had for about a week. It was really nice but I ended up returning it because when I set the brightness to 100% it would often "auto-dim" due to overheating.
Right now I'm keeping my Note2 but have actively started to look at other brands (I'm only one person and Samsung could care less about my business, but if bad reputation spreads things could change quickly).
Personally the only other phone alternative I would consider is HTC Max which I think is being launched on 15th Oct.
both ultra and mega are sluggish in comparison to Note 3 so a no no for me, and mega is plastic. Note 3 is lovely phone with good features but the beast is caged in cheap looking plastic and the bezel is ugly. The design has put me off somewhat but I love the features. So not sure what I'll do with it I've been offered iPhone 5s 64gb to swap, I'm considering it.
Xperia Z Ultra is the best alternatives.
How about HTC One MAX which will be coming soon?
Fact of the matter is none of the other large size screen phones are considered alternatives to the Note. An alternative or a substitute is something that fulfills the same benefit. Even now after two years of launching the note, there is no phone that provides you with same or equivalent multi tasking features and the S-pen.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk 2
The Xperia Z Ultra is too big with the bezels. I had it for awhile. And it scratches so easily.
If I wasn't getting the Note 3 it would be the LG G2. Nice big display and fast. I also had it for awhile to test. Great phone.
The Oppo N1 is the only interesting phablet alternative.
yes +1 for Oppo N1.
http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_n1-review-990.php
Tubgirl said:
I was SO getting a Note3 to replace my Note2 as quickly as possible but recent events have turned me off and I'm in no hurry whatsoever anymore. I'm going to sit tight and follow how things develop.
If you're into Samsung have a look at the Mega which I had for about a week. It was really nice but I ended up returning it because when I set the brightness to 100% it would often "auto-dim" due to overheating.
Right now I'm keeping my Note2 but have actively started to look at other brands (I'm only one person and Samsung could care less about my business, but if bad reputation spreads things could change quickly).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
riz157 said:
Personally the only other phone alternative I would consider is HTC Max which I think is being launched on 15th Oct.
both ultra and mega are sluggish in comparison to Note 3 so a no no for me, and mega is plastic. Note 3 is lovely phone with good features but the beast is caged in cheap looking plastic and the bezel is ugly. The design has put me off somewhat but I love the features. So not sure what I'll do with it I've been offered iPhone 5s 64gb to swap, I'm considering it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding the Galaxy Mega, Samsung missed a HUGE (pun intended) opportunity with that device. I checked it out in person at an AT&T store. The first thing I thought was 'Holy Jesus, this thing is huge' (and i'm a pretty big guy, but even I was surprised at the size). The second thing I thought as I played with it was how laggy it was. I know they were just testing the waters, but they went too low-spec with that device. I think people like us (nerds and technophiles) could deal with the lower-res screen and the plastic feel of the phone, but the internals of the device killed it. If they had done slightly better specs (I'm talking maybe Note 2 range) and a slightly smaller screen (6"), there would have been people jumping all over that phone.
That being said, if they come out with a Galaxy Mega 2 next year that is actually speedy and a little bit smaller, then I might seriously consider buying one.
After a quick research I decided that I will wait for HTC ONE Max,My experience with my old HTC HD2 ,which is still my backup device,is very good.
Ascend Mate?
I used Huawei Ascend Mate for a while. It's a pretty good device, quad core, 2GB RAM, 6.1 inch, nice screen, good quality, and the price also. (I paid 350 euros for it in France, which is very cheap compared to the 750 euro price tag of the Note3). The cons were, only 8GB of inner storage (there's a slot for external SD card though), no stylus (this bothered me the most), not really good camera, and -well it isn't really important to every user- no custom software development. Rootable, so u can at least remove the bloatware. I've heard about some MIUI custom ROM for it, though, but never tried it.
hagba said:
After a quick research I decided that I will wait for HTC ONE Max,My experience with my old HTC HD2 ,which is still my backup device,is very good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck. They botched the launch of the One and now the One Mini whose design (at least in China) the One Max shares. Not to mention their precarious financial condition.
azzerc said:
Hi guys.
I have recently upgraded to the HTC One Mini and I have to say that I'd love this handset if it wasn't for the fact that the plastic edge/chassis keeps cracking. I am on my second handset as Vodafone were happy enough to replace my first one when I reported this issue to them but it has happened again on my second. These small cracks were not there when I first got either of the two handsets but seemed to appear after a few days of use. I have been back to the store again and they will replace the handset or let me change to a different model/brand so there is no issue there. My question are: Has anyone else had this issue? As I can't seem to find any info on other instances. And, Does it's big brother the HTC One have the same issue as I may upgrade to that?
Cheers guys any info would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=45061270#post45061270
HTC Corp is facing supply constraints on its latest smartphone, sources familiar with the matter said, piling pressure on already disappointing sales and increasing the likelihood the firm will post its first net loss this quarter.
The problems with the HTC One Mini, launched in mid-July to generally positive reviews, come partly from a casing shortage arising from design difficulties that are crimping production rates, one of the sources said.
The casing troubles come hot on the heels of shortages associated with the flagship HTC One model's camera module, indicating the Taiwanese company is still struggling to overcome supply chain difficulties which delayed the One's full launch and contributed to a record low first-quarter net profit.
Another source said consumer and telecom demand for the One Mini could not be met at the moment, even though analysts estimate that the company plans to ship only around 200,000 of the devices each month.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/24/htc-shortage-idUSL4N0HK18P20130924
BarryH_GEG said:
Good luck. They botched the launch of the One and now the One Mini whose design (at least in China) the One Max shares. Not to mention their precarious financial condition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
who knows my humble contribution may help them with their finacial situation!,besides since I dont have a marriage arrangment with Samsung I see no harm in flirting around a bit!!.
Galaxy Note 2 hands down.
I'm having a hard time choosing my next phone. I currently have a Nexus 4 and have had it since Spring 2013. I love the development community and speed of nexus devices (relative to my last phone, the GS3, which has horrible touchwiz and was very laggy). Coupled with my Nexus 4 is the Galaxy Note 8 tablet which I use for entertainment consumption and school.
You'd think I would just advance onto the Nexus 5 because of my love for Nexus and stock android but I was thinking that maybe I should just sell my Nexus 4 and GN 8 for a Note 3. It could double as my tablet and phone plus the battery life is pretty good although I can live with the battery on nexus phones.
I'm going to be upgrading either way as the Nexus 4 has run its course for me (still a fantastic phone IMO, but I like to have the latest and greatest). Kit Kat is awesome too, been running it for about a week now.
Now I ask the people with actual experience with the Nexus 5 for their opinion; should I get this phone over staying with the Nexus 4 or getting the Galaxy Note 3? Does it really live up to the hype? Thanks in advance.
Mods: if this thread is in the wrong place, please move, thanks.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
If they were the same price, the Note 3 would win every time for me.
But since that's not true, and you're in the Nexus 5 section, go for that.
Nexus 5 would be smoother, faster, more compact and will get updates way earlier. Also it looks better I guess. I almost forgot the price !
On the other side you'll have a bigger screen, a much better battery life and more gadgets...
So, the choice is up to you. Personnaly it's N5
I was in your situation but I end up going for the nexus 5. I love the note 3 for everything except the price and touch wiz I hate touch wiz lol
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
The N5 is half the price. Double the price and you get a bigger screen, an extra gb of RAM, microsd, and removable battery.
If you more so just use your phone like a normal human then get the N5, much smoother with not having touchwiz. If you feel like you can make use of that screen realistate then go for the Note.
I am always asking myself: "How much can I trust ${maker}" to not screw me over on updates and repairs. Those are, let's face it (bring on the hounds) the big selling points for Apple, Apple Stores everywhere to exchange your broken front screen iPhone for a new one in 30 minutes at $50 price point (with AppleCare), and new OS rollouts more or less the second everyone else has them.
Samsung has been a little behind the curve in both for me. I have a Samsung Flagship Store in Frankfurt (when I am there) and my cracked S4 elicited some laughter and an attempt at selling me a Note 3, "we sell, we don't do service here" was the response. My S4 is still waiting for 4.3, too, a now second generation deprecated OS that's been out for quite a while. Without 4.3 I am not only missing out on Android features, I am also not hopeful to see 4.4 before the S5 is being released...
I'd say go Nexus 5. It has all the things you'd want from a phone, at a very alluring price, and you can be sure that you'll be seeing 4.5 or 5.0 at the latest a month or two after the N5s/N6 saw it.
I had the original note & can't see myself ever buying a samsung phone again. Brick bug, lack of developer support (from samsung), slow & half baked updates. I loved the huge amoled screen, but it's a relief to have something a bit smaller now to be honest. I only managed to cope with TW for a few weeks before switching to aosp. The 3rd party s pen apps are pretty good but you lose some functionality without TW.
Came from a nexus & would only settle for a nexus again now.
The Note 3 has a larger screen and MUCH better battery life. The N5 has much better software. But if you get a Note 3 with an unlocked bootloader then you'll probably have access to stable AOSP ROMs which would make it better than the N5.
This is a hard decision, thanks for the advice guys, probably leaning towards the Nexus 5.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
You are comparing oranges to apples.
caribouxda said:
You are comparing oranges to apples.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't disagree, it's a comparison I must consider nevertheless.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
I am really loving the design language Samsung is using with the new Galaxy S6/ Edge. It looks real premium. My question to you is would you buy the Galaxy S6/ Edge or wait for the Note 5? I should mention i am currently a Note 3 user.
Note 5.....absolutely. ....I'm on note 2. regards
Ketan Rom
I think the question comes down to screen size and s-pen. If you want a larger screen and/or S-Pen, stick with the Note series. If you prefer a 5" screen and aren't interested in S-Pen features, then the S6 might be the better device.
Tough to say what the Note 5 will bring. If it continues to to have things like a micro SD card or removable battery, that may also factor in as well but nobody knows yet.
Well, like every year the Note 5 will have the better overall specs. Question is whether you want to wait 6 months for it or not?
Vandam500 said:
Well, like every year the Note 5 will have the better overall specs. Question is whether you want to wait 6 months for it or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say go for the S6 if you are on a last gen phone from 2014 (so anything earlier than Note 4). Otherwise I'd suggest waiting for the Note 5. The S6 is shaping up to be pretty darn good, and I can assure you the VR capabilities are going to be great (just like they are on the Note 4).
Besides the lack of sd slot and removable battery id take the note just cause the s6 screen is so tiny lol
sent from Canada via my Note 4, 3, 2 or S3
Seeing the gorgeous job they've done with materials here, I'm sticking with the Note 5 and looking for design sans the changes to Card and Battery. Size and stylus win.
Fingers crossed.
Sent from my SM-N910H using XDA Premium HD app
kolembo said:
Seeing the gorgeous job they've done with materials here, I'm sticking with the Note 5 and looking for design sans the changes to Card and Battery. Size and stylus win.
Fingers crossed.
Sent from my SM-N910H using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I'm hoping the great design transfers over to the Note 5
Sent from my SM-N910P using XDA Free mobile app
S6.
I hate tablets, phablets, and other things generally ending with "ablet" haha.
Depends on what you want? Personally I absolutely adore my Note 4 it's a productivity beast. So no doubt in my mind that the Note 5 will be one too.
If you value:
- s pen functionality (it's like a small mouse)
- top of the top specs
- removable batteries
- expendable storage
And maybe the first 4k display I'd say wait for the Note. Also I hope Samsung's new philosophy doesn't make it to the Note series because a closed down device isn't a productivity one.
If you want a smaller form factor with limited storage space, questionable development support but top specs try the s6 and see if you like it.
Hopefully Samsung doesn't follow suit with the S6 and downgrade the Note 5. I'm still rockin' my Note 2 at the moment, but if the Note 5 downgrades to 1990's technology with no expandable storage, I'll seek a more appropriate brand.
Two different phones targeting two different demographics. Besides which, I don't know how many people "upgrade" their phones twice a year. Go with the consideration of screen size + S-pen usage as others have suggested. The two are not very comparable in my opinion.
lopri said:
Two different phones targeting two different demographics. Besides which, I don't know how many people "upgrade" their phones twice a year. Go with the consideration of screen size + S-pen usage as others have suggested. The two are not very comparable in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But Samsung seems to have run out of steam and have opted to downgrade their phones and no longer pursue technological advancements. I fear the Note 5 may end up losing the stylus, drop down to a 3" non-touchscreen running a fancy Android iOS.
Note 5 brings 8 MP front camera.. already samsung started of its mass production..
---------- Post added at 11:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 AM ----------
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Sams...OCELL-sensor-for-front-facing-cameras_id66787
ThaiM said:
But Samsung seems to have run out of steam and have opted to downgrade their phones and no longer pursue technological advancements. I fear the Note 5 may end up losing the stylus, drop down to a 3" non-touchscreen running a fancy Android iOS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you consider the S6 a downgrade over the S5, then you might want to reevaluate your expectations. Being overly dramatic doesn't really add to the discussion.
das boot said:
If you consider the S6 a downgrade over the S5, then you might want to reevaluate your expectations. Being overly dramatic doesn't really add to the discussion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a serious downgrade in functionality. Samsung for some reason has become blazingly desperate to be just like Apple now. It's too bad that they feel that if they can't beat the competition, then to join them.
ThaiM said:
It's a serious downgrade in functionality. Samsung for some reason has become blazingly desperate to be just like Apple now. It's too bad that they feel that if they can't beat the competition, then to join them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would agree with them pushing to be more apple like...taking away 2 key features on a device and jacking up the price to boot is totally apple lol.
Offer less...charge more. And the masses are so stupid they wont think anything of it sadly.apples doesn't have great sales because the public is intelligent.
sent from Canada via my Note 4, 3, 2 or S3
force70 said:
I would agree with them pushing to be more apple like...taking away 2 key features on a device and jacking up the price to boot is totally apple lol.
Offer less...charge more. And the masses are so stupid they wont think anything of it sadly.apples doesn't have great sales because the public is intelligent.
sent from Canada via my Note 4, 3, 2 or S3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sounds like everyone should take a couple of deep breaths and calm down!
As I recall, laptops don't come with cd roms anymore, not only that, but someone told me, hold on to your seats, desktops no longer come with 3.5 inch floppy drives! No kidding, I'm totally serious!
So much for progress!
Calm down everyone, it's called innovation.
aldread said:
It sounds like everyone should take a couple of deep breaths and calm down!
As I recall, laptops don't come with cd roms anymore, not only that, but someone told me, hold on to your seats, desktops no longer come with 3.5 inch floppy drives! No kidding, I'm totally serious!
So much for progress!
Calm down everyone, it's called innovation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your references to laptops and PC's doesn't make any sense. Those references are removing obsolete storage mediums and replaced with new high capacity ones. And PCs and laptops are fully expandable. A more suitable comparison would be if Nasa were to replace launch rockets with a paper airplane. That's what Samsung has done.
ThaiM said:
Your references to laptops and PC's doesn't make any sense. Those references are removing obsolete storage mediums and replaced with new high capacity ones. And PCs and laptops are fully expandable. A more suitable comparison would be if Nasa were to replace launch rockets with a paper airplane. That's what Samsung has done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I can fix that for you! You almost understand, removing obsolete storage mediums and replaced with new high SPEED ones! There you've got it! In addition to slow, SD cards are a huge security issue, and somewhat incompatible with Android. I always bought Samsung SD cards before for my phone, I'll be happy to pay (extra) for sweet, high speed, internal, DDR4 RAM!!
SD cards are obsolete for these phones!
I need a new phone. I've been on a Note 4 for a while now, and it has reached its end-of-life. Done tons of research, and even when compared against the latest-and-greatest, the Pixel 2 still reviews well. It seems to be exactly what I am looking for. Even though the announcement of the Pixel 3 is right around the corner, it will mostly likely be late Oct / early Nov before consumers can get them in hand anyway. Five months is a long time, and I'm kind of ready to make a move now.
Is the Pixel 2 still the way to go? Do I have to bite the bullet and get another Samsung and get an s9? (I'm on AT&T btw, and I'm really really sick of having a carrier locked phone and waiting on AT&T to add bloatware to all the updates).
Would I be stupid to get the Pixel 2 today? Talk me into it / talk me out of it.
You'd be stupid to go Samsung again, that's for sure.
The Note 4 was arguably Samsung's peak for the Note line, and the S7 Edge the peak for their S line. Sure the new designs are fancy, but are fragile, and Samsung are horrendous when it comes to updates.
I'd suggest looking into a OnePlus 6 especially if you're sick of being carrier locked. Cheaper and more powerful than the Pixel 2, better in every way aside from speakers and camera if they are important to you.
That being said, I miss my Pixel 2 XL for the software as it's so damn smooth, but I do not miss the abysmal screen (Note 4 screen is better). So if you go Pixel 2, definitely get the smaller one with the nicer Samsung screen.
As opposed to what ? Samsung ? Pixel 2 still had several years of guaranteed updates and a smoother software interface with less bloat. I could understand MAYBE if you said an iPhone as most businesses are starting to use iOS and Apple supports their software for several years but against a Samsung that's just a joke.
My $0.02., develop your own pros/cons list as no one knows what's more important to you, than you. Example, I absolutely hate lag in software, probably an unhealthy amount... I also enjoy a headphone jack, but that's less important than software to _me_. At the end of the day, no phone is better at software and camera than the Pixel 2 (I have non-XL, coming from a Samsung Galaxy S3) and that's what I think ultimately creates the Pixel appeal because literally every time you use your phone, in an app, to take a pic, etc, you get that top-of-the-line software experience. How much does Samsung's superior hardware matter when apps lag or freeze and frustrate the user or they're running a 6-month old security patch level?
Also got mine 50% off during Verizon's Black Friday deal last year, figured the savings was worth the locked bootloader. Then we got an unlock method anyways in December so win-win, half price + unlocked BL now. Is the P2 worth full price to you? Who knows. But good luck whatever path you choose!
istrikerx said:
You'd be stupid to go Samsung again, that's for sure.
The Note 4 was arguably Samsung's peak for the Note line, and the S7 Edge the peak for their S line. Sure the new designs are fancy, but are fragile, and Samsung are horrendous when it comes to updates.
I'd suggest looking into a OnePlus 6 especially if you're sick of being carrier locked. Cheaper and more powerful than the Pixel 2, better in every way aside from speakers and camera if they are important to you.
That being said, I miss my Pixel 2 XL for the software as it's so damn smooth, but I do not miss the abysmal screen (Note 4 screen is better). So if you go Pixel 2, definitely get the smaller one with the nicer Samsung screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my Pixel 2, but honestly the reason I bought it was because of the camera and because I thought there would be more rom development by this point, but mostly for the camera. I came from a oneplus 3t and I loved that phone so much. The development community was large and very active, and the phone's hardware was awesome.
If it wasn't for the Pixel 2's camera, I would've much rather upgraded to a newer oneplus device or even stuck with my 3t. But seriously, imo forget samsung and there locked ass bootloaders and stupidly overpriced phones.
I ditched Samsung (S6) finally last month and got the Pixel2. I am not much of a ROM flasher but root is very important to me. I was dreading going down in resolution but haven't regretted it once.
Is there any reason NOT to get the Pixel 2? What other phone is popular enough to receive continual updates, and easy to find accessories? Gives fast performance without lag-inducing bloat-ware?
I have an AT&T brand Note 8 and i really like the phone (wish i would have bought the unlocked version). But i like to root and flash roms occasionally and I'm pretty limited on the Note 8. Lucky me my work takes me all across Texas and i just happen to be where AT&T don't have service so i bought the Pixel 2 direct from Google and I'm loving it. I'm running it on Verizon. Super easy to unlock bootloader and root. I've only had it for about a month now and have only did one update (the June update) that got a little confusing but i figured it out (i downloaded it myself from Google instead of doing the ota). Personally, i think the camera on the Note 8 is better than the Pixel 2 camera, but i have both phones so i can always take pictures with the Note and it syncs to my Google photos and i have the pic on both phones. I do feel like the Pixel runs a lot smoother than the Note though. If you buy a Pixel, I'd suggest buying straight from Google so you don't have to worry about the bootloader, although i know carriers bundling things in makes it hard to pass up.
I believe it is still going strong and worth a buy.
Personally I don't the notch design which everyone is copying from Apple now.
In fact I bought one three weeks ago and I'm very happy with it. It's already running Android P DP3. I have considered a Huawei P20, but in the end went with the Pixel 2, mainly because of the fast updates and stock Android (I came from a Nexus 5X)
No regrets!
Meh not that many accessories...
mellojoe said:
Is there any reason NOT to get the Pixel 2? What other phone is popular enough to receive continual updates, and easy to find accessories? Gives fast performance without lag-inducing bloat-ware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, gotta disagree a little with you on the bolded section. The P2 just isn't sold in large enough numbers to get the choices in accessories like the mainstream iPhones, S9, etc. Otterbox Defender series only has 2 colors for crying out loud...
Edit: a word
It could be a winner for you if that's what you want...luv mine!
Personally I would wait and buy a cheaper, last year's phone in the meanwhile.
Pixel 2 series is great, but you still have to make hard compromises. If you want the 2018 screen quality, go pixel 2; if you want a 2018 battery life and screen size, go XL. But to me these 3 things are essential to a phone (ok maybe not the screen size). Considering the price being top of the lines even compared to an iPhone, and it is a 2017 phone (sort), I would wait.
Plus I got a feel that Pixel 3 may come with wireless charging and other technologies that would make using a phone more convenient. While Pixel 2 is just, with great camera. Not an important factor to me personally.
I just got it coming from a Huawei mate 10
Honestly its a great phone . I got the small version cuz I have a U11PLUS plus as my daily big screen phone. And it's awesome they have all these goodness in such a small phone can be handled one hand
At the moment u11plus plus 128gb and 6gb ram is going for 600$ ish on eBay. If u don't care about updates I would advice u to go with it. The camera with gcam performing better than the pixel believe it or not and the battery is the best in the market. Colours of amazing silver or red are phenomenal, nothing else comes close even the copycat p20 pro
Absolutely! I would recommend the Pixel 2 to anybody who asked I haven't even had any reason to want the XL - I've just got the 5" Pixel.
The software is essentially bloat-free (if you use the Google apps) and the experience is as polished as that of the iPhone.
(I'm not a fan of the iPhone but anybody who's used an Android can't deny on most phones the platform is bloated and a little half-assed in places.)
Plus, if you're big into getting the latest Android versions - we get the Android betas first (and they're supported for 2 years.)
And, once the 2 years are up, if you haven't got a new phone by then, I'd imagine there would be a ton of custom ROMs and such for the phone.
I'm planning on developing some ROMs for the Pixel 2 but I haven't for the moment because I have no reason to; the software is the best I've experienced, so I have no reason to mod the phone. (This is probably why there isn't much in the way of development going on for the phone)
In my opinion, the camera is excellent; I don't use it that much but when I do, it's fast, the quality is fantastic and I have trouble faulting it.
Finally, the battery life is great. As a student, I don't use my phone all day but relatively speaking, I'm quite a heavy user and I get about 3 hours more screen time than most others. Plus, as the phone charges to upwards of 80% in about 45 minutes, battery isn't really an issue. (5-10 minutes at an AC outlet can usually get it up to 20%.)
TL;DR: Particularly if you buy a phone for utility (rather than as a fashion statement), this phone is brilliant. It's the best Android device I've ever owned and, I think, one of the best on the market.
If you want something that looks a bit more flashy, I'd suggest the Pixel XL, though.
The give-a-friend 15% offer is making this pracitcally a no-brainer for me. That brings a brand new direct from Google Pixel2 to $550. That's basically the same price as low end or older model phones. Looks like I'll be picking one up. Thanks for the advice.
Feel free to add any more thoughts, tho, cause I'm sure as we get closer to the launch of the 3, more people are going to be asking for opnions on the 2 as a budget-friendly option.
jerryhou85 said:
I believe it is still going strong and worth a buy.
Personally I don't the notch design which everyone is copying from Apple now.
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Let me correct you sir. Copying from Essential ph-1, not apple. Apple copying that design from Essential ph-1. Get it right.
ivanov13 said:
Let me correct you sir. Copying from Essential ph-1, not apple. Apple copying that design from Essential ph-1. Get it right.
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Ahh, I see. Learned that recently, thanks.
This year Pixel 3 should be the choice if I want to change my phone again.
edwinek said:
In fact I bought one three weeks ago and I'm very happy with it. It's already running Android P DP3. I have considered a Huawei P20, but in the end went with the Pixel 2, mainly because of the fast updates and stock Android (I came from a Nexus 5X)
No regrets!
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me too, I bought my pixel 2 (128GB) using a 20% coupon, used to have a nexus 5x, huge improvement