My General Transformer Observations - Eee Pad Transformer General

I went to HH Gregg yesterday to check out a Transformer. It was on display next to a Galaxy Tab 10.1". The Transformer was running 3.0 and trying to download the 3.1 update (severe storms had their routers going off and on) and the Galaxy was on 3.1. I was tempted to try tethering my SGS Vibrant to the Asus so that update would finish... Here's what I observed:
Audio
1. No noticeable issues with Left and Right audio balance when holding the unit up to my ear. Keep in mind that I was in a store with a fair amount of background chatter.
2. L and R back vibrates when the volume is raised up which may not bother me.
3. Noticeable distortion at full volume when playing notification sounds in Settings.
Video
I couldn't get YouTube to play due to the router issues mentioned above.
Display
The display seemed bright and crisp, until I turned on the Galaxy Tab. There were differences at that point. I don't know the specs on either display other than I suspect the GT uses an S AMOLED display; It was incredibly crisp, just like my SGS Vibrant. I navigated to one of my websites to see how it looked on each machine and while the GT was noticeably crisper/sharper, the colors were definitely over saturated, appearing to almost sort of bleed. The Transformer rendered the colors nearly perfectly. However, the text was somewhat fuzzy until zooming in slightly. Zooming in just the slightest amount made the text very sharp. The text rendering on the GT was incredibly crisp at the default zoom level (both machines were set to the same default settings). Are my observations regarding the display due to the different Honeycomb versions? Beats me.
Look and Feel
The Transformer definitely feels less than "solid" because of the back of the case. Picking up the GT on the other hand had me quickly doing the math and trying to convince myself that the $100 price difference wasn't really all that much of a difference. The Transformer case does indeed squeak and creak which brought back fond memories of my very first Android device, the G1. All of you G1 owners out there know what I'm talking about.
Thinking back, while the G1 could easily double as a sound prop for a scary movie, it was also a very capable phone that took a Hell of a beating and is still in my backpack today, always ready to jump into the game should my SGS break down.

rjscott2005 said:
The Transformer case does indeed squeak and creak which brought back fond memories of my very first Android device, the G1. All of you G1 owners out there know what I'm talking about.
Thinking back, while the G1 could easily double as a sound prop for a scary movie, it was also a very capable phone that took a Hell of a beating and is still in my backpack today, always ready to jump into the game should my SGS break down.
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Click to collapse
That is actually good to hear because my brother JUST replaced his G1 so that means, despite the creaking, I shouldnt worry too much about longevity.
The price was ONE factor, the keyboard and micro SD card were the big ones.

I also chec both. For me no Sd, no HDMI and no USB were the key factors for not getting the GTab. It was not so much thinking I will run out of space but I would not be able to put things in the tablet / get them out without using a computer.
Regards.

Related

The screen thread!

So, I've been taunted by the Acer the day before launch at BB and had someone open one up to demo for me. After somehow avoiding the purchase I did more research and found the Asus release date and figured I'd wait. Well we all know how that went..
Anyhow as I sit here reading thread after thread deciding on the Acer now, or Asus later, I am torn about the screen quality. I have heard many things like "as good as Ipad" "way better than Xoom" the amazingly grammatically correct; "it Sux" or just "terrible"
I don't care about the dock....at all. Battery life, build quality and screen crispness i do care about.
I'm hoping this thread can be to discuss the goods and bads about the screen in as unbiased a way as possible. I would love for people who have interacted with both chime in!
The screen "quality" is fine. Text looks great (read for over an hour with no eyestrain). Videos look good. Viewing angles are even fine, which is unusual for a TFT.
But the glare!!! Yikes. I realize that the glare probably has more to do with the glass than the screen technology, but the bottom line is that they both contribute to my enjoyment, or lack thereof, of the screen.
I have a Nook Color and I can place the A500 and the NC right next to each other and the difference is dramatic in terms of glare. Sure, the NC has some reflection, but it's a great deal more muted than then A500 which is practically a mirror.
I don't have any particular problem with the screen. It looks sharp. Runs in 1280x800 resolution.
Some people complain about the grid that can be visible, but I have NEVER seen it during normal use. I didn't even know what people were talking about until I held it at weird angles directly under a light source (as in...10 inches away from my lamp).
The thing is a finger-print magnet though, so if you have OCD issues with that sort of thing you will always need to be replacing screen protectors or having a microfiber cloth in your back-pocket.
I picked one up from bestbuy a few days ago. The screen is very nice. The grid does bother me, but it's not often that I see it.
Games look good, videos look good. Everything is snappy
I don't have a transformer or an ipad to test it against but I think the acer is worth buying if you don't care about the keyboard dock on the transformer.
The screen itself is very good with decent colour and contrast with excellent viewing angles. As others have said though, you do get glare from the high gloss glass panel and it attracts fingerprints when you just go near it. With the right lighting direction I can see the grid in the same way I have seen it on virtually all capacitive screens.
Would I use any of this against the A500? - no. These issues are minor to me but I can see how for some they would be a more major issue.
I think the quality is really good but could use some tweaking. Why in the world are there no apps that allow you to tweak gamma contrast color and all that? Calibrating would make it much better but for some reason we are expected to keep it as delivered?
Also slightly unrelated, has anyone noticed if you use a 1280x800 image as a wallpaper it looks liek crap? What resolution do we need wallpapers to be in? The stock ones are too borring.
volcaicstrad37 said:
So, I've been taunted by the Acer the day before launch at BB and had someone open one up to demo for me. After somehow avoiding the purchase I did more research and found the Asus release date and figured I'd wait. Well we all know how that went..
Anyhow as I sit here reading thread after thread deciding on the Acer now, or Asus later, I am torn about the screen quality. I have heard many things like "as good as Ipad" "way better than Xoom" the amazingly grammatically correct; "it Sux" or just "terrible"
I don't care about the dock....at all. Battery life, build quality and screen crispness i do care about.
I'm hoping this thread can be to discuss the goods and bads about the screen in as unbiased a way as possible. I would love for people who have interacted with both chime in!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look, the IPS display is "better"....that's that. If you need something with a gorgeous screen, wait.
Is the A500 screen terrible, bad, etc.? Not by a long shot. It's bright, crisp and the viewing angles are very, very good. The 'grid' you read people referring to, is barely visible and you'll only notice it on very lightly colored, black or white backgrounds, and that's with your face plastered to the screen. It isn't a deal breaker for many people but it might be for you. If you can afford to wait, wait....and make an informed decision and one you won't regret once you're able to compare them side by side. Unlike the TF, the A500 is in supply and I doubt they'll be running out any time soon so time and supply are on your side (for the Acer, anyway).
here are a few pictures of the iconia and transformer screens. Pics are captured by motorola atrix camera. Hope it can help with the buying decision.
home screen landscape and portrait
thickness and back. For some reasons, I can't upload the video
Wow the one on the right looks so much better. Orange county area? I live in Tustin lol. Where did you get your hands on a transformer?
keroppilee said:
Wow the one on the right looks so much better. Orange county area? I live in Tustin lol. Where did you get your hands on a transformer?
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Click to collapse
hahaha, nice to have a neighbor on this forum. Yep, the transformer has the best screen but the iconia is not that bad. I got my TF at Fry's. I saw an employee there carried 3 TFs to the stock room. I jumped on them right away, got one for my best friend and one for my brother. Both of them want the TF so bad. As for me, I am settled with the iconia at Best Buy. I just like the build quality and how it feels in my hands. If I knew, I could have got the last TF for you
appreciate the thought
I'm still deciding between android or I pad. I really feel I pads polish in multimedia is a big plus. I'm trying my roommates xoom and youtube doesn't even run without stutter :/
Netflix is nice on I pad too
I do love the PC I sh feel of android. Much more customizable
Back light bleed through
Some transformer owners have complain about back light bleed through when watching videos.
hey in the past week i have tested the view sonic gtablet , the archos 101 and the playbook . the view sonic and the archos dont even come close to what the acer is i picked up the acer after i saw it at best buy today and i was impressed i also picked up the xoom last week but returned it after 24 hrs because the price 599 was on my mind the whole time i was playing with it .
the screen i feel is like the apple ipad which i have . i really can not notice the difference. and if anyone is thinking about the gtab and the archos dont get them if your not holding it at the right angle all the time your not going to see much.
I had the gtablet for 3 weeks and recently sold it and picked up the Acer A500 yesterday. I was also comtemplating on buying the Xoom at Bestbuy, but after playing with both tablets I couldn't justify spending the extra $ on the xoom so I went with the Acer and so far so good. It's like night and day compared to my old gtablet.
texonex said:
home screen landscape and portrait
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LoL. Please clean the screen of the Iconia What a difference...
I'm a Transformer owner, but over the weekend I had a chance to play with both the Xoom and the Iconia in store.
The screen on the Tranformer is definitely the best of all three tablets, and this was clearly evident even without having the Transformer to hand to compare side by side.
However, I would still rate the Iconia's screen as "very good" (the Transformer's screen would be rated "excellent"), and significantly better than the screen on the Xoom (which I would rate as just "ok").
Regards,
Dave
P.S. Just an FYI, but I'm keeping an eye on the Iconia forums because I'm thinking about getting an A100, not to troll regarding A500/Transformer comparisons!
if you want to see the real difference between the Iconia and Transformer, take a pic from the side with about a 150 deg angle.
MCWatter said:
. Viewing angles are even fine, which is unusual for a TFT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It not a regular TFT screen , in fact there are 4 differents technologies ( TN, MVA, PVA, IPS )
Acer choosed PVA for the A500 , it provides the highest contrast ever measured on a tablet (1126:1) when the Ipad and its IPS Screen is rated (960:1) , but the latency is not as good as its competitors (even if asus came out with a trick , to correct that , by inserting a black picture every 3 images )
People tends to think that IPS is superior , but in fact it depends of the usage.
A500's screen might not be the best screen in the world , but it is for sure a very good one.

[INFO] Transformer vs. Xoom: the screen

I just want to say: the TF's screen by itself makes it better than the Xoom. I've been looking at them side by side since I got my TF yesterday (well, not constantly, but you know what I mean). The TF is just in a different class than the Xoom based on the screen alone.
First, the colors and temp of the TF screen is far more natural and pleasant--I had no idea the Xoom's screen was so cold/blue. After looking at them side-by-side, I couldn't go back to using the Xoom.
Second, the viewing angle discrepancy really is striking--putting them both flat on a desk, the Xoom starts fading pretty much the second I get a little off-angle. The TF stays crisp and clear almost all the way to the horizontal. Again, I had no idea the Xoom was so bad comparatively, and I'd never to back to the Xoom for that reason alone.
I just don't know how Asus managed to squeeze this screen into a $399 price point. Even if they cut somewhere else, I'd be fine with it. I'd much rather have marginally lower build quality (which I really don't think is the case) and that screen. It's awesome.
I got a chance to look at an Eee Pad at Memory Express last night (Someone returned it) and I was very impressed with the screen. Much nicer than the Xoom I returned due to the poor quality screen.
The Eee Pad screen appears to be of the same quality as the iPad screen.
The real test will be when I can take one home and use it in normal light conditions.
Hope you get one soon The screen is crazy. I woke up this morning and needed to show my lady some stuff on the web while we were still lying in bed -- with my gTab, when I flipped it around for her to see, I could never tell if she was seeing the page or a psychedelic mishmash of colors. But now I know when I show people things on the screen, they are seeing what I saw. Very nice, love this tab.
couldn't agree with you more. When I show my transformer to friends and family I don't have to put a disclaimer anymore like I used to do with xoom. I usually go "the screen is not the best, but..." With the Transformer, its "check out this beauty ..." lol
Cmon guys, there are all ready a fair few threads on this, could this be reposted in one of them?
Thanks
Badwolve1

Screen bleed. Will it get worse?

Will the screen bleed get worse? Is this a universal problem with all tabs? My case also has a slight pop/crack when I hold it on the top/left side. Thinking of trading it in for the Samsung, unless their build quality is the same.
I exchanged my first tf because there was 4 light bleed spots on it, my new one has only 1 very minor lightbleed spot that is not noticable unless you search for it but the right side bezel is a bit off, so theres a gap of about 1/2 milimeter which in the end translates as a similar gap at the same spot on the back where the plastic is meeting the bezel. So if you look at my docked and closed transformer you'd see the two bezels are not perfectly aligned, as one is slightly curved outwards... I don't know if I am going to return this one yet.
It depends if I manage to fix the video playback, even 360p videos on youtube are sluttering unless they are put in full screen... And I am on the lastest firmware with the lastest flash version + factory reset.
Another strange issue is that randomly, when I press the touchscreen the tablet emits a little and faint "beep" very very faint and with an irregular tone, and this is even with volume all set to 0, it makes me think the static electricity is messing up with one of the speakers or something, but meh it's not bothering at all.
If I can't manage to fix the playback issue & the gtab10.1 or 8.9 is an exynos dual core (I have it in the galaxy S2 and this soc is a BEAST, it runs circles around the tegra2 in flash video playback or responsiveness) by then i'll just get a galaxy tab and give the TF to my girlfriend since I don't need a keyboard at all for the stuff I wanna do on a tablet.
The extra battery from the dock is so sweet tho, i used it all day long and it is still at 100% charge lol.
I just think the first batches of transformers are terribly and randomly flawed, just RMA it to asus or keep exchanging until you get a decent one.
If the gtab ends up with tegra2 I don't see any point of getting it, the transformer even with its flaws is still light years ahead of the gtab in terms of connectivity & docking.
jideay said:
Will the screen bleed get worse? Is this a universal problem with all tabs? My case also has a slight pop/crack when I hold it on the top/left side. Thinking of trading it in for the Samsung, unless their build quality is the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well when i bought it, it had very minor light bleed but now it has amped up a bit. i looks like with daily use, it'll get a bit worse and peak out and stay there for the rest of its time.
too early for me to confirm that theory though but i like that if it gets unbearable within the year, asus will take it and fix it for you
I've actually grown attached to my TF, and can probably live with its issues. Just don't want it to get worse, and I'm afraid to trade it in, getting a refurb instead of a new one...
I also have some light bleed issues with mines I got it 2 weeks ago. its not bad for me its just in the left hand corner and on some spots along the side and bottom nothing more than what I see on a smart phone.
If it does get worse, you have 1 year of warranty through Asus.
i like my transformer so far, but the replacement from amazon is coming. Mine apparently had really bad light bleed. There were 3 spot from the bottom left that had a big sploch and 2 medium size one 3 small one on the bottom and another one on the right.

My Casual Galaxy Note 4 First Impressions - Specs Not Included ;)

Hey guys! Just made my first impressions video on the Galaxy Note 4! Went a different route and didn't get into the obvious since it's not a full review, and just went into how it felt using the device for a short time.
Video link:
The Galaxy Note 4 - My Casual First Impressions: http://youtu.be/-FPV6Vlu0qg
Written:
The first thing you’re going to notice with the Galaxy Note 4 is it’s excellent build quality, rivaled by only a few phones. Having owned a Note 3 and being satisfied with it’s fake metal banding, once you get a phone with this kind of build quality you really realize what you were missing out on. Holding it gives you a very premium feel in your hand which is awesome. Even with the chamfered edges, it’s still comfortable to hold. I’d say it feels better and more substantial in your hand than that of the LG G3 even with it being quite a bit larger.
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The display on this is my favorite. Displaymate also says this is the most accurate display on the market today. One thing I missed from using phones with an LCD display, is when the background is black.. the pixels are still lit up. As we all know, this is not the case with samsung phones and the blacks are purely black and really make the images pop. Oh, and for all the people that complain and say the screen it too vibrant? You realize you basically have a TV in your pocket, right? Go to the settings and CHANGE it do a different mode. Cinema mode is what seems to be the most accurate.
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The back, still being faux leather, still feels very nice in the hand and personally.. I like a plastic back. When I owned the HTC One I was way to scared to set that thing down without a case because I didn’t want to either, A, mess up the screen. Or B, mess up the nice metal backing. Not to mention in the winter it can get quite cold to the touch and just isn’t worth the trade-off to me.
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Performance on this thing is just incredible. Now I don’t like stock launchers. Even with the Nexus 6 I will be putting Nova launcher on it. So all of that “touchwiz lag” people talk about, I’ve yet to see it no this phone while with my Note 3, the first day you could notice it right off that bat with certain things. Keep in mind, switching the launcher only changes your homescreen, touchwiz is still everywhere else. But.. it’s a lot better than it was.
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One thing that I’ve noticed with this phone and that can get quite annoying is the feature to minimize whatever screen you’re on. It’s a really nice feature, but I find myself accidentally activating it all the time when trying to go to my notification tray. I like to swipe down from the corner, and now that is how you minimize the app. So, I now have to adjust a bit and make sure I’m not hitting the corner exactly.
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One thing I didn't plan on mentioning with this phone was the whole "gapgate" issue. Because to me, while I could see very clearly in videos that there is some sort of gap, I figured it wouldn't effect anything on a day-to-day basis, if at all. That was until today.
I took my phone out of my pockets (it's the weekend, I'm wearing only sweats and casual clothes), and sure enough.. there was lint or something at the top of the display. So I had to actually take a receipt I had laying around to dig it out because sadly, my nails would not suffice.
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Conclusion:
Other than the small gripe I have with the minimizing the window and the.. I'm not even sure if it should be a big deal to me or not, gap issue, this phone is absolutely incredible.
However, if you're ready for an upgrade, wait until the Nexus 6 is out officially before deciding on whether you should get this, the Nexus 6, or for you Verizon folk, the Droid Turbo.
nice video
appreciate your input, good video!
Turn off multi window if you don't use it and it won't minimize window
You can turn of the swipe to minimize gesture but still keep multi window on but you'll have to activate it by holding the back button

24 Hours with my New XZ Premium REVIEW

***UPDATED AGAIN****
This is my first time posting a review for phone, because I am that impressed.
A little background so you have an idea of where I am coming from. I have literally purchased every flagship phone a company has had to offer since 2009 (Very expensive vice) from Blackberry 10 devices, Windows devices, iPhones to Android devices. I have an absolute love for gadgets and phones, I hold no loyalty to any company period and never will, just because you have 2-3 products that were solid from the company doesn't mean its not going to create a turd every once in awhile. Loyalty with hardware generally in my opinion garners tunnel vision for someone and the user tends to ignore the downsides or errors with a product. Samsung built Note's 1-7 and the S series, you think all of them were great? No, but big publications I notice seem to think so and its not just Samsung, its all manufacturers for phones. Your decision to buy a phone should be based not only what speaks to you personally but can do what it needs to do for you, not what is "cool" or what everyone else has. Every individual is born with their own preference on things and people should use it.
Parts I am covering, if I left something out and you want me to add it or just ask a question please feel free.
*Overall Build Quality
*Screen Quality
*OS overall functionality and speed
*Sound Quality with HD Bluetooth (LDAC) / Reception
*Camera
*Battery Life
*Summary (Praise and Gripes)
Build Quality
The second you take this phone out of the box and peel off the plastic covering it, you know you are holding top quality piece of hardware, you will find yourself looking all over it from top to bottom for a couple of minutes easy. It's edges are smooth, you don't feel any sharp points while holding the phone, it is a bit slippery (I use a case on every phone no matter what) so I would suggest a skin if you don't like cases. I don't have the brass to walk around with 800 dollars possibly slipping out of my hands and into the wind. Even the speaker grills to the USB-C port cutouts are top notch. I LOVE where they placed the fingerprint sensor, right on the side where my thumb is, this should be the location for every phone ever built in my opinion. I've been using the Blackberry Keyone for a week now and one of the big things I love about a Blackberry is the build of almost all their phones (Priv was garbage) and you will hear a lot of people just say the Keyone is a solid built brick and they are right. This guy is right there with it except glass, it has some nice heft in your hand when you hold it. I would rate the build of this phone without a doubt the 2nd best built quality wise across all platforms of phones so cheers to Sony for that.
Screen Quality
So I put this guy up against the the S8 Plus, and the iPhone 7 Plus. The reason I put the iPhone 7 Plus in here is because its only 1080p and the Sony shows 1080p until you are actually running 4k so its not always in 4k mode FYI and there is not an option to change this (Stupid!) So I was running content side by side against these 2 guys and weather its in 1080p or 4k, theres no comparison, the detail is just stupid. The blacks are amazing and the fact that this phone is an IPS display out-doing an AMOLED is crazy talk. This is the king of displays hands down no contest not even up for debate.
OS overall functionality and speed
Ok so some of you are familiar with Google's Nexus phones and the latest being the Google Pixel and know that since you are getting everything Google intended the user experience on Android to be, for the people that are new or aren't familiar with these Android devices, lets just say you should really try one out, they are bloat free and extremely fast phones. So for the last year or so, the Google Pixel was the fastest Android phone period, it really blew people away at how fast opening and closing applications to having a ton run in the background just wouldn't slow the thing down. So I have always said the there's fast, then there's Google Phone fast...... until now. I dont even know where to begin on how stupidly fast this phone is anything you do or throw at it, and you can say "well it has the Snapdragon 835 in it", yeah that's true but if phones were purely off a spec sheet, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Plus would run at the same speed, software implementation with hardware is extremely important. In no way shape or form is the Galaxy S8 or Plus even in the same solar system as this thing. You can lookup on Youtube there are posts of people running tests this guy and it's quite embarrassing how much faster this Sony is and the one thing I never see reviewers do is show how actually using all the applications while have all of those open at the same, time. This phone does....not....slow....down. Run 10-12 apps on my S8 Plus, lagasaurus rears its ugly head, micro shudders you know what I am talking about. People that claim that theirs never does that is a liar. There are only a few phones on Android that I would say are free of Lag and Micro Stutters, Google Pixel, HTC M8, talk about butter...mmmm...butter.... There could be the argument "who needs that many apps open", well believe it or not when you are busy sometimes, you don't always close everything down and really you shouldn't have to in this day in age with tech. The ease of use navigation using Sony's launcher and the Settings is so simple it doesn't need a spotlight to be hones, its clean and straight forward and you aren't digging for options unlike some out there.
Sound Quality
(Speakers)
There are 2 front facing stereo on this guy, and I do and I know a lot of people love the fact they are facing you and not facing down so when you are cupping the phone it blocks the sound. Its a huge plus for this phone, the sound quality out of the speakers are not amazing but solid, games or Youtube or speakerphone on a call is loud enough that you can hear what is going on even if your surroundings are not so quiet. Quality wise I wouldn't say its going to win awards nor would I say its going to blow you away like some of HTC's boom sound on previous phones or like the Blackberry Passport. But all in all its right where it needs to be and if you need louder speakers I suggest getting some headphones.
(Headphones)
So I own quite a few headsets ranging from Blue Headsets, Sony MDR-1000X, Sennheiser HD 800s just for example, Plugging any one of these guys and listening to all sorts of music sounds just awesome, not just good but actually awesome. I'm not going to go any further into it because this is a very very subjective category given some people are audio files and some are not, some people can actually hear certain sounds and some actually physically cannot (yes you can actually go see a doctor to see which frequencies you can actually hear).
(Reception/ Call Quality)
So this is just my experience with AT&T, I can't give claim to other carriers. The calls are clear and precise and people say they can hear me just fine, no echos. I can hear people with no issue at all same goes for putting the call on speaker as mentioned before. I have 0 complaints in this department.
Camera
Alright sorry about the long delay for the Camera review. Now I will state from the start I am not a pro photographer and nor am I skilled with manually adjusting camera's. I will keep this short and sweet because you can find a ton of pictures from this phone online in forums or YouTube for reference. I did a comparison between the S8+ the iPhone 7 Plus and the Google Pixel. I personally prefer the natural colors that come from the iPhone and the Sony and the Pixel, popping colors from the Samsung might be yours so I believe it to be personal preference. So what I was looking at purely on these phones was, how clear are the pictures and is the shutter lag bad? For a simple user, that's all you care about. I immediately ignore low light references because they are null, who the heck takes pictures in the dark? Majority people send pictures of things or family/friends during the day, if you need low light go buy a DSLR. Back to the camera. The selfie camera I can barely tell the difference between all of them, they are all clear and I would say the Pixel is a little less detailed. I can distinguish what is what as clear as day in all of the front facing cameras. The rear camera, like I mentioned before, the S8+ is the only one that has extremely high saturation, but quality overall, I cant really tell the difference they all look fantastic in my opinion and maybe on some pictures some look more sharp than others but all of them are extremely fast to take a photo and it looks great. As far as the slow motion, its not very easy to use nor can I think of many places or instances I will use it. As far as the few I have seen with camera issues, I am sorry to hear that I would get the phone replaced because the photo quality is right up there with the best and if you are getting any different that is substantially noticeable, then that means there is something wrong.
Battery Life
So this might be premature but usually with phones battery life is horrible at the start because it needs to break-in and a phones software needs to settle in. Well I for one can say since day one its like the rules of everything we know don't apply here, I would consider myself to be a heavy phone user. I watch YouTube, Funimation shows, Wifi is on all day, I really don't cut things out or turn things off on phones just to save battery because I am either too lazy, or it cuts out to much functionality. I take the phone off the charger at 630AM every morning, then at lunch I'm always at 75% or more. I plug it in and let it charge, I don't while I clear out some emails and work and by the time I pick it up again its at 100% and I don't have to plug it in until bed time which is 11PM roughly, and when I am ready at 11PM, its at 65%. I have never got this thing down below 60%. I have no complaints here for battery life.
Summary
As you noticed I haven't spoken about the bezels, and I am not going to because its irrelevant, they are there because of the speakers and Sony's choice, if it bothers or you don't like it that's fine go buy another phone. There are quite a few other phones out there that are worth your hard earned money, and the more you spend I believe you should get more. "When I spend more money I want less" said NO ONE EVER! Sony does not disappoint in this regard yet in the past, I would highly beg to differ. If you look at everything you are getting with this phone, its really hard to think of anything that they left out. HD Bluetooth Sound, LDAC, Headphone Jack, 4k Screen, Stero Speakers, Front Facing Speakers, Amazing Camera, Awesome build quality, Rapid 3.0 Charging, USB-C, Fingerprint Sensor, Notification Light I mean the list goes on the only thing its missing is Cake. My only real negative things I can say so far right now is that the US version of this phone has a disabled fingerprint sensor, I purchased the UK variant to get around this. Also I actually like the Sony launcher a lot, I always use Nova or Action Launcher 3, been toying with Evie another great launcher, you can change the Grid Size and Icons to whatever you like too. Theres no option to change the screen resolution which does bother me, I am not saying my phone needs to be in 4k all the time because of obvious reasons but at least 2k. But other than that, this phone deserves a lot more attention that it will actually get.
Hope this helps anyone looking to get a phone or just plain curious about this guy and what it has to offer. Cheers!:fingers-crossed:
*audiophile
Nice! I will get mine tomorrow !
Shnig said:
*audiophile
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Language flame as first reply. Thank you Internet, faith restored.
ukemochi said:
This is my first time posting a review for phone, because I am that impressed.
A little background so you have an idea of where I am coming from. I have literally purch...........
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Is there an option settings to change the display scaling or alternatively in developer settings to change the dpi or smallest width?
I always find Sony and Samsung to be scaled like a child's play phone.
Thanks
You can change icons size and grid settings on homescreen and app list.
Are the Volume and Camera buttons made out of metal? or are they the same as the side?
Lazaros_K said:
Are the Volume and Camera buttons made out of metal? or are they the same as the side?
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All the buttons on the phone are of the same material and it seems like a hard plastic, its not cheap feeling at all.
FartyParty said:
Nice! I will get mine tomorrow !
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You will be impressed, enjoy.
I am thinking about this phone to replace my Sony Z3 compact but $800 isn't an easy pill to take.
I am also thinking about the HTC U11. I am going to make a choice in the next few days as the screen on my Z3 compact is failing due to the seal failing. I know a dud can happen but I have had two Z3 compacts fail me so I am on the fence.
Just got mine today and boy does it feel premium
Amazing quality bloody hell!!
Also fired up the 4khdr demo video amd was blown away
sfex3best said:
Just got mine today and boy does it feel premium
Amazing quality bloody hell!!
Also fired up the 4khdr demo video amd was blown away
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Enjoy it!
4ktvs said:
I am thinking about this phone to replace my Sony Z3 compact but $800 isn't an easy pill to take.
I am also thinking about the HTC U11. I am going to make a choice in the next few days as the screen on my Z3 compact is failing due to the seal failing. I know a dud can happen but I have had two Z3 compacts fail me so I am on the fence.
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Hope this helps, I dont know where you live but if you are in the US, order from the UK from Clove Tech, you pay the EX-VAT price which is huge savings. They sell it for 540 pounds which is 697 dollars, and their variant unlocked version has the fingerprint scanner, where as if you wait for the US to get it you will pay 800 dollars and thats not including tax and you DONT get a finger print scanner.
Im sorry about your Z3 bud, I bought one for the wife quite awhile back and hers is still plugging away. Best of luck.
Great review, roll on camera pictures and review. Oh and battery life
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
jms.flynn said:
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
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I too have one in hand. I think the color is Deep Sea Black but who cares, right? :silly:
The large bezels help when you need to hold the phone in landscape mode. I too think it would be nice if the speakers were a little louder but I think it is a result of the waterproofing. If they were to boost the volume signal then they would probably distort too much and then we would complain about that. Can't win.
My vibration is a little soft also, but then again the only phone I know of with a strong vibration is the Moto X Pure. The wife has a brand new one because she smashed the screen in the one I gave her and she loves it (as do I) and the vibration on that thing will knock the fillings from your teeth. Not sure if it has to do with the amount of power being sent to the motor, or the motor itself. I just know that every phone I have ever owned except the Pure has a relatively weak vibration.
I am OK with the screen being at the default of 1080. Plenty good enough for a 5.5 in screen. I have an Amoled phone and comparing the two screens it's hard to tell which is which. The XZ Premium screen looks great in bright sunlight so no problem there. So far I love it. I do wish that Sony would unlink the ringtone volume from the notification volume. I know it can be done because I have another phone running Nougat 7.1.1 and they are not linked. What I did was use a ringtone creator app to artificially lower the volume of the sound I use for notifications (texts) and that way when the volume is on full for the ringtone the notification volume appears to be about half as loud... just the way I like it.
I would recommend this phone to anyone! :good:
figo_rulz11 said:
Great review, roll on camera pictures and review. Oh and battery life
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Thank you, and as far as the camera and battery life added into the review, I will do it at the end of the week so the battery is broken in and I have some time to really play with the camera in all aspects, I should have something up by Saturday.
jms.flynn said:
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
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Click to collapse
I'd would keep on eye on that click sound, you and the guy that posted just right after you mentioned that the vibration isn't that strong, but mine vibrates pretty strong and actually manages to scare the crap out of me at work because I'll have it on the desk and it goes off (co-workers will always make dirty jokes in reference to the sound) but that's something I will keep my ear open for on that click sound, so far nada.
ukemochi said:
I'd would keep on eye on that click sound, you and the guy that posted just right after you mentioned that the vibration isn't that strong, but mine vibrates pretty strong and actually manages to scare the crap out of me at work because I'll have it on the desk and it goes off (co-workers will always make dirty jokes in reference to the sound) but that's something I will keep my ear open for on that click sound, so far nada.
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Its not clicking the duration of when the vibration motor is active which makes me believe it isn't a fault. As an example if i get a call and my phone is on vibrate i don't hear it at all. Its only when i have vibrate on screen tap and use the soft keys. It's like the faintest of clicks when the vibration motor is initializing. Again nothing to make me think its faulty but i noticed it straight away.
jms.flynn said:
Is there an option settings to change the display scaling or alternatively in developer settings to change the dpi or smallest width?
I always find Sony and Samsung to be scaled like a child's play phone.
Thanks
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Yeah you can change it in the developer settings best setting to ever come to android for none rooted users anyways

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