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Moved from Galaxy Nexus -> Galaxy S3 = Thoughts

Hello all,
I got my Galaxy Nexus on day of release, so had it some 6 months or so, the other day I bought a Galaxy S III, the following day sold my Galaxy Nexus for 320€ (loss of 300€ in 6 months, can live with that).
Now, I must say while I loved the GN display I was one of those who suffered from the squares when on low brightness. That was my biggest gripe with the GN... Battery life was 2 days on one charge.. stock Android, loved it.
So on to the S3, performance? wow, very nice, in general pretty smooth. Could I tell a massive noticeable improvement over the GN? Not really.
Sound, MUCH MUCH MUCH better on the S3 ...
Build quality seems a tiny bit less than the GN.
I certainly do not like the physical home button on the S3.
Camera and video, on S3 very pleased indeed.
One very annoying bug is that for some reason I've got no DTFM tones in a call... which is a #taxibookingfail for me Had to grab the misses iPhone 4S to ring the damn taxi company in the end. #eggonface
The Samsung widgets etc I think are average. HTC do much nicer ones thats for sure.
I do miss the GN a lot, and stock Android is wonderful.
As I've been using fastboot to install new release ROM's on the GN, find it a pain to flash the S3. I'm on Mac and I wanted to flash the latest EU ROM in the hope it would fix the DTFM issue, but I just can't seem to get it done. Yeah I've grabbed Heimdall, extracted the ROM, blah blah, even looked at CLI flashing, but it's not working. I guess there is no fastboot for the S3. If anyone knows better please do say. Also are there OTA packages for the S3 that can be downloaded and patched via recovery?
Anyway.. all the best guys

Thank you sir. You just persuaded me to get a gnex. From the google play store, they are only $400 us. It will be a big upgrade from my samsung captivate (carrier branded galaxy s1)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA

Toad858 said:
Thank you sir. You just persuaded me to get a gnex. From the google play store, they are only $400 us. It will be a big upgrade from my samsung captivate (carrier branded galaxy s1)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA
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So I myself am also making the transition from the gnex to the gs3 and my biggest gripe is the battery on the gnex. In your opinion how much better battery life did you get from the gs3 then you did from the gnex?

I would recommend Mobile ODIN to solve your flashing problem. It lets you download things right to your phone, and it will auto reboot and flash them for you. I grabbed the pro version for 4USD because it auto-downloads any fixes you need.
As far as the Gnex, I am surprised you are not happier moving to your GS3. I had a grey Gnex for about 4 months, and the screen quality, camera, and speaker volume were terrible. I was worried it would be similar on this phone, but all three of those areas seem vastly improved to me.

Galaxy nexus is the best device compared to s3 due to the price, stock ics and on screen navigation
Price is the biggest one for me
I bought galaxy nexus for 27000
S3 price abt 39000
Samsung touch wiz and s voice is a crap.
Except microsd I am happy with the purchase of gnex....
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Toad858 said:
Thank you sir. You just persuaded me to get a gnex. From the google play store, they are only $400 us. It will be a big upgrade from my samsung captivate (carrier branded galaxy s1)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA
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Click to collapse
Don't do it. The screen drains the battery on the GN like there's no tomorrow! Unless you turn the brightness way down...then you can't enjoy the HD screen which defeats the purpose. Also the screen is kind of washed out looking, with everything looking yellowish especially at lower brightness. Also the external speaker on the GN is really low and probably one of the worst I've ever heard on a phone. There's a couple more things but these are my main gripes with the phone. The Screen and speaker are 2 very important features that have to work right on my phone. So I'm selling my basically new GN and getting the GS3 on the 21st.

blackguy101 said:
So I myself am also making the transition from the gnex to the gs3 and my biggest gripe is the battery on the gnex. In your opinion how much better battery life did you get from the gs3 then you did from the gnex?
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Approximately twice the screen on time in my case, from 3 to almost 6 hours screen in time.
Idle consumption is worse on sgs3 due to possible bug but screen on time is what matters the most.
Overall performance is much better, but battery life was the top reason for me to move to sgs3 from gnex.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

Wow so i should just save up my pennnies and get the s3? I know the verizon gnex battery life sucks but the same can be said about the gsm version?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA

Toad858 said:
Wow so i should just save up my pennnies and get the s3? I know the verizon gnex battery life sucks but the same can be said about the gsm version?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA
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Yes the battery life on the GSM sucks monkey balls.

I loved my gnex but it had a few small issues. Wifi has short range, the speaker volume was low and the screens colors were more washed out. Overall the Gnex is still solid and one of the best phones I've had. Got love for gnex.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

I'll be getting rid of my g nexus here as well. I get about 4 hours maybe 4.5 of constant screen time. Standby is really good with franco and aokp but those roms and cm well likely be on the s3 regardless so not much reason to stick with the nexus at this point.
I'm just waiting for the second batch. They are likely running full tilt and the manufacturing will tighten up quality wise on the second + runs.

rdy2go said:
Approximately twice the screen on time in my case, from 3 to almost 6 hours screen in time.
Idle consumption is worse on sgs3 due to possible bug but screen on time is what matters the most.
Overall performance is much better, but battery life was the top reason for me to move to sgs3 from gnex.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
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The fact that you got 3 hours of screen on time amazes me to be honest. I struggle to even get an hour and half and on days that im lucky i get 2. The fact that this thing can get 6 hours screen time wil be heaven to me

Aridon said:
I'm just waiting for the second batch. They are likely running full tilt and the manufacturing will tighten up quality wise on the second + runs.
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Click to collapse
Agreed. Now i have to wait a few months...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA

Would you not just wait for the next nexus?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2

I've just seen so many comments and was shocked by the number ... thought I'd only get one possibly two replies .
Regarding battery life of the GN ... about a month ago I changed network. That made a phenomenal difference in battery life too .... for the better.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

evie12604 said:
Would you not just wait for the next nexus?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2
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Trust me man i considered this already. I have no idea what do... Lol. I like waiting a few months after a phone is released to get all the kinks out
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA

jdlorinser said:
Yes the battery life on the GSM sucks monkey balls.
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What in the world are you people talking about? I get 4 hours screen on time spread out over 40 hours off charger on my gsm gnex. Data on and syncing entire time, 30% brightness.
-Sent from a GSM Galaxy Nexus (RAScream+Trinity).-

Okay guys here is my problem. I got a Play Gnex GSM last month. I have the car dock and pogo landscape dock. The Nexus is my first Android phone. I don't run custom roms and have little interest in modding the device. It is rooted. I play videos and mostly spotify. I was very pissed about the sound volume but have figured that out with Volume+ and finally got the settings I like. As of right now I have no complaints with the phone and love it. I also have the 3800mah and three regular batteries (one original and two qcell non-nfc) so battery issues are not a problem for me. I've never been a hard core gamer on the phone so FPS isn't a concern either. That could change if I got hooked I guess. Also the pogo dock is great. I dock the Nexus and use it as a clock at night. I could do the same with the GS3 but would have to plug a cord in all the time.
To be honest my original intention was to purchase the Nexus then after the GS3 was released give the Nexus to my wife and purchase the GS3. My wife has been using my old iPhone 3g for two years and it's on it's last legs. Not to mention it's jailbroken and Ultrasn0wed for the unlock. It's on 4.01. I'm having second thoughts now. I love the Nexus. On the other hand the GS3 I know is going to be super incredible plus the microsd storage would hold everything I could possibly throw at it. I'm also expecting improved audio from the GS3 as well. I'm okay with the Nexus audio but it doesn't even touch the quality from my two year old iPhone 4.
Should I pass the Nexus on to the wife and get a GS3 or should I wait until the next Google phone comes out and hope it has great specs and pass the Nexus along then? Money isn't that much of a issue at the moment. I already have a 64gb card and plan on selling my iPhone 4 when it's unlocked (as soon as I get the unlock e-mail confirmation from Apple and do a restore, ATT already approved the unlock yesterday). I would be getting the ATT LTE version.
Another option is to use the Nexus and not sell the iPhone but let her use it until the next Google phone comes out then do the rotation.
For those of you that have "upgraded" to the GS3 from the Nexus how many of you would do it again?

lensgrabber said:
Okay guys here is my problem. I got a Play Gnex GSM last month. I have the car dock and pogo landscape dock. The Nexus is my first Android phone. I don't run custom roms and have little interest in modding the device. It is rooted. I play videos and mostly spotify. I was very pissed about the sound volume but have figured that out with Volume+ and finally got the settings I like. As of right now I have no complaints with the phone and love it. I also have the 3800mah and three regular batteries (one original and two qcell non-nfc) so battery issues are not a problem for me. I've never been a hard core gamer on the phone so FPS isn't a concern either. That could change if I got hooked I guess. Also the pogo dock is great. I dock the Nexus and use it as a clock at night. I could do the same with the GS3 but would have to plug a cord in all the time.
To be honest my original intention was to purchase the Nexus then after the GS3 was released give the Nexus to my wife and purchase the GS3. My wife has been using my old iPhone 3g for two years and it's on it's last legs. Not to mention it's jailbroken and Ultrasn0wed for the unlock. It's on 4.01. I'm having second thoughts now. I love the Nexus. On the other hand the GS3 I know is going to be super incredible plus the microsd storage would hold everything I could possibly throw at it. I'm also expecting improved audio from the GS3 as well. I'm okay with the Nexus audio but it doesn't even touch the quality from my two year old iPhone 4.
Should I pass the Nexus on to the wife and get a GS3 or should I wait until the next Google phone comes out and hope it has great specs and pass the Nexus along then? Money isn't that much of a issue at the moment. I already have a 64gb card and plan on selling my iPhone 4 when it's unlocked (as soon as I get the unlock e-mail confirmation from Apple and do a restore, ATT already approved the unlock yesterday). I would be getting the ATT LTE version.
Another option is to use the Nexus and not sell the iPhone but let her use it until the next Google phone comes out then do the rotation.
For those of you that have "upgraded" to the GS3 from the Nexus how many of you would do it again?
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Dude everybody (or most everybody) in this forum is going to be happy with the change. People in the gnex forum will say the upgrade isn't worth it. Play with an s3 and decide for yourself!
-Sent from a GSM Galaxy Nexus (RAScream+Trinity).-

My nexus was nice to hold but the battery just didnt cut it for me. I bought the white one so the extended battery cover was out of the question for me
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

Possibly looking at the GS3, would like some opinions

I have a friend who is letting me use the upgrade on their line at the end of September to get a phone so I can keep my unlimited. As it sits right now I have a Galaxy Nexus. I love the phone but want something with newer tech. I had a few questions though.
The first being battery life of the phone compared to the GNex. I'm not at all satisfied with the performance of the Nexus regarding the battery. I average under 2 hours screen time and medium usage, and that sort of stinks. Since the S3 has the same size battery as my extended I have now, is the batter life good in those regards?
Secondly there are some good looking phones coming down the line. I'm a picky person when it comes to screens. Is the quality good regarding the screen? I have some burn in on my nexus and I don't know how the S3 is. Also, the nexus has an annoying issue where the screen loses sensitivity after a while. Does that happen on the S3 as well?
Would I be better waiting for the Note 2, RAZR maxx HD, or the HTC device or getting the S3?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

Here's my personal opinion;
If you're looking for newer tech, why don't you wait for the new Nexus phone(s) coming around December? The S3 is bound to lag behind upcoming phones because technology is moving really fast.
Since the Galaxy S3 has the same screen as the Galaxy Nexus, it is bound to be affected by screen burns after a year or more. The screen quality is excellent but Super AMOLED screens are prone to burn-ins. The Note 2 has a better screen, in my opinion.
The battery life of the S3 is superb! Really. My friend's Nexus doesn't last long at all whilst my S3 can last for a long time!
Stick with the Nexus for now.

Thanks for the honest responses. I wish more companies would follow HTC and use super LCD2, the screen is awesome and crystal clear. I like the note 2 but I fear it might be just too big.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

Just wait a bit for the optimus g or a bit more for the new nexus. The sg3 is great, but there are going to be a few better choises very soon, at least hardware-wise. Then razr maxx hd looks promising, It might be a good bet considering the google acquisition of moto...

I have never been a fan of LG, they always seem to be lacking. I heard a rumor about the new nexus being the 5 inch phablet from HTC. Not sure how I feel about having a super big phone. I'll have to check out the note 2 to figure out if I could handle it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

chrisjm00 said:
I have never been a fan of LG, they always seem to be lacking. I heard a rumor about the new nexus being the 5 inch phablet from HTC. Not sure how I feel about having a super big phone. I'll have to check out the note 2 to figure out if I could handle it.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
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The razr maxx hd looks nice on videos and articles, but Its a bit thick and has a dual core cpu. Lg makes great hardware, but I've never liked the software and slow updates. There are probably going to be other devices with a s4 pro(quadcore) chip soon I would wait and go for one of those.

SGS3 is awesome... Best phone I ever had (and I had quite a few..).
Battery lasts me all day (just email, browsing & reading newsfeeds), no problem. Screen is nice, no complaints. The S3 is just gorgeous and really speedy. I use mine with a 64GB SD-Card, which is the reason why I passed on the GNex.. I need storage space for movies and music!
Best of all, I hook my S3 up to my 42in flatscreen TV (LG), and the picture is nice and crisp...
Did I already suggest you should get an S3 (Quad core)?
Sure, there will always be better & faster phones coming out, but this one just has everything you (probably) want.
Just one thing I really hate about the S3: the physical 'Home' button. HTC did that better on the Rezound (a crappy phone w/ a nice screen...), even though those morons gave it 4 buttons. - How dumb is that?
I certainly will never get another HTC as long as 'Sense' is around - even though I used to root all my phones and put Custom ROMs (preferably CM) on them anyway...
However, I have to admit that after using Samsung TouchWiz (in JB flavor) for the last 6-8 weeks, I have no desire switching to some always half-broken CM ROM anymore.
With TW, at least, all the features work.. right away!!!
Sent from my rooted GT-I9300 running Samsung's 'leaked' Android 4.1.1/JB [XXDLI7] using xda-developers app (blue)

Isnt there a new HTC one x5 coming out? (seeing as you said you like htc screens, this ones meant to be 5 inches and full 1080p) could be just a rumour but have a look: http://blog.gsmarena.com/the-htc-5-phablet-to-be-the-google-nexus-5/

I am having this phone and after using a store model I found it pretty smooth.

i have to honestly say this phone is amazing. not a single fault with it.
its heavily supported by the community, paranoid android is amazing too. etc etc etc.
but as always, just look at what you need. theres never any point looking for the greatest tech, because another this or that will come along in a month and be the new 'best'.
for me, external SD card was a must, removable battery is always nice, etc etc.
either take the dive and get an S3 which will be a really really solid phone for the next 12 months and probably longer, or wait another 6 and get the next big thing, be it nexus, galaxy, HTC <insert name here>... but just make sure it does what you need (and with the number of custom roms out there, this is becoming more and more flexible)

diz_dizane said:
i have to honestly say this phone is amazing. not a single fault with it.
its heavily supported by the community, paranoid android is amazing too. etc etc etc.
but as always, just look at what you need. theres never any point looking for the greatest tech, because another this or that will come along in a month and be the new 'best'.
for me, external SD card was a must, removable battery is always nice, etc etc.
either take the dive and get an S3 which will be a really really solid phone for the next 12 months and probably longer, or wait another 6 and get the next big thing, be it nexus, galaxy, HTC <insert name here>... but just make sure it does what you need (and with the number of custom roms out there, this is becoming more and more flexible)
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Same here, this phone is great, lots of fun and also needed an SD card and battery I could swap. Nothing worse than arriving somewhere and having to wait for the phone to charge!

I was thinking of jumping from the Sensation 4G with Tmo to the GS3 since they are offering an upgrade 2 months early...I think I will stay with my rooted Sensation a bit longer its awesome anyways but I think Tmo will be getting a new line up before Christmas...Im considering the Note 2 but it may be too big Im not sure yet...just dont wanna waste an upgrade and a month later the lastest and greatest hit the market....
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using xda app-developers app

A lot comes down to personal preference.
Like the first reply said why not wait until december.
I had the Galaxy S3 and I hated it.
Found it very uncomfortable to use. Impossible to operate in one had. I would try it out yourself, i wish i did, its not as smooth as everyone makes out. However, i was advised to do lots of things to it which would have made it smooth like rooting etc (i couldn't be bothered with the hassle of that)
Screen is very good but not as good as other phones and its really bad in sunlight. Almost unusable.
Dont know what battery other people have got but its not very good. You wouldn't get through a day with it thats for sure. Android fans had a tough time over the years with battery but this is an improvement.
Also, the device is not very pretty as others seem to think. Again this is personal preference. Its very plasticy and flimsy. One drop and its dead. Poor build quality.
As you can see my post is very negative due to the experience I had with it. Personally, if your an android fan wait til december.

The opposite of what he ^ said.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

antdawe said:
A lot comes down to personal preference.
Like the first reply said why not wait until december.
I had the Galaxy S3 and I hated it.
Found it very uncomfortable to use. Impossible to operate in one had. I would try it out yourself, i wish i did, its not as smooth as everyone makes out. However, i was advised to do lots of things to it which would have made it smooth like rooting etc (i couldn't be bothered with the hassle of that)
Screen is very good but not as good as other phones and its really bad in sunlight. Almost unusable.
Dont know what battery other people have got but its not very good. You wouldn't get through a day with it thats for sure. Android fans had a tough time over the years with battery but this is an improvement.
Also, the device is not very pretty as others seem to think. Again this is personal preference. Its very plasticy and flimsy. One drop and its dead. Poor build quality.
As you can see my post is very negative due to the experience I had with it. Personally, if your an android fan wait til december.
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An opinion, that most people do not share. I would just wait for the next Nexus or look at what HTC is brining out. Something tells me the new Nexus phone may be a disappointment, I do hope I'm wrong though

[Q] Happy with your Nexus 4?

I'm new to the forums here and I have the HTC One X (ATT) and I've come to hate the lack of support of it and also all of the control ATT has over the updates. So I started looking into the Nexus 4 and just wanted see how satisfied or unsatisfied actual users were with their Nexus 4. So please comment and share your thoughts!

I am satisfied with my Nexus 4. Being using for 2 weeks and it's the best your money can buy.
If storage and glass aren't a big deal, then this phone is the best choice.
PS Ordered the second one on 27th for my bro. I love it SOOO much!

ak700 said:
I am satisfied with my Nexus 4. Being using for 2 weeks and it's the best your money can buy.
If storage and glass aren't a big deal, then this phone is the best choice.
PS Ordered the second one on 27th for my bro. I love it SOOO much!
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Click to collapse
what about the lack of LTE?

andrew.simon said:
what about the lack of LTE?
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When I am in SF for work, I have LTE but I need to use office wifi for tranfer and other stuff. At home, my LTE is soooo slow that I need to use my home wifi.
Bottom Line - I don't need LTE.

ak700 said:
When I am in SF for work, I have LTE but I need to use office wifi for tranfer and other stuff. At home, my LTE is soooo slow that I need to use my home wifi.
Bottom Line - I don't need LTE.
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Click to collapse
Thinking about it now makes me realize that I don't have to have it and Wi-fi really is everywhere. I'm guessing you are on T-Mobile right? So you purchased at a discount?

andrew.simon said:
Thinking about it now makes me realize that I don't have to have it and Wi-fi really is everywhere. I'm guessing you are on T-Mobile right? So you purchased at a discount?
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No I order through the Play store and use tmobile pre-paid's $30 plan. Works for me. I also have Sprint, which my family uses.

Love my nexus 4... Official cm10. Official PA. official AOKP. Franco and Faux kernels...
Gorgeous 768p IPS. Luxury feel in the hand. Amazingly slick curved display (defiantly don't want to drop this phone)
Meh camera (still great though, just not exciting) and some thermal throttling (being worked on)...
Lte is a non issue as hspa± is plenty fast. I mean, it loads YouTube, music, xda all instantly. Its not like we are doing real time video games and 1080p video streaming (just runs down my data plan quicker)
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

elliot.newnham said:
Love my nexus 4... Official cm10. Official PA. official AOKP. Franco and Faux kernels...
Gorgeous 768p IPS. Luxury feel in the hand. Amazingly slick curved display (defiantly don't want to drop this phone)
Meh camera (still great though, just not exciting) and some thermal throttling (being worked on)...
Lte is a non issue as hspa± is plenty fast. I mean, it loads YouTube, music, xda all instantly. Its not like we are doing real time video games and 1080p video streaming (just runs down my data plan quicker)
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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You really make some valid points. Camera on my HTC One X is nothing crazy either. (pretty sure they have the same specs?) I'd also like to get into modding my phone and I think the Nexus would make it easy but I honestly have no idea what I would be doing. Hahaha. How do I learn more about it because I'm a complete newb.

Awesome phone, I completely love it. Don't need LTE either. External SD would have made this phone too good to be true.

Got it on the 19th, being a pig in mud since.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

BruceCLin said:
Got it on the 19th, being a pig in mud since.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
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Haha. Love the metaphor! :good: I can see everyone loves their Nexus that's for sure!

andrew.simon said:
I'm new to the forums here and I have the HTC One X (ATT) and I've come to hate the lack of support of it and also all of the control ATT has over the updates. So I started looking into the Nexus 4 and just wanted see how satisfied or unsatisfied actual users were with their Nexus 4. So please comment and share your thoughts!
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Click to collapse
I got the N4 in the mail the Monday after it came out. I too am coming from the AT&T HTC One X. I used the N4 for about a week straight before deciding to break out the ol' One X (just for a change of pace). Quite frankly, it would be hard for me to give up the N4 for the HOX now.
The HOX is a great phone, but the N4 just makes it feel slow in comparison. Maybe I'm spoiled by the speed of the N4, but I just felt like I had to wait forever to do basic things on the One X (running the latest ViperROM, btw). The HOX has better battery life, for sure, and the camera is better. I miss those two things the most. The HOX still has the best screen out there (other than the Droid DNA), but the N4 really isn't far behind. Once a few color control apps come out for the N4, my guess is that I won't really miss the screen as much. For what it's worth, I forgot just how big the HOX's screen is. When they say 4.7", they mean it. The N4 has a 4.7" screen too, but it's probably more like a 4.5" once the on-screen buttons are considered. But the additional width is really nice and almost makes up for it. I don't have LTE anywhere near me where I live, so that's irrelevant to me. I don't travel much either.
Here's my summary.
HTC One X:
- slightly better, arguably bigger screen
- better battery
- better camera (in terms of picture quality; the software is on par with the N4)
- smaller development community, although they're doing a great job imo
- poor multitasking on Sense roms (works fine on AOSP roms)
N4:
- stock Android
- blazes through any task you throw at it
- AT&T doesn't control your phone
- easier to root, flash roms, kernels, etc.
- future proof with quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM
I am fully satisfied with my Nexus 4. I love my One X, but I will not be going back to it any time soon, most likely.

I've actually been with the iPhone since the 3GS when I came into the smartphone world. I read up about this and decided to give it a try from the 4S I was using, and I'm really enjoying the Nexus 4.
I'm still a bit apprehensive to give up iOS since I've been with it for so long--still haven't sold my 4S--but I have a feeling I'll be sticking with this phone for a while. The larger screen real-estate is also much nicer to have in general. I'm torn!

Zaimojin said:
I've actually been with the iPhone since the 3GS when I came into the smartphone world. I read up about this and decided to give it a try from the 4S I was using, and I'm really enjoying the Nexus 4.
I'm still a bit apprehensive to give up iOS since I've been with it for so long--still haven't sold my 4S--but I have a feeling I'll be sticking with this phone for a while. The larger screen real-estate is also much nicer to have in general. I'm torn!
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Click to collapse
I feel like you and me are one in the same! The only thing I do miss is the amount of iPhone users. All my friends and family have one... Which makes me miss iMessage and group texting :/

You are on the forums and mentioned your problems with the 1X community's lack of activity.
I like the screen, but other phones have better screens which are also better calibrated. I like the camera, but indoor photos have very inaccurate white balance.
Connectivity is good (I'm using a $10 MEdia Net plan from AT&T and have used over 2GB every month and one month even went over 12GB cause my Internet was out), and I'm getting 500KB/s average (~4Mbps). Battery life is also good; I get about a day of moderate use and 6-7 hours of literally constant, active use. I am really hurting from the lack of storage as I do a lot of reporting and don't always have time to transfer the interview recordings. I do a lot of work away from a PC and need to be able to quickly seek tracks, so I have to keep he audio on internal memory.
By most people's standard, I'm very careful with my phone. I consider my usage to be of common sense and responsible practice. The Gorilla Glass is very scratch resistant, but I'm sure a few encounters with silicate and a hard surface would leave a mark.
But really, all of these things pale in comparison to one criterion: the development community. I came from a Galaxy S and the community was amazing. Though the HP Touch Pad was well known, it apparently wasn't popular enough to garner a lot of dev support and those forums are fairly sparse.
By getting a Nexus phone, you know that the every dev is prioritizing your phone over any other model they might be working on as well. Cyanogen posted. AOKP posted. Moles posted. These are the respective heads of the three best teams this community has to offer. Check their post history. They don't appear in too many other phones' forums; they usually have teammates do that. But for the Nexus 4, they want to be the ones posting. That says a lot.
And a lot of other devs know this about the community heads' devotion to the newest Nexus model. They are locked in to a N4 for the major dev support, but will also provide their own amateur, but very valuable, contributions as well.
I'm sure the 1X is a great phone. I'm sure the 1X+ is a great phone. Same goes for the DNA, Optimus G, and other leading smartphones out there. But the N4 attracts the biggest development teams, and in turn attracts smaller developers. It kind of feeds on itself, with regard to popularity. None of these other phones have so much 3rd party support going on for them.
So, if you are looking for the absolute best hardware, maybe you should keep looking (keep the N4 in mind, though). If you're looking for flexibility, know that your stuck with one battery on the road and can't expand the meager storage provided. But if your looking for ROMs, kernels, and tweaks that let you customize the phone exactly how you want it, and maximize the potential of the hardware, then look no further.
The Nexus 4 subforums are truly the promised land.

Hung0702 said:
You are on the forums and mentioned your problems with the 1X community's lack of activity.
I like the screen, but other phones have better screens which are also better calibrated. I like the camera, but indoor photos have very inaccurate white balance.
Connectivity is good (I'm using a $10 MediaNET plan from AT&T and have used over 2GB every month and one month even went over 12GB cause my Internet was out), and I'm getting 500KB/s average (~4Mbps). Battery life is also good; I get about a day of moderate use and 6-7 hours of literally constant, active use. I am really hurting from the lack of storage as I do a lot of reporting and don't always have time to transfer the interview recordings. I do a lot of work away from a PC and need to be able to quickly seek tracks, so I have to keep he audio on internal memory.
By most people's standard, I'm very careful with my phone. I consider my usage to be of common sense and responsible practice. The Gorilla Glass is very scratch resistant, but I'm sure a few encounters with silicate and a hard surface would leave a mark.
But really, all of these things pale in comparison to one criterion: the development community. I came from a Galaxy S and the community was amazing. Though the HP Touch Pad was well known, it apparently wasn't popular enough to garner a lot of dev support and those forums are fairly sparse.
By getting a Nexus phone, you know that the every dev is prioritizing your phone over any other model they might be working on as well. Cyanogen posted. AOKP posted. Moles posted. These are the respective heads of the three best teams this community has to offer. Check their post history. They don't appear in too many other phones' forums; they usually have teammates do that. But for the Nexus 4, they want to be the ones posting. That says a lot.
And a lot of other devs know this about the community heads' devotion to the newest Nexus model. They are locked in to a N4 for the major dev support, but will also provide their own amateur, but very valuable, contributions as well.
I'm sure the 1X is a great phone. I'm sure the 1X+ is a great phone. Same goes for the DNA, Optimus G, and other leading smartphones out there. But the N4 attracts the biggest development teams, and in turn attracts smaller developers. It kind of feeds on itself, with regard to popularity. None of these other phones have so much 3rd party support going on for them.
So, if you are looking for the absolute best hardware, maybe you should keep looking (keep the N4 in mind, though). If you're looking for flexibility, know that your stuck with one battery on the road and can't expand the meager storage provided. But if your looking for ROMs, kernels, and tweaks that let you customize the phone exactly how you want it, and maximize the potential of the hardware, then look no further.
The Nexus 4 subforums are truly the promised land.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't have said it better. The best devs are working on this phone (provided if they could get one) and that is the exciting part of Nexus4. Trumps all other phones out there.
It might seem very complicated at once if you are not familiar with Android, but it's actually quite simple. And people are always there to help. I'm looking forward to at least 1 great year with this phone.
==========
And the fact that I am the only one I know are using it makes it super cool. I have several friends who know of N4 but didn't purchase one all liked the phone after I showed them. Their impression was the speed and the screen.
A friend asked me to purchase an iPhone for him since I'm going back to China soon. While in Apple Store, I took out my phone and google talk'ed with him. I can't help but notice the "Genius" looking at me. :laugh: And signing on that 3.5' tiny screen is just ridiculous. I paid half the price for what he is gonna pay for that piece of gadget, but I don't even have the desire to try out the iPhone 5 in their store.

When I got my N4 I was stunned at the slim look and mild colors. I wasn't sure if I'd like it after being on an SGS2 for over a year. I've gotten to where I really love everything about the phone, except the signal.. It sucks.
I can hold the phone next to my Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 10.1 and where I would normally get full bars of Wifi signal, I get 1 bar if I am lucky. The cellular signal is terrible as well. Living in Florida with hurricane glass and Double block walls - my SGS2 got really good signal, this thing is just garbage. If you rely on good signal, its not for you..
The touch sensitivity on the on-screen buttons at the lower portion of the phone seem to be not so great, other than that and the signal issues everything else is excellent..

I'm very happy with my 8GB
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Like you, I previously owned a at&t htc one x as well. I ordered my nexus 4 on the 13th and have been using it for a couple of weeks now. Since then, I have sold my htc one x.
to be completely honest, i have to say i liked the camera and screen combination of the htc one x better. Colors on the htc one x were brilliant and vivid, while the nexus 4 screen seemed to look dull. this is all personal preference, but i prefer the 'over-saturated' look.
speed on the nexus 4 is a lot faster compared to sense, but when i had cm10 on my htc one x it wasnt a slouch either.
in terms of aesthetics, they are both beautiful in their own ways. i quite liked the htc's design, but i agree on the lack of support, with the nexus you are guaranteed at least a couple of updates, (just look at the nexus s, got 4.1)
here's my advice to you: as nice as the nexus 4 is, if there is nothing wrong with you htc one x, dont upgrade. If you want jellybean 4.2 and dont want to wait for the update, root your HOX and put cm10 on it.
I was able to sell my HOX for $260 and my nexus 4 was $340 after taxes/shipping.

I for one am very happy with my Gnex4...Ive had every phone that came out this year...just sold my note 2 which was a pure beast if I must say but this nexus have a more snappier feeling as far as speed and etc...plus development is going crazy for this phone which is a big +....but overall this is the best phone on the market hands down...with the note 2 very close behind...

[Q] Nexus 4 - Am I making a mistake?

I am an avid fan of the Samsung S series of phones. I've had a few and to date think the S3 is the best they've done so far (S4 notwithstanding). But, I love the Google Nexus series of phones and have owned one, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. I purchased the Nexus 4 on Saturday from Google and I cannot wait to get it. I love the bareness of the Nexus line. I love Android in its stock form. Thing is, I'm going from one of the best selling phones to a midlevel device. Am I making a mistake doing this? What am I loosing? Currently, we do have LTE in our area but it's sucking the heck out of my battery on the S3 so I'm not concerned if the N4 has no LTE. Am I gaining anything from going to the N4? Is the camera good enough? What about the sound on it - it sucked moose butt on the SGN!
I'm hoping for some comments and opinions that will help me in evaluating this latest purchase and what to expect. Thanks guys:good:

Mid-level? You do realize a quad core chip and 2gb of ram make this a high-level device as for lte I personally don't use it and camera is better then the galaxy nexus but isn't the best obviously for the price speakers do fine as well
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Wait until the 15th this month, there is a revised Nexus 4 to be released that should support full LTE, 32 GB of storage and maybe other upgrades. For the current one i`am very happy with it, the camera is a bit less than in the S3, but the cpu and gpu are much better. The screen is fantastic, bright, crisp and a good vieuwing angles. For me it is an upgrade compared to the S3 or even the S4 (wich i`am gona skip for sure). The N4 has no bloatware and great development. And for a very good price.
BTW the N4 is not mid level

Crap...I shoulda waited. I forgot about the LTE version coming out! Oh wells...it's already paid for. Has LG stepped it up on the Nexus line? I've never been a fan of them but in my opinion, Google wouldn't brand their phone if it wasn't any good. As good as the S3 is, it feels slow opening stuff sometimes even with a fresh factory refresh. It's got some good internals so it makes no sense why it does this...this always bugged me. It wasn't a deal breaker as the camera on this phone is sick! Great picture quality on it.

can6rxw said:
Crap...I shoulda waited. I forgot about the LTE version coming out! Oh wells...it's already paid for. Has LG stepped it up on the Nexus line? I've never been a fan of them but in my opinion, Google wouldn't brand their phone if it wasn't any good. As good as the S3 is, it feels slow opening stuff sometimes even with a fresh factory refresh. It's got some good internals so it makes no sense why it does this...this always bugged me. It wasn't a deal breaker as the camera on this phone is sick! Great picture quality on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The internal storage of the Galaxy S4 is 16GB and 7GB is for the OS and lots and lots of gimmicks/bloatware/crap. 9GB available for the user We on the N4 have about 13GB left.

I don't think branding the N4 as a mid level device is correct or at least in my opinion. Perhaps it's the price tag that makes it "mid level" or whatever the reason is, the Nexus 4 is more of a high end device for cheap.
I bought a brand new GS3 from a friend a few weeks ago and I don't like it anymore. It was a good idea I didn't get it last year when it came out. I'm gonna sell it...
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, the N4 is a high-end phone for a mid-range price. Absolute bargain.
Sent from my Nexus 4

Its odd the “mid range" stigma that's put on the N4 by average consumer, even here at xda. I've seen hundreds of post from various forums or sites in the comments with people calling it that and ironically they are Galaxy users who usually say things like this poster also did about the UI being sluggish while confidently calling the S a high end device lol. OP glad you got the N4, you'll be more than satisfied I believe, you'll read a bunch of complaints on here, but like absolutely any other phone available if you read enough threads on here people will have funky devices or just nit picky problems. UI is awesome, storage is pretty sufficient, OS barely uses any space, I have probably 1000 pics, 30 albums and maybe 50 apps including CSR Racing which is large and have about 4.5gigs free. Lacking LTE maybe an issue for some, but honestly I think it becomes a feature option issue for most, the inability to claim LTE rights amongst other phone users lol, I'm on T-Mobile and live in Philadelphia, my data is always fast, in most real world scenarios as fast as my boys DNA, and as fast as my brother in laws S3 on AT&T. Camera is another issue for some, not for others, look on the pic from n4 thread, when you work at it, the phone is capable of taking some amazing shots, on the fly pull your phone out and snap can be hit or miss but why some people expect or even need their phone to be art gallery worthy pics I don't know lol. Speaker, is well a speaker, I can hear when I need to, but all this talk of the HTC having "boom" sound and dual speakers for what? If I wanna host a mini rave with my phone? Lol I just don't see the real world use for it. Summing it up, everyone that has touched my N4 since I got it, users of iPhone, S phones and even my cousin who still won't let BlackBerry die has loved this phone after spending as little as 10 minutes with it. Feels great in the hand, UI is always snappy, screen is crisp.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Great replies everyone...thank you. I've read a lot of reviews and such and most of them calls the N4 a midrange phone. In my opinion, they do it based on the price and public (uninformed) preception. I used the same phrase here based on these although loving stock android like I do, I'd be calling it high end. The Camera for me is a nice addition because working as a tech for UPS, I travel around some and get to see the sights along the way. In doing so, it's nice to have a quality camera onhand to take some pictures of where I've been. I don't always take a "camera" as I travel light so having a quality one with me is very handy, which is why I ask what the quality is on the N4. I've read a lot on XDA and seen some pics and it is hit and miss from what I see but a definate upgrage from the SGN.
I've read a lot about the back breaking/cracking. I'm thinking it's a good idea to get a sheild for the back at least. I've never been a fan of putting one on the front as I like the smooth feeling while sliding/swyping.

can6rxw said:
Great replies everyone...thank you. I've read a lot of reviews and such and most of them calls the N4 a midrange phone. In my opinion, they do it based on the price and public (uninformed) preception. I used the same phrase here based on these although loving stock android like I do, I'd be calling it high end. The Camera for me is a nice addition because working as a tech for UPS, I travel around some and get to see the sights along the way. In doing so, it's nice to have a quality camera onhand to take some pictures of where I've been. I don't always take a "camera" as I travel light so having a quality one with me is very handy, which is why I ask what the quality is on the N4. I've read a lot on XDA and seen some pics and it is hit and miss from what I see but a definate upgrage from the SGN.
I've read a lot about the back breaking/cracking. I'm thinking it's a good idea to get a sheild for the back at least. I've never been a fan of putting one on the front as I like the smooth feeling while sliding/swyping.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd agree with putting on a back glass protector. If anything the Nexus is a more high-end phone than the S3 tbh, the S4 Pro trumps the Exynos; 2GB RAM > 1, the screen is at a higher resolution and the build feels more premium than the S3. The only reason it's sometimes called a mid range phone is because of the price. There also seems to be a lot of hate for it on the internet though, which is odd because everyone I know who has one likes it. I think that it's only because loads of people wanted one but had huge delays when ordering it.

A case will provide more protection than a back protector.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Slim but tough is what I'd want in a case. Know which is best?

scream4cheese said:
A case will provide more protection than a back protector.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, but I want the back exposed for a little bit.

can6rxw said:
True, but I want the back exposed for a little bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then take the Rearth Ringke Fusion Case. Have it myself and i think its great. Not bulky, good grip and protection and clear back.

gee2012 said:
Then take the Rearth Ringke Fusion Case. Have it myself and i think its great. Not bulky, good grip and protection and clear back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have that case. As a matter of fact I have so many cases for this phone that I only use my diztronic case. Lol.

scream4cheese said:
I have that case. As a matter of fact I have so many cases for this phone that I only use my diztronic case. Lol.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There`s not much choice in cases for the N4 in the Netherlands and ordered it in the UK. Do you have the XDA case also?

gee2012 said:
There`s not much choice in cases for the N4 in the Netherlands and ordered it in the UK. Do you have the XDA case also?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have the XDA case. I don't like the color and design.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
---------- Post added at 11:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:17 AM ----------
can6rxw said:
True, but I want the back exposed for a little bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want the rearth ringke fusion case I can give it to you for free if you live in the U.S. I don't need it. It's just sitting in my desk drawer not being used.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Just because a gs3/4 is over $500 doesn't make it a high end device, calling the nexus 4 a mid range device is ignorance, and yes the nexus 4 beats both
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

androidfoshizzle said:
Just because a gs3/4 is over $500 doesn't make it a high end device, calling the nexus 4 a mid range device is ignorance, and yes the nexus 4 beats both
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The S4 is 850-900 USD in the Netherlands off contract

androidfoshizzle said:
Just because a gs3/4 is over $500 doesn't make it a high end device, calling the nexus 4 a mid range device is ignorance, and yes the nexus 4 beats both
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well either way the S3/S4 are high-end devices. I doubt the Nexus 4 beats the both devices. The S4 has a newer CPU and it's software features are awesome in my opinion.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Anyone else thinking of returning theirs?

I have had my t-mobile note 3 for 2 days now and I have to say its nice, but its not so much nicer than my note 2 that I need to pay 708$ The s pen sensitivity is pretty crappy on the bottom half of the screen and the build quality seems pretty cheap to me. Its constantly popping or creaking as I type or just handle it. Dont get me wrong, its a nice phone.....I was just curious if there were any other note 2 owners out there thinking about taking it back before the 14 days is up.

I paid $300 for my AT&T version, so I'm not as far in the hole as you, but I'm loving this phone
I'm also coming from an HTC One, not a note 2
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app

DefiantMenace said:
I have had my t-mobile note 3 for 2 days now and I have to say its nice, but its not so much nicer than my note 2 that I need to pay 708$ The s pen sensitivity is pretty crappy on the bottom half of the screen and the build quality seems pretty cheap to me. Its constantly popping or creaking as I type or just handle it. Dont get me wrong, its a nice phone.....I was just curious if there were any other note 2 owners out there thinking about taking it back before the 14 days is up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe you have a defective device? I played with the AT&T's floor model and found the spen extremely responsive. also I didn't get the whole popping/creaking feel to it. If you like it enough try to return it for another, if not then return it for your cash and grab your GN2 and put her back to work

for 300 I think I too would probably keep it hahaha

SgtGoldy said:
Maybe you have a defective device? I played with the AT&T's floor model and found the spen extremely responsive. also I didn't get the whole popping/creaking feel to it. If you like it enough try to return it for another, if not then return it for your cash and grab your GN2 and put her back to work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am going to keep it a few more days, like I said its a really nice phone but its not substantially nicer than the note 2, I dont think its enough to justify the rather HEFTY price. At least not for me. 95% sure its going back.

DefiantMenace said:
I am going to keep it a few more days, like I said its a really nice phone but its not substantially nicer than the note 2, I dont think its enough to justify the rather HEFTY price. At least not for me. 95% sure its going back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At over 7bills I can't blame you. I would have to be 110% happy with it to keep it.

My only real concern is the regional lock that is the subject of many posts here at XDA.
I have not experienced any of the problems you mention and it seems silky smooth and fast compared with my Note 2. There are some software glitches that I'm sure will be sorted out soon but the increased performance, better display, 32 GB, wireless ac and increased internal memory means I will be keeping mine.
I will still be keeping my eye on the forthcoming Nexus 5 and HTC One Max but neither are likely to have a microsd slot and a removable battery.
If something better comes along, I'm pretty sure there will be a good second hand value on the Note3 anyway.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk 4

SgtGoldy said:
At over 7bills I can't blame you. I would have to be 110% happy with it to keep it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have the note 2 now? I am really interested to hear what others who made the leap from the note 2 are thinking. I think if I was coming from like an s3 or anything else I wouldnt be having second thoughts

DefiantMenace said:
Do you have the note 2 now? I am really interested to hear what others who made the leap from the note 2 are thinking. I think if I was coming from like an s3 or anything else I wouldnt be having second thoughts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No Sir, first galaxy device. I'm coming from the worst phone I've ever owned so anything will be better :laugh:

htc6500uk said:
My only real concern is the regional lock that is the subject of many posts here at XDA.
I have not experienced any of the problems you mention and it seems silky smooth and fast compared with my Note 2. There are some software glitches that I'm sure will be sorted out soon but the increased performance, better display, 32 GB, wireless ac and increased internal memory means I will be keeping mine.
I will still be keeping my eye on the forthcoming Nexus 5 and HTC One Max but neither are likely to have a microsd slot and a removable battery.
If something better comes along, I'm pretty sure there will be a good second hand value on the Note3 anyway.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine is pretty smooth as well, one of my complaints with the note 2 is gallery load time. I have picassa and dropbox synced in gallery and it takes forever to load. I figured the note three would not have this issue because of the difference in specs but it still does, not to the extent of the note 2 but it still has some chop to it. Also whenever I am sending a text and another text is coming in it will have the slightest delay, again way better than the 2 but still present, which also is a bit of a bummer.

I'm considering returning mine before the 14 day window is up, especially if a root solution isn't found soon (AT&T). I think I'll end up waiting for the Nexus to be released and then decide which I'd rather have.

SgtGoldy said:
No Sir, first galaxy device. I'm coming from the worst phone I've ever owned so anything will be better :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I think you will be really happy, fyi movies on this screen are especially brilliant, I mean WOW!

DefiantMenace said:
Well I think you will be really happy, fyi movies on this screen are especially brilliant, I mean WOW!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I constantly watch movies, play games, and torrent just about everything in the world :laugh:. Thats the whole reason I'm going with the Note 3. I'm tired of lugging a tablet around to the Car Detailers, Work, When I'm at my sons school waiting for him, doctors office (only if my wife is there so I can stash it away in her purse), anywhere that I have down time pretty much lol

munnarg said:
I'm considering returning mine before the 14 day window is up, especially if a root solution isn't found soon (AT&T). I think I'll end up waiting for the Nexus to be released and then decide which I'd rather have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you come from a note 2? I never root my phones, I used to....used custom roms...but every single time that something really cool was happening and I needed the camera or just anything really the Fu*&ing phone would freeze and or not work and need a restart. Just gave up on custom, now I just disable the crap I dont use and press on LOL

SgtGoldy said:
I constantly watch movies, play games, and torrent just about everything in the world :laugh:. Thats the whole reason I'm going with the Note 3. I'm tired of lugging a tablet around to the Car Detailers, Work, When I'm at my sons school waiting for him, doctors office (only if my wife is there so I can stash it away in her purse), anywhere that I have down time pretty much lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cant tell any difference on Netflix, however high resolution movies that I have put on there look fantastic. I too torrent just about everything, the Utorrent app and pirate bay browser work quite well on it, just fyi.

I came from a VZ Note 2. I am on T-Mobile now for the Note 3. I just received my second Note 3 today, and the build quality far surpasses the first one I received. No gaps between the bezel and screen, plus the home button isn't super loose. This one was for another family member, but after seeing the discrepancies, I called T-Mo for a replacement for my first Note 3. That one should be here Tuesday. For the price I think Samsung should have some better QC. I hope I get lucky with the replacement or I'm keeping this well built Note 3 I got today, I paid for it...
Note 2 was excellent, but I am bored with it. Pure and simple. I use my phone a ton and it is always with me. If I am going to splurge on one thing, it might as well be my phone.

I got my N3 yesterday and have spent a full day setting it up exactly like my N2 it's replacing. I'm a heavy productivity user and actually buy Note's for all their s/w features. I have 131 apps installed on my device and have about 10 push(ish) syncs going at all times. I'm kind of a power user.
The N3 runs circles around the N2 in every conceivable way. I'll post a full comparison in the N2 vs. N3 thread after I've used the N3 for a few days the way I previously used the N2.
Here's some early observations:
You can use S Voice while the phone's locked. So with the phone sitting on my desk I can have it open the dialer, e-mail, messaging, or contacts by voice so it's ready to use when I pick it up.
Bluetooth audio output is friggin amazing. The N2 was significantly better than my ex-One X but the N3's separation, clarity, and depth played over my high-end(ish) car audio system is so superior as to make it seem as if I was listening to "mono" audio before.
The capacitive buttons working with the stylus is almost worth the price of the upgrade. And the N3 is the first device I've ever used that finally allows you to use voice commands (Google Now, S Voice) while connected via A2DP. I have no idea why it was so hard previously but that and 100% interface control with the stylus is enough for me never to look back at the N2.
The multiple page lock screens are pretty cool too. It's amazing how much you can control and access without having to unlock the phone.
Going from the N3's display back to the N2 makes the latter's look downright cloudy and dingy. Auto brightness on the N3 is significantly brighter than the N2's as is max brightness. Reading the display in bright sun is a joy. It helps that Samsung finally moved away from black and teal for their stock apps.
Battery life is impressive; far better than the N2's and charging speed is remarkable.
The rectangular shape with a flat textured back makes it so much easier to hold; especially in landscape. And the speaker everyone's been *****ing about is plenty loud and even louder than the N2's in certain situations because being bottom (vs. rear) mounted ensures it won't be covered up if you lay it flat or hold it in your left hand vertically or right hand horizontally. The N2 feels a generation behind the N3 physically when you move back to it from the N3. The N3 feels like a serious mobile device where the "designed by nature" ovoid shape of N2 seems a bit tired in comparison. But obviously that' subjective.
There's no discernible lag even with all the crap I have loaded on my N3 where the N2 stuttered occasionally (not its fault; mine).
To each their own but I'm pretty shocked at how much more advanced the N3 is over the N2 in pretty much every area I care about. My Gear arrives Monday so I’ll have even more kit to play with.
As for people like OP, I don't know what to say. I think people have different expectations based on how much they use their device to accomplish. To plays some games, browse, listen to music, and update social it doesn't really matter what high-end device you use because they'll all be competemt. I use my devices hard and can't imagine anything coming close to the N3. And I loved my N2 and said the same thing about it but it's totally eclipsed by the N3.

Came from Sprint Note 2. Um... Not really a big difference. BUT.... I like new gadgets. If I didn't feel as if I had to have the N3 I would have stuck with the note 2. Very expensive phone and accessories make it hard to stomach..I agree.
Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk 2

I ended up selling mine and getting the HTC Butterfly S. Overall I didn't care for touchwiz and it's hardware button layout. I just really wasn't feeling the phone. I'm back using my Nexus 4 until my Butterfly arrives and I still prefer the N4 over my time with the Note 3. I think I will stay clear of all future Samsung devices.

Ehh to each it's own. I'm coming from a note 2 and a iPhone 5s, so I'm literally in love with this thing.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk 4