Strong and weak sides of N4 - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello all users of this beautifull phone from LG, i want to ask You (like in my signature, cause i want to get this phone) about good and bad sides of this phone.
Could You write what is the best and some examples or comparison to other phones and what is wrong wit this phone. The most problems with hardware (in my desire volume up and down are broken), how about back panel glass? Screen is good if we use it on sunny day? I mean if sun is over screen. How looks like overheating? It is all time? What is a battery drain? What is Your average or record in use, 1 day? 3 days max? How about lags in use?
Need to know from experienced users and newbie, also need little infi from people which use stock rom or custom.
Please help me a little, i am going to collect money for this phone - but for me it is a looong way.
Please give Your opinion, good and bad things. If You can write so much as You want to share. Thanks man! Or girl!
Ps. Can't find one topic of review, there are two topics about q&a or questions, but they are too big and hard to find info or opinions and comparisons This topic is a mix, if You find another please link here to all posts about questions. Thank You again. Best regards.
//just sent via tapatalk

Since it's almost entirely positive, I'll only list the major negatives that I can think of right now:
-Bad camera
-Screen has poor out of the box colours
-Overheating for some
-Back glass is easily breakable
-Speaker quality isn't great
I can't really think of any other negatives (definitely none that affect me at least) and everything else about this device is a positive. The screen calibration and overheating can easily be fixed with custom ROMs/kernels and the glass with a case. The camera and speakers you can learn to live with (especially given the ridiculous price).

With a nexus line, you're bound to experience android at its best (guaranteed updates, etc).
some of the cons are obvious but aren't devastating.
- Camera (doesn't compete with HTC One/S4/Iphone, but still gets the job done great)
- design, it's all glass back and front. REALLY FRAGILE. (recently just dropped it from about 1ft and have a crack running across. Now i can't use half the screen)
- speaker ( for me its positioning too, the way its implemented when lying on its back, the sound is really distorted/blocked)

Think the cons are mentioned above.
Small note for the speaker: they made a design change to make this better.
First version (I have) is really bad, speaker is on the back and if you place it on a table it is 100% blocked. Newer version has two small dots on the back, so if you place it on a table it isn't fully blocked anymore.
Further these dots will make it have more grip. First version is very smooth so slides away easily.
Search in google for 'nexus 4 small design change'

elpino.rv said:
Think the cons are mentioned above.
Small note for the speaker: they made a design change to make this better.
First version (I have) is really bad, speaker is on the back and if you place it on a table it is 100% blocked. Newer version has two small dots on the back, so if you place it on a table it isn't fully blocked anymore.
Further these dots will make it have more grip. First version is very smooth so slides away easily.
Search in google for 'nexus 4 small design change'
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for Your info, but how to check which version is "young?". There is 2 version of Nexus 4 and differences between old and news it is a two dots on the back panel? It is visual change not hardware etc. If i check the phone and saw 2 dots it is the most fresh version of the phone?
Ps. Please guys give Your opinion here, i am looking for perfect phone hehe and also try to collect money - maybe for You it is really easy but not for me. Thanks for Your help.
just sent via tapatalk

CONS
- Screen Colours are off - This can be solved via screen calibration
- Overheating issues; in my experience the phone gets pretty toasty even when doing simple tasks. But I never had any shutdowns due to overheating . The highest temp I got to was 45C( 113F)
- Quality issues; several friends who own Nexus 4 had theirs exchanged due to screen problems such as light bleed and discoloration
- The Glass construction in pretty fragile, especially the back( Never dropped mine though)
- The Speaker is utterly horrid, the sound being weak and tinny. My old iPod Touch 4th gen has a better inbuilt speaker.
- The Camera compared to other phones is subpar (according to the photography nerds- honestly the camera is good enough for me though)
- Lacks native LTE support( Although there is a hack to get it back if HSPA+ is not fast enough for you)
PROS
- Vanilla Android - No crapware, skins or carrier junk
- Latest Updates (running 4.3 while most of the poor sods with their HTC Ones have 4.1.2)
- Easily unlockable bootloader; almost impossible to brick(unless you mess with the bootloader)
- Dirt cheap when looking at the specs.
- S4 Pro Quad which is still pretty beast with the Adreno 320 GPU
- Google Play customer service is excellent(in my experience at least)
- Most Custom ROMs based on AOSP run most smoothly and first support the Nexus 4.
- Seems like all of the devs and senior members on XDA own Nexus 4s,so it won't be hard to get support.
- Curved screen- feels awesome when you use it

kabini said:
(according to the photography nerds- honestly the camera is good enough for me though)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THIS. I suspect it'll actually be good enough for most people since they use the camera only for photos on social networks/snapchat.

Related

Buying the Nexus 4...?

Hi there!
I currently have the Galaxy Nexus and looking to replace it with the Nexus 4. I have tried the phone several times in shops, read reviews and seen the hundreds of videos on Youtube and have noticed some negative things that might affect my purchase like:
1. Short battery life - even at 2100mAh and with minimal usage it still doesn't quite last for a whole day even on standby.
2. A not-so sharp screen - using this so-called "grey screen" test it was shown to be weaker than the previous-gen Galaxy Nexus
3. Wifi bugs - again when the phone is held in a specific way the wifi signal becomes affected
4. Muffled incoming calls
5. Frequency distortions when a headphone is connected
6. Weak & tiny speakers sound (just like Galaxy Nexus)
7. Very poor speaker grill placement
8. An "average" camera photos
Aside from the hardware issue has the other issues been resolved via software updates? And is Google aware of these issues?
We all know the wonderful and powerful specs (and OS) the Nexus 4 has but these issues seems to be on my head.
Please advice. Thanks.
gino_76ph said:
Hi there!
I currently have the Galaxy Nexus and looking to replace it with the Nexus 4. I have tried the phone several times in shops, read reviews and seen the hundreds of videos on Youtube and have noticed some negative things that might affect my purchase like:
1. Short battery life - even at 2100mAh and with minimal usage it still doesn't quite last for a whole day even on standby.
2. A not-so sharp screen - using this so-called "grey screen" test it was shown to be weaker than the previous-gen Galaxy Nexus
3. Wifi bugs - again when the phone is held in a specific way the wifi signal becomes affected
4. Muffled incoming calls
5. Frequency distortions when a headphone is connected
6. Weak & tiny speakers sound (just like Galaxy Nexus)
7. Very poor speaker grill placement
8. An "average" camera photos
Aside from the hardware issue has the other issues been resolved via software updates? And is Google aware of these issues?
We all know the wonderful and powerful specs (and OS) the Nexus 4 has but these issues seems to be on my head.
Please advice. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. My battery life is great.
2. I LOVE the screen. If you're used to amoled you may not, since amoled is as ugly as sin.
3. My WiFi always work great, sooo?
4. The hell? It sounds fine.
5. If it's there, I haven't noticed.
6 and 7 are linked in my opinion. One causes the other. I have zero issue with the earpiece.
8. The galaxy nexus had an "average camera" too. You can't sell a phone with this kind of hardware at this price and have the best of everything. If you think that you can, well, good luck with that philosophy. Also, a few seconds of editing really helps the pictures.
Honestly, I hope you don't buy a Nexus 4 because I hope to never see you here again.
Just my two cents:
1. Battery life is way better then my old HTC Sensation (like...i needed a spare battery for it if i had a long day at uni whereas my nexus last for a whole day of heavy use)
2. The screen is not AWESOME in stock, but it's pretty darn good. A custom kernel on the other hand makes it much much better then anything you have seen, trust me.
3. Wi-Fi working without issues here as well. I'm sure you're referring to the "Deathgrip" issue which mostsmartphones have...don't worry about it too much. You can always hold it in a different way if you find your wi-fi signal level unacceptable
4. Incoming call quality is top notch...didn't notice any problems. The earpiece is really loud even! I use it at minimum volume!
5. Didn't notice that either.
6. It's not too bad. There are audio mods which improve the volume and sound quality across the board (this applies to 5,6,7)
7. see above
8. The camera is much much better then the one in my old HTC Sensation. And i mean...MUCH BETTER!
So i guess it all depends on which phone you're coming for. Me? I'm extremely happy with my purchase
It doesn't appear that you want to buy the N4. That's fine, you've done your homework and came to a smart decision. But if you did as much research on the Galaxy Nexus you would have found similar complaints about it and would not now own it.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Solution for those problems:
Downloadnflash paranoid android or cm or just stick with stock.
Then flash Francos kernel, do some UVing and there you go. Use BBS(better battery stats) to find what's causing your drain if you ever do buy a nexus 4.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
gino_76ph said:
Hi there!
I currently have the Galaxy Nexus and looking to replace it with the Nexus 4. I have tried the phone several times in shops, read reviews and seen the hundreds of videos on Youtube and have noticed some negative things that might affect my purchase like:
1. Short battery life - even at 2100mAh and with minimal usage it still doesn't quite last for a whole day even on standby.
2. A not-so sharp screen - using this so-called "grey screen" test it was shown to be weaker than the previous-gen Galaxy Nexus
3. Wifi bugs - again when the phone is held in a specific way the wifi signal becomes affected
4. Muffled incoming calls
5. Frequency distortions when a headphone is connected
6. Weak & tiny speakers sound (just like Galaxy Nexus)
7. Very poor speaker grill placement
8. An "average" camera photos
Aside from the hardware issue has the other issues been resolved via software updates? And is Google aware of these issues?
We all know the wonderful and powerful specs (and OS) the Nexus 4 has but these issues seems to be on my head.
Please advice. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1... Battery life was okay on stock, after rooting it and throwing a custom kernel it is definitely better than my rooted galaxy nexus or s3 was.
2... I used to love superamoled. Switched to nexus and it was so so for a day or two, once I got used to it, amoled now looks unnatural and ugly.
3... WiFi isn't the strongest, but it works. If I connect upstairs, I get 1 bar max, same for any other phone. Never had a signal drop, no matter how I hold.
4... Dafuq?! Never had that issues
5... Same as 4!
6... Yea, it isn't HTC one speaker but is good lol
7... Yea, if I lay then phone flat, can't hear music at all pretty much.
8... They look good imo
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
this screen have a burn-in issue like galaxy nexus ?
gino_76ph said:
Hi there!
I currently have the Galaxy Nexus and looking to replace it with the Nexus 4. I have tried the phone several times in shops, read reviews and seen the hundreds of videos on Youtube and have noticed some negative things that might affect my purchase like:
1. Short battery life - even at 2100mAh and with minimal usage it still doesn't quite last for a whole day even on standby.
2. A not-so sharp screen - using this so-called "grey screen" test it was shown to be weaker than the previous-gen Galaxy Nexus
3. Wifi bugs - again when the phone is held in a specific way the wifi signal becomes affected
4. Muffled incoming calls
5. Frequency distortions when a headphone is connected
6. Weak & tiny speakers sound (just like Galaxy Nexus)
7. Very poor speaker grill placement
8. An "average" camera photos
Aside from the hardware issue has the other issues been resolved via software updates? And is Google aware of these issues?
We all know the wonderful and powerful specs (and OS) the Nexus 4 has but these issues seems to be on my head.
Please advice. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As everyone else has pretty much already said:
1. No issues here
2. Personal preference, the screen is definitely 'sharper' than the GNex (326 vs 316 ppi, and that's not taking PenTile into account) but is less saturated. Colours look much better on LCD displays than on AMOLED in my opinion, my dad's GS3 looks awful now
3. No issues here
4. No issues here
5. No issues here
6. The earpiece seems fine to me. The rear speakers are extremely loud but quality isn't great, especially bass.
7. Have to live with this I'm afraid. I knew that putting the device down on a flat table would muffle the sound but I didn't know by how much. It's quite ridiculous really, but if you don't cover the speaker then I reiterate that it's fine for me.
8. I personally don't use the camera as much as others so I can't see any difference. To me, photos in good lighting look no worse than photos from an iPhone 5, GS3 or One X.
I think quite a lot of people have really bad impressions of the supposed 'issues' on this phone because of a few vocal users. There's really nothing wrong with most people's units afaik. I know 5 others who have N4s (people apparently have good taste in my school) and none of them have any significant issues whatsoever. I have only a very minor complaint with mine which is that if you stroke the volume button upwards (that's right, I said stroke) there's an almost inaudible creaking noise. That probably shows you how happy I am with this device.
Well, i did my homework when it comes to reviews online from well-known websites (Amazon UK, CNET, GSM arena, etc.) but i haven't decided if the Nexus 4 is NOT for me or not. I am merely expressing my views on what i read and what i read or seen on video reviews are always there, always (almost) consistent and always the same problems.
Sure it might be a factory defect or a very select few but still it causes me to do some thinking.
Why is the "deathgrip" issues still there regardless of what phone you have?
I usually (and most of the times) hold the phone in my left hand. And that basically covers the speaker grill at the back. It's not like ALL THE TIME and not all the time i'm expecting a phone call whilst i'm holding my phone with my left hand. I just think it's a bad place to place the speaker grill.
Has anyone actually tried the "grey screen test" for the screen to check for any inconsistencies or broken pixels or something?
So far all of you say the battery life issue ISN"T an issue at all. I'm just slightly worried that all reviews i read say otherwise. I still think with the specs the N4 has the minimum battery capacity should be 2300mAh or even more. I have an extended-life battery 2300mAh for my Galaxy Nexus. I charge it for 7 hours overnight. Use it to commute to & from work. Whilst at work i put it on Airplane mode and don't use it that much. When i go home i put it on normal mode. By 9pm the battery is down to 30% and it goes downhill from there. And this is whilst the wifi is turned-onat home and doing the basics of tasks like checking my Twitter, Instagram, updating apps and minimal news and stuff. So with that in mind i still think 2100mAh is not enough.
Regarding the camera photos quality...well i'm not into ROM's or MODs etc. I want mine the stock Android. But if anyone has anything in mind like apps to improve/tweak the camera and improve the battery life then i would greatly appreciate it.
Does the Nexus 4 have "HD voice"? And does it have some kind of noise cancellation when hearing from the earpiece or making a phone call so it stays clear even if your in a noisy environment?
I await all your replies. Thanks.
gino_76ph said:
Well, i did my homework when it comes to reviews online from well-known websites (Amazon UK, CNET, GSM arena, etc.) but i haven't decided if the Nexus 4 is NOT for me or not. I am merely expressing my views on what i read and what i read or seen on video reviews are always there, always (almost) consistent and always the same problems.
And that's perfectly fair enough. I agree that many trusted websites appear to give the N4 below average reviews, but I personally can see absolutely no reason why
Sure it might be a factory defect or a very select few but still it causes me to do some thinking.
Why is the "deathgrip" issues still there regardless of what phone you have?
Well it's not there for me so I can't comment here. Never had it, don't know anyone who's complained about it.
I usually (and most of the times) hold the phone in my left hand. And that basically covers the speaker grill at the back. It's not like ALL THE TIME and not all the time i'm expecting a phone call whilst i'm holding my phone with my left hand. I just think it's a bad place to place the speaker grill.
Agreed. Awful speaker placement, which isn't helped at all by the fact that the back is completely flat.
Has anyone actually tried the "grey screen test" for the screen to check for any inconsistencies or broken pixels or something?
I haven't but I can tell you from simple usage that there's nothing wrong with the screen. A custom kernel definitely helps a lot, but if you leave it as stock you'll still be happy.
So far all of you say the battery life issue ISN"T an issue at all. I'm just slightly worried that all reviews i read say otherwise. I still think with the specs the N4 has the minimum battery capacity should be 2300mAh or even more. I have an extended-life battery 2300mAh for my Galaxy Nexus. I charge it for 7 hours overnight. Use it to commute to & from work. Whilst at work i put it on Airplane mode and don't use it that much. When i go home i put it on normal mode. By 9pm the battery is down to 30% and it goes downhill from there. And this is whilst the wifi is turned-onat home and doing the basics of tasks like checking my Twitter, Instagram, updating apps and minimal news and stuff. So with that in mind i still think 2100mAh is not enough.
This was an issue I was worried about before getting my phone too, but my experience with it so far has been great.
Regarding the camera photos quality...well i'm not into ROM's or MODs etc. I want mine the stock Android. But if anyone has anything in mind like apps to improve/tweak the camera and improve the battery life then i would greatly appreciate it.
Does the Nexus 4 have "HD voice"? And does it have some kind of noise cancellation when hearing from the earpiece or making a phone call so it stays clear even if your in a noisy environment?
I don't think there's any HD voice, but there is a noise cancelling mic on the top. Either that, or my phone has a random hole in it
I await all your replies. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you haven't numbered it this time, I just answered in red
With 4.2.1 stock, it was too aggressive when it came to onlining cores so you'd end up with 4 online cores when reading Facebook lol. Which is cool for project butter, but isn't too battery efficient. Even if you don't root it, 4.2.2 is better when it comes to stuff like that, so battery life is definitely not like it used to be. Most reviews are based on 4.2.1, so...
The only other phone I'd trade this nexus for is lumia 920, but I don't want an unlocked version and T-Mobile doesn't have it. The reason I'd take that is due to me loving Xbox music so much.
Even new phones coming out, yea, they are pretty beefy but don't offer stock android experience. To me, I always found touch wiz laggy and ugly. Sense ui was decent, but too buggy and updates never came. Point is, I personally love stock android, it feels so smooth, even if benchmarks don't reflect it. If you like stock, definitely the phone to go with.
Sound quality is great, noise canceling is good. I used to have gs3 and there were a lot more times when people had issues hearing me when it was windy.
Camera is good, it isn't lumia 920 type camera, but it does take good pictures, flash is pretty good too. I found galaxy nexus camera to be crap, I'm happy with this one.
I dunno what carrier you plan on using, but connectivity is much better for me then galaxy nexus. Not only does it support hspa42, which literally gives me 22mbps vs 10mbs I used to get, but it stays connected to hspa better. But, it still isn't as good as some other phones still because I know that couple of times I'd get stuck on edge when I shouldn't.
I like the way this touchscreen is too, seems more responsive than gnexus was.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
I am not a fan of custom kernels, rooting or CM ROM's and i would prefer the "normal" updates here & there by Google/LG.
If there is an app to somehow (not magically but if it were then the better) make the speakers louder, make the photos more saturated/sharper/more contrast and further improve the battery life (instead of the usual turning off the GPS, bluetooth, brightness, etc.) then i would be happy with.
Speaker volume is great, it's just the quality that you may need to worry about
gino_76ph said:
Hi there!
I currently have the Galaxy Nexus and looking to replace it with the Nexus 4. I have tried the phone several times in shops, read reviews and seen the hundreds of videos on Youtube and have noticed some negative things that might affect my purchase like:
1. Short battery life - even at 2100mAh and with minimal usage it still doesn't quite last for a whole day even on standby.
2. A not-so sharp screen - using this so-called "grey screen" test it was shown to be weaker than the previous-gen Galaxy Nexus
3. Wifi bugs - again when the phone is held in a specific way the wifi signal becomes affected
4. Muffled incoming calls
5. Frequency distortions when a headphone is connected
6. Weak & tiny speakers sound (just like Galaxy Nexus)
7. Very poor speaker grill placement
8. An "average" camera photos
Aside from the hardware issue has the other issues been resolved via software updates? And is Google aware of these issues?
We all know the wonderful and powerful specs (and OS) the Nexus 4 has but these issues seems to be on my head.
Please advice. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll answer your questions from what I've experienced.
1.Not sure what you've been doing, but I've been getting 15+ hours and I'm only down to 47%. I use the internet now and then, and play games alot during school.
2. I'm not sure what you're talking about, but it's still a really good screen. I'm not one to be picky of the screen, but i'm happy with it. Only thing I wish was if the colors were more true, but hey, it's still a really really good phone. One of the best, if not the best phone in market.
3. That's never happened to me. No matter which way I hold it, I still get good wifi wherever I am.
4. Muffled calls? That's never happened to me. I can clearly hear the person on the other end all the time.
5. Never even heard of this before. The only thing I can think of causing this would be having an app that wasn't fully compatible with the software/rom on your phone.
6. Coming from the mytouch 4g, the speaker on this phone is really an upgrade. Although it isn't the best on the market, its still pretty loud and you can make it louder if you want with a mod like Eizo.
7. No comment on this, it's the design of the phone. If you let the placement of something ruin your chance of having a good phone, i'm sorry ,but that's ridiculous.
8. Camera photo quality for me is awesome. With the new HDR function android camera's, it makes pictures just as high quality as iphone pictures. Only thing that annoys me is the speed of the camera when HDR is activated. It has to take 3 pictures and blends them together to create one high res picture, but the outcome is worth it.
I'm not one to go looking for problems, but all the problems that have happened to me, they've all been solved with updates for the ROM i'm using, or i just find a solution myself to solve the problem. None the less, a lot of the problems people face can be solved by using the search bar and looking for a solution, or with an update to the software or ROM on your phone.
Once again, this is all from my perspective. Others might have a different opinion on this. In the end, this is still an amazing phone. Better than the iPhone IMO (except the camera.) It's your choice if you want to get this compared to the other phones in the market.
---------- Post added at 11:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:00 PM ----------
gino_76ph said:
I am not a fan of custom kernels, rooting or CM ROM's and i would prefer the "normal" updates here & there by Google/LG.
If there is an app to somehow (not magically but if it were then the better) make the speakers louder, make the photos more saturated/sharper/more contrast and further improve the battery life (instead of the usual turning off the GPS, bluetooth, brightness, etc.) then i would be happy with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think there are some apps in the app market that can do that. Volume + , or volume boost, just search volume booster or something.
I'm actually choosing between the Nexus 4 and the slightly older Optimus 4X HD which was made by LG (same as the N4) and has been plagued by almost the same issues especially that LG is notoriously known for very poor customer support and very slow updates. but the Optimus itself is an amazingly-specced phone.
No contest?
A good 2nd choice for the Nexus 4 you think?
gino_76ph said:
I'm actually choosing between the Nexus 4 and the slightly older Optimus 4X HD which was made by LG (same as the N4) and has been plagued by almost the same issues especially that LG is notoriously known for very poor customer support and very slow updates. but the Optimus itself is an amazingly-specced phone.
No contest?
A good 2nd choice for the Nexus 4 you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My advice: Get Nexus 4. I currently own an Optimus 4X HD, despite it's great specs, I must say this phone is a let down.
Why you shouldn't get an O4X:
1. Battery performance super sucks. I managed only to get 12 hours with light usage (I mean, LIGHT)
2. Tegra chipset isn't really compatible with some games. I tried NFS, Nova and it's laggy
3. Update support is extremely poor. I'm still stuck with 4.0.3 and JB update is still indefinite to arrive
Browse O4X thread and see for yourself how many O4X users are unhappy with their handsets.
So, get a N4 and live a happy life.
gino_76ph said:
I'm actually choosing between the Nexus 4 and the slightly older Optimus 4X HD which was made by LG (same as the N4) and has been plagued by almost the same issues especially that LG is notoriously known for very poor customer support and very slow updates. but the Optimus itself is an amazingly-specced phone.
No contest?
A good 2nd choice for the Nexus 4 you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The specs of the 4X HD looked great until I saw the words 'Tegra 3' on GSMarena. You'll be very frustrated with the performance of the Tegra 3, it's quite an awful chipset. Sure, there are tonnes of Tegra optimised apps, but the fact of the matter is that my friend's One X on JB still lags due to the Tegra 3. Even relatively light games such as Super Hexagon (you should try it out if you haven't) and Temple Run 2 (I know it isn't that light but for a phone of this gen it shouldn't be a problem) lag on it.
gino_76ph said:
I am not a fan of custom kernels, rooting or CM ROM's and i would prefer the "normal" updates here & there by Google/LG.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then i have to say that the nexus is not the device for you. The coolest thing bout nexus devices is that they are really easy to mod and customize. If you don't plan on doing that, there's no point in getting a nexus device. However, the N4 has the added bonus of being cheap but it still might not be enough for some users (yourself included apparently)
The reason why i'm not a fan of custom kernels and ROMs is maybe perhaps i haven't done it before and i might further "damage" the phone's OS and i might not be able to revert the OS back to its factory settings.
I'm still quite happy with JB on my Galaxy Nexus. The stock version of JB is very slick and i would imagine how even more smoother it is on the Nexus 4.
So far the complaints of the O4XHD has been kind of a viscious circle. Lag has been the word for today. And the fact that it has no JB makes it even more frustrating. I have just emailed LG and their reply re: my list of issues is that there has "been no known issue" with the said phone and they have no word as to when JB is incoming.
The Nexus 4 has still its flaws i think and that doesn't mean it is that good. But now, i'm more geared toward this phone as a "safe" choice rather than the O4XHD.
may i ask sth as well..
regarding the sensitivity issue on the screen, is it regarded as a software issue, or a hardware one?
i m currently thinking of buying a nexus 4, but i m kind of worried about the sensitivity issue, and i keep seeing people complaining about it http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=40445 is there any official response on this issue?

General thoughts so far....

For those of you that now have this phone, what are your thoughts? I'm liking this phone more and more but do I need it, well, not really. I'm perfectly happy with my Nexus 4 running PA but there's something about this that has me wanting it. I think part of it is the fact that it's kind of the underdog. It will be exciting to see what the dev's come up with, ROM wise. Anyway, my brain is just spinning as usual, haha.
davela72 said:
For those of you that now have this phone, what are your thoughts? I'm liking this phone more and more but do I need it, well, not really. I'm perfectly happy with my Nexus 4 running PA but there's something about this that has me wanting it. I think part of it is the fact that it's kind of the underdog. It will be exciting to see what the dev's come up with, ROM wise. Anyway, my brain is just spinning as usual, haha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm coming from a sony X10 but the oppo find 5 is working good, I had no dead pixels everything worked out of the box.
I have some problems with contact syncing and gmail updates. Photographs are beautiful, but HDR is not really good on dark spots. (lots of noise because of ISO value's)
I did not wanted the nexus 4 because of the glass back. But I think I would also be happy with the nexus 4. But it is overpriced in the Netherlands, my oppo is cheaper then the nexus 4.
It is super fast compared to my X10. No idea how fast the nexus 4 is.
I think you can better donate some money to charity instead of buying yet another high-end phone
nice
previous phone: HTC Sensation
+ Display: WOW! youtube trailer in HD and people start peeping their eyes out!
+ Sound: I never heard a phone playing it sounds like this
+ Speed: I changed the default (ugly) launcher to APEX, this give's the phone a better feel
+ Camera: Although my previous phone was already 2 year old hence i cannot compare it to recent in-phone-camera's it looks great
+ Desgin: It is sharp but not too sharp edged, it's light and thin. the phone is big in size but because its slim dimensions you will not notice it in your jeans (unless you wear skinny jeans i guess, but who does that )
- Temperature when under load, i feel the device is getting pretty warm, your hands start being sweatty.
- Stock UI
Display
Simply Amazing. Bright & Crisp.
However, the screen responsiveness to your touch isn't very good. I find myself having to tap many things twice or three times to get it registered.​Battery
Terrible. It seems to be draining even while sleeping.
My usual morning routine, I unplugged the phone from the charger. It's charged to 100% over night. I do a few light tasks like replying to text messages, flipping through Flipboard, see one 30 sec YouTube video, brightness setting at 50%.
After 20 minutes of usage, my battery gotten down from 100% to 78%.​Speaker
Nice and loud. Best, I have ever heard. But, when you lay it on its back, the speaker will be completely muffled.​Camera
Sucks. 13MP only in spirit. Colors are over saturated. And, the balance isn't there. Lots of graininess in images, even in ample light. Also, don't use the LED flash. Your pictures will be almost all blown white. Absolutely no setting like macro, scene mode, white balance, panaroma, etc.. Just point and shoot and hope for the best...and often times, it isn't.
My 8MP Nexus and 5MP iPad Mini can take picture and video much better.​Stock Launcher
The widgets are fugly. Period.​Build Quality
Strong like my unibody Macbook Pro. However, the power and volume rockers shifts around. The micro USB port is weak. I feel like I'm gonna break that port anytime soon.​Software
Random reboots at least twice or three times a day. No idea why. I feel like I'm using Windows 95 all over again. Oh, and Gmail doesn't open up. Yeah, seriously, Gmail DOES NOT work on this phone. I have to use the other mail app instead. Latest firmware & Gmail update.
Software is actually 4.1, not 4.2. Coming from Nexus 4, that was a let down. I miss the swype style keyboard on 4.2.​ROM
Currently, as of late March, no ROMs​Side Note
USB wall charger & headphones look EXACTLY like the ones for iPhones. Apple will be calling them soon, if not already.​
Conclusion
Beauty & the Beast.......okay, maybe just the Beauty and not much else.​
Interesting perspective, thanks for sharing. Hopefully a lot of these things can be fixed with future updates. What's the deal with the Gmail not working and is this something that OPPO is aware of?
I really am happy with the phone. Looks great and stands out in the crowd. Screen is fabulous. It's a new kid on the block, so there are a few things that are not quite there yet. But it seems Oppo are really working hard to make a proper go at this. So far weekly updates and regular fixes. I attached a simple benchmark to give you an idea of the spec. I'm sure there are better performers out there, but it seems to hold it's own!
It seems that my take is a lot different than other peoples on the board, or maybe I got really lucky and got the perfect unit, My Droid DNA is in my drawer and my Oppo Find 5 is sitting on my coffee table right now. All I have to say is wow I am really quite surprised with the device, and I have a Droid DNA now, and my previous device was HTC One X International Version. So I have saw some very nice displays lately, and the Oppo Find 5 is right up there with the best of them, it handles its own. The only fault was that I got my Oppo Find 5 with 1 stuck pixel, you don't even notice it only if you look for it when it’s on the black part while its booting up, once the screen comes on you can’t even see it.
+ Display is really NICE! 1 pixel stuck, on par with Droid DNA SLCD3 and just as bright so you don't have to turn it up that far and waste battery.
+ Build Quality I can’t say enough about this, this thing feels like I could Drop it off the roof and it would last.
+ The All black front display looks so good just as nice or better than the One X, and it has that nice curve in the glass that makes it nice to use.
+ I haven't tried the stock ear buds, but with my Sony ear buds, this thing sounds great, no distortion at all, with bass high, all amps sound good.
+ The stock speaker is also a pleasant surprise, it sounds really good at high volume levels also, when set right, no distortion and it gets loud
+ I stuck with the default launcher to give it a try and it is pretty smooth, has a really nice settings layout. I may switch, it reminds me of MIUI
+ The camera is just as good as my HTC DNA, I don't remember which review said it was about like about like an 8MP LG, It shots fine pictures.
+ The white matte finish does not leave any fingerprints and the screen must have that stuff to keep fingerprints off it also, it barley gets fingerprints
+ I have ran plenty of benchmarks and my unit did not get hot at all as someone said, maybe I wasn't holding it where it was getting hot at on their device?
+ The complete design is what really shines on this phone on the outside, it looks so sleek, and I have already caught people glancing and looking at it, and I have only owned it for one day, if that says anything at all?
+ or - Don't know enough about battery life yet but so far mine seems to be holding up better today, now that it is on its second charge, With a full HD Display you have got to know how to manage your battery, turn things off that you are not using at the time, it worked on my One X and that thing was a nightmare. On my One X I also disabled all my apps that I didn't ever use. At least until we get Roms that will take out all the bloat junk. Today my battery is doing really well almost 2 hours screen time and 76% left.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- I would have to say that the launcher would have been better stock, but I like trying new things out. I really hope Paranoid Android comes to this phone that will be my rom of choice. I already know CM and MIUI are coming soon.
-- The Ugly widgets, Oppo have so many better widgets on their other phones (Oppo Finder, Oppo Way, Oppo 3?) all those widgets look better IMO. I wish I could replace them somehow by switching APKs; maybe someone knows how and could let me know?
-- Contrast I like the over saturated look we have a developer that is working on a kernel or app to set your display just how you like it, at least I think so anyway?- hopefully we can get this fixed soon I know it’s being worked on by paperweistage and his kernel hopefully he gets it figures out, but if you want to help he is looking for some help in his kernel thread, He is looking for JDI Display white-sheets. So help out if you can
And support our developer, that’s how we eventually get more custom Kernel Roms and Apps. Donate to them a couple dollars for a cold one or a coffee.
-- or + It is a little bit on the heavy side but look how it’s made! Some could call this a negative but I left it neutral because it is well balanced and with a full metal frame inside around it, I don't really mind it weighing 20 extra grams, at least hopefully my phone won’t shatter into a thousand pieces if it falls on the ground.
Add more later after I use it awhile longer.
Stock Find 5 Score
[/IMG]
BELOW MY DROID DNA with a custom kernel, once we get a custom kernel for the Find 5, I think it will do better than the DNA I couldn't get the scores I'm getting with the Find 5 with my DNA when it was stock maybe 18900 or 19500.
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
drvsbsm, awesome review! I was checking the OPPO forums earlier and was really getting mixed thoughts on the phone. I know this phone is new and things are just getting started and I think that is some of what's driving me to it. I remember when the Nokia N9 came out with it's Hartmann/Meego OS, I fell in love with that thing and it was pretty much a dead platform when released. It looks like OPPO is keeping up with bug fixes and putting out updates so that's a good sign. Most of all though, I think the thing is SEXY, a beautiful device.
I'm guessing the vendor on Amazon is the place to get it from, the one located in HK?
Thanks again guys!
Very , very good rewiew !
knite75 said:
Display
Simply Amazing​Battery
Terrible. It seems to be draining even while sleeping​Speaker
Nice and loud.​Camera
Sucks. My 8MP Nexus and 5MP iPad Mini can take picture and video much better. Absolutely no setting like scene mode, white balance, panaroma, etc in stock camera app​Stock Launcher
The widgets are fugly. Period.​Build Quality
Strong like my unibody Macbook Pro. However, the power and volume rockers shifts around. The micro USB port is weak. I feel like I'm gonna break that port anytime soon.​Software
Random reboots at least twice or three times a day. No idea why. I feel like I'm using Windows 95 all over again. Oh, and Gmail doesn't open up. Yeah, seriously, Gmail DOES NOT work on this phone. I have to use the other mail app instead.​ROM
Currently, as of late March, no ROMs​Side Note
USB wall charger & headphones look EXACTLY like the ones for iPhones. Apple will be calling them soon, if not already.​
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1...... The good think is that the almost everything can be repaired (soft related )
Video camera isn't that very good.
Video is okay if the subject stands still. However, when subject runs or any fast moments, then video gets blurry or ghosting.
For example, here's a video of my daughter at her Taekwondo practice. Notice how she gets blurry when she starts running?
http://youtu.be/ln_2YvN6f78
knite75 said:
Video camera isn't that very good.
Video is okay if the subject stands still. However, when subject runs or any fast moments, then video gets blurry or ghosting.
For example, here's a video of my daughter at her Taekwondo practice. Notice how she gets blurry when she starts running?
http://youtu.be/ln_2YvN6f78
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully this will be addressed as OPPO is releasing an update within a few days for camera related issues.
I have a question about the screen durability. I read somewhere, maybe GSMArena, that the screen rippled very easily and was a bit flexible. That sounds very concerning. I've also heard a few things about poor touchscreen response. This may also be hardware only problem that can't be fixed with any updates.
A lot of these smaller phone makers can just buy off the shelf parts (figuratively) and bulid their own phone. They don't need to develop their own hardware components, just how everything fits together and the overall design. The camera is an Exmor RS from Sony, and the screen is probably a 1080p panel from Sharp. Of course the processor is Qualcomm.
The biggest problem these small relatively no name companies face is the software. It's the brains that makes the smartphone smart, and having a small and inexperienced team, especially while trying to make your own skin, can lead to many shortcomings, from bugs to performance issues to compatibility to poor hardware utilization and battery life. A lot of this stuff even the big boys have trouble with and they have far bigger teams with far more experience. Oppo should go the route that BLU is taking in the future. BLU has a really horrible skin, allegedly, and unstable and buggy phones, but they are supposedly putting stock Android on their new Life series line of phones.
From what I've gathered, the screen is made by JDI?
katamari201 said:
I have a question about the screen durability. I read somewhere, maybe GSMArena, that the screen rippled very easily and was a bit flexible. That sounds very concerning. I've also heard a few things about poor touchscreen response. This may also be hardware only problem that can't be fixed with any updates.
A lot of these smaller phone makers can just buy off the shelf parts (figuratively) and bulid their own phone. They don't need to develop their own hardware components, just how everything fits together and the overall design. The camera is an Exmor RS from Sony, and the screen is probably a 1080p panel from Sharp. Of course the processor is Qualcomm.
The biggest problem these small relatively no name companies face is the software. It's the brains that makes the smartphone smart, and having a small and inexperienced team, especially while trying to make your own skin, can lead to many shortcomings, from bugs to performance issues to compatibility to poor hardware utilization and battery life. A lot of this stuff even the big boys have trouble with and they have far bigger teams with far more experience. Oppo should go the route that BLU is taking in the future. BLU has a really horrible skin, allegedly, and unstable and buggy phones, but they are supposedly putting stock Android on their new Life series line of phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen is from JDI. seems pretty sturdy to me. They seem to be keeping on top of things. But they have a very good reputation in the high end Av community. It's also not their 1st phone. Just their first soiree in the international market.
I have had my Find 5 for more than a week now sans screen protector. Unfortunately, there are lots of micro scratches already. And, I'm very conscious about where I put and use my phone.
Same practice, my Nexus 4 fair much better even after six months of usage.
All in all, have screen protector or don't have too long of finger nails.
katamari201 said:
I have a question about the screen durability. I read somewhere, maybe GSMArena, that the screen rippled very easily and was a bit flexible. That sounds very concerning. I've also heard a few things about poor touchscreen response. This may also be hardware only problem that can't be fixed with any updates.
A lot of these smaller phone makers can just buy off the shelf parts (figuratively) and bulid their own phone. They don't need to develop their own hardware components, just how everything fits together and the overall design. The camera is an Exmor RS from Sony, and the screen is probably a 1080p panel from Sharp. Of course the processor is Qualcomm.
The biggest problem these small relatively no name companies face is the software. It's the brains that makes the smartphone smart, and having a small and inexperienced team, especially while trying to make your own skin, can lead to many shortcomings, from bugs to performance issues to compatibility to poor hardware utilization and battery life. A lot of this stuff even the big boys have trouble with and they have far bigger teams with far more experience. Oppo should go the route that BLU is taking in the future. BLU has a really horrible skin, allegedly, and unstable and buggy phones, but they are supposedly putting stock Android on their new Life series line of phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
New firmware 328,it has camera fixes...
No marked improvement or fixes to camera with latest firmware.
Just new feature: panorama.
Oppo should focus on fixing all the basic camera problems, rather than, adding gimmick useless feature.
knite75 said:
No marked improvement or fixes to camera with latest firmware.
Just new feature: panorama.
Oppo should focus on fixing all the basic camera problems, rather than, adding gimmick useless feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow knite please get back to your iphone.
They tweaked a bit around with the iso settings. But not something really spectaculair.
At least they did something. Most companies will be like :"DEAL WITH IT!"
Haas8 said:
Wow knite please get back to your iphone.
They tweaked a bit around with the iso settings. But not something really spectaculair.
At least they did something. Most companies will be like :"DEAL WITH IT!"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most company would release software when it's ready and in decent condition for general public consumption... Not beta....or alpha in this case.
Check the camera... Aside from poor image quality.... Do see any basic features like:
Macro
White Balance
Scene Mode
As a matter of fact, on Oppo forums, lots of threads and discussion on how poor the pictures and video are turning out... Oppo just ignore them...basically, saying "DEAL WITH IT!"
Instead, they spent their finite limited development resources in adding useless Panorama feature. When is the last time you took a panorama picture, aside from just wanting to see how it works?
I took a panorama earlier at dinner actually. I did the update out of the box and didn't know it added that so that's cool lol.
Sent from my X909 using xda premium

[Q] Potential buyer. A few questions.

Hello there
I have been trying to decide between the Galaxy S4 and HTC One for quite some time now that I am actually getting tired. I am the type of people who like to do a lot of research before buying a product just so I can avoid being disappointed by a certain issue after dishing out so much money. I used to be an Apple-fanboy but then I saw the light and switched to Android when I got the HTC One X, which was a MAJOR disappointment for me in terms of battery life, laggyness and OTA updates which we (in the Middle East) always received like three - four months after everybody else. I then switched to the Galaxy S3 and I am very pleased with it but there are a few things I don't like about it:
1) Camera in low light conditions isn't that good
2) It gets hot rather quickly, but mostly when playing games or when you've just installed a new ROM and are setting it up, installing applications and such
3) It is just so weak even with the flip cover 'protecting' the screen.. my device fell on its side from a very short table before and onto a carpet and the LCD started producing weird colors and eventually the screen died (the same day). The outside screen didn't crack, but of course I had to replace the whole LCD with the digitiser and such which cost me an arm and a leg.
4) The device is quite laggy when opening/closing applications and just a little bit laggy (sometimes) when swiping between screens, even though I make sure I always clear the recent applications page and "Clear Memory" every now and then.
I like the whole Air Gestures thing about the S4 but I consider myself a practical guy and therefore I am most likely going to turn them off as soon as I get the phone. I am more into customization and such and so air gestures aren't a deal breaker for me. I read A LOT about the S4 and I concluded that there must be an overheating issue with it even with very minimal usage (I usually browse, use whatsapp, try new applications from the PlayStore and listen to music from time to time but not a lot) and those used to heat up my device sometimes, up to 55 Celsius at one point, so I was wondering if the S4 suffers from the same problems? I also read that that issue was resolved in the latter shipments of the S4 and it was only in the very early ones, but I am not too sure. Battery life has been a pain in the butt for me with the S3 even though my usage is pretty minimal, as I stated before. I have tried dozens of ROMs (and I make sure I take all the precautions to getting a good battery life, like setting brightness to Auto, turning off unnecessary junk constant notifications, reducing the volume, turning off haptic feedback and keyboard tones) and I have never gotten a good battery life out of the phone. When I used BetterBatteryStats for a while and started comparing stats people posted online, I realized that the partially poor battery life is normal with some S3s. So I was wondering if the S4 suffers from the same problem?
I am so sorry for the long ass post, but anyway I am going to sum it up in a few sentences to make it easier if you don't want to read through the whole crap:
1) Are there battery issues?
2) Are there overheating issues?
3) Are Air Gestures actually useful? I know that's opinionated but practically speaking, did you turn them off or do you actually use them everyday?
4) Does the IR Remote integrated in the WatchOn application actually work well? I have a Sony Bravia and a two other LED TVs which aren't popular brands, would it work with them or are there specific models?
5) How weak is the device? And is the material still subpar like the S3's?
6) Does it actually feel different from the S3 or would I just be updating to a bigger screen with supposedly better display and camera?
Thanks guys!
1) yes (for me, but i had all features turned on, i'm pretty sure with a custom ROM and bloatware removed it wouldn't be as big a problem)
2) yes (i've had some situations where it becomes very warm, but that was only when i first started using it, haven't noticed it recently. again, a custom kernel with UV will probably alleviate this)
3) maybe, i use them when i'm trying to read emails and stuff while having lunch, don't have to touch the screen with my greasy fingers
4) works perfectly for me. i have a 2 year old panasonic, took 20 secs to setup.
5) who can say. I'm buying a tempered glass screen protector to protect the screen, i did drop my SGS3 from about 1.5m up onto stone and the screen shattered, but I think it would have happened to any phone, dropped it onto carpet a million times and never had an issue. I would guess the weakness is on par with the SGS3, so about average.
6) it's pretty much the same, but the sides are flat, whereas the SGS3's sides were curved. still pretty slippery, the menu and back buttons are a bit lower now due to the screen impinging on on the real estate, so I will occasionally hit the screen instead of the back button when i hold the phone with my left hand and wrap my pinky around to press back, but otherwise i haven't noticed much difference. It is _slightly_ larger - I had an HTC desire dock that i chiseled out to fit the SGS3, and it fit it pretty snuggly, and now the SGS4 doesn't fit. but i imagine it won't take much chiseling to get the SGS4 to fit.
Hello TarekElsakka,
my answers are pretty the same as omniwolfs:
1.) Yes there are battery issues like on any bloated android rom, but i'm sure it can be solved (like on any other android device) with the right kernel / rom / app setup. I remember when i got my SGS2 i was shocked by the battery consumption but now with the support of the community it runs 3 days and longer.
2.) Yes there is an (over)heating issue. When you have a 1.9 Ghz processor running on full speed you need a minimum voltage to achieve this. The current flow will produce heat wich is a physical rule. As we dont have (and dont want to have) a moving cooler in our phones this issue will allways remain until the chip architecture changes (again) or we invent a better passive cooling technology. :fingers-crossed:
3.) Air Gestures are sometimes usefull but how it is now implemented its more a gadget then a feature. Same for Air View wich in my opinion is a cool thing but sloppy implemented. I hope for software updates for both functions but i'm sure most updates will not come from samsung but from our nice community! :highfive:
4.) I would say it works sufficiently. WatchOn is a nice app but also need some improvement (at least the remote ui needs more customization). Its a nice idea and i hope it will be further developed. The thing that satisfies me is the knowledge that the hardware is there and as most points above it needs the right software to utilize it correctly. I'm curious waiting for more ir apps to come.
5.) I would say most build aspects are same with the SGS3 except the faux-metal trim circling edge of the phone. The bigger screen is of course another thing, bending damage possibility is higher, maybe therefore also the metal trim was introduced..
6.) as i didnt have a SGS3 i cant tell you the feel difference
hope this helps a little bit and greetings!
Thank you very much for the information, guys. I went ahead and bought the phone a couple of days ago and I am extremely happy with it, especially the design and the flawless Sense 5; well, realistically speaking, it's not flawless but it's a huge improvement over the Sense I had on the HTC One X; so far I have not experienced any sort of lag both with 4.1.2 and then with 4.2.2 (Android Revolution HD 10.1 then 10.2); I must say, though, that 4.2.2 is a lot better than 4.1.2 and has some much needed features. Battery life has been great, at least compared to what I got from the Galaxy, but then again and as you said, the battery life you get from Touchwiz or Sense-based ROMs will never be as good as that from an AOSP ROM or a different kernel. Regardless, I am really happy with the device and I cannot wait for the next model!

IMO: HTC One vs Galaxy S4 (if you are torn between the two)

Author's comments: I have always loved HTC phones, my first high-end phone was the original HTC EVO and I am the maker of the Azrael ROM for that phone (which eventually became Azrael X). I also was a proud owner of a HTC EVO 3D. But I have had my share of Samsung devices as well. I have had the Samsung Captivate, the Samsung Galaxy S3, and most recently the Samsung Galaxy S4. I also tried the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom but found for me it was impossible to store and I did not like the false advertising as it is NO S4. It is gimped compared to the S4.
So to sum it off, I like Samsung and HTC, I am no fanboy, I simply choose the device I think fits me best. I am also aware there are other threads like this, but this is just another opinion or another review, so to speak. I hope this proves helpful if you are on the fence about either device.
CONSTRUCTION:
Samsung Galaxy S4: I have easily broken every Samsung phone's screen I have ever had (except the Captivate, which seems to be to invincible!). Let me get that out of the way before I go anywhere else. Do not think Gorilla Glass will live up to it's name! I am not abusive to my phones but I have dropped them while at work especially. I am sure everyone drops their phone from time to time, or it falls out of your hoodie (which has doomed 2 of my phones).
The Captivate was a little tank, that phone is smaller but it feels substantial in your hands and I feel it is the most well made Samsung phone. The S3 and S4 feel very plastic in your hands because frankly, they are! The screen on both my S3 and S4 broke with small drops on the edge toward where the power button is, which makes me think it is a weak spot. The rest of the phone holds up well, despite feeling like it will not but unless you have a very protective case which protects the screen, it does not take much to break the glass.
But as far as the overall setup goes (button locations, etc) I like the 3 button navigation, gestures are pretty cool but I did not use them much. The removable battery and Micro-SD card ports are great to have.
HTC One: Much better build quality, a slightly smaller screen, and aluminum both look and feel nice. I have only had mine for a short time but I was able to tell right away that I liked HTC's construction a LOT better than Samsung's. The phone looks cooler, is a little heavier in the hands (which I like, actually), and the design is very nice. I have not dropped this phone yet in 3 weeks I have owned it, but I am certain if I did it would hold up better.
Where I like the S4 better is the fact you can open the back up and there is a Micro SD-card expansion the HTC lacks. If you carry tons of stuff on your phone, the S4 might be a better bet. I also like the 3 navigation keys on the S4 compared to the HTC One's 2. It took me a bit of getting used to navigating the phone without a back button.
My opinion: Samsung Galaxy S4 has more expandability and I like the fact you can access the battery. But for build quality, there is no comparison. The HTC One is better built and would hold up better.
DISPLAY:
Samsung Galaxy S4: I love the display but I have a few reservations. It is 5.0 Inches with 441 PPI, colorful, and overall very nice with a sharp full-HD resolution. I found the S4 has slightly exaggerated colors, which sometimes look "off" to me. I found even the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, with it's smaller and lower resolution screen, looked way better thanks to improved color accuracy and the brighter display. The S4 Screen was a bit of a letdown for me, to be honest. Still nice for what it is but I feel they could have made it better.
HTC One: Hands down, a much better display, despite it's slightly smaller size. It is full HD, 4.7 Inches, and an extremely high 468 PPI. The HTC One has one of the best cell phone displays I have ever seen, it is more or less perfect. The PPI is higher than the Samsung's and the colors pop without being over-saturated. It has better contrast than the S4 too, which only has an advantage of a slightly bigger screen.
My opinion: No contest, the HTC One display is sharper, better contrast, and higher quality. The S4 is .3 inches bigger, which is not much. Both look good though
SOUND QUALITY:
Samsung Galaxy S4: Another area I think Samsung dropped the ball is the sound quality. The Galaxy S4 sounds awesome with headphones, no doubt. Yet the built in speaker is low quality and distorts easily at higher volumes. In fact, the S3 had a superior speaker compared to the S4. While loud in a quiet room, it's easy to miss calls unless you have it on vibrate as well. Call quality is good but the earpiece speaker is pathetic. Mine distorted easily, barely went loud enough, and had a tinny sound. The S3, again, had a superior speaker for the earpiece. I also found a lot of the ringtones are downright annoying and I had trouble picking one I really liked. Thankfully, custom ROMS have their own versions that are good.
HTC One: Front facing stereo speakers that sound good and go very loud, Beats Audio, a good earpiece speaker, and amazing sound that comes from the headphone jack. For Multimedia experience, the HTC One walks all over the Samsung Galaxy S4. With sound more than display, there is NO question which is the superior device of the two for music or Multimedia. The built in ringtones and sound samples are superior and sound cooler (unless you are into animal sounds or ethnic sounds).
My opinion: I think the S4 is far inferior to the HTC One is sound, the S4 seems to use low quality components (except the headphone jack circuitry and DAC). The HTC One by a landslide.
USER INTERFACE:
Samsung Galaxy S4: Uses Touchwiz, a lot more like vanilla Android. I like Touchwiz a lot and find it both easy to navigate and easy to use on a regular basis.
HTC One: Sense, which I have always loved. While I am not as used to it as Touchwiz, Sense looks good, has good functionality, and I do like the news and social feeds.
My opinion: This is purely personal preference. Both work good and are easy to figure out. I prefer things about both, I think Touchwiz is a little bit easier (but I am more used to it) and Sense has more features. Both are great.
SPECS:
Samsung Galaxy S4: For raw horsepower, on paper the Galaxy S4 is a step up from the HTC One. Super fast, great with games, and lag is rare. But, I also have seen the S4 lag quite a bit even when just using the phone. In actual use, the S4 is the slower of the two usually. Surprising but true.
HTC One: In execution, I have seen no difference in games or using the device day to day. Despite slightly lower specs, the HTC One is just as fast and if the S4 is faster (which it should be according to benchmarks), you do not see it in use. In fact, the HTC One seems to be the faster of the two in actual use. Benchmarks and specs are great but useless in actual use.
My opinion: Both are snappy and are great for games. I would not buy one or the other because of the specs, but in theory the S4 is slightly superior (but you are splitting hairs, really). Both are currently 2 of the fastest devices around. I find the HTC One the faster of the two in actual use, which is surprising.
CAMERA:
Samsung Galaxy S4: with 13 Megapixels, a back-lit sensor, and a bunch of image editing options, the camera is more than adequate for most people. The front facing camera is pretty decent too, I have managed to take some great photos with the S4 as I am sure anyone can. Ghosting around moving objects is the Achilles heel with the S4.
HTC One: With a 4 Megapixel "Ultrapixel" Camera, though it sounds worse on paper, I find they both tradeoff in the camera department. The colors are less vibrant but more natural looking in general on the HTC One. I found the image stabilization to work better on the One, so it is easier to get a better shot.
My opinion: For more vibrant looking photos, or for larger blowups of taken photos, the S4 is the pick. For more natural color, better image stabilization, and a wider angle, the HTC One is the better device. They both have good cameras though, and I am sure they will satisfy anyone who likes to snap photos with their phones. I prefer the HTC One camera overall though.
DEVELOPMENT:
Samsung Galaxy S4: Awesome developers with decently active development going on. But Samsung has been more active in trying to prevent tampering with the phone, so it is harder to root it and get past the protection. The removable SD Card can save your butt if you get into a bootloop as it allows you to have another means to push a different ROM (or firmware, etc) onto the phone if you get into trouble.
HTC One: HTC is a lot more helpful when it comes to unlocking the phone for developers. They even have a website which allows you to get root access (though still S-On) and is simple to use with full instructions. Once you have done that, getting full S-Off, changing firmwares, and even turning your device into more customizable versions (like the Google Play edition or Super CID which is unlocked) is easy to do. The development is as active as the S4 with a lot of very good developers that have been around a long time.
My opinion: The HTC One is your ticket if you want an easier time gaining full root access and not having to worry about HTC coming out with new ways to thwart you from getting full access. In fact, users with newer Galaxy S4 phones have a bootloader that has yet to be fully cracked, which causes a headache and prevents you from easily changing radios or firmwares. It also requires you to use tricks just to put a custom ROM on the phone.
CONCLUSION: Both amazing phones, you cannot go wrong with either. Both are fast, run the newest versions of Android, and have tons of features.
For raw horsepower, removable storage, and a more vanilla-Android like interface the S4 may be the better phone for you.
For MUCH better sound and video quality, a better and more durable build quality, and a chipset that seems just as fast, the HTC One is your meal-ticket. It is also much easier to customize, so if you want to install and run custom ROMS and keep the ability to run custom firmware and radios, the HTC One is yet again the better advice. If you like Sense, you will love the HTC One!
To me, the HTC One is a better device in all ways that are important. A large part of a smartphone is the display and sound for the games and multimedia, and in that respect the HTC One is the better device.
I will likely have to edit this for mistakes but I hope this is helpful and I tried to be as subjective as possible. Both are super nice and show that technology in these phones is quite amazing and will just continue to improve over time. :good:
Good to hear your opinion. Now mods can you close this thread. What a waste of writing.
No comparison thread, you should know this.
Duuuuuuuude! This is very very detailed,
But its probably gonna get closed man. Comparison threads like this have been closed multiple times in the One forums already.
That being said I agree with most of the points you've covered except for a few.
- You mentioned the button layout and said the One is missing the back button... I'm sure you meant the menu button though. Like it or not "menu" buttons are gonna die out. Googles design philosophy opts for the on screen 3 dot menu buttons inside apps.
- I'm not sure how your s4 managed to match the One in speed. In my time comparing the two directly, the S4 has noticeable lag compared to the One. The One is much smoother in real world use. Benchmarks are completely useless imho.
- Also I know its subjective but the consensus around here seems to be different when it comes to Sense vs Touchwiz. You said both are easy to use, and that Sense has more features. Actually, Touchwiz definitely has more "features" to the point of being bloated and gimmicky. Sense is much leaner and easier to use imo. Sense isn't bloated with things nobody will ever use, part of why its a cleaner faster experience I think.
- Not sure what you mean by the s4 being a good choice if you want a more vanilla android experience... Touchwiz is about the furthest away from vanilla android you can get. If your referring to the legacy menu button then as I've said before, that is actually against googles design philosophy, look at nexus devices. No menu button.
Good write up for the most part, and I agree with your conclusion. :thumbup:
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Xstop said:
Good to hear your opinion. Now mods can you close this thread. What a waste of writing.
No comparison thread, you should know this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not meant as a comparison thread, rather my own experience with the phones and to help choose between the two as choosing a device is difficult. For one, what do you care if I write this, does it interfere with your day to day life? Are you a "thread police officer"? At least my thread could be helpful, yours is more of a waste of writing IMO.
FanDroid09 said:
Duuuuuuuude! This is very very detailed,
But its probably gonna get closed man. Comparison threads like this have been closed multiple times in the One forums already.
That being said I agree with most of the points you've covered except for a few.
- You mentioned the button layout and said the One is missing the back button... I'm sure you meant the menu button though. Like it or not "menu" buttons are gonna die out. Googles design philosophy opts for the on screen 3 dot menu buttons inside apps.
- I'm not sure how your s4 managed to match the One in speed. In my time comparing the two directly, the S4 has noticeable lag compared to the One. The One is much smoother in real world use. Benchmarks are completely useless imho.
- Also I know its subjective but the consensus around here seems to be different when it comes to Sense vs Touchwiz. You said both are easy to use, and that Sense has more features. Actually, Touchwiz definitely has more "features" to the point of being bloated and gimmicky. Sense is much leaner and easier to use imo. Sense isn't bloated with things nobody will ever use, part of why its a cleaner faster experience I think.
- Not sure what you mean by the s4 being a good choice if you want a more vanilla android experience... Touchwiz is about the furthest away from vanilla android you can get. If your referring to the legacy menu button then as I've said before, that is actually against googles design philosophy, look at nexus devices. No menu button.
Good write up for the most part, and I agree with your conclusion. :thumbup:
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, and I am glad you agree with my conclusion. I think Touchwiz is a lot more like vanilla Android, but opinions are just that. As far as looks go, for behavior sure it is nothing like Google's version of Android. The extra button makes it easy to navigate for me. But as I said, I am just far more used to it (plus my S3 had the same.)
I totally agree, the S4 seems the slower of the two devices in use, especially when just using the interface itself. The S4 seemed to lag a lot out of the blue, maybe because they just have so much junk running in the background? I have been running custom ROMS (much cleaner) with overclocked kernels so my S4 was snappy and lost the lag problems, but with the HTC One I did not even have to do that.
ricsim78 said:
It is not meant as a comparison thread, rather my own experience with the phones and to help choose between the two as choosing a device is difficult. For one, what do you care if I write this, does it interfere with your day to day life? Are you a "thread police officer"? At least my thread could be helpful, yours is more of a waste of writing IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is definitely a comparison thread. I mean its pretty much the definition of a comparison thread haha.
He is not a thread police officer but he is right. And this thread is going to be closed once an actual "thread police officer" notices it. Sorry man, these threads are just plain against the rules.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Just an fyi....
Gorilla glass has nothing to do with how easily a screen breaks, it is a coating which makes it scratch less easily
crixley said:
Just an fyi....
Gorilla glass has nothing to do with how easily a screen breaks, it is a coating which makes it scratch less easily
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand that, but some people may be under the illusion it is strong. I did...before I had the S3 and it broke being dropped less than 3 feet onto an office carpet.
FanDroid09 said:
This is definitely a comparison thread. I mean its pretty much the definition of a comparison thread haha.
He is not a thread police officer but he is right. And this thread is going to be closed once an actual "thread police officer" notices it. Sorry man, these threads are just plain against the rules.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess things have changed here, I have not really used the forums much in a long time. I am not trying to break any rules or do a direct comparison thread, I just know it is hard to pick a phone (I had a heck of a time choosing one more than once) but IMO there is no comparison (hence why I own a HTC One now and had a S4 )
Mods, if this is against the rules please close it and sorry. But even if 1 person finds it useful, it is no waste. I also have seen a few other threads like this on here and they were not deleted (hence why I thought it was okay).
ricsim78 said:
I understand that, but some people may be under the illusion it is strong. I did...before I had the S3 and it broke being dropped less than 3 feet onto an office carpet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glass is glass....
They never ever marketed it saying it would survive falls better.
So I think to say it doesn't live up to its name is fallacious
crixley said:
Glass is glass....
They never ever marketed it saying it would survive falls better.
So I think to say it doesn't live up to its name is fallacious
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While Samsung did not (they DO list it as a feature), Corning, the makers of Gorilla Glass, DO market it is the strongest glass you can buy that comes on a phone. If you do not believe me, Google it. It can give you false impressions about it's strengths, but I have dropped my HTC Evo and my Evo 3D (in fact, the Evo 3D fell out of my pocket and rolled down concrete steps) and they both survived without a scratch. I think it is the design of the S4 (glass covers the whole front of the phone) that contributes to this.
Thread closed.
As stated this is a comparison thread and these are not allowed under forum rules. The forum moderators have discussed this and decieded to have the thread closed.

I have to say this is the best phone I've ever owned.

Obviously relative to the time I loved my 3210 and 3310 but you cannot say they're better phones than what we have today. I thought I wasn't going to buy this because of the screen protector thing, however I needed a new phone because I sold my Windows Phone as that OS is just plain bad. I ended up going for this phone in the end because I hate big phones and it finally felt like Android got its iPhone... a normal sized flagship. I've avoided the mini versions in the past as they're always the poor peoples phone, for some reason OEMs see smaller phones as this? However this phone really makes no compromises.
I love the size, love the speed, love the fact Sony don't do a Touchwiz, the construction is so solid and nice, the camera is great, the screen is great etc. It is such an amazing phone to fit in this size, which next to my iPhone 5c it is barely any bigger. What has amazed me though is I'm getting 4 days on a single charge, I'm not a heavy user, I used to get 2 days on my HTC One, but my Windows Phone only lasted a day and this one is thrashing them all. I'm currently on 70% at 1 day 19 hours, those battery saver things built in really work.
I have to wonder if wanting higher and higher resolution screens is worthwhile, I don't miss the 1080p screen of my HTC One, I didn't miss it with my Windows Phone which was 720p, I don't miss it with this one either. I use my iPhone (which I own because IOS has the best games) and that is even lower res and I just don't care it looks good enough. I don't miss not having 460ppi or whatever the HTC One was, I cannot see a pixel on the screen of this phone or my iPhone, I don't look at my phone with a magnifying glass.
My only gripe is I wish they used the bottom bit for capacitative touch buttons.
Really great phone I'd recommend it to any one, maybe people can pick faults with it, I dunno I can pick faults with every phone I've ever used, at some point you just have to accept there is no perfect phone. The HTC One went on about the front stereo speakers, only they weren't great quality, weren't loud after the updates that toned them down because they would crackle at high volumes, the camera sucked, it was impossible to repair. The 1020, the camera was over rated, it would take 4 seconds between shots, have lots of noise, the battery would barely last a day, Windows Phone sucked. I could go on and on but I think so far the Z1 Compact is the best all rounder I've owned and definitely the best normal sized phoned that you can actually fit in your pocket comfortably.
I have to agree, love this phone so far. Before buying the phone, I was a little apprehensive due to various complaints on this forum about touchscreen, slow to wake, etc. But after 9 days without a reboot, I have yet to experience any bugs. Performance is lightning fast, Sony 4.3 ROM is very stable, and the size is almost perfect (would prefer even smaller, but I don't expect anything smaller with similar performance anytime soon).
Venekor said:
My only gripe is I wish they used the bottom bit for capacitative touch buttons..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^^^^ THIS! There is plenty of room on the bottom bezel for the buttons, and that would get more usable screen area back. But that's a minor complaint for an otherwise superb phone.
I've not got bugs on 4.3, I just don't get why people want to be on the latest version all the time, I've been on Kitkat with my HTC One and never noticed a difference...
I like the apps that keep the on screen buttons but make them opaque and get rid of the black bar, it means you don't really notice them and you feel like you're getting the whole screen. I still don't get why there is a big unused Bezel there, maybe that didn't have the space and it is a tight fit in there?
The other thing I don't get is you can easily remove the back cover and it is a bit like a Galaxy phone in there, the internals are covered by plastic, you can get the battery out quite easily and it is easy to repair. They should have just made it into a battery cover instead of giving them impression the battery cannot be replaced.
Still it is nice that you can open it up so easily.
I agree...best phone I ve ever used
Sure is best!. I have 4.4.2 rom now and it rox
Send from my Z1C using tapatalk
First of all sorry on my english
Bezel on the end of phone is probably place where you holding hands when you play games or watching movies
a title?
sorry for my poor English
I like its size and the appearance and no shrinkage to Z1.
Im worry that few people choose this phone here（they often appreciate big ones）and it appears few roms. My last phone was Moto me525 defy, it could use dozens of roms.
Finally I would complain that the forum here is not so friendly as in my country.
11 numbers! are needed, I was used none or 6 numbers when you submit frequently.
Love the dimensions and specs of this phone as well.
But I am still not a fan of Android coming from Nokia's Meego Harmattan.
If the Sailfish OS port ever comes (bug free), this would be my perfect phone.
I completely agree. I came from a Find 5, which is nice in its own right, and this phone is just ridiculously good. I left it stock for about 5 minutes before rooting and unlocking, and have not looked back. I have had no issues thus far with KK (the slightly modded version from munjeni), and the performance / battery and build quality is superb. I haven't messed with BT or camera much yet, but getting a few little things like the softkeys out of the way is about all I needed to make this my perfect phone.
:good:
Venekor said:
I've not got bugs on 4.3, I just don't get why people want to be on the latest version all the time, I've been on Kitkat with my HTC One and never noticed a difference...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google does not leave an update/work for nothing uh... If you do not see the differences, is that your usage is too basic to see (e.g., UI improvements...).
Btw, I always used Xperia smartphones and this is the best phone I've ever owned too!
couldn't agree anymore with you! this is my favorite phone too, and i just love it! all other "mini" smartphones either need a large batteri or have little internal memory or something else. this phone is a beast and have it all!
I agree 100% that this is the best phone I have to date. For a compact phone, the specs alone was a winner and has proven to be in it's performance. It's by no means a mini when it comes to resources. Superb processing and battery power and proprietary Sony battery usage software which I don't even have to use, lol.
I appreciate that Sony doesn't have to be out there marketing wise like Samsung and elegantly meet and surpass their performance. Water proof, dust proof, no biggie full LTE support no limitations except maybe finger print reader (like they even use it). I have owned Samsung s2 to s4, even their minis. Ironically I loved the s2
I am soo happy I have jumped ship and look forward to continued Sony development.
sllik said:
Love the dimensions and specs of this phone as well.
But I am still not a fan of Android coming from Nokia's Meego Harmattan.
If the Sailfish OS port ever comes (bug free), this would be my perfect phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes sailfish os on the z1c would it make perfect.

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