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Upgrading from Captivate to Note or GS3? Help please..my requirements inside...

Hello!
So I have been using my Captivate for a long time...tweaked and overclocked to its max...just a great phone (except for lame GPS). Of course time passes and you want more. 4" is not enough for me any more (and I am speaking about my phone screen!!! LOL).
So I was set on the GS3 BUT a few things have made me think about the Note.
First , I dont care about silly things like looks..come on now. Or the camera....more megapixels on a a freakin small phone sensor? Some people need to learn about real cameras before commenting.
Anyways, the thing is....the GS3 is great the way it is Internationally with the Quad and nice GPU BUT after seeing the 5.3" Note I was like WOW this is BIG.
I use my phone mainly for watching youtube, streaming MST3K , SouthPark etc.
Also for playing emulators, FPSE , MAME etc.
So the bigger display would , in my opinion, be something I can really use.
So in that regards the high resolution big Note screen is awesome as long as it at least looks as good as the one in my Captivate.
The bad thing about the Note...well, some benchmarks, specifically Nenamark2 , I have seen low scores. I mean my Captivate, I hold (I think I still do) the record of 33.5 for that phone and normally score around 30-32 which is VERY close to what I have seen for the Note so that makes me feel like its not a huge upgrade but maybe those were an older Rom or something.
On the other hand I am sure dual core and specially 1GB Ram should give the phone a very smooth feeling compared to my OCed phone.
Another bad thing about the Note is, I got the impression Dev is not huge for it not overclocking.
So on the GS3 end...well the hardware is faster and better overall but the screen is smaller and there is a change the USA ends up with a dual core as well instead of quad. So right I am like...wait for the USA release or just get the Note and enjoy it now.
Its a tough decision.
Any feedback is appreciated specially if anyone is running emulators, specially the new Mame one that plays .139 roms as I would like to know how afterburner runs on dual core.
Regards

Are talking about ATT Note or the Int. Note? Confused, you said that ur waiting for the US release, I'm assuming your talking about the ATT versions of both phones?

Yes both will be the ATT version.

decision is still yours
well i am using my note for like 4 months now, and i am very happy with it, because of its magnificient screen for browsing and my ebooks. I am a surgical resident and this galaxy note saved me from carrying my laptop to the hospital. Here i am sharing my experience abt the note. Its easy to carry my hybrids in the rounds while taking overs during rounds. capture HD videos and pics related to the clinical findings. sometimes i even take it to the OR during cases when i am not assisting or scrubbed. I have all my books for references on my note. The good thing is being loaded with my work stuff, i have plenty of space to have my entertainment part on it. So right now i would say that i have never used a device like the galaxy note.
As far as S3 is concerned. Its an upcoming device with enhanced processor and a few more sensors. So its also charming.
Now as note prices have fall down, if u want to be on the saving path get a note, if u want to be on the top notch in competition, get an S3 as it will be the king till 2013.

I got my Note about 3 months ago and I really will not use anything smaller than the Note.
Before I got this I was tossing a coin between GS2 and Note. I mean literally
The coin landed for the GS2 and I got the Note hehe
I just couldn't resist this phablet.
In comparison to other Android phones I cant say much on that as this is my first ever Android phone and everything on it is great. From watching movies to browsing and even just looking at the thing will make you
Sure it is a bit bulky but I really like it that way. Also it depends on how much you call on it. I spend about 95% doing everything else than calling people. So holding it to my ear is a rare thing. It's better for people with big hands.
I guess everything else can be found on review sites.
I have read a lot about the S3 so far and I gotta say it's not that much better than what the Note is right now. Sure it has an updated touchwiz (in the end both are running ICS so no biggie) with better hardware performance and added apps and features but overall I would not give up my Note for an S3.
But given your situation and if I was in the same situation I would struggle to choose between the two. I would most likely lean towards the Note. About a 60-40 ratio towards the Note.

lets face it QUAD CORE !! (what for) nothing uses that much power and yet its a muscle show for companies over each other. HTC did it sammy said (ME 2).
i love my note and by far the description you wrote means your device acts as a multimedia tool not for a normal usage phone, the note matches your requests fully well it has many ROM to speed it up and give you a great battery life (BTW i dunno about battery on SG3) so stick with note, cutsom version some guys say the ICS official has a bug well dunno i'am using it and its fine but you can wait i guess one week everything will cool down now and problems will be fixed.
NOTE advantages:
Screen HD 5.3"
1 GB RAM
2500 mAH
big phone with great images and brightness
8Mp cam
1.4 Dual Core enough for nowa days
that it by far if you try it you'l never regret or even change it XD unless another comes out !
BTW i hate to say so but i think it's not right to upgrade to an SG3 its about almost the same specs nothing serious for a daily use except for Camera and ICS !
happy buying the phone....

Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Things i like about note:
1. huge hd screen
2. better res and ppi than on sgs2
3. normal sim card (not micro)
4. same specs as sgs2
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Things i like about sgs3:
1. even better resolution and ppi. MUCH BRIGHTER SCREN
2. quad core (not sure if i can feel a difference on apps i am using now) but must be significant difference in battery life.
3. nfc, bt4, few more tweaks with camera & sensors
4. wireless charging
Things i hate about sgs3:
1. rounded look (egg shape)
2. not a big improvement in camera or rams
3. micro sim card
4. PRICE

benzas said:
Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Things i like about note:
1. huge hd screen
2. better res and ppi than on sgs2
3. normal sim card (not micro)
4. same specs as sgs2
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Things i like about sgs3:
1. even better resolution and ppi. MUCH BRIGHTER SCREN
2. quad core (not sure if i can feel a difference on apps i am using now) but must be significant difference in battery life.
3. nfc, bt4, few more tweaks with camera & sensors
4. wireless charging
Things i hate about sgs3:
1. rounded look (egg shape)
2. not a big improvement in camera or rams
3. micro sim card
4. PRICE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are wrong in the brightness department of s3!!
note is about 100cd/m2 brighter than the s3 and could be easily said that its one of the brightest amoled screens around.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_iii_vs_htc_one_x-review-759p2.php

pikulu said:
You are wrong in the brightness department of s3!!
note is about 100cd/m2 brighter than the s3 and could be easily said that its one of the brightest amoled screens around.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_iii_vs_htc_one_x-review-759p2.php
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdnI9s-GD5w have a look here when compared. s3 looks so brighter, might it be just a dimmed settings ?

Just get the Galaxy Note,I have been using it for over 5 months now its one great piece of device,as for SGSIII I would have considered it or the HTC ONE X for that matter only if the GNote did not exist.

shaolin95 said:
Hello!
So I have been using my Captivate for a long time...tweaked and overclocked to its max...just a great phone (except for lame GPS). Of course time passes and you want more. 4" is not enough for me any more (and I am speaking about my phone screen!!! LOL).
So I was set on the GS3 BUT a few things have made me think about the Note.
First , I dont care about silly things like looks..come on now. Or the camera....more megapixels on a a freakin small phone sensor? Some people need to learn about real cameras before commenting.
Anyways, the thing is....the GS3 is great the way it is Internationally with the Quad and nice GPU BUT after seeing the 5.3" Note I was like WOW this is BIG.
I use my phone mainly for watching youtube, streaming MST3K , SouthPark etc.
Also for playing emulators, FPSE , MAME etc.
So the bigger display would , in my opinion, be something I can really use.
So in that regards the high resolution big Note screen is awesome as long as it at least looks as good as the one in my Captivate.
The bad thing about the Note...well, some benchmarks, specifically Nenamark2 , I have seen low scores. I mean my Captivate, I hold (I think I still do) the record of 33.5 for that phone and normally score around 30-32 which is VERY close to what I have seen for the Note so that makes me feel like its not a huge upgrade but maybe those were an older Rom or something.
On the other hand I am sure dual core and specially 1GB Ram should give the phone a very smooth feeling compared to my OCed phone.
Another bad thing about the Note is, I got the impression Dev is not huge for it not overclocking.
So on the GS3 end...well the hardware is faster and better overall but the screen is smaller and there is a change the USA ends up with a dual core as well instead of quad. So right I am like...wait for the USA release or just get the Note and enjoy it now.
Its a tough decision.
Any feedback is appreciated specially if anyone is running emulators, specially the new Mame one that plays .139 roms as I would like to know how afterburner runs on dual core.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly dude.. i would go out and hold a phone that's 4.8in and hold the Note and see which one you'd feel comfy handling 12 hours a day x 2 years.
Boiled down, they're almost the same phone. Quad doesn't necessarily > Dual. Just better if you're a heavy heavy multi-tasker. I multi-task like i'm on crack when i'm on the Note and don't feel any bit of fatigue.
Benchmarks don't mean SH
They're like college degrees. Nice on paper, but the important thing is being able to apply that knowledge in real-life situations.
anyways. i love my note. first week: it's too big (TWSS)
now when i handle an iphone it feels like a little kid's toy in my hand. like someone else said, can't go back to anything smaller.
Although i DO wish i had this on the Note (that the SGS3 has)
-That amazing screen
-That amazing camera (i take over 50 photos a day and that would be my fav feature of all)
-Software features they included (eye tracking, etc)
Still think it's lame how they didn't increase the ram though. I'd never have to close anything if I had 2gb
Also, since there's no LTE in Hawaii.. (yet)... I'd still go with international version. Exynos is king. Snapdragon will probably be what's in the AT&T version. bleh.

benzas said:
Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Things i like about note:
1. huge hd screen
2. better res and ppi than on sgs2
3. normal sim card (not micro)
4. same specs as sgs2
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Things i like about sgs3:
1. even better resolution and ppi. MUCH BRIGHTER SCREN
2. quad core (not sure if i can feel a difference on apps i am using now) but must be significant difference in battery life.
3. nfc, bt4, few more tweaks with camera & sensors
4. wireless charging
Things i hate about sgs3:
1. rounded look (egg shape)
2. not a big improvement in camera or rams
3. micro sim card
4. PRICE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really don't understand it when people say "damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?". This is very narrow minded.
First of all that is like saying, "pens, pencils? What the hell are they for?" The stylus is used for taking notes, it's excellent for that. It is used for drawing, have a look at some of the threads on here where people post their artwork, some pretty amazing stuff. Fingers just aren't accurate enough to do all that. So, fingers are just used for navigating through the phone and selecting things, the stylus is used for so much more than that.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA

ngocdao said:
Honestly dude.. i would go out and hold a phone that's 4.8in and hold the Note and see which one you'd feel comfy handling 12 hours a day x 2 years.
Boiled down, they're almost the same phone. Quad doesn't necessarily > Dual. Just better if you're a heavy heavy multi-tasker. I multi-task like i'm on crack when i'm on the Note and don't feel any bit of fatigue.
Benchmarks don't mean SH
They're like college degrees. Nice on paper, but the important thing is being able to apply that knowledge in real-life situations.
anyways. i love my note. first week: it's too big (TWSS)
now when i handle an iphone it feels like a little kid's toy in my hand. like someone else said, can't go back to anything smaller.
Although i DO wish i had this on the Note (that the SGS3 has)
-That amazing screen
-That amazing camera (i take over 50 photos a day and that would be my fav feature of all)
-Software features they included (eye tracking, etc)
Still think it's lame how they didn't increase the ram though. I'd never have to close anything if I had 2gb
Also, since there's no LTE in Hawaii.. (yet)... I'd still go with international version. Exynos is king. Snapdragon will probably be what's in the AT&T version. bleh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Size is not a problem with the phone for me.
My reason for wanting a quad was mostly for emulators as some are not super efficient so the more power I can provide the better although that MAME one I mentioned seems to be done for duals.
Yes benchmarks are not the last word but they do give an idea of relative performance.
Well one thing I wanted to have was a Tegra 3 chipset. Not because it is the fastest but because the lame market thing with Tegra game having extra features etc. I hope the trend does not continue.
As for Exynos vs Snapdragon, I thought there was not much different between the ATT and international version but I guess I can always sell it then by the international version or something.
Not sure if there is LTE and I dont really care for it except that with my BS "Unlimited" plan if I had a LTE phone my limit before they slow me down to unusable speeds will be 5GB instead of 3.
Thanks
Markhypnosis said:
I really don't understand it when people say "damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?". This is very narrow minded.
First of all that is like saying, "pens, pencils? What the hell are they for?" The stylus is used for taking notes, it's excellent for that. It is used for drawing, have a look at some of the threads on here where people post their artwork, some pretty amazing stuff. Fingers just aren't accurate enough to do all that. So, fingers are just used for navigating through the phone and selecting things, the stylus is used for so much more than that.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the styles us something I like for taking notes for sure...would be very nice.
qazibasit said:
well i am using my note for like 4 months now, and i am very happy with it, because of its magnificient screen for browsing and my ebooks. I am a surgical resident and this galaxy note saved me from carrying my laptop to the hospital. Here i am sharing my experience abt the note. Its easy to carry my hybrids in the rounds while taking overs during rounds. capture HD videos and pics related to the clinical findings. sometimes i even take it to the OR during cases when i am not assisting or scrubbed. I have all my books for references on my note. The good thing is being loaded with my work stuff, i have plenty of space to have my entertainment part on it. So right now i would say that i have never used a device like the galaxy note.
As far as S3 is concerned. Its an upcoming device with enhanced processor and a few more sensors. So its also charming.
Now as note prices have fall down, if u want to be on the saving path get a note, if u want to be on the top notch in competition, get an S3 as it will be the king till 2013.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My concern with the S3 is , how much enhanced is going to be if the USA cripples it to dual core..then it would feel more like a small note since not even the RAM changed.
NutZInTheHead said:
I got my Note about 3 months ago and I really will not use anything smaller than the Note.
Before I got this I was tossing a coin between GS2 and Note. I mean literally
The coin landed for the GS2 and I got the Note hehe
I just couldn't resist this phablet.
In comparison to other Android phones I cant say much on that as this is my first ever Android phone and everything on it is great. From watching movies to browsing and even just looking at the thing will make you
Sure it is a bit bulky but I really like it that way. Also it depends on how much you call on it. I spend about 95% doing everything else than calling people. So holding it to my ear is a rare thing. It's better for people with big hands.
I guess everything else can be found on review sites.
I have read a lot about the S3 so far and I gotta say it's not that much better than what the Note is right now. Sure it has an updated touchwiz (in the end both are running ICS so no biggie) with better hardware performance and added apps and features but overall I would not give up my Note for an S3.
But given your situation and if I was in the same situation I would struggle to choose between the two. I would most likely lean towards the Note. About a 60-40 ratio towards the Note.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am hoping I can have AOKP with it and hopefully some Overclocked kernel. That should make me happy.
As for calling, I dont use my phone to call, always use a headset so no problem there.
REVERSiN said:
lets face it QUAD CORE !! (what for) nothing uses that much power and yet its a muscle show for companies over each other. HTC did it sammy said (ME 2).
i love my note and by far the description you wrote means your device acts as a multimedia tool not for a normal usage phone, the note matches your requests fully well it has many ROM to speed it up and give you a great battery life (BTW i dunno about battery on SG3) so stick with note, cutsom version some guys say the ICS official has a bug well dunno i'am using it and its fine but you can wait i guess one week everything will cool down now and problems will be fixed.
NOTE advantages:
Screen HD 5.3"
1 GB RAM
2500 mAH
big phone with great images and brightness
8Mp cam
1.4 Dual Core enough for nowa days
that it by far if you try it you'l never regret or even change it XD unless another comes out !
BTW i hate to say so but i think it's not right to upgrade to an SG3 its about almost the same specs nothing serious for a daily use except for Camera and ICS !
happy buying the phone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree...that is what my usage of the phone looks like and since camera is not important to me as I have real cameras when a shot matters, then I keep leaning towards the Note right now
benzas said:
Yesterday i sold my sgs2 . It was a great device, but had some hardware problems. I am thinking too ''should i go for white note '' or ''should i wait for sgs3'' one thing for sure if i'll buy note now, i will lose some money for selling it latter after sgs3 official release.
Please give me some advices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Labas benzas
As truputi suprantu lietuviskai
Its better to create your own post to get more responses.
I hate when I cannot make a clear cut decision. LOL
ate

Benchmark results aren't relative at all.. that's the problem
Its like the quote goes "you can't rate a goldfish's intelligence based on its ability to climb"
There is a significant difference on exynos / snapdragon. (Stock) I've tried both notes.
Another prime example is AT&T S2 w/ exynos and TMO S2 on snapdragon. The latter is horrible on stock.
I still hate writing on the stylus, since i cant write as fast on it as i do with a reg. Pen and professor talks too fast. I do all my mock up sketches though on it/annotations.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

shaolin95 said:
Labas benzas
As truputi suprantu lietuviskai
Its better to create your own post to get more responses.
I hate when I cannot make a clear cut decision. LOL
ate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahah . Labas! Nice to see some native language in here
went to some phone shops today to hold NOTE ... also compared it to nexus (as nexus is the same size as s3) and i easily made my mind. BOUGHT NOTE FROM EBAY TODAY. £359 so that's about $577 , brand new n7000 , factory unlocked - WHITE
s3 in uk going to be part of Olympics (official olimpics phone) so i presume price is gonna stay high for a long time. I'll hold note for some time now , and decide if it is worth to go for s3 latter when it is cheaper.

benzas said:
hahah . Labas! Nice to see some native language in here
went to some phone shops today to hold NOTE ... also compared it to nexus (as nexus is the same size as s3) and i easily made my mind. BOUGHT NOTE FROM EBAY TODAY. £359 so that's about $577 , brand new n7000 , factory unlocked - WHITE
s3 in uk going to be part of Olympics (official olimpics phone) so i presume price is gonna stay high for a long time. I'll hold note for some time now , and decide if it is worth to go for s3 latter when it is cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ah good idea! I will do the same to see how much different the size will be. I wish I could just get the international version but then again, I guess I can always sell it and get the international one.
Are you in Vilnius? I am planning to visit in late June.
Aciu

shaolin95 said:
ah good idea! I will do the same to see how much different the size will be. I wish I could just get the international version but then again, I guess I can always sell it and get the international one.
Are you in Vilnius? I am planning to visit in late June.
Aciu
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No bro. I live in United Kingdom for last 7 yrs. but originally i am not far away from Vilnius.
My advice for you would be : - go for note and if you'll be very disappointed go for s3 in autumn or so. (maybe even NOTE 2 )
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DECISION

Based on what I use it for I think the big screen will be the choice for sure. I will go by the store today.
Yeah many of my friends are moving to the UK as well so I hope to see them before they leave.
malonu

benzas said:
Things i hate about note:
1. damn stylus ! - what is it for ? 2012 and we are still using stylus ?
2. stupid look while making a call
3. i am not sure if it is possible to write a text message with one hand
4. mobile phone with big screen in my pocket - much easier to damage a screen!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.- Really, hey if you dont like it you dont HAVE to use it, i love it couse its great to making some postcards out of picture of me and my gf just for fun, also its great for playing drawsomthing, but you dont have to use it.
2.- I dont think how you look should matter in this case you want something useful you are not modelling right?
3.- With ICS you can write with one hand, it has a special one hand handling feature
4.- Sure, but after 6 months no problem with my phone, and i broke 2 other small ones so i gues it depends how you take care of your stuff
Bottom Line, i Love my Note, im not planning on any change unless Note 2 is out there and yet, it has to be a great update, cause this phone has it all

I would say go for the note.
-- Although the ATT version doesn't have the same power as the international version. overclocking to 1704hmz is certainly a plus for the note, and some roms can go higher. If you are going for the Note do the international version.
As apps get more complicated (and they will) more cores will be needed. Currently thats not the case, but it will happen. I remember 20 years ago when people were saying 52mb was all you would even need in a hard drive!
Thats basically what it comes down to. For me its the bigger screen as apps don't need 4 cores at the moment, and im loving the Note. The next note will be quad core so that will be my next purchase...
I'm never going for a smaller phone than the note...

Opinions about buying LG G2

Hi all, sorry for posting this here but I really need some input from the honest folks of XDA whom I trust most
I have Xperia X10 & I want to buy a new phone, my three options are Note 3, Xperia Z1 & LG G2
now I really wanted to go for Note 3 because of s pen & big size but the problem is that Snapdragon 800 version is not released with warranty for where I live & I have doubts buying a Samsung device without warranty
I played a bit with Xperia Z1 & noticed the overheating issue around the lens & worse yet it shuts down the camera & doesn't let you use it unless the device is cooled down
I played with LG G2 & found no issues at all, really loved the device & its innovations, the price is also lower than those two here, the only thing is I heard a few things about LG phones in general that makes me worried, a few people say that lg phones' batteries get worse after some months & you'll get half the battery life you got during first days, Also they say that because of G2's many software features the phone will lag after some months (which sounds kinda stupid really) but since my budget is really really limited & I will stuck with whatever I choose for two or three years I need some honest input from the people who own this device for some months now
Thanks a lot, Really appreciate it

Here's my somewhat biased answer:
1. I avoid Sony products like the plague. Not very good experience in the past.
2. I don't like the Xperia line, their designs are not that good to me (way too square-ish).
3. I've been a Samsung user for the last three devices Samsung S2, Samsung S3 Mini and Samsung Note 1, all of them great devices except two things: Build quality (chromes come off easily) but above all, AMOLED screens tend to burn-in over time. So I decided to avoid AMOLED screens from now on.
4. I decided to try LG G2 due to it been the first Snapdragon 800 CPU and it's gorgeous IPS screen but most of all, its INCREDIBLE BATTERY LIFE! which is something every other brand lacks (maybe except the Motorola Droid MAXX). Other great aspects: super thin, almost no bezel which allows the screen to be almost phablet size!
I would suggest you to try LG G2, it will not disappoint you! :good:
Just make sure you get the 32 GB version!

riginal said:
Hi all, sorry for posting this here but I really need some input from the honest folks of XDA whom I trust most
I have Xperia X10 & I want to buy a new phone, my three options are Note 3, Xperia Z1 & LG G2
now I really wanted to go for Note 3 because of s pen & big size but the problem is that Snapdragon 800 version is not released with warranty for where I live & I have doubts buying a Samsung device without warranty
I played a bit with Xperia Z1 & noticed the overheating issue around the lens & worse yet it shuts down the camera & doesn't let you use it unless the device is cooled down
I played with LG G2 & found no issues at all, really loved the device & its innovations, the price is also lower than those two here, the only thing is I heard a few things about LG phones in general that makes me worried, a few people say that lg phones' batteries get worse after some months & you'll get half the battery life you got during first days, Also they say that because of G2's many software features the phone will lag after some months (which sounds kinda stupid really) but since my budget is really really limited & I will stuck with whatever I choose for two or three years I need some honest input from the people who own this device for some months now
Thanks a lot, Really appreciate it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I Personally like the Z1 and the G2
The Z1 overheating issues is only present if you take video like a mad person or play games as if its a PSP from my understanding.
Remember these are still phones. And if you plan to play games on it for 6-8 hours straight and get it overheating, you are in need of a Handheld or tablet. It should not overhead on normal usage.
G2 I have so far has great battery life. What u should do to Li-Ion every now and then though is run it completely dead and recharge it so the system can calibrate the battery again. a lot of times that's the issue. That's the same thing people say with Motorolas also but I been fine with miens for 1 1/2 years
I went with the G2 due to price. Instead of the Note I had the HTC one as my third option.
The new phones are all soo powerful it mainly comes down what u want to use it for and what fits ur pocket and style.
I like the size, Screen, Powerplant, Battery of the G2 and the Price at under $300 used in mint condition was a steal to me.
Else I went for the HTC one at little over 325,.... The Sony was nice but the price was not right for me. Nor did it feel comfi in my hand.
But again those are my personal reason on why I picked the G2

1. Sony make POS phone, I despise their products, even their GOOGLE TV sucks, funny thing is I'm getting ready to buy their noise cancelling headphone. They dont listen to customer, the same problem that happen in the XZ is happen on the XZ1S viewing angle. also the battery is surprisingly not good at all.
2. Note 3 is good but too big for my hand. my rules of thumb is, if I cant wrap my thumb and middle finger around the phone, then it is too big for me
3. LG G2 is an awesome phone, if I switch to any other phone it would be because I'm bored of Android, not because of the phone. battery last me all day with everything turn on (no battery saving app BS)
I traded the XZ for HTC one, the HTC one came close to beating it, but the over heating and battery got me to switch to the LG G2. If you do want the Note 3, take a look at the HTC one max, I think they fix it to where it doesnt overheat.

I had a Xperia Z1 and man, its a joke... Full of issues, touchscreen, battery, lag in homescreen, random reboots... I replaced it 5 times and all have the same issues.
Now i have an Lg G2 and, oh my really f**** god... Its wonderful! its the best phone i have had so far. The IPS screen provide a really good quality, it impress me the first time i saw it.
Buy an LG and you will like it as heaven.
Buy a Sony and play Russian roulette.
Buy a Samsung and you will have a good phone ( i dont have it so i dont say anything about it )

Thanks all for your input, That makes me want this phone even more over the other two
so those of you who have this phone for some months now haven't face any lag or battery life degradation on stock rom??because I know I'm gonna just use the stock rom (because based on my experience with X10 & flashing countless custom roms nothing beats stock in stability)
Also 32 gb is enough for you? I don't have proper access to cloud, for me it'll be some music files, maybe two or three movies, one hd game maybe & also I need 2-3 gb for maps to use it for offline gps, with these can I install many apps without any issues?
Thanks again for your useful comments
Also about HTC one max its price is really over my budget, also its camera is just not that good in daylight

any comment on the storage?
I'm off to buy my new phone next week

Yes 32gb is enough for your usage! But of course as anything else, you should not abuse it!
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

You will have 24 GB storage after system apps. There is some occasional stutter when scrolling but that's the only lag I've experienced.
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

riginal said:
any comment on the storage?
I'm off to buy my new phone next week
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought of that initially too... But it was not a dealbreaker at all!
I use several storage options:
1. Cloud Storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc)
2. Personal wireless NAS Storage when at home.
3. USB Host through OTG cable and usb memory.
Besides, unless you purchase a high speed micro sd, external storage through microsd is basically useless due to their low performance compared with the internal storage. Even some Class 10 microsd are not as fast as internal storage.
Anyway, just be sure to get those video recordings out of your device soon, because they are HUGE! lol...
Cheers!

I have that Russian cloud storage which gave me 1TB of free storage due to a now finished promo. Box.com gives you 50 GB free storage when you sign in using a LG phone but cloud storage isn't that fast really.
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Rayan said:
Here's my somewhat biased answer:
1. I avoid Sony products like the plague. Not very good experience in the past.
2. I don't like the Xperia line, their designs are not that good to me (way too square-ish).
3. I've been a Samsung user for the last three devices Samsung S2, Samsung S3 Mini and Samsung Note 1, all of them great devices except two things: Build quality (chromes come off easily) but above all, AMOLED screens tend to burn-in over time. So I decided to avoid AMOLED screens from now on.
4. I decided to try LG G2 due to it been the first Snapdragon 800 CPU and it's gorgeous IPS screen but most of all, its INCREDIBLE BATTERY LIFE! which is something every other brand lacks (maybe except the Motorola Droid MAXX). Other great aspects: super thin, almost no bezel which allows the screen to be almost phablet size!
I would suggest you to try LG G2, it will not disappoint you! :good:
Just make sure you get the 32 GB version!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, stock it great....i just installed a debloated version and the up side to the root Rom is charging isn't limited on cheap chargers, bloatware removal and a small boost of battery life.

I would highly recommend the LG G2, i swap phones alot and my all time favorite was the HTC One due to its build quality and boom sound speakers but since i started using the G2 Im so in love with it. Great battery life and the a huge screen that is prefect for one hand use due to the lack of screen bezel.
The only main issue i had with the G2 was the UI, although it preforms well but the colors used are so stupid and might make the phone look cheap, so i replaced all the main ugly looking apps with others from the Play store ( No root required) im talking about the Dialer, Messaging & keyboard.
Hope that helps making up ur mind.

i think the verizon G2 is the best bang for the buck
the gsm is unlocked
wireless charging built in
I like the stock LG keyboard.
for everything else
there are LOTs of ROMS :good::good::good:

I am also looking for my next phone.
At first considered Note 3, but after a bit of reading around, its buggy firmwares scared me off plus i am not interested in S pen features.
Then thought of One Max, but no OIS like One, and snapdragon 600 not very futureproof either. Great screen and audio though. But having this big of a phone and still compromise on specs was a no go.
Now i am down to LG G2. I guess this might be it. I could care less about having latest android version as for me it is already mature enough. Phone stability and battery life are what i am looking for with decent horsepower.

I am pretty much a samsung fanboy! Not to the extreme but I have been in love with the galaxy series.
I was using the galaxy S3 when a offer for the LG G2 came up, which i could not refuse, so i 'gave it a go' and in my complete honesty i have never looked back and had no regrets.
The phone is amazing and can guarentee it will compete with most if not all the upcoming phones this year!! The speed is just out of this world and the first thing people comment on when trying my phone. Battery.....well what can I say, WOW!!!! Button placement is actually very nice, but due to LGs actual useful features I dont touch the buttons for days on end!
Storage.......yes this can be a problem, and its the one thing people turn round to me and say its the thing tgat stops them getting the phone. But i have learnt to live with it with no problems. My gallery is now linked to my dropbox so save space there, and i just delete gilms and series once i have watched them. To me i have no issues with storage.
Overall i can not reccomend this phone enough! I did not mention so much like screen and bezel and overall size if phone as they are just obviously perfect.
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app

Guys I hope you don't mind me tagging onto this thread.
I killed my Xperia Z Ultra yesterday, I reversed over it, its complete roadkill now... :crying:
Anyway that aside I am seriously considering the G2 now it can be gotten for such a reasonable price and the hardware/battery etc. is so much better than the Nexus 5.
Im completely sold on the hardware but I do like stock android though so will probably go with an AOSP Rom at some point.
Can someone tell me if I can still root and put custom recovery on the latest LG firmware... I just won't be happy if I'm stuck with the stock LG firmware forever.
Really appreciate if someone could answer that for me conclusively as I have my finger on the trigger of buying one. :good:

you probably can, otherwise you grab an old kdz somewhere downgrade(via return to stock method, posted here somewhere), root and upgrade
anybody have experience with that?
Sent from my LG-D802 using xda app-developers app

baileyjr said:
Guys I hope you don't mind me tagging onto this thread.
I killed my Xperia Z Ultra yesterday, I reversed over it, its complete roadkill now... :crying:
Anyway that aside I am seriously considering the G2 now it can be gotten for such a reasonable price and the hardware/battery etc. is so much better than the Nexus 5.
Im completely sold on the hardware but I do like stock android though so will probably go with an AOSP Rom at some point.
Can someone tell me if I can still root and put custom recovery on the latest LG firmware... I just won't be happy if I'm stuck with the stock LG firmware forever.
Really appreciate if someone could answer that for me conclusively as I have my finger on the trigger of buying one. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How was the Z Ultra? the camera is not good right? also no flash...sigh
Do you recommend Z Ultra or LG G2?

riginal said:
How was the Z Ultra? the camera is not good right? also no flash...sigh
Do you recommend Z Ultra or LG G2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really enjoyed using it... The camera was typical tablet quality, very poor and I found myself not bothering to take photos of moments I would have like to have captured,
The size I got used to but it was what ultimately lead to its demise, It must have fell out of my pocket getting into the car and I reversed over it. Its roadkill now :crying: Will get a replacement on the insurance and sell it on.
The things I had the huge screen for, ie watching movies and gaming I found I never had time to do anyway... I don't regret getting the Ultra but its time for something with similar performance but a lot more practical and I think for me thats the G2,

Considering Note 3 for upgrade

I am coming from a Samsung Galaxy S3. I am due for an AT&T upgrade early July. I was really leaning towards the new Galaxy S5 but then I saw that I could get a Note 3 for the same price. I am really torn. The advantages I see with the Note 3 are:
---32 GB hard drive space vs 16 GB in S5
---3 GB ram vs the 2 GB that the S5 has
---larger screen
---bottom speaker (which I personally prefer to rear speakers)
The advantages I see for the Galaxy S5 are:
---a better camera (though I would love to hear just how much better)
---easier to handle with one hand
---water resistance
---apparently a screen that is brighter and slightly more accurate
I would like to hear from those who have had both and would like to elaborate or mention more advantages with either device. Thanks!

First it's about size difference. If you dislike a big phone you better don't buy a note. Everything else is a lot better on the note!!! For the same price and if the size is ok for u I would even prefer the note over the s5.

I went to an AT&T store yesterday and messed with a Note 3 for a while. The screen is humongous but the Galaxy S5 isn't too far from the same size with a much smaller screen.
I've liked everything about my Galaxy S3 except battery life (I now have a 3500 mah battery) and heating issues when doing gaming with, for example, Minecraft, even at its lowest graphical setting. I just can't game for more than 15-20 minutes on this phone without it getting extremely hot. Screen temperatures easily reach 100 within that time span.
Yesterday, I played Dead Trigger on the Note 3 for about 15 minutes. The phone did get quite warm on the screen side opposite the camera. It wasn't as bad as my S3 but it was a tad disappointing. Unfortunately the S5 next to it didn't have Dead Trigger on it and so I couldn't do a "heat" comparison.
BTW, hearing a lot about GPS issues and some suggesting not to upgrade to KitKat. Has the GPS issue been fixed without me having to run a custom ROM?
Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

Capa1970 said:
I went to an AT&T store yesterday and messed with a Note 3 for a while. The screen is humongous but the Galaxy S5 isn't too far from the same size with a much smaller screen.
I've liked everything about my Galaxy S3 except battery life (I now have a 3500 mah battery) and heating issues when doing gaming with, for example, Minecraft, even at its lowest graphical setting. I just can't game for more than 15-20 minutes on this phone without it getting extremely hot. Screen temperatures easily reach 100 within that time span.
Yesterday, I played Dead Trigger on the Note 3 for about 15 minutes. The phone did get quite warm on the screen side opposite the camera. It wasn't as bad as my S3 but it was a tad disappointing. Unfortunately the S5 next to it didn't have Dead Trigger on it and so I couldn't do a "heat" comparison.
BTW, hearing a lot about GPS issues and some suggesting not to upgrade to KitKat. Has the GPS issue been fixed without me having to run a custom ROM?
Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't had any GPS issues on the Note 3, but I wouldn't base your decision on the GPS anyway since it's a problem which can be fixed. Like I said before it's about your preference. Try to focus on the things you really need/want to see on your device and look also for different Android phones. There are so many good devices on the market and if you can wait there will be some more beasts coming in the next couple of months!!! Me personally god used to the size and smaller devices feel like toys when I use them.
From what I heard you need a better battery life and good gaming and over all performance. Something else?(music, camera)

Thanks for the reply. Battery life, no exaggerated heat when gaming, camera, very good speakers, and removable battery are the most important things to me. I absolutely love the HTC M8 but the camera and non-removable battery kill it for me. I would really love to have front speakers, but the other candidate, Sony Z2, has bezels too big for my taste.
I am waiting on more information on the LG G3 and this Galaxy Prime that I keep on hearing about. As mentioned earlier, I am due for an upgrade in early July and so I have time to really think about things but I like doing my research months in advance instead of last second.
I mentioned to my brother that I was considering the Note 3 and he said that is has reception issues---dropped calls, weak signal, etc. I googled it and there were some threads on the subject. Any comments on this potential issue?

Weak signals and dropped calls would be a network issue not really a handset issue
I came from a s3 to a note 3 and I'll never look back anything smaller feels miniscule now initially took time to adjust to the size of the screen but now I can't see me ever using a smaller device
Battery has served me well get a full day out of it no problem
You won't find a phone that won't heat up while gaming it's impossible to cool a device operating at full power without some sort of cooling mechanics other than heatsinks
Phone will take anything you throw at it and then some
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app

I own both. (I'm using my S5 as a glorified mp3 player these days, as the screen is too small for me.) Much prefer the Note 3.
The camera on the S5 is in no significant way better than that on the Note 3. I'm an actual photographer so I haven't used any of the filters, and I set everything manually, but in term of picture quality, both are rubbish in low light. In bright light they're near equal.
In terms of screen the S5 is smaller with a higher pixel density. You can only see it when you're about 2cm away from your screen. The colours are slightly more saturated on the S5. (That's a matter of preference, I prefer somewhat more normal colours. Mainly because I can't stand the ghastly Touchwiz colours on the S5.)
Each phone heats up whilst gaming. That's what happens when the plastic case serves as the heatsink without any other fan or coolant. Particularly if you're holding it. The more powerful the device, the more it heats up.
I have no issues with GPS on KitKat. It locks quickly, is stable and has no satelite loss. Call reception is also fine, any drops in signal is entirely due to the sometimes hilariously bad coverage of my provider. (I've nagged them about that. Repeatedly. In person, at their HQ, to the network manager. No luck.)
The S5 is a bit better at handling drops and bumps. The Note 3 is a bit more fragile, so if you lead an active lifestyle or you're clumsy, consider a case.
If you have the time, I would indeed suggest waiting for the S5 Prime before making your choice. http://www.sammobile.com/2014/05/09...ith-qhd-display-snapdragon-805-android-4-4-3/

ShadowLea said:
I own both. (I'm using my S5 as a glorified mp3 player these days, as the screen is too small for me.) Much prefer the Note 3.
The camera on the S5 is in no significant way better than that on the Note 3. I'm an actual photographer so I haven't used any of the filters, and I set everything manually, but in term of picture quality, both are rubbish in low light. In bright light they're near equal.
In terms of screen the S5 is smaller with a higher pixel density. You can only see it when you're about 2cm away from your screen. The colours are slightly more saturated on the S5. (That's a matter of preference, I prefer somewhat more normal colours. Mainly because I can't stand the ghastly Touchwiz colours on the S5.)
Each phone heats up whilst gaming. That's what happens when the plastic case serves as the heatsink without any other fan or coolant. Particularly if you're holding it. The more powerful the device, the more it heats up.
I have no issues with GPS on KitKat. It locks quickly, is stable and has no satelite loss. Call reception is also fine, any drops in signal is entirely due to the sometimes hilariously bad coverage of my provider. (I've nagged them about that. Repeatedly. In person, at their HQ, to the network manager. No luck.)
The S5 is a bit better at handling drops and bumps. The Note 3 is a bit more fragile, so if you lead an active lifestyle or you're clumsy, consider a case.
If you have the time, I would indeed suggest waiting for the S5 Prime before making your choice. http://www.sammobile.com/2014/05/09...ith-qhd-display-snapdragon-805-android-4-4-3/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is exactly how I compare the two devices just a lot more detailed lol.
In September/October should be the note 4 release and if I wouldn't have the note 3 now I would definitely wait. (I will probably still upgrade cause of my cell phone interest/addiction)

Guys, thanks for the replies and, Shadow Lea, thanks for the detailed comparison! I'm sure that it is close, but which one would you say has better battery life?

Capa1970 said:
Guys, thanks for the replies and, Shadow Lea, thanks for the detailed comparison! I'm sure that it is close, but which one would you say has better battery life?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I myself have always found the note series vs the s series that the note had way better battery life and camera wise your photos will about the same but since you due in July wait for note 4 or the s5 prime
Sent from my SM-N900W8 using XDA Free mobile app

Capa1970 said:
Guys, thanks for the replies and, Shadow Lea, thanks for the detailed comparison! I'm sure that it is close, but which one would you say has better battery life?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say they're fairly even matched. The S5 is smaller, but has a smaller battery. I do feel my Note 3 lasts a bit longer, but maybe because I put more effort into extending the batterylife.

I am seeking some clarity. Exactly which Snapdragon 800 chipset is in the AT&T Galaxy Note 3? This article assumes that it is the variant with ram clocked at 933 MHz and the GPU at 550 MHz:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/snapdragon-801-performance-xperia-z2,3777-3.html
However, I've seen articles that have the ram at 800 MHz and the GPU at 450 MHz. Which is correct?

Don't buy the current S5 as Samsung is going to release a better version of it with a better chipset and more RAM and Quad HD display. The Note 3 is just as good for photos, has the S-Pen, speakers at the bottom as stated before, 128 GB Micro SD slot, same screen resolution, more RAM, and almost the same processor speed. W/ the S5, you're just getting features the Note 3 will get sometime later in the year, waterproofing (case can solve that w/ good research), and an easier device to carry around. People joke about my Note 3 a bit saying it's too big, but I honestly don't care because most people use that crappy iPhone 4S or something miniscule.

IMO just wait for the Note 4 right now.

First off - prefer the Note 3 because of the larger screen, however one thing that the others haven't mentioned is that the S5 comes with Kitkat which has restricted access to the SD card. The note 3 might still come with android 4.3 (if you are lucky) which allowed full access to the SD card. Obviously if you don't use the SD card than this is of no interest however if you do then, to me, this is a really important issue. Fortunately I jusy got my phone on a two year contract so I have at least 19 months before I have to worry! (as long as I don't press the firmware upgrade button by mistake!) Hope Google put something better in place in android 4.5 or android 5 or reverse this stupid decision.

What restriction r u talking about? I'm on kk.
@op if you get the chance compare it hands on. I heard a lot of people disliking the size of a note!!! It is most important that u like your phone and feel comfortable or else u regret spending money on it and start threats about strange issues u have in the forum Good luck with your decision. And as I said before at least wait for the note 4 if the screen size isn't a problem.

Google kitkat sd card issues tons of complaints. Someone has even started a petition. Although you can save your photos and music to the sd card all apps must save to a single app specific directory and are not allowed to write to other directories. E.g.take a photo with your phone them try and edit it with another programme. Because you aren't allowed to save it to the original directory you will end up with two copies in different locations. Also when you uninstall an app any data on the sd card will be deleted! Right pain in the ...neck!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app

Barneyabz said:
Google kitkat sd card issues tons of complaints. Someone has even started a petition. Although you can save your photos and music to the sd card all apps must save to a single app specific directory and are not allowed to write to other directories. E.g.take a photo with your phone them try and edit it with another programme. Because you aren't allowed to save it to the original directory you will end up with two copies in different locations. Also when you uninstall an app any data on the sd card will be deleted! Right pain in the ...neck!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seriously the SD card issue isn't a big deal. The only problem is for old apps. But if you're using a new device, you should download apps that are optimized for your OS instead of running old apps anyways.
If the developer didn't bother with an update for a big permission change then obviously it's a sign that you should find a new app because If the app was like a banking app or something related to work, and they didn't update to 4.4 permissions, then how would you rely on them when a huge exploit for the app is released which leaked all your passwords and vital information?
Rooting allows for you to bypass this, but in all honesty, the play store is filled with new apps that always get updated weekly (especially File sharing apps) and you should use those instead. I understand not everyone can do this, but by choosing to buy a 4.4 device (even if you did an update you should have read up about changes), you automatically assume 4.4 features to be what you will live with.

It's ok. I bought a 4.3 device and read about the changes in 4.4 so I haven't updated. Personally I wanted my phone and next tablet to replace a Windows PC. Android 4.4 won't work for me. So I'll stay on 4.3 until warranty is up then upgrade and root. Next tablet will be a windows 8 not android.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app

Barneyabz said:
It's ok. I bought a 4.3 device and read about the changes in 4.4 so I haven't updated. Personally I wanted my phone and next tablet to replace a Windows PC. Android 4.4 won't work for me. So I'll stay on 4.3 until warranty is up then upgrade and root. Next tablet will be a windows 8 not android.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would definitely wait with win 8 tablets. The most r crap and the good ones r waaaay 2 overpriced. Know the win cycle one software good one bad... Windows 7 was good Vista bad XP good... Think about it

Better than a Note 4?

I love my AT&T Note 4...it's a great thing! It is! But root is *still* not possible. I know people are working feverishly at it and I don't necessarily think it won't happen but I really miss it. Sure, I am one of those rare dudes that use the stylus multiple times a day, as well as all the multitasking/splitscreen stuff, but I can't run some apps that I used to rely on heavily when I took the leap of faith to the Note. One MAJOR thing that bugs the every loving piss out of me is the fact that I can't flash a custom ROM! I know temporary root has been achieved but, from what I understand, that's not good enough to flash a custom recovery and ROM, AND I can't use my root apps like SSHTunnel.
Anyway...blah blah...Seeing this phone makes me want to toss the Note 4 on eBay. Yes, the screen is lame but the CPU is epic and it's much more open.
I might be down to let the 4 go but there are a few hangups: That invite system. How the HELL am I supposed to get an invite? Another hangup is that screen...it's "only" 1080p...how does it look? Is it a good piece of hardware? I'm sure I'll miss the 4's screen but if the 1080 screen looks good overall, I might be able to deal due to the hackability and the CPU.
Overall, I'm just looking for some feedback and overall impressions of the phone when it becomes more widely available. Think it's a worthy upgrade from the Note 4?

I had used Samsung Galaxy Phones starting from the S2 > S3 > Note 2 > Note 3 and then moved to the Oneplus One.
Here are the key differences :
1. If you have a taste for the saturation of the AMOLED display, you will miss it. The Deep Blacks are spectacular on the Samsung Flagships (Ive seen the note 4 too) However i was pleasently surprised by the Clarity of the Oneplus One. The pentile matrix of the AMOLED displays on the galaxy range does leave room for more clarity and the Oneplus Display though not as saturated was as bright and it was more crisp/clear. Today after 8 months of using the OPO i will not go back to an AMOLED unless they do away with the Pentile matrix (I am yet to sample a QHD AMOLED display though)
2. OPO ran CM 11/12 vs Touchiwiz /custom roms on The Note 3. Although i liked some features of Touchwiz , the overall look was not to my taste. Custom Roms though available come with thier own bugs. Having used the OPO and also having liked CM early on i was happy for the native support. I am a tinkerer, run a lot of root apps, Hence i loved the OPO where i dont lose my warranty on rooting/unlocking. Also CM/Oxygen are far less bloated than other ROMs hence I enjoyed snappier performance and better battery life compared to the Note 3.
3. I did like the oneplus one in terms of its looks but the note 4 looked better. i chose the oneplus because i could just trade my one year old Note 3 and get the OPO at no extra cost. the OP2 looks better, has a metal frame and better styleswap covers. I personally really liked the sandstone black back though, but that is a matter of taste. At less than half Price of the Note 4 the OPO was a steal.
4. The OP2 has 4gb of DDR4 Ram, so i expect better performance than anything else out there. I however do not game much, or use too many apps simultaneously so i dont forsee a heating issue for me using the SD810.
5. The Note 4 Camera is most likely better than the OP2. But this is just speculation at this point.
To sum up : The OP2 is newer hardware, root friendly, bloat free, will likely have good developer support. It does lack MicroSD expansion, NFC,quick charge. If you want to experiment with a new device offering near pure android, at a very reasonable price - i would vote for the OP2.

rmp5s said:
I love my AT&T Note 4...it's a great thing! It is! But root is *still* not possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not the fault of Samsung or your Note 4, but your carrier. Get a phone through Verizon or AT&T and be prepared to be punished with a locked bootloader.

Im also in a fix.Im also using Note 4 sd variant but I haven't rooted it due to knox crap.Confused coz i love the Note 4 screen but I see full hd screen with sd810 as an advantage.
Sent from my SM-N910G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

jack_frost said:
To sum up : The OP2 is newer hardware, root friendly, bloat free, will likely have good developer support. It does lack MicroSD expansion, NFC,quick charge. If you want to experiment with a new device offering near pure android, at a very reasonable price - i would vote for the OP2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome reply. Thanks for the feedback!
I'm still a bit on the fence about it...good to hear the screen is good, though. That's one thing I am COMPLETELY spoiled with...the Note 4's screen is simply unparalleled.
There is nothing about the Note 4 that I hate and I'd truly miss the SmartPen...I'm one of the few that actually use the thing every day. I also love the multitasking functionality and use it all the time.
But, the "don't listen too loud" nanny every time I plug headphones in, the "how to clear app defaults" every damn time I set one, the COMPLETELY random battery life (some days, after my 12hr shift, it'll be at 40-45%...other days it'll be at 5%...you never know...) and, obviously, the lack of root and the EPIC OP2 amongst other things all add up to me considering making the switch. The fact that the Note 4 goes for 400-450 on eBay doesn't hurt things, either. My Note 4 is pristine. I even have all the original box/papers/etc that it came with.
I'm going to think about it for a little while and we'll see. Right now I'm thinking I'm going to do it.
Oh...and...how does one go about getting a OP2 invite?

CafeKampuchia said:
This is not the fault of Samsung or your Note 4, but your carrier. Get a phone through Verizon or AT&T and be prepared to be punished with a locked bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprint version had root almost a year ago . It's a shame they do that in 2015 but when your at the top at&t and verizon you can do whatever you want. Highly doubt it get root at this point most people probably got another device. Hope im wrong tho

rmp5s said:
Oh...and...how does one go about getting a OP2 invite?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not begging or entering any stupid contests to get a 1+2 invite. I'm the customer and OnePlus wants my business, not the other way around. If an invite doesn't fall in my lap, I'll get something else from a company ready to do business with me.

Agreed. I definitely don't like the business model. I'm not JUST holding out of a OP2...I'm VERY intrigued by the upcoming Nexus...I adored my Nexus 4. Had that thing for a long ass time. The OP2 is very Nexus-ish...I just don't get why they don't just sell the stupid things...why be difficult about it?

rmp5s said:
I love my AT&T Note 4...it's a great thing! It is! But root is *still* not possible. I know people are working feverishly at it and I don't necessarily think it won't happen but I really miss it. Sure, I am one of those rare dudes that use the stylus multiple times a day, as well as all the multitasking/splitscreen stuff, but I can't run some apps that I used to rely on heavily when I took the leap of faith to the Note. One MAJOR thing that bugs the every loving piss out of me is the fact that I can't flash a custom ROM! I know temporary root has been achieved but, from what I understand, that's not good enough to flash a custom recovery and ROM, AND I can't use my root apps like SSHTunnel.
Anyway...blah blah...Seeing this phone makes me want to toss the Note 4 on eBay. Yes, the screen is lame but the CPU is epic and it's much more open.
I might be down to let the 4 go but there are a few hangups: That invite system. How the HELL am I supposed to get an invite? Another hangup is that screen...it's "only" 1080p...how does it look? Is it a good piece of hardware? I'm sure I'll miss the 4's screen but if the 1080 screen looks good overall, I might be able to deal due to the hackability and the CPU.
Overall, I'm just looking for some feedback and overall impressions of the phone when it becomes more widely available. Think it's a worthy upgrade from the Note 4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the best phone is the one with the best final user experience which is much more about software than hardware. hence your question is almost answered LOL, a phone which is either impossible or difficult to root and unlock is never ever better than a perfectly set up phone rom, kernel. launcher and root app wise. having said that the only remaining criteria are: display size to footprint ratio, weight, design ( should not be ugly ) and basic specs like camera memory cpu ram and battery life. those depend of course on personal preference as well as personal usage patterns.
so if you do not need 128GB or more memory and if you do not need the pen under all circustance etc. etc. the OP2 is far better because it's customizable to the edge and the hardware specs are in parts better, in parts equal and in parts not available, so what counts is what are your priorities.

Op if you rely on the stylus pen like me, as I do a lot of typing. Then just stay with the n4. The n5 is also around the corner and am sure it will blow away the oneplus no doubt.

Applsung note 5 - no thank you
I know the Oneplus 2 has not removable battery or sd support but it's going to be at least half the price possibly more looking at pricing of s6 etc
64gb is just about enough for my needs and my note 4 stylus is a redundant piece for myself of course

Wow the ATT Note 4 still doesn't have official root yet, almost one year later ? WTF F. you ATT and Scamsung for allowing ATT to control you like that.
Just on principle alone, I'd ditch that Note 4 and pick up the OnePlus Two and the freedom to do what you want with your phone. Plus Oxygen OS will be way lighter and smoother than the god awful Windows 95 inspired Touchwizz.

Want to buy note 4

Hello guys. İ want to buy note 4.
Whixh edition do you suggest?
Sdragon or exynos?
And can you tell me pros and cons for phone? İ read reviews buy i want real users feedback.
Do you suggest it for today? 2016 april.

Yes, I completely suggest it for today, in this time, especially the price is pretty cheap now.
Pros for me:
- Great camera in daylight, above average in low light
- Incredible display
- Superb call quality
- Very good built, though the metal edges will scratch in no time, but that's metal for you
- TouchWiz is okay-ish. Not bad, but not that good either, but with MM released things will get better I am sure
- Excellent battery backup, with MM
Cons:
- Samsung's shoddy update policy for different variants
- Camera in low light, can't compete in that level with nowadays phones like S7, Note 5 etc., but its still close
- Rear mounting speaker!
- Screen to body ratio
- Meh Fingerprint scanner
PS: You can go for either model, Exy or SD, both have very good support from XDA. I heard that Exynos is better for gaming, while SD is better for overall optimisation and battery life, can't be sure about that myself as I only have one variant, SD.

İ didnt understand update part. What about front camera?
İ am using nexus 5 , is it worth upgrade? And how much it cost now?
ithehappy said:
Yes, I completely suggest it for today, in this time, especially the price is pretty cheap now.
Pros for me:
- Great camera in daylight, above average in low light
- Incredible display
- Superb call quality
- Very good built, though the metal edges will scratch in no time, but that's metal for you
- TouchWiz is okay-ish. Not bad, but not that good either, but with MM released things will get better I am sure
- Excellent battery backup, with MM
Cons:
- Samsung's shoddy update policy for different variants
- Camera in low light, can't compete in that level with nowadays phones like S7, Note 5 etc., but its still close
- Rear mounting speaker!
- Screen to body ratio
- Meh Fingerprint scanner
PS: You can go for either model, Exy or SD, both have very good support from XDA. I heard that Exynos is better for gaming, while SD is better for overall optimisation and battery life, can't be sure about that myself as I only have one variant, SD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Ehmedhemidli said:
İ didnt understand update part. What about front camera?
İ am using nexus 5 , is it worth upgrade? And how much it cost now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use Front cam at all mate, so can't comment. Nexus 5? That's one of the hardware nightmarish phone I have ever owned, I can't even put both the phones in same sentence, no offence.
Note 4 32 gigs cost around 32-33k INR here, but very often it sells around 30k or something.

Then i will go for note 4. And there is on more same price phone galaxy s6. İ dont know s6 is good too or not. İ hrard battery life is bad on s6
ithehappy said:
I don't use Front cam at all mate, so can't comment. Nexus 5? That's one of the hardware nightmarish phone I have ever owned, I can't even put both the phones in same sentence, no offence.
Note 4 32 gigs cost around 32-33k INR here, but very often it sells around 30k or something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Both snap and exynos are powerfull. But in fact, through a lot of benchmark, exynos is better than snap, but just alittle bit. I'm also use the exynos version too. If you want to play game, should buy snap version. And if u want something for work, exynos is great.
P/s: one more thing u should no, exynos version is cooler than snap, snap is too hot after using for a while, and the battery of exynos version also better than snap version. Hope that you buy the phone suit for u.

ithehappy said:
I don't use Front cam at all mate, so can't comment. Nexus 5? That's one of the hardware nightmarish phone I have ever owned, I can't even put both the phones in same sentence, no offence.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus 5? That's one of the hardware nightmarish phone I have ever owned
What do you mean exactly?? because im a happy owner of a nexus 5 for 2plus years now and i can tell you for sure that i wont replace this crude diamond not even for a future s15 edge or anything.
Now for our friend's question. as u can see i allready own a nexus 5 like you, and i bought a N910c (thats the exynos) about 2 months ago. I DIDNT got this as a replacement for nexus,as the matter of fact i use it without sim. anyway my previous samsung device was back in 2012 with the NOTE 10.1 wifi... well after this i swore to myself that i wont buy a samsung again. But here i am after 4 years breaking that promise with spending 400euros to a piece of.......... imnot going to analyse this, do a better research to have lower chances to regret a purchase.(not like me)
My personal advice is to do your self a favor and dont buy this device or perhaps any mobile device from that company. -not for the hardware but for the software.-
and for your info nexus 5 runs way smoother than the exynos. maybe the snapdragon would be a better choice if u insist buying the note

lekou said:
Nexus 5? That's one of the hardware nightmarish phone I have ever owned
What do you mean exactly?? because im a happy owner of a nexus 5 for 2plus years now and i can tell you for sure that i wont replace this crude diamond not even for a future s15 edge or anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't bother replying to a person who would prefer a decade old phone over a newer one, but still replying just so someone "new" and "uninformed" can actually see what Nexus 5 really is.
By nightmarish hardware I meant:
- It is one of the most awfully built device out there. Kudos LG.
- The call quality of the phone is awful, as well as the reception. I have never had a phone with as terrible reception as that, and please don't even bother wasting your time by saying I live in an industrial area or something where reception is poor, rather its very opposite.
- The display. No comments.
- The camera. No comments.
- The external speakerphone. No comments.
Shall I go on?
Nexus is Nexus because of its SOFTWARE ONLY, period, and no exception is Nexus 5.

lekou said:
Nexus 5? That's one of the hardware nightmarish phone I have ever owned
What do you mean exactly?? because im a happy owner of a nexus 5 for 2plus years now and i can tell you for sure that i wont replace this crude diamond not even for a future s15 edge or anything.
Now for our friend's question. as u can see i allready own a nexus 5 like you, and i bought a N910c (thats the exynos) about 2 months ago. I DIDNT got this as a replacement for nexus,as the matter of fact i use it without sim. anyway my previous samsung device was back in 2012 with the NOTE 10.1 wifi... well after this i swore to myself that i wont buy a samsung again. But here i am after 4 years breaking that promise with spending 400euros to a piece of.......... imnot going to analyse this, do a better research to have lower chances to regret a purchase.(not like me)
My personal advice is to do your self a favor and dont buy this device or perhaps any mobile device from that company. -not for the hardware but for the software.-
and for your info nexus 5 runs way smoother than the exynos. maybe the snapdragon would be a better choice if u insist buying the note
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My nexus 5 is in very nad condition (glass broken, frame got big cracks, back cover damaged) battery life is 1.2-2 hours of on screen. Camera is very bad. İ cant take proper pictures.
And yes İt is smoother

sontran_vietnam said:
Both snap and exynos are powerfull. But in fact, through a lot of benchmark, exynos is better than snap, but just alittle bit. I'm also use the exynos version too. If you want to play game, should buy snap version. And if u want something for work, exynos is great.
P/s: one more thing u should no, exynos version is cooler than snap, snap is too hot after using for a while, and the battery of exynos version also better than snap version. Hope that you buy the phone suit for u.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
İ use phone taking photos, heavy use of messenger and facebook, whatsapp, chrome. Sometimes gaming.
Actually my nexus 5 will stay . i wont sell it.
İ will buy new note 4 exynos or whatever for daily use. Nexus 5 will be always like testing roms improving developing skills

Ehmedhemidli said:
İ use phone taking photos, heavy use of messenger and facebook, whatsapp, chrome. Sometimes gaming.
Actually my nexus 5 will stay . i wont sell it.
İ will buy new note 4 exynos or whatever for daily use. Nexus 5 will be always like testing roms improving developing skills
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note 4 Exynos will be the best choice you can have, it's better than Snap one. ^^

Ehmedhemidli said:
Hello guys. İ want to buy note 4.
Whixh edition do you suggest?
Sdragon or exynos?.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would say you should wait until the Note 6 or 7. Or whatever comes next.
This one is still very expensive, and will not get any support whatsoever from now on.
It's a good device, NOW, but it costs so much you could just buy a Nexus 6P for example.
Or a Z5, M10, whatever. You get the point.
BUT, if you are some fanboy, here goes nothing...
Sdragon:
+ Faster 3D performance, better for gaming basically.
+ More roms/kernels. (though none of them will be as complete as stock)
Exynos:
+ Better battery life
+ Faster 2D performance
+ Faster performance (single, multi core)
- Games have crap framerates, see below.
I picked Exynos because I rarely play games.
If you check comparisons on Youtube, it beats Snapdragon by miles in any task, except 3D.
Framerate: Like Asphalt got... 20 or something it's real console like (eww). Modern Combat is also around 25 or so.
Too bad games on Android cannot scale down to 1080p or 720p, there is absolutely no point in having such a huge resolution for a game.
Other points - affects all Note 4:
Screen protectors are hard to find, you have to buy these "full display protectors", because of the curved glass. Just buy it on eBay and you are good.
Do NOT spend too much on cases. I bought Spigen, I bought all kinds of fancy cases. And guess what? The cheapest eBay case is the best. Not even kidding.
Metal cases, even if ONLY the frame is metal/aluminium, WILL BLOCK GPS signal. Not kidding.
When buying a case, make sure it protects the camera bulge.
Cases should have a WIDE left hole on bottom, because the microphone there can be on two positions. Mine is on the right. (SM-N910C)
No updates. MM is the last, we all know that. Even MM will take months to arrive to people.
There is no Theme Store or any new features that came with S6 and so on.
Battery life is not the best, it's around 1 days.
Bonus, you can use extended batteries. But then you lose the thinness of the device, which helps a lot when you carry it around. I have a ZL 10k mAh pack with the belt clip, it's a hassle to use.
Rooting is out of question if you want warranty. And all my Samsung Galaxy/Note devices had issues within the two first years, so I suggest you don't do it. Or get some nice insurance on your device, that might cover you. Or just save up some money, lol.
The list: S3 LTE, Note 2, S4, S4 Mini, Note 2014 10.1, Note 4.
One more thing. You may be able to buy the Snapdragon variant much cheaper. It's around 470$ here, but it's from the "gray market". It's boxed, new, but they only offer repairs by themselves, like you don't send it back to Samsung, but to the shop you bought it from.
Compared to this, the Exynos is 700$ or so. But this one comes with 2 years of original Samsung warranty.
Again, it's not the best solution, but there is a good chance you will not need a warranty repair.

h8Aramex said:
I would say you should wait until the Note 6 or 7. Or whatever comes next.
This one is still very expensive, and will not get any support whatsoever from now on.
It's a good device, NOW, but it costs so much you could just buy a Nexus 6P for example.
Or a Z5, M10, whatever. You get the point.
BUT, if you are some fanboy, here goes nothing...
Sdragon:
+ Faster 3D performance, better for gaming basically.
+ More roms/kernels. (though none of them will be as complete as stock)
Exynos:
+ Better battery life
+ Faster 2D performance
+ Faster performance (single, multi core)
- Games have crap framerates, see below.
I picked Exynos because I rarely play games.
If you check comparisons on Youtube, it beats Snapdragon by miles in any task, except 3D.
Framerate: Like Asphalt got... 20 or something it's real console like (eww). Modern Combat is also around 25 or so.
Too bad games on Android cannot scale down to 1080p or 720p, there is absolutely no point in having such a huge resolution for a game.
Other points - affects all Note 4:
Screen protectors are hard to find, you have to buy these "full display protectors", because of the curved glass. Just buy it on eBay and you are good.
Do NOT spend too much on cases. I bought Spigen, I bought all kinds of fancy cases. And guess what? The cheapest eBay case is the best. Not even kidding.
Metal cases, even if ONLY the frame is metal/aluminium, WILL BLOCK GPS signal. Not kidding.
When buying a case, make sure it protects the camera bulge.
Cases should have a WIDE left hole on bottom, because the microphone there can be on two positions. Mine is on the right. (SM-N910C)
No updates. MM is the last, we all know that. Even MM will take months to arrive to people.
There is no Theme Store or any new features that came with S6 and so on.
Battery life is not the best, it's around 1 days.
Bonus, you can use extended batteries. But then you lose the thinness of the device, which helps a lot when you carry it around. I have a ZL 10k mAh pack with the belt clip, it's a hassle to use.
Rooting is out of question if you want warranty. And all my Samsung Galaxy/Note devices had issues within the two first years, so I suggest you don't do it. Or get some nice insurance on your device, that might cover you. Or just save up some money, lol.
The list: S3 LTE, Note 2, S4, S4 Mini, Note 2014 10.1, Note 4.
One more thing. You may be able to buy the Snapdragon variant much cheaper. It's around 470$ here, but it's from the "gray market". It's boxed, new, but they only offer repairs by themselves, like you don't send it back to Samsung, but to the shop you bought it from.
Compared to this, the Exynos is 700$ or so. But this one comes with 2 years of original Samsung warranty.
Again, it's not the best solution, but there is a good chance you will not need a warranty repair.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoa thanks for information. Look note 4 exynos is 430 dollar for us i think. İ cant wait for note 6 7 because they will be more expensive. And there is one more option to buy galaxy s6 (same price) . i hate sony devices same for htc.
My love is for nexus and samsung. 6p is expensive too.
Right now i got this choices(i am limited on money) (i will buy phone in july)
Xiaomi redmi note 3 pro 3gb
Galaxy Note 4 exynos
Galaxy s6
İ need battery peeformance , camera, multitasking . i dont care about games anyway (i got nexus 5 i can play games on them)
İ dont care about roms too.
Ao which choice should i take?

Ehmedhemidli said:
Whoa thanks for information.
Right now i got this choices(i am limited on money) (i will buy phone in july)
Xiaomi redmi note 3 pro 3gb
Galaxy Note 4 exynos
Galaxy s6
Ao which choice should i take?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, update wise, anything is better than Samsung. (Just check Sammobile's comment section.)
Uhm... I would not buy a Xiaomi because of the bloated interface. That's the problem I have with Lenovo and other Chinese/cheap eastern devices. Like Lenovo put 4gb of ram into their device, made it very affordable, and killed it with a megabighuge UI. I don't know why.
What about the LG G4? (G5 is way too expensive.)
Flagships there receive updates for quite some time, and it's got a removable battery.
Just asking. Don't know about the SD808 performance.
By the way Sony used SD801 Pro in their Z3 series and that thing flies. It feels faster than my Exynos Note 4.
Again if you don't mind the no updates, you might be fine with the Note 4.
Remember years are A LOT of time in the smartphone world, especially if it's not a Nexus that gets updates, can be rooted, can be modded tons of ways.
There are a few roms for Exynos as well if you check the forum - mostly backported Note 5 ones, but I can't remember when was the time I ever used a stable rom. Maybe CM9 with the stable release - was kinda stable. But that's it. To me, it's a big letdown.
Like I am on the street, I have to make an emergency call, and I can't make calls.
I am on the road, need to make a quick map check, but can't because there is no GPS atm.
Want to browse some website real quick, it would be real important, can't because the mobile data is down currently.
And these happened at the most inconvenient times.
Ps.: If you are not real tech savvy, like my father, he is fine on KK. There is a newer update for his device, but on LL the call recorder crashed sometimes, phone lagged, etc. But he does not care, you know, he is totally fine with KK.

h8Aramex said:
Well, update wise, anything is better than Samsung. (Just check Sammobile's comment section.)
Uhm... I would not buy a Xiaomi because of the bloated interface. That's the problem I have with Lenovo and other Chinese/cheap eastern devices. Like Lenovo put 4gb of ram into their device, made it very affordable, and killed it with a megabighuge UI. I don't know why.
What about the LG G4? (G5 is way too expensive.)
Flagships there receive updates for quite some time, and it's got a removable battery.
Just asking. Don't know about the SD808 performance.
By the way Sony used SD801 Pro in their Z3 series and that thing flies. It feels faster than my Exynos Note 4.
Again if you don't mind the no updates, you might be fine with the Note 4.
Remember years are A LOT of time in the smartphone world, especially if it's not a Nexus that gets updates, can be rooted, can be modded tons of ways.
There are a few roms for Exynos as well if you check the forum - mostly backported Note 5 ones, but I can't remember when was the time I ever used a stable rom. Maybe CM9 with the stable release - was kinda stable. But that's it. To me, it's a big letdown.
Like I am on the street, I have to make an emergency call, and I can't make calls.
I am on the road, need to make a quick map check, but can't because there is no GPS atm.
Want to browse some website real quick, it would be real important, can't because the mobile data is down currently.
And these happened at the most inconvenient times.
Ps.: If you are not real tech savvy, like my father, he is fine on KK. There is a newer update for his device, but on LL the call recorder crashed sometimes, phone lagged, etc. But he does not care, you know, he is totally fine with KK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
İ am confused.
Look. İ need bigger screen.
1 day full battery life (i charge it night, leave gome morning come back home night)
Camera quality
Multitasking without lag
İ dont care bloats or kitkat lollipop small bugs.
There is no phone with bugs anyway

Ehmedhemidli said:
İ am confused.
Look. İ need bigger screen.
1 day full battery life (i charge it night, leave gome morning come back home night)
Camera quality
Multitasking without lag
İ dont care bloats or kitkat lollipop small bugs.
There is no phone with bugs anyway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably get a note 4 exynos and don't upgrade it, stay at kitkat 4.4.x

yesteryearisoverhere said:
Probably get a note 4 exynos and don't upgrade it, stay at kitkat 4.4.x
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. That will do