This is a copy and paste of my review on the One Plus One forums:
I'll start off by rating each individual part that matters to me, of the phone, such as the camera, screen, etc.
Shipping: 9/10
Shipping has nothing to do with the device itself, but being that One Plus is an online merchant, shipping is a vital aspect to their product because it's the only way to get it. I ordered the phone July 1st, and by July 5th it was already in my hands... I also live on the other side of the country, Florida, so it was a really nice things that shipping and processing was so quick for me. Maybe I just got lucky and ordered it at the right time, but it got here quickly and that's what matters.
Packaging: 10/10
DSC_0036 by Scirca, on Flickr
I told myself I wouldn't give any 10/10's because perfection doesn't exist, but for the sake of being fair, this rating is more of a comparative one, not an absolute one.
The packaging is beautiful. It's simplistic, two toned, the colors pop out, it's truly a very nice experience to unbox the phone when you finally get it. I've unboxed many, many devices and the packaging which I've most liked is without a doubt, the One Plus One's.
Accessories: 9/10
DSC_0053 by Scirca, on Flickr
Have you seen the freaking cable. The phone is beautiful UP TO THE DAMN CABLE!
But seriously, this is a really nice cable bruH. The power brick is alright, but it's just a bit big in my opinion, it could serve the same function and perhaps be a bit smaller, or maybe it needs to be the size that it is, but I just prefer carrying around a smaller power brick. The inclusion of a SIM removal tool is nice and necessary (Apple didn't send me one when I ordered my 5S ) and I have no idea why it's made for a key ring but as you can see, it's already made itself home on my key ring, even though I might use it maybe twice in the life of the phone.
Design: 7/10
DSC_0054 by Scirca, on Flickr
Initially the design doesn't seem very striking... until you hold the phone in your hand. The sandstone black cover feels approximately like worn felt, and really gives it a super weird but really nice, premium feel. The tapered edges make the phone feel very thin, and the metal band around the screen nice, though it really doesn't add much to the phone other than looks.. The only thing is that the screen is slightly raised above the entire body of the device... one small mistake and you will probably end up killing the poor thing.
Button placement is just right, it makes one handed use with the phone a bit more comfortable, although I do have pretty big hands and one-handed use of the device is still a bit cumbersome. The speakers and ports look pretty great, but my biggest grip with the design, apart from the raised screen, is the fact that the headphone jack is on the top of the device; I really can't believe this is still a thing... if you normally put the device in your pocket bottom first, you are a sick, twisted person.
Speakers: 9/10
DSC_0047 by Scirca, on Flickr
The stereo speakers sound great and boy, are they loud. This isn't any studio quality or thousand dollar speakers, the bass is non-existent, mids sound kinda dead sometimes, but they're stereo, and they're loud, and it's usually the most neglected part of the phone, so the fact that they do their job well is always a bonus.
Camera: 10/10
DSC_0045 by Scirca, on Flickr
Oh boy here I go again with the perfect scores.
Repeat after me: Sony sensor, 13 Megapixels, f/2.0.
I'm gonna be honest with you here, I've always secretly had a thing for Sony and Carl Zeiss. They truly make some amazing sensors and glass, respectively. The camera module was an excellent choice by One Plus for the One. Dynamic range is pretty nice. Colors really depend on the light, but they're either eh, or really great (most of the time, the latter of the two). 13MP is a great number to work with, you can do significant cropping without much impact on the image quality. HDR and camera features are plenty, and the only thing missing is photo sphere, which albeit not very useful and sometimes buggy, it's an extremely cool feature.
Test Shots:
Some of these are HDR
IMG_20140713_105322 by Scirca, on Flickr
IMG_20140713_105359 by Scirca, on Flickr
IMG_20140713_105308 by Scirca, on Flickr
IMG_20140713_105429 by Scirca, on Flickr
IMG_20140713_105342 by Scirca, on Flickr
Reception: 9/10
I guess ratings will vary here because it's a very relative rating to how well the other devices connected to this thing work, but I felt like I needed to add that the WiFi antenna on this phone is extremely powerful. Where every single phone I've owned over the years does not pick up the WiFi signal in my room (being that the router is on the other side of my house, and that's pretty far away from my room), not only does the One pick up the signal, but I see very little decrease in speed, which is truly impressive. Apart from that, 4G, 3G and edge are there and work. Signal strength from networks is pretty close to that of other phones.
Software/OS: 9/10 & Battery Life: 8/10
Screenshot_2014-07-13-11-25-19 by Scirca, on Flickr
One of the selling points of the One is Cyanogenmod. While I've always preferred other AOSP ROMs, namely AOKP, CM11 is a really great ROM. It's like vanilla bean ice cream, not quite vanilla, but nice indeed. There are a ton of features that it adds, and a great deal of functionality. The fact that the phone has at least one permanent team of developers is very reassuring. The only bad thing that comes with this are bugs. There's bugs everywhere, open the camera app and focus somewhere and wait a few seconds, the "Auto" mode indicator will quickly flash itself. NFC Beaming isn't supported by the CM Gallery (it crashes), and it's all little nuisances. Yes, custom ROMs are notorious for bugs, and yes, it is annoying to sometimes have to miss out on a few features because of this, but at the end of the day, developers are more attentive to the people using the ROMs, and fixes usually come much, much quicker than say Samsung or HTC. And you get versions of Android much faster than both of these companies, too.
Also, CM has been notorious for having some crappy battery life, but this time, it is not the case. battery life is the same, or better than my iPhone 5S, which I consider to be the most battery efficient you can buy, and the best battery in any phone; the battery may be tiny, but the software is very tuned.
Screen: 5/10 (See below)
It's 5.5 Inches, 1080p, fairly pixel dense, not much else to say here. Color representation is fairly accurate, although it is a bit warm and saturated, but warm and saturated is nice. And yes, whites do look yellow at the bottom of the display. Regardless of what One Plus says, this should definitely not be like that, but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt...except panels are plagues with problems; see here:
http://youtu.be/jwLz5OW809A?t=6m
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/batches-consolidation.51772/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/stuck-pixel.50886/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/dead-pixel.55888/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/panel-issue-vertical-line-through-panel.54952/#post-2505685
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/screen-flicker.55650/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/no-response-for-rma.53769/
The sad thing is that I can literally go back and write the entire review about all the problems that not only I have encountered but many other have encountered with their devices. I myself have a yellow tint and a line of slow pixels running vertically through the display, that almost looks like the actual LCD is scratched. (see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkMKx46Cvp4 and the images below). Yellow tint is a problem, not a huge deal to me, yes I would love for One Plus to exchange my device for a working one, but it's not like I'm going to die if they don't; what is going to kill me is that damn line running through the screen. Every time I take a picture it's there, every time I watch a movie or a vine or a video, it's there, and it's extremely annoying.
Image 1 by Scirca, on Flickr
Edited for better visibility:
Image 1 Edited by Scirca, on Flickr
Image 2 by Scirca, on Flickr
Edited for better visibility:
Image 2 Edited by Scirca, on Flickr
Image 3 by Scirca, on Flickr
Edited for better visibility:
Image 3 Edited by Scirca, on Flickr
This leads me on to the next topic:
Customer Service: -1/10 (See below)
I don't think I've ever given given a negative rating for anything...ever, but wow One Plus, you definitely earned this one!
I'm actually going to quote myself (dat ego):
Scirca said:
The only problem with this thread is that yes, while other, more expensive phones were susceptible to the same problem as the OPO, regarding the yellow tint, the difference is that in most of the threads, the people talk about how their devices were replaced with functioning devices by their respective manufacturers. A screen is the most important part of the phone, and it's extremely childish for a company to be calling certain defects in their panels a "normal occurrence". Seriously? Normal in the sense it happens often, not normal in the sense that the screen is working in the way that it is intended to. BTW, not only am I referring to yellow screens, but to your pixel anomalies. The customer service has seriously been the only bad thing I can find with the phone, which is extremely infuriating, since it's an optimal part of the phone, and various companies with sub-par phones (*cough* Apple *cough*) has prided themselves in customer service and iPhones have been and will continue selling like hotcakes, I mean ffs my iPhone 5S was once replaced by them just because the screen was slightly elevated from the body.
Shame on you One Plus for making such a great phone but having no regard not only for your prospective customers, but your current customers as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One Plus, there is nothing wrong with your device, absolutely nothing wrong with your device, it's a great phone, the One is possibly the greatest flagship money can buy right now. Your customer service is just a shame, a terrible, terrible shame. So many people have so many issues and all you keep doing is making excuses, calling things normal, and just outright ignoring others. My open ticket has spent a few days now, without a reply. You refuse to replace some devices, and when you do, you aren't very straightforward about it, and love to charge people outrageous charges just to take the device back. I mean seriously, $56 plus shipping just so that someone can send you back a phone (which btw is still in the 14-day return window) is absolutely wrong and is in no way a consumer-friendly policy. Like many have said before, your slogan has been "Never Settle", yet you want us to settle with defective phone. Don't believe me? Believe them:
http://youtu.be/jwLz5OW809A?t=6m
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/batches-consolidation.51772/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/oneplus-this-is-wrong.51132/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/support-ticket-denied.54018/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/stuck-pixel.50886/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/dead-pixel.55888/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/panel-issue-vertical-line-through-panel.54952/#post-2505685
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/screen-flicker.55650/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/no-response-for-rma.53769/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/bottom-third-of-screen-yellowish-need-advice.51061/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/just-got-my-1-1-and-its-defect.50208/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/...rn-phone-if-it-is-defective-in-any-way.52396/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/code-yellow.50645/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/dead-pixel-or-yellow-tint.51035/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/refund-status-with-op.53179/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/stuck-pixels-no-response-from-support.53687/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/so-will-the-yellow-tint-on-bottom-of-screen-heal-itself.53776/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/...hipping-and-customer-service-very-long.53220/
https://forums.oneplus.net/threads/my-yellow-screen-is-worse.53997/
And trust me, there are many, many more posts and threads that have been merged or hidden. The thing that most people need to understand is that the phone is fine, every phone will have defects, regardless of the manufacturer, what counts is how the manufacturer deals with those defects. If they deal with transparency and with a willingness to help out the customer, they will do very good in the future. If they hide things and deny things and don't care about their customers or warranties or anything, shame on them.
Conclusion:
Do I recommend this phone? At the moment, no, not until One Plus stands up for their mistakes and starts treating their customer and prospective customers like real customers, not trash. I've gone from desperately wanting the One to desperately trying to get an RMA . If that doesn't work I wouldn't mind selling my device or trading it for a G3, because while yes, I'll have to settle for a few things with the G3, at least LG won't make me settle for crappy customer service.
If you receive an invite, think twice about purchasing the phone, because while you may be lucky and your device won't suffer from any issues, you may very well be unlucky and suffer one of the many issues the device is plagued with. Just be careful, and remember that the choice is always yours.
One Plus, you've stood behind your device for being great, and it is, but if you're not standing behind it enough to honor your warranty and the manufacturing issues you've had with your devices, then you're basically not standing behind it at all. We all $350 that we paid for, we want devices free of defects, we want real transparency. If this is too much to ask, not only as a phone manufacturer, but as a company, you will not get very far.
thanks, but there is a thread here for this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2685348
Related
I don't bother doing reviews normally, but have now just posted this over on the Carphone Warehouse product page since they hassled me via email to do one (may not show up for a couple of days though).
Anyway, thought I'd cross-post it here in case anyone finds it interesting. Cheers.
For a couple of years now, since the big Android manufacturers decided we all wanted big 4.7+ inch slabs as premium phones, the "minority" of us who were calling out for a high-end device that can be operated one-handed were ignored. Until now...
Sony say with the Z1 Compact they have "invented our own market segment", but really it is re-inventing the market segment that existed 24 months ago. Either way, somebody finally listened and we now have a device that is a good size to hold in addition to being around the fastest and most capable on the market.
In short, Sony took the larger Z1 and shrunk it down to a 4.3" screen, reducing only the screen resolution (to 720p, which is higher PPI than the human eye can discern) and the battery capacity (but not the battery life, as the smaller screen draws less power). You can easily get a day and a half out of this device even with 4 or so hours screen on time. As a bonus, they also upgraded the screen to a lovely IPS display with better viewing angles than the Z1.
This phone feels very premium in the hand and in operation, and being my first Sony device I am stunned by its elegance every time I pick the thing up. Having used it in the rain a few times this week already I'm also wondering what I ever did without a waterproof phone before! Why do all manufacturers not do this? It would save a lot of phones that seem to get dropped in toilets (seriously, how do people manage this?!), and also the futile wastage of rice afterwards.
Software-wise, it comes with Android 4.3 but 4.4 should be out for it in a month or so. I would say Sony are probably among the best for not annoying you with over-the-top customisation of Android or bloatware so I don't immediately feel the need to root it and start tinkering. This is a very good thing. They do use their own apps for phone, SMS, etc etc of course but they all tend to do their job nicely without getting in your way.
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Now that I've done the glowing sale pitch - and I do mean every word of it as it is a fantastic phone - I do need to point out some flaws that are quite frankly unforgivable in my opinion:
(*) Poor software backing up the magnificent camera. The "Superior Auto" mode is very ironically named as it completely ruins especially low-light photos by cranking the ISO up far too high and then trying to correct the noise in a very ham-fisted way. The solution until Sony (hopefully) fix it in an update is to use Manual mode instead.
(*) Flash bleeding into the camera. While this doesn't happen for me so much, others have noticed the flash reflecting in the back cover it is supposed to shine through and hitting the edge of the camera lens, making some dark pictures have a coloured fog effect. It is less marked in Manual mode again.
(*) Why, oh why Sony, do you still insist on putting a scratch-prone "anti-shatter film" over the top of perfectly good scratch resistant glass?!? Customers have been complaining about this since at least the Xperia Z but they are being very pig-headed about it. I have no idea why they decide they need to be the only manufacturer to put it on top of the glass instead of the underside of it like everybody else does. It can be removed but then you risk the screen warranty if you do so. Still, I will probably remove the ASF from mine at some point as glass feels more premium to me and I HATE scratches.
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But don't let the negative points I have made dissuade you from this phone as they absolutely do not outweigh the positives by a long shot. I would give 5-stars to all categories except reliability due to the camera and scratch-prone ASF.
This is a magnificent technological achievement Sony have pulled off meaning I have a device that I am very proud to own and show off to big slab owners and iPhone users alike!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice review
Sent from a mobile Gadget...
Great review mate
Plus 1 from me on all that was said.
ASF?
Great review man!
But since you hate scratches, much like I do, could you take a closer look at the back panel? There's no ASF, at least on my Z1c. And there's a potentially huge scandal evolving in forums about back panel being actually made of polycarbonate, not glass. Sony claims glass on both panels, but people say back panel gets scratched just by looking at it hard enough
I have my phone for 2 days and already got 2 deep scratches on the back. I haven't been able to scratch my iPhone 4s so badly in 2 years of use...
Well, if true then that would be another negative point definitely. Especially since they seem to have gone out of their way to hide it and appear happy for everyone to assume glass on the back.
Sent from my Xperia Z1 PerfectSize, I mean "Compact"
withoutwings said:
Well, if true then that would be another negative point definitely. Especially since they seem to have gone out of their way to hide it and appear happy for everyone to assume glass on the back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no "if" any more, the original whitepaper has been amended in the meantime - albeit without changing the version number.
original Sony whitepaper said:
Both the front and back are made of durable tempered glass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
revised Sony whitepaper said:
The front side of the phone is made of durable tempered glass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know how long the original version will remain on Sony's servers so I downloaded a copy just in case - looks as if someone tries to erase all traces of what I would call a false adverstising campaign....
yea i really hope they fix the camera software up a bit. for some reason some of my photos are coming out yellow-ish. this only happens inside when the lights are on. it can be fixed by editing the photo in pixlr express by dragging the hue bar to the left a bit, but its a bit of effort to be doing that for multiple photos. the photos seem very noisy/grainy as well.
i really wasnt expecting any of this since all the reviews about the camera were saying its the best on android atm. although plenty of sites mentioned it didnt do that well in low light, but some photos are coming out noisy even in shots that i would consider low light. seems to me that almost anything inside is out of the question.
anyway, its a really great phone apart from that. i probably shouldnt have checked the camera first because it put me off a bit!
EDIT: another thing that is frustrating me but probably isnt a problem for everybody is sony's naming convention for photos. instead of having a counter (or just adding the date and time like every other phone) it looks up the number of the last photo taken, dsc_005 for example, and then calls the next photo dsc_006. i would be ok with that but i have foldersync set up to move any photo that is taken or edited to the DCIM folder (so photos from snapseed, pixlr, different camera apps etc all end up in one single folder) but this set up doesnt work with sony's photos since the folder it saves to will empty each time. it keeps naming the photo dsc_001 and then foldersync keeps overwriting the same photo.
people have been asking them to change this for years now but it seems they want to be different. its just strange coming from a camera company like sony?
aaanyway, apart from those 3 things. great phone lol
I got this phone because I've been waiting for a smaller Android device that doesn't treat you like a second class citizen. This is really the first one out there that does this, I found it for £360 on sale which is only £30 more than the 32gb Nexus 5 and tbh since it has a micro SD slot, I think it is a really great deal,, especially seeing as the specs are like a main flagship device.
So some thoughts...
- Really well made, feels like an iPhone 5/5s for Android.
- I've been with my Mum today and she had a go on it and said it is the first Android mobile she'd ever think about upgrading to because of the small size.
- When I put it side by side with the iPhone 5, it really isn't much bigger, just a tad wider which is better since my biggest complaint with the 5 is the screen is so narrow
- I can easily use the phone one handed and use the whole screen, I've got average sized hands and I've found all these 5inch Android phones to have just gotten too big, especially my old HTC One, I hand to slide the phone up and down my hand to use the power button.
- Power button is great, the volume rocker is slightly too small as is the camera button, but they're minor flaws.
- The Sim tray and Micro SD slot I found to be really tricky to use, the Sim especially seems rather fiddly and I doubt the average user would work it out without possibly breaking the tray.
- I love the led charging light by the top speaker, I'm not sure if it doubles up as a notification light, but I hope it does.
- The loud speaker is not great, it's serviceable, will get you by, but you wont want to be listening to music or video out of it. That said I never wanted to do that from my HTC One and always used an external speaker or headphones any ways as no small speaker is that good in a phone. However if you walk the dog up the fields like me and don't like using headphones as you want to hear what is going on around you, the loud speaker isn't going to cut it, I struggled to hear it sometimes.
- The Magnetic charging is a cool touch, it really is needed as having to open that flap all the time would be so annoying. I mean I bought a Micro USB to Magnetic charge adapter for a few quid on Amazon, I'd suggest you all do the same as it is pretty necessary, I don't understand why one isn't sold with it as standard.
- Comes with a nice usb adapter so you can do stuff like plugging in your PS3 controller to play games. Maybe this would compliment screen mirroring or Chromecast gaming? I dunno, I haven't tried it, but just a nice little bonus.
- The X reality engine is ****, it just ruins the picture, usually just makes a picture too bright like it has been over exposed. The phone comes with it on by default... turn it off.
- The screen is a mixed bag for me, resolution and pixel density wise, I cannot fault it, looks as crisp as an iPhone and tbh I don't get why people care about having 440PPI when I cannot see a pixel at 340PPI, you never look at a screen under a magnifying glass. Again it is 720p, but for the size screen I just turn browse text to large and everything looks crisp and great, I really do not miss having the 1080p screen of my HTC One. Maybe if I was using a 4.7 inch+ screen again I'd want 1080p, but for this small screen 720p works, Apple have proved this as no one cares abut the iPhones resolution, which is like 640?
That said though I can see the digitizer when the sun glances off the phone, it is a downer as I never saw it on my last phone (Nokia 1020) or my HTC One before that. Though screens are a lottery it seems as they're all made from different companies, my friend got a HTC One and could see his badly.
The black levels aren't that great, neither are the viewing angles, I'm being picky here as they're totally fine, just I'm used to an OLED screen now and it is hard to go back. Black levels on OLED screens aren't perfect, they do have light bleed and a weird effect as the pixels go from colour to black, but... it is hard to adjust back to seeing more of a grey if you're in a dark room.
The colours seem fine to me, the white seems fine, I don't notice any tints, though maybe if I compared it side by side to other phones I would. However I wouldn't let this bother you as you'll never do that in real life, as long as the whites aren't so far off they're obvious.
I'm am struggling however with brightness levels, there doesn't seem to be much control like other phones. I wish there were more brightness presets, I can turn it down to the lowest on the slider and it still seems too bright, I could really make my other phones go quite dark. I dunno if it is brightness or if it is just washing out light colours in particular, but the x reality engine makes it worse... like way worse!
Overall though the screen is good, it isn't the best, but it is still a great screen that I've personally been picky on as I've owned a lot of different phones.
- The software is good, Sony don't mess around with it too much, it is a non offensive Android Skin. My only problem is I'm on 4.3 and that seems a bit weird, you'd have thought it would have a newer version by now. Some things are nice with the software as well, Sony have added some good apps of theirs and the battery stuff is cool. Everything is so fast, faster than any other phone I've used, including HTC One, iPhone 5 and Nokia 1020, omg just SO FAST! The 720p screen also probably helps it too over 1080p screens.
- On to battery, it is amazing, I don't get how they can cram so much life into such a small phone, I can say it is definitely a major step up from the 1020 and the horrible life I seemed to get from Windows Phone. It seems a step up from my HTC One as well and it performs better than my Mum's iPhone 5, though that is a year old now so the battery is probably less efficient at this point. I find it amazing how fast it charges over USB alone on my PC and through the magnetic charge, way faster than anything I've used before. Also though I was playing some games on it earlier and the battery didn't seem to go down much at all.
- The phone doesn't heat up that much, I was expecting worse since it is so small and light, but while I noticed it get hot, it wasn't bad like my Nokia 1020 and obviously since it is a plastic back it doesn't act like the HTC One, which got hot like a radiator... series that was the worst! Never get a mobile with a metal back and that isn't made by Apple, not a good idea.
- I find the speaker position just fine, I kept hearing how it was easy to cover up... with my usage, I haven't experienced that, even when gaming and most likely you'll get a case any ways.
- The camera is a mixed bag and sadly a bit of a downer I'm afraid, I was expecting better from a phone with a larger sensor than the Nokia 1520. Auto mode seems worse than useless, every picture just looks plain bad and I have a feeling it is restricting the pictures to 8mp and there is no way to increase it. Manual mode is really the only viable way to take pictures, sadly though there is no higher res 16:9 option. Every picture though seemed to be different, I could never take the same picture twice and I ended up taking several just so I would get a good one. The good news is when the software did it's job the quality did look good, not as good as I was expecting, but I have been using a 1020 until recently, so maybe that is why it is such a shock.
My main problem with the camera though was the screen never really reflected on what the final picture would look like. Your screen would be out of focus and blurred, yet when the picture comes from, it looks fine, also all the colours and lighting would change, I could never get it to accurately display what I was going to take.
The good news though is the camera is fast and I think it uses oversampling like Nokia's Pureview when it is in 8mp auto mode. Though I'm sick of smart phones today and how they all over saturate everything, the Z1 compact is no different, even the 1020 did this, but at least with the 1020 I could use a .DNG file and open it in lightroom to get natural colours, no such raw files on this phone exist, so you have to live with it.
The Mic performance on recording video is great, unlike with most Android Phones I've had in the past (including the S4) you're able to record loud noises like a concert. I turned up my sound system pretty high with the sub woofer going and it coped as well as Nokia which was amazing for concerts.
The video quality is fine too, the software stabilization works fine, I'm not a fan of OIS is mobiles, I never thought it worked well in the 1020 or HTC One, it always made the image into a watery or dreamy effect and recording on my bicycle was impossible as a result. Yes it is a bit less stable, but tbh so was my 1020, OIS worked poorly on it, though the HTC One it actually worked ok. I'm not missing OIS, all I'm saying, yes it works on dedicated cameras, you can shake them all you like and they cope, but no mobile has managed to perfect it yet.
So the camera is a mixed bag, I'm sure it can all be fixed with software, but I dunno how well Sony do on updates?
My only question really goes out to how well the screen protector Sony put on as designed hold up. It is THE major flaw really and I can see it frustrating a lot of people who do not know it comes with it as it scratches so easily. That reason alone is why I couldn't recommend it to women who shove their phone in their handbag, the phone wouldn't hold up. If you put a screen protector over it (one comes free with in the box) then it is fine, but I just think it is stupid to put a screen protector over a screen protector. There is no protective coating on the glass under either... which means you cannot simply just take it off.
Conclusion...
I love it, looks so premium, feels so premium, has the functionality of a 5inch + screened Android phone, it is the fastest phone I've ever used, Sony's software isn't bad or intrusive like TouchWiz or some other Android skins and the camera is potentially really good but needs a firmware update to fix auto mode.
I have pointed out bad points, but I could do that with any phone, I mean I couldn't stand Windows Phone and how it has no apps and no functionality. With this Z1 Compact I've mirror'd my phone to my TV effortlessly and without chromecast, I can just screen mirror and it works every time. This hasn't happened with any other phone I've used, I could never get it to work with my HTC which had it built in either.
I really think it is THE best iPhone alternative for people who don't want IOS and I think it is finally THE handset to buy for Android if you want a smaller device without all the internals being downgraded.
My favourite Android mobile ever!
I love the colour I chose too, it reminds me of the colour of an old Adidas watch I had in the 90s...
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh316/SkyForce6/Adidaswatch.jpg
The Yellowing Green one.
http://s15.postimg.org/c6ttrs2ij/IMG_7694.jpg
+ I've never liked Sony before, it is my first Sony experience when it comes to mobiles.
Added this to the resource thread!
Great review!
I want to add that the LED light on the camera bleeds into the pictures, so it is pretty much worthless, though I've never used led flash on a mobile for anything other than a torch, Xenon is the only thing worth it.
This is probably a hardware design fault tbh, maybe fixed with a replacement back that doesn't have a see-through layer that lets the light bounce to the side? I dunno.
I used semi-permanent marker fix around the rim of the camera and it stopped the light bleed into it from the LED. My guess is Sony will do a hardware refresh on this, so maybe hold out until they've done that.
I didn't realise the rear cover was the problem until I searched fro fixes, I guess I was right about the clear part leaking light from the LED into the camera.
Well I'm returning s8 plus. It just can't beat out pixel overall. Pros and cons of s8 plus for anybody interested.
Pros
Screen- is bright and very big
Battery- best battery I've ever used to date
Sdcard- also best phone with sd slot I've used to date, loads 10,000 plus photos in seconds
Camera- excels in low light, regular light it can't touch pixel
Web pages- loading and scrolling is probably fastest I've ever seen on mobile device
Samsung pay- still love Samsung pay over Android pay
No bezels- looks amazing and sleek
Samsung ui- I've always loved it and I still like it. Has countless options that are unreal but still not as fast as pure Android but that's to be expected
Edge screen- probably my favorite feature. Absolutely love night clock
Cons
Screen- is weird ratio and colors look over saturated except on basic mode then everything else looks washed out. Some apps don't like no bezels. Keyboard is weird and reply tabs in notification bar are very tiny and odd
Camera- normal light pixel has it beat, too saturated and unrealistic
Fingerprint sensor location- yes you get used to it but back on pixel and it is still way easier
Screen protector/case- good luck getting a glass screen protector to stick and a case to match without intruding on each other
No bezels- I found it hard to reach to bottom of phone for home button or anything on nav bar really
Bixby/buttons- bixby needs no statement it is just rubbish (and bixby button) and the other buttons are spread out. I like how pixel has volume and power on same side and textured power button
oneandroidnut said:
Well I'm returning s8 plus. It just can't beat out pixel overall. Pros and cons of s8 plus for anybody interested.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like your Pros outweigh your Cons, although I do agree with your statement on the fingerprint scanner.
[RANT]Whatever possessed Samsung to place it where it is, is beyond me, for me the placement has rendered it pretty much well useless (Yes, in time you will get used to it; I could also get used to driving my car from the back seat, but bad design is bad design). Thankfully there are other options to secure your phone (facial recognition is by far my favourite and quickest; Even if it isn't as secure...)
However, I have always detested Touchwiz, even with the constant improvements it doesn't compare to some of the top launchers out there.[/RANT]
Enjoy your Pixel XL
coldmethod said:
Looks like your Pros outweigh your Cons, although I do agree with your statement on the fingerprint scanner.
[RANT]Whatever possessed Samsung to place it where it is, is beyond me, for me the placement has rendered it pretty much well useless (Yes, in time you will get used to it; I could also get used to driving my car from the back seat, but bad design is bad design). Thankfully there are other options to secure your phone (facial recognition is by far my favourite and quickest; Even if it isn't as secure...)
However, I have always detested Touchwiz, even with the constant improvements it doesn't compare to some of the top launchers out there.[/RANT]
Enjoy your Pixel XL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They might but things like the over saturated screen and weird ratio are very big deals to me so therefore they outweigh all the good lol
Yes the fingerprint is weird. I honestly think they quit R&Ding the device and just threw on back to beat iphone out and get some sales. Hopefully they take their time with the Note 8 and it is perfection. I would rather have my note 7 back over the s8 plus at this point.
Touchwiz has gotten better but yes it could still use some more features. But hey they all could always use more feautres!
oneandroidnut said:
They might but things like the over saturated screen and weird ratio are very big deals to me so therefore they outweigh all the good lol
Yes the fingerprint is weird. I honestly think they quit R&Ding the device and just threw on back to beat iphone out and get some sales. Hopefully they take their time with the Note 8 and it is perfection. I would rather have my note 7 back over the s8 plus at this point.
Touchwiz has gotten better but yes it could still use some more features. But hey they all could always use more feautres!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair call on the oversaturation, I think I have just gotten used to it (almost all of my devices are Samsung, I'm constantly fiddling with our TV picture settings ). Although I'd probably suggest getting used to the new aspect ratio, I imagine it will make an appearance on the Note 8 and become the norm, considering Samsung now has a penchant for using large phones with one hand.
Default screen mode is Adaptive - this over saturates the screen colours. Use Amoled Photo. This is calibrated to Adobe RGB standard.
No bezel - this is a plus for me, and most people. This is the way smartphones are going. Less bezel = better phone. More for aesthetics than anything.
Screen protector/case - I never use them. They ruin the look and feel of the phone.
Camera - still the best on the market in my opinion. Beats anything else out there.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/0...probably-shouldnt-buy-a-google-pixel-anymore/
the_scotsman said:
Default screen mode is Adaptive - this over saturates the screen colours. Use Amoled Photo. This is calibrated to Adobe RGB standard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers for the tip, I hadn't touched this setting, but now I've made the switch it looks much better.
coldmethod said:
Fair call on the oversaturation, I think I have just gotten used to it (almost all of my devices are Samsung, I'm constantly fiddling with our TV picture settings ). Although I'd probably suggest getting used to the new aspect ratio, I imagine it will make an appearance on the Note 8 and become the norm, considering Samsung now has a penchant for using large phones with one hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I don't like the fake look though. If I take a photo I want it to be realistic. I took some photos and then look at photo and object and was like man it looks way off. The note 8 better have a normal screen ratio!
the_scotsman said:
Default screen mode is Adaptive - this over saturates the screen colours. Use Amoled Photo. This is calibrated to Adobe RGB standard.
No bezel - this is a plus for me, and most people. This is the way smartphones are going. Less bezel = better phone. More for aesthetics than anything.
Screen protector/case - I never use them. They ruin the look and feel of the phone.
Camera - still the best on the market in my opinion. Beats anything else out there.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/0...probably-shouldnt-buy-a-google-pixel-anymore/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't stand the over saturation. Looks bad unless you drop to basic. Pixel camera is best imo ?
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
I also went back to my trusty Pixel XL. It is the first time I have ever voluntarily gone back to a device. The Pixel's performance can't be even distantly touched by the S8+. The optimization is worth its weight in gold alone. The S8+ is a beautiful and all around more polished piece of hardware that is severely hampered by what might be a disparity in GPU requirements v. Infinity display requirements and software that simply makes horrid use of the 2017 spec bump underlying it. I think Samsung went a bit too ambitious this time and left a few too many rough edges.
TheAnarchist1 said:
I also went back to my trusty Pixel XL. It is the first time I have ever voluntarily gone back to a device. The Pixel's performance can't be even distantly touched by the S8+. The optimization is worth its weight in gold alone. The S8+ is a beautiful and all around more polished piece of hardware that is severely hampered by what might be a disparity in GPU requirements v. Infinity display requirements and software that simply makes horrid use of the 2017 spec bump underlying it. I think Samsung went a bit too ambitious this time and left a few too many rough edges.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't have said it better. The s8 is just so close to perfection but so far from it lol
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
I smell descent in the S8+ ranks... lol
coldmethod said:
Looks like your Pros outweigh your Cons, although I do agree with your statement on the fingerprint scanner.
[RANT]Whatever possessed Samsung to place it where it is, is beyond me, for me the placement has rendered it pretty much well useless (Yes, in time you will get used to it; I could also get used to driving my car from the back seat, but bad design is bad design). Thankfully there are other options to secure your phone (facial recognition is by far my favourite and quickest; Even if it isn't as secure...)
However, I have always detested Touchwiz, even with the constant improvements it doesn't compare to some of the top launchers out there.[/RANT]
Enjoy your Pixel XL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that the only reason they threw the sensor in the back was because they ran out of time. They wanted it in the screen but didn't have enough time time for production.
I forgot garbage bixby and the button!!!
Edited op for it!
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
you forgot a couple more things that makes the s8+ sweep the floor with it..
HDR screen certification.
IP68 water and dust proofing.
Wireless charging and Fast Wireless Charging
Micro SD card expansion.
Bluetooth 5.0
Always On Display.
Iris scanner security.
bye felicia
-Alan said:
I read that the only reason they threw the sensor in the back was because they ran out of time. They wanted it in the screen but didn't have enough time time for production.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also read somewhere that the above sensor placement may hold the CrApple iSh#t 8 from being delivered as per their normal schedule, if it is true at least CrApple have the sense to ensure deadlines don't affect the final product. (please excuse my uncharacteristic optimism regarding CrApple products)
For the fanboys/fence sitters - Yes Apple has it's applications, yes some people prefer simple... this is an Android forum. As I have said in the past iPhones are for people that want a smartphone but aren't smart enough to use them. ~ from an open platform fanboy.
oneandroidnut said:
I forgot garbage bixby and the button!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too forgot this useless piece of redundant garbage (sort of points out how irrelevant Bixby is in a world of Google Now), although the button remapped to be a "back" button is handy.
Hopefully Samsung will pull their collective heads out of each other's butts and allow the button to be remapped to whatever the consumer wishes without a 3rd party app, instead of the usual "this is how you will use the device you payed for and rightfully own" attitude of large corporations.
-Alan said:
I read that the only reason they threw the sensor in the back was because they ran out of time. They wanted it in the screen but didn't have enough time time for production.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They wanted it to be on the same spot as the home button under the screen, but Synaptics couldn't get it working good enough in time.
I'm also going to return mine. I'm kind of disappointed that the audio quality is subpar IMHO. Comparing it with my Nexus 6P, the sound level is lower than the 6P and honestly the 6P sounds more crisp. If I'm paying close to a grand for a device- S8+ with paid bundle, I would wish the manufacturer doesn't skimp on features like Samsung did with this phone. The mono speaker audio and then the issue with the tint... I tried adjusting in settings but there's still a slight red hue which is annoying to say the least. The fingerprint scanner... But I can get used to that. The Bixby button being disabled to use with other applications. It's just too many compromises for a device like this. Thinking I'll wait for the Note 8 or the next Pixel. Damn, I had such high hopes and really wanted to like this phone, but I can't justify spending $950 on something I'm not fully satisfied with.
xxsanioutlawxx said:
I'm also going to return mine. I'm kind of disappointed that the audio quality is subpar IMHO. Comparing it with my Nexus 6P, the sound level is lower than the 6P and honestly the 6P sounds more crisp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well pointed out. One of the major gripes I think is the sound quality. I have tested a bunch of different HiFi headphones on my S8+ but it's nowhere close to the previous Mate 9 audio quality: to low the volume, mushy details in medium tonality, overall "not there". I am not sure where Pixel stands from the sound quality perspective but I would be eager to test it beforehand.
h4ck3r69 said:
you forgot a couple more things that makes the s8+ sweep the floor with it..
HDR screen certification.
IP68 water and dust proofing.
Wireless charging and Fast Wireless Charging
Micro SD card expansion.
Bluetooth 5.0
Always On Display.
Iris scanner security.
bye felicia
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually have sdcard in the op thank you and they still don't beat the pixel lol always on you know pixel has this too right?
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
the_scotsman said:
They wanted it to be on the same spot as the home button under the screen, but Synaptics couldn't get it working good enough in time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once again shows Samsung is becoming more like Apple. I got money on the s9 having it under screen on front pulling more people in to buy it instead of waiting a few more months and perfecting the s8!
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
TheAnarchist1 said:
I also went back to my trusty Pixel XL. It is the first time I have ever voluntarily gone back to a device. The Pixel's performance can't be even distantly touched by the S8+. The optimization is worth its weight in gold alone. The S8+ is a beautiful and all around more polished piece of hardware that is severely hampered by what might be a disparity in GPU requirements v. Infinity display requirements and software that simply makes horrid use of the 2017 spec bump underlying it. I think Samsung went a bit too ambitious this time and left a few too many rough edges.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There were two key features that kept me from getting the pixel. Wireless charging and dust and water resistant. In my line of work I need That! If pixel 2 has those, I'm sold.
Not a thorough review here... just thought I'd put up some initial impressions;
1. Battery seems great so far, but I usually let these devices settle a week or so before judging. My general experience with other Sony's is that the battery performance is awesome.
2. Camera and video really look great.
3. I do have the issue with picture distortion, but it's insanely difficult to spot unless I take a picture of a box or my keyboard.
4. Videos I've taken thus far look awesome - most of my captures are on mountain bike trails, so good lighting.
5. The device size seems better for me to handle than smaller phones (came from an HTC 10), and I have small-ish hands. It seems counter intuitive, but that's my feeling thus far.
6. The one screen protector I've tried (tempered) doesn't cover the entire glass surface, so this is like every other phone out there... don't expect good looks with tempered sp's.
7. Audio sounds great so far - still playing. Speaker volume is lower than my HTC 10, which is a bit disappointing.
8. FP reader is super fast, and I love it on the side of the phone as opposed to the front. Much more natural spot IMHO.
I think you forgot the link or text...
Shnig said:
I think you forgot the link or text...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, sorry. I hit "enter" and it posted :silly:
charlatan01 said:
Not a thorough review here... just thought I'd put up some initial impressions;
1. Battery seems great so far, but I usually let these devices settle a week or so before judging. My general experience with other Sony's is that the battery performance is awesome.
2. Camera and video really look great.
3. I do have the issue with picture distortion, but it's insanely difficult to spot unless I take a picture of a box or my keyboard.
4. Videos I've taken thus far look awesome - most of my captures are on mountain bike trails, so good lighting.
5. The device size seems better for me to handle than smaller phones (came from an HTC 10), and I have small-ish hands. It seems counter intuitive, but that's my feeling thus far.
6. The one screen protector I've tried (tempered) doesn't cover the entire glass surface, so this is like every other phone out there... don't expect good looks with tempered sp's.
7. Audio sounds great so far - still playing. Speaker volume is lower than my HTC 10, which is a bit disappointing.
8. FP reader is super fast, and I love it on the side of the phone as opposed to the front. Much more natural spot IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the review. Aside from the volume and the distortion, do you have any other negative comments about the phone? Generally been a positive experience so far has it?
Even if you are generally happy with the phone I think it would still be wise to report the distortion. It's important that Sony know how widespread this issue is.
charlatan01 said:
Not a thorough review here... just thought I'd put up some initial impressions;
1. Battery seems great so far, but I usually let these devices settle a week or so before judging. My general experience with other Sony's is that the battery performance is awesome.
2. Camera and video really look great.
3. I do have the issue with picture distortion, but it's insanely difficult to spot unless I take a picture of a box or my keyboard.
4. Videos I've taken thus far look awesome - most of my captures are on mountain bike trails, so good lighting.
5. The device size seems better for me to handle than smaller phones (came from an HTC 10), and I have small-ish hands. It seems counter intuitive, but that's my feeling thus far.
6. The one screen protector I've tried (tempered) doesn't cover the entire glass surface, so this is like every other phone out there... don't expect good looks with tempered sp's.
7. Audio sounds great so far - still playing. Speaker volume is lower than my HTC 10, which is a bit disappointing.
8. FP reader is super fast, and I love it on the side of the phone as opposed to the front. Much more natural spot IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with everything you stated in your brief review. Especially about the camera. I am no camera expert (seems like everyone today is a professional photographer wannabe...) I guess if you need to take photos of keyboards or grids you may see some distortion, but for regular photos mine looks great!
I too wish the speakers were capable of being just a little louder, but I guess this has to do with being waterproof. I can live with them as they are. Then again Sony may provide a patch that helps with the volume??? I too think the battery is great, but then again I am not watching movies or playing games on my phone. If I want to watch a movie I have an 80" Vizio in a theater room for that!
I do wish that Sony would unlink the ringtone from the notification volume. I know it's an Android thing but there are other phones running Nougat 7.1.1 that do have them unlinked. Other than that this phone is great!
Shnig said:
Thank you for the review. Aside from the volume and the distortion, do you have any other negative comments about the phone? Generally been a positive experience so far has it?
Even if you are generally happy with the phone I think it would still be wise to report the distortion. It's important that Sony know how widespread this issue is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally, I think the device is awesome, so it's been a positive experience for me. I have reported the distortion to Sony, and am going to go through their steps to resolve, which first means a factory reset through the Sony app (ugh!!
For the record, I've gone through a bunch of devices, and I do have 2 Sony's in my history. I am buy no means a fan boy. My son now has my HTC 10, and as much as I liked that phone, it doesn't hold a candle to the XZP.
charlatan01 said:
Generally, I think the device is awesome, so it's been a positive experience for me. I have reported the distortion to Sony, and am going to go through their steps to resolve, which first means a factory reset through the Sony app (ugh!!
For the record, I've gone through a bunch of devices, and I do have 2 Sony's in my history. I am buy no means a fan boy. My son now has my HTC 10, and as much as I liked that phone, it doesn't hold a candle to the XZP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I ask in what ways you like it over the 10?
I've got the HTC 10 at the moment and have been holding out to see what the OnePlus 5 is like, but I'm really tempted by this.
What happened to double tap to wake/sleep?
Sent from my G8141 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
alexp999 said:
Can I ask in what ways you like it over the 10?
I've got the HTC 10 at the moment and have been holding out to see what the OnePlus 5 is like, but I'm really tempted by this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, let's see. These are just my feelings, no scientific method behind it.
Build quality - the Sony always has a strong feel in the hand.
Handling - the 10 feels harder to handle in one hand than the xzp
Screen - xzp looks ridiculous. 10 is no slouch.
Dual speakers on the xzp.
Wfi connections on 5ghz is waaayyy better
Water resistance - I mountain bike a lot, so my devices get wet.
Flat back, and the camera doesn't protrude.
does anyone else have a problem with slow mo camera being too dark and grainy or is that just me cannot do anything in good lighting condition at all
darkcroc said:
does anyone else have a problem with slow mo camera being too dark and grainy or is that just me cannot do anything in good lighting condition at all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have this phone, but from my understanding on how camera works i think that you need a lot of light to not be dark and grainy. The faster is your shutter speed the more light you need. That is why who operates professional slo-mo cameras uses big lights to really brighten the scene. Try to make a slo-mo outside in a bright sunny day (with direct sun light on your subject) and you should see the difference.
charlatan01 said:
Hmm, let's see. These are just my feelings, no scientific method behind it.
Build quality - the Sony always has a strong feel in the hand.
Handling - the 10 feels harder to handle in one hand than the xzp
Screen - xzp looks ridiculous. 10 is no slouch.
Dual speakers on the xzp.
Wfi connections on 5ghz is waaayyy better
Water resistance - I mountain bike a lot, so my devices get wet.
Flat back, and the camera doesn't protrude.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised you find it easier to handle, that's the one thing making me reluctant is how much bigger than the HTC 10 it is. One handed must be impossible...
Nice to see a positive review. Upload some camera shots
figo_rulz11 said:
Nice to see a positive review. Upload some camera shots
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats what I thought too, but it's not as imposing as it looks. Additionally, it REALLY helps to have the FP reader on the side of the phone, It makes one handed operation easier IMHO.
***UPDATED AGAIN****
This is my first time posting a review for phone, because I am that impressed.
A little background so you have an idea of where I am coming from. I have literally purchased every flagship phone a company has had to offer since 2009 (Very expensive vice) from Blackberry 10 devices, Windows devices, iPhones to Android devices. I have an absolute love for gadgets and phones, I hold no loyalty to any company period and never will, just because you have 2-3 products that were solid from the company doesn't mean its not going to create a turd every once in awhile. Loyalty with hardware generally in my opinion garners tunnel vision for someone and the user tends to ignore the downsides or errors with a product. Samsung built Note's 1-7 and the S series, you think all of them were great? No, but big publications I notice seem to think so and its not just Samsung, its all manufacturers for phones. Your decision to buy a phone should be based not only what speaks to you personally but can do what it needs to do for you, not what is "cool" or what everyone else has. Every individual is born with their own preference on things and people should use it.
Parts I am covering, if I left something out and you want me to add it or just ask a question please feel free.
*Overall Build Quality
*Screen Quality
*OS overall functionality and speed
*Sound Quality with HD Bluetooth (LDAC) / Reception
*Camera
*Battery Life
*Summary (Praise and Gripes)
Build Quality
The second you take this phone out of the box and peel off the plastic covering it, you know you are holding top quality piece of hardware, you will find yourself looking all over it from top to bottom for a couple of minutes easy. It's edges are smooth, you don't feel any sharp points while holding the phone, it is a bit slippery (I use a case on every phone no matter what) so I would suggest a skin if you don't like cases. I don't have the brass to walk around with 800 dollars possibly slipping out of my hands and into the wind. Even the speaker grills to the USB-C port cutouts are top notch. I LOVE where they placed the fingerprint sensor, right on the side where my thumb is, this should be the location for every phone ever built in my opinion. I've been using the Blackberry Keyone for a week now and one of the big things I love about a Blackberry is the build of almost all their phones (Priv was garbage) and you will hear a lot of people just say the Keyone is a solid built brick and they are right. This guy is right there with it except glass, it has some nice heft in your hand when you hold it. I would rate the build of this phone without a doubt the 2nd best built quality wise across all platforms of phones so cheers to Sony for that.
Screen Quality
So I put this guy up against the the S8 Plus, and the iPhone 7 Plus. The reason I put the iPhone 7 Plus in here is because its only 1080p and the Sony shows 1080p until you are actually running 4k so its not always in 4k mode FYI and there is not an option to change this (Stupid!) So I was running content side by side against these 2 guys and weather its in 1080p or 4k, theres no comparison, the detail is just stupid. The blacks are amazing and the fact that this phone is an IPS display out-doing an AMOLED is crazy talk. This is the king of displays hands down no contest not even up for debate.
OS overall functionality and speed
Ok so some of you are familiar with Google's Nexus phones and the latest being the Google Pixel and know that since you are getting everything Google intended the user experience on Android to be, for the people that are new or aren't familiar with these Android devices, lets just say you should really try one out, they are bloat free and extremely fast phones. So for the last year or so, the Google Pixel was the fastest Android phone period, it really blew people away at how fast opening and closing applications to having a ton run in the background just wouldn't slow the thing down. So I have always said the there's fast, then there's Google Phone fast...... until now. I dont even know where to begin on how stupidly fast this phone is anything you do or throw at it, and you can say "well it has the Snapdragon 835 in it", yeah that's true but if phones were purely off a spec sheet, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Plus would run at the same speed, software implementation with hardware is extremely important. In no way shape or form is the Galaxy S8 or Plus even in the same solar system as this thing. You can lookup on Youtube there are posts of people running tests this guy and it's quite embarrassing how much faster this Sony is and the one thing I never see reviewers do is show how actually using all the applications while have all of those open at the same, time. This phone does....not....slow....down. Run 10-12 apps on my S8 Plus, lagasaurus rears its ugly head, micro shudders you know what I am talking about. People that claim that theirs never does that is a liar. There are only a few phones on Android that I would say are free of Lag and Micro Stutters, Google Pixel, HTC M8, talk about butter...mmmm...butter.... There could be the argument "who needs that many apps open", well believe it or not when you are busy sometimes, you don't always close everything down and really you shouldn't have to in this day in age with tech. The ease of use navigation using Sony's launcher and the Settings is so simple it doesn't need a spotlight to be hones, its clean and straight forward and you aren't digging for options unlike some out there.
Sound Quality
(Speakers)
There are 2 front facing stereo on this guy, and I do and I know a lot of people love the fact they are facing you and not facing down so when you are cupping the phone it blocks the sound. Its a huge plus for this phone, the sound quality out of the speakers are not amazing but solid, games or Youtube or speakerphone on a call is loud enough that you can hear what is going on even if your surroundings are not so quiet. Quality wise I wouldn't say its going to win awards nor would I say its going to blow you away like some of HTC's boom sound on previous phones or like the Blackberry Passport. But all in all its right where it needs to be and if you need louder speakers I suggest getting some headphones.
(Headphones)
So I own quite a few headsets ranging from Blue Headsets, Sony MDR-1000X, Sennheiser HD 800s just for example, Plugging any one of these guys and listening to all sorts of music sounds just awesome, not just good but actually awesome. I'm not going to go any further into it because this is a very very subjective category given some people are audio files and some are not, some people can actually hear certain sounds and some actually physically cannot (yes you can actually go see a doctor to see which frequencies you can actually hear).
(Reception/ Call Quality)
So this is just my experience with AT&T, I can't give claim to other carriers. The calls are clear and precise and people say they can hear me just fine, no echos. I can hear people with no issue at all same goes for putting the call on speaker as mentioned before. I have 0 complaints in this department.
Camera
Alright sorry about the long delay for the Camera review. Now I will state from the start I am not a pro photographer and nor am I skilled with manually adjusting camera's. I will keep this short and sweet because you can find a ton of pictures from this phone online in forums or YouTube for reference. I did a comparison between the S8+ the iPhone 7 Plus and the Google Pixel. I personally prefer the natural colors that come from the iPhone and the Sony and the Pixel, popping colors from the Samsung might be yours so I believe it to be personal preference. So what I was looking at purely on these phones was, how clear are the pictures and is the shutter lag bad? For a simple user, that's all you care about. I immediately ignore low light references because they are null, who the heck takes pictures in the dark? Majority people send pictures of things or family/friends during the day, if you need low light go buy a DSLR. Back to the camera. The selfie camera I can barely tell the difference between all of them, they are all clear and I would say the Pixel is a little less detailed. I can distinguish what is what as clear as day in all of the front facing cameras. The rear camera, like I mentioned before, the S8+ is the only one that has extremely high saturation, but quality overall, I cant really tell the difference they all look fantastic in my opinion and maybe on some pictures some look more sharp than others but all of them are extremely fast to take a photo and it looks great. As far as the slow motion, its not very easy to use nor can I think of many places or instances I will use it. As far as the few I have seen with camera issues, I am sorry to hear that I would get the phone replaced because the photo quality is right up there with the best and if you are getting any different that is substantially noticeable, then that means there is something wrong.
Battery Life
So this might be premature but usually with phones battery life is horrible at the start because it needs to break-in and a phones software needs to settle in. Well I for one can say since day one its like the rules of everything we know don't apply here, I would consider myself to be a heavy phone user. I watch YouTube, Funimation shows, Wifi is on all day, I really don't cut things out or turn things off on phones just to save battery because I am either too lazy, or it cuts out to much functionality. I take the phone off the charger at 630AM every morning, then at lunch I'm always at 75% or more. I plug it in and let it charge, I don't while I clear out some emails and work and by the time I pick it up again its at 100% and I don't have to plug it in until bed time which is 11PM roughly, and when I am ready at 11PM, its at 65%. I have never got this thing down below 60%. I have no complaints here for battery life.
Summary
As you noticed I haven't spoken about the bezels, and I am not going to because its irrelevant, they are there because of the speakers and Sony's choice, if it bothers or you don't like it that's fine go buy another phone. There are quite a few other phones out there that are worth your hard earned money, and the more you spend I believe you should get more. "When I spend more money I want less" said NO ONE EVER! Sony does not disappoint in this regard yet in the past, I would highly beg to differ. If you look at everything you are getting with this phone, its really hard to think of anything that they left out. HD Bluetooth Sound, LDAC, Headphone Jack, 4k Screen, Stero Speakers, Front Facing Speakers, Amazing Camera, Awesome build quality, Rapid 3.0 Charging, USB-C, Fingerprint Sensor, Notification Light I mean the list goes on the only thing its missing is Cake. My only real negative things I can say so far right now is that the US version of this phone has a disabled fingerprint sensor, I purchased the UK variant to get around this. Also I actually like the Sony launcher a lot, I always use Nova or Action Launcher 3, been toying with Evie another great launcher, you can change the Grid Size and Icons to whatever you like too. Theres no option to change the screen resolution which does bother me, I am not saying my phone needs to be in 4k all the time because of obvious reasons but at least 2k. But other than that, this phone deserves a lot more attention that it will actually get.
Hope this helps anyone looking to get a phone or just plain curious about this guy and what it has to offer. Cheers!:fingers-crossed:
*audiophile
Nice! I will get mine tomorrow !
Shnig said:
*audiophile
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Language flame as first reply. Thank you Internet, faith restored.
ukemochi said:
This is my first time posting a review for phone, because I am that impressed.
A little background so you have an idea of where I am coming from. I have literally purch...........
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Is there an option settings to change the display scaling or alternatively in developer settings to change the dpi or smallest width?
I always find Sony and Samsung to be scaled like a child's play phone.
Thanks
You can change icons size and grid settings on homescreen and app list.
Are the Volume and Camera buttons made out of metal? or are they the same as the side?
Lazaros_K said:
Are the Volume and Camera buttons made out of metal? or are they the same as the side?
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All the buttons on the phone are of the same material and it seems like a hard plastic, its not cheap feeling at all.
FartyParty said:
Nice! I will get mine tomorrow !
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You will be impressed, enjoy.
I am thinking about this phone to replace my Sony Z3 compact but $800 isn't an easy pill to take.
I am also thinking about the HTC U11. I am going to make a choice in the next few days as the screen on my Z3 compact is failing due to the seal failing. I know a dud can happen but I have had two Z3 compacts fail me so I am on the fence.
Just got mine today and boy does it feel premium
Amazing quality bloody hell!!
Also fired up the 4khdr demo video amd was blown away
sfex3best said:
Just got mine today and boy does it feel premium
Amazing quality bloody hell!!
Also fired up the 4khdr demo video amd was blown away
Click to expand...
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Enjoy it!
4ktvs said:
I am thinking about this phone to replace my Sony Z3 compact but $800 isn't an easy pill to take.
I am also thinking about the HTC U11. I am going to make a choice in the next few days as the screen on my Z3 compact is failing due to the seal failing. I know a dud can happen but I have had two Z3 compacts fail me so I am on the fence.
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Click to collapse
Hope this helps, I dont know where you live but if you are in the US, order from the UK from Clove Tech, you pay the EX-VAT price which is huge savings. They sell it for 540 pounds which is 697 dollars, and their variant unlocked version has the fingerprint scanner, where as if you wait for the US to get it you will pay 800 dollars and thats not including tax and you DONT get a finger print scanner.
Im sorry about your Z3 bud, I bought one for the wife quite awhile back and hers is still plugging away. Best of luck.
Great review, roll on camera pictures and review. Oh and battery life
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
jms.flynn said:
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too have one in hand. I think the color is Deep Sea Black but who cares, right? :silly:
The large bezels help when you need to hold the phone in landscape mode. I too think it would be nice if the speakers were a little louder but I think it is a result of the waterproofing. If they were to boost the volume signal then they would probably distort too much and then we would complain about that. Can't win.
My vibration is a little soft also, but then again the only phone I know of with a strong vibration is the Moto X Pure. The wife has a brand new one because she smashed the screen in the one I gave her and she loves it (as do I) and the vibration on that thing will knock the fillings from your teeth. Not sure if it has to do with the amount of power being sent to the motor, or the motor itself. I just know that every phone I have ever owned except the Pure has a relatively weak vibration.
I am OK with the screen being at the default of 1080. Plenty good enough for a 5.5 in screen. I have an Amoled phone and comparing the two screens it's hard to tell which is which. The XZ Premium screen looks great in bright sunlight so no problem there. So far I love it. I do wish that Sony would unlink the ringtone volume from the notification volume. I know it can be done because I have another phone running Nougat 7.1.1 and they are not linked. What I did was use a ringtone creator app to artificially lower the volume of the sound I use for notifications (texts) and that way when the volume is on full for the ringtone the notification volume appears to be about half as loud... just the way I like it.
I would recommend this phone to anyone! :good:
figo_rulz11 said:
Great review, roll on camera pictures and review. Oh and battery life
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Click to collapse
Thank you, and as far as the camera and battery life added into the review, I will do it at the end of the week so the battery is broken in and I have some time to really play with the camera in all aspects, I should have something up by Saturday.
jms.flynn said:
Just to share my 2 cents.
Received mine this morning.
Pros -
Build quality is incredible, ts like a piece of jewelry or an expensive watch. Fit and finish is superb.
The colour choice "Midnight Black" is awesome
Performance is very good, smooth and snappy
Photos compared to my s7 edge are actually very very good. Better in some.
Video recording is also very very good.
On the fence -
Whilst the screen is very very good, i personally still prefer the look of amoled panels. Even with a 4k HDR beast the s8 in my opinion still has a better screen. Its a good screen, a very good screen just not the best.
The bezels are a little large and considering the speakers aren't very powerful i'm not sure what the trade off is.
Cons -
Speakers even being stereo are not particularly loud but if you have had a Sony phone in the past then you are probably used to this.
Bloat - There is a bit of bloatware pre installed, it can be disabled but not uninstalled.
Screen - If you're going to give us a 4k screen give the user the option to choose 4k resolution at all times. Its my choice to sacrifice battery life if i choose to.
A couple of bits that i'm not sure are specific to my unit, the vibration motor isn't very powerful and there is a faint click sound occasionally when it is buzzing. Nothing that would make me believe it has a fault but i can hear it.
Also my screen has missed a couple of inputs, it may be me just getting used to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd would keep on eye on that click sound, you and the guy that posted just right after you mentioned that the vibration isn't that strong, but mine vibrates pretty strong and actually manages to scare the crap out of me at work because I'll have it on the desk and it goes off (co-workers will always make dirty jokes in reference to the sound) but that's something I will keep my ear open for on that click sound, so far nada.
ukemochi said:
I'd would keep on eye on that click sound, you and the guy that posted just right after you mentioned that the vibration isn't that strong, but mine vibrates pretty strong and actually manages to scare the crap out of me at work because I'll have it on the desk and it goes off (co-workers will always make dirty jokes in reference to the sound) but that's something I will keep my ear open for on that click sound, so far nada.
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Click to collapse
Its not clicking the duration of when the vibration motor is active which makes me believe it isn't a fault. As an example if i get a call and my phone is on vibrate i don't hear it at all. Its only when i have vibrate on screen tap and use the soft keys. It's like the faintest of clicks when the vibration motor is initializing. Again nothing to make me think its faulty but i noticed it straight away.
jms.flynn said:
Is there an option settings to change the display scaling or alternatively in developer settings to change the dpi or smallest width?
I always find Sony and Samsung to be scaled like a child's play phone.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you can change it in the developer settings best setting to ever come to android for none rooted users anyways